Which brokers let you open a trading account in AED?
Verdict
- Pepperstone lets UAE residents hold a Standard or Razor account in AED, and it is our pick because it pairs the dirham account with local Mashreq Bank and Barclays transfers.
- Capital.com also offers AED accounts in the UAE and five other Gulf states, and takes AED deposits through the LEAN open-banking service.
- FP Markets lists AED among its account currencies. XS (USD, EUR, JPY), eToro, Tickmill, ActivTrades, IC Markets, Vantage and HFM do not offer AED accounts.
- An AED account saves a conversion on deposits and withdrawals, but trades priced in other currencies still convert profit and loss into dirhams.
Three brokers in our data publish an AED base currency: Pepperstone, Capital.com and FP Markets. Pepperstone is our first choice because the dirham account comes with named local banking partners and its trading costs are published. Here is who offers what, and what an AED account does and does not save you.
Pepperstone: AED on both accounts, funded through local banks
Pepperstone's UAE funding page lists five base currencies for Standard and Razor accounts: GBP, USD, EUR, AUD and AED. Dirham deposits can come from Mashreq Bank or Barclays transfers with no minimum, taking up to 2 business days, or by card from $10, Apple Pay or Google Pay. Withdrawals return by the same route. One gap to ask about: Pepperstone's Razor commission table lists per-side rates for several account currencies but not AED, so confirm what an AED Razor account is charged per lot. For UAE retail clients the CFDs are issued by Pepperstone Markets Limited (SCB, Bahamas); the group's DIFC company is DFSA-regulated.
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AED accounts: who offers them
| Broker | AED account | Published currencies or local route |
|---|---|---|
| Pepperstone | Yes | GBP, USD, EUR, AUD, AED; Mashreq and Barclays transfers |
| Capital.com | Yes | AED in the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain; LEAN in AED and USD |
| FP Markets | Yes | AED among 13 funding currencies |
| XS | No | USD, EUR, JPY |
| eToro | No | Local-currency accounts in GBP, EUR, AUD, DKK |
| Tickmill | No | EUR, GBP, ZAR, USD |
| ActivTrades | No | USD, EUR, GBP, CHF, SEK; 0.5% conversion fee |
| XM, CMC Markets, OANDA | Not published | Check before opening |
What an AED account saves, and what it doesn't
If you earn and spend in dirhams, an AED account means your deposit arrives without a conversion and your withdrawal leaves the same way. With a broker that only offers USD, EUR or GBP accounts, a conversion happens at each end, either by your bank or by the broker; ActivTrades, for example, publishes a 0.5% fee when the payment currency differs from the account currency. What an AED account does not change is the currency of the market you trade. EUR/USD and gold are priced in dollars, so the profit or loss on each trade is converted into dirhams when it is booked.
Capital.com as the second option
Capital.com's Dubai company holds a UAE Capital Market Authority licence (20200000176), offers AED accounts, and lists LEAN, a UAE open-banking route, for deposits in AED and USD. It is also the better choice if you need a swap-free account, which Pepperstone does not offer to UAE residents. Its minimum is $20.
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Sources
Currency and funding terms from broker pages.
Can I deposit dirhams into a USD account?
Yes at most brokers, but the money is converted, by your bank or the broker, on the way in and again when you withdraw.
Does XS offer an AED account?
No. XS lists USD, EUR and JPY base currencies and no Gulf local-bank route.
Is there a minimum deposit for an AED account at Pepperstone?
The account minimum is $10 or the local equivalent, and Mashreq Bank or Barclays transfers have no minimum.
Trading CFDs is complex and leveraged, with a high risk of rapid losses in any account currency. Currency options and fees come from broker websites and can change. This page is for information only and is not advice.