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Updated: Dec 8, 2023Last Updated On Dec 8, 2023
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) is well-known for being one of the world’s toughest regulatory authorities and has a reputation for ensuring that Forex brokers provide a secure trading environment for traders. In March 2021, ASIC introduced stricter regulatory requirements to further protect traders, including restricting leverage to 30:1, banning bonuses and promotions, and ensuring that traders are granted negative balance protection.
While the new rules introduced by ASIC harmed many of the low-quality brokers in Australia, the brokers below are well-placed to benefit traders with their low fees and excellent reputations. We understand that different traders have different needs based on their experience level, choice of platforms, trading tools, and trading strategies. We have curated a list of diverse brokers so that you can find the ASIC-regulated broker that suits you.
According to our testing and our research, these are the best ASIC-regulated brokers for 2024.
- IC Markets - Best Broker for Beginners
- AvaTrade - Best Mobile Trading Experience
- IG - Widest Range of Financial Instruments
- FBS - Best ASIC-regulated Broker
- XM - Best Broker Education
- Axi - Best MT4 Customisation
- Eightcap - Best Broker for Trading Australian Shares
- Fusion Markets - Low Costs, 3 Copy Trading Platforms
- FP Markets - Best Trading Platforms
Best ASIC Regulated Forex Brokers in 2024
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How to compare ASIC regulated brokers
ASIC is one of the most respected financial regulatory agencies in the world. While they have a traditional centre, they try to be modern in their approach, researching and making regulatory changes to maintain fairness in the CFD industry. All ASIC-regulated brokers can be considered safe due to the strict regulatory environment in which they operate, and most of them are very strong all-round. But it is essential to look at the detail of each broker to find out what differentiates them from each other. When comparing ASIC regulated brokers consider:
Regulation: While your broker is ASIC regulated, your trading account may not be. It is increasingly common for ASIC regulated brokers to onboard Australian clients onto a different license where trading conditions, like leverage, can be increased without the ASIC oversight. While this is not fundamentally bad, a trader should know their trading account is regulated and that ASIC will not enforce their regulations in overseas territories.
Platform choice: Traders have a wide range of industry platforms to choose from, each with pros and cons. When comparing brokers, always consider the platform options, as unique features or a wide variety of platforms could change your trading experience. MetaTrader 4 is still the industry standard, but many brokers offer MetaTrader 5 and their proprietary platforms. ECN/STP brokers will often support cTrader as it is built specifically for market execution and only allows for minimal broker interference.
Trading costs: Every broker will charge for their services, but each will have different pricing models and costs. While ECN brokers will charge a smaller spread combined with a commission based on volume, market maker brokers will charge a wider spread. We compare brokers by looking at what 1 lot of EURUSD costs to trade and would encourage traders to do the same in comparing costs.
Minimum Deposit: The minimum deposit could change by account type, with higher minimum deposits often linked to better conditions. Always consider the minimum deposit specific to the account type you may open.
Deposit and Withdrawal Methods: Most brokers accept credit cards and bank transfer payment, and many accept online payments through Skrill and Neteller, and some will also accept Bitcoin. Always check the withdrawal fees before making a deposit.
IC Markets – Best Broker for Beginners
IC Markets is a beginner-friendly ASIC regulated CFD broker with a well-structured educational section developed in-house by a team of knowledgeable experts. With a full library of course material, including video tutorials, various articles, frequent webinars, and IC Markets’ Web TV, traders will receive comprehensive instruction in CFD trading. IC Markets also has a dedicated support department operating 24/7, to help beginner traders answer any technical or trading-related questions.
IC Markets is one of the few brokers to offer support for all three major trading platforms, including MT4, MT5, and CTrader, alongside an array of trading tools including Autochartist, Trading Central, and a free VPS service. IC Markets strives to provide the lowest latency and fastest possible execution for its clients, and with over 25 liquidity providers, IC Markets offers the tightest average spread, at 0.1 pips on the EUR/USD, of any broker globally.
Accepts Filipino Clients. Average spread EUR/USD 0.10 pips with 7 USD commission round turn on the trading account with lowest minimum deposit. Max leverage 30:1. Islamic account available. MT4, MT5 & cTrader platforms supported. IC Markets is regulated by CySEC, ASIC, and the FSA.AvaTrade – Best Mobile Trading Experience
Avatrade is an ASIC regulated broker that provides a reliable, user-friendly trading environment on a range of platforms, including its innovative mobile app – AvaTradeGO. Voted Best Forex Trading App by the Global Forex Awards, AvatradeGO allows traders to connect to global trading markets, create their own watchlists, and view live prices and charts. Avatrade also offers free access to trading tools such as Autochartist, Duplitrade, and AvaProtect, its own state-of-the-art risk management system.
Avatrade provides some of the best trading conditions in the industry, with spreads starting at 0.9 pips (EUR/USD) on its single commission-free account, and a minimum deposit requirement of just 100 USD. Lastly, traders that deposit 1,000 USD or more are assigned a dedicated Account Manager to guide them in their first trades.
Accepts Filipino Clients. Average spread EUR/USD 0.90 pips on trading account with lowest minimum deposit. Max leverage 30:1. Islamic account available. MT4 & MT5 platforms supported. AvaTrade Group regulated by ASIC, FSCA, B.V.I FSC & FSA.IG Markets – Widest Range of Financial Instruments
Broker Score
4.69 / 5
4.69 / 5| 🏦 Min. Deposit | USD 0 |
| 🛡️ Regulated By | ASIC, BaFin, DFSA, CFTC |
| 💵 Trading Cost | USD 6 |
| ⚖️ Max. Leverage | 30:1 |
| 💹 Copy Trading | No |
| 🖥️ Platforms | MT4, L2 Dealer, ProRealTime |
| 💱 Instruments | Bonds, Commodities, Cryptocurrencies, Digital 100s, Stock CFDs, ETFs, Forex, Indices, Interest Rates |
Founded in London in 1974, IG Markets’ has a regional HQ in Melbourne and has been regulated by ASIC since 2002 (220440). The largest broker in the world by revenue and regulated by 17 authorities worldwide, IG Markets is also one of the few brokers that supported ASIC’s introduction of tighter regulations in early 2021. Although Filipino traders will be onboarded through IG’s Bermuda-based subsidiary, the ASIC oversight guarantees a reliable and transparent trading environment. In addition to being one of the best regulated ASIC brokers, IG Markets has the widest range of financial instruments and some of the lowest trading fees in the industry on three trading platforms.
Widest range of financial instruments: IG Markets offers over 17,000 financial instruments, many more than most other brokers. Tradeable CFDs include 13,000 share CFDs, 6000 ETFs, and 80 Forex pairs. IG Markets also offers weekend trading on major Forex pairs and 24 hour trading on Australia’s leading stock index, the ASX 200. Both of these are unique services that are not available at other brokers. IG Market’s single account has low fees compared to other brokers, with no minimum deposit requirements, spreads starting at 0.85 pips on the EUR/USD, and no commission charged on Forex trading.
Trading Platforms: IG Markets’ trading platforms include MetaTrader 4 (MT4) its own web-based platform, and L2 Dealer, a specialist share trading platform that offers direct market access (DMA) to clients who maintain an account balance of 2000 AUD. MT4 and the IG trading platforms are more user-friendly and suited to beginner traders, while the L2 Dealer offers advanced analytical tools and charting packages for more experienced traders.
Accepts Filipino Clients. Average spread EUR/USD 0.85 pips on trading account with lowest minimum deposit. Max leverage 30:1. Islamic account available. MT4, ProRealTime and L2 Dealer platforms supported. IG Markets Group is regulated by FCA, ASIC, and the FSCA.FBS – Best ASIC-regulated Broker
ASIC-regulated since February 2021, FBS is a popular CFD broker with very low minimum deposits, very high leverage, two low-risk accounts for beginners, ECN accounts for experienced traders, and excellent education and market analysis. Well-regulated around the world, FBS also holds licences from CySEC in Europe, the FSCA in South Africa and the IFSC in Belize. Trading costs and minimum deposits are low: The Cent Account has a minimum deposit of 1 USD, the Micro Account is 5 USD, and the Standard Account is 100 USD.
Under its IFSC-regulated entity, FBS can offer leverage of 3000:1 on three of its five account types. While this increases risk for traders, it can also greatly increase profitability. FBS also has 100 cryptocurrency pairs to trade at leverage of 5:1. Cryptocurrencies available include Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Dogecoin and Ripple – and many of the less common crypto coins too. FBS is also one of the better brokers in terms of education and market analysis. The education section is helpful and well-structured, and market analysis is frequent and well-explained.
Accepts Filipino Clients. Spreads start at 0.70 pips on the EUR/USD on the trading account with lowest minimum deposit. Max leverage 3000:1. Islamic account available. MT4 & MT5 platforms supported. FBS is regulated by ASIC, CySEC, and the FSC.XM Best Broker Education
XM is an ASIC-regulated market maker broker with a comprehensive selection of educational and market analysis materials that cater to traders of all experience levels. Included in the offering are educational videos, platform tutorials, Forex seminars, and live Q&A sessions available every hour from Monday to Friday 05:00 – 15:00 GMT. XM also excels in market analysis, providing traders with a daily market overview, frequently updated news, trade ideas, technical summaries, a podcast, and regular research updates.
All XM accounts feature maximum leverage of up to 500:1, negative balance protection, and minimum deposits starting at 5 USD. XM’s spreads are wider than industry-average on its entry-level account, starting at 1.6 pips on the EUR/USD, but tighten to 0.6 pips on its Ultra-Low Account. XM also has a strict no requote policy, and as such, all trades are filled at the expected price and are executed in less than one second.
Accepts Filipino Clients. Average spread EUR/USD 0.60 pips on trading account with lowest minimum deposit. Max leverage 1000:1. Islamic account available. MT4 & MT5 platforms supported. XM Group regulated by CySEC, ASIC, and the Belize FSC.Axi – Best MT4 Customisation
Broker Score4.44 / 5
4.44 / 5| 🏦 Min. Deposit | USD 0 |
| 🛡️ Regulated By | FCA, CySEC, ASIC, DFSA |
| 💵 Trading Cost | USD 10 |
| ⚖️ Max. Leverage | 500:1 |
| 💹 Copy Trading | Yes |
| 🖥️ Platforms | MT4 |
| 💱 Instruments | Commodities, Cryptocurrencies, Stock CFDs, Forex, Indices, Metals, WTIs |
Axi is an Australian ASIC-regulated ECN broker with full support for the MT4 platform, a range of useful trading tools, and excellent MT4 customisation options. By limiting its platform choice to MT4, it focuses on providing various powerful platform-integrated analysis tools, including Autochartist, MyFxBook, and PsyQuation, which help beginner and more experienced traders make better trading choices.
PsyQuation is one of the world’s most advanced data analytics plugins. Featuring highly sophisticated algorithms, it analyses your trading style and coaches you into more profitable trades. In addition to the powerful trading tools, Axi offers excellent customer support available 24/5 to help with platform set-up and any other technical inquiries.
Accepts Filipino Clients. Average spread EUR/USD 1.00 pips on trading account with lowest minimum deposit. Max leverage 500:1. Islamic account available. MT4 & MT5 platforms supported. Axi Group is regulated by the FCA, ASIC and the DFSA.Eightcap – Best Broker for Trading Australian Shares
Founded in 2009, Eightcap is an Australian-based ASIC regulated CFD broker offering trading on a selection of Forex currency pairs, indices, commodities, and US and Australian shares. Share trading is available on the MT5 and TradingView platforms, and traders can choose from a range of top US stocks, including Tesla, Apple, Google, Netflix, and Australian majors such as BHP Group and the Commonwealth Bank.
As a no-intervention market maker, Eightcap’s trading servers are hosted in Equinox data centres, providing lightning-fast execution and pricing derived from several top-tier liquidity providers. It offers tight variable spreads on three account types. The Standard and TradingView Accounts are commission-free, with spreads starting at 1.0 pips on the EUR/USD, while the Raw Account charges a commission of 3.50 USD per lot traded in return for spreads that reach as low as 0 pips on the EUR/USD, which is tighter than other similar brokers.
Accepts Filipino clients. Average spread EUR/USD 1.00 pips with 0.0 USD commission round turn on the trading account with lowest minimum deposit. Max leverage 500:1. Islamic account available. MT4 & MT5 platforms supported. Eightcap Markets is regulated by ASIC, the FCA, CySEC, and the SCB.Fusion Markets – Low Costs, 3 Copy Trading Platforms
Founded in 2017 in Melbourne, Fusion Markets is an ASIC-regulated broker (AFSL 226199) with a range of copy-trading options, exceptionally low trading costs and no minimum deposit requirements. Its Fusion+ copy trading platform is only available in a proprietary trading platform, but it also offers Duplitrade and Myfxbook Autotrade – two of the largest Forex social trading communities in the world.
Regarding traditional trading, Fusion Markets is one of the lowest-cost brokers in the world. EUR/USD spreads start at 0 pips on its Zero Account with a very low commission of 4.50 AUD (round turn); most other brokers offering raw spreads will have a commission of 6 AUD or higher. The only drawbacks are a relatively limited number of CFDs (though 85 Forex pairs is better than most brokers) and very limited education, so beginners must educate themselves elsewhere.
Accepts Filipino Clients. Average spread EUR/USD 0 pips with 0 USD commission round turn on the trading account with lowest minimum deposit. Max leverage 30:1. Islamic account available. MT4, MT5, cTrader platforms supported. Fusion Markets is regulated by ASIC, FSA (Seychelles), & VFSC.FP Markets – Best Trading Platforms
FP Markets was founded in Sydney, Australia, after receiving an ASIC licence (ASFL: 286354) in 2005. Under the strict ASIC rules, FP Markets is constantly monitored and evaluated on its performance and trade execution. FP Markets has gained recognition for its competitively low trading fees and its broad trading platform support, including MT4, MT5, and cTrader.
Low Trading Fees: FP Markets offers competitive trading fees on two live accounts, with spreads averaging at 1.2 pips (EUR/USD) on its commission-free Standard Account and 0.10 pips (EUR/USD) on its Raw Account in exchange for a commission of 6 USD. The minimum deposit requirements are 100 AUD on both accounts, making them accessible to all traders.
Trading Platforms: FP Markets’ trading platforms include MT4, MT5, and cTrader. MT4 is the most popular trading platform in the world, while MetaTrader 5 (MT5) has more tools, such as an embedded economic calendar and chat system. cTrader is a more modern trading platform that is easier for beginners to learn but still has all the sophisticated automation tools in MT4 and MT5.
Accepts Filipino Clients. Average spread EUR/USD 0 pips on trading account with lowest minimum deposit. Max leverage 30:1. Islamic account available. MT4, MT5 & IRESS platforms supported. FP Markets is regulated by CySEC and ASIC.Why Trade with an ASIC Regulated Forex Broker?
There are few genuinely strong regulators in the world; the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority is one, the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission is another, and most would agree that ASIC is also a member of this group. ASIC has already built a reputation for guaranteeing trader security and dealing harshly with bad brokers, but in March 2021 ASIC deployed an even stricter regulatory environment. We will talk about what that environment looks like in more detail below, but first, let’s look at the current benefits of trading with an ASIC-regulated broker.
- Segregated Accounts: Like most good regulators, ASIC ensures that all brokers keep client funds segregated from broker operational funds and in Tier 1 Australian banks.
- Negative Balance Protection: ASIC requires all broker to provide protection against negative balance by limiting a retail client’s CFD losses to the funds in their CFD trading account.
- Dispute Resolution and Customer Satisfaction: The Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) handles all disputes between traders and brokers and are known for efficiency and fairness. Importantly, brokers are responsible for the cost of the resolution and not the trader – this provides an incentive for brokers to respond quickly and fairly to all customer complaints. Unsurprisingly, ASIC Forex brokers are consistently rated very highly for customer satisfaction.
- No Conflict of Interest: ASIC has banned all Forex brokers from being counterparty to their client’s trades, furthermore all brokers are required to offer a fast and efficient platform with no broker interference. It is perhaps as a result of these restrictions that Australia hosts many of the world’s best ECN brokers.
Changes in ASIC Regulation
Big changes in ASIC regulation have been coming for some time. In ASIC’s 2019 review of the Australian OTC retail derivative market, it found a considerable increase in the number of traders since 2017 and an equally large increase in turnover at ASIC regulated brokers.
ASIC also published the data on complaints filed against CFD brokers over the same period, and the results were shocking.
From 2017-19 complaints received by ASIC had increased by 600%, a situation that ASIC has concluded is not sustainable in a sector where the majority of customers are known to lose money.
In early 2020, ASIC conducted a further study, just as the Covid-19 pandemic began to spread across the world. Over a volatile five-week period in March and April 2020, the retail clients of a sample of 13 CFD issuers made a net loss of more than $774 million. Also during this period:
- over 1.1 million CFD positions were terminated under margin close-out arrangements (compared with 9.3 million over the full year of 2018)
- more than 15,000 retail client CFD trading accounts fell into negative balance, owing a total of $10.9 million (compared with 41,000 accounts owing $33 million over the full year of 2018).
As a response to these damning sets of data, and citing the 2018 tightening of regulation in Europe by ESMA, ASIC issued a product intervention order for all ASIC-regulated CFD brokers. This product intervention order went into force on 29th March 2021 and includes:
- A complete ban on binary options
- Varying leverage restrictions for all CFDs: 30:1 for forex and gold, 15:1 for stock indices, 10:1 for commodities (excluding gold), 2:1 for cryptocurrencies and 5:1 for equities and all other instruments.
- A forced stop-out at 50% of the total initial margin of all open trades
- Mandatory negative balance protection
- A complete ban on all bonus schemes, promotions and other incentives to traders.
- All broker trading platforms must always display total position size and overnight funding costs related to open positions in real-time.
- ASIC also stated that they expect all brokers to publish their pricing methods
As these new restrictions went into force ASIC Commissioner Cathie Armour said:
‘We will closely monitor compliance with the product intervention order and won’t hesitate to take appropriate action to enforce the order. We are also paying careful attention to changes in CFD providers’ reported holdings of retail client money and any misclassification of retail clients as wholesale clients, which would risk denying them important rights and protections. Protecting retail investors from harm, particularly at a time of heightened vulnerability, is a priority for ASIC,’
ASIC has also warned Australian brokers away from working with offshore investors illegally, especially as regulators in China, Japan and Europe and North America have placed restrictions or bans on CFDs for retail investors. ASIC has also started working more closely with CFD brokers to ensure compliance with foreign laws and is actively engaged with multiple international regulatory bodies in this matter.
If you want to know more about how these changes might affect your trading, we recommend getting in touch with ASIC or your broker to discuss the options available to you.
Forex Risk Disclaimer
Trading Forex and CFDs is not suitable for all investors as it carries a high degree of risk to your capital: 75-90% of retail investors lose money trading these products. Forex and CFD transactions involve high risk due to the following factors: Leverage, market volatility, slippage arising from a lack of liquidity, inadequate trading knowledge or experience, and a lack of regulatory protection. Traders should not deposit any money that is not considered disposable income. Regardless of how much research you have done or how confident you are in your trade, there is always a substantial risk of loss. (Learn more about these risks from the UK’s regulator, the FCA, or the Australian regulator, ASIC).
Our Rating & Review Methodology
Our State of the Market Report and Directory of CFD Brokers to Avoid are the result of extensive research on over 180 Forex brokers. These resources help traders find the best Forex brokers – and steer them away from the worst ones. These resources have been compiled using over 200 data points on each broker and over 3000 hours of research. Our team conducts all research independently: Testing brokers, gathering information from broker representatives and sifting through legal documents. Learn more about how we rank brokers.
Editorial Team
Chris Cammack
Head of Content
Chris joined the company in 2019 after ten years experience in research, editorial and design for political and financial publications. His background has given him a deep knowledge of international financial markets and the geopolitics that affects them. Chris has a keen eye for editing and a voracious appetite for financial and political current affairs. He ensures that our content across all sites meets the standards of quality and transparency that our readers expect.
Alison Heyerdahl
Senior Financial Writer
Alison joined the team as a writer in 2021. She has a medical degree with a focus on physiotherapy and a bachelor’s in psychology. However, her interest in forex trading and her love for writing led her to switch careers, and she now has over eight years experience in research and content development. She has tested and reviewed 100+ brokers and has a great understanding of the Forex trading world.
Ida Hermansen
Financial Writer
Ida joined our team as a financial writer in 2023. She has a degree in Digital Marketing and a background in content writing and SEO. In addition to her marketing and writing skills, Ida also has an interest in cryptocurrencies and blockchain networks. Her interest in crypto trading led to a wider fascination with Forex technical analysis and price movement. She continues to develop her skills and knowledge in Forex trading and keeps a close eye on which Forex brokers offer the best trading environments for new traders.
