Merrill Edge vs Eightcap : Fees, Safety & Trading Conditions Compared (2026)

Broker Name

Merrill Edge

Eightcap

Broker Overview

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

ECN broker

ECN

Years of Existence / Established Year

2010

2009

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

3.5+ Million Clients

80,000 +

Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

SEC, FINRA

SCB ASIC CySEC FCA

Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)

Kiplinger 2023 Annual Broker Review, StockBrokers.com 2024 Annual Broker Review

Best Broker in Australia in 2024 by FXEmpire Best Forex Brokers 2024 Best Crypto CFD Trading Broker by FXEmpire 2024 Top CFD Broker by FXEmpire 2024

Security Measures

SIPC

FSCS

SSL Encryption / 2FA

Yes

Segregated Funds

Yes

Negative Balance Protection

Yes

Yes (only to retail clients. Not for professional traders)

Trading Instruments/Products Offered

Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)

CDs, Fixed income

800+ CFD markets

Currency Pairs

Yes

Commodities

Yes

Indices

Yes

Cryptocurrencies

Yes

CFDs

Yes

ETFs

Yes

Stocks

Yes

Options

Yes

Futures

Yes

Bonds

Yes

Mutual Funds

Yes

Fractional Shares

Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)

Precious Metals

Yes

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

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.)

Merrill Edge MarketPro (proprietary), Merrill Edge Self-Directed platform (web-based), Mobile app (Merrill Edge)

Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Yes

Account Types & Conditions

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

Individual, Joint, Custodial, Trust, and Retirement (IRA), 529 plans

Standard account Raw account TradingView account

Demo Account (Yes/No)

Yes

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

Minimum Deposit

$100

Leverage Available

1:30

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

Depends on asset class

Maximum 100 lots

Commission (per account type)

Standard - $0 TradingView - $0 Raw - Each side: 3.5 AUD, USD, NZD, SGD, CAD | 2.25 GBP | 2.75 EUR per standard lot traded

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

Beginners to intermediate traders

Beginners & experienced

Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

ACH transfer, wire transfer, check deposit, transfers from Bank of America

Wire Transfer Credit/debit cards UnionPay Bitcoin Ewallets

Withdrawal Methods

ACH transfer, wire transfer, check deposit, transfers from Bank of America

Wire Transfer Ewallets Bitcoin

Other E-Wallets Supported

Skrill Neteller Fasapay Dragonpay

Tools & Educational Resources

Economic Calendar

Yes

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

Investing Education, Retirement Planning, Market Insights, Webinars and Online Seminars, Investment Guides and Tools

Capitalise.ai AI-powered Economic calendar Eightcap labs Trade Zone Events & Webinars Flash trader

Fees & Commissions

Trading-Related Fees

Commission- $0 stock and ETFs, broker-assisted trade- $29.95 or $29.95 * + $0.65 per contract

Spread- starts from 0.0 pips

Spread (typical, fixed, variable)

Variable

Per Lot Fees

$3.50 per lot per side

Options Contract Fees

$0.65 per contact

Futures Contract Fees

Markup Fees on Spread

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

Maximum Leverage

1:30

Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

Advisory Fees

0.85%

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

Yes

Statement or Document Fee

Account Opening Fee

Account Maintenance Fee

Deposit Fee

Currency Conversion Fee

Varies for ADRs

Withdrawal Fee

Wire transfer fee-$25

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 trading: 7:00 AM to 9:30 AM ET, Regular trading hours: 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM ET, After-hours trading: 4:01 PM to 8:00 PM ET

Crypto - Monday-Sunday (00:00 - 23:59) Forex - 10PM to 7AM Commodities - Monday-Friday (03:00 - 24:00) Stocks US - 9:30am to 4pm

Customer Support

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

24/7

24x5

Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)

Phone: 888.637.3343, Schedule an appointment

E mail: mailto:[email protected] Call / Chat: +61 3 8592 2375

Support Languages

13+

Additional Information

Headquarters Location

Charlotte, North Carolina, USA

Aiolou & Panagioti Diomidous 9, Katholiki, 3020, Limassol, Cyprus.

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.

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

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

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

Those seeking technical depth may prefer Merrill Edge, while Eightcap shines with intuitive design and streamlined features.

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