Which CFD broker is best for day trading?
Verdict
- Pepperstone is our pick for day trading CFDs from Hong Kong: Razor averages 0.1 pips on EUR/USD plus $3.00 per side on cTrader, and index CFDs such as HK50 and NAS100 carry no commission.
- Pepperstone says orders fill from 50 milliseconds with a 99.32% fill rate and no dealer intervention, based on its own Q1 2026 trades.
- Day traders who close by the end of the session avoid overnight financing, so spread and commission are almost the whole bill.
- Pepperstone serves Hong Kong from the Bahamas (SCB, SIA-F217) and holds no SFC licence.
A day trader opens and closes many positions, so small differences in spread and commission add up fast. On published costs and execution claims, Pepperstone is the CFD broker we would day trade with from Hong Kong. Below is what a busy day costs and which tools help.
Why Pepperstone suits day trading
Three things decide a day-trading account: cost per round trip, speed of fills, and the tools around the chart. Pepperstone's Razor account averages 0.1 pips on EUR/USD, with commission of $3.00 per side on cTrader and $3.50 on MT5 and TradingView. Index CFDs have no commission, with published averages of 1 point on NAS100, 2 points on US30 and 5 points on HK50. Pepperstone states fills from 50 milliseconds and a 99.32% fill rate for January to March 2026, with no dealer intervention; that is its own figure, not our test. You get MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView and its own app on one Razor account.
Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
A day trader's cost, worked out
Say you make ten round trips a day of one lot each on EUR/USD on Pepperstone Razor via cTrader: 10 x ($1 spread + $6 commission) = $70. The same ten trades on the Standard account cost 10 x $11 = $110. Ten HK50 round trips at a position of HK$10 a point cost 10 x HK$50 = HK$500 in spread, with no commission on either account. If you trade more often than a few times a week, Razor is the cheaper account.
| Market | Razor average | Standard average | Commission |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | 0.1 pips | 1.1 pips | Razor $3.00-$3.50 per side; Standard none |
| NAS100 | 1 point | 1.2 points | None |
| US30 | 2 points | 2.3 points | None |
| HK50 | 5 points | 5 points | None |
| Gold | 0.12 | 0.19 | Razor per-side commission; Standard none |
Where Capital.com and XS fit
Capital.com is our second choice; it offers a guaranteed stop-loss, which can cap the loss on a fast intraday gap, something Pepperstone does not publish. XS, third, publishes 0.1 pips average on EUR/USD on its Elite account with $6 round-turn commission, level with Pepperstone on cTrader, but it requires $500 and offers MT4, MT5 and its app only.
Habits that keep day-trading costs down
- Trade the most liquid hours of each market; spreads are averages and widen in thin trading.
- Close before the daily rollover if your plan is intraday, so no financing is charged.
- Use cTrader if you trade FX heavily on Razor; its commission is $0.50 per side lower than MT5.
- Size positions well below the 1:200 maximum leverage on FX and major indices.
Sources
Published figures from Pepperstone and XS.
Is Razor or Standard better for day trading?
Razor, for most day traders. On EUR/USD a lot costs about $7 to $8 round trip on Razor against $11 on Standard.
Does Pepperstone allow automated day trading?
Yes. It supports expert advisors on MT4 and MT5 and C# cBots through cTrader Automate.
Is Pepperstone regulated in Hong Kong?
No. Hong Kong residents are served by Pepperstone Markets Limited under Bahamas SCB licence SIA-F217.
CFDs are complex, leveraged products with a high risk of losing money quickly. Make sure you understand how they work and can afford the risk before you trade. This page is not investment advice; check each broker's current terms on its own site.