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In the fast-paced world of forex trading, choosing the right broker is crucial. XM and FBS are two popular options, each with unique strengths and weaknesses. This comparison will dive into the key features of both platforms,helping you decide which one best suits your trading style and goals.
The radar chart above illustrates the comparison between XM and FBS across several key metrics, with the highest possible score being 100 in each category.
At FxScouts, our mission is to assist traders in finding the broker that best suits their needs. Comparing brokers side-by-side is an effective method to achieve this goal. We evaluated XM and FBS, using our standard criteria: trust and regulation, trading platforms, costs and trading conditions, and educational and market analysis resources.
Trust and regulation are crucial when selecting a Forex broker. A broker’s credibility is largely built on its regulatory status. We spend considerable time verifying the safety of each broker by examining their regulatory licenses. We also consider numerous factors when deciding which tier a regulator belongs to. Regulators that we rank as the world’s top regulators, gets a tier 1 rank, while regulators who only scores a tier 5-rank, provide virtually no regulatory oversight. The more top-tier authorities regulating a broker, the higher its trust rating. Read more about regulation and our tier system here.
In our comparison:
Based on these findings, XM earned a higher trust rating than FBS.
When comparing brokers, trading costs are a significant factor. We consider the minimum deposit required to open an account and ongoing costs, including spreads and commissions. We measure the cost to trade one lot of EUR/USD using the broker’s account with the lowest minimum deposit, including both the spread and any commission charged.
We found that XM has overall lower trading costs than FBS.
Trading Platforms Offered Traders prefer brokers that offer a variety of trading platforms. We rate brokers higher if they support multiple platforms like MetaTrader4, MetaTrader5, cTrader, and proprietary platforms.
Copy trading is beneficial for beginner traders or those unable to trade full-time. In this case both FBS and XM offer copy trading.
A broader range of CFD instruments provides more trading opportunities. FBS offers a greater variety of instruments compared to XM:
For those interested in trading cryptocurrencies, XM offers 60 cryptocurrencies, while FBS offers 5 cryptocurrencies. Therefore, XM is the better choice for cryptocurrency trading.
Traders prefer brokers with quick and cost-effective deposit and withdrawal processes. We favor brokers that process withdrawals within 24 hours using multiple methods without charging fees.We found that neither FBS nor XM charges a withdrawal fee. Overall, XM has better deposit and withdrawal processes than FBS.Â
We often find that brokers offer very little in the way of educational materials, forcing traders to use other third-party sites or self-educate elsewhere. Beginner traders need well-structured, well-presented materials in multiple formats to get a good start at trading. More experienced traders also benefit from webinars led by experts in the field and advanced trading strategy sections with new trading ideas.Â
XM has better educational support than FBS. Both FBS and XM offer educational support for more experienced traders.Access to frequent and high-quality market research and analysis is crucial.
We found that XM offers better research analysis than FBS and that both FBS and XM offer frequent webinars.
XM has some of the lowest fees in the industry, provides excellent research and education, and has a beginner-friendly trading app. With a large customer base and a good reputation, XM will be a good option for most Zambian traders. It also has an outstanding range of trading tools and offers traders generous bonuses and incentives.
XM offers four trading accounts, three of which have a minimum deposit of 5 USD and have no commissions for Forex trading. The highlight is the commission-free Ultra Low Account with spreads that start at 0.6 pips (EUR/USD).
The main drawback is that XM’s Zambian clients will be trading through XM’s company in Belize, which has poor regulatory oversight. However, Zambian traders still have negative balance protection and can rest assured that their funds are kept in segregated accounts.
FBS is a well-regulated international broker with low costs, including a 5 USD minimum deposit, a single trading account and an easy-to-use mobile trading app.Â
Beginners should be wary of the high leverage available at FBS. Without proper risk management, high leverage can quickly wipe out smaller accounts, though FBS does offer negative balance protection. Otherwise, FBS provides a welcoming environment for beginner traders, with an excellent selection of educational and market analysis materials and 24/7 customer support.
For more detailed reviews, please read our comprehensive assessments of XM and FBS.
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Alison and Chris cover a range of topics, including how to choose a Forex broker, safety and regulation, how to reduce your risk, trading psychology, trading platforms, and trading strategies, among others.
The FxScouts podcast helps beginner Forex traders get the best start to their trading careers.
