Scores, winners and data below compare these brokers as CFD/FX brokers (leveraged trading on forex, indices, commodities and crypto), using the data of HFM's Saint Vincent and the Grenadines entity and XM's Belize entity. Scores, winners and data below compare these brokers as stock brokers (real shares and ETFs you own outright), using the data of HFM's Saint Vincent and the Grenadines entity and XM's Belize entity.
HFM
Not regulated in your country HFM does not accept residents in Australia because it is not regulated by ASIC.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage.
XM
Not regulated in your country XM does not accept residents in Australia because it is not regulated by ASIC.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage.
Best for
What we compare A comparison of the kinds of traders HFM and XM are best suited to, based on what each one actually offers in Australia.HFM is better than XM for professional traders. XM, on the other hand, is better for long-term investors. Both are a good fit for scalpers, swing traders and news traders.
| Overall score | HFM 84 Best not offered | XM 74 -10 73 |
|---|---|---|
| Day trading i | ||
| Long-term investing i | ||
| Professional traders i | ||
| High-volume traders i | ||
| Scalpers i | ||
| Swing traders i | ||
| News traders i | ||
| Algo traders i | ||
| Stock traders i | ||
| Crypto traders i | ||
| Futures traders i | ||
| Options traders i |
Regulation
What we compare A comparison between the financial authorities that supervise HFM and the ones that supervise XM.Neither HFM nor XM is regulated in Australia. HFM and XM are both regulated by top-tier authorities, HFM by CySEC and the FCA (United Kingdom) and XM by CySEC.
| Section score | HFM 100 Best not offered | XM 90 -10 90 |
|---|---|---|
| Tier-1 regulators | ||
| ESMA (European Union) i | ||
| FCA (United Kingdom) i | ||
| ASIC (Australia) i | ||
| CFTC (United States) i | ||
| NFA (United States) i | ||
| SEC (United States) i | ||
| CIRO (Canada) i | ||
| MAS (Singapore) i | ||
| SFC (Hong Kong) i | ||
| JFSA (Japan) i | ||
| FINMA (Switzerland) i | ||
| Tier-2 regulators | ||
| FMA (New Zealand) i | ||
| CBR (Russia) i | ||
| FSCA (South Africa) i | ||
| DFSA (Dubai) i | ||
| CSRC (China) i | ||
| ISA (Israel) i | ||
| LFSA (Malaysia) i | ||
| JSC (Jordan) i | ||
| CMA (Kenya) i | ||
| Tier-3 regulators | ||
| FSA (Seychelles) i | ||
| MMA (Maldives) i | ||
| SCB (Bahamas) i | ||
| FSC (Mauritius) i | ||
| VFSC (Vanuatu) i | ||
| FSC (Belize) i | ||
| CIMA (Cayman Islands) i | ||
| SV FSA (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) i | ||
| FSRC (St. Kitts & Nevis) i | ||
| BMA (Bermuda) i | ||
| BVI FSC (British Virgin Islands) i | ||
| EDR (External Dispute Resolution) i | ||
Safety
What we compare A comparison of the tools and services that HFM and XM have in place to protect your money in Australia.Both HFM and XM offer segregated client funds and two-factor authentication. HFM also offers additional money insurance.
| Section score | HFM 74 Best not offered | XM 65 -9 65 |
|---|---|---|
| Company info | ||
| Is it publicly traded i | ||
| Is it a bank i | ||
| Year founded i | 2010 | 2009 |
| Parent company i | HF Markets Group | Trading Point Holdings |
| CEO i | Domluke Da Silva | Tasos Anastasiou |
| Money safety | ||
| Segregated client funds i | ||
| Two-factor authentication i | ||
| Investor compensation scheme i | ||
| Additional money insurance i | ||
| Partner bank i | N/A | N/A |
| Brand power | ||
| Number of customers worldwide i | 3,500,000 | 20,000,000 |
| Annual revenue i | US$1,000,000,000 | |
| Monthly website search traffic i | ||
Costs
What we compare A comparison of what it costs to trade with HFM and with XM in Australia, both on each trade and on holding the account.HFM is better than XM for CFD/FX costs, since HFM is cheaper on EUR/USD, at US$10.5 per lot (against XM's US$20), has tighter S&P 500 CFD spreads, at 0.4 points (against XM's 0.6 points), and has tighter gold CFD spreads, at 0.32 points (against XM's 0.55 points). Neither HFM nor XM charges account maintenance fees or deposit fees.
There is no like-for-like comparison for real stock costs, as HFM is a CFD broker and does not offer real stocks.
| Section score | HFM 59 Best not offered | XM 26 -33 72 |
|---|---|---|
| Broker fees | ||
| Deposit fees i | ||
| Withdrawal fees i | ||
| Overnight fees i | ||
| Inactivity fees i | ||
| Currency conversion fees i | ||
| Discounts on volume i | ||
| Real time market data fee i | ||
| Dividend withholding i | ||
| Account opening fees i | ||
| Account maintenance fee i | ||
| Portfolio management fee i | ||
| Fees on CFDs | ||
| Forex commission per lot i | US$6 | |
| EUR/USD average standard spread i | ||
| EUR/USD average raw spread i | ||
| EUR/USD average fixed spread i | ||
| EUR/USD total cost per lot i | US$10.5 | US$20 |
| S&P 500 fees (CFD) i | 0.4 points | 0.6 points |
| Gold fees (CFD) i | 0.32 points | 0.55 points |
| Bitcoin fees (CFD) i | US$39 | US$40 |
| US stocks fees (CFD) i | US$0.1 | Free |
| Fees on stocks | ||
| Stock fee type i | Commission, Percentage | Commission, Percentage, Spread |
| US stocks fees (real) i | US$2.8 | |
| ETF fees (real) i | ||
| Management costs i | ||
| Connection costs i | ||
| Fees on futures | ||
| Futures fees per contract i | ||
| Platform fees i | ||
| Fees on options | ||
| Options fees per contract i | ||
| Event fees i | ||
| Fees on savings plans | ||
| IRA opening fee i | ||
| IRA maintenance fee i | ||
| 401k opening fee i | ||
| 401k maintenance fee i | ||
Available markets
What we compare A comparison of the markets and products you can trade with HFM and with XM in Australia, and of how many instruments each one gives access to.There is little between HFM and XM on CFD/FX markets. Both HFM and XM offer CFDs on commodities, crypto, ETFs, forex, indices and stocks. XM has a slight edge, as it gives access to 1,400 tradable symbols (against HFM's 500), and lets you own stocks outright.
HFM does not offer real stocks, being a CFD broker, so XM and HFM cannot be compared for real stock markets.
| Section score | HFM 75 not offered | XM 75 15 |
|---|---|---|
| Total tradable symbols i | 500 | 1,400 |
| Currency pairs i | ||
| Indices i | ||
| Commodities i | ||
| Stocks i | ||
| ETF i | ||
| Cryptocurrencies i | ||
| Bonds i | ||
| Interest rates i | ||
| Portfolios i | ||
| CFDs i | Commodities, Crypto, ETF, Forex, Indices, Stocks | Commodities, Crypto, ETF, Forex, Indices, Stocks |
| Futures i | ||
| Options i | ||
| Assets you can own i | Stocks |
Platform
What we compare A comparison of the trading platforms that HFM and XM make available to their clients in Australia.HFM is better than XM for platforms, because HFM offers social trading and AutoChartist, which XM does not. Both HFM and XM offer MetaTrader 5 and MetaTrader 4.
Only XM can be assessed for platforms, since HFM is a CFD broker and does not offer real stocks.
| Section score | HFM 71 Best not offered | XM 63 -8 63 |
|---|---|---|
| Proprietary platform i | ||
| MetaTrader 4 i | ||
| MetaTrader 5 i | ||
| cTrader i | ||
| Social trading platform i | ||
| Copy trading platform i | ||
| ZuluTrade i | ||
| TradingView i | ||
| Duplitrade i | ||
| Mirror Trader i | ||
| NinjaTrader i | ||
| AutoChartist i | ||
| Real time pricing i | ||
| 5 digit pricing i | ||
| One-click trading i |
Mobile
What we compare A comparison of the mobile apps of HFM and XM in Australia, and of what each one lets you do from your phone.HFM is better than XM for mobile trading, given that HFM offers a social trading app and a copy trading app, which XM does not. HFM and XM both offer a proprietary mobile app and the MetaTrader 5 app.
XM and HFM cannot be set side by side for mobile trading, as HFM is a CFD broker and does not offer real stocks, unlike XM.
| Section score | HFM 93 Best not offered | XM 86 -7 86 |
|---|---|---|
| Proprietary app i | ||
| Social trading app i | ||
| Copy trading app i | ||
| MetaTrader 4 app i | ||
| MetaTrader 5 app i | ||
| cTrader app i | ||
| Mobile trading signals i | ||
| Mobile alerts i | ||
| Mobile charting tools i | ||
| Mobile drawing tools i | ||
| Mobile watchlist i | ||
| Smartwatch app i |
Trading features
What we compare A comparison of the trading tools and strategies that HFM and XM allow on their platforms in Australia.HFM and XM are equally good for CFD/FX trading features, since HFM offers guaranteed stop losses while XM allows for high-frequency trading. Both HFM and XM offer negative balance protection and trailing stops. The leverage shown for HFM is set by its Saint Vincent and the Grenadines entity and exceeds the retail limit in Australia (30:1 on major currency pairs). The leverage shown for XM is set by its Belize entity and exceeds the retail limit in Australia (30:1 on major currency pairs).
XM and HFM cannot be set side by side for real stock trading features, as HFM is a CFD broker and does not offer real stocks, unlike XM.
| Section score | HFM 89 not offered | XM 87 -2 77 |
|---|---|---|
| Trade execution | ||
| Broker type i | NDD | Agency |
| Average execution time i | 66 ms | |
| Slippage occurrence i | ||
| Requotes occurrence i | 0% | |
| Tier-1 liquidity providers i | ||
| PFOF i | ||
| Leverage | ||
| Major FX pairs leverage i | 2000:1 | 1000:1 |
| Minor/Exotic FX pairs leverage i | 2000:1 | 1000:1 |
| Major indices leverage i | 1000:1 | 500:1 |
| Minor indices leverage i | 500:1 | 250:1 |
| Gold leverage i | 2000:1 | 1000:1 |
| Commodities leverage i | 500:1 | 400:1 |
| Equities leverage i | 5:1 | 20:1 |
| Cryptocurrency leverage i | 1000:1 | 1000:1 |
| Risk management | ||
| Stop losses i | ||
| Take profits i | ||
| Limit orders i | ||
| Trailing stop i | ||
| Margin call i | ||
| OCO orders i | ||
| Guaranteed stop loss i | ||
| Negative balance protection i | ||
| Minimum trade size (FX) i | 0.01 lots | 0.01 lots |
| Minimum trade size (stocks) i | US$0 | US$0 |
| Fractional stocks i | ||
| Trading compliance | ||
| Scalping strategies allowed i | ||
| Hedging strategies allowed i | ||
| Automated trading strategy allowed i | ||
| EAs use allowed i | ||
| HFT strategy allowed i | ||
| VPS use allowed i | ||
| API use allowed i | ||
| Price scraping allowed i | ||
| FIFO rule applies i | ||
Account types
What we compare A comparison of the kinds of account you can open at HFM and at XM in Australia, and of who each one is meant for.HFM is better than XM for CFD/FX account types, since HFM offers a professional traders account, an ECN account and a copy trading account, which XM does not. Both HFM and XM offer a demo account and a corporate account.
XM and HFM cannot be compared for real stock account types, because XM is a broker offering both CFDs and stocks while HFM is a CFD broker.
| Section score | HFM 97 Best not offered | XM 60 -37 68 |
|---|---|---|
| Demo account i | ||
| Unlimited demo account i | ||
| Standard account i | ||
| Micro account i | ||
| Cent account i | ||
| Nano account i | ||
| Raw spread account i | ||
| ECN account i | ||
| Swap-free account i | ||
| Islamic account i | ||
| Professional traders account i | ||
| Fixed spread account i | ||
| Spread betting account i | ||
| Copy trading account i | ||
| Corporate account i | ||
| Managed account i | ||
| Stock investing account i | ||
| Margin investing account i | ||
| Savings account i | ||
| Retirement account i |
Account opening
What we compare A comparison of what it takes to open and fund an account with HFM and with XM in Australia.XM is better than HFM for account opening, since XM offers 10 account base currencies (against HFM's 2), credits deposits faster, within the same day (against HFM's 1 day), and pays out withdrawals faster, within 1 day (against HFM's 2 days). That said, HFM asks for no minimum deposit at all (against XM's US$5). Neither HFM nor XM holds a licence in Australia.
XM and HFM cannot be set side by side for account opening, as HFM is a CFD broker and does not offer real stocks, unlike XM. Neither HFM nor XM holds a licence in Australia.
| Section score | HFM 80 -15 not offered | XM 95 Best 95 |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit i | US$0 | US$5 |
| Minimum withdrawal i | US$0 | US$5 |
| Wire transfers i | ||
| Credit cards i | ||
| Debit cards i | ||
| eWallets i | Neteller, Skrill | Neteller, Skrill |
| Local payment methods i | ||
| Account base currencies i | EUR, USD | AUD, CHF, EUR, GBP, HUF, PLN, RUB, SGD, USD, ZAR |
| Deposit waiting time i | up to 1 business days | Instant |
| Withdrawal waiting time i | up to 2 business days | up to 1 business days |
| Bonus program i |
Customer care
What we compare A comparison of the customer support of HFM and XM in Australia, in how it can be reached and how fast it answers.XM is better than HFM for customer care, given that XM offers customer support in 20 languages (against HFM's 1), and has a website in 19 languages (against HFM's 16). Both HFM and XM offer a dedicated account manager and phone support.
Only XM can be assessed for customer care, since HFM is a CFD broker and does not offer real stocks.
| Section score | HFM 75 -3 not offered | XM 78 Best 78 |
|---|---|---|
| Number of languages supported i | 16 | 20 |
| Website languages i | Arabic, German, English, French, Indonesian, Italian, Korean, Malay, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Thai, Turkish, Vietnamese, Chinese | Arabic, Czech, German, Greek, English, French, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Korean, Malay, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese |
| Website available in English i | ||
| Customer support languages i | English | Arabic, Czech, German, Greek, English, French, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Korean, Malay, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese |
| Customer support in English i | ||
| Call back request i | ||
| Email support i | ||
| Phone support i | ||
| Live chat i | ||
| Priority customer support i | ||
| Dedicated account manager i | ||
| Cash sweep i | ||
| Stock lending i | ||
| Distributes proceeds i | ||
| Tax withholding agent i | ||
| Tax assistance i |
Learning
What we compare A comparison of the educational material that HFM and XM provide to their clients in Australia.HFM is better than XM for learning, because HFM offers professional reports, which XM does not. HFM and XM both offer education for advanced traders and webinars.
XM and HFM cannot be set side by side for learning, as HFM is a CFD broker and does not offer real stocks, unlike XM.
| Section score | HFM 100 Best not offered | XM 88 -12 88 |
|---|---|---|
| Education | ||
| Education center i | ||
| Education for beginners i | ||
| Education for advanced traders i | ||
| Webinars i | ||
| Tutorials i | ||
| Glossary i | ||
| Research | ||
| Economic calendar i | ||
| Traders' sentiment i | ||
| Daily market commentary i | ||
| Daily trading ideas i | ||
| News via social media i | ||
| Professional reports i | ||
| Watchlist i | ||
HFM vs XM: which one should you choose?
HFM
CFD/FX Choose HFM if you want a CFD and forex broker with cent accounts, raw spread accounts and ECN accounts and live in a country where it is licensed to operate.
Not licensed in Australia CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage.
XM
CFD/FX Choose XM if you want an online CFD broker for high-frequency trading strategies, with a wide choice of markets and fast withdrawals and live in a country where it is licensed to operate.
Stocks Choose XM if you want a share dealing service with US stocks and live in a country where it is licensed to operate.
Not licensed in Australia CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage.Other popular comparisons
Below are other head-to-head comparisons that include HFM or XM, each scored with the same data and method as this page.
