Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of HFM vs VT 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.
HFM, established in 2010, and VT Markets, founded in 2016, are two online brokers that share similarities in that they are neither publicly traded nor banks. However, these companies differ in their regulatory standings and perceived trustworthiness. HFM boasts a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 86, placing it within the "trusted" category. This is supported by its two Tier-1 licenses, which are considered highly trusted, and three Tier-2 licenses, which add an additional level of confidence.
In contrast, VT Markets holds a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 70, suggesting an average risk in terms of trust. It operates with one Tier-1 license that indicates a high level of trust, but only one Tier-2 license. This regulatory framework illustrates the distinctions in perceived reliability, making HFM appear more favorable in terms of oversight and licensing compared to VT Markets.
| Feature |
HFM
|
VT Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2016 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
When comparing commissions and fees, HFM tends to be slightly above the industry average, while VT Markets’ pricing depends on the account type you choose. VT Markets earns 4.5/5 stars and is ranked #21 out of 63 brokers for Commissions and Fees by ForexBrokers.com, whereas HFM holds 4/5 stars and is ranked #32 out of 63.
HFM’s Standard account lists a typical spread of 1.2 pips, but no date range is provided, so it may not reflect a true average. Its Zero account quotes an effective spread of 0.7 pips after commission, though this figure is also not an average. Overall, these details point to trading costs that are a touch higher than the norm.
VT Markets offers two simple choices with a $100 minimum deposit for each: the commission-free Standard STP account with a listed typical EUR/USD spread of 1.2 pips, and the Raw ECN account, where the effective spread was 0.83 pips (based on a 0.6 round-turn commission plus a 0.23 average spread for September 2021). The Raw ECN pricing is in line with industry standards, while the Standard STP pricing is less attractive.
| Feature |
HFM
|
VT Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.2 | 1.2 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.7 | 0.8 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Comparing the range of investments, VT Markets lists about 1,000 tradeable symbols, roughly double HFM’s 500. For forex, though, HFM offers far more choice with 102 currency pairs versus VT Markets’ 39. Both brokers let you trade forex via CFDs, providing access to major, minor, and some exotic pairs.
When it comes to real shares (not CFDs), neither broker supports U.S.-listed stocks. VT Markets does offer trading in actual shares on select international exchanges (for example, Vodafone on the LSE), while HFM does not provide real share dealing. Both support copy trading and crypto derivatives, but neither allows buying actual cryptocurrency. For Range of Investments, ForexBrokers.com rates HFM at 4.0 stars (37th of 63) and VT Markets at 3.5 stars (40th of 63).
| Feature |
HFM
|
VT Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 500 | 1000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 102 | 39 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| 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.
Comparing HFM vs VT Markets for trading platforms and tools: both brokers offer free demo (paper) accounts, Windows desktop and web-based platforms, copy trading, and access to MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5). A key difference is that HFM also provides its own proprietary platform, while VT Markets does not. Neither broker supports DupliTrade or ZuluTrade.
For charting, both let you trade directly from charts, include 30 drawing tools, and offer 7 watchlist columns; the number of built-in indicators isn’t specified. Each earns 4 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools, though ForexBrokers.com ranks HFM slightly higher (#43 of 63) than VT Markets (#48 of 63). In short, HFM suits traders who want an in-house platform alongside MT4/MT5, while VT Markets is a solid choice for those focused on MetaTrader across desktop and web.
| Feature |
HFM
|
VT Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| 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) | Yes | Yes |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 15 | 15 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 30 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
HFM and VT Markets both deliver solid mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each app supports price alerts, real-time quote watchlists, and flexible charting with 30 built-in indicators, trendline drawing tools, and multiple time frames (from intraday to weekly views). A key difference: HFM auto-saves your chart drawings, while VT Markets does not. Neither broker currently syncs watchlists between the mobile app and the online account.
Both apps earn 4 out of 5 stars for mobile trading. However, based on ForexBrokers.com’s rankings out of 63 brokers, HFM places #40 while VT Markets comes in at #45. If auto-saving chart annotations matters to you, HFM has the edge; otherwise, the two apps offer very similar features for on-the-go trading.
| Feature |
HFM
|
VT Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
HFM and VT Markets both cover the essentials for traders who value market research. Each broker provides daily market commentary, forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg or Reuters, a sentiment tool showing the balance of long and short positions, and an economic calendar for upcoming events. In independent reviews, HFM earns 4 out of 5 stars for research and ranks #20 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while VT Markets scores 3.5 stars and ranks #37.
The key difference is in their third-party tools: HFM includes Autochartist but does not offer Trading Central, whereas VT Markets offers Trading Central but not Autochartist. HFM does not include TipRanks or Acuity Trading tools; the availability of TipRanks and Acuity at VT Markets is not specified in the provided info. If you want Autochartist-driven pattern and signal ideas, HFM is the better fit. If you prefer Trading Central’s analytics, VT Markets is the way to go.
| Feature |
HFM
|
VT Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
HFM and VT Markets both provide forex and CFD education for beginners, offering at least 10 learning pieces across articles, videos, and similar content. Each broker includes 10+ beginner-focused videos and an investor dictionary with 50+ terms to help new traders understand key concepts. For Education, HFM is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranked #37 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while VT Markets is rated 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranked #56 out of 63.
The main differences show up in live learning and advanced content. HFM runs monthly client webinars and keeps a searchable archive of past sessions, plus it adds 10+ advanced videos for traders who want to go further. VT Markets does not offer monthly educational webinars or a webinar archive, and it lacks a similar set of advanced videos. Choose HFM if you want live instruction and a clear path from beginner to advanced topics; pick VT Markets if you mainly need beginner videos and a handy glossary to get started.
| Feature |
HFM
|
VT Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that HFM is better than VT Markets. HFM finished with an overall rank of #30, while VT Markets finished with an overall rank of #44.
Alongside its enhanced MetaTrader offering and quality research, HFM (HF Markets), previously known as HotForex, offers a proprietary copy trading platform, HFcopy, a proprietary HF mobile app, and a decent selection of over 1,000 CFDs and 47 forex pairs. Still, trading costs at HFM are slightly above the industry average.
| Feature |
HFM
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VT Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 70 |
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Both HFM and VT Markets do not offer the ability to buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both brokers provide the option to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
Both HFM and VT Markets provide options for deposits and withdrawals through Skrill, Visa or Mastercard, and bank wires, but neither offers ACH, SEPA transfers, nor PayPal.
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 | HFM | VT Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 70 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | HFM Review | VT Markets Review |
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| Regulation | HFM | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 86 | 70 | |
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2016 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | HFM | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | HFM | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | HFM | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 500 | 1000 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 102 | 39 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | HFM | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.2 | 1.2 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.7 | 0.8 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | HFM | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | HFM | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | HFM | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 15 | 15 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 30 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | HFM | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | HFM | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | ||
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | HFM | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | HFM | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | HFM Review | VT Markets Review |
| Overall | HFM | VT Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 70 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | HFM Review | VT Markets Review |
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