Overview
HF Markets launched in 2010 as HotForex and rebranded to HFM in 2022. It operates as a multi-entity group rather than through a single headquarters: HF Markets (Europe) Ltd under CySEC (licence 183/12), HF Markets (UK) Ltd under the FCA (reference 801701, independently confirmed on the FCA register), plus FSCA, DFSA, and Seychelles FSA entities for other regions.
The practical takeaway from that multi-entity structure: which protections and leverage limits actually apply to you depends entirely on which specific legal entity you’re onboarded to, not on the broader HFM brand. Confirm this directly before depositing.
Trading Costs
HFM’s Cent and Premium accounts carry a headline EUR/USD spread of roughly 1.4 pips, on the wider end compared to several competitors on this list. The Pro account runs tighter at around 0.6 pips, while the Zero account offers raw pricing plus commission for traders who want the tightest spreads available. Recent testing puts its EUR/USD average around 0.06 pips, among the tightest raw tiers we cover.
HFM supports MT4 and MT5 plus its own mobile app, but doesn’t offer cTrader or a proprietary desktop/web platform, a narrower platform choice than several peers on this list, including FxPro and FP Markets.
Our Verdict
HFM is a reasonable choice if a $0-minimum entry point and solid FCA/CySEC regulation matter more to you than tight spreads or platform variety. If you want cTrader specifically, or the tightest possible raw pricing, competitors like FxPro or IC Markets are likely to serve you better.
Strengths
- Holds both an FCA (UK) and CySEC (Cyprus) licence, solid Tier-1-adjacent coverage
- Zero-minimum-deposit entry accounts (Cent, Zero, Premium) lower the barrier for new traders
- Both MT4 and MT5 supported across a range of account types
Watch Out For
- No cTrader or proprietary desktop platform
- Multi-entity structure means your actual protections depend heavily on which legal entity you're onboarded under
- Some sources report restrictions on scalping/arbitrage/EA strategies on certain account types, so confirm current terms directly
- Standard-tier spreads (~1.4 pips on Cent/Premium) run wider than several competitors' equivalent accounts
Full specifications
Regulation and safety
| Regulated by | FCA (801701); CySEC (183/12); FSCA (46632); Seychelles FSA (SD015); CMA Kenya (155); DFSA (F004885); Mauritius FSC (C110008214) |
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| Regulator tier | Tier 1 |
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| Register entry | FCA Financial Services Register, FRN 801701 |
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| Client money segregated | Yes |
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| Held at | Major regulated banking institutions |
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| Negative balance protection | Yes |
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| Compensation scheme | FSCS up to £85,000 for eligible UK clients; ICF up to €20,000 for eligible CySEC clients |
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| Audited by | Independent external auditors |
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| Not available to | United States, Canada, Sudan, Syria, Iran, North Korea, UAE, Türkiye and other restricted jurisdictions |
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What it costs to trade
| Spread from | 0.0 pips |
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| EUR/USD spread | Approx. 0.1 pips, Zero |
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| GBP/USD spread | Approx. 0.3 pips, Zero |
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| Commission | From $3 per side / $6 round turn, Zero |
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| All-in cost, EUR/USD | Approx. 0.7 pips |
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| Spread type | Variable |
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| Overnight swap | Both: overnight swaps apply; swap-free trading available on eligible instruments |
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| Inactivity fee | $5/month after 6 months inactivity, increasing over longer periods |
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| Currency conversion | Currency conversion applies where currencies differ |
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Accounts
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
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| Account types | InfinityX, Cent, Zero, Pro, Premium, Copy Trading, Demo |
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| Account currencies | USD, EUR, NGN, JPY, THB, IDR, GHS, USC for Cent |
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| Islamic account | Yes |
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| Demo account | Yes |
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| Professional account | Yes |
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| Minimum trade size | 0.01 lots |
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| Time to open | Typically a few minutes |
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Platforms and tools
| Platforms | MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, HFM WebTrader, HFM Platform |
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| Own platform | Yes, HFM Platform/WebTrader |
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| Mobile app | Both proprietary and third-party |
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| Browser trading | Yes |
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| Automated trading | Yes; Expert Advisors and automated trading supported |
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| Copy trading | Yes, HFM Copy Trading |
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| Indicators | 100+ through TradingView integration; 30+ MT4; 38+ MT5 |
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| Third-party tools | TradingView, Autochartist, VPS, Premium Trader Tools |
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| API access | Yes, institutional/API solutions |
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Markets and execution
| Markets | Forex, Metals, Energies, Indices, Shares, Commodities, Bonds, ETFs, Cryptocurrencies |
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| Currency pairs | 50+ |
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| Total instruments | 1,000+ |
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| Crypto CFDs | Yes |
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| Maximum leverage | 1:30 |
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| Execution model | Market execution |
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| Execution speed | Approx. 120ms |
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| Order types | Market, limit, stop, stop-limit, stop-loss, take-profit, trailing stop |
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| Servers | London and other global financial data centres |
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Deposits and withdrawals
| Deposit methods | Visa, Mastercard, bank transfer, Skrill, Neteller, crypto and regional/local payment methods |
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| Withdrawal methods | Visa, Mastercard, bank transfer, e-wallets, crypto and supported regional methods |
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| Deposit time | Cards up to 10 minutes; e-wallets instant-10 minutes; bank transfer 2-7 business days |
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| Withdrawal time | Instant-24 hours for many alternative methods; cards/bank transfer 2-10 business days |
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| Minimum withdrawal | $5 |
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| Local payment methods | Multiple regional bank transfers, e-wallets, mobile payments and country-specific payment methods |
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Support and education
| Support hours | 24/5 |
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| Contact channels | Live chat, email, phone |
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| Languages | 27+ languages |
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| Telephone | +44 203 097 8571 |
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| Email | support@hfm.com |
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| Live chat response | Typically under 2 minutes |
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| Education | Extensive: webinars, educational videos, courses, tutorials, ebooks, podcasts and trading guides |
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| Research | Extensive: market analysis, Autochartist, trading calculators, technical analysis and market news |
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