Summary

ActivTrades is a global forex trading and CFD brokerage firm founded in 2001. It has headquarters in the United Kingdom. The company operates worldwide through its regional offices in Nassau, Milan, Sofia, and Luxembourg. This multi-regulated broker offers online trading services across various financial markets. ActivTrades trading instruments include 1000+ stocks, 40+ currency pairs, 60+ ETFS, 14+ indices, 13+ commodities, and 5+ bonds. Notably, 20+ crypto are also available to trade on ActivTrades as CFDs. However, the company’s product range varies depending on the selected market and jurisdiction. For example, UK-based clients can’t trade crypto CFDs amid FCA restrictions. Similarly, the broker doesn’t deal in real shares trading. Instead, investors can only trade stocks as CFDs.

The signing-up process is quick at ActivTrades. However, it requires KYC verification before you can start trading. Traders might choose between different account types depending on their selected entity. The company supports multiple payment methods for account funding and withdrawals. Furthermore, clients can open an account with the broker for a minimum deposit of $1. All payment options come free of charge except for card payments. The company applies 1.5% charges on funds transfers via cards across all regions. However, it charges a 0.5% fee on card payments in Europe and the UK. The company’s security protocols help prevent unauthorised access to the client’s confidential data. It also keeps clients’ funds in segregated bank accounts for safety purposes.

The broker considers the trading needs of individual traders. Thus, it offers in-house and third-party trading solutions, i-e- ActivTrades, MT4, and MT5. Clients can access the markets anytime from anywhere through ActivTrades Mobile App. ActivTrades trading platforms provide access to various tools and indicators. All of the supported trading platforms are accessible on desktops and mobile apps. ActivTrades fees and commission seem in line with the average industry standards. The broker charges variable spreads for various financial instruments across all ActivTrades accounts.

ActivTrades offers risk management through negative balance protection and guaranteed stop-loss features. Though GSLs are only available to clients registered with the French entity. It is also a member of the Funds Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). Clients can claim their financial losses for up to a specific limit in case of a broker’s bankruptcy or liquidation.

The company ensures instant trade execution by keeping its latency rate low. As a result, it enables its clients to avoid slippage issues. To enhance your market’s exposure, ActivTrades offers a leverage of up to 1:200. However, clients based in countries with strict regulatory regimes may only access leverage up to 1:30.

The broker’s research and educational facility seem well maintained. It has sufficient resources to cater to clients’ technical and fundamental analysis requirements. Clients can find answers to their queries on a self-serve basis in a dedicated FAQs section. Additionally, the company provides 24/5 customer support in multiple languages. Moreover, clients can also connect with the broker on social trading platforms. ActivTrades holds a good reputation among investors. After 741 online customer reviews, the broker secured a rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot. Other products and services include referral bonuses and cash rebates. Each section of this ActivTrades review will go into more detail about the broker’s offerings.   

Regulations

ActivTrades holds regulations in five jurisdictions, including Luxembourg, Italy, Bulgaria, the Bahamas and the UK. 

ActivTrades PLC: This entity of the broker is fully authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the United Kingdom. The company headquarter is located at Loom 2.5, 14 Gower’s Walk, London, E1 8PY.

• Registration number: 434413

ActivTrades Europe SA (Luxembourg): The European entity is authorised and regulated by the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF) in Luxembourg. The company’s regional office is located at 52, Route d’Esch L-1470, Luxembourg

• Registration number: B232167

ActivTrades Europe SA (Italy): The Italian subsidiary holds regulations from the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF). The entity is also a registered member of Commissione Nazionale per le Società e la Borsa (CONSOB). The Italy office address is at Borgonuovo 14/16, 20121 Milano, Italia. 

• Registration number: B232167

ActivTrades Europe SA (Bulgaria): The Bulgarian entity also comes under the supervision of the Financial Conduct Authority, having its regional office located at Bulgaria 69, 1404 Sofia, Bulgaria. 

ActivTrades Corp: The company is authorised and regulated by the Securities Commission of the Bahamas. It also holds registration with the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The broker has its regional office located at 209 & 210 Church Street, Sandyport 1 P.O. Box SP 64388, Nassau, Bahamas.

• Registration number: 199667 B

Supported Countries

The company offers its services worldwide. However, some jurisdictions aren’t supported due to regulatory issues, such as Japan, Canada and the United States. 

Available Assets

ActivTrades isn’t as extensive as assets offered by top-rated brokerage firms. However, it still provides sufficient tradable assets across all the supported markets. Clients can trade 1,100+ trading instruments at ActivTrades. 

Cryptocurrencies

Clients who wish to capitalise on the expanding need for the digital currency may consider staking some funds in cryptocurrencies. The company offers 20+ crypto CFDs such as Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Litecoin (LTC), Dogecoin (DOGE), Solana (SOL), etc. 

Stocks

Stocks are a common form of securities traded on stock exchanges. They represent the fractional ownership of the issuing company. The primary reason why corporations sell a stock is to finance daily operations. While the company doesn’t deal in real shares, it allows clients to trade 1000+ stocks through CFDs.  

Commodities

Commodity trading refers to speculating on the prices of metals, energy, and cereals. There are 13+ commodities available that clients can trade at ActivTrades.

Indices

The term “index” refers to a metric or indication. Statistically speaking, it is a measure of the movement of the securities market in the context of finance. Indexes in the stock markets are fictitious collections of securities meant to stand in for the entire market or a specific subset of it. 14+ indices are available to trade with the broker. 

Forex

The global nature of trade, commerce, and finance has led to the development of the forex market into one of the largest and most liquid asset markets. ActivTrades allows forex trading with 40+ currency pairs, including majors, minor and exotic pairs. While clients trade different currency pairs, GBP/USD, EUR/USD, and USD/JPY are among the few most traded currency pairs. 

ETFs

A basket of assets that follows a specific index is called an exchange-traded fund (ETF). It can include investments in stocks and bonds. ABN AMRO Bank NV, RANDSTAD HOLDING, NN Group NV, and ROY.PHILIPS ELECTR make part of the 60+ ETFs available to trade at ActivTrades. 

Bonds

Investment in bonds refers to a debt instrument representing a loan to the issuer. Traders speculate on the prices of the bonds to benefit from the change in their prices besides enjoying the low-risk exposure. The broker offers 5+ bonds to trade. 

Spread

A spread is a difference between a tradable asset’s ask and the bid price. Brokers charge it as payment for their services. ActivTrades spreads are comparable to average market standards. See the table below for information on minimum spreads for currencies and commodities.

Leverage

Leverage is a term used to describe margin-based trading. It means you borrow money from your broker to open large positions with little deposits. Effectively using leverage increases your market exposure but comes with a considerable risk of loss.

The maximum leverage available for clients based in Europe and the UK is up to 1:30 on currency pairs. Investors can trade commodities for leverage of up to 1:10, excluding Gold (1:20). Also, traders can use a leverage of up to 1:20 for Index trading.

On the other hand, the Bahamas entity offers a higher leverage level. For example, the maximum leverage offered on forex pairs and indices is up to 1:200. While clients have access to maximum leverage of up to 1:100 for trading commodities excluding gold and silver.

Fees & Commissions

Clients should expect to incur both trading and non-trading fees when signing up with ActivTrades. The fees at ActivTrades appear to be in line with market standards. Nonetheless, spreads can change based on your selected financial instruments.

Trading Fees

Spreads

A spread is a difference between a currency’s “bid and ask” price. ActivTrades keeps its spread cost competitive. While the minimum spread on major currency pairs like EUR/USD starts at 0.50 pips, clients can trade commodities, including Gold and Silver for a minimum spread of 25 pips and 45 pips, respectively. 

Commission

The company charges a commission of up to 0.10% of the transaction value on trading stocks. However, clients opting for a new investor profile can enjoy commission-free trading. 

Rollover Fee/Swap Rate

Traders also need to pay swap charges on positions held overnight. 

Non-Trading Fees

Deposit and Withdrawal Fees

The company doesn’t charge any fees on deposits except for payments made via cards. Funds transferred via cards attract 1.5% charges of the transactional amount. However, clients based in the UK and Europe incur a 0.5% fee on card payments. Moreover, a fixed charge of 9 GBP is also applicable on withdrawals via bank transfers. 

Currency Conversion Fee 

The broker supports GBP, EUR, CHF, and USD as an account’s base currency. A 0.3% currency conversion fee is charged on all transactions carried out in currencies other than the base currency of your trading account. 

Inactivity Fee

Clients whose brokerage accounts have been dormant for a predetermined time are subject to an inactivity fee. The company charges $10 per month if your account remains inactive for one year.

Trading Platforms

ActivTrades provides both its custom-built platform “ActivTrader”, and the most renowned MetaTrader platforms. We will look into more details about ActivTrader in this section of the review. 

Desktop Trading Platform

The ActivTrader can be accessed on desktop platforms on any kind of device. You can simply use it by login into your trading account and using the many features it has to enjoy your trading experience with the broker. The features of the desktop platform include the following:

User-friendly Interface

The desktop trading platform has a sleek design making it equally suitable for novice and skilled traders. The user interface allows clients to adjust the text size to their liking, and there are options for both light and dark themes. 

Search Function

An efficient search bar expedites locating the desired trade instrument. The users of ActivTrader can also select several options to view multiple charts concurrently.  

Order Types

The platform supports all basic order types. Users can also opt-in to receive alert notifications of their order execution and market-related news and events.  

Tools & Indicators

The platform has various tools and indicators. Clients may find them helpful in identifying market trends and making informed trading decisions.  

Charting Options

The rich charting feature accompanies 80+ technical indicators and 40+ drawing tools. They help pro traders to perform in-depth technical analysis.  

How to Open an Account and Trade on ActivTrades’ Desktop Platform?

Opening an account with the broker requires you to follow the steps below. 

1. Visit the company’s official website and click on the “Open an account” button to access the registration page.
2. Provide information on the signup page, such as name, email id, mobile phone number and country of residence.
3. Enter your residential address and submit your tax identification number. 
4. Confirm your trading experience by answering the questions. You must answer them correctly, or the broker might reject the application.
5. Enter your financial details such as your employment status, estimated annual income and savings.
6. Indicate your expected deposits, source of funds and the purpose of trading.
7. Confirm what you plan to trade and how your preferred position’s size. You also need to confirm how often you expect to trade.
8. Select your preferred trading platform and choose the base currency for your account.
9. Read the terms and conditions and mark your acceptance by clicking the submit button.
10. Complete the KYC process and submit the required documents for verification.
11. Click on the payment wizard option and select your preferred payment method. The options include Debit cards, Credit Cards, Neteller, Skrill, Bank transfers etc. 
12. Enter the desired amount you wish to deposit. Then provide authentication details to complete funds transfers. 
13. Navigate to the trading window and click on the trade and order tab.
14. Now click trade and select your desired tradable instrument from the drop-down menu. You can also use the search function to find your prefered financial instrument. 
15. Configure your trade settings, such as stop loss order, margin limit, lot size, etc.
16. Now you can either place a sell or buy order. 

Mobile Trading App

With an intuitive design, the ActivTrades mobile app is as user-friendly as the desktop version. Clients can download the respective version from Google Play Store or App Store on their iOS and Android-based mobile phones and tablets. It also has some similar features to the desktop platform, which include:

Technical Indicators

The app has 30+ technical indicators and 12+ drawing tools. These tools empower clients to do in-depth technical analysis and make informed trading decisions. 

Markets Insights

The mobile trading app does not offer economic calendar integration and a newsfeed. 

Order Types and Charting Options

In addition to supporting all basic and advanced order types, the mobile app charting features are comprehensive. Above all, one-click trading straight from the charting options is available. It makes it convenient for clients to manage their positions anytime. 

How to Open an Account and Trade on ActivTrades Mobile Trading App?

1. Visit the Google Play Store or App Store to download the respective version of the mobile trading app on your tablets and mobile devices. 
2. Open the mobile trading app and click on create a new account to start your application.
3. Fill in your details on the registration page, i-e, your name, email ID, date of birth, country of residence, and residential address.
4. Confirm your trading experience and select the appropriate option. You need to provide correct answers, else the company might reject your account application.
5. Confirm your employment status and provide financial details. For instance, estimated annual income and savings and the amount you wish to deposit with the broker in the next six months.
   
6. Confirm your source of funds and trading preferences. It includes the amount you expect to trade, your preferred financial market, and trading frequency.
   
   
7. Select your preferred trading platform, and choose your account’s base currency.
8. Read the terms and conditions and mark your acceptance by clicking the submit button.  
9. Complete the KYC process and submit the required documents for verification.
10. Click on the fund your account option and select your preferred payment method, such as Debit cards, Credit Cards, Neteller, Skrill, Bank transfers etc.
11. Enter the desired amount you wish to deposit. Then provide authentication details to complete funds transfers. 
12. Navigate to the Markets tab and select your desired tradable instrument from the list of available financial instruments. You can also use the search function to find your preferred tradable asset.
13. Configure your trade settings, such as stop loss order, margin limit, lot size, etc. 
14. Click on the buy or sell button to initiate a trade.

Account Types

ActivTrades provides its customers with the option to choose between two different account types. These types include a standard account and an Islamic account.

Demo Account

The virtually funded demo account is also available at ActivTrades. It enables clients to practise trading and risk management strategies without compromising their real funds. The broker offers a virtual balance of up to $200,000 in a demo account. Please note that the demo account expires after 30 days. However, you always have the option to sign up for a new demo account using a new email ID.  

Standard Account

ActivTrades products are now accessible through a unified CFD trading account. The minimum amount required to sign up for a standard account is $1. To name just a few, you can use the market data, economic calendar, and technical analysis tools at your disposal, all for free. Also, you get personalised assistance at any hour of the day.

Islamic Account

Keeping in line with the monetary principles of Sharia law, this account type is essentially the same as a standard checking account. However, it doesn’t involve any additional fees or interest on overnight positions. Clients can trade their preferred tradable instruments without compromising their religious beliefs.  

Professional Account

An option of a professional account is also available for clients based in the UK and Europe. Seasoned traders who are comfortable with the inherent risks of CFD trading may sign up for this account type. But, they should meet two out of the three requirements given below.  

1. You need to have completed an average of ten deals per quarter over the past twelve months. 
2. You should have a minimum of one year’s professional experience in the financial sector. 
3. Your total value of cash and other financial assets must be more than $500,000.

Payment Methods

ActivTrades supports multiple payment methods. However, the available options might vary depending on your selected entity. For example, only ActivTrades Plc and ActivTrades Europe SA clients can make Paypal and Sofort payment transfers.  

Deposit Methods

Clients can fund their accounts using Debit cards, Credit Cards, Skrill, Sofort, Neteller, Paypal, and bank transfers. They can start low with a minimum deposit of $1. The broker hasn’t defined an upper limit for any other method except for Sofort banking. Clients can deposit a maximum of EUR 2,500 in a single day. 

Since the company does not entertain third-party payments, clients must use the payment method registered in their name. The average time for all deposits to reflect in your account is 30 minutes, except for wire transfers. Deposits made via bank transfers may take up to 24 hours.

Clients incur no fee on e-wallet deposits and bank transfers. However, they need to pay 1.5% charges on payments made via Credit cards and Debit cards. Also, the conversion fee is reduced to 0.5% for UK and European clients.

Withdrawal Methods

ActivTrades offers the same payment methods for withdrawals. However, the company releases funds to the bank account you used to make the initial deposit. While all withdrawal methods have no associated cost, the company applies a fixed 9 GBP rate on bank wires.

There is no minimum or maximum threshold set by the broker amid withdrawals. All withdrawals are processed within the same day, including bank transfers. However, delays may occur due to factors beyond the company’s control. 

How to Withdraw Funds from ActivTrades?

Clients can withdraw funds using the following steps. 

1. Access the dashboard using your login credentials.
2. Navigate to the payment wizard and select the methods you used for initial funding. For example; bank account, credit card, debit cards, Skrill, Sofort, Neteller or Paypal. 
3. Enter your desired amount and click confirm to complete funds transfers. 

Education

ActivTrades offer rich research and educational resources. Technical and fundamental analysis, an economic calendar, written articles, and video tutorials are all available. The Analysis section offers daily technical and fundamental analyses of different currency pairs. Additionally, the weekly video report summarises the most important happenings in the market. Traders of all skill levels can enjoy this well-written and professionally produced content.

The information presented in webinars is useful in the real world. The webinars mostly pertain to specific topics like technical trading tactics. New users can learn about various trading techniques via personal coaching. MetaTrader 4 guides on topics like account setting and price alert configuration.

The company seems to have put much effort into the educational area, making it comparable to high industry standards. Still, we believe progress assessment modules should also have been part of the broker’s learning facility.  

Customer Support

ActivTrades offer multilingual customer support five days a week. Clients can raise their concerns and issues with the company in their local language via email, phone, and web chat. An FAQ section is also available to help clients find a quick resolution to their queries. The broker is also available on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and LinkedIn.

ActiveTrade Reviews

What Reddit Users Say About ActivTrades

Though ActivTrades is a well-known forex and CFD brokerage firm, it seems to be a less debated broker on Reddit. After trying multiple keywords for ActivTrades, we couldn’t find a relevant thread to seek public opinion about the company. However, we encountered a post where a member highlighted a scam broker pretending to be a part of the legit British broker ActivTrades. According to the user, he wanted to create awareness among investors so they may avoid signing up with it.  

What Quora Users Say About ActivTrades

Unlike Reddit, the Quora community seemed to be fully supporting the broker. While answering a query raised by a user on Quora concerning the legit status of the company, many people reacted to it and cast their votes in favour of the company. According to members on Quora, the firm is one of the most legit forex brokers available. People have appraised the firm for its multiple features and services, including easy-to-use trading platforms, low deposit requirements, flexible account types, and efficient customer support.   

Trustpilot Users’ Reviews About ActivTrades

ActivTrades hold a superb reputation among clients on Trustpilot as well. Almost 79% of clients rated the company to be an excellent choice for trading forex and CFDs. The company holds a rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars after 741 reviews. According to a user on Trustpilot, ActivTrades is a leading broker with remarkable credibility. The process of trading is easy as pie. The analytical part is the only part he thinks needs to be improved. Overall, the company seemed to be in the good books of Trustpilot users.

ForexPeaceArmy Users’ Reviews About ActivTrades

Unfortunately, ActivTrades is not as popular amongst clients on Forexpeacearmy as it is on the Trustpilot. The company holds a rating of 2.8 out of 5 stars on FPA. Although Forexpeacearmy’s community seems to have favoured the company, still 40% of clients hold negative feedback about it. Clients appraised the company’s low spreads and instant trade execution policy. However, at the same time, they denounced the broker for its poor customer support. 

Is ActivTrades Safe?

Yes! ActivTrades is a safe brokerage firm for investment purposes. The company holds multiple regulations worldwide and abides by AML guidelines. ActivTrades keep clients’ investments in safe custody. Additionally, it employs state-of-the-art technology to protect customers’ confidential information. The risk management at ActivTrades is offered through Negative balance protection, and Guaranteed stop loss (GSLs).

Other Products and Services

Referral Bonus

ActivTrades offer a referral bonus to its clients and partners for bringing customers to the company. You can earn a referral bonus of up to $5,500 per client. To claim your reward, you need to make sure that your referral signup with the broker using your referral link. They must also fund their accounts completing a specific trading volume. 

Cashback

The company also offers a cashback program where clients need to trade a notional value of up to $50 million. It will enable them to start receiving cashback on every trade they place with the company. Though the offer seems too demanding for a small or medium-level investor.

API Integration

The broker also offers API integration to set up automated trades, integrate with other systems, and design original trading apps. 

ActiveTrades MAM Accounts

ActivTrades MAM accounts allow strategy execution on a master account. Traders of such accounts can proportionally distribute the trades across managed accounts. 

Bottom Line

ActivTrades is a multi-regulated company serving the retail trading industry for over two decades. It provides access to multiple trading platforms. It also offers all the basic and advanced-level tools required for a meaningful trading experience. The company allows even small investors to come on board by keeping its deposit requirement low compared to other brokers.

The broker offers multiple payment methods to help clients deposit funds in their accounts. The provision of flexible account types helps clients to select the one that best suits their trading needs. For example, Muslim traders can signup for swap-free accounts to avoid interest-based transactions. Thus, they can continue trading without jeopardising their religious beliefs.

With the ECN trade execution policy, the broker offers fast trade execution to reduce slippage issues. The company keeps clients’ funds in segregated bank accounts and employs SSL encryption. In addition to this, it also offers two-step authentication to protect users’ confidential data. Furthermore, risk management features include negative balance protection and guaranteed stop loss. However, GSLs are only available to French clients.

The company offers excellent research and educational resources. For communication, the broker provides multilingual customer support round the clock five days a week. Overall, the broker seems to be a competitive choice for those looking for a safe broker that offers value for money.