konversi_timezone(29 Jan 2024 23:48, America/New_York, 'full date') UK Forex Brokers with the Lowest Spreads
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There are many forex brokers available for UK clients, but which ones offer the lowest spreads? Here is a summary of the top 10 brokers with the lowest spreads in UK.

The United Kingdom is one of the largest economies globally, with London serving as a high-liquidity global financial center. The forex market in London is one of the most active globally.

Additionally, the British Pound Sterling (GBP) is a major currency widely traded in the forex market. It's no wonder that trading activities are highly popular among the British population to this day.

Concerning forex brokers, the UK has stringent regulations under the supervision of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Numerous brokers offer attractive options with the lowest spreads.

However, some UK low spread forex brokers stand out among others:

  1. HF Markets: offering zero spread with no minimum deposit required.
  2. Pepperstone: low commissions and a 0-pip spread for EUR/USD and GBP/USD.
  3. ThinkMarkets: zero spread applies not only to EUR/USD but also to various major and cross pairs.
  4. Admirals: 0-pip spread for EUR/USD and a minimum deposit of $1.
  5. FXOpen: providing low spreads as low as 0.1 pips for major pairs.
  6. Plus500: there's a spread as low as 0.13 with no commission at all.
  7. Vantage Markets: imposing spreads around 0.2 - 0.5 pips for EUR/USD and GBP/USD.
  8. IG: spreads range from 0.6 to 0.9, with no commission and no minimum deposit.
  9. OANDA: spreads for major pairs start from 1 pip without commission fees.
  10. eToro: implementing fixed spreads of 1-2 pips for the most liquid pairs with no commission.

Why are these brokers better than others with the lowest spreads? Several factors contribute to this, such as regulations and the presence of physical offices. Before delving into each broker, let's first understand these factors.

 

Things to Consider when Choosing Low Spread Broker in the UK

There are several important considerations to keep in mind before selecting a forex broker for trading in the UK. Some of them include:

 

FCA Regulation

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is the primary regulatory body ensuring brokers' compliance with security and transparency standards in the UK. Since you are a UK resident, opting for an FCA-regulated forex broker is a must to ensure your security.

 

Having an Office in the UK

Next, it's advisable to choose an FCA-regulated broker that has a local office in the UK. This is particularly beneficial in situations where you face issues with the broker, especially if the problems cannot be resolved online.

If the broker has an office in the UK, you can easily visit it to resolve your problem more effectively. Moreover, the presence of a broker's physical office leaves a more trustworthy impression because you can witness its operational activities firsthand.

 

Offering the Lowest Spread for EUR/USD and GBP/USD

EUR/USD and GBP/USD are the most liquid currency pairs in the market. Both are frequently traded and are favorites among many traders due to their relatively stable volatility, unlike cross or exotic pairs that often experience sudden spikes or plunges.

So, if you're opting for a broker with the lowest spread, pay attention to the spread on these two pairs to gauge it. The lower the spread you have to pay, the more cost-effective your trading expenses will be.

 

Top 10 Lowest Spread Forex Brokers in UK

Based on the criteria mentioned above, the following 10 forex brokers have emerged as the best for UK clients. Let's review one by one.

 

1. HF Markets

  • FCA regulation number: 801701
  • Status: Authorised since 14/11/2018
  • Office address in the UK: Bloomsbury Building, 10 Bloomsbury Way, Holborn, London, WC1A 2SL
  • Office telephone number: +44 2035199890
  • Email for complaint: compliance@hfmarkets.co.uk
  • Spread for EUR/USD and GBP/USD: 0 pips

First, there is the broker HF Markets or HFM, which has been in the trading world since 2010. This broker has many regulations besides FCA, including CySEC, FSA Seychelles, FSC Mauritius, SVG FSA, Dubai, and FSCA.

UK clients can enjoy variable zero spreads in HF Markets' Zero Account. Overall, this CySEC-regulated broker offers three types of accounts besides the Zero Account: Pro, Cent, and Premium accounts.

Although the spread in the Pro account is not zero, it is still relatively low, at 0.6 for EUR/USD and GBP/USD. Meanwhile, for Cent and Premium accounts, the spread for EUR/USD is 1.4 pips, and for GBP/USD, it is 1.6 pips.

The broker also provides a feature called negative balance protection to safeguard clients' accounts and their funds. You can enjoy forex trading and various other assets with leverage as high as 1:2,000 at HF Markets.

 

2. Pepperstone

  • FCA regulation number: 684312
  • Status: Authorised since 05/08/2015
  • Office address in the UK: 70 Gracechurch Street, London, EC3V 0HR
  • Office telephone number: +44 8000465473
  • Email for complaint: londonoffice@pepperstone.com
  • Spread for EUR/USD and GBP/USD: 0 pips

The next recommended broker with the lowest spread in the UK is Pepperstone. This multi-regulated broker has been in operation since 2010 and obtained its FCA license five years later.

Pepperstone offers two types of accounts: Razor and Standard accounts. To trade EUR/USD and GBP/USD with zero spreads, you need to open a Razor account. Meanwhile, the floating spread in the Standard account for both forex pairs is 1 pips.

There is no minimum deposit required to start trading with Pepperstone. Regarding leverage, you can take advantage of a maximum leverage of 1:500 for forex trading.

 

3. ThinkMarkets

  • FCA regulation number: 629628 (under the name TF Global Markets UK Limited)
  • Status: Authorised since 23/01/2015
  • Office address in the UK: G07 New Broad Street House, 35 New Broad Street, London, EC2M 1NH
  • Office telephone number: +44 02038295421
  • Email for complaint: compliance@thinkmarkets.com
  • Spread for EUR/USD and GBP/USD: 0 pips

ThinkMarkets broker also allows you to trade with zero spreads without a minimum deposit. The condition is that you must open a ThinkZero account.

Not only for EUR/USD and GBP/USD, but this broker, which has been operating for over a decade, even offers zero spreads on several other major pairs such as USD/JPY, USD/CHF, USD/CAD, and some other pairs like AUD/CAD, AUD/JPY, and EUR/AUD.

For standard accounts, this multi-regulated broker sets slightly higher spreads above 1 pips for major pairs. Especially for retail clients, the permitted leverage is up to 1:30. If you are a professional client who wants to succeed in trading with ThinkMarkets, the leverage can go up to 1:500.

 

4. Admirals

  • FCA regulation number: 595450
  • Status: Authorised since 12/06/2013
  • Office address in the UK: 37th Floor, One Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5AB
  • Office telephone number: +44 02077264003
  • Email for complaint: compliance.uk@admiralmarkets.com
  • Spread for EUR/USD and GBP/USD: 0 - 0.1 pips

Admirals, also known as Admiral Markets, is a broker that has been serving clients from various countries since 2001. In addition to FCA, this multi-asset broker holds licenses from ASIC and five other regulatory bodies.

Trading EUR/USD at Admirals comes with zero spreads, but for GBP/USD, a spread as low as 0.1 pips is applied. This spread condition applies to two Admirals accounts, namely Zero.MT5 and Zero.MT4.

Meanwhile, the other two accounts, Trade.MT5 and Trade.MT4 also has a spread of 0.1 for both major pairs. For forex trading, UK clients can enjoy leverage up to 1:500 at Admirals. The minimum deposit to open an account is only $1.

 

5. FXOpen

  • FCA regulation number: 579202
  • Status: Authorised since 22/03/2013
  • Office address in the UK: 80 Coleman St, London, EC2R 5BJ
  • Office telephone number: +44 02035191224
  • Email for complaint: compliance@fxopen.co.uk
  • Spread for EUR/USD and GBP/USD: 0.1 pips

Although not reaching zero spread, FXOpen still offers low floating spreads as low as 0.1 pips for EUR/USD and GBP/USD. You can enjoy these spreads by opening an FXOpen account with an ECN account type.

Unfortunately, the minimum deposit required to start trading in FXOpen is quite high, which is £300. Additionally, the allowed leverage for forex trading is only up to 1:30. For some minor or exotic pairs, the leverage is only 1:20. This is certainly a significant consideration for traders with limited capital.

 

6. Plus500

  • FCA regulation number: 509909
  • Status: Authorised since 29/06/2010
  • Office address in the UK: 8 Angel Court, Copthall Avenue, London, EC2R 7HJ
  • Office telephone number: +44 02038761640
  • Email for complaint: compliance@plus500.co.uk
  • Spread for EUR/USD and GBP/USD: 0.13 - 0.19 pips

Plus500 is a broker that not only holds FCA regulations but also ASIC (Australia). Since its first operation in 2008, this broker has offered a wide range of trading instruments, including forex, stocks, CFDs, ETFs, indices, oil, cryptocurrencies, and metals.

For UK traders, Plus500 sets floating spreads starting from 0.13 pips for the EUR/USD pair and 0.19 pips for GBP/USD in the retail account. There are no commissions to be paid.

However, the minimum deposit is relatively high, amounting to $100, both for retail and professional traders. Usually, the minimum deposit for retail traders is smaller, but it's the same at this broker. The permitted leverage is also only up to 1:30 for forex trading.

 

7. Vantage Markets

  • FCA regulation number: 590299 (under the name Vantage Global Prime LLP)
  • Status: Authorised since 01/07/2013
  • Office address in the UK: 7 Bell Yard, London, WC2A 2JR
  • Office telephone number: +44 2070435050
  • Email for complaint: compliance@vantagemarkets.co.uk
  • Spread for EUR/USD and GBP/USD: 0.2 - 0.5 pips

Vantage Markets, sometimes referred to as Vantage, obtained its FCA regulation in 2013, a few years after first opening its business. This broker offers 40+ forex pairs that can be traded, ranging from major, cross, to exotic pairs.

The spreads for forex trading at Vantage Markets are not fixed, as they can change at any time. However, the average spread for EUR/USD is 0.2 pips and for GBP/USD is 0.3 pips on Raw ECN and Pro ECN accounts. A £1 commission applies for 1 lot in Raw ECN accounts, but there is no commission in Pro ECN accounts.

Unfortunately, the minimum deposit required to open an ECN-type trading account is quite high, up to $1,000 or £1,000. The permitted leverage is also as small as 1:30.

 

8. IG

  • FCA regulation number: 195355
  • Status: Authorised since 01/12/2001
  • Office address in the UK: Cannon Bridge House, 25 Dowgate Hill, London, EC4R 2YA
  • Office telephone number: +44 2078960011
  • Email for complaint: tom.leyhane@ig.com
  • Spread for EUR/USD and GBP/USD: 0.6 - 0.9 pips

IG Markets, more commonly known as IG, is a seasoned player in the trading world. This broker has been in operation since 1974. In 2001, IG obtained an FCA license and holds a CFTC license.

IG broker offers low spreads as low as 0.6 pips for EUR/USD and 0.9 pips for GBP/USD. What's advantageous with this broker is that no minimum deposit is required to start trading. No commissions are applied either, as they are already included in the spread costs.

 

9. OANDA

  • FCA regulation number: 542574 (under the name OANDA Europe Limited)
  • Status: Authorised since 17/05/2011
  • Office address in the UK: Dashwood House, 69 Old Broad Street, London, EC2M 1QS
  • Office telephone number: +44 02071011600
  • Email for complaint: handerson@oanda.com
  • Spread for EUR/USD and GBP/USD: 1 - 1.2 pips

The next recommended low-spread broker for UK clients is OANDA. This broker has operated since 1996 and obtained its FCA license in 2011. In addition to FCA, OANDA holds various other licenses, including ASIC, FSA Japan, CFTC, FSC BVI, IIROC, and MAS.

The forex trading spreads at OANDA are not fixed, but the average spread for EUR/USD is 1 pips and for GBP/USD is 1.2 pips. This spread applied to both OANDA's Standard and Professional Accounts. No minimum deposit is required in these accounts. However, the leverage is relatively low at 1:20.

One thing that distinguishes the two accounts is that a retail account has higher margin requirements than a professional account. Retail accounts also have a higher level of protection, including negative balance protection.

 

10. eToro

  • FCA regulation number: 583263
  • Status: Authorised since 09/05/2013
  • Office address in the UK: 24th Floor One Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5AB
  • Office telephone number: +44 02045251189
  • Email for complaint: complianceuk@etoro.com
  • Spread for EUR/USD and GBP/USD: 1 - 2 pips

Lastly, there is eToro, a broker that also offers low spreads for UK clients. The spreads for EUR/USD are 1 pips, and for GBP/USD, they are 2 pips, all of which are fixed. There are no commissions as they are already included in the spread.

This broker, which is also licensed by ASIC, CySEC, and FSA Seychelles, provides relatively high leverage of up to 1:400. However, the minimum deposit is $200, which is considered somewhat high.

 

Which Low Spread Broker is the Best?

The majority of traders seek a low spread broker to save on trading expenses. Therefore, to choose the best low spread broker, also consider other expenditures you may incur, such as commissions and the minimum deposit required to start trading.

The details have been summarized in a table for easier comparison:

No. 👤Brokers 🔢Spread 💸Commission Min Deposit
1 HF Markets From 0 pips $3 per lot/side $0
2 Pepperstone From 0 pips $3.50 per lot/side (£2.25 per lot/side) $0
3 ThinkMarkets From 0 pips £2.50 per lot side $0
4 Admirals From 0 - 0.1 pips $1.8 - $3 per lot/side $1
5 FXOpen From 0.1 pips

$3.50 per lot/side for accounts with a balance below $1,000.

$300
6 Plus500 From 0.13 - 0.19 pips $0 $100
7 Vantage Markets From 0.2 - 0.5 pips $1 or £1 per lot/side $1,000
8 IG From 0.6 - 0.9 pips $0 $0
9 OANDA From 1 - 1.2 pips $0 $0
10 eToro From 1 - 2 pips $0 $200

That's the top 10 forex brokers with the lowest spread for UK traders. HF Markets, Pepperstone, and ThinkMarkets emerge as the top 3, offering ultra-low spreads as low as 0 pips for major pairs like EUR/USD and GBP/USD.

The commissions they offer are also relatively favorable, allowing you to save on expenses. Additionally, the minimum deposit required to start trading with these three brokers is $0. This way, HF Markets, Pepperstone, and ThinkMarkets remain accessible to UK traders with limited capital.

 


Forex brokers offering low spreads can indeed help you save on trading expenses. In addition to low-spread brokers, you can also choose to use a broker's cent account if you want to minimize costs.