Best Brokers in the Philippines for 2025

Comparing Forex Brokers

When comparing the best Forex brokers in the Philippines, we:

• Confirmed that the brokers were regulated by top-tier authorities to ensure trader protection.
• Opened live accounts at each broker to assess trading costs and platform options for Filipino residents.
• Reviewed each broker’s educational material (such as e-books, webinars, glossary etc), to ensure they cater to all levels of traders, especially beginners.
• Made deposits and withdrawals at each broker to confirm funding costs and withdrawal times for Filipino residents.
• Contacted customer support via telephone, live chat and email. We checked response time, service quality and whether or not they have a dedicated local Filipino support team and phone number.

Which Is the Best Broker in the Philippines?

The ideal broker depends on your trading preferences. In general, the best brokers in the Philippines are well-regulated and offer a low-cost, user-friendly trading platform suitable for both beginners and experienced traders. 

Which Forex Brokers are Best for Beginner Traders?

The best brokers for beginners are well-regulated and have no minimum deposit requirement, ensuring security and a low cost of entry. Also important are low fees and negative balance protection, as these both help to lower risk. Responsive and knowledgeable customer support is essential. Customer service should be available 24/5 via email, live chat, and telephone, though 24/7 is better. Last but not least, beginners should look for a broker with a high-quality education section; this should feature articles, video tutorials, frequent webinars, advanced trading strategies, and chart analysis.

For more detail and to see which brokers we recommend for new traders, check out our dedicated page on the best brokers for beginners.

Which Forex Brokers have the Best Demo Accounts?

The brokers with the best demo accounts understand that beginners should not be forced into trading real money and that experienced traders should be able to test strategies as long as they want to. So the best demo accounts are not time-limited and replicate real market conditions as closely as possible. Beginners looking for a demo account will want a broker with good education, so they can learn about Forex trading as they practice.

For more detail and to see which brokers we recommend for demo trading, check out our dedicated page on the best demo accounts.

Which Trading Platforms do the Best Forex Brokers Offer?

The best Forex brokers generally offer Metatrader 4 (MT4), MetaTrader 5 (MT5), and cTrader. These are third-party trading platforms which you can install on your computer. They are fully customisable and have advanced charting tools, research tools, and options for automated trading or copy trading. Some brokers also have their own trading platforms, which are usually accessed via a browser or on your mobile phone. For more details on trading platforms and how they work, check out our guide on trading platforms.

Is Forex Trading Legal in the Philippines?

The Philippines is an interesting case for retail Forex traders as there are several laws relating to Forex trading that make it difficult to trade in the country.

If you’re based in the Philippines, you should know that the Philippines’ Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has taken a rather firm stance against forex trading due to reports of fraud and heavy losses by retail traders. In fact, the SEC has issued advisories stating that forex trading is illegal to discourage private individuals from trading currencies and local brokers from engaging in the forex business.

Forex trading is a high-risk venture, and institutional traders can lose money on their trades, and the  Philippines central bank, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), could stand to lose a significant amount of PHP through this process. To counteract this outflow of pesos, the  BSP would be forced to purchase USD by overselling the PHP, leading to a devaluation of the PHP.

In effect, the BSP prohibits Forex trading to protect the PHP from unintended weakness against global currencies.

Although online Forex trading is effectively outlawed, traders from the Philippines can trade with offshore brokers. We recommend choosing brokers regulated by top-tier global authorities such as ASIC, the FCA, and CySEC.

Why is Regulation Important?

Regulation is essential for protecting your money and ensuring a fair and transparent trading experience.

When trading Forex, you want to be confident that your broker is operating legally and ethically and that your funds are being handled safely. Regulated Forex brokers must adhere to strict standards set by regulatory bodies, which include requirements for capital adequacy, segregation of client funds, and ongoing reporting and compliance. This means that your funds are protected, and your trading experience is fair.

Unregulated brokers are not forced to hold to the same standards. This can lead to a higher risk of fraud or unethical practices, which can result in financial losses for traders. Choosing a regulated Forex broker gives you peace of mind and security, knowing that your investments are protected and your trading experience is fair.

Do I Need a Broker to Trade Forex?

Yes, you will need a broker to trade Forex. Connecting traders to the Forex market is an expensive and technically complex business. Most Forex brokers form a bridge between the global Forex market and Forex traders; these are called market makers. Market makers buy up large trading positions from the Forex market, which they sell to traders in smaller trade sizes.

Other brokers act as a go-between, taking orders from traders and sending them straight to the global Forex market. These are called ECN brokers or DMA brokers. Both types of Forex brokers require a lot of money to set up and need teams of highly qualified technicians to maintain their trading platforms.

How do Forex Brokers Make Money?

Market markers only make money from the spread – the difference between the buying and selling price of the currency pair. These brokers will be the counterparty to any trade, so they make money when clients lose trades.

ECNs have tight spreads but make money from commissions, which are charged every time a trade is opened or closed. This type of broker makes money whether a client wins or loses.

How Much Does It Cost to Trade Forex?

The cost of trading Forex varies depending on what you are trading, how much of it you are trading and how your broker charges you. The two common trading costs are the spread and the commission — these are fees that a Forex trader pays to use a broker’s services. It is important to understand and calculate your costs when trading Forex, as these costs will affect your overall profitability. 

The spread is the difference between the buy price (also known as the offer or ask price) and the sell price (also known as the bid price) quoted for a currency. It can be either fixed or variable. The spread is measured in pips, with the industry average being around 1 pip on the EUR/USD, but higher for other currency pairs. 

The commission is a fee, usually measured in USD, that is charged when you open and close a trade. The industry average is 3.50 USD per lot per side (7 USD round turn), but this often depends on the account type and platform you choose. Not all brokers charge a commission and instead have wider spreads.

To calculate the total cost, use a spread cost calculator, which are widely available for free on the Internet.

Read more about understanding your trading costs in Forex here.

Do Brokers Charge Other Fees?

Besides the trading costs, brokers could also charge other types of fees – often referred to as non-trading fees. These fees include swap/rollover fees (a fee your broker either credits or debits from your account balance whenever you keep a position open overnight), inactivity fees (charged to accounts when there’s been no trading activity for a certain amount of time) and fees for withdrawing funds.

Brokers often charge fees for additional paid services such as VPS (Virtual Private Server) hosting, premium trading signals, and access to exclusive versions of trading platforms, such as TradingView Plus or Premium.