Broker

ActivTrades

by forextrader

Are you looking for ActivTrades reviews to find out how good it is to use ActivTrades?

Do you want to know if ActivTrades is reliable or if it’s just a scam?

Perfect.

In this ActivTrades review, you’ll find everything you need to dispel any doubts, with our opinions on the broker, both practical and technical, in light of years of experience with the platform.

Now all you need to do is open a free demo account to try ActivTrades’ platforms first hand and follow the review in full (75.7% of retail CFD accounts lose money).

Our opinion

Summary: Who is ActivTrades suitable for?

ActivTrades is an award-winning broker market maker with over 20 years of experience that practically runs its own platform. It is a first-class platform with many additional trading tools and favourable conditions, suitable for all traders. Not only is the broker very well regulated, but it also offers its traders many protections, including insurance that covers up to $1,000,000.

Pros and cons

Disadvantages

The biggest disadvantage of this broker is that it does not offer a direct research section. This lack may limit your access to updates and market information. However, in some cases, you can install a plugin on the MT4 trading platform to get in-depth research options for obtaining such information.

It should also be noted that the minimum entry deposit is slightly higher than average. In fact, this deposit is at least $1,000, which can be a bit high for new traders.

Advantages

ActivTrades is one of the best CFDs brokers, with many positive aspects. These include the possibility to open a 72-hour demo account without having to register at all. This demo account is a good way to familiarise yourself with the broker without risk. Among other things, it can be extended for up to 30 days after registration.

The insurance offered by the broker covers up to $1,000,000. This means that your trading capital is safe from any threat, such as insolvency, although this is a very unlikely event as ActivTrades has been in the industry for over 20 years.

CFDs and Forex

In the area of CFDs, ActivTrades offers over 500 underlying assets. This selection includes many forex pairs and CFDs on commodities, indices, shares, ETFs, futures and options. Unlike other brokers, the instrument portfolio does not go so far as to offer thousands of solutions, but still offers an excellent selection.

The lower spreads, starting at 0.5 pips for important currency pairs such as EUR/USD, are also very favourable. A low and competitive commission of 0.01% is charged on the value of the transaction in US equities.

Although ActivTrades requires a higher minimum deposit than usual, it offers all its traders a truly exceptional trading environment. The only features you won’t find are social and copy trading.

Advantages

  • The trading costs are very low
  • The broker does not charge inactivity fees
  • Excellent choice of instruments for all traders

Disadvantages

Lack of social and copy trading features

Spread Betting Viewpoint

Spread betting is available at ActivTrades, but only for UK residents due to regulation. This type of trading is well managed on all platforms offered by the broker, also at a good price. You don’t have to worry about any commissions, only that the spread remains competitive. Moreover, spread betting is available from as little as 10p per point on all available instruments such as forex, indices, commodities, equities and ETFs.

The tax benefits of spread betting are also fully available to UK residents and are fully supported by the broker. Finally, you can take advantage of customised tools and indicators. Overall, this is an excellent choice for spread betting in the UK.

Pro

  • Due to the nature of spread betting, all winnings are tax free.
  • The execution of your trades is fully automated.

Disadvantages

  • Given the very short history of spread betting in the UK, it is difficult to get comprehensive feedback on user experience.
  • Shares and ETFs can only be traded via the MT5 platform.

Security

We begin our review of ActivTrades by looking at one crucial aspect: the broker’s security. ActivTrades has been in business for a long time and has therefore already earned an excellent reputation for protecting its traders. Let’s take a close look at what it offers from this point of view.

Locations and offices

ActivTrades was founded in Switzerland in 2001. The company started as a stockbroking service. In 2005, the company moved its headquarters to London and began to expand its offering to include CFD products. Currently, the broker has the following two locations:

United Kingdom
1 Thomas More Square,
London E1W 1YN,
United Kingdom

Bahamas

209 & 210 Church Street, Sandyport,
P.O. Box SP 64388,
Nassau, Bahamas

Regulations

As far as regulations are concerned, the broker is well aware of the importance of having its operations monitored by recognised and trusted bodies as a security measure. This is exactly what it offers its traders. When you trade with the ActivTrades PLC broker, regulation is applied by the FCA (#434413), while with ActivTrades Corp, you are protected by the Bahamas SCB (#199667). These world-class regulations provide a high level of quality and protection that is recognised throughout the industry.

Protection of money

Reliable monitoring is not the only measure ActivTrades takes to protect you as a trader. They also have negative balance protection, thanks to which you can never lose more than you have deposited.

In addition, the broker deposits its clients’ funds in separate bank accounts with the best banks, offering the highest level of security. This way, in the unlikely event of ActivTrades experiencing financial problems, such as bankruptcy or insolvency, your funds are still safe. As a trader in the UK, you also have ICF insurance cover which can back you up in the event of such events. This insurance fund can normally protect up to £85,000, but the broker has extended it to provide cover up to $1,000,000.

Awards

Over its decades in the industry, the broker has received numerous awards. In total, the company has received more than 30 awards, including the 2019 Shares Award for Best Instruments and the ADVFN Award for Best Online Trading Services, also in 2019.

Security: pros and cons

To conclude the section on security, here are some advantages and disadvantages of the broker.

Advantages

  • Well regulated by the highest authorities: FCA and SCB.
  • The $1,000,000 client insurance provides excellent protection in the unlikely event of financial problems with the broker.
  • ActivTrades is an award-winning broker that has won over 30 awards over the years.

Disadvantages

  • The broker has only two locations. A somewhat limited presence for such an important broker.
  • For today’s society, regulation by only two authorities is not very extensive.
Trade shares or cryptocurrencies with CFDs now at ActivTrades

CFDs are complex instruments and carry a high risk of losing money quickly due to leverage. 81 % of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.

Costs

The next section we will focus on in this ActivTrades review is the range of accounts available with the broker and what each account type offers. Another important factor in this section is the costs associated with trading with this company.

Opening a real trading account with ActivTrades is a really simple process, as you will soon discover. All you need to do is have the documents ready to prove your identity and residency. A passport and a bank statement or even a utility bill will suffice. Otherwise, all you have to do is answer a few questions about your trading experience and your ActivTrades account will be verified in no time. In no time at all you will be ready to make your first deposit.

Kontoarten

To trade with ActivTrades, the broker offers several account types. Let’s take a look at what they are and what they offer so you can choose the one that best suits your needs.

Demo

The demo account is always a good starting point for any broker, whether you are a beginner or just want to get to know the company better. With this account, you can find out exactly what the broker offers in a realistic, risk-free trading environment with a virtual currency. When you open a demo account, you are not even obliged to deposit real money. In short, it’s the perfect way to learn and improve your skills and knowledge.

ActivTrades offers a demo account that is valid for a 30-day trial period. The broker is one of the few that even offers a demo without registration. After this period, you will be asked for some basic personal information in order to continue the trial period. This information is your full name, email address, phone number and password.

ActivTrades Individual Account

One of the most popular options among the various ActivTrades accounts is the Individual Account. This account requires a minimum deposit of $1,000, but once opened you can trade over 500 CFD instruments using MT4, MT5 or the ActivTrades platform. Incidentally, the spreads on this type of account are excellent, starting at just 0.5 pips. If required, you can also use this ActivTrades account as an Islamic trading account.

ActivTrades Islamic Account

The ActivTrades Islamic account is available for traders who need a swap-free account. The Islamic account has a very competitive minimum deposit of only $500. The swap-free account is available on MT4 as a USD-only account and on MT5 with all base currencies.

There are no swap fees with this type of account, making it sharia compliant. However, if you hold a position for longer than 24 hours, a swap fee will be charged.

ActivTrades Professional Account

ActivTrades also offers a professional account. To qualify for this type of account, you must meet at least two of the following requirements:

  • They have made an average of 10 transactions of significant size per quarter over the past year.
  • Possession of a portfolio of financial instruments of more than €500,000 (in the bank or trading account).
  • sufficient relevant experience in the financial services sector

If you meet two of these conditions, you will get access to the professional account with a minimum deposit of $2,000, which offers higher leverage of up to 400:1 on forex and other great features, such as a free VPS and advanced charting and analysis tools.

Account base currency

ActivTrades offers 4 base currencies: USD, EUR, GBP and CHF. So if your desired currency matches one of these currencies, you can avoid conversion fees.

Deposit

Let’s take a look at everything you need to know about depositing with ActivTrades, from the minimum amount required to all the methods you can use to make deposits.

ActivTrades Minimum Deposit

Derzeit beträgt die Mindesteinlage bei ActivTrades $1.000, es sei denn, Sie sind ein islamischer Trader, in diesem Fall sinkt sie auf $500. Dies ist im Vergleich zu anderen Brokern eine recht hohe Summe.

Deposit methods

ActivTrades allows deposits via bank transfer, Visa and MasterCard credit/debit cards and eWallets such as Skrill, Neteller, PayPal or SoFort. Usually deposits are processed within 30 minutes, but it really depends on the method used.

Fees for the deposit

Deposits with ActivTrades are commission free. The only exceptions are any fees charged by your bank for transfers or if you need to convert the deposited currency into the base currency of your account. If you are a resident of the EU and make a deposit from outside the European Union, a fee of 1.5% of the deposit will also be charged.

Withdrawals

Let’s take a look at what you can expect from ActivTrades when you withdraw money from your account.

Withdrawal methods

The withdrawal methods available at ActivTrades are the same as for deposits. Thus, we find bank transfer, major credit/debit cards and various eWallets. The processing of withdrawals by the broker can take up to 48 hours.

Withdrawal fees

Here, too, withdrawals are usually commission-free. The only exception is withdrawals in USD, for which a flat fee of $12.50 may be charged.

Trade shares or cryptocurrencies with CFDs now at ActivTrades

CFDs are complex instruments and carry a high risk of losing money quickly due to leverage. 81 % of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.

Spreads und Kommissionen

ActivTrades bietet nur volatile Spreads, beginnend bei 0,5 Pips. Hier finden Sie einige Beispiele für die Spreads der beliebtesten Instrumente des Brokers.

  • EUR/USD – 0.5 pips
  • Gold – 25 pips
  • SPX500 – 0.23 pips
  • US Securities – $0.02

Compared to the commissions and spreads charged by other brokers, these are of course very competitive.

Commissions

Schauen wir uns nun die gebräuchlichsten Kommissionen an, denen Sie beim Handel mit ActivTrades begegnen können.

Overnight Commissions

Overnight commission is common across all brokers and is charged on virtually every instrument available as a CFD on ActivTrades. This fee is charged to maintain an instrument overnight and is charged when the markets close. As it is a dynamic commission that changes depending on the instrument and market, you can see the exact amount for the trade on your trading platform.

The only account that does not have a swap fee is the Islamic account as it is Shariah compliant.

Inactivity fees

Unlike many other brokers, you will be pleased to know that ActivTrades does not charge inactivity fees. A great factor for the casual trader.

Costs: Advantages and disadvantages

Here are some of the highlights in terms of account types and trading costs where ActivTrades excels and some that it could improve.

Advantages

  • You can open a 72-hour demo account without having to register.
  • The broker does not charge an inactivity fee. Perfect for occasional traders.
  • Trading costs are low overall.

Disadvantages

  • The ActivTrades demo account expires after 30 days.
  • The minimum deposit required by the broker requires is much higher than others.
  • Only 4 base currencies are available and the choice of accounts is quite limited.

Trading

Let’s now take a look at the trading experience rating with ActivTrades so you know exactly what to expect from this broker. Since this is one of the most important aspects of any broker, we will review everything you need to know about trading with the company.

Trading features

Here’s an overview of all the features the broker offers so you can have the best experience possible.

Execution

When it comes to the execution of your trades, ActivTrades is a market maker broker. This means that they execute your trades as a counterparty and create their own internal market. While this aspect may not be appreciated by all, it does mean that you know the cost of your trades more accurately, with minimal variance; a factor that gives the broker more freedom of action when it comes to commissions and more.

Size

The minimum trade size at ActivTrades is 1 micro lot. One micro lot is equivalent to 0.01 standard lots or $1,000. So this is the amount required to open a position. However, if you use the leverage offered by the broker, you can significantly reduce the amount you need to stake for a single trade.

Techniques

If you are interested in scalping and hedging as trading techniques, you will be pleased to hear that ActivTrades allows both. You can also do algorithmic trading through the MT4 platform, and the use of a VPS is allowed, so the broker even provides a free VPS to its professional clients.

Risk management

Of course, risk management is an important aspect of trading. ActivTrades offers several useful tools for this purpose that help you better manage your open positions and those you intend to open. These tools, available directly on the trading platforms, include the ability to configure stop losses, take profits and trailing stops for your open positions. You can also set up limit orders to control the opening of new trades, and the broker can make margin calls when you trade with financial leverage. This way you can ensure that you always have enough money in your account.

Trading hours

Trading hours depend on the underlying asset. However, foreign exchange and commodities trading is available around the clock from Monday to Friday. Stocks, indices and bonds, on the other hand, vary according to local trading hours.

Leverage

European (including UK) clients can use a maximum leverage of 1:30 at ActivTrades, while professional clients can use up to 1:400.

However, traders based outside the EU fall under the SCB, which allows them to open positions up to 1:400.

However, the leverage of the SCB may vary depending on the size of the trading account:

  • 1:400 – Under $50,000
  • 1:200 – From $50,001 to $100,000
  • 1:100 – From $100,001 to $250,000
  • Variable – Over $250,000

Platforms and mobile devices

Trading platforms are your window to the market. So let’s look at what the broker offers in terms of platforms and additional tools to support your trading activities.

Charts and operational tools

On the MT4 and MT5 platforms you will find all the charting and trading tools available at ActivTrades. The wide range of tools offered by these two platforms is well known, including over 51 charting indicators and 31 drawing tools. In addition, you can place orders directly from the charts and even trade with one click, which is perfect for scalping. Price alerts are also available.

With ActivTrades you also get access to several premium tools for MT4, such as SmartOrder 2, which improves execution, adds OCO orders and more. Smartlines can automatically set orders based on trends, while SmartTemplate, SmartForecast and SmartPattern are available with the same plug-in package to give you an even more in-depth and customisable trading experience.

ActivTrades Desktop Platforms

For desktop computers, ActivTrades gives you a choice of MT4, MT5 or the in-house platform. You have access to some of the most powerful trading platforms in the industry, as MetaTrader is considered the preferred and robust solution by most traders. What’s more, with these apps working on virtually any device, you benefit from a wide range of indicators and charting tools. MT4, MT5 and ActivTrades’ own platform seamlessly support Windows and Mac.

ActivTrades WebTrader platforms

MT4, MT5 and the ActivTrades proprietary platform can also be used as webtraders. With these applications, you can even use the broker’s demo account, which is available for 72 hours without registration.

The most practical thing about these web traders is that you can simply use them via your browser without having to install anything. They are very intuitive and user-friendly, but still offer all the features of their desktop counterparts.

ActivTrades Mobile Platforms

For mobile devices you have MT4, MT5 and the ActivTrades platform. The mobile version of MT4 is very powerful compared to the other mobile trading platforms as it offers so many features. With these apps, you can easily manage your account, make deposits and withdrawals and even view charts on the go. MT4, MT5 and the ActivTrades mobile platform are available for both iOS and Android, for phone, tablet or other smart devices.

Märkte

ActivTrades bietet ausschließlich CFD-Handel an. Insgesamt sind bei dem Broker mehr als 500 Instrumente verfügbar. Schauen wir uns also genauer an, auf welchen Märkten Sie handeln können.

Forex

With ActivTrades you can trade over 45 currency pairs. These include major, minor and exotic pairs. Spreads for currency pairs start at just 0.5 pips.

Commodities

You can trade CFDs of 4 commodities. These include gold and silver, WTI energy and crude oil.

Indices

At ActivTrades you can trade 10 indices from around the world including the UK, USA, Brazil and the EU.

Equities

ActivTrades also offers CFD share trading for over 500 companies. These stocks cover a good global range including 2 US indices, 12 European, 7 Asian, 6 from South America, one from South Africa and one from Australia. You will find stocks of all major companies to suit your trading needs.

ETFS

More than 20 ETFs are also available for trading. These ETFs cover a range of sectors including energy, financials, healthcare, industrials, technology and real estate, and you can invest from as little as $1.

Futures

ActivTrades also allows you to trade over 30 futures. These include 16 indices, 9 agricultural, 4 energy, 1 metals and more.

Options

One option is the German index DAX30.

Products

Let’s take a look at some of the products you can access when trading with ActivTrades.

ActiveTrade (proprietary trading platform)

ActivTrades’ proprietary trading platform is available for computers, smartphones and tablets. ActiveTrade offers a user-friendly design with different order types and even supports hedging. The trading platform also offers a comprehensive range of data, including both real-time charts and market sentiment indicators, so you can analyse them to the depth you want. Overall, it offers a good user experience and is a great alternative to the broker’s MT4 and MT5 versions.

Social trading – Copy Trading

Currently, ActivTrades does not offer any direct social or copy trading services. However, using the EA functionality on MT4, you can do a form of copy trading by running strategies and robots from other users in the platform community.

Trading: pros and cons

Here are some of ActivTrades’ strengths in terms of trading experience and other aspects that could be improved.

Advantages

  • MT4 offers a range of premium charting tools that enhance the already very good platform.
  • The broker offers a good selection of trading platforms, including its own.

Disadvantages

  • It is not possible to trade nanolots. The microlot is the smallest trading size.
  • No copy or social trading services are available directly from the broker.
Trade shares or cryptocurrencies with CFDs now at ActivTrades

CFDs are complex instruments and carry a high risk of losing money quickly due to leverage. 81 % of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.

Support

To complete our review of ActivTrades, let’s take a look at two other areas that have a big impact on a forex trader’s current and future career. We are referring to the broker’s educational infrastructure and the various support channels available to traders. Let’s take a look at what exactly they offer.

Languages

ActivTrades is available in over 10 languages. These include English, Spanish, French, Russian, Arabic, Mandarin Chinese and Cantonese. The range of languages gives traders from all over the world the opportunity to access trading services.

Search

Unfortunately, ActivTrades does not have a dedicated search section. The only offering in this regard are the tools available as plugins for MT4. Thanks to these, you can add order types such as OCOs and get forecasts based on the instrument’s historical trend, support and resistance levels. So, although they are not a direct offer from the broker, they are still an excellent source for research.

Customer support

ActivTrades’ customer support is available in 8 languages and offers support via web chat, phone calls, email and also a good FAQ section that can answer many of the most frequently asked questions you may have.

Education

The broker’s education section is also well stocked. You’ll find 19 PDF documents covering a very good range of topics, from trading platforms to premium tools like Smartlines and more. In addition to this very useful content, there is also a comprehensive trading glossary and a series of 18 video tutorials on topics useful for both beginners and experienced traders.

Training and support: pros and cons

Let’s see what are the positive aspects of the broker’s training and support offering and what aspects should be improved.

Advantages

  • ActivTrades’ services are available in many languages and are therefore easily accessible.
  • The education section is very extensive and offers content for traders of all levels.

Disadvantages

  • It lacks a dedicated research area, which is a major shortcoming for a quality broker with this level of experience.
Trade shares or cryptocurrencies with CFDs now at ActivTrades

CFDs are complex instruments and carry a high risk of losing money quickly due to leverage. 81 % of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.

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