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E*TRADE vs FXCM : Fees, Safety & Trading Conditions Compared (2026)

Broker Name

E*TRADE

E*TRADE

VS
FXCM

FXCM

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Broker Overview

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

Both ECN and STP broker

Market maker

Years of Existence / Established Year

1982

1999

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

5.2 million client accounts

No information


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Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

FRS, FINRA, SIPC, SEC, NFA, FDIC

FCA, CySEC, ASIC, FSCA, ISA

Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)

Investor App and #1 Web Trading Platform for 2024, Benzinga's 2023 Global Fintech Awards

Best In Class 2024 - ForexBrokers.com

Security Measures

SIPC

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)

Over 50,000 offerings, including US Treasury trades

10,000+ trading instruments shares

Currency Pairs

No

Yes

Commodities

No

Yes

Indices

No

Yes

Cryptocurrencies

No

Yes

CFDs

No

Yes

ETFs

Yes

No

Stocks

Yes

No

Options

Yes

No

Futures

Yes

No

Bonds

Yes

No

Mutual Funds

Yes

No

Fractional Shares

No

No

Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)

No

No

Precious Metals

No

Yes

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

No

No

Equities

No

No


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Trading Platforms & Technology

Trading Platform Availability

Yes

Yes

MT4

No

Yes

MT5

No

No

cTrader

No

No

Social Trading

No

Yes

Copy Trading

No

Yes

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

Power Etrade web, Power Etrade app

Trading station, Trading View Pro

Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Yes

Yes


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Account Types & Conditions

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

Brokerage, Retirement, Core portfolio, Managed portfolio, Small business retirement , bank

Standard, Active trading, Spread betting, Professional

Demo Account (Yes/No)

Yes

Yes

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

No

Yes

Minimum Deposit

$0

$50

Leverage Available

No

30:1 to 1000:1

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

Depends on assets class

50 million per trade

Commission (per account type)

$ 4 / lot

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

Beginners to experienced traders

Active and experienced traders


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Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

Transfer money, Wire transfer, Transfer an account, Deposit a check ,Direct Deposit

Debit/Credit Card Via mobile app, Bank wire, China online payment, Crypto

Withdrawal Methods

E-wallets, check, Wire transfer

Debit/Credit Card, Bank Wire, Local Bank Transfer, and Online Bank Transfer.

Other E-Wallets Supported

Electronic transfer

Skrill, Neteller, Google pay, Apple pay


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Tools & Educational Resources

Economic Calendar

No

Yes

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

Educational Resources, Tools, Market News and Insights, Tutorials and Webinars

Education, Trading Guides, Trading Tools, Research


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Fees & Commissions

Trading-Related Fees

Stocks, options, mutual funds, ETFs- $0, Bonds- $1, FINRA trading activity fee- $0.000166

Spread- 1.3 pips

Spread (typical, fixed, variable)

NA

Typical

Per Lot Fees

NA

NA

Options Contract Fees

$0.65

NA

Futures Contract Fees

$1.50

NA

Markup Fees on Spread

NA

NA

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

NA

NA

Maximum Leverage

No

1000:1


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Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

$0

$50

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

NA

NA

Advisory Fees

0.30%

$30

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

NA

No

Statement or Document Fee

$2

NA

Account Opening Fee

NA

$0

Account Maintenance Fee

$15/ month

$25

Deposit Fee

$0

$0

Currency Conversion Fee

Direct trade-$0.005 per share, Broker assisted trader- $25

$0

Withdrawal Fee

Check return - $25, Electronic return -$25

$0


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Bonuses, Promotions & Benefits

Bonuses, Promotions, and Referrals

Yes

Yes

Customer Benefits (e.g., Retirement Plan)

Yes

No


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Trading Hours

Trading Hours (for each asset class if applicable)

Sunday 5 p.m. CT to Friday 4 p.m. CT

Varies by product


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Customer Support

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

8 AM - 8 PM ET on weekdays

24/5

Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)

Live chat, FAQ, Phone- 800-387-2331, 800-838-0908, Beneficiary Services: [email protected] General inquiries: [email protected]

WhatsApp: +44 7537 432259 (message only), Email: [email protected], Live chat, Request a call

Support Languages

1

7


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Additional Information

Headquarters Location

Arlington, Virginia, United States Buyenlarge, Getty

London, United Kingdom

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 E*TRADE and FXCM offer affordable fee structures, but E*TRADE generally edges out with no inactivity fees and lower commissions on standard trades, whereas FXCM shines with bundled research and platform access.
If speed and simplicity matter to you, E*TRADE delivers a streamlined account setup. In contrast, FXCM includes more documentation and KYC checks, which can delay access but ensures strong compliance.
E*TRADE excels in real-time trade execution with minimal latency, whereas FXCM complements its execution with strong analytical modules and educational support within the platform.
E*TRADE caters to serious traders who value advanced features, whereas FXCM appeals to beginners due to its user-friendly platform.

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