Best STP Forex Brokers
Compare live Forex trading accounts from STP brokers, including DMA and ECN STP brokers, in Australia. Understand how STP brokers work and what this means for you.
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Best brokers
- FP Markets Best FX Broker Australia 2021 - FxScouts
- FXCC Best Forex Trading Account 2017 - UK FOREX Awards
- Equiti Best Overall Broker 2023 - TrustedBrokers.com
- LiteFinance Best ECN Broker Africa 2020
- HF Markets Best CFD Trading Conditions, 2021
Broker reviews
FP Markets is a true ECN broker with razor-thin spreads and deep liquidity. Trade CFDs on over 1,000 stocks, indices, commodities and currency pairs through MetaTrader 4 or 5. FP Markets supports all trading styles and EAs.
- Markets: Forex (CFD), Cryptos (CFD)*, Stocks (CFD), Indices (CFD), Metals (CFD), Energy (CFD), Commodities (CFD), Bonds (CFD)* Availability subject to regulation.
- Platforms: MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, Copy trading
- Regulated entity (Australia): First Prudential Markets Pty Ltd (ASIC No. 286354)
$100 | 1:500 | Market | |
$100 | 1:500 | Market | |
Trade CFDs across Forex, crypto, oil and indices with leverage up to 1:500. FXCC accepts all trading styles and Expert Advisors on MT4. There are no conflicts of interest, as FXCC.com doesn't trade against you.
- Markets: Forex (CFD), Cryptos (CFD)*, Indices (CFD), Metals (CFD), Energy (CFD)* Availability subject to regulation.
- Platforms: MetaTrader 4
- Regulators: Cyprus (EU), Nevis
$0 | 1:500 | Market | |
Equiti.com is TrustedBrokers' Best Overall Broker in 2023. Trade CFDs on 400+ instruments on leverage up to 1:500. Get superior execution through its network of 35+ liquidity providers. Equiti accepts all trading styles, without restrictions.
- Markets: Forex (CFD), Cryptos (CFD)*, Stocks (CFD), Indices (CFD), Metals (CFD), Energy (CFD), Commodities (CFD)* Availability subject to regulation.
- Platforms: MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5
- Regulators: Armenia, Jordan, Kenya, Seychelles, UAE, UK
$500 | 1:500 | Market | |
$10000 | 1:500 | Market | |
$50000 | 1:500 | Market | |
LiteFinance (LiteFinance.com), formerly LiteForex, is a global ECN broker. Trade CFDs on a wide range of markets on Metatrader 4 or 5, with flexible leverage up to 1:1,000. LiteFinance accepts all EAs and trading styles, including scalping and news trading.
- Risk warning: 83% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
- Markets: Forex (CFD), Cryptos (CFD)*, Stocks (CFD), Indices (CFD), Metals (CFD), Energy (CFD)* Availability subject to regulation.
- Platforms: MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, Copy trading, Mirror trading
- Regulators: Cyprus (EU), Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
$50 | 1:1000 | Market | |
$50 | 1:500 | Market | |
HFM (HFM.com), formerly known as Hot Forex, is an award-winning Forex and CFD broker, with accounts tailored to new and experienced traders. Trade a wide range of markets including Forex, stocks, indices and commodities through MetaTrader 4 or 5.
- Markets: Forex (CFD), Stocks (CFD), Indices (CFD), Metals (CFD), Energy (CFD), Commodities (CFD), Bonds (CFD)* Availability subject to regulation.
- Platforms: MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, Currenex, Copy trading, Mirror trading
- Regulators: Cyprus (EU), Mauritius, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Seychelles, South Africa, UAE
$5 | 1:1000 | Market | |
$100 | 1:500 | Market | |
$100 | 1:500 | Market | |
Trade CFDs on Forex, shares and precious metals on competitive spreads through ForexMart, an international ECN broker. ForexMart supports all trading styles, including scalping, through MetaTrader 4.
- Markets: Forex (CFD), Cryptos (CFD)*, Stocks (CFD), Indices (CFD), Metals (CFD), Energy (CFD)* Availability subject to regulation.
- Platforms: MetaTrader 4, Copy trading
- Regulators: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
$15 | 1:500 | Market | |
$200 | 1:500 | Market | |
$500 | 1:200 | Market | |
4xc.com is an offshore broker founded by Forex industry veterans. Trade Forex, metals, oil and stocks with leverage up to 1:500. 4XC accepts all trading styles and Expert Advisors on MT4 and 5.
- Risk warning: Trading Forex/CFDs on margin carries a high level of risk and may not be suitable for all investors as you could sustain losses in excess of your deposits. You should carefully consider your financial situation and experience level before trading.
- Markets: Forex (CFD), Cryptos (CFD)*, Stocks (CFD), Indices (CFD), Metals (CFD), Energy (CFD)* Availability subject to regulation.
- Platforms: MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5
- Regulators: Cook Islands
$10 (MT4), $ 100 (MT5) | 1:500 | Market | |
Pepperstone (Pepperstone.com) is an award-winning broker regulated in 7 jurisdictions. Trade over 1,200 instruments on MetaTrader 4, 5, TradingView or cTrader. Pepperstone allows all trading styles, with no restrictions, and rewards large traders with volume-based discounts.
- Risk warning: Between 74% and 89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
- Markets: Forex (CFD), Cryptos (CFD)*, Stocks (CFD), Indices (CFD), Metals (CFD), Energy (CFD), Commodities (CFD)* Availability subject to regulation.
- Platforms: MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, cTrader
- Regulated entity (Australia): Pepperstone Group Limited
$200 | 1:30 | Market | |
$200 | 1:30 | Market | |
$200 | 1:30 | Market | |
$200 | 1:30 | Market | |
$200 | 1:30 | Market | |
Trade without restrictions with OctaFX (OctaFX.com), an international broker headquartered in St. Vincent & The Grenadines. Access CFDs on currency pairs, indices, precious metals and commodities on MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5 or cTrader.
- Markets: Forex (CFD), Cryptos (CFD)*, Indices (CFD), Metals (CFD), Energy (CFD)* Availability subject to regulation.
- Platforms: MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, Copy trading
- Regulators: Cyprus (EU), Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
$100 | 1:500 | Market | |
$100 | 1:500 | Market | |
Start trading in minutes, without ID verification, from a low $250 deposit with leverage up to 1:1000. PrimeXBT.com was voted "Best Platform for Trading with Leverage" in 2020 and "Best Crypto and Forex Broker" in 2019.
- Markets: Forex (CFD), Cryptos (CFD)*, Indices (CFD), Metals (CFD), Energy (CFD)* Availability subject to regulation.
- Platforms: Copy trading, Mirror trading
- Regulators: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
$250 | 1:1000 | Market | |
What's an STP broker?
Straight Through Processing (STP) means full integration between all market participants, from liquidity providers to investors and the trading platform. In its purest form, an STP broker aggregate prices in real time from liquidity providers and passes client orders onto them. In practice, this also means there is No Dealing Desk (NDD).
Types of STP brokers
However, Forex brokers tend to apply the term loosely and "STP" can mean different things to different brokers. This article describes common traits and differences between STP brokers and suggests ways to check how your own broker operates.
Number of liquidity providers
STP brokers aggregate prices from banks, financial institutions and other liquidity providers (LPs) in the Forex interbank bank market. The price you see on your end is the best-bid and the best-offer (BBBO) across all quotes. This means the bid could come from Bank A and the ask from Bank B.
STP brokers typically work with more than one liquidity provider. However, circumstances can arise when they only have one. The more liquidity providers your broker works with, the greater the competition and the tighter the spreads.
Fixed or variable spreads
The spread is the difference between the buying and selling price of a currency pair. If you're quoted EUR/USD at 1.2502/05, the spread is 0.0003 or just 3 pips.
STP brokers usually quote variable spreads because the prices they receive from liquidity providers change dynamically over time. The price you're quoted adjusts automatically to reflect the BBBO available from your broker's liquidity providers. Your broker adds his own mark-up to the spread to cover his costs and earn a profit.
However, some brokers can quote fixed spreads instead. This can happen when they have just one liquidity provider. And when they have more, they can achieve this by adjusting the mark-up they apply to the BBBO to ensure that the spreads you see on your end remain the same.
Instant vs. market execution
A regular STP broker fills client orders through instant execution. This means your broker acts as the counterparty to your trades and will hedge these positions with his liquidity providers. This can give rise to re-quotes if your broker has difficulties filling orders at the price you requested. However, instant execution does allow you to enter Stop and Limit Orders at the very same time you open a position, which can help manage your risks.
Other STP brokers offer market execution. When this happens, your broker passes your order directly onto his own liquidity providers. This gives you what is known as Direct Market Access and is one of the purest forms of trading. Liquidity providers will act as the counterparty to your trade and fill your order at the prevailing market price. The downside is that you cannot enter Stop or Limit orders at the time you place an order because the execution price is not known when you click the 'Trade' button.
Is your broker STP?
First, check your broker's website and Order Execution Policy for comments about spreads and execution types. If in doubt, ask your account manager directly.
If your broker offers fixed spreads and instant execution, it's unlikely but not impossible that he delivers Straight Through Processing.
Featured Brokers
Best Execution
MT5 Floating - Market Execution
Trade 70+ currency pairs, indices, energies and metals on floating spreads with market execution. ... More
Best Conditions
ECN RAW Account [MT5]
Trade over 60 pairs of currencies as well as CFDs on metals, indices and commodities through MT5 ... More
Best Platform
AvaTrade Account [BVI]
Trade 55 currency pairs on fixed spreads, plus CFDs on crypto-currencies, stocks, indices, bonds and... More
- $100 deposit
- 1:400 leverage
- 0.9 pips EUR/USD
- Regulators: Australia, BVI, Cyprus (EU), Gibraltar, Israel, Japan, South Africa, UAE