TD Ameritrade and OspreyFX are online forex brokers that offer their trading services to traders and investors. TD Ameritrade is a highly regulated and trusted forex broker. It is regulated by multiple regulatory authorities including SEC, FINRA, CFTC, SFC, MAS. On the other hand, OspreyFX is an offshore forex broker which is not regulated by any regulatory bodies. Both the brokers have their own strengths and weaknesses.
In this article, we will review and compare the brokerage services offered by TD Ameritrade and OspreyFX. 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.
TD Ameritrade
Founded in 1971 as Ameritrade, TD Ameritrade is a well-known American online brokerage firm that offers a wide range of financial services including stocks, Forex, options, ETFs Mutual Funds, fixed income and other investment products TD Ameritrade went through a couple of acquisitions and mergers. In 2006, it acquired the US operations of TD Waterhouse, followed by the acquisition of Scottrade in 2017. Finally, in 2020, Charles Schwab Corporation acquired TD Ameritrade. TD Ameritrade provides access to both US and non-US traders to trade on this platform.
TD Ameritrade At a Glance
- Founded In: 1978
- Minimum Deposit: $0
- Maximum Leverage: 1:50
- Regulations: SEC , FINRA , SIPC
- Trading platform: Web Platforms, thinkorswim desktop, thinkorswim® web, Mobile Trading
- Account Types: Standard, Retirement, Education and Specialty accounts.
- Payment Options: Bank Wire (BankTransfer/SWIFT), ACH (Automated Clearing House), Check, Physical Stock Certificates, Transfer from Existing Broker
- US Clients : Accepted
OspreyFX
Founded in 2018, OspreyFX is a regulated forex broker headquartered in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. It operates as an offshore forex broker, offering leverage as high as 500:1. OspreyFX supports all trading styles; including scalping, hedging, news trading, copy trading, and algorithmic trading. Currently, it uses TradeLocker as its trading platform. The broker provides a wide range of trading instruments, such as forex, Indices CFDs, Metal CFDs, Commodities CFDs, Cryptos CFDs, and Share CFDs (US and EU). Being an offshore forex broker it can onboard clients from anywhere in the world, including the USA. However, the broker only accepts crypto deposits and withdrawals.
OspreyFX Overview
- Founded In: 2019
- Trading Instruments: 120+ including Forex, Crypto, Stocks, Indices, Commodities
- Minimum Deposit: between $25 and $500 (Depending on Account Type)
- Maximum Leverage: 1:500
- Regulations: None
- Trading Fees: Starting from 0.1 Pips
- Deposit and Withdrawal Fees: $0
- Trading platform: TradeLocker
- Account Types: 4 account types such as Standard ECN, Pro ECN, VAR, Mini
- Payment Options: Bitcoin, Crypto, Credit/Debit Cards, and PayRedeem
- US Traders: Accepted
TD Ameritrade vs Osprey: Side By Side Comparison
TD Ameritrade vs Osprey: Pros and Cons
TD Ameritrade Pros & Cons
- ETF, non-penny stock, and options trades are commission-free
- Expansive trading tools and resources for all types of investors
- Low trading fees (free stock and ETF trading)
- Regulated by FINRA, SIBC
- Part of Charles Schwab Corporation since October 2020, with a combined 28 million clients and $6 trillion in assets.
- The company does not charge fees for trading in American and Canadian stocks, options, and ETFs.
- There is a large selection of investments from which to choose
- Broker-assisted trades are somewhat costly
- No direct crypto Trading
- Forex trading via thinkorswim, a trading platform where you can trade forex
- No MT4, MT5, cTraders trading platforms are offered
- Fractional shares are not offered
- Accounts mostly limited to US residents
- As a U.S.-only forex broker, TD Ameritrade does not offer copy trading or MetaTrader (MT4).
OspreyFX Pros & Cons
- The Maximum Leverage is as high as 1:500
- ECN STP broker model
- Faster Trade Execution with Tradelocker
- Offers Multiple Account Types including, Demo accounts and Live Accounts
- Rebates and Rewards are Available for Live Trading Accounts
- Accounts can be funded with multiple crypto coins such as BTC, ETH, LTC, USDT, DOGE, etc.
- Professional traders who can prove their competence may receive funded accounts up to $200,000 and earn up to 80% of their profits.
- Unregulated Offshore Forex Broker
- No Metatrader (MT4, MT5) Trading Platfroms.
- Offers Only Tradelocker Trading Platform
- Limited Deposit and Withdrawal Methods (Cryptos, PayRedeem)
- No managed accounts or Social Trading (MAM, PAMM) Offered
- Live chat is a bit complex. To contact the chat operator, you need to first answer a series of questions from the virtual bot each time.
TD Ameritrade Vs OspreyFX: Our Scores and Ratings
We rated both brokers, TD Ameritrade and OspreyFX, 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.
TD Ameritrade:
OspreyFX
Final Verdict :
Both TD Ameritrade and OspreyFX offer similar trading services worldwide. However, there are differences in their regulations, reputations, and operations. TD Ameritrade is a regulated and trusted forex broker, supervised by top-tier regulatory authorities, including the SEC, FINRA, CFTC, SFC, MAS. In contrast, OspreyFX is an unregulated offshore forex broker. TD Ameritrade provides multiple trading platforms, including Web Platforms, thinkorswim desktop, thinkorswim®web, Mobile Trading, while OspreyFX does not offer MT4/MT5 and uses only PRO4 Trading Platform as its trading platform.
Since TD Ameritrade is licensed in the USA, it can accept U.S. clients. However, TD Ameritrade does not offer high leverage or CFD instruments due to regulatory obligations in the USA. In contrast, as an unregulated offshore broker, OspreyFX can offer U.S. traders high leverage and CFD trading. Our score for TD Ameritrade is 9.3, and for OspreyFX, it is 9 (according to our expert ratings, brokers that achieve a score of 8.00 or higher are considered safe and trustworthy).
Therefore, if you are looking for a U.S.-regulated forex broker, TD Ameritrade is a good choice. However, if you prefer to trade CFDs with high leverage, you may consider OspreyFX. Keep in mind, though, that trading with an unregulated offshore broker carries significant risks
