AvaTrade vs XM
Two brokers, one table. Everything below is taken from what each one publishes on its own site, last read on 2026-09-05. No scores, no ranking.
A broker founded in 2006 and regulated in Ireland, Australia, Japan, South Africa, the BVI and the UAE.
Standard and Ultra Low accounts from a $5 deposit, with a separate Shares account.
| Detail | AvaTrade | XM |
|---|---|---|
| Regulation | AVA Trade EU Ltd, Central Bank of Ireland C53877 · Ava Capital Markets Australia, ASIC 406684 · Ava Trade Japan K.K., FSA Japan 1662 · Ava Capital Markets Pty, FSCA 45984 · Ava Trade Markets Ltd, BVI FSC SIBA/L/13/1049 | XM Global Limited, FSC Belize licence 8557558 (Securities Industry Act 2021) |
| Minimum Deposit | — | $5 (Standard, Ultra Low) · $10,000 (Shares) |
| Platforms | AvaTrade App, WebTrader, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, AvaSocial, automated trading platforms | MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, XM App |
| Account Types | — | Standard, Ultra Low, Shares |
| Founded | 2006 | — |
| Headquarters | Dublin, Ireland | — |
What the figures say
- XM publishes its minimum deposit ($5 (Standard, Ultra Low) · $10,000 (Shares)); AvaTrade does not state one on the pages we read.
- XM publishes its account types (Standard, Ultra Low, Shares); AvaTrade does not state one on the pages we read.
- AvaTrade also lists Crypto, Options.
A figure marked “—” is one that broker does not publish on the pages we could read; it is not a zero. Terms differ by country and change often, so confirm on each site before opening an account.
AvaTrade: why traders choose it
- Founded in 2006, one of the earliest online forex brokers still operating
- Regulated in the EU, Australia, Japan, South Africa, the UAE and the British Virgin Islands, with licence numbers published
- Client funds held in segregated accounts
- AvaSocial copy-trading app alongside MT4, MT5, WebTrader and the AvaTrade App
- AvaProtect, their paid protection against a losing trade for a set period
- FX options as well as CFDs
XM: why traders choose it
- Standard and Ultra Low accounts open from $5
- Ultra Low is the account XM points high-volume traders to, for lower spreads and swaps
- A separate Shares account for buying stock, from $10,000
- Bonuses on the Standard account, described by XM as boosting trading power
- Copy trading, trading competitions and a loyalty club run alongside the accounts
AvaTrade pros
- More top-tier licences than almost any broker on this list, including the Central Bank of Ireland and Japan's FSA
- Twenty years of operating history
- Automated trading and EA support across several platforms
AvaTrade cons
- Minimum deposit, spreads and leverage are not on the pages we read; they depend on the entity that onboards you
- Products and leverage differ a great deal between the EU, Japanese and BVI entities
- A richer platform list also means more to learn
XM pros
- One of the lowest entry points anywhere at $5
- The Ultra Low account gives a cheaper option without a commission model to learn
- MetaTrader 4 and 5 plus their own app, so nothing unfamiliar
XM cons
- The global site is the Belize entity; XM's European and Australian entities have different leverage caps and protections
- Spreads and leverage figures were not on the accounts page we read; they are in the account details after sign-up
- Bonuses come with their own terms, which are worth reading before taking one
About AvaTrade
AvaTrade was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in Dublin. It is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland, ASIC, Japan's FSA, South Africa's FSCA and the BVI FSC, and offers CFDs and FX options on its own app, WebTrader, MetaTrader 4 and 5 and the AvaSocial copy-trading app.
About XM
XM offers three accounts on its global site: Standard and Ultra Low, both from a $5 minimum, and a Shares account from $10,000. The global entity, XM Global Limited, is licensed by the Financial Services Commission of Belize.
More comparisons
How this page is put together. Both columns use the same fields as the individual reviews, read from each broker's own site. Some links are affiliate links, which may earn Cubie FX a commission at no extra cost to you. Placement is not for sale and nothing here is ranked.