Which broker is best for trading indices in the UAE?
Verdict
- Pepperstone is our pick for trading indices in the UAE: its account tables list 26 index CFDs, it charges no commission on them, and it publishes spreads such as 0.4 points on the US500 and 1 point on the NAS100.
- UAE retail clients can use up to 1:200 on major indices and 1:100 on minor ones with Pepperstone.
- Capital.com, second, publishes 300:1 on indices for its Dubai company and offers swap-free accounts to UAE residents; XS publishes no index pricing in our data.
- Index CFDs held overnight pay swap, and Pepperstone does not offer UAE residents a swap-free account.
Index CFDs let you trade the US500, NAS100 or GER40 from Dubai without buying the underlying shares. Pepperstone publishes its index spreads and charges no commission on them, which makes it our pick for UAE traders. The spreads, leverage and alternatives are below.
Why we pick Pepperstone for indices
Pepperstone's account tables list 26 index CFDs, covering the main US, European and Asian benchmarks, and it charges no commission on index CFDs on either account. Its index-fee table (published on its Australian site with August 2026 data) gives the spreads in the table below. UAE retail clients get up to 1:200 on major indices and 1:100 on minor indices, and can trade on MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView or the Pepperstone app.
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Pepperstone's published index spreads
Pepperstone also offers index forwards with wider minimum spreads (US500-F from 1, NAS100-F from 3). Confirm the live spreads on your UAE account in the platform, as figures can differ by entity.
| Index | Razor | Standard |
|---|---|---|
| US500 | 0.4 | 0.5 |
| NAS100 | 1 | 1.2 |
| US30 | 2 | 2.3 |
| GER40 | 1 | 1.3 |
| UK100 | 1.5 | 1.9 |
| JPN225 | 7.4 | 9.4 |
| HK50 | 5 | 5 |
How Capital.com and XS compare
- Capital.com: indices up to 300:1 through its UAE CMA-licensed Dubai company (20200000176), AED accounts and swap-free terms for UAE residents; no index spreads in our data.
- XS: MT4, MT5 and its own app, with automatic swap-free accounts for UAE residents; no index spreads or index leverage in our data.
- Other UAE-licensed options in our data include ADSS (UAE CMA Category 1, up to 500:1 on major indices) and Equiti (UAE CMA Category 1), whose Swap Free Mini account covers indices on deposits up to $25,000.
What leverage means on an index trade
At Pepperstone's 1:200, a $20,000 position on the US500 needs $100 of margin, and a 0.5% fall in the index takes all of it. At Capital.com's 300:1, the same position needs about $67 and a 0.33% fall does the same. Index CFDs also gap over weekends and on surprise news, so size positions on the assumption that a stop-loss can fill beyond its level.
Sources
Index pricing, leverage and licences as published.
Does Pepperstone charge commission on index CFDs?
No. Pepperstone's index-fee page says there is no commission on index CFDs; the cost is the spread plus any overnight financing.
How many indices can I trade with Pepperstone?
Its account tables count 26 index CFDs; its markets pages describe more than 20 major stock indices.
Can I trade indices swap-free in the UAE?
Not with Pepperstone. Capital.com and XS offer swap-free accounts to UAE residents, and Equiti's Swap Free Mini account covers indices.
CFDs and other leveraged products carry a high risk of rapid losses. Consider your experience and whether you can afford to lose your money before trading. We report what brokers publish; this is not investment advice, and terms can change without notice.