Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of HFM 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.
Founded in 2010, HFM offers a well-rounded and trusted trading platform with an impressive ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 86 out of 99. Despite not being publicly traded or a bank, HFM excels in regulatory compliance, holding two highly trusted Tier-1 licenses and three trusted Tier-2 licenses. These credentials make HFM a reliable choice for online trading.
Established in 2011, ACY Securities has a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 75, categorizing it as an average risk broker. Similar to HFM, ACY Securities is neither publicly traded nor a bank. In terms of regulatory licenses, ACY secures one Tier-1 license but lacks Tier-2 licenses. While ACY is a competent broker, its regulatory standing falls short when compared to HFM.
| Feature |
HFM
|
ACY Securities
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2011 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
If low trading costs are your priority, ACY Securities generally edges out HFM on pricing. HFM’s fees are slightly above the industry average, while ACY’s commission-based plans can produce tighter effective spreads, especially for residents of Australia. For the Commissions & Fees category at ForexBrokers.com, HFM is rated 4.0/5 stars and ranks #32 out of 63 brokers, whereas ACY Securities holds 4.5/5 stars and ranks #22 out of 63.
HFM lists a typical spread of 1.2 pips on its Standard account, but it doesn’t provide a date range, so the true average may be higher. Its Zero account advertises an effective spread of about 0.7 pips after commission, though that figure is not an average either. Overall, HFM’s costs land slightly above the industry norm (Rating: 4.0/5; Rank: #32/63).
ACY Securities offers three account types. The Standard account is commission-free with a $50 minimum and averaged 1.2 pips on EUR/USD in September 2021. The commission-based ProZero (from $200 minimum) and Bespoke (from $10,000 minimum) saw average spreads around 0.25 pips during the same period, with commissions of $6 per round turn (ProZero) and $5 per round turn (Bespoke). In Australia, the ProZero commission drops to $3 per round turn, bringing the effective spread to about 0.55 pips (September 2021). An active trader program with 10 tiers can trim costs by 0.5 pips per lot if you trade more than 50 standard lots per month. Overall, ACY’s commission accounts come in slightly better than the industry average (Rating: 4.5/5; Rank: #22/63).
| Feature |
HFM
|
ACY Securities
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $50 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.2 | 1.2 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.7 | 0.85 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
HFM and ACY Securities both support forex trading via CFDs or spot contracts. ACY Securities offers around 2,200 tradeable symbols compared with HFM’s roughly 500, which can suit traders seeking a wider mix of CFDs across markets. However, HFM lists 102 tradeable forex pairs versus ACY’s 66, giving currency traders more choice. Both brokers provide copy trading and cryptocurrency CFDs, but neither offers access to real, exchange-traded U.S. or international shares, and neither lets you buy actual cryptocurrencies.
Both HFM and ACY Securities earn 4 stars for Range of Investments. In ForexBrokers.com’s rankings out of 63 brokers, ACY Securities is #31 and HFM is #37. In short: choose ACY Securities if you want more total instruments, or HFM if a larger selection of forex pairs is your priority.
| Feature |
HFM
|
ACY Securities
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 500 | 2200 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 102 | 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.
HFM and ACY Securities both check the same key boxes for trading platforms and tools. Each offers a free demo (paper) account, a proprietary platform, plus MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5). You can trade on Windows desktop downloads and web-based platforms, use copy trading, and place orders directly from charts.
Specific counts for built-in technical indicators and watchlist fields weren’t provided, but both brokers earned 4 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools. In ForexBrokers.com’s rankings for this category, ACY Securities placed 42nd out of 63 brokers, while HFM placed 43rd. With such similar features and scores, the decision may come down to which platform layout you prefer and the extras you value most.
| Feature |
HFM
|
ACY Securities
|
|---|---|---|
| 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) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 15 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
HFM and ACY Securities both deliver capable mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, with price alerts to help you track forex and CFDs on the go. Each app offers 30 technical studies for charting, plus handy tools like drawing trendlines and auto-saving your annotations so your work doesn’t disappear between sessions. In day-to-day use, the core feature set feels comparable for chart analysis and alerting.
Neither broker syncs watchlists between the mobile app and the web platform, which may matter if you frequently switch devices. Both apps earned 4 out of 5 stars, though ForexBrokers.com ranks HFM slightly higher at 40th out of 63 brokers, compared with ACY Securities at 41st. If you want near-identical mobile features, choose based on other priorities such as products, fees, or platform ecosystem, with HFM holding a small edge in third-party rankings.
| Feature |
HFM
|
ACY Securities
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Comparing HFM and ACY Securities for market research: both brokers provide daily market commentary and an economic calendar. HFM stands out by delivering forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, while ACY Securities does not include these premium feeds. HFM also adds Autochartist for technical analysis and a sentiment tool that shows the ratio of long vs. short positions; ACY lacks both. Neither broker offers research from Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading.
According to ForexBrokers.com, HFM earns 4 stars for research and ranks #20 out of 63 brokers, while ACY Securities scores 3.5 stars and ranks #46. If you want richer news and extra built-in research tools, HFM has the edge; if you just need the essentials—daily commentary and a calendar—ACY Securities covers the basics.
| Feature |
HFM
|
ACY Securities
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
HFM and ACY Securities both make it easier for new traders to learn the basics of forex and CFD trading. Each broker runs client webinars at least once a month and provides a library of beginner-friendly videos, with 10 or more entries designed to help first-time traders understand key concepts.
Where they differ is depth as you advance. HFM offers at least 10 advanced videos for experienced traders, while ACY Securities does not meet that mark. That may be why HFM earns a 4-star Education rating and ranks 37th out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, compared with ACY Securities at 3.5 stars and 43rd. For beginners who want room to grow, HFM has a slight edge, but both are solid choices for getting started.
| Feature |
HFM
|
ACY Securities
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 HFM is better than ACY Securities. HFM finished with an overall rank of #30, while ACY Securities finished with an overall rank of #41.
Alongside its enhanced MetaTrader offering and quality research, HFM (HF Markets), previously known as HotForex, offers a proprietary copy trading platform, HFcopy, a proprietary HF mobile app, and a decent selection of over 1,000 CFDs and 47 forex pairs. Still, trading costs at HFM are slightly above the industry average.
| Feature |
HFM
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ACY Securities
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| Trust Score | 86 | 75 |
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Comparing online brokers HFM vs ACY Securities for cryptocurrency trading: neither offers the ability to buy actual delivered cryptocurrencies, but both provide access to trading cryptocurrency CFDs.
Comparing online brokers HFM and ACY Securities for deposits and withdrawals: HFM supports Skrill and bank wire transfers but not ACH/SEPA or PayPal, while ACY Securities does offer ACH/SEPA; PayPal and Skrill options at ACY, Visa/Mastercard for either broker, and bank wires at ACY were 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 5| Overall Rating | HFM | ACY Securities | |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 75 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | HFM Review | ACY Securities Review |
| Broker Screenshots | HFM | ACY Securities | |
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| Regulation | HFM | ACY Securities | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 86 | 75 | |
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2011 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | HFM | ACY Securities | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | 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) | HFM | ACY Securities | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | HFM | ACY Securities | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 500 | 2200 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 102 | 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 | HFM | ACY Securities | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.2 | 1.2 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.7 | 0.85 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | No |
| Funding | HFM | ACY Securities | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $50 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | ||
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | ||
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | ||
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | HFM | ACY Securities | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | HFM | ACY Securities | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 15 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | HFM | ACY Securities | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | No |
| Research | HFM | ACY Securities | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | HFM | ACY Securities | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | HFM | ACY Securities | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | HFM Review | ACY Securities Review |
| Overall | HFM | ACY Securities | |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 75 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | HFM Review | ACY Securities Review |
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