City Index vs ACY Securities 2025
In this head to head comparison of City Index vs ACY Securities, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
In this head to head comparison of City Index vs ACY Securities, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 51% and 89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
For investors seeking a trusted online broker, City Index and ACY Securities present distinct options in terms of trust and regulation. City Index, founded in 1983, stands as a well-established entity in the financial markets and is publicly traded. It boasts a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 99, positioning it as a highly trusted broker. With 7 Tier-1 licenses and 1 Tier-2 license, City Index signifies a strong regulatory standing, offering clients a secure trading environment. Despite not being a bank, its extensive regulatory oversight makes it a reliable choice for traders.
In contrast, ACY Securities, operating since 2011, is not publicly traded and holds a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 75, categorizing it as an average risk broker. With only 1 Tier-1 license and no Tier-2 licenses, ACY Securities provides a less comprehensive regulatory framework compared to City Index. While both brokers are faithful to their duty as non-bank entities, for traders prioritizing high trust and regulatory assurance, City Index distinguishes itself as the more secure option.
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Year Founded | 1983 | 2011 |
Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
Bank | No | No |
Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 1 |
Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
City Index and ACY Securities both earn 4.5 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees. In ForexBrokers.com’s rankings, City Index places #15 of 63, while ACY Securities is #22 of 63. In practice, City Index pricing sits around the industry average, whereas ACY can be cheaper on its commission-based accounts but pricier on its entry-level, commission-free option. Traders in Australia may find ACY’s all-in costs even lower on select accounts.
City Index’s CFD and forex costs are competitive, with an average EUR/USD spread of 0.74 pips (July 2023). You’ll typically get the best pricing on City Index’s proprietary platforms or MetaTrader. High-balance clients (depositing over £10,000) may qualify for the Premium Trader account, which adds exclusive pricing and dedicated service. For high-volume traders, rebates can reduce costs further: in the U.K., professional rebates start at £4 per million for more than £25M in monthly volume and reach £7.5 per million above £300M; in Australia, rebates range from AUD $4.5 to $14.5 per million. Overall, City Index is in line with the industry average, though not as low as the sharpest-price leaders.
ACY Securities offers three account types. The Standard account is commission-free with a $50 minimum deposit, but spreads are wider (about 1.2 pips on EUR/USD in September 2021). The ProZero and Bespoke accounts require higher minimums ($200 and $10,000) and pair lower average spreads (around 0.25 in September 2021) with commissions of $6 and $5 per round turn, respectively. In Australia, the ProZero commission drops to $3 per round turn, bringing effective EUR/USD spreads to about 0.55 (September 2021). ACY also runs a 10-tier active trader program that can cut costs by 0.5 pips per lot once you trade over 50 standard lots per month. In short: City Index provides steady, average pricing with volume-based rebates, while ACY can deliver lower all-in costs if you choose its commission-based accounts or qualify for its discounts.
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Minimum Deposit | £100.00 | $50 |
Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.4 | 1.2 |
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.74 | 0.85 |
Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | |
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | |
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
City Index and ACY Securities both let you trade forex and support copy trading. Each offers 66 tradeable forex pairs and access to cryptocurrency as CFDs (but not actual, delivered crypto). Neither broker provides access to exchange‑traded U.S. or international shares, so you can’t buy stocks like Apple or Vodafone directly. Where they differ is scale: City Index lists about 13,500 tradeable symbols, while ACY Securities offers around 2,200.
For range of investments, City Index earns 5 stars and ranks #8 out of 63 brokers, whereas ACY Securities earns 4 stars and ranks #31. If having more markets to choose from matters, City Index’s broader lineup gives it the edge; ACY Securities still covers key areas like forex, crypto CFDs, and copy trading for those who don’t need an expansive catalog.
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Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 13500 | 2200 |
Forex Pairs (Total) | 66 | 66 |
U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | No |
Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No |
Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
City Index and ACY Securities both tick key boxes for traders who want flexibility: each offers a free demo (paper) account, a proprietary in-house platform, web-based trading, and a Windows desktop download. Both also let you place trades straight from a chart and support copy trading. In independent reviews of trading platforms and tools, City Index earns 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #11 out of 63 brokers, while ACY Securities scores 4 stars and ranks #42.
Platform choice is a key difference. Both brokers support MetaTrader 4 (MT4), but only ACY Securities also offers MetaTrader 5 (MT5). If you want MT5’s features, ACY has the edge. If you’re seeking higher-rated platform tools overall and an in-house platform experience, City Index stands out. Either way, you can test-drive both with their free demo accounts to see which setup fits your style.
Feature |
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Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 88 | 30 |
Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
City Index and ACY Securities both deliver mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, complete with price alerts, trendline drawing tools, and automatic saving of chart annotations. A key difference is watchlist syncing: City Index syncs watchlists across mobile and web so your changes carry over, while ACY Securities does not. If you switch between devices or platforms often, this can be a time‑saver.
For charting depth, City Index offers 88 technical studies compared with ACY Securities’ 30, giving technical traders more choices. City Index also earns a higher Mobile Trading Apps rating (4.5/5 vs. 4/5) and a stronger category ranking (#9 vs. #41 out of 63 brokers, per ForexBrokers.com). Choose City Index if you want richer charting and synced watchlists; choose ACY Securities if you need the essentials and prefer a simpler setup.
Feature |
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Android App | Yes | Yes |
Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 88 | 30 |
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
City Index and ACY Securities both publish daily market commentary and provide an economic calendar, covering key events around the world. Where they differ is in depth and tools: City Index delivers forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, plus Trading Central research and a sentiment tool that shows the ratio of long vs. short positions. ACY Securities does not offer these features. Neither broker includes Autochartist, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading tools.
These differences show up in their scores. City Index earns 4.5 out of 5 stars for research and ranks #10 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while ACY Securities scores 3.5 stars and ranks #46. If you want richer news and built-in analysis tools, City Index is the stronger pick; if you just need the basics—commentary and a calendar—ACY Securities covers the essentials.
Feature |
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Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
Autochartist | No | No |
Trading Central | Yes | No |
Client sentiment data | Yes | No |
TipRanks | No | No |
Acuity Trading | No | No |
Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Comparing education for beginners, both City Index and ACY Securities offer forex and CFD learning content with at least 10 pieces and host online client webinars at least once a month. Each broker also provides 10 or more beginner-focused videos that explain basic trading ideas in plain language, helping new traders get started with confidence.
The key difference is depth. City Index also delivers 10+ advanced videos for experienced traders, while ACY Securities does not. That gap shows in third‑party ratings: City Index earns 4.5/5 stars and ranks 9th out of 63 brokers for Education, whereas ACY Securities holds 3.5/5 stars and ranks 43rd. If you want a learning path that grows with you from beginner to advanced, City Index has the edge; if you mainly want starter lessons and regular webinars, both brokers fit the bill.
Feature |
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Webinars | Yes | Yes |
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that City Index is better than ACY Securities. City Index finished with an overall rank of #8, while ACY Securities finished with an overall rank of #41.
Backed by StoneX Group, City Index is a trusted brand known for its versatile trading platforms, excellent mobile app, diverse market research, and extensive range of tradeable markets.
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Overall Rating |
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Trust Score | 99 | 75 |
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City Index vs ACY Securities: neither broker offers buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both provide trading in cryptocurrency CFDs.
City Index vs ACY Securities deposits and withdrawals: City Index supports ACH/SEPA, PayPal, and bank wire transfers (but not Skrill), while ACY Securities supports ACH/SEPA, with details for PayPal, Skrill, Visa/Mastercard, and bank wires not specified.
Please note:
We review each broker’s overall global offering – a “Yes” checkmark in our Compare Tool does not guarantee the availability of any specific features in your country of residence. To verify the availability of any features within your country of residence, please contact the broker directly.
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0 of 5Overall Rating | City Index | ACY Securities | |
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Trust Score | 99 | 75 | |
Winner | check_circle | ||
Review | City Index Review | ACY Securities Review |
Broker Screenshots | City Index | ACY Securities | |
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Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
Regulation | City Index | ACY Securities | |
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Trust Score | 99 | 75 | |
Year Founded | 1983 | 2011 | |
Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
Bank | No | No | |
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 1 | |
Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | City Index | ACY Securities | |
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Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No |
Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | City Index | ACY Securities | |
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Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
Investments | City Index | ACY Securities | |
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Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 13500 | 2200 | |
Forex Pairs (Total) | 66 | 66 | |
U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | No | |
Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No | |
Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
Cost | City Index | ACY Securities | |
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Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.4 | 1.2 | |
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.74 | 0.85 | |
Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
Order execution: Agency | No | No | |
Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | No |
Funding | City Index | ACY Securities | |
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Minimum Deposit | £100.00 | $50 | |
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | ||
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | ||
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | ||
Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
Trading Platforms | City Index | ACY Securities | |
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Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
cTrader | No | No |
Trading Tools | City Index | ACY Securities | |
---|---|---|---|
Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 88 | 30 | |
Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
Mobile Trading | City Index | ACY Securities | |
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Android App | Yes | Yes | |
Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 88 | 30 | |
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | No |
Research | City Index | ACY Securities | |
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Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
Autochartist | No | No | |
Trading Central | Yes | No | |
TipRanks | No | No | |
Client sentiment data | Yes | No | |
Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Education | City Index | ACY Securities | |
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Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
Major Forex Pairs | City Index | ACY Securities | |
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GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
Review | City Index Review | ACY Securities Review |
Overall | City Index | ACY Securities | |
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Overall Rating |
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Commissions & Fees |
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Range of Investments |
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Platforms & Tools |
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Mobile Trading |
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Research |
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Education |
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Trust Score | 99 | 75 | |
Winner | check_circle | ||
Review | City Index Review | ACY Securities Review |