AvaTrade vs XM: which broker is better in 2026?
We compare AvaTrade and XM — two forex & CFD brokers — side by side across regulation, fees, platforms, minimum deposit, and our editorial scores. Both score evenly overall — the right choice depends on which criteria matter most to you.
Side-by-side comparison
CriteriaAvaTradeXM
Overall score 3.6 3.6
Regulation & safety 3.5 3.0
Fees & deposit 3.5 3.5
Platform & assets 4.0 4.0
User support 3.5 4.0
Trust score72/10069/100
Minimum depositVaries by account type — check the official siteVaries by account type — check the official site
Demo accountAvailableAvailable
PlatformsMetaTrader 4/5, AvaTradeGO (mobile), AvaOptions, WebTraderMetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, XM app
Fee modelSpread model — details not yet verifiedStandard / ultra-low spread; figures vary
Pros & cons
- Supervised by the Central Bank of Ireland + multiple global entities; founded 2006
- Full platform selection (MT4/MT5/AvaTradeGO/AvaOptions)
- Broad instrument coverage including options
- A private company — financial transparency more limited than a public company
- Some clients via offshore entities
- Leverage is high-risk
- Very large client base, strong multilingual education & support
- MT4/MT5 + many instruments
- CySEC license for the EU entity
- Many retail clients via the offshore entity (Belize) — weaker protection
- Standard spread is not the cheapest
- Leverage is high-risk
Regulation at a glance
AvaTrade
Supervised by the Central Bank of Ireland as its primary regulator (mentioned by Wikipedia in the context of an acquisition blocked by this regulator). Operates multiple entities globally — license status per entity not verified in detail.
XM
Trading Point group — regulated by CySEC (Cyprus), ASIC (historically), DFSA (Dubai), FSC (Belize), FSCA (South Africa). Many retail clients via the offshore entity (Belize).