HFM (HF Markets) vs Pepperstone
A side-by-side comparison built from each broker's own published record — licenses checked against official registers, terms quoted from their own pages, with the source linked on every claim.
| Regulation | FCA · CySEC · FSCA · FSA · CMA | ASIC · FCA · CySEC · DFSA · SCB |
| License no. | FCA 801701 (HF Markets (UK) Ltd) CySEC 183/12 (HF Markets (Europe) Ltd, HE 277582) FSCA 46632 (HF Markets SA (PTY) Ltd) FSA SD015 (HF Markets (Seychelles) Ltd) CMA 155 (HFM Investments Ltd) | ASIC AFSL 414530 (ACN 147 055 703) FCA 684312 (Company No. 08965105) CySEC 388/20 (Company No. HE 398429) DFSA F004356 SCB SIA-F217 (Company No. 177174 B) |
| Founded | 2010 | 2010 |
| Minimum deposit | $0 | $10 |
| EUR/USD spread from | 0.0 pips (Zero account, "From 0 on Forex"; Pro from 0.6, InfinityX from 0.3, Cent/Premium from 1.4 — hfm.com/int/en/trading-accounts) | 0.0 pips (Razor account, raw spread + commission from $3.50 per lot per side) |
| Leverage | Offshore — no financial regulator named: InfinityX unlimited; Cent, Zero, Pro and Premium 1:2000 (subject to adjustment per the terms) | ASIC (Australia): Retail 30:1 · Pro 500:1 |
| Gulf Payments | UAE local bank · AED account | |
| Platforms | MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, HFM Platform (browser, TradingView charts), HFM WebTrader, HFM App (mobile) | MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, cTrader, TradingView, Pepperstone platform (web + mobile app) |
| Broker-published claim | Withdrawals are processed 24/7. "Withdrawals submitted before 10:00am server time are processed on the same business day between 7:00am and 5:00pm server time. Withdrawals submitted after 10:00am server time, will be processed on the following business day between 7:00am and 5:00pm server time." [Source] | Cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay withdrawals: "Same Day - Up to 1 working day"; bank transfers: "Same Day - Up to 3 working days". Pepperstone notes final settlement depends on third-party institutions and can vary. [Source] |
| Withdrawal methods | bank wire transfer, credit/debit card, Skrill, Neteller, Fasapay, crypto | Visa, Mastercard, Bank transfer, PayPal, Skrill, Neteller, UnionPay, Apple Pay, Google Pay, USDT |
| Crypto deposits/withdrawals | No | Yes |
| Islamic Accounts | Yes | Yes |
| Measured by us | Testing in progress | Testing in progress |
| Accepts clients from | Kenya | Australia, Hong Kong, United Kingdom, Singapore, China, Thailand, Mexico, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates, Germany, India, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Turkey, Mongolia, Kenya, Colombia, Italy, Vietnam, Chile, Peru, Indonesia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain |
| Open account | Open account |
We do not name a winner here. The two records sit side by side because the right answer depends on where you live, what you trade, and which entity would onboard you — all of which the table shows.
By Country
- HFM (HF Markets) + Pepperstone: Kenya
- Pepperstone Yes / HFM (HF Markets) No: Australia, Hong Kong, United Kingdom, Singapore, China, Thailand, Mexico, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates, Germany, India, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Turkey, Mongolia, Colombia, Italy, Vietnam, Chile, Peru, Indonesia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain
Is HFM (HF Markets) or Pepperstone better?
Neither is better in the abstract. Compare the rows that apply to you: whether each broker accepts clients from your country, which entity and regulator you would be onboarded under, the minimum deposit, and how withdrawals work on the rail you would actually use.
Which is safer, HFM (HF Markets) or Pepperstone?
Safety follows the entity that holds your money, not the brand. Both records list every regulator and license number each broker publishes — check which entity serves your country, then verify that license on the regulator's own register.