Best CFD Brokers in Saudi Arabia
Verdict
- Our order for CFD trading in Saudi Arabia: Pepperstone, Capital.com, then XS.
- None of the three holds a Saudi licence. The Saudi Capital Market Authority (CMA) does not license international CFD firms for retail clients, so Saudi residents use internationally regulated brokers.
- Capital.com and XS offer swap-free (Islamic) accounts to Saudi residents. Pepperstone's swap-free list does not include Saudi Arabia.
- Check which legal entity your account opens under: your protections follow that entity's regulator, such as the FCA, CySEC or ASIC.
- Minimum deposits: Pepperstone $10, Capital.com $20, and XS has none on its Standard account.
The best CFD brokers in Saudi Arabia, in our order, are Pepperstone, Capital.com and XS. None of them holds a Saudi licence, so the questions that matter are which regulator covers your account and whether you can get a swap-free account: Capital.com and XS offer swap-free accounts to Saudi residents, and Pepperstone does not. This page is about CFD trading: licences, leverage and risk, and how to check a broker yourself.
Best CFD brokers in Saudi Arabia compared
Every fact below comes from the broker's own site or a regulator. All three brokers are in our test program, but our own measured results, such as timed withdrawals, show as "Testing in progress" until our funded-account tests finish. Nothing on this page is a test result of ours.
| Broker | Regulators | How Saudi residents are served | Swap-free for Saudi residents | Min. deposit | Platforms | Trading commission |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pepperstone | ASIC, FCA, CySEC, BaFin, DFSA, SCB (Bahamas), CMA Kenya | Through an internationally regulated entity; no Saudi licence | No (Saudi Arabia is not on its eligible-country list) | $10 | MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView | Depends on account type |
| Capital.com | FCA, CySEC, ASIC, UAE CMA | Through an internationally regulated entity; no Saudi licence | Yes | $20 | Capital.com web and app, MT4, MT5, TradingView | None |
| XS | FSA (Seychelles), ASIC, CySEC, LFSA, FSCA, FSC (Mauritius), UAE CMA (Category 5) | Through an internationally regulated entity; no Saudi licence | Yes | None (Standard account) | MT4, MT5 | None (Standard account) |
1. Pepperstone
Pepperstone is first in our order. It is regulated by seven retail regulators: ASIC, the FCA, CySEC, BaFin, the DFSA in the DIFC (F004356), the SCB in the Bahamas and the CMA in Kenya. It holds no Saudi licence. The minimum deposit is $10, and you can trade on MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, cTrader and TradingView. The main drawback for Saudi traders: Pepperstone's swap-free account is only for residents of an eligible-country list, and Saudi Arabia is not on it.
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2. Capital.com
Capital.com is second in our order. It holds no Saudi licence; the group is regulated by the FCA, CySEC and ASIC, and its UAE entity holds a UAE Capital Market Authority Category One dealing licence (No. 20200000176). Capital.com offers swap-free accounts to residents of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman, which makes it the one to look at among our top two if you need a swap-free account. The minimum deposit is $20, with no trading commission and no deposit, withdrawal or account fees. You can trade on the Capital.com web platform and app, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5 (Expert Advisors supported) and TradingView. Capital.com says it processes withdrawals within 24 hours, and the time the money takes to arrive depends on the payment method. That is the broker's own claim, not our measurement.
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3. XS
XS is third in our order. It was established in Australia in 2010 and has eight entities: they are regulated by the FSA in Seychelles (SD089), ASIC (374409), CySEC (412/22), the LFSA in Labuan (MB/21/0081), the FSCA in South Africa (53199) and the FSC in Mauritius (GB25204786), plus a UAE CMA licence for arrangement and advice (20200000339) and a commercial licence in Kuwait. It holds no Saudi licence. XS publishes an average EUR/USD spread of 0.1 pips on its Elite account ($6 round-turn commission, $500 minimum). It offers MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 only, and a swap-free account that is available to Saudi residents.
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How to choose a CFD broker in Saudi Arabia
Because no international CFD broker holds a Saudi retail licence, the checks are about the foreign entity that will hold your money. Work through these before you deposit.
- Know the licence position. The Saudi Capital Market Authority (CMA) does not license international CFD firms for retail clients, so Saudi residents who trade CFDs use internationally regulated brokers. Treat any claim of a Saudi CMA licence for CFD trading with suspicion and check it on the CMA's own website.
- Check which legal entity your account opens under. One brand can hold several licences, and your protections and leverage limits follow the entity that holds your account, not the brand.
- Check that entity on its own regulator's register (for example the FCA, CySEC or ASIC), using the entity's name and licence number.
- If you need a swap-free account, check that Saudi Arabia is on the broker's eligible-country list and read the fee terms.
- Compare total costs: spreads, commission, overnight fees, and any deposit, withdrawal or inactivity fees.
- Check that the platform you want is offered: MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, cTrader, TradingView or the broker's own app.
- Check deposits and withdrawals: which account currencies are offered, how riyals are converted, and which payment methods the broker lists for Saudi Arabia.
What a CFD is, and the risk
A CFD (contract for difference) is a contract with a broker that pays you, or charges you, the change in an asset's price. You get exposure to the price of a currency pair, index, commodity, share or cryptocurrency without owning the asset. CFDs are traded with leverage: you put down a margin deposit and control a larger position. Leverage magnifies gains and losses in the same way, so a small price move against you can use up your margin quickly. Most retail CFD accounts lose money. Brokers publish the share of their own retail CFD accounts that lose money; read that figure on the broker's site before you open an account. The maximum leverage you can use depends on the regulator of the entity that holds your account, not on the brand.
Islamic (swap-free) CFD accounts in Saudi Arabia
A swap-free account removes the overnight swap (interest) charge or credit on positions held past the daily cut-off. Brokers often charge a different fee instead, such as a fixed admin fee after a set number of days, so swap-free does not always mean fee-free. Capital.com and XS offer swap-free accounts to Saudi residents. Pepperstone's swap-free account is only for residents of an eligible-country list, and Saudi Arabia is not on it; that is a common reason Saudi traders who want a swap-free account pick Capital.com. We describe the product, not a religious ruling: ask a qualified scholar whether a particular account meets your requirements.
Is CFD trading legal in Saudi Arabia?
Saudi residents open CFD accounts with internationally regulated brokers. The Saudi Capital Market Authority does not license international CFD firms for retail clients, so your account is covered by a foreign regulator, not by Saudi rules. If you are unsure about your own legal position, ask a qualified local adviser.
Which CFD broker is licensed in Saudi Arabia?
None of the three on our list holds a Saudi licence. Pepperstone is regulated by ASIC, the FCA, CySEC, BaFin, the DFSA, the SCB and the CMA in Kenya; Capital.com by the FCA, CySEC, ASIC and, in the UAE, the Capital Market Authority; XS by regulators including ASIC, CySEC and the FSCA. Check which entity your account opens under.
Which CFD brokers offer Islamic accounts in Saudi Arabia?
Capital.com and XS offer swap-free (Islamic) accounts to Saudi residents. Pepperstone does not: its swap-free account is only for an eligible-country list that does not include Saudi Arabia. Read each broker's fee terms, and ask a qualified scholar whether an account meets your requirements.
What is the minimum deposit for CFD trading in Saudi Arabia?
It depends on the broker: Pepperstone's minimum deposit is $10, Capital.com's is $20, and XS has no minimum deposit on its Standard account.
Can I use MetaTrader 5 for CFD trading in Saudi Arabia?
Yes. All three brokers on our list offer MetaTrader 5. Capital.com supports Expert Advisors on MetaTrader 4 and 5, and Pepperstone also offers cTrader.
How much can I lose trading CFDs?
Leverage magnifies losses as well as gains, so a small price move can use up your whole deposit quickly. Most retail CFD accounts lose money; read the loss percentage each broker publishes on its own site before you trade.
Nothing on this page is investment advice. CFDs are complex instruments and carry a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage; most retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. Read each broker's own risk warning and loss percentage before you trade. Buttons marked as affiliate links may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.