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EC Markets vs TD Direct Investing : Fees, Safety & Trading Conditions Compared (2026)

Broker Name

EC Markets

EC Markets

VS
TD Direct Investing

TD Direct Investing

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Broker Overview

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

STP broker

None

Years of Existence / Established Year

2011

1984

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

No information

17 M


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Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

FSA,FCA, FSC

CIPF, 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

Yes

Segregated Funds

Yes

Yes

Negative Balance Protection

Yes

Yes


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Trading Instruments/Products Offered

Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)

150+

Fixed income investments, GICs

Currency Pairs

Yes

No

Commodities

Yes

No

Indices

Yes

No

Cryptocurrencies

Yes

Yes

CFDs

No

No

ETFs

No

Yes

Stocks

No

Yes

Options

No

Yes

Futures

No

No

Bonds

No

Yes

Mutual Funds

No

Yes

Fractional Shares

No

No

Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)

No

No

Precious Metals

Yes

Yes

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

No

No

Equities

No

Yes


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Trading Platforms & Technology

Trading Platform Availability

Yes

Yes

MT4

Yes

No

MT5

Yes

No

cTrader

No

No

Social Trading

Yes

No

Copy Trading

Yes

No

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

No

TD app, web trader, Advanced dashboard, TD active trader

Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Yes except Mac

Yes


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Account Types & Conditions

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

Standard and ECN accounts

Margin account, cash trading account, TFSA, RSP, RESP, RIF, LIRA, LIF, RDSP

Demo Account (Yes/No)

Yes

No

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

No

No

Minimum Deposit

$10

$0

Leverage Available

200:1 to 500:1

No

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

Unlimited

Depends on asset types

Commission (per account type)

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

NA

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

Both beginners and experienced traders

Beginners and experienced traders


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Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

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

Direct bank account, Check

Withdrawal Methods

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

SWIP, Wire payment

Other E-Wallets Supported

VN pay, PoLi.

No


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Tools & Educational Resources

Economic Calendar

Yes

Yes

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

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

Learning Centre - Investing Education, Market Insights and Analysis, Webinars, Investing Guides, Video Tutorials, TD Direct Investing Community Forum


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Fees & Commissions

Trading-Related Fees

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

Commission -mutual funds- $0 , IPOs, Equities- $7.00- $9.99, Stock - $3- $43, Bonds- $40 + $1.50/1,000

Spread (typical, fixed, variable)

Variable

NA

Per Lot Fees

$5

NA

Options Contract Fees

NA

$9.99 + $1.25 per contract

Futures Contract Fees

NA

NA

Markup Fees on Spread

NA

NA

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

NA

NA

Maximum Leverage

500:1

No


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Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

NA

NA

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

NA

NA

Advisory Fees

NA

NA

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

Yes

NA

Statement or Document Fee

NA

$2-$5

Account Opening Fee

NA

Applicable, Depends on account types

Account Maintenance Fee

NA

$25 per quarter

Deposit Fee

$0

$17.50 U.S

Currency Conversion Fee

NA

2.50%

Withdrawal Fee

$0 bank fees may apply

$30-$100


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Bonuses, Promotions & Benefits

Bonuses, Promotions, and Referrals

Yes

Yes

Customer Benefits (e.g., Retirement Plan)

No

Yes


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Trading Hours

Trading Hours (for each asset class if applicable)

Varies by asset type

Pre-market trading hours (8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. ET) and after-hours trading (4 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET)


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Customer Support

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

24/5

Monday to Friday, 7 am to 10 pm ET

Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)

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

Phone: 1-800-465-5463, , Book an appointment

Support Languages

23

4


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Additional Information

Headquarters Location

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

66 Wellington Street West, Toronto, ON M5K 1A2

Complaints (for crypto brokers)

No

No


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.
Both EC Markets and TD Direct Investing offer affordable fee structures, but EC Markets generally edges out with no inactivity fees and lower commissions on standard trades, whereas TD Direct Investing shines with bundled research and platform access.
EC Markets uses a digital-first onboarding approach with clear instructions and fast ID verification. TD Direct Investing goes a step further with manual checks and optional account tiers, ideal for serious professionals.
If you're looking for platform speed and ease of execution, EC Markets delivers a smooth experience. TD Direct Investing, however, is tailored toward traders who want deeper analysis tools and portfolio insights.
Those seeking technical depth may prefer EC Markets, while TD Direct Investing shines with intuitive design and streamlined features.