Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of StoneX Trading vs FXCM, 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.
StoneX Trading and FXCM are both publicly traded brokers, and neither is a bank. StoneX Trading was founded in 1983, while FXCM began in 1999. Based on ForexBrokers.com’s Trust Score scale, StoneX Trading’s score of 99 out of 99 puts it in the highly trusted range, while FXCM’s 95 also places it in the highly trusted range.
When it comes to regulation, StoneX Trading holds 7 Tier-1 licenses and 1 Tier-2 license, compared with FXCM’s 4 Tier-1 licenses and 2 Tier-2 licenses. Since Tier-1 licenses are considered highly trusted and Tier-2 licenses are considered trusted, StoneX Trading has the stronger regulatory profile overall, even though both brokers score very well for trust.
| Feature |
StoneX Trading
|
FXCM
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1983 | 1999 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 4 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
StoneX Trading and FXCM are both rated 4.5 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees, and both sit near the middle of the pack in ForexBrokers.com’s rankings. StoneX Trading is ranked #16 out of 36 brokers, while FXCM is close behind at #17 out of 36. In simple terms, both brokers offer pricing that is generally fair, but neither is the clear cheapest option for cost-conscious traders.
StoneX Trading’s pricing for CFDs, forex, and spread-betting products is in line with the industry average. Its EUR/USD spread averaged 0.74 pips as of July 2023, which puts its all-in cost around average, though still behind top low-cost brokers like Tickmill and FP Markets. StoneX Trading also offers active trader rebates: U.K. professional traders can start at £4 per million traded and go up to £7.5 per million, while in Australia rebates range from AUD $4.5 per million to AUD $14.5 per million, depending on trading volume.
FXCM’s forex pricing is slightly above the industry average overall. In May 2024, its EUR/USD spread averaged 0.78 pips for EU, U.K., and Australia accounts, while its St. Vincent and the Grenadines entity averaged 1.38 pips. FXCM’s commission-based accounts were cheaper at 0.28 pips before commissions, but the effective cost works out to about 0.74 pips after commission is added. FXCM also has active trader rebates in some regions, with discounts that can help higher-volume traders, though its pricing still tends to trail the best low-fee brokers.
| Feature |
StoneX Trading
|
FXCM
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £100.00 | Starts from $50 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 1.4 | 0.9 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.9 | 0.8 |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When comparing StoneX Trading and FXCM for range of investments, StoneX Trading offers a wider selection overall. StoneX Trading lists 13,500 tradeable symbols and 66 forex pairs, while FXCM provides 440 tradeable symbols and 46 forex pairs. Both brokers support forex trading as either a CFD or spot contract, and both also offer copy trading plus cryptocurrency CFDs. However, neither broker offers actual crypto purchases or exchange-traded stocks on U.S. or international exchanges.
For investors who want more choices, StoneX Trading has the edge. It earns 5 out of 5 stars for range of investments and ranks #8 out of 36 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, compared with FXCM’s 4.5-star rating and #21 ranking. In simple terms, both brokers cover the same basic asset types, but StoneX Trading gives traders a much larger menu of markets to explore.
| Feature |
StoneX Trading
|
FXCM
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 13500 | 440 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 66 | 46 |
| 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.
StoneX Trading and FXCM both give traders a wide range of platform choices, making either broker a solid fit for people who want flexibility. Each offers a free demo account for simulated trading, a proprietary platform, a Windows desktop download, a web-based platform, copy trading, and MetaTrader 4 (MT4). Both also let users trade directly from charts, which can make placing trades faster and easier. Neither broker offers MetaTrader 5 (MT5), so traders looking for that platform will need to look elsewhere.
When it comes to trading platforms and tools, FXCM has a slight edge in third-party ratings. FXCM is rated 5 stars and ranks #4 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while StoneX Trading is rated 4.5 stars and ranks #11 out of 36. For traders comparing StoneX Trading vs. FXCM, the platform experience is similar overall, but FXCM stands out a bit more in industry rankings.
| Feature |
StoneX Trading
|
FXCM
|
|---|---|---|
| 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) | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 88 | 115 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
StoneX Trading and FXCM both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, so traders can manage their accounts from almost any phone. Each app also includes stock or forex price alerts, watchlist symbol syncing with the online account, trendline drawing on charts, and auto-save for chart drawings. Both brokers earn the same 4.5 out of 5 stars for mobile trading apps, which shows that each one gives users a solid mobile experience.
The main difference comes down to charting tools and overall ranking. StoneX Trading offers 88 technical studies in its mobile app, while FXCM offers 59, giving StoneX Trading the edge for traders who want more chart analysis options on the go. That gap is also reflected in ForexBrokers.com’s rankings, where StoneX Trading places #9 out of 36 brokers in the Mobile Trading Apps category, compared with FXCM at #16.
| Feature |
StoneX Trading
|
FXCM
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 88 | 59 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
StoneX Trading and FXCM both offer a strong set of market research features for traders who want timely insights before placing trades. Each broker provides daily market commentary, forex news from major sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, a Trading Central tool, sentiment data that shows long versus short positioning, and an economic calendar with key global events. Neither broker includes Autochartist or Acuity Trading tools, so their research lineup is similar in many areas.
The main difference is that FXCM also offers TipRanks market research, while StoneX Trading does not. Even so, both brokers are highly rated for research at 4.5 out of 5 stars, with StoneX Trading ranked #10 and FXCM ranked #11 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com. Overall, StoneX Trading and FXCM are closely matched for market research, with FXCM holding a slight edge thanks to TipRanks.
| Feature |
StoneX Trading
|
FXCM
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | Yes | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | Yes |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
StoneX Trading and FXCM both give beginners plenty of learning support, with each offering forex and CFD education, monthly online client webinars, and at least 10 beginner videos plus 10 advanced videos. That means new traders can find a good mix of simple lessons and more detailed market content on either platform. Both brokers also earn a strong 4.5 out of 5 stars for Education, which suggests their learning tools are well above average.
Where StoneX Trading has a slight edge is in its education ranking from ForexBrokers.com: it places #9 out of 36 brokers, while FXCM comes in at #13. For beginners choosing between the two, both are solid options for educational content, but StoneX Trading has a small lead if ranking is part of the decision.
| Feature |
StoneX Trading
|
FXCM
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 StoneX Trading is better than FXCM. StoneX Trading finished with an overall rank of #8, while FXCM finished with an overall rank of #10.
Backed by StoneX Group and formerly named City Index, StoneX Trading is a trusted brand known for its versatile trading platforms, excellent mobile app, diverse market research, and extensive range of tradeable markets.
| Feature |
StoneX Trading
|
FXCM
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 95 |
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StoneX Trading and FXCM both offer cryptocurrency CFDs, but neither broker provides the ability to buy actual, delivered cryptocurrency, making them similar choices for traders seeking crypto price exposure rather than direct ownership.
StoneX Trading and FXCM both support ACH/SEPA transfers, PayPal, and bank wires for funding and withdrawals, but FXCM has the edge for payment flexibility because it also offers Skrill, which StoneX Trading 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 | StoneX Trading | FXCM | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 95 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | StoneX Trading Review | FXCM Review |
| Broker Screenshots | StoneX Trading | FXCM | |
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| Regulation | StoneX Trading | FXCM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 95 | |
| Year Founded | 1983 | 1999 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 4 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 2 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | StoneX Trading | FXCM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | 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) | StoneX Trading | FXCM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | StoneX Trading | FXCM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 13500 | 440 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 66 | 46 | |
| 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 | StoneX Trading | FXCM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 1.4 | 0.9 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.9 | 0.8 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | StoneX Trading | FXCM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £100.00 | Starts from $50 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | StoneX Trading | FXCM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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) | No | No | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | StoneX Trading | FXCM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 88 | 115 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | StoneX Trading | FXCM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 88 | 59 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | StoneX Trading | FXCM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | Yes | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | StoneX Trading | FXCM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | StoneX Trading | FXCM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | StoneX Trading Review | FXCM Review |
| Overall | StoneX Trading | FXCM | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 95 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | StoneX Trading Review | FXCM Review |
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