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

Broker Name

Firstrade

EC Markets

Broker Overview

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

STP broker

Years of Existence / Established Year

1985

2011

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

1Million

No information

Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

FINRA, SEC

FSA,FCA, FSC

Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)

Best Online Brokers, Best for Options Traders award.

Best Trading Liquidity Award, Best Customer Awards

Security Measures

SIPC

FSCS

SSL Encryption / 2FA

Yes

Segregated Funds

Yes

Negative Balance Protection

Yes

Trading Instruments/Products Offered

Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)

2200+ ETFs including CDs, Treasury bills, Notets and bonds, Primary market CDs, Zeros and strips and more

150+

Currency Pairs

Yes

Commodities

Yes

Indices

Yes- Through ETFs

Yes

Cryptocurrencies

Yes- Through ETFs

Yes

CFDs

ETFs

Yes

Stocks

Yes

Options

Yes

Futures

Bonds

Yes

Mutual Funds

Yes

Fractional Shares

Yes

Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)

Yes

Precious Metals

Yes

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

Yes

Equities

Trading Platforms & Technology

Trading Platform Availability

Yes

MT4

Yes

MT5

Yes

cTrader

Social Trading

Yes

Copy Trading

Yes

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

Firstrade platform

Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Yes

Yes except Mac

Account Types & Conditions

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

Brokerage account- Individual, Joint, Custodial, Retirement- Retirement (Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, SEP IRA), Corporate, Trust, International, Education Planning, Business Planning

Standard and ECN accounts

Demo Account (Yes/No)

Yes

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

Minimum Deposit

$10

Leverage Available

200:1 to 500:1

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

Depends on asset class

Unlimited

Commission (per account type)

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

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

Both beginners and experienced traders

Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

Wire Fund Transfer, Check deposit, Asset transfer, ACH electronic transfer

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

Withdrawal Methods

Wire Fund Transfer, Check Deposit, Asset transfer, ACH electronic transfer, Withdrawal of sales proceed

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

Other E-Wallets Supported

VN pay, PoLi.

Tools & Educational Resources

Economic Calendar

Yes

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

Education Center, Investment Education Videos, Option Guide, Margin Guide, Webinars, Tax center, Blogs, Upcoming IPOs

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

Fees & Commissions

Trading-Related Fees

Commission for stocks, ETFs, Options, Mutual funds- $0, Fixed income- Treasury Bills, Notes & Bonds, Municipal Bonds, Agency Bonds, Secondary Market CDs, Zeros & Strips- Net yield basis, Primary Market CDs- $30, Broker-Assisted Stock & Options Trades- $19.95 (+$0.50/Contract)

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

Spread (typical, fixed, variable)

Typical

Variable

Per Lot Fees

Options Contract Fees

Futures Contract Fees

Markup Fees on Spread

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

Maximum Leverage

500:1

Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

Advisory Fees

0.20-0.30%

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

Yes

Statement or Document Fee

$2-$5

Account Opening Fee

Account Maintenance Fee

Deposit Fee

Currency Conversion Fee

Withdrawal Fee

$25-$75

$0 bank fees may apply

Bonuses, Promotions & Benefits

Bonuses, Promotions, and Referrals

Yes

Customer Benefits (e.g., Retirement Plan)

Yes

Trading Hours

Trading Hours (for each asset class if applicable)

Pre-Market: 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM ET Regular Market: 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM ET After-Hours: 4:05 PM to 8:00 PM ET

Varies by asset type

Customer Support

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

Monday - Friday,10am - 4pm ET

24/5

Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)

Phone: U.S. Toll Free: 1-800-869-8800, Outside the US: 1-718-961-6600, E-mail, FAQ, Fax: 1-718-961-3919

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

Support Languages

Additional Information

Headquarters Location

30-50 Whitestone Expwy. Ste. A301 Flushing, NY 11354

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

Complaints (for crypto brokers)

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.

While Firstrade maintains low trading fees with no minimum deposit, EC Markets includes some charges for premium features and certain asset trades, making Firstrade the better option for budget-focused traders.

The account creation flow at Firstrade is modern and app-driven, making it seamless for new users. EC Markets, however, leans toward traditional processes with forms and verifications that take more time.

Firstrade provides a modern trading experience with its proprietary or MT5 platform, ideal for technical traders. EC Markets, on the other hand, offers more research tools and is better suited for data-driven investors.

Firstrade supports complex strategies and asset diversity, while EC Markets offers clarity and low-cost access for long-term holders.

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