Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of FXCM vs XM Group, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 51% and 89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
FXCM, founded in 1999, stands out as a well-established online broker with a high ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 95 out of 99, indicating that it is highly trusted. The company is publicly traded, adding an additional layer of transparency for investors, though it is not a bank. FXCM holds 4 Tier-1 licenses, demonstrating a strong regulatory standing, and 2 Tier-2 licenses, further cementing its trusted status.
On the other hand, XM Group, founded in 2009, also boasts a strong regulatory presence with 4 Tier-1 licenses, but it holds only 1 Tier-2 license. With a Trust Score of 88 out of 99, XM Group is considered trusted according to ForexBrokers.com ratings, though it is not a publicly traded company and does not operate as a bank. Both brokers are notable for their regulatory compliance, though FXCM holds a slight edge in trust and transparency.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2009 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 4 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
When comparing FXCM and XM Group regarding commissions and fees, FXCM stands out for its slightly higher pricing than the industry average for forex trading. The standard account spreads at FXCM, as observed in May 2024, averaged 0.78 for the EUR/USD in its EU, U.K., and Australia offerings. Their St. Vincent and the Grenadines entity had an average spread of 1.38, which is notably above the industry norm. However, for commission-based accounts, FXCM offered attractive spreads averaging 0.28 pips, excluding commissions. Notably, FXCM provides active trader discounts, potentially reducing spreads significantly based on trading volume and location, but spreads may widen during certain market conditions. FXCM holds a commendable 4-star rating for its commissions and fees, securing the 24th spot out of 62 brokers on ForexBrokers.com.
In contrast, XM Group's standard account spreads are perceived as costly, and they also do not disclose average spreads for their commission-based XM Zero account, making direct cost comparisons challenging. XM Group shares the same 4-star rating as FXCM for commissions and fees, yet sits lower in the rankings at the 33rd position out of 62 brokers on ForexBrokers.com.
For traders considering commissions and fees, both FXCM and XM Group have their strengths, with FXCM offering active trader rebates that could benefit high-volume traders. However, XM Group's lack of published average spreads for certain accounts might leave some traders seeking more transparency. Overall, both brokers offer competitive rating positions, but FXCM has a slight edge in this category.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | Starts from $50 | $5 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.78 | 1.6 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.78 | 0.8 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When comparing the range of investments offered by FXCM and XM Group, traders will find notable differences. FXCM provides access to 440 tradeable symbols and 43 forex pairs. While it facilitates forex trading through CFDs or spot contracts, it does not support the purchase of exchange-traded securities on U.S. or international exchanges. Additionally, FXCM offers investors copy trading and the possibility to trade cryptocurrency derivatives but lacks options for acquiring actual cryptocurrencies.
In contrast, XM Group presents a broader spectrum of 1,394 tradeable symbols and 55 forex pairs. Like FXCM, it offers forex trading through CFDs or spot contracts and enables copy trading. However, XM Group differentiates itself by allowing clients to purchase exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges. It also provides a platform for trading cryptocurrency derivatives, albeit not for acquiring actual cryptocurrencies. This extensive range of investments earns XM Group a higher rating of 4.5 stars compared to FXCM's 3.5 stars, as well as a superior ranking in the Range of Investments category, with XM Group at #23 and FXCM at #47 among 62 brokers on ForexBrokers.com.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 440 | 1394 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 43 | 55 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | Yes | Yes |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
FXCM and XM Group both offer traders the opportunity to practice and refine their strategies with simulated accounts, providing free virtual demo accounts for hands-on experience without financial risk. When it comes to trading platforms, FXCM stands out with its proprietary platform developed in-house and offers a comprehensive suite of tools available on both desktop and web-based platforms. Although both brokers support the popular MetaTrader 4, XM Group goes a step further by offering MetaTrader 5, which FXCM does not. For those interested in automated trading, FXCM offers more flexibility with ZuluTrade and copy trading options, while XM Group does not support ZuluTrade.
In terms of charting and analytical capabilities, XM Group provides 15 drawing tools compared to FXCM's 10, enhancing detailed market analysis. However, FXCM compensates by offering 13 customizable columns for watch lists, almost double what XM Group provides, allowing for a more tailored trading experience. Both brokers support direct trading from stock charts, emphasizing user convenience. Rated highly by ForexBrokers.com, FXCM secures a 5-star rating and ranks 6th out of 62 brokers for its trading platforms and tools. In comparison, XM Group receives a respectable 4-star rating, placing 30th, underscoring the slightly more advanced offering from FXCM.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | Yes | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 115 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 10 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 13 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
FXCM and XM Group both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android users. Both apps allow traders to receive stock or forex price alerts, sync watchlist symbols between the mobile app and online account, and draw trendlines on charts. Users can also view multiple time frames like daily, weekly, or intraday on stock or forex charts. However, FXCM stands out with its 59 technical studies for charting, compared to XM Group's 30. Additionally, FXCM's app auto-saves drawings on charts, a feature not available with XM Group.
For those who value having a watchlist with real-time quotes, both FXCM and XM Group provide this feature. When it comes to app ratings, FXCM scores a higher 4.5 stars, while XM Group earns 4 stars. According to ForexBrokers.com, out of 62 brokers, FXCM is ranked higher at #16 for mobile trading apps, while XM Group is ranked at #27. These differences might make FXCM a preferred choice for traders who prioritize advanced charting tools and seamless integration between devices.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 59 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Both FXCM and XM Group excel in offering valuable market research tools for traders. Each provides daily market commentary and access to top-tier forex news sources, including Bloomberg and Reuters, ensuring that traders stay informed with the latest updates. Additionally, both brokers integrate Trading Central for technical analytics and provide sentiment-based trading tools to gauge market positions. However, FXCM distinguishes itself by offering market research from TipRanks, a feature that XM Group does not provide. On the other hand, both brokers do not include tools from Autochartist or Acuity Trading in their research offerings, nor do they lack economic calendars that highlight global news events.
When it comes to research ratings, XM Group has a slight edge with a perfect 5-star rating, placing it at #8 among 62 brokers as per ForexBrokers.com. FXCM, while still strong with a 4.5-star rating, ranks at #11. This subtle difference highlights XM Group's comprehensive approach to research, making it a slight favorite compared to FXCM, despite both providing high-quality market analysis and tools to their users. Whether you prefer FXCM's inclusion of TipRanks or XM Group's broader appeal, both brokers offer substantial resources to support informed trading decisions.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to educational resources for beginners, both FXCM and XM Group excel in offering a comprehensive suite of learning tools. Both brokers provide a rich array of over 10 educational pieces, including articles, videos, and archived webinars focusing on forex or CFDs. Additionally, they host at least one live educational webinar each month and maintain a searchable archive of past webinars, ensuring that clients have access to a wealth of information at all times.
For those starting their trading journey, both FXCM and XM Group offer at least 10 beginner-focused educational videos. However, FXCM also features an investor dictionary with over 50 investing terms, a resource that XM Group does not provide. Despite this, XM Group edges slightly ahead in educational quality, holding a 5-star rating compared to FXCM's 4.5 stars. When ranked among 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com in the Education category, FXCM holds the 14th spot while XM Group secures the 7th position. This positions XM Group as a slightly more favored choice for novice traders seeking educational support.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
XM Group
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 62 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that FXCM is better than XM Group. FXCM finished with an overall rank of #15, while XM Group finished with an overall rank of #17.
For traders who appreciate advanced trading tools and quality market research, FXCM is a winner, especially for algorithmic trading. Its range of tradeable markets is fairly narrow, however, and the pricing at FXCM is just average.
| Feature |
FXCM
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XM Group
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|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 88 |
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Neither FXCM nor XM Group provides the option to purchase actual delivered cryptocurrency, but both brokers offer the ability to trade in cryptocurrency derivatives.
FXCM provides a wider range of deposit and withdrawal options than XM Group, supporting ACH, SEPA, and PayPal in addition to common choices like Skrill, Visa/Mastercard, and bank wires, whereas XM Group offers Skrill, Visa/Mastercard, and bank wires, but does not support ACH, SEPA, or PayPal.
Please note:
We review each broker’s overall global offering – a “Yes” checkmark in our Compare Tool does not guarantee the availability of any specific features in your country of residence. To verify the availability of any features within your country of residence, please contact the broker directly.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | FXCM | XM Group | |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 88 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FXCM Review | XM Group Review |
| Broker Screenshots | FXCM | XM Group | |
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| Regulation | FXCM | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 95 | 88 | |
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2009 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 4 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | FXCM | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | FXCM | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | FXCM | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 440 | 1394 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 43 | 55 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | Yes | Yes | |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
| Cost | FXCM | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.78 | 1.6 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.78 | 0.8 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | FXCM | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | Starts from $50 | $5 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | FXCM | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | Yes | No |
| Trading Tools | FXCM | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 13 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 115 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 10 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | FXCM | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 59 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | FXCM | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | FXCM | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | FXCM | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| AUD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | FXCM Review | XM Group Review |
| Overall | FXCM | XM Group | |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 88 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FXCM Review | XM Group Review |
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