Summary

ActivTrades is a brokerage firm that offers 1,000+ CFD assets, including stocks and cryptocurrencies. However, they do not list real shares. Furthermore, clients can trade all CFD assets on their platform except for stocks without paying a commission. 

This ActivTrades review outlines all the details about stock trading with this broker. It explains their fees, spreads, commissions, and account opening process. It also lists all their available payment methods and the process of making deposits & withdrawals. 

Available Assets

ActivTrades provides several financial instruments to its users, including CFD shares, ETFs, Forex, Commodities, Cryptocurrencies, and Bonds. However, the broker doesn’t provide an investment option with real stocks. Its vast market offering consists of 45+ forex pairs, 1,000+ CFD stocks, 25+ indices, 10+ cryptocurrencies, 30+ ETFs, 10+ commodities, and 5 Bonds. Below, we review each of these available assets in more detail. 

Stocks

There are 1000+ CFD stocks offered by this broker on its proprietary platform, Metatrader 4, and Metatrader 5. Traders who use them take long or short positions based on their analysis of the market. Some of the shares available include TSLA.US, AMZN.US, NVDA.US, and many others. 

Indices

Traders who specialise in indices trading can select from 25+ indices on ActivTrades. Users can speculate on the price action of a collection of shares by trading instruments such as USATEC, UK100, and GER40.

Forex

Clients of this broker can select between major, minor, and exotic currency pairs. They provide 45+ forex pairs for trading such as EUR/USD, NZD/JPY, and EUR/NOK. Traders within the EU who wish to engage in forex trading will have access to leverage up to 1:30 on specific major pairs. However, global users that trade forex pairs can enjoy leverage from 1:200 on some major pairs.  

Commodities

ActivTrades’ commodities listing consists of Silver, Gold, Brent, and many other naturally occurring products. Through this broker, traders can have access to 10+ commodities to trade in the financial markets. 

Cryptocurrencies

This broker allows its users to participate in cryptocurrency trading. It offers 10+ cryptocurrencies on its trading platform, including popular options such as DOGEUSD, BTCUSD, and ADAUSD.

ETFs

In addition to all the other financial instruments available, this broker also provides ETFs to traders that use its services. ActivTrades offers 30+ ETFs for trading, including DIA.US and GLD.US.

Bonds

ActivTrades is one of the few brokers that enables traders to participate in the Bond markets. They offer 5 bonds, including EURO BUND, US T-BOND, and EURO BTP.

Stock Trading at ActivTrades

ActivTrades offers CFD shares of popular companies in various countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Netherlands, France, Italy, Belgium, and Portugal. Unfortunately, traders who use this broker will not be able to deal in real stocks. Their CFD shares are available to all account types and allow clients to hold both long and short positions. Stock trading leverage with this broker is typically lower than with other financial instruments. Users who trade in stocks can expect to see leverage between 1:1.33 and 1:50 on most assets. In addition, CFD shares are only available via ActivTrader for web or mobile and MetaTrader 5. As part of our review, we will discuss all you need to know about stock trading with this broker. We list all the available stock exchanges they provide and explain their fees and commissions as well as leverage. 

Available Stock Exchanges at ActivTrades

ActivTrades only provides a CFD stock offering. This broker does not list its available stock exchanges. However, those who trade with this broker can access CFD stocks from various countries, including the US, UK, Portugal, Spain, Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, Switzerland, France, and Germany. All the available stock exchanges they offer are listed in the table below:

Stock Trading Fees & Commission at ActivTrades

Unlike its other financial assets, ActivTrades charges fees on all shares available on its platform. The transaction fees on CFD shares vary depending on location. For European customers, this broker charges 0.01% of the total transaction value with the minimum commission set at 5 € or 0.05% of the transaction value (1 € minimum commission). New York traders incur a fee of $0.02 per share ($1 minimum commission). London-based traders are charged 0.10% of their total transaction value (£1 minimum commission).

In addition to its regular charges, this broker also demands a fee for orders that exceed a day. Short positions on CFD shares held overnight require a swap fee. If the one-month interbank rate is equal to or less than 2%, a short position will be charged as the interbank rate minus 2%. When the interbank rate is negative, the overnight fee will be limited to 2%. Long positions held overnight will also incur a swap charge, calculated as the one-month interbank rate plus 2%.

Stock Trading Leverage at ActivTrades

Leverage on shares depends on several factors, such as the specific CFD stock being traded and the trading volume. Users of this broker who wish to buy shares can be offered leverage up to 1:50 for low-volume trades on some assets, such as APPLE and ABBVIE. However, for larger trades, the leverage is usually smaller and can be as low as 1:1.33.  

Regulations

ActivTrades is a regulated broker. It is authorised by organisations such as the Securities Commission of the Bahamas (SCB), the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF) Luxembourg, and the Portuguese Securities Market Commission (CMVM). In this section of the review, we list out all the subsidiaries of this broker and provide their addresses and regulation information.

ActivTrades Corp: Located at 209/210 Church Street, Sandyport Plaza, 1 P.O. Box SP 64388, Nassau, Bahamas. This entity is authorised by the Securities Commission of the Bahamas.

• Registration number: 199667 B

ActivTrades PLC: Registered in England and Wales, this entity is located at The Loom 2.5, 14 Gower’s Walk, London, E1 8PY. It is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. 

• FCA Registration number: 434413
• Company Registration Number: 05367727 

ActivMarkets: Also known as Empresa de Investimento, S.A., this entity is located at Rua Duque de Palmela, n. 37, 1A – 1250-097 Lisboa. The company is authorized and regulated by Comissão do Mercado de Valores Mobiliários (CMVM). 

• CMVM Registration Number: 433
• Company’s Registration Number: 516 929 291 

ActivTrades PLC: Located at 52, Route d’Esch L-1470 Luxembourg. They are regulated by the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financial (CSSF). 

• Registration number: B232167

Fees and Commissions

ActivTrades does not charge any commissions on most of its instruments, including Forex, Commodities, and Indices. Users who opt to buy or sell Stock CFDs, however, will be required to pay transaction fees. In this section of our review, we look at the various trading and non-trading fees incurred by clients of this broker. 

Trading Fees

ActivTrades fees mean that they can be considered a low-cost broker as they do not charge a commission on most of its CFD instruments except stocks. However, there are some trading-related charges incurred by users of this broker. We analyse these costs in more detail below.

Spreads

This broker boasts relatively low spreads compared to its competitors. ActivTrades spreads typically change depending on several factors, such as the current market conditions and the specific asset being traded. However, clients can expect spreads from 0.5 pips on major forex pairs such as EUR/USD.

Commission

Traders who wish to trade CFD instruments such as forex, commodities, and indices will not pay a commission as this broker only profits from the spreads on these instruments. But, clients who participate in stock trading are charged commissions that vary based on location.  Clients in Europe will be required to pay either 0.01% or 0.05% of their total transaction volume, New York traders are charged 0.02 USD per share, and London-based traders will pay 0.10% of their total transaction volume. 

Rollover Rate/ Swap Fee

This broker charges users a swap fee on positions held overnight. However, those who open an Islamic Account will not be charged any rollover fees. 

Non-Trading Fees

Non-trading fees include deposit fees, inactivity fees, and currency conversion fees. In the section below, our ActivTrades review discusses each of these charges.

Deposit Fees

Most deposit methods on ActivTrades do not incur any extra charges. However, clients who wish to fund their accounts via a credit card and debit card will be charged the sum of 1.5% of their total deposit amount. 

Currency Conversion Fee

Users who wish to fund their account using a denomination that is different from their account base currency will be charged a 0.3% conversion fee by this broker. 

Inactivity Fees

Account holders who do not log into their accounts for at least one year will be charged an inactivity fee. This amount is usually 10 USD every month until the client re-opens their account. 

Account Types

Here in our review, we will cover all the account types available to clients of this broker. They offer a demo, individual, professional, and Islamic account to traders who wish to sign up and begin trading financial instruments on its platform.  

Demo Account

Traders who use a demo account will be able to test-run their trading strategies and improve their skills without the risk of losing real money. Demo accounts come with a virtual trading balance of $10,000 and are available to every client. 

Individual Account

With this account type, traders can buy or sell all the available instruments on ActivTrades. Individual accounts provide insurance of up to $1,000,000 and offer a relatively fast average transaction execution time of 0.0004 seconds. They also offer spreads as low as 0.5 pips on major currency pairs. Furthermore, there is no minimum deposit required to register for this account type. Clients who open this type of account will be able to use MT4 and MT5 as well as the broker’s proprietary trading platform, ActivTrader.

Professional Account

A professional account offers a much higher leverage of up to 1:400 compared to 1:200 on a regular account. Also, close-out levels on this account type can be as low as 30%. Eligible professional account holders will receive a monthly interest on their free margin. They can also earn money via a referral or cashback program.

To qualify for a professional account, a trader must meet at least two out of the following criteria:

• They must have carried out more than 10 large-volume transactions in a relevant market every quarter, for at least four quarters.
• At least one year of experience in a professional finance sector role that relates to trading.
• A total investment portfolio that exceeds $500,000, including cash deposits and financial instruments.

Islamic Account

Islamic accounts are similar to individual accounts. However, they do not require interest on contracts that span over 24 hours. They also do not charge rollover commissions on contracts lasting beyond 24 hours. 

Trading Platforms

ActivTrades offers users a familiar interface by providing MetaTrader 4 and 5. In addition, it also has a proprietary trading platform, ActivTrader, which is available as a web application and a mobile app. Here in our ActivTrades review, we examine all the features of both their web and mobile applications. We also outline the sign-up process for both options. 

Desktop Trading Platforms

ActivTrades has a proprietary web application, ActivTrader, that enables its clients to buy and sell financial instruments. The desktop trading platform offers several features to provide a seamless trading experience for users of this broker. Some of these features are explained below.

Notifications

The ActivTrader desktop platform provides a notification feature for clients. With the notifications option, users of the broker’s web application can be informed when there are any important market events. They can also be notified of changes in their trading account, such as the execution of orders or closed positions. 

Indicators

ActivTrader for desktop has several indicators to make the trading process simpler for its users. Traders who use this broker can select between Connors RSI, Double EMA, Coppock’s curve, and many other indicators to carry out their technical analysis before placing an order. 

Search

The search option on the desktop platform makes it easy for traders to select their preferred financial instrument. ActivTrades offers a wide array of assets, such as Forex pairs, commodities, indices, and much more. With this feature, users of this broker can navigate the web application and identify their chosen asset quickly.

Online Chat

The Online Chat feature allows customers on the desktop platform to receive quick and efficient support from a customer support agent. Users can get solutions to problems they are experiencing without closing the platform. 

How to Open an Account on ActivTrades Desktop Trading Platform

1. On the broker’s website homepage, select “Sign Up”.
2. Fill out an application form with your country of residence, title, email, password, name (as displayed on your passport), and telephone number.
3. Enter all the account holder details requested, including your personal details, tax residency information, and home address.
4. Provide information on your trading experience.
5. Complete a brief knowledge test.
6. Fill in your financial and account information.
7. Choose your preferred trading platform and base account currency.
8.  Verify your account by submitting two valid identification documents, proof of address, and a recent selfie.
9. Once your account is verified, you can select your preferred deposit method from the drop-down menu, fund your account, and begin trading.

Mobile Apps

This broker’s mobile trading apps for iOS and Android provide an easy way for traders to place orders and monitor their open positions on the go. It has several attributes that simplify the trading process and make it easier for clients to navigate the financial markets. Some of these features are explained below:

Notifications

The ActivTrader app provides notifications to clients when orders are completed, or positions are closed. It also enables users of the mobile app to stay informed about any notable events that could affect the direction of the markets. 

Indicators

Just like with the desktop application, customers who opt for the mobile app will have access to a wide variety of trading indicators such as Bollinger Bands, Aroon, and Chaikin Oscillator to enable them to create effective trading strategies and make better-informed decisions. 

Search

The search tab makes it easy for traders to find their preferred financial instrument. ActivTrades provides a vast number of options for trading, and this feature helps its customers to identify the asset they wish to trade. 

Live chat

With the live chat feature, ActivTrades users can quickly reach a customer support representative when they encounter any issues while using the mobile application. This option provides a straightforward method to address client complaints without leaving the broker’s platform. 

How to Open an Account on ActivTrades Mobile Trading App

1. Download the mobile trading app from your device’s application store.
2. Next, you will be redirected to an online form where you will enter your country of residence, title, name (as shown in your passport), email, password, and phone number.
3. Fill in your personal details.
4. Summarise your trading experience with CFDs.
5. Fill in your financial and account information.
6. Set up your trading account and choose your trading platform and account currency.
7. Verify your account by providing two of the following: Passport, National ID card, Driver’s license & Residence permit.
8. Next, you can fund your account and start trading by selecting “deposit” from the dropdown menu on the ActivTrader mobile application.

Payment Methods

There are many options for deposits and withdrawals at ActivTrades, including Bank Transfers, Credit cards, Debit cards, Neteller, Skrill, and AstroPay. This segment of our broker review explains the various payment methods available along with their required fees and processing times. 

Deposits

Users can make deposits on the platform via bank transfers, credit cards, debit cards, Neteller, Skrill, or AstroPay. For traders within or outside the European Economic Area (EEA) who wish to fund their accounts with a credit card or debit card, the broker charges a 1.5% fee on the deposit amount. However, other payment methods are completely free, although in some cases, third-party charges may be deducted. 

Processing times on ActivTrades are usually about 30 mins for most methods except bank transfers which could take up to 24 hours. These times can also be longer due to several factors. Also, there is no minimum deposit amount for users. 

Withdrawals

ActivTrades offers similar withdrawal and deposit methods. Users can opt to retrieve their funds through bank transfers, credit cards, debit cards, or e-wallets such as Neteller and Skrill. Intraday profits cannot be withdrawn until the next business day. Withdrawals are free for all methods except bank transfers which attract a 9￡fee. Barring any extenuating circumstances, all withdrawals with this broker are processed within 24 hours. 

Account Base Currency

Depending on their individual preferences, ActivTrades users can choose to have their account base currency in EUR, GBP, USD, or CHF. 

Research and Education

ActivTrades does not provide a wide range of educational materials for its users relative to many other brokers. Traders using this platform who wish to improve their skills and learn will have access to webinars covering several topics, such as trading strategies, candlestick patterns, and much more. The broker also allows its users to book a personal online training session and receive one-on-one coaching on how to utilise their platform’s diverse features effectively. In addition to webinars, they offer multiple instruction manuals on Metatrader 4 and 5, and ActivTrader, its proprietary trading platform.  

Customer Services

ActivTrades has a wide variety of customer service options. Users of this broker can select any of these available courses of action to deal with any challenges they encounter while using its platform. 

Traders can get in touch with support staff and receive instant feedback any time of the day, five days a week, using their available contact lines, depending on their specific location. The customer service lines are +44-(0)-207-6500-567 (UK), +1-242-603-5200 (Bahamas), and +352-20-331-300 (Luxembourg). 

They also provide an email, a live chat option, and an online form on their website, along with a robust help section where users can search and find solutions to common problems that clients face.  Finally, the broker can also be reached via its social media pages on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. 

Online Reviews

As part of our review, we provide you with a brief overview of the opinion of users of ActivTrades. Below, we summarise what customers of this broker have to say about its services on various social media platforms, including Reddit, Quora, TrustPilot, and ForexPeaceArmy. 

What Reddit Users Say About ActivTrades

There are only a few comments on Reddit regarding ActivTrades. However, the majority of observations about them on the social media platform are positive, citing their trading view as a standout feature. 

What Quora Users Say About ActivTrades

Reviews of this broker are largely excellent on Quora. Most users point to ActivTrades’ longevity in the financial markets space and its regulation by the FCA and other authorities as credible proof of its reliability. There were also positive comments about the broker’s low spreads on major currency pairs. 

However, one user complained about the unavailability of their services in the USA and Canada.   

TrustPilot Users’ Review About ActivTrades

ActivTrades has a rating of 4.6/5 on TrustPilot based on a total of 790 reviews. Most TrustPilot users rate this broker highly due to its low spreads and reliability. There were also comments about the effectiveness of their customer service in dealing with client complaints. 

The only drawback consistently mentioned was the high minimum deposit on the platform. 

ForexPeaceArmy Users’ Review About ActivTrades

ActivTrades has a rating of 2.959/5 on ForexPeaceArmy from 149 different user reviews. They are generally seen as a broker that provides great customer support. In addition, most ForexPeaceArmy users claim that they are fast and reliable, with straightforward deposit and withdrawal methods.

Although, there were also negative comments about this broker’s propensity to remove traders’ profits without good reason. 

Other Products and Services

Below, we provide information on the additional services provided by this broker. As part of our ActivTrades review, we shed some light on the benefits of these solutions and what users can expect from them. 

ActivAffiliates

The ActivAffiliates program is available to those with an online following via websites, forums, social networks, or mobile apps. It is also useful for web-traffic-buying specialists, trading coaches, and creators of educational trading content. With ActivAffiliates, these individuals can earn up to $1,350 for every qualified trader they direct to ActivTrades, depending on the trader’s country of residence and initial deposit amount. ActivAffiliates also provides digital marketing materials and a robust platform to make the process of engaging with affiliates easy and effective. 

Is ActivTrades Safe?

The broker can be considered to be a reliable broker. With a track record of service in the financial investment industry spanning over 21 years, ActivTrades safety measures are carefully designed to ensure that its client’s funds are well protected.

The company ensures that it stays compliant with the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID). It also engages in regular audits carried out by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), a leading accounting firm based in the United Kingdom. The broker has a robust insurance policy that ensures that in the case of insolvency, clients are protected from losses on amounts between $10,000 and $1,000,000. 

In terms of regulation, the broker is authorised by financial and investment regulatory bodies in the UK, Bahamas, Luxembourg, and Portugal. They run separate accounts for client and company funds. In addition, all monies are only kept in reputable banks such as Barclays Bank, Lloyds, RBS, and Citibank. 

Bottom Line

ActivTrades is a broker with a long-standing reputation, having been in existence since 2001. It is considered safe, as it is regulated by the FCA (UK), SCB (Bahamas), CSSF (Luxembourg), and CMVM. The broker also incorporates several protective measures, including insurance on customers’ funds up to $1,000,000. 

Overall, this ActivTrades review highlights several positives to trading with them. One of their standout advantages is their extremely low spreads, which is from 0.5 pips on major forex currency pairs. They also offer a wide array of payment methods, most of which are completely free. However, they do not provide real stocks. Traders who choose ActivTrades will only be allowed to buy and sell share CFDs. Another challenge with this broker is that their services are currently unavailable to individuals resident in the US. Also, its educational resources are relatively limited compared to some of its competitors. 

There are several payment methods provided by the broker, including credit cards, debit cards, bank transfers, Neteller, Skrill, and AstroPay. Only deposits with a credit card and debit card attract a fee of 1.5%. Also, users of the broker will be charged a conversion fee when they deposit a different currency than their base account currency. Traders participating in CFD shares trading will be charged an overnight swap fee and transaction fee, depending on their location.

ActivTrades provides four account types for its clients to choose from. Those who decide to trade with the broker can register a demo, individual, professional, or Islamic account. Furthermore, it offers a wide range of platforms, including MetaTrader 4 and 5, and ActivTrader, a proprietary trading software that runs on both desktop and mobile apps.