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Merrill Edge vs Forex.com : Fees, Safety & Trading Conditions Compared (2026)
Broker Name
Merrill Edge
Forex.com
Broker Overview
Broker Type (e.g., Market Maker, ECN/STP)
ECN broker
Market maker
Years of Existence / Established Year
2010
2001
Customer Base / Number of Accounts
3.5+ Million Clients
454k + Customers
Regulation & Security
Regulations (governing bodies)
SEC, FINRA
CIRO, FSA, MAS, CySEC, NFA, CFTC, CIMA, FCA, ASIC
Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)
Kiplinger 2023 Annual Broker Review, StockBrokers.com 2024 Annual Broker Review
Best HNW Service, Best Broker for CFDs, Best in Class Overall Best in Class Mobile Trading Apps Best in Class Offering of Investments Best New Tool Performance Analytics
Security Measures
SIPC
FSCS
SSL Encryption / 2FA
Yes
Yes
Segregated Funds
Yes
Yes
Negative Balance Protection
Yes
No
Trading Instruments/Products Offered
Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)
CDs, Fixed income
5, 500+ Stocks
Currency Pairs
No
Yes
Commodities
No
Yes
Indices
No
Yes
Cryptocurrencies
No
Yes
CFDs
No
Yes
ETFs
Yes
No
Stocks
Yes
Yes
Options
Yes
No
Futures
No
No
Bonds
Yes
No
Mutual Funds
Yes
No
Fractional Shares
Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)
No
No
Precious Metals
No
Yes
Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)
No
No
Equities
No
No
Trading Platforms & Technology
Trading Platform Availability
Yes
Yes
MT4
No
Yes
MT5
No
Yes
cTrader
No
No
Social Trading
Yes
Copy Trading
No
Yes
Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)
Merrill Edge MarketPro (proprietary), Merrill Edge Self-Directed platform (web-based), Mobile app (Merrill Edge)
Forex.com Proprietary platform
Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)
Yes
Yes
Account Types & Conditions
Account Types (Retail, Pro, VIP, etc.)
Individual, Joint, Custodial, Trust, and Retirement (IRA), 529 plans
Standard, Raw spread, MetaTrader account
Demo Account (Yes/No)
Yes
Yes
Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)
No
No
Minimum Deposit
$0
$100
Leverage Available
No
50:1
Trade Limit (maximum per trade)
Depends on asset class
No information
Commission (per account type)
$0
Raw account - $7 per 100k USD traded
Best Suited For (e.g., beginners, experienced traders)
Beginners to intermediate traders
Beginners to experienced traders
Deposit & Withdrawal Options
Deposit Methods
ACH transfer, wire transfer, check deposit, transfers from Bank of America
Credit/ debit card, bank wire
Withdrawal Methods
ACH transfer, wire transfer, check deposit, transfers from Bank of America
Credit/ debit card, bank wire
Other E-Wallets Supported
No
Neteller, skrill
Tools & Educational Resources
Economic Calendar
Yes
Yes
Tools & Educational Resources (tutorials, webinars, market news, etc.)
Investing Education, Retirement Planning, Market Insights, Webinars and Online Seminars, Investment Guides and Tools
Forex Trading University, Market Analysis and Insights, Webinars, Video Tutorials, Trading Guides and eBooks, Market News and Research
Fees & Commissions
Trading-Related Fees
Commission- $0 stock and ETFs, broker-assisted trade- $29.95 or $29.95 * + $0.65 per contract
Commission: Fixed $7 USD per $100k USD traded
Spread (typical, fixed, variable)
NA
Variable
Per Lot Fees
NA
NA
Options Contract Fees
$0.65 per contact
NA
Futures Contract Fees
NA
NA
Markup Fees on Spread
NA
NA
Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees
NA
NA
Maximum Leverage
No
50:1
Non-Trading Fees
Dormant Fees
$0
$15 inactive for 12 months
Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)
NA
$5
Advisory Fees
0.85%
$30
Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)
Yes
Yes
Statement or Document Fee
NA
NA
Account Opening Fee
$0
$0
Account Maintenance Fee
$0
NA
Deposit Fee
$0
$0
Currency Conversion Fee
Varies for ADRs
0.50%
Withdrawal Fee
Wire transfer fee-$25
Free for bank transfers and debit cards, US: $25, International: $40, except over $10,000
Bonuses, Promotions & Benefits
Bonuses, Promotions, and Referrals
Yes
Yes
Customer Benefits (e.g., Retirement Plan)
Yes
No
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
Depends on the instrument offer
Customer Support
Support Hours (e.g., 24/7, weekdays only)
24/7
24/5
Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)
Phone: 888.637.3343, Schedule an appointment
Live chat: https://www.forex.com/en/contact-forex-com, Phone New accounts: Tollfree: 1-877-367-3946, International: 1-908-731-0750 Existing customers: Tollfree: 1-877-367-3946,Email New accounts: [email protected] Existing customers & inquiries: [email protected] International: 1-908-731-0750
Support Languages
2
5
Additional Information
Headquarters Location
Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
30 Independence Blvd Suite 300, 3rd Floor, Warren, New Jersey 07059, US.
Complaints (for crypto brokers)
No
No
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