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

Broker Name

Firstrade

Firstrade

VS
ATFX

ATFX

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Broker Overview

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

STP broker

ECN

Years of Existence / Established Year

1985

2017

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

1Million

254,000 +


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Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

FINRA, SEC

FCA FSCA ASIC SCA , FSC, FSA CySEC FSC Seychelles FSA SFC

Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)

Best Online Brokers, Best for Options Traders award.

Best Global Forex Broker 2024 Best Global Forex Chairman 2024 Best Forex MT4 Broker - Asia 2024 in Global Brand Magazin Awards 2024 Most trusted forex broker in Asia 2023 in FAME awards

Security Measures

SIPC

ATFX Client funds insurance up to USD1,000,000,

SSL Encryption / 2FA

Yes

No

Segregated Funds

Yes

Yes

Negative Balance Protection

No

Yes (Not for professional clients)


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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

300+ instruments 15+ US, European & Asian stock indices, shares

Currency Pairs

No

Yes

Commodities

No

Yes

Indices

Yes- Through ETFs

Yes

Cryptocurrencies

Yes- Through ETFs

Yes

CFDs

No

Yes

ETFs

Yes

Yes

Stocks

Yes

Yes

Options

Yes

Yes

Futures

No

Yes

Bonds

Yes

No

Mutual Funds

Yes

No

Fractional Shares

Yes

Yes (only in ETFs)

Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)

Yes

No

Precious Metals

No

Yes

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

Yes

No

Equities

No

No


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Trading Platforms & Technology

Trading Platform Availability

Yes

Yes

MT4

No

Yes

MT5

Yes

Yes

cTrader

No

No

Social Trading

No

Yes

Copy Trading

No

Yes

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

Firstrade platform

ATFX Mobile Trading App

Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Yes

Yes


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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

Micro, Classic, Premium, Raw

Demo Account (Yes/No)

No

Yes

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

No

No

Minimum Deposit

$0

$100

Leverage Available

No

1:400

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

Depends on asset class

30 lots maximum trade

Commission (per account type)

$0

Raw- 7 USD per lot

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

Both beginners and experienced traders

Beginners & experienced


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Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

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

Bank transfers Credit card Debit card E-Wallets

Withdrawal Methods

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

Bank transfers Credit card Debit card E-Wallets

Other E-Wallets Supported

No

Neteller Skrill Perfect money


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Tools & Educational Resources

Economic Calendar

Yes

Yes

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

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

Tools MT4 & MT5 ATFX Copytrade Trading Central Autochartist ATFX Support & Resistance Indicator MT4 Indicators Position size calculators


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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- starts from 0.0 to 2.8 pips

Spread (typical, fixed, variable)

Typical

Variable

Per Lot Fees

NA

NA

Options Contract Fees

$0

NA

Futures Contract Fees

NA

NA

Markup Fees on Spread

NA

NA

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

NA

NA

Maximum Leverage

No

1:400


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Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

$0

$0

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

NA

$0

Advisory Fees

0.20-0.30%

$0

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

NA

NA

Statement or Document Fee

$2-$5

NA

Account Opening Fee

$0

$0

Account Maintenance Fee

$0

$0

Deposit Fee

$0

$0

Currency Conversion Fee

3%

0

Withdrawal Fee

$25-$75

5 Euro/USD charged for withdrawals below 100 EUR/USD


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Bonuses, Promotions & Benefits

Bonuses, Promotions, and Referrals

Yes

Yes

Customer Benefits (e.g., Retirement Plan)

Yes

Yes


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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

24x5 forex trading hours Sydney - 10pm to 7am summer session. 11pm to 8am winter session. Tokyo - 11pm to 8am summer session. 12pm to 9am winter session. London - 7am to 4pm summer session. 8am to 5pm winter session. New York - 12pm to 9pm summer session. 1am to 10pm winter session.


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Customer Support

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

Monday - Friday,10am - 4pm ET

24x5

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

E mail: mailto:[email protected] Line:Taiwan 00801127901 Thailand 1800012752

Support Languages

3

10+


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Additional Information

Headquarters Location

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

1st Floor, 32 Cornhill, London EC3V 3SG, 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.
Firstrade is known for competitive pricing on basic trades, especially for beginners. However, ATFX fee structure, though slightly higher, covers a broader range of services, making it more suitable for active traders.
While Firstrade prioritizes fast registration with minimal steps, ATFX focuses on a thorough vetting process that gives more flexibility in choosing account types and features.
If you're looking for platform speed and ease of execution, Firstrade delivers a smooth experience. ATFX, however, is tailored toward traders who want deeper analysis tools and portfolio insights.
Those seeking technical depth may prefer Firstrade, while ATFX shines with intuitive design and streamlined features.