FP Markets Broker Review

Is FP Markets Safe?

Well-known and ASIC-regulated, FP Markets has a very high trust rating and has been a reliable Australian trading partner since 2005.

Trusted: FP Markets has been one of the biggest names in Australian Forex trading for over 15 years. Headquartered in Sydney and regulated by the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC), the company has also received multiple awards for its customer service and customer satisfaction ratings. 

Safety Features: FP Markets has been regulated by ASIC since 2005. ASIC is a tier 1 regulator requiring FP Markets to provide negative balance protection for all clients and keep its operational funds segregated from client accounts. It also prevents FP Markets from offering leverage higher than 30:1 on Forex pairs or offering promotions or bonuses. Finance professionals and wealthy clients can waive these safety features by proving their wholesale trader status.

Some Australian traders may find the low leverage levels and lack of bonuses restrictive. Unless you qualify for wholesale status, the only way around these restrictions is to trade with a broker which does not have ASIC regulation, which means less protection.

Company Details

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FP Markets’ Trading Instruments

We were disappointed to find that most of FP Markets’ stock CFDs are only available on the IRESS trading platform. Traders using the MT4 and MT5 platforms will find their options limited.  

Stock CFD Trading: Traders looking for stock CFDs will face a tough choice. FP Markets offers 10,000+ stock CFDs, but most of these are only available on the IRESS trading platform, a sophisticated direct market access (DMA) platform that beginner traders may find intimidating.  With our MT5 and cTrader trading accounts, we had about 1000 stocks to trade, which isn’t terrible, but with our MT4 account, this was limited to just 8. This makes sense, given MT4’s focus on Forex trading, but it may catch some traders by surprise.

Forex and Cryptocurrencies: Forex traders will be happy with FP Markets’ 70+ currency pairs, but it only has 11 cryptocurrencies to trade. Until recently, FP Markets had just four cryptocurrencies, so expect more to be added soon, given the interest in all things crypto.

Full List of Instruments and Leverage:

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• Forex: FP Markets has over 70 currency pairs available for trading, which is a broader range than is offered at other CFD providers, including majors (EUR/USD, GBP/USD, and USD/JPY) and minors (NZD/CAD, EUR/JPY, and USD/ZAR), and exotics. The leverage on Forex pairs is up to 30:1.
• Shares and Share CFDs: FP Markets offers 10,000 share CFDs, which is a wider range than most other brokerages, but this is only on the IRESS platform. There are 1,000 share CFDs available on MT5 and cTrader.  The selection available includes some of the major US, UK, and European Exchanges. Leverage on share CFDs is up to 20:1.  
• Indices: Limited compared to other brokerages, there are only 14 indices available for trading at FP Markets. The most popular indices are those that combine the shares of some of the largest and globally acknowledged companies.  Leverage is up to 1:10 on indices.  
• Commodities: FP Markets offers trading on only 6 commodities, which is limited compared to other brokers.  Commodities include metals such as gold and silver, natural gas and oil energies, and softs such as cotton and wheat.  Leverage is up to 1:30 on commodities.
• Metals: FP Markets offers 6 meals, which is average compared to other brokers, with leverage of up to 30:1.
• ETFs: FP Markets offers trading on 45 ETFs, a slightly smaller range than other large international brokers. Leverage is up to 1:5.
• Bonds: FP Markets offers 2 bonds with leverage of up to 1:5.
• Cryptocurrencies: FP Markets offers only 11 cryptocurrencies for trading, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and Ripple, which is a limited range than is available at other brokers.  Leverage is up to 2:1.

FP Markets offers a limited range of instruments on the MT4, MT5, cTrader and TradingView trading platforms. But this range expands massively on the IRESS trading platform. FP Markets also has more Forex pairs than is usually available at other brokers.  

Accounts and Trading Fees

FP Markets has two standard accounts and three IRESS accounts. Fees on the standard accounts are generally low compared to other brokers. The IRESS accounts have much higher minimum deposits and are more suited to serious stock traders.

Trading Fees: The Standard and Raw Metatrader accounts require a minimum deposit of 100 USD and have trading costs around or below the industry average. The three IRESS Accounts have much higher minimum deposits: Starting at 1000 AUD for the Standard Account and up to an eyewatering 50,000 AUD for the Premier Account. These accounts are aimed at experienced or professional stock traders and will charge commissions per trade.

Account Trading Costs:

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Trading costs at other brokers are around 9 USD per lot of EUR/USD, so the trading costs on the  Standard Account are about average. But the costs are low on the Raw Account, which has a round turn commission of 6 USD and much tighter spreads.

The IRESS accounts have more complex trading conditions that are described in detail in the accounts section below. 

Standard Account

The Standard Account is the best option if you are looking for commission-free trading. Spreads are wider than the Raw Account, averaging at 1 pip (EUR/USD), although they can come down to 0 pips with high trade volumes. The minimum deposit is 100 AUD, and 60+ Forex pairs are available to trade.

Raw Account

This account has tighter spreads, averaging at 0 pips on the EUR/USD, with a 6 AUD round turn commission per standard lot. The minimum deposit is also set at 100 AUD. The difference between this account and the Standard Account is whether you prefer the broker’s fee is charged on commission or in the spread.

IRESS Account Types

The IRESS suite is a collection of DMA (Direct Market Access) platforms with advanced functionality. They allow for CFD trading in shares and futures along with other non-DMA financial instruments such as Forex, indices, and commodities. Though the platforms are similar, IRESS Viewpoint is an updated version of IRESS Trader, while IRESS Investor is designed for investors who wish to use hedging strategies. The IRESS trading platform is also packed with technical tools, including charting tools, drawing tools, and in-depth market data across various time intervals. 

Traders can choose between three IRESS accounts: The Standard, Platinum, and Premier Accounts.

Standard Account

To open this account, a minimum balance of 1,000 USD is required. The broker fee on this account is 10 USD minimum and then 0.1% thereafter. The IRESS Trader fee of 55 USD is waived if you generate 150 USD in commission/month.  It also provides access to competitive DMA commission and margin rates.

Platinum Account

A minimum balance of 25,000 USD is required to open a Platinum Account. The broker fee is 9 USD, then 0.09% thereafter.  Like the Standard Account, the IRESS Trader fee of 55 USD is waived if you generate 150 USD in commission/month.  It provides access to even lower commissions and financing rates.

Premier Account

A minimum balance of 50,000 USD is required to open an account.  There is no minimum broker fee, and 0.08% is charged on this account.  The IRESS Trader fee is waived, and there are no platform fees and no brokerage charges.

Deposits and Withdrawals

FP Markets charges low deposit fees, but withdrawal fees are higher than most other brokers.  

Due to Anti-Money Laundering policies, FP Markets does not accept third-party payments and only accepts funds received directly from the named trading account holder. The first time you make a withdrawal, you must complete a downloadable form and return it with a photographic ID. 

Accepted Deposit Currencies:  The FP Markets client portal allows traders to deposit funds in 10 currencies, including AUD, CAD, CHF, EUR, GBP, HKD, JPY, NZD, SGD, and USD.

High Withdrawal Fees: FP Markets does not charge fees for deposits but has high withdrawal fees for e-wallets and bank transfers:

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Mobile Trading Apps

FP Markets has its own mobile trading app on iOS and Android, we liked the layout and how easy it was to use. FP Markets has its own mobile trading app on iOS and Android, and we liked the layout and how easy it was to use. FP Markets also supports the MT4, MT5, TradingView and cTrader mobile apps.

FP Markets Mobile App

We found that the FP Markets Trading App connected to our MT4 account easily, and its clean interface made it very simple to use. It ran smoothly, even on older Android phones, and beginner traders will like the simplified layout compared to the MT4 and MT5 apps.

Key Features:

• Deposit and withdraw funds.
• Make, monitor, and review trades.
• Use the ‘Favourites’ menu to create a faster and more seamless trading experience.
• Change settings via the Client Portal.
• Access real-time pricing
• Conduct research and analysis using a range of trading tools
• Log in to their MetaTrader 4 account using the same credentials

MT4 and MT5 Mobile Trading

FP Markets supports MT4 and MT5 mobile trading apps for Android and iOS. Traders should be aware that there is some loss in functionality when compared to the desktop trading platforms, including reduced time frames and fewer charting options. Still, traders can close and modify existing orders, calculate profit and loss, and trade on the charts.  

cTrader App

cTrader is one of our favourite trading platforms, and we are glad that FP Markets has added it to its offering. FP Markets is one of a handful of brokers that supports it. Its clean design makes it easy for beginners to pick up, but it also has the advanced order types and automation options required by more experienced traders. The FP Markets’ cTrader app keeps most of the best parts of the desktop version, including the complete range of order types, price alerts, trade analysis, and symbol watchlists.

This new addition to FP Markets’ portfolio brings many useful features to FP Markets users. Traders will love the detailed information and ease of use, and it matches perfectly the great conditions that FP Markets offers their traders. 

• Unmatched charting capabilities, suitable for beginners and advanced traders.
• Large social trading community of more than 50 million users.
• The ability to design your own indicators and strategies using TradingView’s Pine Script
  programming language.
• The option to validate trading ideas using TradingView’s bar-by-bar replay function.
• Wide selection of fundamental data.
• Real-time global news coverage.
• Available on Web, Browser and Mobile devices.

IRESS Mobile App

IRESS mobile offers traders much of the same functionality as the desktop version. This includes:

• Live dynamic pricing
• Access to real-time financial news
• Track portfolio and holdings
• Advanced order management
• Enhanced charting

 Overall, FP Markets’ mobile trading experience exceeds that of other brokers.

Other Trading Platforms

The MT4, MT5 , TradingView and cTrader trading platforms are available as downloads for your computer and as a Webtrader in your browser. The IRESS trading suite is also available for download.

MT4 and MT5

FP Markets offers traders MetaTrader 4 (MT4), MetaTrader 5 (MT5), cTrader, and TradingView, each of which offers Expert Advisors, automated trading support, strategy backtesting, customisable charting, indicators, and copy trading functionality.

All platform choices are free to use, all can be downloaded to your PC or Mac, and all have web versions of the platform. Traders who want more EAs to use, and don’t mind the dated interface, should consider using one of the MetaTrader products. cTrader is often a favourite for beginner traders as it requires less setup, has a more modern interface, and offers more advanced order types. 

All three trading platforms offered are considered among the best in the industry. While FP Markets does not have its own proprietary desktop platform, which is usually easier for beginners to learn, the choice of any of the three major platforms will keep most traders satisfied.

IRESS Platform

IRESS Trader is an advanced institutional trading platform, and FP Markets charges a monthly fee for the platform. Still, the license fee is waived if you are an active trader and generate a commission for the broker by using the platform.

Compared to the MetaTrader platform, IRESS has a more intuitive user interface and functionality.  Features include advanced order placement, setting alerts on news and price levels, customizable charts, advanced watchlist features, and access to over 10,000 trading instruments.

TradingView

From Forex, Equities and Indices to Commodities, Bonds and Digital Currencies, TradingView is a world-renowned charting provider that delivers the financial markets from one platform and unlocks the door to the largest social trading community in the world. Clients with an active Trading Account at FP Markets can now leverage TradingView’s cutting-edge charting solutions.

Trading Platforms Comparison:

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Broker

Platform Choice

Copy Trading

Platforms

FP Markets

5/ 5

Yes

MT4

MT5

cTrader

IRESS

IG

4.5/ 5

No

MT4

L2 Dealer

ProRealTime

Pepperstone

5/ 5

Yes

MT4

MT5

cTrader

TradingView

Opening an Account at FP Markets

The account opening process at FP Markets is fully digital, fast, and hassle-free compared to other brokers. 

All Australian traders are eligible to open an account at FP Markets if they meet the minimum deposit requirement of 100 AUD.

Creating an account is straightforward. The process is fully digital, and accounts are usually ready within one day.  FP Markets offers joint and individual accounts, but we will focus on opening an individual account:

How to open an account at FP Markets:

1. New traders must click on the “Start Trading.” button at the top of the page, where they will be directed to register an account.    
2. FP Markets’ intake form requires clients to fill in their personal details (including name, country of residence, email address, birth date, and level of education). 
3. Prospective traders must select the account type, trading platform, and chosen base currency.
4. Once this step is complete, traders are asked to complete a short form that will help FP Markets assess the state of their finances and trading knowledge. While most brokers don’t include this step in the account-opening process, it is a responsible move in an industry that is often accused of an irresponsible approach to consumer protection.
5. FP Markets needs at least two documents to accept you as an individual client:

1. Proof of Identification – current (not expired) coloured scanned copy (in PDF or JPG format) of your passport. If no valid passport is available, a similar identification document bearing your photo such as an ID card or driving licence will work.
2. Proof of Address – a Bank Statement or Utility Bill. Please ensure, however, that the documents provided are not older than 6 months and that your name and physical address is clearly displayed.

We advise you to read FP Markets’ risk disclosure, customer agreement, and terms of business before you start trading. 

Once the application is approved, traders can log in and fund their accounts.

Compared to other similar brokers, FP Markets’ account opening process is fast, generally hassle-free, and fully digital, and accounts are ready for trading in one day.  

FP Markets’ Trading Tools

FP Markets offers an excellent range of trading tools compared to other similar brokers.

FP Markets’ range of trading tools includes Autochartist, a free VPS service, MAM/PAMM accounts, Myfxbook Autotrade, and a Traders Toolbox consisting of 12 online trading tools.  Most of the tools are free of charge, except for the VPS and Traders Toolbox, which require traders to deposit a minimum of 1,000 AUD (or currency equivalent).

Autochartist

Free for all FP Markets clients, Autochartist is one of the best technical analysis tools on the markets. It is an automated technical analysis tool that plugs into MT4 and MT5 and scans all available CFD markets for trading opportunities.

Autochartist’s advanced pattern recognition engine identifies the strongest potential trading opportunities and predicts future price movements. Some of Autochartist’s key features are:

• Chart pattern recognition
• Fibonacci pattern recognition
• Key level analysis
• Pattern quality indication

VPS

FP Markets offers a free VPS service to traders who deposit a minimum of 1000 USD or currency equivalent.  The service is also subsidised for high-volume traders who trade over 10 lots a month on the Standard Account, or 20 lots on the Raw Account.  VPS services ensure trades are never disrupted by technological or connectivity issues. Other benefits of the VPS service include:

• 24/6 VPS email support
• 24/7 Redundant power to your VPS
• 24/7 Redundant internet connectivity to your VPS
• Low latency connectivity to FP Markets trading servers for precision trading
• Uninterrupted EA trading

Trader’s Toolbox

Only available on MT4, FP Markets offers a Trader’s Toolbox to clients who deposit more than 1,000 USD or equivalent.  The toolbox is a suite of 12 online trading tools, including market insights, an economic calendar with relevant breaking news that impacts market prices, risk management tools, correlation matrices, tick charts, session maps, sentiment indicators, analysis tools, and more.  A few of the tools are highlighted below:

• Mini terminal: Allows traders to adapt MT4’s deal ticket and charts to their preferences with a host of highly configurable new features.
• Session Map: A map that tracks the global financial markets and an economic calendar that offers the latest key information.
• Stealth orders: This allows traders to keep their trades anonymous.
• Correlation matrix: This enables you to see how correlated your watched markets are, and limit your risk accordingly.
• Sentiment trader: This allows traders to analyse market sentiment or view a historic price vs sentiment chart.

On the whole, the toolbox is sophisticated, yet simple to use, and allows traders to analyse the fast-moving global financial markets with accuracy.

MAM/PAMM Accounts

FP Markets offers an account management service to its clients, allowing account managers to trade on their behalf.  Bespoke technology or software is required to perform this service, also known as MAM/PAMM. 

MAM stands for Multi-Account Manager, which permits a range of customisable ways to sub-allocate trades.  PAMM stands for Percentage Allocation Module Manager, which means investors can be part of a set of sub-accounts that are traded together by a money manager or trader who has permission from clients to trade on their accounts.  Account Managers take a portion of the profits generated by the trades.  

Managed accounts are great for beginner traders who have limited experience with trading.  

Copytrading

FP Markets offers an excellent copy trading service through third-party provider, Myfxbook Autotrade available on MT4.  It allows traders to find, follow and copy successful traders automatically.  

To use the service, traders need to open a Standard Account and make a minimum deposit of 1,000 USD.  Traders are charged a service fee of an additional 0.5 pips on top of the standard spreads, which is relatively high compared to other brokers.

With Myfxbook Autotrade, traders do not need to build their own strategy or conduct research on the forex markets. This tool allows copying a wide selection of systems directly to the FP Markets MT4 trading account.  One of the other benefits of FP Markets’ copy trading platform is its functionality.  It offers multiple copy trading modes, and there is no limit on the number of Strategy Providers that can be followed.  

On the whole, copy trading is useful for traders interested in the financial markets but lacking experience and knowledge.

FP Markets for Beginners

We expect beginners to feel comfortable starting their trading career with FP Markets. The demo account never expires, the education section is varied, and market analysis is available both in video and article formats. Customer service is available 24/7, and we were impressed by the quality of support we received. 

Demo Account

FP Markets offers a demo account that comes loaded with 100,000 in virtual funds of your chosen base currency. The FP Markets’ demo accounts won’t expire unless they remain inactive for over 30 days.  

Education

FP Markets’ education section is excellent compared to most other large international brokers; however, some of it is reserved for registered clients only.  The content available is suited to both beginner and more experienced traders.  

FP Markets provides a range of educational materials through the FP Markets’ Academy, including ebooks, tutorials, video tutorials, webinars, podcasts, courses, and a glossary.  The educational material focuses on the wider CFD industry, including tutorials on trading stocks, indices, and commodities:

• eBooks: FP Markets offers a range of comprehensive ebooks that provide detailed information on the important aspects of forex, including money management, trading systems, and volatility.  Other topics include technical and fundamental analysis, along with tips on how to spot trading opportunities. 
• Video Tutorials: FP Markets provides several videos to introduce forex traders to the MetaTrader platforms.  These videos serve as a step-by-step guide for those who want to learn to trade on MT4, MT5, cTrader and TradingView.
• Glossary: The glossary provides comprehensive definitions and explanations of various financial terms.
• Webinars: FP Markets hosts regular webinars that are held by its team of in-house professional traders.  The webinars cater to traders of all experience levels and include topics such as Trading Psychology, Chart Psychology, Advanced Fibonacci Strategies, and How to Backtest a Trading Strategy.   
• Podcasts: FP Markets offers a number of podcasts that cover various educational topics, including how to calculate swap rates on MT4, guides to trading currencies, and more.

Education Comparison:

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Broker

Beginner Course

Advanced Course

Well Structured Education

Education Quality

Webinars

FP Markets

Yes

No

Yes

Medium

Yes

IG

Yes

Yes

Yes

High

Yes

Pepperstone

Yes

Yes

Yes

Medium

Yes

Market Research and Analysis

The market research and analysis at FP Markets is about what we would expect from a large international broker. The analysis is available in both article and video format and is published daily.

FP Markets’ analysis section covers both technical and fundamental analysis:

• Daily Report: FP publishes a daily market report covering all the financial markets and a weekly outlook (in video and text format). The daily market report is a brief look at the global markets, including commodities, indices, and Forex.
• Market Insights: FP Markets provides trading ideas for the most popular financial assets in various timeframes.
• Technical Report: A technical report is published weekly, covering the various market movements and how these affect the related financial assets.  The report is in-depth and very detailed.
• Forex News: In this section, articles are published less frequently, but cover all the major market events.
• Daily Analysis: Articles are published on a daily basis covering various global events and how they influence the markets.
• Currency Point: Articles are published on a weekly basis and cover the various currency movements.  

Market Research Comparison:

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Broker

Economic Calendar

Autochartist

Trading Central

Trading View

Free VPS

FP Markets

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

IG

Yes

Yes

No

No

Yes

Pepperstone

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Customer Support

Award-winning customer support is available 24/7 via live chat, email, and telephone. Weekend support is limited to 08:00 – 16:00. Support is available in Italian, English, Russian, French, Arabic, German, and Chinese.

We found the customer service responsive (our questions were answered immediately), polite, and very knowledgeable.

Regulation and Trust

ASIC and CySEC Regulated: Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Sydney, FP Markets is authorised and regulated by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission, and is registered in St Vincent and the Grenadines.  See below for details of registered companies:

• First Prudential Markets Pty Ltd is authorised and regulated by ASIC,AFSL Licence 286354.
• First Prudential Markets Pty Ltd is authorised and regulated by CySEC,license 371/18.
• FP Markets LLC. is a registered company of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Limited Liability Number 126 LLC 2019.FP Markets (Pty) Ltd is now a Financial Services Provider authorised and regulated by the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) in South Africa (FSP Number 50926).
• FP Markets Limited has been granted a non-dealing Foreign Exchange Broker License by the Capital Markets Authority (CMA) of Kenya.

Industry Awards: FP Markets has also received extensive industry recognition, having won over 40 awards since its inception.  Some of these awards include Highest Overall Client Satisfaction 2020, Best Trade Execution 2020, Best Customer Service 2020, and Best Educational Material (all from Investment Trends).  Additionally, FP Markets won numerous awards in 2019 for its customer service from the LiveHelpNow Challenge – an Australian Institution dedicated to recognising companies with excellent customer support.

Overall, because of its long history of responsible behaviour, ASIC and CySEC regulation, strict auditing processes, and wide industry acclaim, we consider FP Markets a trustworthy broker.

Evaluation Method

We value transparency and openness in the way we review the partners. To bring transparency to the forefront, we have published our review process that includes a detailed breakdown of the FP Markets offer. Central to that process is the evaluation of the reliability of the broker, the platform offering of the broker and the trading conditions offered to clients, which are summarised in this review. Each one of these is graded, and an overall score is calculated and assigned to the broker.

FP Markets Risk Statement

According to regulation, brokers are required to be transparent with Forex traders about the complexity of financial products and also disclose the extent to which traders can lose their money.  FP Markets wants you to know: Contracts for Difference (CFDs) are derivatives and can be risky; losses can exceed your initial payment and you must be able to meet all margin calls as soon as they are made. When trading CFDs you do not own or have any rights to the CFDs underlying assets.

Final Word

An ASIC-regulated Australian broker, FP Markets offers two simple account options and an exciting set of tools for traders who deposit over 1,000 AUD. Support is also offered for the IRESS trading platform, which comes with much higher minimum deposits but offers access to over 10,000 global stock CFDs. FP Markets allows all trading strategies and provides good education and market analysis materials that cater to traders of all experience levels.   

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 is the Senior Editor for FXScouts.  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. She has a passion for Forex trading and over a decade of editorial experience researching Forex and the financial services industry, producing high-quality content. She hosts a weekly podcast, “Let’s Talk Forex,” alongside her colleague, Chris, and has produced over 100 Forex educational videos for the FXScouts YouTube channel. She also writes weekly technical analyses and has tested and reviewed over 100 Forex brokers.

 

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.