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

Broker Name

Merrill Edge

XTB

Broker Overview

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

ECN broker

Market maker

Years of Existence / Established Year

2010

2002

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

3.5+ Million Clients

2 Million

Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

SEC, FINRA

FCA, KNF, CySEC, DFSA, BaFin, FSCA, and FSC.

Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)

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

Best for low cost ISA 2025, Best CFD Broker of 2025, Europe's fastest growing company 2025, Highly Recommended Finder Awards 2024,

Security Measures

SIPC

FSCS

SSL Encryption / 2FA

Yes

Segregated Funds

Yes

Negative Balance Protection

Yes

Trading Instruments/Products Offered

Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)

CDs, Fixed income

11400+ trading instruments, including an investment plan

Currency Pairs

Yes

Commodities

Yes

Indices

Yes

Cryptocurrencies

Yes

CFDs

Yes

ETFs

Yes

Stocks

Yes

Options

Yes

Futures

Bonds

Yes

Mutual Funds

Yes

Fractional Shares

Yes

Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)

Precious Metals

Yes

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

Equities

Yes

Trading Platforms & Technology

Trading Platform Availability

Yes

MT4

MT5

cTrader

Social Trading

Copy Trading

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

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

X station

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

Standarad, Professional

Demo Account (Yes/No)

Yes

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

Yes

Minimum Deposit

Leverage Available

1:2 to 1:500

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

Depends on asset class

Depends on assets class

Commission (per account type)

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

bank transfers, credit and debit cards, e-wallets

Withdrawal Methods

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

bank transfers, credit and debit cards, e-wallets

Other E-Wallets Supported

Skrill, Neteller

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

Educational Articles and Market Articles

Fees & Commissions

Trading-Related Fees

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

Spread 0.1 to 0.8 pips, Stock transfer fee- USD 25, ETF commission- 0.2%

Spread (typical, fixed, variable)

Variable

Per Lot Fees

0.08% per lot, or 0.16% per round turn

Options Contract Fees

$0.65 per contact

Futures Contract Fees

Markup Fees on Spread

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

Maximum Leverage

(1:500)

Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

Charges apply 12 months of inactivity

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

Advisory Fees

0.85%

0% advisory fee for cash-enhanced portfolio, 0.30% annual advisory fee for market-focused portfolio, 0.75-0.85% annual advisory fee for personal advice

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

Yes

Statement or Document Fee

Account Opening Fee

Account Maintenance Fee

Deposit Fee

$0- Bank transfer, Visa, Mastercard, or Maestro, 2% fee for deposits via Skrill.

Currency Conversion Fee

Varies for ADRs

0.50%

Withdrawal Fee

Wire transfer fee-$25

$0 - above $50, £5 or $20 fee for withdrawals below £50 or $50

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

22:00 on Sunday to 21:00 on Friday GMT.

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

Phone: +48 222 739 976, Live chat, E-mail: [email protected]

Support Languages

Additional Information

Headquarters Location

Charlotte, North Carolina, USA

Poland

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.

If minimizing trading costs is your top priority, Merrill Edge might be more attractive due to its lower commissions. Meanwhile, XTB justifies its moderate fees with more robust tools and professional-grade features.

Merrill Edge makes starting out easy with a simple application, especially for retail clients. XTB platform, while requiring more effort to join, allows experienced traders to customize their accounts from the start.

Merrill Edge integrates well with algorithmic trading tools and third-party plugins. In contrast, XTB emphasizes educational content and built-in research features within its platform.

Advanced users will enjoy Merrill Edge capabilities, but XTB remains a favorite for its streamlined and beginner-centric approach.

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