In this article, I will compare the trading platforms, costs, spreads, fees, regulations, and overall trading experiences of Eightcap and FXCM.
Though both are well-known global forex and CFD brokers, they cater to different kinds of traders. Based on the features, safety, trading conditions, and assistance, this guide will determine which broker, in your opinion, will provide more value in 2025.
What Is Eightcap?
Eightcap is an online Forex and CFDs broker established in 2009, with its headquarters in Melbourne, Australia. It is regulated by several authorities including ASIC in Australia, and the FCA in the UK, contributing to strong protections for clients and open trading conditions.
Eightcap is also appealing to brokers with traditional and digital assets due to its multi-asset offering which includes Forex, indices, commodities, shares, and a large variety of cryptocurrencies.
It is compatible with MT4, MT5, and TradingView which offers advanced charting, automated trading with Expert Advisors (EAs), and quick execution which is crucial to the trading strategy for many used in algorithmic trading.
With its wide variety of accounts having different commission structures and spreads and the ability to deposit and withdraw in several ways, Eightcap is focused on fully automated trading, investors concentrated on cryptocurrencies, and active day traders.
What Is FXCM?
Founded in 1999 and headquartered in London UK, FXCM (Forex Capital Markets) has been around for a long time and is one of the more established forex and CFD brokers in the industry.
FXCM is one of few brokers fully regulated by the FCA (UK) and ASIC (Australia) making it one of the more trusted brokers and giving traders peace of mind with the safety of their funds.
They offer CFDs on cryptocurrencies, forex pairs, commodities, shares, indices, and offer a competitive spread with great execution on trades. They specialize in algorithmic and professional trading with MT4, NinjaTrader, and Trading Station along with Social/Copy trading tools and strong API support.
They have great services for traders of all levels, with education materials, research, and market insights. The multiple account types, flexible funding, strong customer support, and trading infrastructure from FXCM has gained the trust of traders around the world.
Key Differences: Eightcap vs FXCM
| Category | Eightcap | FXCM |
|---|---|---|
| Founded Year | 2009 | 1999 |
| Headquarters | Melbourne, Australia | London, United Kingdom |
| Regulation | ASIC, FCA, SCB, CySEC | FCA, ASIC, FSCA |
| Trading Platforms | MT4, MT5, TradingView | MT4, FXCM Trading Station, NinjaTrader, ZuluTrade, Copy Trading |
| Minimum Deposit | Typically $100 (varies by region) | $50 (varies by region) |
| Products Available | Forex, Indices, Commodities, Shares, Large Crypto CFD range | Forex, Indices, Commodities, Shares, Crypto CFDs (limited vs Eightcap) |
| Crypto Trading | ✅ Very extensive selection | ✅ Available but more limited |
| Spreads | From 0.0 pips on Raw Account | Competitive, depends on account type |
| Commission | $3.50 per side per lot (Raw account) | Commission-free FX (spread-based) |
| Account Types | Standard, Raw | Standard, Active Trader (premium) |
| Execution | ECN-style, fast execution | No dealing desk execution |
| Tools for Automation | EAs on MT4/MT5, TradingView scripts | MT4 EAs, APIs, NinjaTrader |
| Copy / Social Trading | Third-party platforms | ZuluTrade, copy trading options |
| Education & Research | Good but focused on trading tools | Very strong with market insights & training |
| Customer Support | 24/5 Live Chat, Email, Ticket | 24/5 Live Chat, Phone, Email |
| Ideal For | Crypto traders, Algo/EA traders, Day traders | Professional traders, API users, Strategy developers |
Benefits of Eightcap and FXCM
Benefits of Eightcap
- Validated by the Australian Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) and other authorities, it is considered as trustworthy broker.
- Commission structures are transparent, along with low trading cost and tight spreads (especially on “Raw” accounts).
- Offers a wide range of assets including forex, indices, commodities, crypto CFDs, and shares.
- Integrates with the most popular trading platforms, including MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, and TradingView, catering to various trading preferences.
- Provides advanced trading and algorithmic strategies infrastructure (swift executions and dependable platforms).
- Account opening is simple, and decent withdrawal and deposit systems (although region-specific) are in place.
Benefits of FXCM
- Established in 1999, it is the first broker in the world and enjoys the oversight of multiple first-tier regulators, like the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
- Provides an extensive range of assets including forex, indices, commodities, shares and crypto CFDs.
- Offers a strong set of trading platforms including proprietary platform “Trading Station”, MetaTrader 4 and TradingView integration, which works well for beginners and experienced traders.
- Provides free live trading signals and analysis tools for account holders as an educational resource to assist in improving their trading.
- No or low minimum deposit in many regions (depending on entity), making it accessible to traders of various budget levels.
- Execution transparency and good infrastructure for professional/algorithmic trading: they offer API access, institutional-type tools for advanced users.
Regulations and Licenses
| Regulator | Eightcap | FXCM |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC, Australia) | ✔ (Eightcap Pty Ltd holds AFSL with ASIC) | ✔ (Stratos Trading Pty Ltd, trading as FXCM, AFSL 309763) |
| Financial Conduct Authority (FCA, UK) | ✔ (Eightcap Group Ltd is authorised by FCA) | ✔ (Stratos Markets Ltd / FXCM UK entity authorised by FCA) |
| Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA, South Africa) | – (No clear evidence found) | ✔ (Stratos South Africa (Pty) Ltd is authorised and regulated by FSCA) |
| Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC, Cyprus) | ✔ (Eightcap EU Ltd is authorised by CySEC) | ✔ (Stratos Europe Ltd trading as FXCM EU is authorised by CySEC) |
| Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada / Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO/IIROC, Canada) | – (No publicly found regulation under Canada) | – (No clear info for IIROC/CIRO) |
| Securities Commission of The Bahamas (SCB, Bahamas) | ✔ (Eightcap is also regulated by SCB for some client regions) | – (No clear public evidence of FXCM under SCB) |
| Other regulators | Some additional licences/registrations for Eightcap in other jurisdictions (e.g., Saint Vincent & Grenadines) | Additional supervising jurisdictions for FXCM include Israel (Israeli Securities Authority) |
Trading Platforms + Tools
| Feature | Eightcap | FXCM |
|---|---|---|
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | ✔ — supports MT4 in many jurisdictions. | ✔ — offers MT4 platform. |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | ✔ — supports MT5 alongside MT4 and TradingView. | – — While MT4 is clearly offered, MT5 support is not clearly prominent in documentation. |
| cTrader | – — No clear evidence that Eightcap offers cTrader. | – — No clear public documentation that FXCM offers cTrader. |
| TradingView | ✔ — Eightcap supports TradingView integration. | ✔ — FXCM offers TradingView live-trading integration. |
| Proprietary Platform | – — There is no major proprietary Eightcap platform mentioned (relies on MT4/MT5/TradingView). | ✔ — FXCM offers its proprietary platform “Trading Station”. |
| Automated Trading | ✔ — Eightcap mentions automation tools and “code-free automation”. | ✔ — FXCM supports automated strategies/back-testing on its proprietary platform. |
| Social + Copy Trading | ✔ — Eightcap supports copy trading. | ✔ — FXCM offers social/copy trading tools (e.g., via ZuluTrade) as noted in reviews. |
| Standard Stop Loss | ✔ — Both platforms support stop-loss orders as standard functionality. (Eightcap: general features; FXCM: SL/TP pre-execution on MT4) | ✔ — FXCM MT4 features include Stop Loss/Take Profit pre-execution. |
| Guaranteed Stop Loss | – — No clear public claim that Eightcap offers guaranteed stop loss universally. | – — No clear public documentation that FXCM offers guaranteed stop loss broadly. |
| Demo Account | ✔ — Eightcap offers a demo account. | ✔ — FXCM offers demo accounts (“Try Demo”). |
Fees & Commissions
| Fee/Feature | Eightcap | FXCM |
|---|---|---|
| Spread – starts from 0.0 pips | ✔ Yes: Raw account spreads from 0.0 pips. | ✔ Yes: Raw/ECN-type pricing offers spreads as low as ~0.2 pips. |
| Spread – 1.3 pips | ✔ Standard account example: around ~1.0–1.5 pips average for EUR/USD. | – Not specifically “1.3 pips” as a standard figure; spreads vary and can be lower for high-volume/ECN. |
| Spread type (typical, fixed, variable) | Variable spreads for both Standard & Raw accounts. | Variable spreads; account type dependent. |
| Per Lot Fees | Commission on Raw account: ~$3.50 per lot per side (i.e., ~$7.00 round-turn) for major pairs in Raw account. | Standard accounts often spread-only; for commission models starts from very small per 1K lot (e.g., $0.05 per 1K lot) for certain regions. |
| Options Contract Fees | NA (No specific “options contract fee” publicly highlighted) | NA (Similarly, no clear standard “options contract fee” for most retail CFD clients) |
| Futures Contract Fees | NA (Eightcap focuses on CFDs; futures-specific fee not detailed) | NA (FXCM’s retail CFD model emphasises spreads and commissions, futures-specific retail fee not standard) |
| Mark-up Fees on Spread | NA (No separate “markup on spread” publicly highlighted for Eightcap) | NA (FXCM indicates commission or mark-up may apply in certain conditions, but not a standard “markup on spread” fee line item) |
| Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees | NA (No clear evidence that Eightcap standard offers guaranteed stop loss for all clients as a separate paid feature) | NA (No standard guarantee stop loss fee clearly indicated in standard FXCM fee documents) |
| Maximum Leverage | Up to 1:30 (for retail clients under ASIC regulation). | Up to 1000:1 – this figure may be quoted for certain jurisdictions or professional clients, but retail leverage depends on region and regulatory regime. |
Deposit & Withdrawals
| Feature | Eightcap | FXCM |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | USD 100 (or equivalent) for live accounts. | USD 50 for individual account. |
| Payment Methods | PayPal, Skrill, Wire transfer, Credit/debit cards, Neteller, UnionPay, Crypto, Tether (USDT), BPAY, FasaPay, Bank Transfer | Skrill, Wire transfer, Credit/debit cards, Neteller |
Pros & Cons
Eightcap — Pros
- Strong regulatory coverage by ASIC and FCA means your safety as a trader is prioritized
- Advanced charting and automation tools are available as they support MT4, MT5, and TradingView
- With Raw accounts, spreads are very competitive, starting at 0.0 pips
- Offers a larger range of cryptocurrency CFDs than many other brokers
- Fast execution makes it suitable for algorithmic trading (EAs) and algo traders
- PayPal, cryptocurrencies, and other e-wallets are available as payment options
- The onboarding process is very simple which makes account opening hassle free
Eightcap — Cons
- Does not have a proprietary trading platform
- Compared to older brokers, the research and education resources are very basic
- Account features and leverage are very region dependent (top regulators offer leverage of 1:30)
- Does not have a guaranteed stop-loss policy
FXCM — Pros
- Well-respected, long standing broker with regulatory coverage from FCA, ASIC and other reputable authorities since 1999
- Advanced tools can be used for professional level trading along with MT4 and TradingView as well as their own powerful platform “Trading Station”
- Excellent learning resources are accompanied by your analysis which is very strong along with trading signals and market research available
- Small minimum deposit allows new traders to get started
- Numerous Available options for copy and social trading
FXCM — Cons
- Compared to Eightcap, FXCM offers fewer crypto CFD options
- Standard account spreads tend to be wider
- Certain regions with strict regulations on leverage
- Only Active Trader Customers get to enjoy some premium offers and pricing
- High-volume traders get to enjoy some premium offers and pricing
Customer Support & Education
Eightcap
Eightcap offers multiple channels of responsive customer service and a comprehensive educational foundation for any trader. Their support team is reachable by live chat, email, and phone, and is available 24 hours a day during the trading week (Monday to Friday) for several jurisdictions.
User reviews indicate that the live chat at Eightcap is extremely fast (often under a minute) and that overall support is rated highly valued..
On the education front, Eightcap has “Eightcap Labs” which is a collection of trading guides, e-books, webinars, and a suite of tools (including an AI-powered economic calendar) designed for both beginner and advanced traders.
One thing to note: although the resources are fine, some reviewers mention that support is not available during the weekends and that the educational training structure is perhaps not as comprehensive as some of the specialist education providers.
FXCM
FXCM also has excellent customer support and educational offerings. For support, they have live chat, email, and phone contacts for all their global offices which they also make available under a “Help” section on their site for quick access. Users can also get answers or routed support through direct assistance.
For education, FXCM provides an abundant collection of materials including rollover guides, instrument trading guides, market analysis, live webinars, on-demand videos, and downloadable guides labeled “New to Forex.” These materials are geared towards beginners along with more seasoned traders.
In sum, FXCM educational material is extensive and is one of the company’s best features.
If you want, I can look at the difference in support and education specifically for the Indian/Asia region for each broker and include the aspects of language support, local offices, and region-specific resources. Would you like me to do that?
Conclusion
Selecting between Eightcap and FXCM is determined by your trading experience and objectives. Eightcap is suited for algorithmic traders or cost-sensitive traders because of the more competitive commissions, expanded crypto trading offerings, and tighter spreads.
Conversely, FXCM is more beginner-friendly, offering educational resources and supporting trading tools. Both FXCM and Eightcap are internationally trusted and regulated; however, tech-focused and cost-conscious traders tend to prefer Eightcap while FXCM is more suited for those who appreciate educational materials and simple pricing.
FAQ
Which broker is better for beginners, Eightcap or FXCM?
FXCM is generally better for beginners due to its strong educational content and market research tools. Eightcap is more suitable for experienced traders who prefer lower spreads and advanced platforms.
Does Eightcap or FXCM offer lower trading fees?
Eightcap typically provides lower spreads (from 0.0 pips) and competitive commissions, making it more cost-effective for active traders. FXCM fees are slightly higher but come with additional research features.
Which broker has better trading platforms?
Both support MT4 and MT5, but FXCM additionally offers Trading Station and advanced analytical tools. Eightcap supports TradingView and third-party automation solutions ideal for algo trading.
