Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Charles Schwab vs Fusion Markets, 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.
Charles Schwab and Fusion Markets differ sharply in age, business structure, and regulation. Charles Schwab was founded in 1971, is publicly traded, and operates as a bank, which may give some traders extra peace of mind. It holds 5 Tier-1 licenses, 0 Tier-2 licenses, and earns a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 99 out of 99, placing it in the highly trusted range.
Fusion Markets, founded in 2019, is not publicly traded and is not a bank. It holds 1 Tier-1 license and 0 Tier-2 licenses, with a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 71 out of 99, which falls in the average risk category. In simple terms, Schwab offers a much stronger regulatory profile, while Fusion Markets is a newer broker with a lighter trust and licensing footprint.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Fusion Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1971 | 2019 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
Charles Schwab offers forex trading through its Schwab One and Schwab Global accounts, with no minimum deposit on its main brokerage account types, which helps keep the entry point low. Schwab does not charge a separate forex commission; instead, trading costs come from the spread, and the average EUR/USD spread in October 2024 was 1.35 pips, which is a bit on the expensive side compared with many low-cost brokers. Schwab One trades settle in U.S. dollars, while Schwab Global gives access to 12 international markets in local currencies, though currency conversion fees can apply. Charles Schwab is rated 4 stars and ranked #24 out of 36 for commissions and fees.
Fusion Markets takes a more price-focused approach with two account types: Zero and Classic. The Zero account uses raw spreads starting at 0.0 pips plus a separate commission, which Fusion says can work out to about 0.5 pips overall on major pairs, making it a strong fit for active traders who want lower trading costs. The Classic account folds the fee into the spread, with spreads starting at 0.9 pips, which may be easier to understand for beginners or casual traders. Fusion Markets is rated 5.0 stars for commissions and fees, but its ForexBrokers.com ranking for this category is N/A.
Overall, Schwab is a better-known all-in-one broker with simple commission-free forex pricing, but its spreads are higher than Fusion’s. Fusion Markets is the lower-cost choice for frequent forex trading, especially if you are comfortable with raw spreads and separate commissions. If you want the simplest pricing, Schwab’s Classic-style setup may feel easier; if you want the cheapest trading costs, Fusion Markets has the edge.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Fusion Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0.00 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 1.27 | 0.91 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 1.27 | 0.54 |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When it comes to range of investments, Charles Schwab gives investors far more choice than Fusion Markets. Schwab offers about 40,000 tradeable symbols, including U.S. and international exchange-listed securities, plus 73 forex pairs and forex trading as a spot contract. It also supports cryptocurrency CFDs, though not actual crypto ownership. This broad selection helps explain its 5-star Range of Investments rating and #5 ranking out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com.
Fusion Markets has a much smaller lineup, with around 250 tradeable symbols, but it does offer a slightly larger selection of forex pairs at 81. Unlike Schwab, it does not provide access to U.S. or international exchange-traded securities, but it does offer copy trading and cryptocurrency CFDs. Overall, its range of investments is narrower, which is reflected in its 3.5-star rating.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Fusion Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 40000 | 250 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 73 | 81 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| Copy Trading | No | 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.
Charles Schwab and Fusion Markets both give traders a choice of web-based and Windows desktop platforms, plus free paper trading for practice. Each also lets users trade directly from a chart, which can make it easier to act quickly on market moves. In Trading Platforms and Tools, Charles Schwab stands out for its own in-house platform, while Fusion Markets does not offer a proprietary platform but does support popular third-party tools like MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5.
Fusion Markets also has copy trading, which may appeal to beginners or anyone who wants to follow other traders, while Charles Schwab does not. In ratings from ForexBrokers.com, Charles Schwab scores higher for trading platforms and tools at 5 stars and ranks #7 out of 36 brokers, compared with Fusion Markets at 4.0 stars. Overall, Charles Schwab is the stronger pick for platform quality, while Fusion Markets offers more options for traders who want MetaTrader support and copy trading.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Fusion Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 374 | 31 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Charles Schwab and Fusion Markets both offer iPhone and Android apps, so traders can manage accounts and place trades on either major mobile platform. Both apps also let users draw trendlines on charts and automatically save those drawings, which is helpful for people who want to keep track of technical analysis on the go. In day-to-day use, though, Schwab stands out with stock and forex price alerts, watchlist symbol syncing with the online account, and a much larger charting toolkit with 374 technical studies compared with Fusion Markets’ 32.
That difference shows up in third-party ratings as well. Charles Schwab earns 5 out of 5 stars for Mobile Trading Apps and ranks #6 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Fusion Markets is rated 3.5 out of 5 stars and does not have a published ranking in that category. For mobile traders who want more alerts, better watchlist syncing, and deeper charting options, Schwab has the edge over Fusion Markets.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Fusion Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | No |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 374 | 32 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When it comes to market research, Charles Schwab has a clear edge over Fusion Markets. Schwab offers daily market commentary, forex news from top-tier sources like Reuters and Bloomberg, and an economic calendar that tracks global events. It also earns a 5-star Research rating and ranks #5 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, showing a stronger overall research setup for traders who want more frequent market updates and deeper insight.
Fusion Markets does provide forex news from leading sources and an economic calendar, but it does not offer daily market commentary. Both brokers lack extras such as Autochartist, Trading Central, sentiment tools, TipRanks, and Acuity Trading research. Fusion Markets is rated 4.0 stars for Research, and it does not have a ForexBrokers.com Research ranking listed, so it may suit traders who need the basics, while Charles Schwab is better for those looking for more market analysis support.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Fusion Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | No | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginners looking for help learning how to trade, Charles Schwab stands out with a wide range of education tools. It offers forex and CFDs education, regular online client webinars each month, and at least 10 beginner videos plus 10 advanced videos, making it a strong choice for traders at different skill levels. Schwab is also rated 5 out of 5 stars for Education and is ranked #6 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com in this category.
Fusion Markets also gives beginners useful learning content, including at least 10 beginner videos and at least 10 advanced videos, but it does not offer monthly educational webinars. It also does not appear to provide the same level of forex or CFDs-focused education as Charles Schwab. Fusion Markets is rated 4.0 out of 5 stars for Education, and it is not ranked by ForexBrokers.com in this category.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
Fusion Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| 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 Charles Schwab is better than Fusion Markets. Charles Schwab finished with an overall rank of #6, while Fusion Markets finished with an overall rank of #N/A.
Charles Schwab is a highly trusted financial institution and multi-asset broker catering to U.S.-based and international forex traders. Schwab's award-winning thinkorswim platform offers over 70 tradeable currency pairs alongside impressive tools, research, and education. That said, the broker’s forex offering is still largely limited to what is available on thinkorswim.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
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Fusion Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 71 |
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When comparing Charles Schwab and Fusion Markets, neither online broker currently offers the ability to buy actual, delivered cryptocurrency, but both do provide access to cryptocurrency CFDs instead.
Charles Schwab and Fusion Markets both support ACH/SEPA transfers and bank wires for funding and withdrawals, but Fusion Markets has the edge for payment flexibility because it also offers PayPal and Skrill, which Charles Schwab does not.
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 | Charles Schwab | Fusion Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 71 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Charles Schwab Review | Fusion Markets Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Charles Schwab | Fusion Markets | |
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| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Regulation | Charles Schwab | Fusion Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 71 | |
| Year Founded | 1971 | 2019 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Charles Schwab | Fusion Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | ||
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | ||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | Yes | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Charles Schwab | Fusion Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | ||
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | ||
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | No | ||
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | ||
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | Charles Schwab | Fusion Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | ||
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 40000 | 250 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 73 | 81 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Copy Trading | No | 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 | Charles Schwab | Fusion Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 1.27 | 0.91 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 1.27 | 0.54 | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | ||
| Order execution: Market Maker | No |
| Funding | Charles Schwab | Fusion Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0.00 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | Charles Schwab | Fusion Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | Yes |
| Trading Tools | Charles Schwab | Fusion Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 374 | 31 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Charles Schwab | Fusion Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 374 | 32 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | No |
| Research | Charles Schwab | Fusion Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | No | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Charles Schwab | Fusion Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Charles Schwab | Fusion Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | Charles Schwab Review | Fusion Markets Review |
| Overall | Charles Schwab | Fusion Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 71 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Charles Schwab Review | Fusion Markets Review |
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