Company DetailsPepperstone Trading PlatformAssets/MarketsSpreads And CommissionLeverageMobile AppsPayment MethodsDemo AccountDeals And PromotionsRegulation And LicensingAdditional FeaturesPepperstone Account TypesPepperstone BenefitsPepperstone DrawbacksTrading HoursContact Details / Customer SupportSafety And SecurityPepperstone Overall VerdictAccepted CountriesAlternatives to Pepperstone
Pepperstone are a leading Forex and CFD broker. Based in Australia and ASIC regulated, this review details spreads and minimum deposit requirements, as well as trading platform info, including the mobile app and MT4 versions.
Company Details
Based in Australia, Pepperstone Limited was established in 2010. Despite being relative newcomers to the market, it has grown exponentially over the course of recent years, so that it is now one of the largest forex and CFD brokers in the world.
They are also highly regarded by experienced investors and industry professionals alike.
The firm opened a City of London base in 2016, Pepperstone has many European clients, and trades in accordance with the regulatory principles set down by the European Securities and Markets Authority, BaFin and the Financial Conduct Authority. They are also regulated in Dubai and Kenya covering the middle east, and African markets.
Their stated mission is to provide institutional grade trading to the online forex trader.
Pepperstone Trading Platform
One area in which Pepperstone excels is its commitment to providing technology that suits each individual trader, and this is most apparent in its multitude of platforms.
With 11 of these to choose from, including the popular MT4, MT5 and cTrader, it undoubtedly has something for everyone, so that those who avail themselves of its services can trade however, whenever, and wherever they desire.
Not only does this enable traders to pick the most appropriate platform based on features, ease of navigation, ease of opening/closing trades etc, but a handy guide is provided by the broker to allow for a simple side by side comparison should they require a helping hand to guide their decision making.
2022 also saw Pepperstone partner with TradingView, a leading social investing community and charting platform. With advanced analysis tools alongside interactive charting features, it’s a great option for beginners and established traders.
Assets/Markets
There are many brokers who provide their clientele with access to multiple global financial markets, but Pepperstone prefers to limit itself to what it does best.
Forex trading is undoubtedly the backbone of the company, but it is not the only asset on offer.
The enterprise’s select list of investment instruments also includes index CFDs, precious metals, energy, soft commodities, and cryptocurrencies, ensuring just enough variety to support the building of suitably diverse portfolios.
Clients can also engage in spread betting across major financial markets, including UK shares. Profits from spread betting are tax free and commissions start at just 0.1%. Traders also benefit from the ability to go long or short on multiple positions.
Spreads And Commission
Spreads on Pepperstone’s popular MetaTrader 4 platform are variable, with quotes sourced from around 22 major banks and electronic crossing networks.
This is a good indication of the company’s commitment to offering clients the best prices possible, and during liquid times, the broker has been known to drop to as little as 0.0 pips on their EUR/USD pairing.
The same minimum spread value can be seen for many other AUD and EUR combination pairings, and the company’s website has a handy chart detailing both minimum and average spread values for each of the currency pairs they offer, as well as a rundown of their (minimal) commission charges and estimated upfront costs.
Leverage
With regards to leverage, Pepperstone varies the amount on offer depending on whether you qualify as a professional or retail client. Regulatory jurisdiction will also impact leverage and margin rules.
In Europe, Australia and Dubai, leverage is capped at 30:1 and varies by asset. In other markets, and for Pro accounts, leverage can reach 500:1.
This discrepancy is a significant tick in the broker’s favour, as it indicates a willingness to take care of the individual client’s best interests, as well as demonstrating the flexibility of their approach.
Note, from 5th June, 2021, European retail traders using MT4 or MT5 accounts will need to post a margin of 50% on the hedged portion of any instrument. The changes do not apply to those using cTrader.
Mobile Apps
Pepperstone repeatedly claims to be a company committed to catering to the needs of its clients. Supporting their ability to trade according to their individual preferences, they offer a multitude of trading platforms to pick between, as well as iPhone and Android compatible versions of these.
The latter provide users with access to both their trading account and the broker’s advanced forex trading technology even when they’re on the go.
The one drawback is that those who prefer to trade this way are limited to a single platform – in this instance, the always popular MetaTrader 4.
Payment Methods
Pepperstone provides clients with the opportunity to open accounts and deposit funds in a number of base currencies, from US dollars through to pound sterling, euros, and the Swiss franc.
These funds can be transferred across to the broker via a variety of different mediums, including Verified by Visa, MasterCard Secure Code, credit/debit card, Skrill, Neteller, and broker to broker.
In terms of withdrawals, requests are made via the Secure Client Area. Where these are received before 21:00 GMT, they are processed on the same day.
The company itself does not charge any internal fees for either deposits or withdrawals, although should any external transfer fees occur, these are the responsibility of the client.
Demo Account
As a potential client, it’s always interesting to see what a broker’s demo offering looks like.
In the case of Pepperstone, a 30 day practice trading account is available to anyone wishing to trial a potential partnership with the company, with £50,000 of virtual funds included.
Those who would like to get a feel for the technology and overall offerings are even treated to a choice of two different platforms: MetaTrader 4 or cTrader, depending upon their personal preference.
This allows would-be investors to get a genuine sense of what Pepperstone could offer them, and helps to demonstrate the company’s commitment to offering a high quality product that suits the needs of their clientele.
Deals And Promotions
Pepperstone is renowned for its low spread, fast execution, and competitiveness, so it tends not to feel the need to offer any significant deals or promotions.
That said, it does come complete with an array of free educational resources for its clients, from trading guides through to webinars.
Regulation And Licensing
As experienced investors know, not all brokers are created equal, but Pepperstone is a safe bet for those in search of a properly licensed and regulated enterprise.
It prides itself on a culture of compliance and is governed by top tier regulators from across the globe, including the UK Financial Conduct Authority and the Australian Securities and Investment Commission. The Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) was also recently added.
During 2020 Pepperstone Market Kenya Ltd where given a CMA license to operate across Africa.
The firm is also licensed by BaFin (Pepperstone GmbH) bringing their number of licences up to 7.
Repeatedly recognised for excellence in innovation, technology, and customer service, the company is an award-winning broker 17 times over, and is arguably one of the most reputable investment outfits trading today.
Additional Features
As part of its comprehensive offerings, Pepperstone offers traders a number of additional features alongside its high tech platform and low cost pricing.
These include not only a multitude of educational materials, ranging from webinars through to trading guides, but also a frequently updated market review section, comprehensive economic calendar, and specialist technical analysis software known as Autochartist, which helps users to make more informed trading decisions.
Pepperstone Account Types
For interested parties, Pepperstone offers a range of account types to choose between. This variety ensures that the individual’s trading needs can be adequately met, and we must concede that there is something for everyone from this popular broker.
From the company’s commission free standard account through to their 0 spread active traders option, interbank pricing, cutting edge technology, and deep liquidity are included as standard, which means there really is no bad option.
Key account benefits are as follows:
Standard account: $0 commission and institutional grade STP spreads.
Razor account: Spreads from 0.0 pips.
Swap-free account: Interest free, $0 commission, and STP spreads.
Active traders account: Spreads from 0.0 pips and a setup specially formulated for high volume and institutional traders.
Pepperstone Benefits
There is a simple reason for Pepperstone’s exceptional popularity and rapid growth over the last decade: that as a brokerage firm, it has much to recommend it.
Firstly, the company goes to great lengths to understand what traders want, and as a result, its services are low cost, fast, and convenient, with clients offered a variety of platforms to make certain their individual needs are amply met.
In addition, the trading conditions the company has created are excellent, with liquidity and spreads that are usually available to only an elite class of institutional clients.
This means that even ordinary traders have access to potentially profitable opportunities that are simply not available elsewhere.
If this weren’t enough in itself, the technology on offer is of the highest caliber, ensuring that it’s fast, reliable and efficient. Its latest integration with TradingView adds another layer of sophisticated trading tools with top-tier access to market data and insights.
This is continually developed and expanded upon by the firm, to provide a premier customer experience.
The result is that the company has won numerous awards for client satisfaction, making them an ideal choice for those who really want an optimal brokerage experience.
Pepperstone Drawbacks
Pepperstone is highly recommended for a reason, but as with any outfit, it does have some drawbacks that potential clients ought to be aware of.
The first of these is that its range of investment instruments is reasonably limited, with its primary focus being on forex. This means that those who want to build a more diverse portfolio may be better off looking elsewhere.
A second drawback, though minor, concerns its mobile applications.
Although there is the option to trade anywhere, those who prefer to do so on the go will find themselves limited to using MetaTrader 4, which could be an issue if this is not your preferred platform.
Some might also suggest that educational and research resources are limited in comparison to certain other major brokers, although what material is available is high quality, informative, and easily accessible to those who wish to take advantage of this content.
Trading Hours
As an international outfit, it’s unsurprising that Pepperstone is accommodating to the needs of its customers irrespective of the time. Open for trading around the clock, they also provide 24/7 online and phone support to clients who require it.
Contact Details / Customer Support
Pepperstone appears to be committed to offering an accessible customer experience, and it can be contacted in a number of different ways.
Firstly, it has offices in London, Melbourne, and Dallas, which can be reached using the following details.
London Office (Pepperstone Limited)
70 Gracechurch Street
London, EC3V 0HR
United Kingdom
Toll free number: +44 (800) 0465473
Melbourne Office (Pepperstone Group Limited)
Pepperstone Group Limited
Level 16, Tower One
727 Collins Street
Melbourne VIC 3008
https://www.pepperstone.com.au
24 hour online support is available too, through either a live chat feature that can be accessed via the company website or by sending an email to support@pepperstone.com.
For around the clock phone support, there is the additional option of calling one of the following numbers:
Local Call
1300 033 375
Phone
+61 3 9020 0155
Fax
+61 3 8679 4408
Pepperstone Markets Kenya Ltd can also cater for users across Africa.
Safety And Security
Pepperstone prides itself on adhering to a culture of strong regulation and compliance, and this extends to its online presence.
7 global licenses ensures full regulatory oversight across Australia, Africa, Europe and beyond.
The broker offers clients a safe and secure website to use, with all proper protocols followed to the letter.
A quick glance instantly reveals its ‘https’ designation, and logins are fully password protected, with adequate data protection systems in place to safeguard sensitive client information.
Pepperstone Overall Verdict
Popular, rapidly expanding, and highly respected within the industry, Pepperstone has earned its place as one of the foremost forex and CFD brokers in the world.
Providing state of the art technology, great customer service, and a user friendly interface, it’s undoubtedly an attractive option for those looking to enter the markets, with potential clients unlikely to be disappointed by its exceptionally strong offerings.
Accepted Countries
Pepperstone accepts traders from Australia, Thailand, United Kingdom, South Africa, Singapore, Hong Kong, India, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Italy, Denmark, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Qatar and most other countries.
Traders can not use Pepperstone from United States, New Zealand, Brazil, Canada, Saudi Arabia.
Alternatives to Pepperstone
If you are looking for alternatives to Pepperstone we have compiled a list of the top 5 brokers that are similar to Pepperstone below. This list of brokers like Pepperstone is in order of similarity and only includes companies that accept traders from your location.
Avatrade – Leading forex and CFD broker regulated in Ireland, Australia, Canada and South Africa. Avatrade are particularly strong in integration, including MT4
IC Markets – Trade Forex on 0.0 pip spreads with the world’s leading True Raw forex broker – IC Markets.
FXPro – Multi-Award winning broker. Specialising in Forex but also offering stocks and tight spreads on CFDs and Spread betting across a huge range of markets.
IG Group – IG offer spread betting, CFD and Forex trading across a range of markets. They are FCA regulated, boast a great trading app and have a 40 year track record of excellence.
FP Markets – FP Markets is a multi-asset broker offering a choice of trading platforms.