Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Trading 212 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.
Trading 212, established in 2004, and VT Markets, founded in 2016, are both online brokers that offer a variety of trading services. Neither company is publicly traded nor operates as a bank. When it comes to regulatory credentials, Trading 212 stands out with three Tier-1 licenses, while VT Markets holds one, making Trading 212 generally considered more trusted in the industry. Trading 212 does not possess any Tier-2 licenses, whereas VT Markets has one, indicating a mixed yet credible regulatory standing for both.
The ForexBrokers.com Trust Scores provide further insight into their reliability. Trading 212 scores an 80 out of 99, falling into the 'trusted' category, while VT Markets scores a 70, placing it at 'average risk.' This data suggests that while both brokers are operationally secure, Trading 212 might offer a slightly higher level of trust for users concerned about regulatory oversight.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
VT Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2004 | 2016 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 3 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
Comparing commissions and fees, Trading 212 and VT Markets take different paths. Trading 212 promotes zero-commission CFD and forex trading, but you still pay the spread on each trade. In April 2025, its published average spread for EUR/USD was 2.7 pips, which is higher than many competitors. By contrast, VT Markets offers both a commission-free Standard STP account and a Raw ECN account that charges a small commission but features tighter spreads. For EUR/USD, VT Markets lists a typical 1.2-pip spread on the Standard STP account, while the Raw ECN account’s effective spread was 0.83 pips (based on a 0.6 round-turn commission plus a 0.23-pip average spread, as of September 2021).
Account minimums also differ. Trading 212’s CFD account requires a 10-euro deposit (its separate Invest account for shares starts at 1 euro, but this comparison focuses on CFDs). VT Markets sets a $100 minimum for both the Standard STP and Raw ECN accounts. If you want straightforward, commission-free pricing and don’t mind wider spreads, VT Markets’ Standard STP is simple. If you’re comfortable paying a small commission to pursue lower overall trading costs, VT Markets’ Raw ECN structure can be more appealing than Trading 212’s wider spreads for active forex and CFD traders.
Scores reflect these pricing differences. Trading 212 earns 4.0 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees and ranks #50 out of 63 brokers. VT Markets scores 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #21 out of 63, signaling stronger value on pricing for many traders.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
VT Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | €1 | $100 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 2.7 | 1.2 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 2.7 | 0.8 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Trading 212 vs VT Markets: For range of investments, Trading 212 offers far more choice with 7,868 tradeable symbols and 146 forex pairs, compared with VT Markets’ 1,000 symbols and 39 pairs. Both let you trade forex as CFDs or spot. In independent ratings from ForexBrokers.com, Trading 212 scores 5 stars and ranks 16th out of 63 brokers for range of investments, while VT Markets earns 3.5 stars and ranks 40th.
When it comes to assets you can actually buy and own, Trading 212 supports exchange-traded shares on both U.S. markets (like Apple) and international exchanges. VT Markets does not offer U.S.-listed shares, but it does provide access to international exchange-traded shares. Both brokers offer crypto via CFDs (not the actual coins), and neither supports delivered crypto. VT Markets includes copy trading, whereas Trading 212 does not. If you want the widest selection of symbols, more forex pairs, and U.S. stocks, Trading 212 is the stronger pick; if you want copy trading within a CFD-focused setup, VT Markets may suit you.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
VT Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 7868 | 1000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 146 | 39 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | 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.
Trading 212 vs VT Markets for trading platforms and tools: both provide free demo (paper) accounts and browser-based platforms. Trading 212 offers its own in-house platform but does not provide a Windows desktop download and does not support MetaTrader 4 or MetaTrader 5, nor copy trading. VT Markets does not have an in-house platform, but it supports MT4 and MT5, includes a Windows desktop platform and a web platform, and offers copy trading. If you prefer MetaTrader and a downloadable desktop app, VT Markets fits; if you want a clean, broker-built web experience, Trading 212 stands out.
Both brokers let you place trades directly from charts, covering a key tool for active traders. For platform and tools quality, each earns 4 out of 5 stars, though rankings differ: Trading 212 is placed #20 of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while VT Markets is #48. Choose Trading 212 for a simple proprietary web platform and paper trading; choose VT Markets for MT4/MT5, copy trading, and a Windows desktop option.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
VT Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 54 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Trading 212 and VT Markets both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, complete with price alerts and the ability to draw trendlines on stock and forex charts. Each app earns 4 stars for Mobile Trading Apps from ForexBrokers.com, though their standings differ: Trading 212 is ranked 17th out of 63 brokers, while VT Markets is 45th.
Charting and syncing are where they split. Trading 212 supplies 104 technical studies in its mobile charts, compared with 30 on VT Markets. Trading 212 also syncs watchlists between the app and web platform and auto-saves chart drawings—VT Markets does not. If you want deeper charting tools plus seamless watchlist and drawing continuity across devices, Trading 212 is the stronger choice; if you just need core mobile trading with alerts on iPhone or Android, both apps will do the job.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
VT Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Comparing Trading 212 and VT Markets for market research: both deliver forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, plus an economic calendar and a sentiment tool that shows long/short positioning. The key split is daily market commentary—VT Markets publishes it, while Trading 212 does not. Neither broker includes Autochartist.
VT Markets also offers Trading Central research, which Trading 212 lacks. Trading 212 does not include TipRanks or Acuity Trading tools; VT Markets has not stated support for TipRanks or Acuity Trading. Overall research scores are the same at 3.5 out of 5 stars, yet ForexBrokers.com ranks VT Markets higher (#37 of 63) than Trading 212 (#45 of 63). Choose VT Markets if you want daily commentary and Trading Central; pick Trading 212 if top-tier news, an economic calendar, and sentiment tools cover your needs.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
VT Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | No | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | 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.
Trading 212 vs VT Markets for beginner education: both brokers provide a sizeable library of beginner-friendly videos (10+), making it easy to learn the basics at your own pace. Trading 212 goes a step further with 10+ advanced videos, while VT Markets doesn’t meet that mark—so Trading 212 offers clearer room to grow as your skills improve. Neither broker runs monthly educational webinars, so live, scheduled learning isn’t part of the experience with either platform.
In terms of quality scores, both Trading 212 and VT Markets earn 3.5 out of 5 stars for Education. However, Trading 212 ranks #21 out of 63 brokers in the Education category at ForexBrokers.com, compared with VT Markets at #56. If you want a deeper path from beginner to more advanced topics, Trading 212 is the stronger pick; if you only need beginner videos to get started, both platforms will cover the essentials.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
VT Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | No | 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 Trading 212 is better than VT Markets. Trading 212 finished with an overall rank of #31, while VT Markets finished with an overall rank of #44.
Best known for its mobile trading app, Trading 212 offers an easy-to-use trading platform suite for CFD and share trading, as well as a large variety of forex pairs. However, despite its well-designed platform and wide range of symbols, its lack of advanced trading tools and flat research offerings hamper Trading 212’s bid to be considered a top broker.
| Feature |
Trading 212
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VT Markets
|
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| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 80 | 70 |
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In a head-to-head comparison of online brokers Trading 212 vs. VT Markets for cryptocurrency trading, neither platform supports buying actual delivered crypto, while both offer cryptocurrency CFDs.
Trading 212 vs VT Markets payment methods: Trading 212 supports ACH/SEPA transfers, PayPal, and bank wire deposits/withdrawals but not Skrill, while VT Markets does not support ACH/SEPA and its availability for 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 | Trading 212 | VT Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 80 | 70 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Trading 212 Review | VT Markets Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Trading 212 | VT Markets | |
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| Regulation | Trading 212 | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 80 | 70 | |
| Year Founded | 2004 | 2016 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 3 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Trading 212 | 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) | Trading 212 | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Trading 212 | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 7868 | 1000 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 146 | 39 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | 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 | Trading 212 | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 2.7 | 1.2 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 2.7 | 0.8 | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Trading 212 | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | €1 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | ||
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | ||
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | ||
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Trading 212 | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Trading 212 | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 54 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Trading 212 | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Trading 212 | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | No | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | ||
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Trading 212 | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | No | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | Trading 212 | 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 | Trading 212 Review | VT Markets Review |
| Overall | Trading 212 | VT Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 80 | 70 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Trading 212 Review | VT Markets Review |
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