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Ranking · UAE

Best forex brokers in the UAE

The UAE has three regimes for brokers: SCA (Securities and Commodities Authority), DFSA (Dubai Financial Services Authority) and FSRA (Financial Services Regulatory Authority), and a licence covers only its own regime. 9 brokers in our data serve UAE residents through one of them; 3 list a swap-free account.

Written and checked by
Low Spread Brokers team
Updated
20 Oct 2026
  • 9brokers on this list
  • 33regulators behind their entities
  • 19 Oct 2026broker data last collected
  • 84licensed entities in our data

Low Spread Brokers does not give personal investment advice.

For traders who live in the UAE and want an account with a company licensed in one of its three regimes. The order follows our accounts score, which counts swap-free, raw and professional accounts and the minimum deposit. Read first: how we rankhow we make moneyUnited Arab Emirates rules

Edited by Low Spread Brokers team · Updated 20 Oct 2026

Quick answer

Which forex broker is best in the UAE?

ThinkMarkets is first here on our accounts score (9.0/10), serving UAE residents through TF Global Markets (UK) Limited — ThinkMarkets (DIFC Branch) (DFSA). In the UAE the deciding check is which regime licenses the company on your account: DFSA in the DIFC, FSRA in ADGM, or SCA onshore.

  1. Find the company on the register of the regime that licensed it: DFSA, FSRA or SCA.
  2. Read the account application: some brands introduce UAE clients locally but hold the account with an entity abroad.
  3. Ask for the retail leverage limit in writing: our reference has no verified DFSA or FSRA figures yet.

Brokers regulated for UAE residents, ranked by account terms

Ranked by this page’s rule from published broker data, not by commission. Advertiser disclosure

Why this order: only brokers with a DFSA, SCA, FSRA or other regulated entity that accepts UAE residents, sorted by our accounts score, which counts swap-free and raw accounts and the minimum deposit. Ranked from our data on 9 brokers, updated 19 Oct 2026. How we rank

Ranked by this page’s rule · 19 Oct 2026

The entity named on each card for residents of the United Arab Emirates decides your leverage and protections.

Rankings for other countries
Regulator tiers:Tier 1: e.g. FCA, ASIC, CySEC, BaFin, MASTier 2: e.g. FSCA, FMA, CMA KenyaOffshore: labelled; its leverage never adds to a score

Top pick

1

ThinkMarkets

Main entity: TF Global Markets (UK) Limited — ThinkMarkets (DIFC Branch) · 10 entities in total

Protections depend on the entity

Minimum deposit
$10
EUR/USD spread from
Not measured
Platforms
MT4, MT5, TradingView, proprietary
Max retail leverage
Depends on entity: up to 30:1 (Standard, ThinkTrader, ThinkZero accounts, retail) (FCA, ASIC)up to 30:1 (ThinkZero account, retail) (CySEC)up to 500:1 (Standard, ThinkZero); 2500:1 (ThinkTrader account) (FSA Seychelles)
Funding methods
Bank wire, Visa, Mastercard, Skrill, Neteller, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Crypto (global site only)

StandardRawIslamicDemoSpread bettingProfessional6 of 9 licences checked on the register, 20 Oct 2026

Why #1Accounts score: 9.0/10. Residents of the United Arab Emirates are served by TF Global Markets (UK) Limited — ThinkMarkets (DIFC Branch) (DFSA, Tier 1, licence F004173).

7.6/10

Visit brokerUnpaid link

75% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider (TF Global Markets (UK) Limited).

2

XM

Main entity: Trading Point MENA Limited · 9 entities in total

Protections depend on the entity

Minimum deposit
$5
EUR/USD spread from
0.0 pips (Zero (EU), 19 Oct 2026)
Platforms
MT4, MT5, TradingView
Max retail leverage
Depends on entity: up to 30:1 (shown on Ultra Low and Zero account cards, EU site) (CySEC)
Funding methods
Bank wire transfer, Skrill, Neteller, Przelewy24

RawIslamicDemoCent3 of 9 licences checked on the register, 20 Oct 2026

Why #2Accounts score: 8.0/10. Residents of the United Arab Emirates are served by Trading Point MENA Limited (DFSA, Tier 1, licence F003484) and XM Financial Products Promotion L.L.C (SCA/CMA, Tier 2, licence 20200000322). The XM brand runs on an offshore entity (FSC Belize, leverage up to 1:1000) and a CySEC entity for the EEA; the group’s FCA, ASIC and US licences belong to the sister brand Trading.com, not to XM. Per XM’s own footer, UAE clients introduced by its UAE-licensed company are served by XM International MU Limited (Mauritius). Ask which company will hold your account.

7.2/10

Visit brokerUnpaid link

76.15% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider (Trading Point of Financial Instruments Ltd).

3

XTB

Main entity: XTB Financial Services L.L.C. · 9 entities in total

Which entity serves my country?

Protections depend on the entity

Minimum deposit
$0
EUR/USD spread from
0.8 pips (Standard, 19 Oct 2026)
Platforms
proprietary
Max retail leverage
Depends on entity: up to 1:30 (retail); 1:100 'Klient Doświadczony'; 1:200 professional (KNF)up to 1:30 (FCA, CySEC)up to 1:500 (FSC Belize)
Funding methods
Debit/credit card, Bank transfer, PayPal, Skrill, Neteller, PayU

StandardIslamicProfessional4 of 9 licences checked on the register, 20 Oct 2026

Why #3Accounts score: 7.5/10. Residents of the United Arab Emirates are served by XTB Financial Services L.L.C. (SCA, Tier 2, licence number not published).

7.1/10

Score breakdown
Visit brokerUnpaid link

74% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider (XTB Limited (UK)).

Read review
Show ranks #4–#9
4

Pepperstone

Main entity: Pepperstone Financial Services (DIFC) Ltd · 8 entities in total

Which entity serves my country?

Protections depend on the entity

Minimum deposit
£10
EUR/USD spread from
0.0 pips (Razor, 19 Oct 2026)
Platforms
MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView, proprietary
Max retail leverage
Depends on entity: up to 1:30 (retail, per Pepperstone support FAQ) (FCA)
Funding methods
Debit card, Credit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Bank transfer

StandardRawSpread bettingProfessional5 of 8 licences checked on the register, 20 Oct 2026

Why #4Accounts score: 7.0/10. Residents of the United Arab Emirates are served by Pepperstone Financial Services (DIFC) Ltd (DFSA, Tier 1, licence F004356) and Pepperstone Financial Services LLC (CMA (UAE), Tier 2, licence 20200000358). Per our data, the CMA licence of Pepperstone Financial Services LLC covers introduction and consultation only, and products on that route are issued by the Bahamas entity (SCB, offshore). Ask which company will hold your account.

8.5/10

Score breakdown
Visit brokerUnpaid link

73.6% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider (Pepperstone Limited (UK)).

Read review
5

CMC Markets

Main entity: CMC Markets Middle East Limited · 8 entities in total

Protections depend on the entity

Minimum deposit
£0
EUR/USD spread from
0.0 pips (FX Active, 19 Oct 2026)
Platforms
MT4, TradingView, proprietary
Max retail leverage
Depends on entity: up to 1:30 (major FX; margin from 3.34%) (FCA)
Funding methods
Debit card, Credit card, Open banking (TrueLayer), Bank transfer

StandardRawSpread bettingProfessional7 of 8 licences checked on the register, 20 Oct 2026

Why #5Accounts score: 7.0/10. Residents of the United Arab Emirates are served by CMC Markets Middle East Limited (DFSA, Tier 1, licence F002740).

7.8/10

Visit brokerUnpaid link

69% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider (CMC Markets UK plc).

6

Saxo

Main entity: Saxo Bank A/S · 5 entities in total

Which entity serves my country?

Protections depend on the entity

Minimum deposit
£0
EUR/USD spread from
0.7 pips (not stated, 19 Oct 2026)
Platforms
TradingView, proprietary, API
Max retail leverage
Depends on entity: up to 30:1 (FX majors, retail, ESMA; 3.33% initial margin) (Danish FSA)up to 30:1 (FX majors, retail; EUR/USD initial margin 3.33% stated, leverage ratio derived) (FCA)up to 1:66 (FX majors; EUR/USD initial margin 1.5% for Swiss residents) (FINMA)
Funding methods
Bank transfer, Debit card

StandardDemoProfessional2 of 5 licences checked on the register, 20 Oct 2026

Why #6Accounts score: 6.5/10. Residents of the United Arab Emirates are served by Saxo Bank A/S (Danish FSA, Tier 1, licence 1149).

7.4/10

Score breakdown
Visit brokerUnpaid link

61% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider (Saxo Capital Markets UK Ltd).

Read review
7

IG

Main entity: IG Limited · 13 entities in total

Which entity serves my country?

Protections depend on the entity

Minimum deposit
£1
EUR/USD spread from
0.6 pips (UK spread bet/CFD, 19 Oct 2026)
Platforms
MT4, MT5, TradingView, proprietary, API, ProRealTime, L2 Dealer
Max retail leverage
Depends on entity: up to 1:30 (major FX, retail; margin 3.33% on EUR/USD, GBP/USD) (FCA)up to 1:30 (major FX spread bets, retail; margin 3.33%) (FCA)
Funding methods
Debit card, Credit card, Bank transfer

StandardSpread bettingProfessional7 of 13 licences checked on the register, 20 Oct 2026

Why #7Accounts score: 6.0/10. Residents of the United Arab Emirates are served by IG Limited (DFSA, Tier 1, licence F001780).

7.9/10

Score breakdown
Visit brokerUnpaid link

70% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider (IG Markets Ltd / IG Index Ltd (UK)).

Read review
8

Plus500

Main entity: Plus500AE Ltd · 14 entities in total

Protections depend on the entity

Minimum deposit
A$100
EUR/USD spread from
Not measured
Platforms
proprietary
Max retail leverage
Depends on entity: up to 1:30 (forex, retail; EUR/USD initial margin 3.33%) (FCA)up to 1:30 (forex, retail — per Plus500 forex page en-fr) (CySEC)
Funding methods
Debit/credit card (Visa, Mastercard only), PayPal, Skrill, Bank transfer

StandardProfessional7 of 14 licences checked on the register, 20 Oct 2026

Why #8Accounts score: 5.5/10. Residents of the United Arab Emirates are served by Plus500AE Ltd (DFSA, Tier 1, licence F005651) and Plus500Gulf Securities L.L.C. (SCA, Tier 2, licence 20200000232).

6.2/10

Visit brokerUnpaid link

76% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider (Plus500UK Ltd).

9

eToro

Main entity: eToro (ME) Ltd · 8 entities in total

Which entity serves my country?

Protections depend on the entity

Minimum deposit
Not published
EUR/USD spread from
Not measured
Platforms
proprietary
Max retail leverage
Depends on entity: up to 1:30 (major FX, retail) — eToro Responsible Trading Policy, entity not specified on page (FCA, CySEC)
Funding methods
eToro Money, Debit/credit card, Bank transfer, PayPal, Neteller, Skrill, iDEAL, Trustly, Przelewy24

StandardProfessional5 of 8 licences checked on the register, 20 Oct 2026

Why #9Accounts score: 4.0/10. Residents of the United Arab Emirates are served by eToro (ME) Ltd (FSRA, Tier 2, licence FSP 220073).

5.9/10

Score breakdown
Visit brokerUnpaid link

55% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider (entity not named).

Read review

Compare all brokers in one tableHow we choose and rank brokersHow the United Arab Emirates regulates brokers

The list in one line each

Platforms, minimum deposit and swap-free accounts as each broker publishes them, in the order of the list.

  1. 1ThinkMarketsMT4, MT5, TradingView and own platform; minimum deposit $10; swap-free account listed7.6/10
  2. 2XMMT4, MT5 and TradingView; minimum deposit $5; swap-free account listed7.2/10
  3. 3XTBown platform; minimum deposit $0; swap-free account listed7.1/10
  4. 4PepperstoneMT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView and own platform; minimum deposit £108.5/10
  5. 5CMC MarketsMT4, TradingView and own platform; minimum deposit £07.8/10
  6. 6SaxoTradingView, own platform and API; minimum deposit £07.4/10
  7. 7IGMT4, MT5, TradingView, own platform, API, ProRealTime and L2 Dealer; minimum deposit £17.9/10
  8. 8Plus500own platform; minimum deposit A$1006.2/10
  9. 9eToroown platform; no single minimum deposit published5.9/10

At a glance · United Arab Emirates

Forex broker comparison table

What the table shows

Licence numbers as each broker publishes them (not yet matched on the registers), which entity serves which country, and spreads with the date we copied them from the broker’s own pages.

How to use this table

Sort by score, spread or minimum deposit. Deposits stay in the broker’s own currency, so compare them only within one currency.

Sort:
Forex broker comparison table
RankBrokerScoreMin. depositEUR/USD spread fromPlatformsAccount typesMax. leverage, retailActions
1ThinkMarketsFCA · CySEC · ASIC · ASIC · DFSA · FSCA · FSA Seychelles · CIMA · FMA · Unregulated7.6/10$10Not measuredMT4, MT5, TradingView, proprietaryStandard, Raw, Islamic, Demo, Spread betting, Professional30:1 (Standard, ThinkTrader, ThinkZero accounts, retail) (FCA, ASIC) · 30:1 (ThinkZero account, retail) (CySEC) · 500:1 (Standard, ThinkZero); 2500:1 (ThinkTrader account) (FSA Seychelles)
Open accountUnpaid link

75% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider (TF Global Markets (UK) Limited).

2XMCySEC · DFSA · FSCA · FSC Belize · FSA Seychelles · FSC Mauritius · BVI FSC · CMA Kenya · SCA/CMA7.2/10$50.0 pipsZero (EU) · 19 Oct 2026MT4, MT5, TradingViewRaw, Islamic, Demo, Cent30:1 (shown on Ultra Low and Zero account cards, EU site) (CySEC)
Open accountUnpaid link

76.15% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider (Trading Point of Financial Instruments Ltd).

3XTBKNF · FCA · CySEC · FSC Belize · DFSA · SCA · FSA Seychelles · CMF Chile · BappebtiLicences and register check7.1/10$00.8 pipsStandard · 19 Oct 2026proprietaryStandard, Islamic, Professional1:30 (retail); 1:100 'Klient Doświadczony'; 1:200 professional (KNF) · 1:30 (FCA, CySEC) · 1:500 (FSC Belize)
Open accountUnpaid link
Review

74% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider (XTB Limited (UK)).

4PepperstoneFCA · CySEC · BaFin · ASIC · DFSA · CMA (UAE) · CMA Kenya · SCBLicences and register check8.5/10£100.0 pipsRazor · 19 Oct 2026MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView, proprietaryStandard, Raw, Spread betting, Professional1:30 (retail, per Pepperstone support FAQ) (FCA)
Open accountUnpaid link
Review

73.6% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider (Pepperstone Limited (UK)).

5CMC MarketsFCA · FCA · BaFin · ASIC · FMA · MAS · CIRO · DFSA7.8/10£00.0 pipsFX Active · 19 Oct 2026MT4, TradingView, proprietaryStandard, Raw, Spread betting, Professional1:30 (major FX; margin from 3.34%) (FCA)
Open accountUnpaid link

69% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider (CMC Markets UK plc).

All rankings

Spreads as published by each broker, latest check 19 Oct 2026. Minimum deposits are shown in each broker’s own currency and are not converted. Leverage shown for all entities; yours depends on the entity named in the ranking.

Is forex trading regulated in United Arab Emirates?

Three regulators, three territories: SCA onshore, the DFSA in the Dubai International Financial Centre and the FSRA in Abu Dhabi Global Market. Our reference is not yet verified, so open the regulators’ links before you rely on it.

Not yet verified against the regulator: check the linked sources

Regulator

Negative balance protection
Not published
Compensation scheme
None
Complaints body
None

Rules to know

  • The UAE has three regimes: onshore (SCA), the DIFC (DFSA) and ADGM (FSRA). A broker's licence covers only its own regime.
  • DFSA and FSRA rules set retail leverage limits; we do not quote the caps until we have checked them against the current rulebooks.
  • We know of no investor compensation scheme or financial ombudsman for forex and CFD clients in the UAE.

Sourceswww.sca.gov.aewww.dfsa.aewww.adgm.com

Retail leverage caps United Arab Emirates

DFSA and FSRA rules set retail leverage limits, but our reference has not verified the figures yet, so we print none.

Source: our country reference for the UAE (SCA, DFSA, FSRA); not yet verified.

In the UAE the licence covers one regime, not the whole country

In the UK, the EU and Australia one regulator covers every retail client. In the UAE a broker licensed by the DFSA works under DIFC rules, one licensed by the FSRA under ADGM rules, and SCA covers the onshore market. Our reference records no compensation scheme or ombudsman for forex clients in any of them.

  1. Tier 1Our class for regulators such as the FCA, ASIC, CySEC, MAS and CIRO
  2. Tier 2Our class for regulators such as the FSCA, SCA and SEC Nigeria
  3. OffshoreRegistration with light supervision; no compensation scheme in our data

  • One brand, several entities

    A global broker runs separate companies for different regions. Your country of residence decides which one you sign with, not the website you land on.

  • A licence number you can check

    Each entity has a number on its regulator’s register. We print the number the broker publishes; match it on the register yourself before you deposit.

    Open the SCA site

  • Protections come from the entity

    Leverage caps, negative balance protection and any compensation scheme come from the regulator of the entity that holds your account.

  • Offshore entities are labelled

    Where a brand serves you from an offshore entity, we name it. Its higher leverage is a risk and adds nothing to a score.

United Arab Emirates next to three Tier 1 regimes

Tier is our own class. Every row comes from our country reference, which is not yet verified against the regulators.

United Arab Emirates next to three Tier 1 regimes
TierRegulatorRetail protections in our referenceMax. retail leverage, FX majorsRegulator site
Tier 2SCA · United Arab EmiratesNone recorded in our country referenceNo single cap in our referencesca.gov.ae
Tier 1DFSA · United Arab EmiratesNone recorded in our country referenceNo single cap in our referencedfsa.ae
Tier 2FSRA · United Arab EmiratesNone recorded in our country referenceNo single cap in our referenceadgm.com
Tier 1FCA · United Kingdomnegative balance protection; Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS); complaints: Financial Ombudsman Service1:30register.fca.org.uk
Tier 1CySEC · Cyprusnegative balance protection; Investor Compensation Fund (ICF) of CIFs; complaints: Financial Ombudsman of the Republic of Cyprus1:30cysec.gov.cy
Tier 1ASIC · Australianegative balance protection; complaints: Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA)1:30asic.gov.au

What the FCA, CySEC and ASIC rules give a retail trader

  • Leverage caps

    FX majors: 1:30 (FCA), 1:30 (CySEC), 1:30 (ASIC); lower on riskier assets.

  • Negative balance protection

    Required for retail clients under all three regimes in our reference.

  • Margin close-out

    The FCA and ESMA rules close positions at 50% of required margin; ASIC’s order also sets a close-out.

  • Compensation

    Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS): £85,000 per person per firm (investments). Investor Compensation Fund (ICF) of CIFs: €20,000 per client. Australia: no general scheme for CFD client money in our reference.

  • A complaints body

    Financial Ombudsman Service, Financial Ombudsman of the Republic of Cyprus, Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA).

These protections apply to accounts held by entities under those regulators. The rules for the United Arab Emirates are in the section above.

Leverage caps at three Tier 1 regulators

Maximum retail leverage at three Tier 1 regulators
UnderlyingFCA (UK)CySEC / ESMA (EU)ASIC (AU)
FX majors1:301:301:30
FX non-majors, gold, major indices1:201:201:20
Commodities (ex gold), non-major indices1:101:101:10
Individual equities1:51:51:5
Cryptoassetsbanned (crypto derivatives may not be sold to retail clients)1:21:2

Source: our country reference, built from FCA PS19/18 and PS20/10, the ESMA CFD measures applied by CySEC and the ASIC CFD product intervention order. Not yet verified against those documents.

No bonuses on this site

We list no sign-up bonuses, cashback or deposit offers, under any entity.

A bonus offer is a reason to check which entity and which regulator stand behind it before you deposit.

Loss rates disclosed by Tier 1 entities of brokers on this page

Listed alphabetically · scale 0–100%

  • CMC Markets69%
  • IG74%
  • Pepperstone74.1%
  • Plus50076%
  • Saxo61%
  • ThinkMarkets75%

Source: each broker’s published risk warning, latest check 19 Oct 2026.

Whose figure this is

Each figure belongs to a brand’s Tier 1 entity. The entity that would hold an account for a resident of the United Arab Emirates may publish a different figure or none, and no figure here is a verdict on quality.

Compensation and complaints in the United Arab Emirates

Our reference records no investor compensation scheme and no financial ombudsman for forex and CFD clients in the UAE. Complaints go to the broker first, then to the regulator of the regime that licensed it.

Something went wrong?

  1. 1Complain in writing to the broker entity that holds your account
  2. 2Ask the regulator of that entity where to escalate: our reference names no complaints body
  3. 3Report concerns to SCA, DFSA and FSRA

Spot a clone

Clone firms copy real broker names and licence numbers. Search the number on the regulator’s own site (sca.gov.ae, dfsa.ae and adgm.com), compare the website address, and read the regulator’s warning list before you deposit.

Country rules: compiled from regulator sources, not yet verified · broker data up to 19 Oct 2026

Sources:sca.gov.aedfsa.aeadgm.com

How we rank brokers

How to check a UAE broker licence

Check the company on the register of the regime that licensed it. The licence numbers on this page are the ones the brokers publish; we have not yet matched them on the registers.

  1. 1Note the company name and the regulator from the broker’s UAE website footer
  2. 2Search the DFSA or FSRA public register, or the SCA website for onshore firms
  3. 3Check that the permissions cover dealing with retail clients
  4. 4Make sure your account application names that same company, not an entity abroad

Registers

Spot a clone

Clones copy the names of DIFC and ADGM firms. If the website or phone number differs from the public register, contact the firm only through the register details.

Highest score in our data

First on this page in October 2026

ThinkMarkets has the highest accounts score on this page and a DFSA-regulated branch that serves UAE residents. The trade-off: ThinkMarkets publishes no EUR/USD spread in pips, so its costs are not scored, and the DIFC branch belongs to its UK company.

Rules differ by country: rankings for other countries

Highest score · October 2026

ThinkMarkets

7.6/10

FCA · CySEC · ASIC · ASIC · DFSA · FSCA · FSA Seychelles · CIMA · FMA · Unregulated · est. 2010

Visit ThinkMarketsUnpaid link

75% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider (TF Global Markets (UK) Limited).

Scores by criterion

Each criterion scored 0–10. Darker means a higher score; an empty cell means not measured.

Scores by criterion
BrokerCostsPlatformsRegulationAccountsResearchSupport
ThinkMarketsNot measured8.09.09.0Not measuredNot measured
XM6.86.08.08.0Not measuredNot measured
XTB6.84.09.07.5Not measuredNot measured
Pepperstone8.29.59.07.0Not measuredNot measured
CMC Markets8.06.59.07.0Not measuredNot measured
Saxo7.26.09.06.5Not measuredNot measured
IG7.68.59.06.0Not measuredNot measured
Plus500Not measured4.09.05.5Not measuredNot measured
eToroNot measured4.09.04.0Not measuredNot measured

Preliminary scores from published broker data. Research and support are not scored until live-account tests, and a broker with no published EUR/USD spread in pips has no costs score.

Further down this list

They passed this page’s filter for the United Arab Emirates and rank lower on its rule.

  • 6SaxoDanish FSA · FCA · MAS · FINMA · JFSA7.4/10
  • 7IGFCA · FCA · FCA · BaFin · ASIC · FMA · FINMA · MAS · DFSA · JFSA · FSCA · BMA · CFTC/NFA7.9/10
  • 8Plus500FCA · CySEC · Finantsinspektsioon · ASIC · FMA · FSCA · MAS · DFSA · SCA · JFSA · CIRO · FSA Seychelles · SCB · Israel (regulator not named)6.2/10
  • 9eToroFCA · CySEC · ASIC · FSA Seychelles · FSRA · MAS · SEC / FINRA · FinCEN5.9/10

Methodology v1 · preliminary scores

How this ranking was built

A desk score from the brokers’ published terms. We have not opened live accounts yet, so nothing on this page is a test result.

  1. 1Copy published termsSpreads, commission, deposits, platforms and account types from each broker’s own pages, each with its date (latest 19 Oct 2026).
  2. 2Map entities to countriesEvery licensed company of a brand, the countries it serves and the licence number the broker publishes. Matching each number on the register is the next step.
  3. 3Score four criteriaCosts, platforms, regulation and accounts, 0–10 each, by a fixed formula. Research and support stay unscored until we test them.
  4. 4Apply this page’s ruleThe filter and sort written under the ranking heading. Ties are broken by the overall score.

Weights in the preliminary score

  • Costs · 31%
  • Regulation & safety · 31%
  • Platforms · 19%
  • Accounts & funding · 19%
  • 9brokers scored
  • 19 Oct 2026latest data check

What does not affect a score

Partner status and advertising. We have no affiliate or advertising agreements with brokers.

Published spreads behind the scores

CheckedQuoteSpread
19 Oct 2026EUR/USD, Ultra Low (EU) account, XM0.8 pips
19 Oct 2026EUR/USD, Standard account, XTB0.8 pips
19 Oct 2026EUR/USD, Razor account, Pepperstone0.1 pips

Reviewed by the Low Spread Brokers team · 20 Oct 2026

Editorial policyRead the full methodology

What this ranking is, and what it is not

Scores from published data; no broker pays for a place on this list.

Who writes it

Each ranking is written and checked by the Low Spread Brokers team; the date of the data is printed under every list.

How we earn

We have no affiliate or advertising agreements with brokers, and no click to a broker is paid. If that changes, the site will say so first; partner status is not an input to any score, whose formulas use spreads, platforms, licences and account terms only.

What we don’t do

No bonuses or sign-up offers. No offshore leverage presented as a feature. No claim that we tested an account we have not opened. No personal investment advice.

How we make money and what does not affect a score

Best brokers by country

Each country page has its own ranking: only brokers with a company that accepts residents, ordered by a rule chosen for that country’s regulator, leverage caps and protections.

All countries

Country rules (compensation, complaints body, leverage caps) come from our country reference, which is not yet re-verified against each regulator; the regulator’s own text prevails.

Risk warning:

CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Most retail investor accounts lose money. Consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford the high risk of losing your money.

Low Spread Brokers does not give personal investment advice.

Advertiser disclosureHow we rank brokers

Key pages on this site

FAQ

Forex trading in the United Arab Emirates: questions and answers

Country rules come from our reference, which is not yet verified against the regulators; broker facts are the brokers’ published terms up to 19 Oct 2026.

Ask a question

We cannot give personal investment advice.

1Is forex trading legal in Dubai?

Yes, through a firm licensed for it. In the Dubai International Financial Centre that means the DFSA; outside the free zones, SCA licenses onshore firms. Check the register of the regime named on your account.

Broker data collected up to 19 Oct 2026

2What is the difference between DFSA and SCA regulation?

They cover different territories: the DFSA regulates firms in the DIFC, SCA the onshore market, and the FSRA firms in ADGM. A licence applies only within its own regime, per our country reference.

Broker data collected up to 19 Oct 2026

3Are Islamic accounts available in the UAE?

ThinkMarkets, XM and XTB list a swap-free (Islamic) account type in our data. Check with the broker that the UAE entity offers it and what it charges instead of swaps.

Broker data collected up to 19 Oct 2026

4What leverage can UAE retail traders use?

DFSA and FSRA rules set retail limits, but our reference has not verified the figures yet. Ask the broker for the limit on your account in writing.

Broker data collected up to 19 Oct 2026

5What protects my money if a UAE broker fails?

Our reference records no investor compensation scheme and no financial ombudsman for forex and CFD clients in the UAE. Ask the broker how it holds client money before you deposit.

Broker data collected up to 19 Oct 2026

Sources

Primary sources for the United Arab Emirates rules on this page. Links opened 20 Oct 2026; the rules are not yet verified against them.

  1. sca.gov.aeChecked on 20 Oct 2026
  2. dfsa.aeChecked on 20 Oct 2026
  3. adgm.comChecked on 20 Oct 2026

Who wrote and checked this page

  • Written and checked by

    Low Spread Brokers team

    Copies broker terms and entities from the brokers’ own pages, records the date and source of each figure and checks entities and licence numbers on the regulators’ registers; for this page that check is still in progress.

    About us

Broker data collected up to 19 Oct 2026Editorial policyHow we rank

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Compare the entities that accept residents of the United Arab Emirates

Licence numbers as the brokers publish them, spreads with the date we copied them.

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CFDs are complex and carry a high risk of losing money rapidly.

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