Admiral Markets

Admiral Markets is a CFD and Forex broker with UK regulation and deposit protection. For trading, the broker provides the well-known platform MetaTrader (4 and 5). The capital requirements are below average and the conditions in trading are competitive. The market model in foreign exchange trading is one of the better on the market due to the connection of several banks. The Forex offer can be seen with over 40 tradable currency pairs. Admiral Markets is suitable for both beginners and experienced Forex traders who value a comprehensive trading offer, easily accessible customer support and a training area. Read about our Admiral Markets experience below.

Broker Profile: Who is behind Admiral Markets?

Admiral Markets now offers foreign exchange trading in more than 30 countries. The broker also has a branch office in Berlin, Germany. The headquarters of the company is located in Estonia, Tallinn. The Broker is thus subject to the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID II) and is regulated accordingly by the Estonian Financial Supervisory Authority (Admiral Markets AS). In addition, the broker is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the United Kingdom (Admiral Markets UK Limited).

Opening an account free of charge

The opening of an account with Admiral Markets is generally free of charge. The minimum deposit of 200 euros, which applies to all accounts, is also comparatively low. To open the “Admiral.Invest” account only a minimum deposit of 1 Euro is required. However, no Forex is traded via this account.

In addition to a German-language website, German customers also have various contact channels at their disposal. You have the possibility to reach German-speaking employees by e-mail, telephone and live chat. In addition, the broker offers its customers seminars at irregular intervals at its Berlin location, which are intended to supplement the range of webinars and video tutorials.

Market model and conditions

Admiral Markets initially offers trading as a market maker and, strictly speaking, on an STP basis. However, this is not immediately apparent, as the broker advertises with ECN accounts. Traders have to pay commissions with the “Admiral.Prime” account model. These are between 1.80 and 3.00 Euros per 1 lot for Forex and metals. The account models “Admiral.Markets” and “Admiral.MT5” are commission-free. Excluded from this are equity CFDs and ETF CFDs.

Trading offer: Over 40 currency pairs tradable via CFDs

Our Admiral Markets experience is mainly based on trading currency pairs via leverage. The broker provides leverage up to 1:30 for this possibility and thus complies with the ESMA guidelines. Traders who want to use the maximum possible leverage can move a higher volume in the market. In this way, contracts with a value of 3,000 euros can be traded for a small margin of 100 euros. It should always be noted that not only potential profits can be higher, but also losses. This is because leverage always works in both directions. Thus, in Forex trading there is always the risk of losing the entire investment capital.

Majors, minors and exotics

At Admiral Markets, traders have the opportunity to trade more than 40 different currency pairs through CFDs. These include Forex Majors like EUR/USD as well as Forex Minors like EUR/GBP and exotic currency pairs like USD/CZK. In addition to the available currencies, Admiral Markets also offers CFDs on indices, stocks, bonds, commodities and crypto currencies.

To start CFD and Forex trading, interested traders can register with the broker via the customer portal “Trader Room”. There they can open a live account or alternatively start with the demo account, which is filled up with a virtual balance and allows the traders to trade under real conditions.

Trading accounts: Three account models for Forex trading

For traders who wish to trade at Admiral Markets Forex, the three account models

• Markets (MetaTrader 4),
• Prime (MetaTrader 4) and
• MT5 (MetaTrader 5)

at your disposal. For the MetaTrader 5 platform, the Admiral.Invest account is also available. This account can only be used to trade shares (over 4,000) and ETFs (over 200 for Retail Clients and over 500 for Professional Clients).

While a total of 37 currencies can be traded via the two accounts Admiral.Markets and Admiral.MT5, it is possible to trade 45 currencies in the Admiral.Prime account. Otherwise, only Spot Metal CFDs, Cash Index CFDs and Spot Energy CFDs are available in this account.

Spreads from 0 pips

For prime traders the spreads start at 0 pips (in the other accounts from 0.5). However, the commission is between 1.80 and 3.00 euros per lot for Forex and metals. There are no commissions for the other two account models. The minimum deposit for all three accounts is 200 euros. The MT5 account differs from the other two accounts in that it uses MetaTrader 5 as a trading platform.

Automated trading (Expert Advisors) is possible in all accounts. The platforms can be used via the desktop, the WebTrader (via the browser) or via the Admiral Markets App.

Conditions: Spreads from 0 pips

Of course every trader wants to invest with the highest possible profit. In Forex trading, spreads play an important role in this respect. This is the difference between the purchase price (Ask) and the selling price (Bid). The spreads must be paid by the trader when placing an order. The smaller the spread, the earlier the trader is in the profit zone. That is why we also took a closer look at the Admiral Markets spreads in our test.

As described above, Admiral Markets spreads differ depending on the account model you choose. While Admiral.MT5 and Admiral.Markets accounts allow traders to trade from a spread of 0.5 pips, the Admiral.Prime account even offers a minimum spread of 0 pips. It should be noted, however, that a commission of up to 3 Euro per lot must be paid by the trader instead.

Anyone opening an account with Admiral Markets should therefore not expect to trade free of charge. All in all, however, it can be said that the costs of this broker are in the midfield compared to other providers. For example, the popular EUR/USD forex pair can be traded with a spread of 1 pip or more. Furthermore, Admiral Markets does not charge any costs for opening or maintaining an account.

Trading platforms: MetaTrader 4 and 5

Many brokers enable their customers to trade via an in-house platform. This can usually be accessed via computer, web browser or a trading app. This gives traders access to trading with Forex and other financial instruments.

The broker Admiral Markets does not provide its traders with a proprietary trading platform. However, different variants of the well-known MetaTrader are available, namely

• MetaTrader 4
• MetaTrader 5
• MetaTrader WebTrader
• MetaTrader Supreme Edition

In principle, the fact that the broker does not offer its own software does not have to be a disadvantage. After all, the MetaTrader is now one of the most popular platforms worldwide and offers users all the functions, tools and indicators they need for their trading. In our test the Admiral Markets WebTrader proved to be particularly flexible. It allows users to access their trading account from any computer with an Internet connection and a suitable browser.

In addition to MetaTrader 4 and 5, customers can also obtain the MetaTrader Supreme Edition exclusively from Admiral Markets. This allows users to benefit from the most advanced tools for MT4 and MT5.

Mobile trading via App

Last but not least, Admiral Markets customers can also access their account via a free trading app (for MetaTrader 4 and 5). The mobile application is suitable for devices with Android and iOS operating systems and can be downloaded from the corresponding App Store.

Usability of the website: Clear and informative

Often the first impression when visiting the website of a broker decides whether a trader opens an account with him or not. Whoever visits the website of the broker Admiral Markets will quickly become aware of the good structure and clarity. In keeping with the broker name, the site is designed in discreet, maritime colours. There are no garish colours or flashing pop-ups to direct the site visitors to certain topics.

On the website the main menu is divided into the following categories:

• About us
• start trading
• Markets
• Trading platforms
• Analyses
• Learning to trade
• Partnership

Each main category is in turn divided into several subcategories, through which users can access the desired topics. The broker also seems to attach great importance to transparency. Thus, the main page gives users direct access to trading conditions, fee tables, the general terms and conditions and customer service.

Account opening can also be done directly from the first page. For this purpose, there are corresponding buttons which can be used to create a live account or a demo account. If you decide to test the broker’s offer in a demo account first, the broker will give you a virtual starting balance of 10,000 euros. After the registration, which can be completed within a few minutes, the traders get immediate access to their personal profile. There they can make various settings and trade at Admiral Markets Forex without risk for practice purposes.

[list icon=”brankic-icon-checkmark3″ icon_color=”#1e73be” icon_color_hover=”#81d742″ ]About us,start trading,Markets,Trading platforms,Analyses,Learning to trade,Partnership[/list]

Payment methods and conditions: Various deposit methods

In our Admiral Markets Test, we also took a look at the possible payment methods that are provided by the broker for deposits and withdrawals.

Without the capitalization of the account, traders cannot execute trades through the broker. Admiral Markets requires a minimum deposit of 200 Euros for all accounts. Traders wishing to transfer capital to their trading account can use the following service providers and payment methods:

• Bank Transfer
• Credit card (Visa, MasterCard)
• Neteller
• Skrill
• Klarna (immediate transfer)

For traders from Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Poland, there are several other payment options available. However, these are unlikely to be of interest to traders from Germany. In principle, the available payment methods are sufficient. Only PayPal might miss some customers.

Costs for deposits and withdrawals

The experience with Admiral Markets regarding costs is also positive. For example, only the use of Neteller and Skrill causes additional costs. There is no minimum or maximum amount with the classic bank transfer. However, the transfer process usually takes a few working days, which traders should take into account. When using the other services, the instructed money is usually available within a short time.

The bank transfer is also recommended for withdrawals, if a trader does not want to pay additional fees for this. After all, two bank transfers per month are free of charge. When using the e-wallets Neteller and Skrill, the payout fees amount to 1.00 percent of the payout amount.

Customer support: Easily accessible, German-speaking customer service

Whether you are a beginner or a professional, trading currency pairs can always give rise to questions or problems. If you are looking for answers, you are then dependent on the service of your broker. Our experience with Admiral Markets has shown that customers have numerous contact options with this broker and that customer service is easily accessible.

The broker can be reached via the following channels:

• e-mail
• Phone
• Live chat
• On site (Berlin branch)

The telephone hotline given is not a free number, but it does include a area code. Those who call from the landline network and have a telephone flatrate will thus get the desired information without additional costs from their telecommunication provider.

Also the support via live chat and e-mail is free of charge. We have made the experience that customers get help particularly quickly via the chat.

The broker maintains a German branch office there, which can also be visited during the corresponding business hours.

For traders who do not speak English very well, it is always important to know whether the support of a broker is available in their language. This is because many international providers only provide support in English and therefore require foreign language skills.In the case of Admiral Markets, traders receive answers to questions in different languages via telephone, e-mail and live chat. On the website the broker points out that the customer support is not a call centre, but the traders are attended by experienced staff.

Safety and regulation: FCA regulated

Before you trade on Admiral Markets Forex and other markets, you should also know which authorities regulate the broker.

If you are wondering if Admiral Markets is working seriously, you should take a look at deposit protection and regulation. One indication of a broker’s seriousness is the regulation by a financial supervisory authority. The Admiral Markets broker is initially approved and licensed by the Estonian Financial Supervision Authority (EFSA), as the company’s headquarters are located in the city of Tallinn. In addition, the company is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). This is the financial regulator of the United Kingdom. Furthermore, the Broker complies with the requirements of the MiFID II Directive, which, among other things, regulates the Europe-wide requirements for transparency.

Deposit protection

The broker Admiral Markets says it attaches great importance to fair treatment of its customers. With regard to deposit protection, all customer funds are therefore kept separate from the company’s capital. The Broker cannot access customer deposits and use them for other purposes. This is regularly reviewed by the regulatory authority. If the Broker is no longer able to fulfil his payment obligations to customers, the customers will in any case receive their capital back. A maximum amount of 50,000 British pounds per customer is secured.

Additional offers: Demo account, Customers refer customers, Knowledge area

A demo account is now standard with brokers. Admiral Markets does not waive this offer either and provides its customers with a free test account. Via the account they can get to know the broker’s offer and the trading platform MetaTrader 4. The demo account cannot be used for the MT5, however.

Both beginners and experienced traders can benefit from real-time prices, favourable spreads and numerous other advantages in the test account and gain Admiral Markets experience. Of course, the traders trade here only with a virtual credit balance (10,000 Euro starting capital), which cannot be paid out in case of a win.

“Clients recruit clients”

A further additional offer of the broker Admiral Markets is the “Customers recruit customers” programme. Here the broker promises registered users a bonus of 100 euros if a friend registers with Admiral Markets on his recommendation. The promotion terms and conditions are available on the website.

Knowledge area: “Learning to trade

Under the main menu “Education” traders will find a lot of information about Forex trading as well as

Furthermore, the FAQ section provides users with answers to the most frequently asked questions about trading, CFDs, MetaTrader and the broker’s offer. There is also a glossary, as financial markets are known to have a lot of industry-specific vocabulary, with which especially beginners are often not familiar.

Why should traders trade with Admiral Markets?

The Admiral Markets investment companies operating under the “Admiral Markets” brand are among the most experienced and leading CFD and Forex brokers worldwide. The range of services includes trading Forex and CFDs on stocks, bonds, indices, energies, metals and crypto currencies.

The provider aims to provide its customers with the most transparent and best trading experience and provides them with a highly functional software for this purpose. Admiral Markets uses external control bodies to ensure that the regulations are observed in all internal procedures.

International presence

Admiral Markets has had the reputation and experience as one of the largest Forex brokers in the world since 2001. The provider’s strengths include the targeted local use of global power. In the MetaTrader world, Admiral Markets offers the most comprehensive range of training services: numerous training videos, local websites, on-site seminars and competent customer service.

Licenses and regulatory approval

The Admiral Markets Group is known for its investment strength, financial stability, high quality service and last but not least its impeccable reputation. Admiral Markets UK Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) under registration number 595450 and is additionally authorised to hold client capital in accordance with FCA CASS rules.

Admiral Markets UK Limited is wholly owned by Admiral Markets Group AS. This is a holding company whose assets comprise principally the equity of Admiral Markets AS and its subsidiaries Admiral Markets Pty. and Admiral Markets UK Limited.

MiFID II in Europe

MiFID II (Markets in Financial Instruments Directive 2014/65 / EU) was adopted by the European Council and the European Parliament. The directive came into force on 3.01.2018. Its task is to regulate the markets in financial instruments for the provision of investment services and activities within the European Union and the European Economic Area (EEA).

The main objective of MiFID II is to harmonise the management of the financial markets, increase financial transparency, enhance efficiency and improve competition and consumer protection in investment services.

Under the MiFID II Directive, an investment company may freely provide its services in the territory of another member state or a third country if the relevant services are covered by the investment company’s authorisation. Licensed companies meet the Europe-wide requirements for good conduct and transparency 100 percent and are therefore allowed to provide cross-border services. Both Admiral Markets AS and Admiral Markets UK Limited meet the requirements of the MiFID II Directive.

Admiral Markets UK Limited is regulated by the UK Financial Services Authority FCA. This globally recognised regulation protects customers through numerous safeguards such as deposit insurance. In the event of insolvency, customer deposits are protected by this. The FSCS (Financial Services Compensation Scheme) protects customer deposits managed by Admiral Markets UK up to a maximum of 50,000 British Pounds (approximately 60,000 Euro). In addition, deposits held in the company’s segregated accounts are protected up to £85,000 (approximately ‘100,000).

Flexible account models, training offers, security

Admiral Markets customers can make deposits in most national currencies. These are then converted into the following account currencies at low cost:

• Euro
• Pounds Sterling
• US Dollar
• Swiss franc

In order to protect the money from currency fluctuations, the broker offers customers the possibility to keep several accounts in different currencies at no additional cost. Transfers between the trading accounts are made conveniently and easily from the “Trader Room”.

Analyses and training

In order to ensure that users always receive as much information as possible, the Broker strives to provide them with the best educational opportunities. This includes YouTube videos, live webinars, themed articles and training sessions for every type of trader. The webinars range from live trading to market analysis and explanation of the trading platform.

The customer service

At Admiral Markets UK, customers do not reach a call centre, but service staff with specialist knowledge. Customer support in London is available to customers between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. every trading day. In addition, the broker is available to users via live chat or remote maintenance solutions such as Teamviewer. Inquiries can also be sent by e-mail to the customer support team.

Software and security

The Broker indicates on its website that its servers are located in close proximity to all major liquidity providers to ensure low latency and best execution. Admiral Markets also offers its clients the popular and reliable trading platforms MetaTrader 4 and 5, developed by the software provider MetaQuotes.

Conclusion of our Admiral Markets experience: Solid broker with extensive trading offer

Anyone who has experience with Admiral Markets knows that this broker is one of the longest established, largest and most experienced brokers for trading CFDs on currency pairs as well as CFDs on bonds, indices, commodities and crypto currencies.

Also in our test the broker could convince in many areas. These include, for example, the selection of tradable financial instruments and the various account models. To prevent inexperienced traders from choosing the wrong product, the accounts are presented directly on the broker’s website. Those who do not yet want to start trading with real money can also open a free demo account, which the broker provides with a virtual balance of 10,000 euros. Also with regard to the trading platforms, no criticism can be made of the broker. Although Admiral Markets does not provide a platform of its own, customers have the option of choosing MetaTrader 4 or 5. Both platforms are available as desktop version, as WebTrader and as mobile version via the Admiral Markets App.

CFDs are complex instruments and because of the leverage effect they carry a high risk of losing money quickly. 79% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.