ActivTrades DetailsTrading PlatformsActivTrades MarketsSpreads & FeesLeverageMobile AppsPaymentsDemo AccountBonusesRegulationAdditional FeaturesAccount TypesBenefitsDrawbacksTrading HoursCustomer SupportSecurityActivTrades VerdictAccepted CountriesAlternatives to ActivTradesFAQ
ActivTrades is a UK-based broker offering forex and CFD trading plus spread betting on MT4, MT5 and its ActivTrader platform. Our review covers the login process, margin requirements, bonuses and more. Find out if ActivTrades is the right broker for you.
ActivTrades Details
ActivTrades PLC was founded in 2001 in Switzerland and established its London headquarters in 2005. The broker has a strong client base in Europe across Italy, Germany, France, and Portugal as well as overseas markets, such as Australia.
The number of employees at the company is now close to 700 with company offices in Sofia, Bulgaria, Milan, Italy, plus Luxembourg and the Bahamas. ActivTrades has also recently opened a desk in Dubai.
ActivTrades Corp is a subsidiary of ActivTrades PLC, authorised and regulated by the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
Trading Platforms
ActivTrader
ActivTrader is a user-friendly platform that combines advanced features with industry-leading technology, perfect for beginning your trading career.
Features include:
Market sentiment indicators
Hedging and scalping strategies
Instant and pending order types
14 chart types and drawing tools to help with pattern recognition
Progressive trailing stop functionality to protect revenue and profit
ActivTrader platform
ActivTrader is compatible with major web browsers, excluding Internet Explorer.
Additional advanced tools designed to enhance the trading experience include:
Smart Order 2 application developed by ActivTrades to increase trading speed and improve integration between the platform and application. Compatible with MT4 and MT5
SmartLines sets pre-defined trendlines and when the price of the chosen instrument crosses the trendline, an order is placed
SmartTemplate indicates long and short opportunities based on chart signals relative to trend strength
SmartCalculator improves risk management by simulating different trade scenarios
MetaTrader 4
ActivTrades offers MT4, a globally recognised platform, particularly for forex trading. Highlights of MT4 include:
Automated trading through APIs
Extensive historical data
Advanced stop out levels
Advanced frame view
One-click trading
ActivTrades MT4 platform
You can download MT4 to desktop devices or trade through major web browsers.
MetaTrader 5
ActivTrades also offer the MT5 platform, suited to the more experienced trader. In addition to trading on forex, indices and shares, MT5 provides access to over 500 CFDs and ETFs.
Key benefits of the MT5 solution include:
Historical data and strategy tester
Price alerts and trailing stops
Integrated trading statements
Economic news headlines
One-click trading
21-time frames
ActivTrade MT5 platform
You can download MT5 to your desktop, use the WebTrader, or trade from your mobile.
ActivTrades Markets
Tradable assets at the broker include:
50+ forex pairs
500+ company shares, including stocks in the UK, US, German and Japanese markets
35+ large indices such as Nasdaq, Dow Jones, Euronext, UK100 and Ger30
15+ commodity CFDs including gold, silver, energies and grains
A variety of ETFs and spread betting is also available in the UK. Bonds, binary options and cryptocurrencies are not available.
ActivTrades offers more company shares than the likes of Pepperstone and XTB. However other brokers, including eToro and Admiral Markets, offer a broader range of CFDs, plus cryptocurrency and Bitcoin trading.
Spreads & Fees
ActivTrades offers competitive forex spreads as low as 0.5 pips on EURUSD and USDJPY and 0.8 pips on GBPUSD. The broker charges no commission on forex trades. On CFDs and indices, financial spreads are as low as 0.5 pips. Shares are available from $1 commission per side and for UK-based clients, there is no commission with spread betting.
The broker charges swap rates for positions held overnight, further details of which can be found on the company website.
Leverage
Leverage rates are capped at 1:30 in line with ESMA regulations:
Forex – 1:30 maximum leverage
Financials – 1:5 maximum leverage
Commodities – 1.10 maximum leverage
Indices & shares – 1:20 maximum leverage
Mobile Apps
The ActivTrader, MT4 and MT5 platforms are all available for mobile trading. The applications allow for complete account management and price analysis from your mobile or tablet device. In addition, payments, bonuses and customer support are all available.
Head to the Mobile Trading section of the broker’s website for instructions on how to trade from your iPhone, iPad or Android device.
ActivTrades mobile trading
Payments
Deposits
The minimum deposit at ActivTrades is $500. Several payment methods are available offering prompt processing:
Skrill – 30 minutes
Neteller – 30 minutes
Bank transfer – Same working day
Credit/debit card (prepaid Mastercard) – 30 minutes (1.5% fee)
Sofort– 30 minutes (only available for clients of ActivTrades PLC)
PayPal – 30 minutes (only available for clients of ActivTrades PLC)
Withdrawals
Select ‘request a withdrawal’ from the client area to retrieve profits and revenue via the following options:
Credit/debit card – same day if requested by 12.30 GMT
Bank transfer – same day if requested by 12.30 GMT
Neteller – same day if requested by 12.30 GMT
PayPal – same day if requested by 12.30 GMT
Sofort– same day if requested by 12.30 GMT
Skrill – same day if requested by 12.30 GMT
All withdrawals are free unless transferring to Citibank or Moneycorp which incur a £9 charge.
For withdrawal problems, the customer support email address or live chat are the best forums to discuss any issues.
Demo Account
ActivTrades offers a demo account where users can test their skills with £10,000 in virtual funds. All three platforms are available in the demo account. However, with the MT5 demo ActivTrades account, market data on CFD shares are shown with a 15-minute delay.
Bonuses
You can earn cashback on every trade you place once you reach $10m notional value traded. While a good promotion, the trading volume requirements in the promotional terms and conditions are high. The cashback offer is available until the end of 2020. The broker does not offer no deposit bonuses.
Regulation
ActivTrades Corp is regulated by The Securities Commission of the Bahamas and is a subsidiary of ActivTrades PLC which is regulated and authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The FCA is a respectable regulatory body and means the broker receives a good trust rating in our review.
Note, clients from the USA are not accepted.
Additional Features
ActivTrades offer extensive training and education courses via webinars. Free training is available at all levels from fundamental principles to advanced trading theories. The broker also offers one-to-one training with industry experts on how best to use the ActivTrades platforms and trading tools.
The company also offers bridging loans and alternative investment options. Speak to the customer support team for more information.
Account Types
ActivTrades offers several trading account options:
Individual
Professional (for those eligible under ESMA regulations)
Islamic (swap-free trading)
Both individual and professional accounts share similar features such as negative balance protection, FSCS protection, segregated accounts, and best execution, however the individual account includes features such as rewards, risk alerts, and leverage warnings. The standard individual account also allows for trading in mini and microlots.
Required compliance documents to open an account include passports, utility bills and bank statements.
Benefits
If you take ActivTrades vs ICMarkets, NinjaTrader, ZuluTrade, or TradingView, the broker scores well for its:
ActivTrader Smart Order 2 to increase trading efficiency
Choice of trading platforms, including MT4 & MT5
Negative balance protection
24/5 customer support
Generous margins
Free webinars
VPS
Drawbacks
Downsides of trading with ActivTrades include:
€10 monthly inactivity fee after a year of no trading
Not available to residents in the USA and Canada
No cryptocurrency trading
Trading Hours
ActivTrades follows standard market hours. Times vary slightly depending on the instrument but typically are open Monday to Friday. Server times on the platform may vary depending on your location.
ActivTrades runs a reduced schedule on bank holidays in line with global financial markets. More information regarding specific changes is available on the broker’s website.
Customer Support
ActivTrades offer customer support in 14 languages, 24/5. A live chat channel, a free call back hotline, plus email support are available from the respective logos and icons on the right-hand side of the webpage. Users can also head to the FAQ section for answers to common issues. The live chat function is particularly useful with efficient and informative agents to cover most queries.
ActivTrades have a 95% customer satisfaction rating for their support service.
Security
ActivTrades Corp has fund protection insurance up to $1 million. The broker also uses secure encryption protocols to protect platforms, servers and payments. The MetaTrader platforms also offer strong user security with additional authentication options at login.
ActivTrades Verdict
ActivTrades offers a broad range of accounts and tools where users can trade forex, indices, commodities and shares. Access to the globally recognised MT4 and MT5 platforms as well as the broker’s ActivTrader solution means traders of all ability are catered for.
Accepted Countries
ActivTrades accepts traders from Australia, Thailand, United Kingdom, South Africa, Singapore, Hong Kong, India, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Italy, Denmark, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Qatar and most other countries.
Traders can not use ActivTrades from United States, Canada.
Alternatives to ActivTrades
If you are looking for alternatives to ActivTrades we have compiled a list of the top 5 brokers that are similar to ActivTrades below. This list of brokers like ActivTrades is in order of similarity and only includes companies that accept traders from your location.
ThinkMarkets – ThinkMarkets is a multi-regulated forex and CFD broker
OctaFX – OctaFX offers multi-asset trading on a range of platforms and mobile solutions.
RoboForex – RoboForex is a multi-asset online broker offering powerful trading aides.
Admiral Markets – Admiral Markets is leading Forex and CFD broker offering the MT4 & MT5 platforms
AdroFX – AdroFX is a regulated, global broker offering forex, CFD and crypto trading with MT4 access and attractive welcome bonuses.
FAQ
Is ActivTrades PLC regulated?
ActivTrades PLC is regulated by the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). This indicates that the broker is trustworthy.
What trading platforms does ActivTrades use?
ActivTrades offers well-known industry platforms MetaTrader 4 and 5, plus its ActivTrader terminal.
Is ActivTrades available on mobile?
Yes, all trading platforms are compatible with iOS and Android devices. The ActivTrader, MT4 and MT5 mobile apps can be downloaded from the respective app stores.
Does ActivTrades offer a demo account?
ActivTrades offer a demo account on all three of its platforms. Demo accounts offer $10,000 in virtual funds for traders to test their ability in the financial markets.
What’s the process for withdrawing money from ActivTrades?
Withdrawals can be made through bank transfers, Neteller, Skrill, and PayPal. All withdrawals are free except via Citibank or Moneycorp which incur a £9 fee.
Is ActivTrades an ECN broker or a market maker?
ActivTrades acts as a market maker, following a non-dealing desk model as opposed to using an ECN model.