Written by ForexBrokers.com
Is FXCM better than HFM? In our analysis of 23 international regulators across 62 of the best forex brokers, FXCM is considered low-risk, with an overall Trust Score of 96 out of 99. HotForex is considered average-risk, with an overall Trust Score of 85 out of 99. Learn more about Trust Score.
| Overall Rating | FXCM | HFM | |
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| Trust Score | 96 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FXCM Review | HFM Review |
| Regulation | FXCM | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 96 | 85 | |
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2010 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Authorised in European Union | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 3 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 3 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (High Trust) | FXCM | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASIC Authorised (Australia) | Yes | No | |
| IIROC Authorised (Canada) | Yes | No | |
| SFC Authorised (Hong Kong) | No | No | |
| CBI Authorised (Ireland) | No | No | |
| FSA Authorised (Japan) | No | No | |
| MAS Authorised (Singapore) | No | No | |
| FINMA Authorised (Switzerland) | No | No | |
| FCA Authorised (U.K.) | Yes | Yes | |
| CFTC Registered (USA) | No | No | |
| FMA Authorised (New Zealand) | No | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Average Trust) | FXCM | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| CBRC Authorised (China) | No | No | |
| CySEC Authorised (Cyprus) | Yes | Yes | |
| SEBI Authorised (India) | No | No | |
| ISA Authorised (Israel) | Yes | No | |
| CBR Authorised (Russia) | No | No | |
| FSCA Authorised (South Africa) | Yes | Yes | |
| SEC Authorised (Thailand) | No | No | |
| DFSA / Central Bank Authorised (UAE) | No | Yes |
| Tier-3 Licenses (Low Trust) | FXCM | HFM | |
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| SCB Authorised (Bahamas) | No | No | |
| IFSC Authorised (Belize) | No | No | |
| CIMA Authorised (Cayman Islands) | No | No | |
| BMA Authorised (Bermuda) | No | No | |
| FSC Authorised (British Virgin Islands) | No | No | |
| FSC Authorised (Mauritius) | No | Yes | |
| VFSC Authorised (Vanuatu) | No | No |
| Investments | FXCM | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 441 | 3500 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 44 | 47 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (CFD) | 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 | FXCM | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.38 (Q2 2022) | 1.2 (August 2021) | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.38 (Q2 2022) | 0.9 (August 2021) | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | FXCM | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Initial Deposit | Starts from $50 | $5 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | FXCM | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | Yes | No |
| Trading Tools | FXCM | HFM | |
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| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 12 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 57 | 15 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 26 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | FXCM | HFM | |
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| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 59 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | FXCM | HFM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | FXCM | HFM | |
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| Has Education - Forex or CFDs | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | FXCM | HFM | |
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| GBP/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| AUD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | FXCM Review | HFM Review |
| Overall | FXCM | HFM | |
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| Commissions & Fees |
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| Trust Score | 96 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FXCM Review | HFM Review |
Comparing forex brokers side by side is no easy task. For our 2023 annual forex broker review, we spent hundreds of hours assessing 62 forex and CFD brokerages to find the best forex broker. Let's compare FXCM vs HFM.
Comparing the trading costs of forex and CFDs is not easy. Not every broker publishes average spreads data, and pricing structures vary. Based on our thorough annual assessment, FXCM offers better pricing overall for traders.
At ForexBrokers.com, we track where each forex and CFD broker is regulated across over 23 international regulator databases. Here's our findings. FXCM holds 3 global Tier-1 licenses, while HFM holds 1. Both FXCM and HFM hold 3 global Tier-2 licenses. In our analysis of 23 international regulators across 50 brokers, FXCM earned a higher Trust Score than HFM.
To compare the trading platforms of both FXCM and HFM, we tested each broker's trading tools, research capabilities, and mobile apps. For trading tools, FXCM offers a better experience. With research, FXCM offers superior market research. Finally, we found FXCM to provide better mobile trading apps.
For forex and CFDs traders, copy trading and MetaTrader are both popular platform options. Both FXCM and HFM offer MetaTrader 4 (MT4).FXCM and HFM both offer copy trading.
HFM provides traders 47 currency pairs (e.g., EUR/USD) compared to FXCM's 44 available pairs. Forex pairs aside, HFM offers traders access to 3500 CFDs while FXCM has 441 available CFDs, a difference of 3059.
FXCM's parent company is publicly-traded, does not operate a bank, and is authorised by three tier-1 regulators (high trust), three tier-2 regulators (average trust), and zero tier-3 regulators (low trust). FXCM is authorised by the following tier-1 regulators: Australian Securities & Investment Commission (ASIC), Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), and via Friedberg Direct, with the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC).
HotForex is not publicly traded and does not operate a bank. HotForex is authorised by one tier-1 regulator (high trust), three tier-2 regulators (average trust), and one tier-3 regulator (low trust). HotForex is authorised by the following tier-1 regulator: Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
For traders who appreciate advanced trading tools and quality market research, FXCM is a winner, especially for algorithmic trading. Its range of tradeable markets is fairly narrow, however, and the pricing at FXCM is just average.
Alongside its enhanced MetaTrader offering and quality research, HFM (HF Markets), previously known as HotForex, offers a proprietary copy trading platform, HFcopy, and provides a decent selection of over 1,000 CFDs and 47 forex pairs. Still, trading costs at HFM are slightly above the industry average, and its HF mobile app does not yet support trading.
Overall winner: FXCM
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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