What's the best CFD broker in Asia for active traders?
Verdict
- Pepperstone is our pick for active CFD traders in Asia: Razor pricing at 0.1 pips average on EUR/USD, ten base currencies including HKD, SGD and JPY, and a Pro tier for experienced traders.
- In Hong Kong and Singapore Pepperstone has no local licence; both are served by Pepperstone Markets Limited, regulated by the SCB in the Bahamas (SIA-F217).
- Active traders who qualify as Pro can reach 1:500 leverage on FX, gold and major indices, but lose retail negative balance protection beyond a one-time discretionary cover.
- XS (Elite, 0.1 pips plus $6 round turn) is a close cost match on MetaTrader.
An active trader in Hong Kong, Singapore or elsewhere in Asia wants low cost per trade, accounts in the local currency and tools that hold up under volume. Pepperstone ticks those boxes on published terms. Its weak spot in Asia is local regulation, which we spell out below.
Why Pepperstone for high-frequency traders in Asia
Volume turns small cost gaps into large ones. On Pepperstone Razor, a lot of EUR/USD costs about $7 round trip on cTrader; 200 lots a month is roughly $1,400, against $2,200 on a spread-only account at 1.1 pips. Accounts can be held in HKD, SGD, JPY, USD, AUD and five other currencies, so Asian traders avoid converting every deposit. The Razor account adds MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView and the Pepperstone app, cTrader Automate for C# bots and API trading. Pepperstone says fills start from 50 milliseconds. In Hong Kong you sign with its Bahamas company, as no SFC licence exists.
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Asian markets on Pepperstone
| Market | Published average spread | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| HK50 (Hang Seng) | 5 points | No commission |
| CN50 (China A50) | 10.2 points | No commission |
| JPN225 (Nikkei) | 7.4 points Razor, 9.4 Standard | No commission |
| AUS200 | 1.5 points | No commission |
| HKEX share CFDs | 46 listed | 0.2% commission per side |
Pro status for active traders
Pepperstone's international entity lets you self-certify as Pro by meeting two of three tests: leveraged-trading experience, cash and investments above USD 500,000, or professional experience in financial services. Pro leverage reaches 1:500 on FX, gold and major indices, against 1:200 for retail. The trade-off is protection: Pro accounts get only a discretionary, one-time negative balance cover of up to USD 100,000, where retail clients are not liable for negative equity at all.
Alternatives and local licences
Capital.com, our second choice, accepts Hong Kong residents but, according to brokers.json, not Singapore residents. XS accepts both and matches Pepperstone on EUR/USD cost with its Elite account, from $500. If local supervision is essential, Saxo is SFC-licensed in Hong Kong (CE No. AVD061) and MAS-licensed in Singapore.
Sources
Published broker terms.
Does Pepperstone have an office in Hong Kong or Singapore?
No local site or entity is published. Visitors from both are routed to the international site run by Pepperstone Markets Limited in the Bahamas.
Can I hold a Pepperstone account in SGD or HKD?
Yes. Both are among the ten base currencies on Pepperstone's international site.
What does Razor commission cost in HKD or SGD?
HKD 28.17 or SGD 4.55 per standard lot per side on FX, according to Pepperstone's commission table.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. This page is not investment advice; broker terms change, so check them on the broker's own site before you open an account.