HFM vs Lightyear : Fees, Safety & Trading Conditions Compared (2026)

Broker Name

HFM

Lightyear

Broker Overview

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

Market maker broker

STP

Years of Existence / Established Year

2010

2020

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

2500000 clients

Info not available

Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

FSC, CySEC, DFSA, FCA, ISA, FSCA, MAS, CMA, FMA

FCA EFSA

Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)

Best Global Affliiate Programs 2024, Best Trading Accounts Global, Best Stock Broker 2023, Best Trading Platform Broker

No major awards listed

Security Measures

Civil Liability insurance program with a limit of €5,000,000

SIPC, EIPSF Upto Euro 20,000

SSL Encryption / 2FA

Yes

Segregated Funds

Yes

Negative Balance Protection

Yes

Trading Instruments/Products Offered

Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)

Over 500 markets including energies

US / EU / UK Stocks (3500+) Interest Money Market Funds Baltic Stocks Baltic Bonds

Currency Pairs

Yes

Commodities

Yes

Indices

Yes

Cryptocurrencies

Yes

CFDs

Yes

ETFs

Yes

Stocks

Yes

Options

Futures

Bonds

Yes

Mutual Funds

Fractional Shares

Yes

Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)

Precious Metals

Yes

Yes - through Exchange Traded Commodities

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

Yes - through REIT stocks

Equities

Yes

Trading Platforms & Technology

Trading Platform Availability

Yes

MT4

Yes

MT5

Yes

cTrader

Social Trading

Yes

Copy Trading

Yes

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

HFM Platform, Web trading, Mobile trading

Lightyear's proprietary platform

Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Yes

Account Types & Conditions

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

Cent, Zero, Pro , Premium, Corporate, Joint account

Personal Business

Demo Account (Yes/No)

Yes

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

Yes

Minimum Deposit

Leverage Available

1:1000- 1:2000

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

60/ 200 Standard lots per position depends on account types

Varies for each product

Commission (per account type)

Euro 0

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

Beginners to experienced traders

Beginners

Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

Bank Transfers, Wire transfers, Credit/Debit cards,Crypto, e-Wallets

EUR - SEPA, Debit Card, Apple Pay, Google Pay GBP - FPS, CHAPS, BACS, SWIFT, Apple Pay, Google Pay USD - ACH, FedWire, SWIFT HUF - Bank transfers within Hungary

Withdrawal Methods

Bank Transfers, Wire transfers, Credit/Debit cards,Crypto, e-Wallets

Bank Transfers

Other E-Wallets Supported

FasaPay, Neteller

Tools & Educational Resources

Economic Calendar

Yes

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

Webinars, eBooks and Guides, Video Tutorials

Savings interest calculator Inflation calculator Ticker time machine Rate comparison calculator

Fees & Commissions

Trading-Related Fees

Spread: starts from 0.0- 1.2 pips, commissions: $0.03 per 1k lot, Commission for Forex: $0.03 - $3, gold: $7- $14

US Shares per order - 0.1% upto $1 maximum EU Shares per order - Euro 1 UK Shares per order - Euro 1 Money Market Funds - 0.25% annually Nasdaq Baltic - Euro 1 ETFs -Euro 0 Multi-currency account -Euro 0

Spread (typical, fixed, variable)

Variable

Per Lot Fees

Options Contract Fees

Futures Contract Fees

Markup Fees on Spread

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

Maximum Leverage

34:20:00

Info not available

Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

$10 inactive for 90 days

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

Advisory Fees

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

Statement or Document Fee

Account Opening Fee

Account Maintenance Fee

Deposit Fee

In EUR & GBP Debit Card / ApplePay / Google Pay - First Euro500 lifetime free, 0.5% after In USD FedWire & Swift - $6.11

Currency Conversion Fee

0.35%

Withdrawal Fee

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)

Varies by instrument

Vary for each asset class

Customer Support

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

24/5

24/7

Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)

Live support: Available 24/5, Email : [email protected], Phone: +44-203 097 85 71

Email: mailto:[email protected], Live chat Phone number:+1 332-333-4220.

Support Languages

27+

20+

Additional Information

Headquarters Location

financial hub of Limassol, Cyprus

Volta 1 Tallinn 10412 Estonia

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.

HFM is known for competitive pricing on basic trades, especially for beginners. However, Lightyear fee structure, though slightly higher, covers a broader range of services, making it more suitable for active traders.

While HFM prioritizes fast registration with minimal steps, Lightyear focuses on a thorough vetting process that gives more flexibility in choosing account types and features.

HFM platform is great for fast-paced day trading, especially with features like one-click trading. Lightyear platform, by comparison, is built for strategy testing and long-term portfolio management.

If you're after professional-grade platforms, HFM may be ideal. For casual investors, Lightyear offers a low-barrier entry.

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