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

Broker Name

Saxo Bank

EC Markets

Broker Overview

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

STP broker

Years of Existence / Established Year

1992

2011

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

1 million+ clients

No information

Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

FSA, FCA, MAS, JFSA, SFC, ASIC, DFSA, FINMA, MiFID

FSA,FCA, FSC

Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)

Best Prime-of-Prime Broker 2024, Best Trading Platform 2024, Best Forex Broker 2024, Best CFD Broker 2023 and Best DMA/Professional Trading Account 2023

Best Trading Liquidity Award, Best Customer Awards

Security Measures

Danish Depositor and Investor Guarantee Scheme DGS upto EUR 100,000 per depositor

FSCS

SSL Encryption / 2FA

Yes

Segregated Funds

Yes

Negative Balance Protection

Yes

Trading Instruments/Products Offered

Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)

over 71,000 financial instruments including Turbos

150+

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

Trading Platforms & Technology

Trading Platform Availability

Yes

MT4

Yes

MT5

Yes

cTrader

Social Trading

Yes

Copy Trading

Yes

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

Saxo investor, SaxoTrader GO, SaxoTrader PRO

Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Yes

Yes except Mac

Account Types & Conditions

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

Saxo account, Joint account, Corporate account, Professional account

Standard and ECN accounts

Demo Account (Yes/No)

Yes

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

Minimum Deposit

$10

Leverage Available

1:50-1:100

200:1 to 500:1

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

Depends on the assets class

Unlimited

Commission (per account type)

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

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

Beginners to experienced traders

Both beginners and experienced traders

Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

VAN bank transfer, Bank transfer, Telegraphic transfer, Credit/ debit card

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

Withdrawal Methods

Telegraphic Transfer, MEPS

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

Other E-Wallets Supported

VN pay, PoLi.

Tools & Educational Resources

Economic Calendar

Yes

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

Saxo Academy Trading Education, Market Analysis and Insights, Webinars, Trading Strategies and Ideas, Saxo TV Market News and Analysis

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

Fees & Commissions

Trading-Related Fees

Stocks - $1, ETFs-$1, Bonds- 0.05%, Mutual funds- $0, Spread on Major forex pairs- from 0.7 to 0.9 pips

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

Spread (typical, fixed, variable)

Variable

Per Lot Fees

Options Contract Fees

$0.75

Futures Contract Fees

Markup Fees on Spread

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

Maximum Leverage

1:1000

500:1

Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

100 EUR per ISIN

Advisory Fees

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

Yes

Statement or Document Fee

Account Opening Fee

Account Maintenance Fee

Deposit Fee

Plus or minus 0.25%

Currency Conversion Fee

Withdrawal Fee

$0 bank fees may apply

Bonuses, Promotions & Benefits

Bonuses, Promotions, and Referrals

Yes

Customer Benefits (e.g., Retirement Plan)

Trading Hours

Trading Hours (for each asset class if applicable)

Varies by instrument

Varies by asset type

Customer Support

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

24/5

Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)

Phone: +33 1 78 94 56 40, +44 (0)207 151 2100, +39 02 3668 2929, +31 (0)20 225 5900, +41 58 317 95 00. E-mail: [email protected], Live chat

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

Support Languages

24+

Additional Information

Headquarters Location

Copenhagen, Denmark

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

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.

Saxo Bank stands out for its zero-commission trading model, appealing to cost-conscious investors. In contrast, EC Markets offers more comprehensive services with slightly higher fees, especially for advanced tools and asset classes.

Account approval at Saxo Bank is usually completed within hours, often with automated ID checks. EC Markets might take longer due to manual reviews, but provides in-depth onboarding support along the way.

Traders who value simplicity and execution speed may prefer Saxo Bank platform. Meanwhile, EC Markets offers more flexibility through tools like advanced order types and multi-screen support.

If you're after professional-grade platforms, Saxo Bank may be ideal. For casual investors, EC Markets offers a low-barrier entry.

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