IG
FOREX.com
CMC Markets
XTB
eToro
AvaTrade
Pepperstone
FP Markets
TickmillBest Brokers for Forex Scalping in 2026
Written by Steven Hatzakis
Director of Online Broker Research
Edited by John Bringans
Managing Editor
Fact-checked by Joey Shadeck
Research Analyst
Steven HatzakisDirector of Online Broker Research
Steven Hatzakis is the Global Director of Online Broker Research for ForexBrokers.com. He is a forex industry expert and an active fintech and crypto researcher.
Why you can trust us
Led by Steven Hatzakis, Global Director of Online Broker Research, the ForexBrokers.com research team collects and audits data across more than 100 variables. We analyze key tools and features important to forex and CFD traders and collect data on commissions, spreads, and fees across the industry to help you find the best broker for your needs.
We also review each broker’s regulatory status; this research helps us determine whether you should trust the broker to keep your money safe. As part of this effort, we track 100+ international regulatory agencies to power our proprietary Trust Score rating system.
Our researchers open personal brokerage accounts and test all available platforms on desktop, web, and mobile for each broker reviewed on ForexBrokers.com. Learn more about how we test.
Scalping is a fast-paced trading style where you aim to profit from lots of small price moves throughout the day, often holding a trade for just seconds or minutes. Because the gains on each trade are tiny, the costs and speed of your broker matter. In my twenty-plus years reviewing brokers, I've seen how the wrong choice, with wide spreads or slow order execution, can eat away at a scalper's profits.
Not every broker welcomes scalpers, and some restrict the practice outright in their terms and conditions. This guide breaks down the brokers that support high-frequency, short-interval trading, and shares my picks for the best forex brokers for scalping in 2026.
Best Forex Scalping Brokers
We chose these brokers based on the factors that matter most to scalpers: tight spreads, fast and reliable order execution, low commissions, and a clear policy of allowing high-frequency, short-term trading. Each broker below has been hand-tested and meets that bar.
- Minimum Deposit: £1
- Trust Score: 99
- Tradeable Symbols (Total): 19537
IG offers the ultimate comprehensive trading package, featuring excellent trading and research tools, industry-leading education, and an extensive range of tradeable markets. Read full review
- #1 Overall Broker in our ForexBrokers.com 2026 Awards.
- Highest Trust Score in 2026; most trusted forex broker.
- tastyfx brings IG access to U.S. forex traders.
- IG’s web platform requires some manual setup.
- MT5 is not available on IG.
- Only ~80 symbols available via MetaTrader.
- IG’s DailyFX news and research site has been discontinued.
- Minimum Deposit: $0
- Trust Score: 99
- Tradeable Symbols (Total): 8500
Interactive Brokers is a highly trusted multi-asset broker with an extensive offering of tradeable global markets. It delivers competitive fees and high-quality research and education, as well as a modern, institutional-grade trading platform suite. Read full review
- Access 150 markets in 34 countries; 28 base currencies.
- TradingView launched for both manual and algo traders.
- TWS desktop offers powerful tools for advanced strategies.
- New IBKR InvestMentor app offers beginner-friendly finance courses.
- TWS platform is overwhelming for beginners.
- No MetaTrader suite or copy trading tools available.
- $2 minimum commission can be costly for small trade sizes.
- Minimum Deposit: $0
- Trust Score: 99
- Tradeable Symbols (Total): 71000
Saxo is a multi-asset broker with brilliant research and a superb trading platform experience – as well as a stunning selection of over 40,000 securities. Read full review
- 70,000+ instruments including forex options.
- SaxoTrader has advanced tools and a clean interface.
- Offers algo orders, risk tools, and execution by order size.
- TradingView implementation supports Pine Script and API trading.
- No progress tracking or quizzes in education content.
- Platinum and VIP accounts have high deposit requirements.
- SaxoTrader lacks quick-start layouts.
- Can’t drag-to-edit orders on SaxoTrader charts in mobile.
- Minimum Deposit: $0
- Trust Score: 99
- Tradeable Symbols (Total): 12029
CMC Markets is well-trusted across the globe, and delivers a terrific trading experience thanks to its excellent pricing and selection of over 12,000 tradeable instruments. Read full review
- 12,000+ instruments and over 282 forex pairs available.
- Next Gen platform is packed with tools and charts.
- Industry-best pricing with low spreads and active trader perks.
- Launched 24/7 crypto trading, following its acquisition of StrikeX.
- MetaTrader 4 has fewer symbols and limited product depth.
- Spreads have worsened slightly year-over-year on certain pairs.
- No automated trading on CMC’s proprietary platform.
- Education lacks progress tracking or interactive features.
- The quantity of research content produced has slowed.
- Minimum Deposit: $100
- Trust Score: 99
- Tradeable Symbols (Total): 5500
FOREX.com is a trusted brand that delivers an excellent trading experience for forex and CFDs traders across the globe. It offers a wide range of markets and provides an impressive suite of proprietary platforms – alongside limited access to MetaTrader. Read full review
- Trading Academy is great for all experience levels.
- Advanced charting through TradingView with 5,500+ symbols.
- Pro-grade trading tools on web and desktop.
- Spreads are higher than other low-cost brokers.
- Pricing is average unless you qualify for active trader discounts.
- Stock and futures trading require a separate StoneXone account.
- Minimum Deposit: $0
- Trust Score: 99
- Tradeable Symbols (Total): 40000
Charles Schwab is a highly trusted financial institution and multi-asset broker catering to U.S.-based and international forex traders. Schwab's award-winning thinkorswim platform offers over 70 tradeable currency pairs alongside impressive tools, research, and education. That said, the broker’s forex offering is still largely limited to what is available on thinkorswim. Read full review
- thinkorswim supports advanced forex trading.
- Multi-asset access with 40,000+ tradeable symbols.
- Live webinars and strong educational content.
- Forex trading only available on thinkorswim and to U.S. residents.
- No trading signals or copy trading.
- Forex-specific education is limited.
- Minimum Deposit: $0
- Trust Score: 96
- Tradeable Symbols (Total): 10900
As a trusted multi-asset broker, XTB offers outstanding customer service, a wide variety of forex and CFDs, and an excellent overall trading experience. Its xStation 5 trading platform is well-designed and packed with innovative features, and XTB’s offers comprehensive educational content and market research. Read full review
- xStation platform is intuitive and packed with useful tools.
- 200+ educational lessons via the Trading Academy.
- Zero-commission share CFDs available in the U.K.
- No support for MetaTrader or third-party platforms.
- Custom investment basket tool is temporarily unavailable.
- XTB Social feature is limited to users in Poland.
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.
| Company | Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | Minimum Deposit | Overall Rating |
 IG
|
0.91 | £1 |
|
 Interactive Brokers
|
0.226 | $0 |
|
 Saxo
|
1.0 | $0 |
|
 CMC Markets
|
1.3 | $0 |
|
 FOREX.com
|
1.00 | $100 |
|
 Charles Schwab
|
1.27 | $0 |
|
 XTB
|
0.92 | $0 |
|
Top picks for brokers for forex scalping
1. IG - Best overall for scalping
| Company | Overall Rating | Minimum Deposit | Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account |
|
IG
|
|
£1 | 0.91 |
Why IG works for scalpers: IG is our top-ranked forex broker for 2026 (available in the U.S. under its tastyfx brand), and it's my top pick for scalping. Much of that comes down to flexibility: IG offers multiple account types and execution methods, and it's built to handle both active and passive orders, which gives short-term traders room to run different strategies without fighting the platform.
Execution and account options: IG provides a commission-based Forex Direct account for agency execution, connecting price feeds from major liquidity providers, alongside a spread-only (commission-free) account for market-maker execution. For scalpers specifically, two details matter: IG supports partial fills and auto-accepts active orders without manual intervention, both of which help when you're moving in and out of positions quickly.
Steven's take:
"IG is one of the few brokers that gives scalpers a real choice in how their orders are executed, from agency to market-maker pricing. Just know the line it draws: short-term trading is welcome, but arbitrage and latency plays are off the table per its terms."
Steven Hatzakis
Director of Online Broker Research
Trust and track record: IG's standing as a Highly Trusted broker is backed by its #1 Trust Score win in our 2026 Annual Awards (you can read more about how we calculate Trust Score). Combined with its ability to handle large trade sizes and its clear execution policies, that makes IG a dependable home base for high-frequency trading.
Trading forex in the US?
If you are based in the USA and interested in opening an account with IG, learn more about why their US brand, tastyfx, is one of the best US forex brokers by reading my tastyfx review.
One thing to know: IG's customer agreement strictly prohibits arbitrage, along with any attempt to manipulate prices or exploit server time delays. If your strategy leans on latency or pricing inefficiencies rather than straightforward short-term trading, it's worth reading those terms closely before you open an account.
The IG web platform features integrated video on its charting as well as a full layout combining a watchlist with relevant news headlines.
2. Interactive Brokers - Pro-grade execution and tools
| Company | Overall Rating | Minimum Deposit | Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account |
|
Interactive Brokers
|
|
$0 | 0.226 |
How IBKR handles forex: Interactive Brokers (IBKR) serves forex traders internationally through an agency broker model, sometimes called a "riskless principal" model. It's worth noting up front that forex trading at IBKR is only available to institutional traders in the U.S., so this applies to international clients. The broker aggregates prices from major liquidity providers, which can suit scalpers who want a reliable price feed paired with quality execution.
Execution and order tools: A big part of IBKR's appeal for short-term traders is its depth of tools. Its SmartRouting system directs orders toward the best available price across venues, and the platform supports a wide range of complex order types that active traders can build into their strategies. For scalpers, that combination of dependable pricing and granular order control is often more valuable than headline spread numbers alone.
A note on education: The IBKR Campus offers a webinar on Gamma Scalping, though it's worth clarifying that this is geared toward options traders rather than spot forex. Gamma scalping is an options hedging technique, so it's a useful resource if you trade options, but it isn't a guide to currency scalping.
Standard account terms: Like nearly all reputable brokers, IBKR includes language in its client agreement around order execution, and it reserves the right to restrict trading, cancel orders, or freeze accounts over suspicious activity. This is normal across major financial institutions, but always worth reading before you commit.
Interactive Brokers website screenshot of its forex pricing based on minimum commission per trade, based on the applicable tier, and monthly trading volume requirements per tier, for active trader discounts.
3. Saxo - Award-winning platform suite
| Company | Overall Rating | Minimum Deposit | Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account |
|
Saxo
|
|
$0 | 1.0 |
Why Saxo suits active traders: Saxo is a strong option for active traders, with the ability to handle large trade sizes and a feature set that supports day traders and scalpers alike. Its platform suite is a highlight, including a Desktop Platform that won our 2026 Annual Award for #1 Desktop Platform, along with support for complex order types that short-term strategies often rely on.
Execution model: Saxo uses market maker execution for forex and publishes an order execution summary, which adds a layer of transparency around how trades are filled. The broker is also committed to the FX Global Code, the evolving interbank standard focused on execution best practices and clearer disclosures. That said, Saxo's pricing and execution tend to favor its platform and research strengths more than ultra-tight scalping costs, so it's worth weighing against raw-spread alternatives if cost-per-trade is your main priority.
Where Saxo stands on scalping: Saxo discusses scalping openly in educational articles on its website, so the strategy itself isn't discouraged. The platform's one-click trading and order tools are well suited to fast, intraday activity.
Something to note: Saxo's business terms note that it may cancel or reverse a trade, or switch to manual execution, if a trade was based on a misquoted price or if a client's strategy deliberately or systematically tried to exploit such errors. This is fairly standard language, but if your approach edges toward exploiting pricing glitches, read those terms first.
The SaxoTraderGO mobile app showcases a powerful, highly customizable screener tool within the main Trading tab. Here, a custom filter for forex and precious metals is applied and sorted by the "Last three month's popularity," offering traders a clean, real-time overview of live pricing and daily percentage changes for heavily traded assets like Gold (XAU/USD), USD/JPY, and EUR/USD.
4. CMC Markets - Tight spreads on FX active
| Company | Overall Rating | Minimum Deposit | Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account |
|
CMC Markets
|
|
$0 | 1.3 |
Why CMC works for scalpers: CMC Markets is a well-trusted global broker offering more than 12,000 instruments and over 280 forex pairs. For short-term traders, its FX Active account is the one to look at, with spreads starting from 0.0 pips on six major pairs plus a low fixed commission, along with a 25% spread discount on other pairs.
Platforms and execution: Scalpers can trade through CMC's proprietary Next Generation platform, MT4, or TradingView, with one-click trading and fast, reliable execution. Note that automated strategies (EAs) run only through MT4, not the Next Gen platform.
Worth knowing: Spreads on CMC's Standard account have crept up slightly year-over-year, so cost-focused scalpers will want the FX Active account.
5. FOREX.com - Raw pricing for active traders
| Company | Overall Rating | Minimum Deposit | Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account |
|
FOREX.com
|
|
$100 | 1.00 |
Why FOREX.com fits scalping: FOREX.com is a well-established global broker whose RAW Pricing account is built for cost-sensitive, high-frequency trading. It offers spreads as low as 0.0 pips on major pairs, paired with a commission of $7 per $100k traded (or $5 per $100k on its international entity). For traders who prefer simplicity, a Standard spread-only account is also available.
Platforms and transparency: Scalpers can trade through FOREX.com's proprietary platforms, MT4, MT5, or TradingView, and the broker publishes its execution statistics, which adds welcome transparency around fill quality and speed. High-volume RAW traders can also earn cash rebates through its VIP program.
Other forex scalping brokers I tested
6. Charles Schwab - Trusted US-regulated broker
| Company | Overall Rating | Minimum Deposit | Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account |
|
Charles Schwab
|
|
$0 | 1.27 |
As a highly trusted, multi-asset broker, Charles Schwab offers forex through its award-winning thinkorswim platform, available to U.S. residents. thinkorswim gives scalpers professional-grade charting, fast execution, and one-click trading. Keep in mind that U.S. forex follows CFTC and NFA rules, including FIFO and no hedging, which shape how short-term strategies can be run.
7. XTB - Fast execution, clean platform
| Company | Overall Rating | Minimum Deposit | Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account |
|
XTB
|
|
$0 | 0.92 |
XTB is a publicly listed, well-regulated broker built around its proprietary xStation 5 platform, which scalpers will appreciate for its fast execution, one-click trading, and clean interface. Scalping is permitted, though there's no raw-spread account and no support for automated strategies (EAs), so high-frequency traders who rely on algorithms may need to look elsewhere.
Forex scalping brokers comparison
| Company | Minimum Deposit | Overall Rating | Tradeable Symbols (Total) | Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account |
|
IG
|
£1 |
|
19537 | 0.91 |
|
Interactive Brokers
|
$0 |
|
8500 | 0.226 |
|
Saxo
|
$0 |
|
71000 | 1.0 |
|
CMC Markets
|
$0 |
|
12029 | 1.3 |
|
FOREX.com
|
$100 |
|
5500 | 1.00 |
|
Charles Schwab
|
$0 |
|
40000 | 1.27 |
|
XTB
|
$0 |
|
10900 | 0.92 |
ForexBrokers.com Overall Rankings
Now that you've seen our picks for the best brokers on this guide, check out ForexBrokers.com's overall broker rankings. We've evaluated 36 forex brokers, using a testing methodology that's based on 100+ data-driven variables and thousands of data points. Also take a look at our full-length, in-depth forex broker reviews.
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There is a very high degree of risk involved in trading securities. With respect to margin-based foreign exchange trading, off-exchange derivatives, and cryptocurrencies, there is considerable exposure to risk, including but not limited to, leverage, creditworthiness, limited regulatory protection and market volatility that may substantially affect the price, or liquidity of a currency or related instrument. It should not be assumed that the methods, techniques, or indicators presented in these products will be profitable, or that they will not result in losses. Read more on forex trading risks.
About the Editorial Team
Steven Hatzakis is the Global Director of Online Broker Research for ForexBrokers.com. Steven previously served as an Editor for Finance Magnates, where he authored over 1,000 published articles about the online finance industry. A forex industry expert and an active fintech and crypto researcher, Steven advises blockchain companies at the board level and holds a Series III license in the U.S. as a Commodity Trading Advisor (CTA).
John Bringans is the Managing Editor at ForexBrokers.com. An experienced media professional, John has a decade of editorial experience with a background that includes key leadership roles at global newsroom outlets. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature from San Francisco State University, and conducts research on forex and the financial services industry while assisting in the production of content.
Joey Shadeck is a Content Strategist and Research Analyst for ForexBrokers.com. He holds dual degrees in Finance and Marketing from Oakland University, and has been an active trader and investor for close to ten years. An industry veteran, Joey obtains and verifies data, conducts research, and analyzes and validates our content.