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Trading 212 vs EC Markets : Fees, Safety & Trading Conditions Compared (2026)

Broker Name

Trading 212

Trading 212

VS
EC Markets

EC Markets

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Broker Overview

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

STP broker

STP broker

Years of Existence / Established Year

2003

2011

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

3 million- lifetime funded account

No information


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Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

FCA, CySEC, ASIC, FSC

FSA,FCA, FSC

Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)

No major awards listed

Best Trading Liquidity Award, Best Customer Awards

Security Measures

ICF

FSCS

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)

13,000+ Global stocks and ETFs

150+

Currency Pairs

Yes

Yes

Commodities

Yes

Yes

Indices

Yes

Yes

Cryptocurrencies

Yes

Yes

CFDs

Yes

No

ETFs

Yes

No

Stocks

Yes

No

Options

No

No

Futures

No

No

Bonds

No

No

Mutual Funds

No

No

Fractional Shares

Yes

No

Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)

No

No

Precious Metals

No

Yes

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

Yes

No

Equities

No

No


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Trading Platforms & Technology

Trading Platform Availability

Yes

Yes

MT4

No

Yes

MT5

No

Yes

cTrader

No

No

Social Trading

Yes

Yes

Copy Trading

Yes

Yes

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

Trading 212 web and mobile trading platform

No

Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Yes

Yes except Mac


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Account Types & Conditions

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

Invest, CFD, Stock ISA, and cash ISA

Standard and ECN accounts

Demo Account (Yes/No)

Yes

Yes

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

No

No

Minimum Deposit

£1, €1, $1

$10

Leverage Available

1:30

200:1 to 500:1

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

Depends on the assets class

Unlimited

Commission (per account type)

$0

$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


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Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

Bank transfer, Instant bank transfer, Card payments, Online banking PL, Carte Bleue, Blik, Direct e-banking, e-wallets

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

Withdrawal Methods

Bank transfer, Instant bank transfer, Card payments, Online banking PL, Carte Bleue, Blik, Direct e-banking, e-wallets

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

Other E-Wallets Supported

Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, iDEAL

VN pay, PoLi.


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Tools & Educational Resources

Economic Calendar

No

Yes

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

Trading Academy, Market News and Analysis, Webinars, Video Tutorial, Trading Guides and eBooks

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


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Fees & Commissions

Trading-Related Fees

FX fees- 0.5%

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

Spread (typical, fixed, variable)

Variable

Variable

Per Lot Fees

NA

$5

Options Contract Fees

NA

NA

Futures Contract Fees

NA

NA

Markup Fees on Spread

NA

NA

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

NA

NA

Maximum Leverage

1:30

500:1


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Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

$0

NA

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

$0

NA

Advisory Fees

NA

NA

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

Yes

Yes

Statement or Document Fee

NA

NA

Account Opening Fee

NA

NA

Account Maintenance Fee

$0

NA

Deposit Fee

0.70%

$0

Currency Conversion Fee

0.15%

NA

Withdrawal Fee

$0

$0 bank fees may apply


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Bonuses, Promotions & Benefits

Bonuses, Promotions, and Referrals

Yes

Yes

Customer Benefits (e.g., Retirement Plan)

No

No


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Trading Hours

Trading Hours (for each asset class if applicable)

pre-market session from 04:00 - 09:30 ET, regular trading from 09:30 - 16:00 ET, after-hours session from 16:00 - 20:00 ET

Varies by asset type


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Customer Support

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

24/7

24/5

Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)

Live chat, E-mail- [email protected] Phone- +447385762101

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

Support Languages

18+

23


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Additional Information

Headquarters Location

Aldermary House, 10-15 Queen Street, London, EC4N 1TX.

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

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 Trading 212 and EC Markets offer affordable fee structures, but Trading 212 generally edges out with no inactivity fees and lower commissions on standard trades, whereas EC Markets shines with bundled research and platform access.
Trading 212 gets you trading faster thanks to its minimal entry barriers. In comparison, EC Markets account setup is slower but includes extra layers of financial screening and suitability assessments.
The trading interface of Trading 212 is known for its speed and ease-of-use, while EC Markets shines with its customizable layouts and advanced charting capabilities, making it a strong choice for serious analysts.
Trading 212 caters to serious traders who value advanced features, whereas EC Markets appeals to beginners due to its user-friendly platform.