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

Broker Name

XTB

Lightyear

Broker Overview

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

Market maker

STP

Years of Existence / Established Year

2002

2020

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

2 Million

Info not available

Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

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

FCA EFSA

Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)

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

No major awards listed

Security Measures

FSCS

SIPC, EIPSF Upto Euro 20,000

SSL Encryption / 2FA

Yes

Segregated Funds

Yes

Negative Balance Protection

Yes

Trading Instruments/Products Offered

Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)

11400+ trading instruments, including an investment plan

US / EU / UK Stocks (3500+) Interest Money Market Funds Baltic Stocks Baltic Bonds

Currency Pairs

Yes

Commodities

Yes

Indices

Yes

Cryptocurrencies

Yes

CFDs

Yes

ETFs

Yes

Stocks

Yes

Options

Futures

Bonds

Yes

Mutual Funds

Fractional Shares

Yes

Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)

Precious Metals

Yes

Yes - through Exchange Traded Commodities

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

Yes - through REIT stocks

Equities

Yes

Trading Platforms & Technology

Trading Platform Availability

Yes

MT4

MT5

cTrader

Social Trading

Yes

Copy Trading

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

X station

Lightyear's proprietary platform

Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Yes

Account Types & Conditions

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

Standarad, Professional

Personal Business

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 assets class

Varies for each product

Commission (per account type)

Euro 0

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

Beginners to experienced traders

Beginners

Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

bank transfers, credit and debit cards, e-wallets

EUR - SEPA, Debit Card, Apple Pay, Google Pay GBP - FPS, CHAPS, BACS, SWIFT, Apple Pay, Google Pay USD - ACH, FedWire, SWIFT HUF - Bank transfers within Hungary

Withdrawal Methods

bank transfers, credit and debit cards, e-wallets

Bank Transfers

Other E-Wallets Supported

Skrill, Neteller

Tools & Educational Resources

Economic Calendar

Yes

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

Educational Articles and Market Articles

Savings interest calculator Inflation calculator Ticker time machine Rate comparison calculator

Fees & Commissions

Trading-Related Fees

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

US Shares per order - 0.1% upto $1 maximum EU Shares per order - Euro 1 UK Shares per order - Euro 1 Money Market Funds - 0.25% annually Nasdaq Baltic - Euro 1 ETFs -Euro 0 Multi-currency account -Euro 0

Spread (typical, fixed, variable)

Variable

Per Lot Fees

0.08% per lot, or 0.16% per round turn

Options Contract Fees

Futures Contract Fees

Markup Fees on Spread

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

Maximum Leverage

(1:500)

Info not available

Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

Charges apply 12 months of inactivity

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

Advisory Fees

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)

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.

In EUR & GBP Debit Card / ApplePay / Google Pay - First Euro500 lifetime free, 0.5% after In USD FedWire & Swift - $6.11

Currency Conversion Fee

0.50%

0.35%

Withdrawal Fee

$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)

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

Vary for each asset class

Customer Support

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

(24/5)

24/7

Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)

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

Email: mailto:[email protected], Live chat Phone number:+1 332-333-4220.

Support Languages

20+

Additional Information

Headquarters Location

Poland

Volta 1 Tallinn 10412 Estonia

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.

Both XTB and Lightyear offer affordable fee structures, but XTB generally edges out with no inactivity fees and lower commissions on standard trades, whereas Lightyear shines with bundled research and platform access.

The account creation flow at XTB is modern and app-driven, making it seamless for new users. Lightyear , however, leans toward traditional processes with forms and verifications that take more time.

If you're trading on-the-go, XTB mobile platform is fluid and intuitive. Lightyear desktop and web apps are more robust, making them suitable for in-depth trading sessions.

Those seeking technical depth may prefer XTB, while Lightyear shines with intuitive design and streamlined features.

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