Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of HFM vs BDSwiss, 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.
When it comes to choosing an online broker, understanding their trustworthiness and regulatory standing is crucial. HFM, established in 2010, holds a Trust Score of 86 out of 99 from ForexBrokers.com, positioning it as a trusted choice for traders. It holds two Tier-1 licenses, indicating a high level of regulatory compliance, along with three Tier-2 licenses. BDSwiss, founded in 2012, has a Trust Score of 73, suggesting an average risk. It is backed by one Tier-1 license. Neither HFM nor BDSwiss is publicly traded, and neither operates as a bank.
While both platforms offer services in trading, the number and level of regulatory licenses differ. HFM's additional Tier-2 licenses show a broader compliance with trusted regulatory bodies. In contrast, BDSwiss lacks Tier-2 licenses, which are still considered trusted. This distinction might influence your decision if regulatory oversight is a priority. With both brokers being privately owned and not part of any banking institution, each has its unique strengths in serving online traders. Choosing between them largely depends on your personal risk tolerance and the importance you place on regulatory credentials.
| Feature |
HFM
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2012 |
| 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 | 2 |
Comparing commissions and fees at HFM and BDSwiss: both are rated 4 out of 5 stars for pricing by ForexBrokers.com. In the Commissions and Fees category, BDSwiss ranks #31 out of 63 brokers, while HFM ranks #32. Neither broker is the cheapest, so your choice of account type will strongly influence your trading costs.
HFM’s trading costs sit slightly above the industry average. Its Standard account cites a typical spread of about 1.2 pips (no date range provided, so the true average may vary). The Zero account quotes an effective spread around 0.7 pips after commission, though this figure is also not an average.
BDSwiss shows good order execution statistics, but spreads are higher than the lowest-cost competitors. The Classic account lists a 1.5-pip spread on EUR/USD. The Raw account starts from 0.3 pips plus a $5 commission per side for an effective spread near 1.3 pips, while the VIP account is listed at 1.2 pips.
| Feature |
HFM
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $10-$5000 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.2 | 1.6 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.7 | 1.3 |
| 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.
Comparing HFM vs BDSwiss for range of investments: both let you trade forex as CFDs or spot contracts and both support copy trading. Each also offers cryptocurrency via CFDs (not actual coins). Neither broker provides access to exchange-traded stocks in the U.S. or on international exchanges; equities and other markets are available only as CFDs.
BDSwiss lists 1,081 tradeable symbols, while HFM offers 500. Forex specialists may prefer HFM for its 102 currency pairs versus 53 at BDSwiss, while broader market seekers might favor BDSwiss for its larger overall lineup. Both are rated 4 stars for Range of Investments; ForexBrokers.com ranks BDSwiss #35 out of 63 brokers and HFM #37.
| Feature |
HFM
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 500 | 1081 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 102 | 53 |
| 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 BDSwiss both cover the core needs for active traders. Each broker provides a free demo (paper trading) account, a proprietary platform alongside MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), and both web-based and Windows desktop platforms. Copy trading is available at both, and you can place orders straight from price charts. If you prefer to trade in a browser or install a platform on Windows, or want to test strategies in a demo first, either broker fits the bill.
For Trading Platforms and Tools, both HFM and BDSwiss earned 4 stars from ForexBrokers.com, though BDSwiss ranks higher in this category (#24 of 63) compared with HFM (#43 of 63). With feature lists that line up closely, the choice may come down to which proprietary platform feels better to you—try each broker’s free demo to compare layout, charting, and watch list workflow.
| Feature |
HFM
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 BDSwiss both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each app includes price alerts, 30 technical studies for charting, the ability to draw trendlines, and auto-saving for your chart drawings. One limitation is the same for both: watchlists in the mobile app do not sync with your online account, so changes won’t carry over between devices.
In terms of recognition, both apps earn 4 out of 5 stars for Mobile Trading Apps, but ForexBrokers.com ranks BDSwiss higher (#24 of 63) than HFM (#40 of 63). If a stronger third-party ranking matters to you, BDSwiss has the edge. If you’re focused on day-to-day tools like alerts and charting, the two apps are closely matched.
| Feature |
HFM
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| 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.
When exploring the research offerings of online brokers HFM and BDSwiss, both platforms provide daily market commentary to help traders stay informed. HFM stands out by offering forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, ensuring traders have access to high-quality information. While both brokers utilize tools from Autochartist for technical and fundamental analysis, HFM further enhances decision-making with a sentiment-based trading tool that shows the ratio of long or short positions across various instruments.
On the other hand, BDSwiss provides tools from Trading Central, which HFM does not offer, giving traders an additional resource for technical analytics. Both brokers feature an economic calendar to keep traders updated on global events, but they lack additional research tools from companies such as TipRanks and Acuity Trading. Rated four stars by ForexBrokers.com, HFM ranks slightly higher at #20 compared to BDSwiss at #24, making both brokers strong contenders in market research capabilities.
| Feature |
HFM
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Central | No | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
If you’re a beginner comparing HFM and BDSwiss for forex and CFD education, both brokers offer a clear path to get started. Each provides at least 10 beginner-focused video lessons and hosts client webinars at least once a month, so you can learn at your own pace and ask questions live. They also include 10+ advanced videos for when you’re ready to go beyond the basics.
Independent ratings from ForexBrokers.com give both HFM and BDSwiss 4 out of 5 stars for Education, though BDSwiss ranks higher overall (#22 of 63) than HFM (#37 of 63). In short, both are solid choices for new traders seeking videos and webinars; choose BDSwiss if a higher third‑party ranking matters to you, or HFM if you prefer its ecosystem while still getting comparable beginner learning support.
| Feature |
HFM
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
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 BDSwiss. HFM finished with an overall rank of #30, while BDSwiss finished with an overall rank of #36.
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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BDSwiss
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|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 86 | 73 |
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HFM vs BDSwiss: neither online broker supports buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both offer cryptocurrency CFD trading.
Comparing online brokers HFM and BDSwiss for deposits and withdrawals: HFM supports Skrill and bank wire transfers but not ACH/SEPA or PayPal, while BDSwiss does offer ACH/SEPA transfers, with details on its PayPal, Skrill, Visa/Mastercard, and bank wire options 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 | BDSwiss | |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | HFM Review | BDSwiss Review |
| Broker Screenshots | HFM | BDSwiss | |
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| Regulation | HFM | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 86 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2012 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | HFM | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | No | |
| 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 | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | HFM | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | HFM | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 500 | 1081 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 102 | 53 | |
| 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 | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.2 | 1.6 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.7 | 1.3 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | No |
| Funding | HFM | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $10-$5000 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | ||
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | ||
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | ||
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | HFM | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes |
| Research | HFM | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading Central | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | HFM | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | HFM | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | BDSwiss Review |
| Overall | HFM | BDSwiss | |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | HFM Review | BDSwiss Review |
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