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City Index vs EC Markets : Fees, Safety & Trading Conditions Compared (2026)

Broker Name

City Index

City Index

VS
EC Markets

EC Markets

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Broker Overview

Broker Type (e.g., Market Maker, ECN/STP)

Market maker

STP broker

Years of Existence / Established Year

1983

2011

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

1M + active customers

No information


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Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

CIRO, CySEC, NFA, CFTC, CIMA, FCA, SFC, FSA, MAS, ASIC

FSA,FCA, FSC

Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)

Best trading app, Best CFD provider, Forex broker.com No.1- Performance Analytics new tool, Best in Class overall

Best Trading Liquidity Award, Best Customer Awards

Security Measures

FSCS

FSCS

SSL Encryption / 2FA

Yes

Yes

Segregated Funds

Yes

Yes

Negative Balance Protection

Yes

Yes


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Trading Instruments/Products Offered

Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)

13,500+ assets types including Shares

150+

Currency Pairs

Yes

Yes

Commodities

Yes

Yes

Indices

Yes

Yes

Cryptocurrencies

No

Yes

CFDs

Yes

No

ETFs

Yes

No

Stocks

No

No

Options

Yes

No

Futures

No

No

Bonds

Yes

No

Mutual Funds

No

No

Fractional Shares

Yes

No

Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)

No

No

Precious Metals

Yes

Yes

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

No

No

Equities

No

No


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Trading Platforms & Technology

Trading Platform Availability

Yes

Yes

MT4

Yes

Yes

MT5

No

Yes

cTrader

No

No

Social Trading

Yes

Yes

Copy Trading

Yes

Yes

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

City Index mobile trading app

No

Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Yes

Yes except Mac


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Account Types & Conditions

Account Types (Retail, Pro, VIP, etc.)

Standard, MT4, Corporate account

Standard and ECN accounts

Demo Account (Yes/No)

Yes

Yes

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

No

No

Minimum Deposit

€100

$10

Leverage Available

30:1

200:1 to 500:1

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

Depends on the assets class

Unlimited

Commission (per account type)

€0

$0 for standard account, $5 per lot per side for ECN account

Best Suited For (e.g., beginners, experienced traders)

Beginner to experienced

Both beginners and experienced traders


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Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

Bank transfer, credit card, debit card, e-wallets

Union Pay, OCT 365, Swift wire transfer, Indonesia bank ATM, Bank Transfer Malaysia, THAI QR payment,e-wallets

Withdrawal Methods

Bank transfer, credit card, debit card, e-wallets

Union Pay, OCT 365, Swift wire transfer, Indonesia bank ATM, Bank Transfer Malaysia, THAI QR payment, e-wallets

Other E-Wallets Supported

Paypal

VN pay, PoLi.


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Tools & Educational Resources

Economic Calendar

Yes

Yes

Tools & Educational Resources (tutorials, webinars, market news, etc.)

Reuters Insider, News and analysis, Trading tools, Advanced trading view Charts

Trading Education, Market Analysis, Webinars, eBooks and Guides, Video Tutorials, MT4 Indicator Plugin


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Fees & Commissions

Trading-Related Fees

UK Shares: 0.10% (min. €8 commission)US Shares: 1.5 cents per share (min. €8 commission)

Spread for Std account: Starts from 1.0 pip, Spread for ECN accounts: Starts from 0.0 pips

Spread (typical, fixed, variable)

Fixed and variable spreads

Variable

Per Lot Fees

NA

$5

Options Contract Fees

NA

NA

Futures Contract Fees

NA

NA

Markup Fees on Spread

NA

NA

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

$0

NA

Maximum Leverage

30:1

500:1


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Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

$15 monthly fee after 24 months of inactivity

NA

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

NA

NA

Advisory Fees

NA

NA

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

Yes

Yes

Statement or Document Fee

NA

NA

Account Opening Fee

NA

NA

Account Maintenance Fee

NA

NA

Deposit Fee

Credit/ debit card- 2%, others - €0

$0

Currency Conversion Fee

Varies by instrument

NA

Withdrawal Fee

Bank fees may apply

$0 bank fees may apply


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Bonuses, Promotions & Benefits

Bonuses, Promotions, and Referrals

Yes

Yes

Customer Benefits (e.g., Retirement Plan)

No

No


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Trading Hours

Trading Hours (for each asset class if applicable)

Varies by instrument

Varies by asset type


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Customer Support

Support Hours (e.g., 24/7, weekdays only)

24/5

24/5

Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)

Email: [email protected], Phone: 0800 060 8609, Live chat

Phone: +248 422 4099, E-mail: [email protected], Live chat

Support Languages

6

23


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Additional Information

Headquarters Location

1st Floor, Moor House, 120 London Wall, London, EC2Y 5ET

3rd Floor, 30 City Road, London, United Kingdom, EC1Y 2AY.

Complaints (for crypto brokers)

No

No


At TradingCritique, we don't just list brokers. We test, compare, and simplify your decision-making. Whether you're a beginner or a pro, our data-driven comparisons are built to match your trading style and region. Learn how we Evaluate a broker.
Both City Index and EC Markets offer affordable fee structures, but City Index generally edges out with no inactivity fees and lower commissions on standard trades, whereas EC Markets shines with bundled research and platform access.
City Index gets you trading faster thanks to its minimal entry barriers. In comparison, EC Markets account setup is slower but includes extra layers of financial screening and suitability assessments.
New traders may find City Index interface more welcoming, while EC Markets appeals to experienced users looking for tools like heatmaps, screeners, and market sentiment overlays.
City Index stands out for active traders with robust tools, while EC Markets suits investors seeking simplicity and ease of use.

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