What is the best broker for trading the NASDAQ 100?
Verdict
- Pepperstone is our pick for trading the Nasdaq 100 from the UAE: its NAS100 CFD has a published average spread of 1 point on the Razor account and 1.2 points on Standard, and index CFDs carry no commission.
- UAE retail accounts can use up to 1:200 on major indices, so a NAS100 position worth $20,000 ties up about $100 of margin. Losses grow at the same rate as gains.
- Besides the cash CFD, Pepperstone lists a NAS100 forward (minimum spread 3 points) and a NAS100 perpetual CFD, which appears on its UAE retail margin table.
- Capital.com is the alternative if you want a CMA-licensed Dubai company or a swap-free account; it allows index leverage of up to 300:1 there, but our data holds no Nasdaq spread for it.
You don't buy the Nasdaq 100 from a CFD broker; you trade a contract that follows it, so the choice comes down to the spread, the holding cost, the leverage rules and the company that holds your money. Pepperstone publishes the clearest NAS100 pricing in our data. Here is what it costs, which of its three Nasdaq contracts to use, and when another broker is the better call.
Why Pepperstone gets our vote for NAS100
Pepperstone prints its index pricing instrument by instrument. On its index-fees page (August 2026 data), NAS100 shows a minimum and average spread of 1 point on Razor and 1.2 points on Standard. Because index CFDs carry no commission on either account, Razor is simply the cheaper of the two on this market, unlike forex, where Razor adds a per-lot fee. Razor also opens every platform Pepperstone runs: MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView and its own web platform and app. On execution, Pepperstone says its orders fill from 50 milliseconds with a 99.32% fill rate (trades from January to March 2026). The limit to know: for UAE retail clients, CFDs are issued by Pepperstone Markets Limited, which is regulated in the Bahamas by the SCB (SIA-F217), not by a UAE regulator.
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Cash, forward or perpetual: three ways to hold NAS100
Pepperstone quotes the index in three forms. They follow the same underlying market but price time differently, so match the contract to how long you hold.
| Contract | Published spread | How holding is charged | Status for UAE clients |
|---|---|---|---|
| NAS100 cash CFD | 1 pt average (Razor), 1.2 pts (Standard) | Overnight financing on positions held past the daily rollover | Standard product |
| NAS100-F forward | From 3 pts (minimum) | Check the contract specification in the platform | Listed on Pepperstone's index-fees page |
| NAS100-PERP perpetual | Not in our data | Funding rate set weekly in advance, applied daily at 5 pm New York | On the UAE retail margin table; confirm your account can trade it |
A worked NAS100 cost example
Take a trader who sizes NAS100 at $5 a point and opens and closes 20 positions a month. At the published averages, each round trip costs $5 in spread on Razor (1 point) and $6 on Standard (1.2 points): $100 versus $120 a month, with no commission on top. Margin is the other number to watch. With a 1:200 cap on major indices, a position worth $20,000 needs $100 of margin, but a 1% move in the index is still a $200 profit or loss on that position. Anything held past the daily rollover also pays overnight financing, which Pepperstone sets per instrument, so check the swap figure in the platform before you hold for days.
How Capital.com and XS compare for a UAE Nasdaq trader
- Capital.com: its Dubai company holds UAE CMA licence 20200000176 and lists index leverage of up to 300:1. Platforms are its web platform and app, MT4, MT5 and TradingView; the minimum deposit is $20, and UAE residents can open a swap-free account. Our data has no published NAS100 spread for it.
- XS: its verified pricing covers EUR/USD only, from 0.1 pips on the Elite account with a $6 round-turn commission and a $500 minimum. Its index list and index spreads are not in our data, so check the MT5 symbol list before you fund.
- Why this order: Pepperstone is the only one of the three whose Nasdaq 100 cost we could check against a published figure.
Five checks before you open the account
- Contracting company: the client agreement should name Pepperstone Markets Limited (SCB). The group also has a DFSA-regulated company in the DIFC (F004356) and a Dubai LLC with a CMA introduction-and-consultation licence.
- Account currency: AED is available alongside USD, EUR, GBP and AUD, and Mashreq Bank or Barclays transfers arrive in up to 2 business days.
- Leverage: 1:200 is a ceiling, not a target; set your own position size first.
- Swap-free: Pepperstone does not offer its swap-free account to UAE residents. If you need one, look at Capital.com or XS.
- Protection: retail clients are entitled to negative balance protection under Pepperstone's UAE risk disclosure; no compensation scheme is named.
Sources
Figures as published by the brokers on the pages below.
Is NAS100 the same thing as the Nasdaq 100?
NAS100 is Pepperstone's symbol for its CFD on the Nasdaq 100 index. You trade price changes in the index; you don't own the 100 companies in it.
Does Pepperstone charge commission on Nasdaq 100 trades?
No. Pepperstone states there is no commission on index CFDs, so the spread and any overnight financing are the main trading costs.
Can I trade the Nasdaq 100 at the weekend?
The NAS100 perpetual CFD trades 24/7, according to Pepperstone, and it appears on the UAE retail margin table. Ask Pepperstone to confirm your account can trade it before you rely on weekend access.
CFDs are complex, leveraged instruments, and you can lose money rapidly. Index CFDs can gap when markets open. Only trade money you can afford to lose. This page is not investment advice; check each broker's current terms on its own site before you open an account.