Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of FXCM vs Trading 212, 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.
FXCM, established in 1999, outshines Trading 212, founded in 2004, in terms of trust and regulation. FXCM, a publicly traded firm, is backed by a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 95, signaling high trust. It boasts four Tier-1 licenses, reflecting a strong regulatory stance. Furthermore, FXCM holds two Tier-2 licenses, reinforcing its standing as a credible broker, despite not being a bank.
Meanwhile, Trading 212, not publicly listed, holds a Trust Score of 79, which places it in the average risk category. The firm is supported by two Tier-1 licenses but lacks Tier-2 licenses, indicating less regulatory backing compared to FXCM. Like FXCM, Trading 212 does not hold banking status. This regulatory and trust analysis highlights that while both brokers are secure, FXCM offers a more reliably regulated trading experience.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2004 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
When comparing FXCM and Trading 212, both brokers are rated 4 out of 5 stars for their commissions and fees, though they cater to different trader preferences. FXCM offers standard and commission-based accounts with varying spreads. Standard account holders experience average spreads of 0.78 pips on EUR/USD pairs, albeit higher in some regions like St. Vincent and the Grenadines with 1.38 pips. Commission-based accounts benefit from a more competitive average spread of 0.28 pips, excluding additional costs. FXCM's Active Trader Rebate Program provides further benefits, potentially reducing the commission per trade for high-volume traders, depending on the account location and volume tiers.
Conversely, Trading 212 boasts zero-commission trading for its CFD and forex accounts, yet traders still face spreads, particularly an average of 1.9 pips for the EUR/USD pair in January 2024. This is notably above the industry average, placing Trading 212 at a disadvantage for those prioritizing cost-effective forex trading. However, Trading 212’s policy of offering a low minimum deposit of 10 euros for CFD accounts can be attractive for new traders looking to start small. In terms of rankings, FXCM is positioned at #24 out of 62 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com, whereas Trading 212 is ranked at #43, indicating FXCM's slight edge in commissions and fees efficiency.
Overall, while both brokers offer tailored solutions for different trading lifestyles, FXCM seems more advantageous for high-volume traders who can capitalize on discounts, whereas Trading 212 might appeal to newcomers with its low entry deposits despite its higher spreads, giving traders a choice based on their unique needs and trading strategies. Each platform has its strengths, suggesting that the decision depends largely on trading experience, volume, and financial goals.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | Starts from $50 | €10 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.78 | 1.9 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.78 | 1.9 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When comparing FXCM and Trading 212, the range of investment options sets them apart significantly. FXCM offers 440 tradeable symbols including 43 forex pairs, focusing heavily on CFD and forex trading services. Although it does not provide access to exchange-traded securities on either U.S. or international markets, FXCM allows copy trading and offers cryptocurrency derivatives as investment products. In terms of overall range, FXCM is rated 3.5 stars and is ranked 47 out of 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com for investment variety.
On the other hand, Trading 212 shines with an impressive lineup of 8,025 tradeable symbols and 146 forex pairs, allowing it to cater to a broader clientele. Unlike FXCM, Trading 212 enables users to invest in exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, providing access to stocks like Apple and Vodafone. While lacking in copy trading features, Trading 212 still offers cryptocurrency derivatives, enhancing its investment portfolio. With a 5-star rating for range of investments, Trading 212 is ranked 15 out of 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, reflecting its broader and more diverse investment options.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 440 | 8025 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 43 | 146 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | 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.
FXCM and Trading 212 both offer free virtual demo accounts, allowing users to practice trading without risking real money. When it comes to trading platforms, FXCM provides a proprietary platform developed in-house, a Windows-based desktop download, and a web platform, whereas Trading 212 offers a proprietary web-based platform without a desktop download option. While both platforms allow users to trade directly from a stock chart, FXCM stands out with additional features like MetaTrader 4 integration and copy trading capabilities, including ZuluTrade. Trading 212, on the other hand, does not support these features. FXCM's platform provides ample charting flexibility with 10 drawing tools and offers more comprehensive watch lists with 13 fields compared to Trading 212’s five fields.
In terms of ranking, FXCM earns a stellar 5-star rating for its trading platforms and tools, securing the 6th spot out of 62 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com. Trading 212, despite its user-friendly design, receives a 4-star rating and ranks 20th. While both brokers cater to traders with useful platforms, FXCM offers a broader range of tools and features, making it a preferred choice for those who rely heavily on technical indicators, third-party integrations, and advanced trading functionalities. Conversely, Trading 212 may appeal more to newcomers or those seeking a streamlined, straightforward trading experience without the need for extensive trading add-ons.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | Yes | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 115 | 54 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 10 | 20 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 13 | 5 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When comparing the mobile trading apps of FXCM and Trading 212, both platforms offer essential features for iPhone and Android users, including price alerts and watchlist synchronization. This means that users can manage their watchlists seamlessly across devices. One notable distinction, however, lies in the number of technical studies available for charting. FXCM provides 59 technical studies, while Trading 212 offers a broader selection with 104 studies, catering to traders who prefer deeper analytical tools. Both apps allow for drawing trendlines, viewing multiple time frames, and auto-saving chart annotations, ensuring a comprehensive trading experience on the go.
In terms of user experience and ratings, FXCM slightly edges out with a mobile trading app rating of 4.5 out of five stars compared to Trading 212's four stars. This difference is also reflected in their respective rankings by ForexBrokers.com, where FXCM holds the 16th position, narrowly outperforming Trading 212, which is ranked 17th out of 62 brokers. Both platforms enable the creation of watchlists with real-time quotes, ensuring that traders have instant access to market movements. Overall, while both apps offer competitive features, the choice between them may depend on the user's preference for technical analysis tools and user ratings.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 59 | 104 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing FXCM and Trading 212 for market research, FXCM provides a breadth of resources that enhance the trading experience. FXCM offers daily market commentary, delivering valuable insights that Trading 212 lacks in this area. Both brokers supply forex news from renowned sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, ensuring traders stay informed with high-quality information. However, FXCM edges out Trading 212 with tools like Trading Central for technical analytics and TipRanks for comprehensive market analysis, whereas Trading 212 does not offer these resources.
Both platforms provide sentiment-based trading tools and an economic calendar to keep traders updated on market conditions and upcoming events. However, FXCM's research strength is reflected in its 4.5-star rating and #11 ranking out of 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, compared to Trading 212’s 3.5 stars and #46 ranking. While neither broker offers tools from Autochartist or Acuity Trading, FXCM's wider range of research tools makes it a more appealing choice for traders seeking in-depth analysis and market insights.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Both FXCM and Trading 212 offer an extensive suite of educational resources tailored to beginners eager to learn about forex and CFDs. Each broker provides a minimum of 10 educational materials that include articles, videos, and recorded webinars focused on trading fundamentals. They both host monthly online webinars, giving users the opportunity to engage in live learning sessions. Further, both platforms maintain a searchable archive of these webinars, enabling learners to revisit topics as needed to reinforce their understanding.
FXCM and Trading 212 also cater to diverse learning needs with a series of videos aimed at both beginners and more advanced traders. Additionally, they provide investor dictionaries with definitions spanning over 50 terms, helping users familiarize themselves with common trading language. Despite these similarities, FXCM edges out a slightly higher educational rating, receiving 4.5 stars compared to Trading 212's 3.5 stars. According to ForexBrokers.com, FXCM ranks 14th in the Education category, while Trading 212 places at 20 out of 62 brokers surveyed, highlighting FXCM’s slightly more favorable standing in the educational arena.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 62 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that FXCM is better than Trading 212. FXCM finished with an overall rank of #15, while Trading 212 finished with an overall rank of #31.
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.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 79 |
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Both FXCM and Trading 212 do not provide the option to purchase actual delivered cryptocurrencies, but they do offer the ability to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
Both FXCM and Trading 212 support ACH, SEPA, PayPal, and bank wire transactions for deposits and withdrawals, with FXCM also offering Skrill, a service not available on Trading 212, while both platforms accept Visa and Mastercard.
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 | FXCM | Trading 212 | |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 79 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FXCM Review | Trading 212 Review |
| Broker Screenshots | FXCM | Trading 212 | |
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| Regulation | FXCM | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 95 | 79 | |
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2004 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | FXCM | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| 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) | FXCM | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | FXCM | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 440 | 8025 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 43 | 146 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | 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 | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.78 | 1.9 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.78 | 1.9 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | FXCM | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | Starts from $50 | €10 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | FXCM | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | Yes | No |
| Trading Tools | FXCM | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 13 | 5 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 115 | 54 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 10 | 20 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | FXCM | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 59 | 104 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | FXCM | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | FXCM | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | FXCM | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Trading 212 Review |
| Overall | FXCM | Trading 212 | |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 79 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FXCM Review | Trading 212 Review |
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