What is the minimum deposit at the main CFD brokers in the UAE?
Verdict
- Pepperstone asks for $10 or the local equivalent, and is our pick among CFD brokers for UAE residents; dirham transfers from Mashreq Bank or Barclays have no minimum at all.
- Capital.com's minimum is $20. XS's Elite account, its lowest-cost one, needs $500, and its card deposits start at $20.
- Elsewhere: XM $5, eToro $10 ($1,000 for its Islamic account), FP Markets and Tickmill $100, Equiti UAE from no minimum (Classic) to $3,000 (Premier).
- IG's own pages disagree on its Dubai minimum, and Plus500 sets minimums per payment method, so check both in the app before you fund.
Most CFD brokers serving the UAE ask for between nothing and $100 to open an account; a few premium accounts ask for far more. Pepperstone sits at the low end with $10, and it is our first choice for UAE residents on cost and local funding. Below are the published minimums for the main brokers, plus what the minimum does not tell you.
Pepperstone: $10, and no minimum on local bank transfers
Pepperstone's UAE accounts page lists minimum funding of $10 or your local equivalent, for both Standard and Razor accounts. By payment method, Visa and Mastercard deposits start at $10, while Apple Pay, Google Pay and local transfers through Mashreq Bank or Barclays have no minimum. You can hold the account in AED, so a dirham deposit lands without conversion. A low entry point is useful for a test run: deposit a small sum, withdraw part of it back to the same card or account, and only then fund the account properly. UAE retail clients' CFDs are issued by Pepperstone Markets Limited (SCB, Bahamas), and the group's DIFC company is regulated by the DFSA.
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Published minimum deposits
| Broker | Minimum | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pepperstone | $10 | No minimum on Mashreq/Barclays transfers, Apple Pay or Google Pay |
| Capital.com | $20 | AED accounts offered; LEAN open-banking deposits in AED and USD |
| XS | $500 for Elite | Cards from $20, Skrill and Neteller from $15, bank transfer from $300 |
| XM | $5 | Funding options shown only after login |
| eToro | $10 | $1,000 to open its Islamic account |
| FP Markets | $100 | AED is a published account currency |
| Tickmill | $100 | Payments in EUR, GBP, ZAR and USD only |
| Equiti (UAE) | None / $100 / $3,000 | Classic / Standard / Premier |
| ActivTrades, CMC Markets, OANDA | No minimum listed | Check payment-method limits |
Where the published minimum is unclear
Two well-known names do not give a single number. IG's help centre says there is no minimum by bank transfer and £1 per card deposit, yet its international-offering table lists $300 for Dubai; the two pages conflict. Plus500 says minimums depend on the payment method and shows them in the platform's funds screen. In both cases, read the figure in the app before you send money.
Why the minimum is not your starting balance
The minimum only opens the account. What you can sensibly trade depends on position size, leverage and how far the market can move against you. Pepperstone's UAE retail leverage goes up to 1:200 on major currency pairs and gold, which means a small balance can control a large position and be wiped out by a modest move. Retail clients are entitled to negative balance protection, according to Pepperstone's UAE risk disclosure, so you cannot lose more than the account holds, but that is a floor, not a safety net. Size positions so that a normal day's move costs a small fraction of the balance.
Sources
Minimums from the brokers' own pages.
Which CFD broker in the UAE has the lowest minimum deposit?
XM publishes $5. Pepperstone and eToro publish $10, and Pepperstone's local bank transfers from Mashreq Bank or Barclays carry no minimum.
Is the minimum higher for a raw spread account?
Not at Pepperstone: Razor and Standard share the $10 minimum. XS's Elite account requires $500.
Can I deposit in dirhams?
Yes at Pepperstone and Capital.com, which both offer AED accounts. XS lists USD, EUR and JPY accounts only.
CFDs are complex, leveraged instruments with a high risk of losing your deposit quickly, whatever its size. Minimums and payment limits are taken from broker websites and change without notice; confirm them before funding. This page does not give investment advice.