Key Takeaways
-
The Admiral Markets Group was founded in 2001.
-
Admiral Markets is regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and in Cyprus by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC).
-
Admiral Markets clients are covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) up to £85,000.
-
Admiral Markets clients are also covered by the Investor Compensation Fund (ICF) up to €20,000.
-
Furthermore, the company takes part in deposit guarantee schemes covering qualifying clients up to €100,000
-
The broker provides Contracts for Difference (CFD) access to over 130 markets in asset classes such as FOREX, shares, stock indices, commodities, Exchange Traded Funds (ETF) and bonds.
-
Admiral Markets offers reasonably competitive spreads and commissions across its account types, although its withdrawal and deposit fees can be considered high.
-
Admiral Markets offers CFD trading on a range of products amounting to over 8,000 market instruments.
-
The company offers fast execution, with over 90% of orders executed within 150 milliseconds on its mobile app.
-
The broker provides clients with desktop access to a bespoke version of MetaTrader4 (MT4), MetaTrader5 (MT5) and MetaTrader WebTrader.
-
The broker has developed its research repository, which is well stocked with helpful and insightful resources designed to help clients make better trading decisions.
Overall Summary
- Admiral Markets Group was founded in 2001. Today, it is a leading FOREX and CFD broker with clients in over 130 countries. In its 20 years of operation, the company has come to be a recognizable name in the FOREX world, with a strong product platform spanning 8,000+ instruments. Some of Admiral Markets’ products include CFDs on digital currencies as well as the world’s leading stocks, giving traders direct access to the world’s 15 biggest bourses.
The company offers its clients access to well-known trading platforms MT4 and MT5 and developed its proprietary Admiral Markets app for mobile trading. The company offers fast execution, with over 90% of orders executed within 150 milliseconds on its mobile app.
The broker is regulated by tier-1 regulatory bodies, such as the UK’s FCA and the CySEC in Cyprus. The broker has received over 20 industry awards and distinctions for excellence as a CFD and FOREX broker. Admiral Markets won two company awards in the 2020 Global Banking and Finance Review awards: Best FOREX Broker in Spain and Best FOREX Education and Training in Germany.
Pros
Cons
Who Is Admiral Markets Good For?
Admiral Markets has something for traders of all levels. Its comprehensive account types are well suited for entry-level traders, professional traders, and institutional traders alike. The broker welcomes novice traders with easy-to-use platforms while incentivizing high-volume traders with attractive pricing and enticing promotions. Here some key factors to consider before engaging with this broker:
Is Admiral Markets Safe?
Yes, Admiral Markets can be considered safe (low risk). The broker is regulated by two tier-1 (high trust) regulators, the CySEC in Cyprus, CIF license number 201/13, and the FCA in the UK, registration number #595450. The broker is also registered to operate as a financial services company in Australia (though it is not regulated there) and Jordan.
As a signatory to the FSCS and the ICF, compensation schemes associated with the FCA and the CySEC respectively, Admiral Markets offers affected clients up to £85,000 and €20,000 in the event of broker insolvency. As per European rules, the broker offers negative balance protection.
In accordance with regulatory mandates, client money is kept fully segregated from Admiral Markets’ own assets in tier-1 banking institutions. Admiral Markets performs daily client money reconciliations in accordance with FCA requirements. This check ensures that monies held in segregated bank accounts always correctly reflect client assets.
The company also takes part in deposit guarantee schemes designed to compensate depositors whose bank has failed. Under European rules, deposit guarantee schemes protect qualifying depositors’ savings by guaranteeing deposits of up to €100,000.
Trading Account Information
Offering of Investments
As a global FOREX and CFD online broker, Admiral Markets offers trading CFDs on currency pairs, shares, stock indices, commodities, ETFs and bonds, amounting to over 8,000 market instruments. Here are some additional details relating to the company’s market access:
FOREX: Traders get access to over 40 CFDs on currency pairs, including FOREX majors, such as EUR/USD, plus selected FOREX minors and exotic pairs.
Commodities: Traders can take part in commodity CFD trading by trying their hand at buying and selling commodities like Brent crude and gold, with investments as low as €50.
Indices: Clients can take advantage of stock market moves by trading index CFDs on benchmark indices of the world´s largest financial exchanges.
Shares: Clients can trade the stocks of the most famous global brands through stock CFDs trading.
ETFs: Traders can buy and sell CFDs on the most popular ETFs and benefit from rising or falling prices. Major US ETF CFDs include the SPDR S&P500 Trust, while EU ETF CFDs include the DAX and the FTSE 100.
Bonds: Clients can trade CFDs on government treasury bonds such as 10-year US Treasury Note Futures, and Germany Bund Futures.
Advantages of Trading
Account Types
The broker’s account types are constructed according to the two MetaTrader platforms it offers clients:
MT5-enabled Accounts
Trade.MT5: This market-execution account features the broadest product access. Traders can get access to 40 currency pairs, 40 metal CFDs, five energy CFDs, and over 3,300 ETF CFDs, among others. Spreads start from zero pips, and commissions on single share and ETF CFDs start from $0.02, while other instruments do not attract commissions.
Invest.MT5: Traders get access to over 4,350 stocks and over 200 ETFs on this exchange execution account. Spreads are low, from zero pips, while commissions on stocks and ETFs start from $0.02 per share.
Zero.MT5: This market execution account features 45 currency pairs, 45 metal CFDs, three cash index CFDs, and 10 energy CFDs. Spreads are low and come in from zero pips. Commissions vary according to the instrument. Commissions on FOREX and metals start from $1.8 to $3 per lot, and commissions on cash indices start from $0.05 to $3 per lot.
MT4-enabled Accounts
Trade.MT4: This account provides access to 37 currency pairs, four metal CFDs and 230 stock CFDs, among other instruments. Spreads start from 0.5 pips, while commissions on single share and ETF CFDs start from $0.02 per share. Other instruments do not attract commissions.
Zero.MT4: Featuring access to 45 currency pairs, three metal CFDs and three energy CFDs, this is a novice-friendly account. Spreads start from zero pips, while commissions on FOREX and metals start from $1.8 to $3 per lot. Traders of all levels are advised to study the account type page on the broker’s Website for more details.
Islamic FOREX Account
Sharia trading is allowed, with Islamic traders able to trade on the standard terms without having interest fees credited or debited. This option is available on the Trade.MT5 account and allows swap-free and zero-interest trading on CFDs on currency pairs, indices, commodities, shares, ETFs and bonds.
Account Opening
Opening an account is easy. Traders need only upload the required documents and fill in the “Open an Account” form. Once the account has been opened after a few short hours, the trader can make a deposit via one of the many account funding methods.
Demo Account
Admiral Markets offers a Demo Account, where traders can practice risk-free. Opening a demo account takes only a few minutes. Clients can trade on any device and receive free market data and real-time news at the same time. The Demo Account is available for 30 days.
Bonuses and Promotions
At the time of writing, Admiral Markets offered the following promotions:
Affiliate Program: Interested parties can convert their Web traffic to revenue through the Admiral Markets affiliate program. This promotion is suitable for Website publishers, mobile marketers, media buyers, digital marketers, Webmasters, and social media influencers. The program offers commissions of up to $600 for each conversion.
Business Partner: Agents, entrepreneurs and corporate introducers interested in developing their business can enter the Business Partner program that handsomely rewards partners who market and refer new potential clients to Admiral Markets.
White Label Partnership: This offer is open to potential partners who have ambitions of running their own MetaTrader business at low cost. Admiral Markets offers potential partners the chance to leverage the broker’s solutions and infrastructure to build a name in the industry.
Deposits and Withdrawals
Admiral Markets provides multiple ways for traders to fund their accounts.
Deposit types:
-
Bank transfer.
-
Klarna.
-
Debit and credit cards.
-
PayPal.
-
Skrill.
-
Neteller.
-
SafetyPay.
-
Przelewy.
-
IDEAL.
Most deposit types are free of charge, but Skrill and Neteller attract a 0.9% fee.
Withdrawal types:
-
Bank transfer.
-
PayPal.
-
Skrill.
-
Neteller.
-
iBank&BankLink.
Most withdrawal methods qualify for one or two free withdrawal requests every month. Thereafter, withdrawal fees range from 0.5% to 1%, depending on the payment provider. Traders are advised to study the broker’s rate card for full details. The processing time for both withdrawals and deposits via eWallets is instantaneous, while bank transfers can take up to three business days.
Customer Service
Traders can contact the customer service desk via a contact form, email address, telephone number or a WhatsApp number. Clients seeking the answers to common questions on the Website are routed to the help center, which features several helpful articles. In our research, we did not find mention of any other languages besides English being offered at the central customer service desk, which could exclude certain sections of the broker’s customer base.
Commissions and Fees
With spreads from as slow as zero pips, Admiral Markets is relatively well priced when compared to similar brokers. The spread on a popular FOREX pair, such as the EUR/USD, is as low as 0.1 pips, which compares favorably to other brokers in this class.
The broker’s commissions are also attractive, with many products not attracting a commission at all, while enjoying low spreads at the same time. However, not all of this broker’s fees are competitive. The 0.9% for ewallet deposits is expensive, as many brokers do not charge for deposits at all. The broker also charges an inactivity fee of €10 per month, which, although low, is often dispensed with by other companies.
Leverage
- per European guidelines, the maximum leverage available to retail clients is 1:30 for major FOREX pairs. Minor pairs can be leveraged up to 1:20 and commodities up to 1:10.
Platforms and Tools
Admiral Markets offers three main trading platforms:
MT5 for Windows
This platform offers advanced charting and trading tools, as well as options for automated trading. This feature-rich industry flagbearer platform is filled with free market data and news, as well as a powerful educational section.
MT4 for Windows
Users can trade and analyze the financial markets on MT4. They will get access to advanced trading operations in a fast, secure and reliable environment. The platform is downloadable on Windows and offers a fast and responsive interface, with multi-language support and advanced charting capabilities.
Apple device owners can rest easy because the broker offers them the use of MetaTrader for Mac, known as Parallels. However, this platform appeared to be an afterthought offered by the broker due to demand from affected customers.
MetaTrader WebTrader
With no downloads required, users can trade in the browser on PC or Mac. Ninety percent of orders are executed within 150 milliseconds, and there are no requotes or restrictions on trading styles or strategies.
Mobile Trading
The Admiral Markets mobile app is simple and secure. It gives traders instant and intuitive access to an extensive product offering: CFDs on FOREX currency pairs, stocks, indices, commodities, bonds and ETFs. This in-house Admiral Markets platform features a user-friendly interface that allows clients to trade on their mobile device any time, any place.
Research and Development
Admiral Markets excels in the area of research and analysis. Its comprehensive analysis section allows traders to stay informed on the markets through regular news updates, commentary and expert analysis from Dow Jones. The section is filled with insightful material, updated daily, that allows traders to stay abreast of worldwide market developments. There are also supplementary think pieces written and developed by broker staff who have extracted meaning from breaking worldwide news. In our view, the research and analysis section of the Admiral Markets Website has few equals. The high quality, informative and easily accessible information is divided into the following sections:
-
Global Market Updates.
-
Premium Analytics.
-
Fundamental Analysis.
-
Technical Analysis.
-
FOREX Calendar.
-
Trading Central.
-
Trading News.
-
Market Heat Map.
-
Market Sentiment.
-
Weekly Trading Podcast.
Education
The education section is similarly well structured and detailed. Following an intuitive layout, traders can upskill themselves via the many tutorials, archived and live Webinars and an extensive list of e-books. A vast array of educational subjects is comprehensively covered in the following sections:
-
FOREX and CFD Webinars.
-
FAQ.
-
Trader`s Glossary.
-
FOREX and CFD Seminars.
-
Risk Management.
-
Articles and Tutorials.
-
Zero to Hero.
-
FOREX 101.
-
Trading Videos.
-
E-books.
Final Thoughts
Admiral Markets is well regulated by two tier-1 regulators and serves its core European market just fine. With comprehensive market access, competitive trading fees and a range of account types from which to choose, novice traders, elite traders and institutional clients can be satisfied that this broker caters to their unique needs.
The company has access to good liquidity and has advanced trading platforms. Its market access is broad, with the notable exception of cryptocurrencies. The broker’s customer service desk could do with additional language options to better serve its markets. Overall, this broker is a good option for traders who are looking for an ambitious yet affordable broker.
Its research and education sections are the jewel in its crown and have been painstakingly well-researched and curated. Traders will be comforted by the good levels of regulation and the extra steps the broker has taken to keep investor funds safe.
Conclusion
Admiral Markets offers a well-designed product that is equally suitable to beginner traders, advanced traders, and institutional partners. Its fees are competitive, and traders will get access to tight spreads on certain accounts and competitive commissions, too.
Admiral Markets is well-regulated, has access to good liquidity and has very good trading platforms, even if it has not yet developed its own desktop trading platform. The broker’s customer service desk could do with additional language options to better serve its varied clientele. Overall, this broker is a good option for traders who are looking for a solid, dependable and inexpensive broker that can be trusted.
Admiral Markets in Brief
Admiral Markets is a growing broker with an immaculate 20-year trading history. Traders can take advantage of its powerful market access, well-developed platforms, competitive rates and market-leading research materials.
Review Methodology
The team at Arincen collected over 120 pieces of data covering in excess of 100 licensed FOREX companies. Data collection was done in three ways:
-
Companies’ Websites.
-
Other Websites that have ranked FOREX companies.
-
A survey questionnaire (referred to here as Survey “1”) we had sent to the companies invited to participate in the exercise.
We have identified 12 criteria for our assessment, each containing several aspects and carrying its own relative weight. These include licensing, deposits and withdrawals, number of assets etc.
Afterward we validated the data by:
-
Registering with FOREX companies as a secret shopper and/or as Arincen.
-
Survey number “2,” in which we asked these companies’ customers for important feedback and past experience.
The next step saw us evaluate and rank each company, relying on the hard work of 15 Arincen employees. We were very careful in ensuring the most accurate assessment possible, including taking into account different languages, as well as the various mobile-app operating systems, e.g., Apple, Samsung etc.
To add credibility to our research project, we sent a final and third survey (referred to here as Survey “3”) to enable participating FOREX companies evaluate our own research and whether it accurately reflects the realities on the ground. We were fortunate enough to receive a mark of 9.9 out of 10! We have kept to a minimum the margin of error, which stood at a measly 1%.
FAQs Admiral Markets
-
Where is this broker regulated?
Admiral Markets is regulated by two tier-1 (high trust) regulators: the CySEC in Cyprus and the FCA in the UK. The broker’s affiliates are also recognized as fully licensed and compliant financial institutions in Australia and Jordan.
-
In what other ways does this broker protect me?
As a signatory to the FSCS and the ICF, compensation schemes associated with the FCA and the CySEC, respectively, Admiral Markets offers clients up to £85,000 and €20,000 in the event of broker insolvency. The company also complies with European rules that mandate negative balance protection for traders, so they cannot lose more money than they invest. Further to that, the company also takes part in deposit guarantee schemes designed to compensate depositors whose bank has failed. Under European rules, deposit guarantee schemes protect qualifying depositors’ savings up to €100,000.
-
Which countries does this broker serve?
The broker serves customers in over 130 countries. However, it does not offer its services to US traders.
-
Does this broker offer Cryptocurrency trading?
No. Admiral Markets does not offer cryptocurrency trading.
-
Does this broker provide any extra offerings?
At the time of writing, Admiral Markets offered three promotions:
Affiliate Program: Interested parties can convert their Web traffic to revenue through the Admiral Markets affiliate program. This promotion is suitable for Website publishers, mobile marketers, media buyers, digital marketers, Webmasters and social media influencers. The program offers commissions of up to $600 for each conversion.
Business Partner: Agents, entrepreneurs and corporate introducers interested in developing their business can enter the Business Partner program that handsomely rewards partners who market and refer new potential clients to Admiral Markets.
White Label Partnership: This offer is open to potential partners who have ambitions of running their own MetaTrader business at low cost. Admiral Markets offers potential partners the chance to leverage the broker’s solutions and infrastructure to build a name in the industry.
-
How do I fund my account?
Deposits and withdrawals can be actioned using the following methods: bank transfer, Klarna, debit and credit cards, PayPal, Skrill, Neteller, SafetyPay, Przelewy, IDEAL and iBank&BankLink.
-
Which trading platforms does this broker offer?
Admiral Markets offers three main trading platform tools: MT5 for Windows, MT4 for Windows, and MetaTrader WebTrader.
-
How can I access customer service?
Traders can contact the customer service desk via a contact form, email address, telephone number or WhatsApp number. Clients seeking the answers to common questions on the Website are routed to the help center which features several helpful articles.