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 account | 1.2 | 1.2 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.7 | 0.8 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
HFM and VT Markets both support forex trading and CFDs, plus copy trading and cryptocurrency CFDs; neither broker lets you buy actual crypto. VT Markets lists more total instruments (about 1,000 tradable symbols) than HFM (around 500). That said, HFM caters more to currency traders with 102 forex pairs, compared with 39 at VT Markets.
For real shares, neither broker offers U.S.-listed stocks, but VT Markets does provide exchange-traded securities on some international exchanges, while HFM does not. In ForexBrokers.com’s Range of Investments ratings, HFM earns 4 stars and ranks 37th of 63 brokers, while VT Markets scores 3.5 stars and ranks 40th. Choose HFM if you want a larger selection of forex pairs; pick VT Markets if you value a bigger overall lineup of symbols and access to certain international shares.
| Feature |
HFM
|
VT Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 500 | 1000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 102 | 39 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | Yes |
| 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.
If you’re comparing HFM vs VT Markets for trading platforms and tools, both brokers cover the essentials: free demo (paper) accounts, web and Windows desktop platforms, MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), copy trading, and the ability to place trades directly from charts. HFM also offers a proprietary, in-house platform for those who want an alternative to MetaTrader, while VT Markets sticks to MetaTrader only. The number of technical indicators and watch list fields isn’t specified by either broker.
According to ForexBrokers.com, both HFM and VT Markets earn 4 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools. In the same category, HFM ranks #43 out of 63 brokers, while VT Markets ranks #48, indicating similar overall experiences, with HFM holding a slight edge thanks to its added proprietary platform option.
| Feature |
HFM
|
VT Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 15 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
HFM and VT Markets both deliver mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, with handy price alerts and the ability to draw trendlines on charts. Each app includes 30 technical studies for charting. One key difference: HFM’s app auto-saves your chart drawings, while VT Markets does not. Neither broker syncs watchlists between the mobile app and your online account, so changes made in one place won’t appear in the other.
Both brokers earn 4 stars for Mobile Trading Apps. In ForexBrokers.com’s rankings of 63 brokers, HFM lands at #40 and VT Markets at #45. If saving chart annotations matters to you, HFM has the edge. If you just need iPhone and Android access with alerts, trendlines, and a solid set of technical indicators, both platforms are similar.
| Feature |
HFM
|
VT Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No |
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 (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central | No | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | |
| Acuity Trading | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
HFM and VT Markets both provide beginner-friendly forex and CFD education, with each offering at least 10 videos aimed at newcomers. The difference is in depth and delivery: HFM hosts ongoing client webinars (at least one per month) and also supplies 10+ advanced videos, helping traders move from core concepts to more complex topics. VT Markets covers the basics with plenty of beginner videos, but it does not run monthly educational webinars and doesn’t match HFM’s advanced video lineup.
These gaps show up in independent evaluations: HFM holds a 4-star Education rating and ranks #37 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while VT Markets has a 3.5-star rating and ranks #56. If you want live guidance and a clear path from beginner to advanced learning, HFM is the stronger pick. If you mainly want a library of starter videos to learn forex and CFDs at your own pace, VT Markets can still meet your needs.
| Feature |
HFM
|
VT Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
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
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|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 86 | 70 |
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HFM vs VT Markets: neither broker lets you buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but both provide cryptocurrency CFD trading.
In this HFM vs VT Markets comparison, HFM supports Skrill and bank wire deposits and withdrawals but not ACH/SEPA or PayPal, while VT Markets also does not offer ACH/SEPA and its availability of PayPal, Skrill, Visa/Mastercard, and bank wires is not specified.
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 |
| Broker Screenshots | HFM | VT Markets | |
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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, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | Yes | |
| 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 | HFM | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.2 | 1.2 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.7 | 0.8 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | HFM | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | ||
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | ||
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | ||
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | HFM | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | HFM | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 15 | 15 | |
| 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 Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | HFM | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | ||
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | HFM | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | HFM | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| 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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