Forex traders always look for trading with brokers that suit their trading needs and preferences. Pepperstone and LQDFX are online forex brokers that offer their trading services to traders and investors. Pepperstone is a highly regulated and trusted forex broker. It is regulated in three Tier-1 jurisdictions, two Tier-2 jurisdictions, and two Tier-4 jurisdictions. On the other hand, LQDFX is an offshore forex broker which is not regulated by any regulatory bodies.
In this article, we will review and compare the brokerage services offered by Pepperstone and LQDFX. We will explore options such as regulations, reputations, fees, features, leverage, and more. Additionally, we will analyze and rate the brokers based on macro and micro categories and options. By reviewing these aspects, you will get a clear idea of which broker suits you best for your trading journey.
Pepperstone vs LQDFX: In a Nutshell
Pepperstone
Founded in 2010 by Owen Kerr and Joe Davenport, Pepperstone is an Australian-based forex and CFD broker that offers online trading services globally. The broker has offices in Melbourne, London, Düsseldorf, Dubai, Limassol, Nassau, and Nairobi. Pepperstone gives you access to trade more than 1,200 forex/CFDs on its powerful platforms: MT4, MT5, cTrader, and TradingView. With its technological infrastructure, Pepperstone offers lightning-speed executions, multiple trading tools, and low trading fees. It is regulated in seven jurisdictions and boasts over 400,000 clients from all over the world. To learn more, you can read our review on Pepperstone, where we have covered its features, pros, cons, ratings, and more
Pepperstone At a Glance
- Founded In: 2010
- Founder: Owen Kerr and Joe Davenport
- Headquarters : Melbourne, Australia,
- Minimum Deposit: None (However, Pepperstone recommends $200 or equivalent for margin requirements.
- Maximum Leverage: Upto 30:1 for ASIC, CySEC, FCA, BaFin, and DFSA jurisdictions, 400:1 for CMA, 200:1 for SCB, and 500:1 for Professional Accounts
- Regulations: FCA, ASIC, CySEC, BaFIN, DFSA, CMA, and SCB
- Trading platform: MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView
- Account Types: Standard, Standard (cTrader/MetaTrader 4&5), Razor (MT4, MT5, cTrader & TradingView)
- Trading Styles: All including Scalping, Hedging, News Trading, EA Trading
- Payment Options: Bank Wire (BankTransfer/SWIFT), VISA, MasterCard, BPAY, Local Bank Transfers, M-Pesa, Neteller, PayPal, Poli, Skrill, UnionPay
- US Clients: Not Accepted
LQDFX
Established in 2015, LQDFX boasts of low spreads, fast order executions, and security through client funds segregation, zero balance implementation, etc. Newbies are encouraged with multiple trading resources, demo account contests, and even micro-accounts. Investors can choose the MAM/PAMM accounts and pros can open VIP accounts
- Founded In: 2015
- Minimum Deposit: $20
- Maximum Leverage: 1:300
- Regulations: None
- Trading platform: MT4
- Account Types: VIP Account, ECN , Gold, Micro, Islamic
- Payment Options: (5+) VISA MASTER
- US Traders: Accepted
Pepperstone vs LQDFX: Features
Pepperstone:
- Trading Instruments: 1250+Trading instruments including Forex, Commodities, Cryptocurrencies, Shares/Stocks CFDs, etc
- Maximum leverage: 1:30 for retail traders of ASIC, CySEC, FCA, and BaFin jurisdictions, 1:200 for SCB Jurisdiction, 1:400 for CMA Jurisdiction, and 1:500 for professional traders.
- Minimum Deposit: No Minimum Deposit. However, Pepperstone recommends $200 or equivalent for the margin requirement.
- Account Types: Two ( Standard account, Razor Account)
- Trading Fees: Spread starting from 1 pip for Standard Account or Commission 3.00 to 3.50 per lot for Razor Account on a Single Trip.
- PAMM/ MAM: Available
- Scalping: Allowed
- News Trading: Allowed
- EA/ Robot Trading: Allowed
Pepperstone vs LQDFX: Side By Side Comparison
Pepperstone vs LQDFX: Pros and Cons
Pepperstone
- Regulated in 7 Reputed Jurisdictions (FCA in the UK, CySEC in Cyprus, ASIC in Australia, BaFin in Germany, DFSA in Dubai, CMA in Kenya, and SCB in the Bahamas)
- Fast order execution (fast execution on an average of 30 ms)
- Competitive spread starting from 0.0 pips
- Segregated clients fund with tire 1 bank
- No Inactivity Fees
- Attractive Trading Conditions
- Wide Range of Instruments Offered
- Fast and full online account opening
- MT4 Smart trader tools, Autochartist, Capitalise.ai, and free VPS are some of the trading tools available.
- US Traders not allowed
- Only CFDs are Offered
- No cent/Micro Account
- Minimum deposit 200
- Support works only 24/5
- Limited account protection for non-U.K./E.U. clients
- No guaranteed Stop loss
- 30-day expiry for demo accounts
LQDFX
- ECN broker with spreads from 0.0 pips and full STP execution.
- The minimum deposit required to start live trading is $20.
- Zero-balance protection and segregated funds.
- A 100% deposit bonus is given to traders who deposit from $250 to $20,000.
- Variety of Account Types including Swap Free Islamic Account
- Training resources in the form of video lessons, eBooks, etc.
- More than 30 video lessons are provided to train beginner traders.
- Accept multiple deposit methods such as debit/credit cards, cryptos, bank transfers, and PayRedeem eCards.
- An Economic Calendar, trading calculators, and chart analysis are some of the trading tools provided by the broker.
- No regulation from any regulatory authority.
- MT4 is the only platform available for traders.
- VIP accounts have a very high opening deposit.
- No daily market news and analysis.
- No MAM Managed Account
- Withdrawal fees for Visa and MasterCard
Pepperstone Vs LQDFX: Our Scores and Ratings
We rated both brokers, Pepperstone and LQDFX, on a scale of 1 to 10, with 0.1 increments. To achieve a comprehensive rating, we broadly grouped all services offered by brokers into 6 macro categories and assigned percentage weights to them. Each macro category is subdivided into several data points which contributes to the total score of 1.0-10.0 assigned to each macro category. Since all categories are not equally important, our weight percentage plays a significant role in assessing the broker accurately. For example, Regulation and Security contributes a total weight of 40% to the whole ratings because this is the most important rating category. To learn more, read our methodology.
Pepperstone
LQDFX
Conclusions
Pepperstone and LQDFX offer similar trading services worldwide. However, there are differences in their regulations, reputation, and operation. Pepperstone is a highly regulated and trusted forex broker. It is regulated by top-tier regulatory authorities, including FCA, ASIC, CySEC, DFSA, CMA, SCB, and BaFin. On the other hand, LQDFX is an unregulated offshore forex broker. Pepperstone provides Multiple trading platforms including MT4, MT5, cTrader, and TradingView. In contrast, LQDFX uses only MT4 as its trading platform.
As Pepperstone is not licensed in the USA, it cannot accept US clients. Being an unregulated offshore forex broker, LQDFX can onboard clients from anywhere in the world, including the USA. Therefore, non-US traders may opt for Pepperstone, while US traders looking for offshore forex brokers may consider LQDFX. Trading with offshore forex brokers is risky and not recommended.
Disclaimer: CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 74-89 % of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money
