EC Markets vs Qtrade : Fees, Safety & Trading Conditions Compared (2026)

Broker Name

EC Markets

Qtrade

Broker Overview

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

STP broker

ECN broker

Years of Existence / Established Year

2011

2000

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

No information

1Million

Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

FSA,FCA, FSC

IIROC, CIRO

Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)

Best Trading Liquidity Award, Best Customer Awards

No major awards listed

Security Measures

FSCS

CIPF

SSL Encryption / 2FA

Yes

Segregated Funds

Yes

Negative Balance Protection

Yes

Trading Instruments/Products Offered

Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)

150+

100+ commission-free ETFs, GIC, Exchange-traded debentures, Fixed income

Currency Pairs

Yes

Commodities

Yes

Indices

Yes

Cryptocurrencies

Yes

CFDs

ETFs

Yes

Stocks

Yes

Options

Yes

Futures

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.)

Qtrade trading platform

Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Yes except Mac

Yes

Account Types & Conditions

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

Standard and ECN accounts

Cash- Individual, Society, Joint, Religious organization, Trust, Investment club, Estates Company, Registered accounts- FHSA, TFSA, RRSP, LIRA/ LRSP, RESP, RIF, LIF

Demo Account (Yes/No)

Yes

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

Minimum Deposit

$10

Leverage Available

200:1 to 500:1

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

Unlimited

$500,000

Commission (per account type)

$0 for standard account, $5 per lot per side for ECN account

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

Both beginners and experienced traders

Long term investor and self-directed investment options

Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

Union Pay, OCT 365, Swift wire transfer, Indonesia bank ATM, Bank Transfer Malaysia, THAI QR payment,e-wallets

Electronic fund transfer,bank transfer, e-transfer services, Bill payment

Withdrawal Methods

Union Pay, OCT 365, Swift wire transfer, Indonesia bank ATM, Bank Transfer Malaysia, THAI QR payment, e-wallets

Bank transfer

Other E-Wallets Supported

VN pay, PoLi.

Tools & Educational Resources

Economic Calendar

Yes

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

Trading Education, Market Analysis, Webinars, eBooks and Guides, Video Tutorials, MT4 Indicator Plugin

Education- New to investing, Experienced with investing, Weekly Market Pulse

Fees & Commissions

Trading-Related Fees

Spread for Std account: Starts from 1.0 pip, Spread for ECN accounts: Starts from 0.0 pips

Equities- $6.95- $8.75, Options- $8.75 + $1.25 per contract/ $6.95 + $1.25 per contract, ETFs- $0, Mutual fund- $8.75/ $6.95, ETFs - Others- $8.75/ $6.95, Fixed income and Exchange-traded debentures- $1 per $1,000 face value/ $1 per $1,000 face value, DAP accounts - $10 per trade, $7.75 - commissions for stock, mutual fund and ETF trades

Spread (typical, fixed, variable)

Variable

Per Lot Fees

Options Contract Fees

$8.75 + $1.25 per contract/ $6.95 + $1.25 per contract

Futures Contract Fees

Markup Fees on Spread

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

Maximum Leverage

500:1

Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

Advisory Fees

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

Yes

$45 / security

Statement or Document Fee

$2.50 / trade Paper account statements $6 / quarter

Account Opening Fee

$100 setup + $50 / year after first year

Account Maintenance Fee

$25/ quarter

Deposit Fee

Currency Conversion Fee

$100 / transaction

Withdrawal Fee

$0 bank fees may apply

Account transfer out $150

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 asset type

Pre-market trading: Available online and by phone from 8:30-9:29 AM ET, After-hours trading: Available online and by phone from 4-5 PM ET

Customer Support

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

24/5

Monday to Friday 8:30 am to 8:00 pm ET

Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)

Phone: +248 422 4099, E-mail: [email protected], Live chat

E-mail: [email protected], 1.877. 787.2330

Support Languages

Additional Information

Headquarters Location

3rd Floor, 30 City Road, London, United Kingdom, EC1Y 2AY.

Canada

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.

While EC Markets maintains low trading fees with no minimum deposit, Qtrade includes some charges for premium features and certain asset trades, making EC Markets the better option for budget-focused traders.

EC Markets offers a quick and paperless account setup that appeals to traders on the go, whereas Qtrade more involved onboarding process adds an extra layer of safety and regulatory checks.

If you're looking for platform speed and ease of execution, EC Markets delivers a smooth experience. Qtrade, however, is tailored toward traders who want deeper analysis tools and portfolio insights.

EC Markets supports complex strategies and asset diversity, while Qtrade offers clarity and low-cost access for long-term holders.

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