FXCM vs OANDA 2024

FXCM's parent company is publicly-traded, does not operate a bank, and is authorised by four Tier-1 regulators (Highly Trusted), two Tier-2 regulators (Trusted), zero Tier-3 regulators (Average Risk), and zero Tier-4 regulators (High Risk). FXCM is authorised by the following Tier-1 regulators: Australian Securities & Investment Commission (ASIC), Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO), and regulated in the European Union via the MiFID passporting system.

OANDA is not publicly traded and does not operate a bank. OANDA is authorised by seven Tier-1 regulators (Highly Trusted), zero Tier-2 regulators (Trusted), zero Tier-3 regulators (Average Risk), and one Tier-4 regulators (High Risk). OANDA is authorised by the following tier-1 regulators: Australian Securities & Investment Commission (ASIC), Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC), Japanese Financial Services Authority (JFSA), Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), and regulated in the European Union via the MiFID passporting system.

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.

A trusted global brand, OANDA stands out for its reputation and quality market research. Its regulatory track record is strong, and its support for third-party features bolsters its overall offering.

To open a trading account with FXCM, you'll need to make an initial minimum deposit of Starts from $50.

OANDA requires a minimum deposit of $0 before you can open an account and start trading.

It's important to make sure that your forex broker accepts the funding options and deposit methods that work best for you. Both FXCM and OANDA offer Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit), Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw), PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw), Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) and Neteller (Deposit/Withdraw).

Comparing the trading costs of forex and CFDs is not easy. Not every broker publishes average spread data, and pricing structures vary. Based on our thorough, data-driven testing of each broker's commissions and fees, we found that FXCM offers better pricing overall for traders.

Methodology: When testing each broker's commissions, fees, and pricing, we analyze multiple trade scenarios and award points based on the expansiveness (or inexpensiveness) of the broker's spreads. We then run multiple scenarios for different investor types, incorporating any miscellaneous fees, to determine an "all-in" cost per trade. Learn more about how we test.

At ForexBrokers.com, we track over 110 international regulatory agencies and sort them by tiers (Tier-1, Tier-2, Tier-3, Tier-4, and Tier-5) to help you choose well-regulated, highly trusted forex brokers. Learn more about our proprietary Trust Score rating system. Based on our research on the regulatory status of over 60 brokers, we've found that OANDA holds 7 global Tier-1 licenses, while FXCM holds 4. FXCM holds 2 global Tier-2 licenses, while OANDA holds 0.

After evaluating each broker based on their number of held licenses, years in business, and a range of other data-driven variables, we've determined that FXCM (95) earned a higher Trust Score than OANDA (93).

To compare the trading platforms of both FXCM and OANDA, we tested each broker's trading tools, research capabilities, and mobile apps. For trading tools, FXCM offers a better experience. With research, OANDA offers superior market research. Finally, we found OANDA to provide better mobile trading apps.

Here’s what trading platforms are available at FXCM:

• Proprietary Platform - Yes
• Web Platform - Yes
• cTrader - No
• DupliTrade - No
• MT4 - Yes
• MT5 - No
• ZuluTrade - Yes
• TradingView - Yes

Here’s what trading platforms are available at OANDA:

• Proprietary Platform - Yes
• Web Platform - Yes
• cTrader - No
• DupliTrade - No
• MT4 - Yes
• MT5 - Yes
• ZuluTrade - No
• TradingView - Yes

The MetaTrader trading platform suite is wildly popular among forex and CFD traders across the globe. Both FXCM and OANDA offer MetaTrader 4 (MT4). Forex traders also appreciate the ability to engage in social copy trading. FXCM and OANDA both offer copy trading.

OANDA provides traders 68 currency pairs (e.g., EUR/USD) compared to FXCM's 43 available pairs. If you are interested in trading a full range of securities, OANDA offers traders access to 3928 tradeable symbols, while FXCM offers access to 440 tradeable symbols; so OANDA offers 3488 more tradeable symbols than FXCM.

We found in our testing that OANDA offers a more diverse selection of investment options than FXCM, allowing you to trade Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs), U.S. Stocks (CFD), Cryptocurrency (Derivative), Social Trading / Copy Trading and Spread Betting. Neither have Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD).