Forex traders always look for trading with brokers that suit their trading needs and preferences. XM and LQDFX are online forex brokers that offer their trading services to traders and investors. XM is a regulated and trusted forex broker. It is regulated in two tier-1, two tier-2, and one tier-4 jurisdictions including ASIC, CySEC, FSCA, FSC-Belize, and DFSA. 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 XM 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.
XM vs LQDFX: In a Nutshell
XM
XM is a well-regulated Australian broker founded in 2009. On its MT4 and MT5 platforms, you can trade over 1,000 forex, CFDs and even real stocks. Its ultra-low standard and micro accounts come with low trading fees. Trading tools like Autochartist, market news and analysis are provided.
Risk warning: 72.89% of CFD accounts lose money
XM Overview
- Founded In: 2009
- Founder: Constantinos Cleanthous
- Headquarters: Limassol, Cyprus.
- Trading Instruments: 1000+ trading instruments including forex, cryptocurrencies, stock CFDs turbo stocks, commodities, equity indices, thematic indices, precious metals, energies, shares
- Minimum Deposit: $5 for Micro, Standard, Ultra low accounts, and $10,000 for share accounts
- Maximum Leverage: up1000:1 for Standard, Micro, and Ultra-low accounts, No leverage for share account
- Regulations: FSC, ASIC, CySEC, DFSA, FSCA
- Trading platform: MT4, MT5, XM trading apps
- Spreads: As low as 0.6pips
- Account Types: Standard, Micro, Ultra-low, Share accounts
- Trading Styles: Allows all trading styles including scalping, news trading, copy trading, EA trading
- Payment Options: Bank Wire (BankTransfer/SWIFT), VISA, MasterCard, Neteller, Skrill
- Funding Currencies: USD, EUR, GBP, JPY, CHF, AUD, HUF, PLN, SGD, ZAR
- US Traders: 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
XM vs LQDFX: Pros and Cons
XM Pros & Cons
- Regulated by CySEC, ASIC, DFSA in UAE, and FSC Belize.
- Easy and fast account opening
- Minimum deposit is $5
- Over 1000 forex/CFDs are available for trading.
- MT4 and MT5 are the available trading platforms.
- Quality research, market analysis, and access to trading tools like Autochartist.
- Quality training for newbies and ‘ultra-low micro account’ for beginners.
- High leverage up to 1000:1 (this leverage is not available to all the entities of the Group)
- Dormant fees are charged after 3 months of no account activity.
- Trading of real stocks is not available to European traders.
- Traders have no other choice apart from the MetaTrader platforms.
- Limited tradable assets.
- No passive investment services (social trading platform, PAMM accounts);
- Funding with PayPal is unavailable
LQDFX Pros & Cons
- 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
XM vs LQDFX: Side-by-Side Comparison
XM Vs LQDFX: Our Scores and Ratings
We rated both brokers, XM 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.
XM :
LQDFX
Final Verdict :
Both XM and LQDFX offer similar trading services worldwide. However, there are differences in their regulations, reputation, and operation. XM is a highly regulated and trusted forex broker. It is regulated by top-tier regulatory authorities, including ASIC, CySEC, FSCA, FSC-Belize, and DFSA. On the other hand, LQDFX is an unregulated offshore forex broker. XM provides Multiple trading platforms including MT4, MT5, WebTrader, NinjaTrader, MotiveWave, MultiCharts, TradingView, and more. On the Contrary, LQDFX uses MT4 as its trading platform.
As XM 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 XM, while US traders looking for offshore forex brokers may consider LQDFX. However, Trading with offshore forex brokers is risky and not recommended
