HFM (HF Markets) vs XS
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.
| Open account | ||
|---|---|---|
| Regulation | FCA · CySEC · FSCA · FSA · CMA | ASIC · CySEC · CMA · FSCA · FSA · LFSA · FSC · MOCI |
| 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 374409 CySEC 412/22 CMA 20200000339 (licence category not stated on XS's page) FSCA 53199 FSA SD089 LFSA MB/21/0081 FSC GB25204786 MOCI 513918 on the regulations page; the site footer shows MOCI 2024/786 |
| Founded | 2010 | 2010 |
| Minimum deposit | $0 | $0 |
| 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) | 0.1 pips average on the Elite account (plus $6 round-turn commission, $500 minimum); 0.7 pips average on Pro ($500 minimum, no commission); 1.1 pips average on Standard (no minimum deposit, no commission) — averages as published by XS |
| Leverage | Offshore — no financial regulator named: InfinityX unlimited; Cent, Zero, Pro and Premium 1:2000 (subject to adjustment per the terms) | not specified on the page: Up to 1:2000 with dynamic leverage; margin call 40%, stop out 20% |
| Gulf Payments | ||
| Platforms | MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, HFM Platform (browser, TradingView charts), HFM WebTrader, HFM App (mobile) | MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, XS Trading 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] | Published processing times: Neteller instant; Skrill 1 business day; bank transfer 1-7 working days; Visa & MasterCard 7-10 working days. XS states it charges no internal fees for deposits or withdrawals, but reserves the right to apply a withdrawal fee of up to 3% where there has been no trading activity or it identifies abuse. [Source] |
| Withdrawal methods | bank wire transfer, credit/debit card, Skrill, Neteller, Fasapay, crypto | Bank transfer, Visa & MasterCard, Skrill, Neteller |
| Crypto deposits/withdrawals | No | No |
| Islamic Accounts | Yes | Yes |
| Measured by us | Testing in progress | Testing in progress |
| Accepts clients from | Kenya | United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Turkey |
| 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) Yes / XS No: Kenya
- XS Yes / HFM (HF Markets) No: United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Turkey
Is HFM (HF Markets) or XS 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 XS?
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.