Summary

The XTB trading platform was founded in 2002 by Jakub Zablocki, and it now operates in major cities in the UK, Germany, Portugal, and Italy. It has licences from the FCA, CySEC, and IFSC Belize. Its tradable instruments include 55+ forex pairs, 35+ indices, 25+ commodities, 155 ETFs, and 1920+ stock CFDs. 

Clients can access the platform’s services on desktop (Windows, Mac, Linux) and mobile (Android and iOS) through its proprietary platforms. Opening and activating your account is fast and straightforward, and the fees are low. That said, we will now dive into our in-depth XTB review and examine all its relevant aspects.

Available Assets

In total, XTB offers 2,000+ CFD tradable instruments, which include forex pairs (major, minor, and exotics), stocks and shares, crypto assets, precious metals, ETFs, and Indices. The broker offers access to multiple financial markets across the globe, where clients can trade in these assets. In this section of our review, we will look at each asset class and its important details.

Stocks

By far its most robust class of available trading instruments, XTB’s portfolio of stock CFDs spans all the biggest markets in Europe and around the globe, and they number 1,920+. All of them are CFDs, and they are offered at very competitive spreads. The stocks CFDs are from major German companies like Adidas AG, Covestro AG, and Airbus Group NV; French companies like Air France and Airports de Paris; and Italian companies like Atlantia SpA and Astaldi SpA CFD.

Indices

Traders on the XTB platforms also have access to a robust Index CFD trading space where they can trade up to 35+ index CFDs. These indices include some of the best in the European markets, and they are tradable at leverages of up to 1:500. Though, local jurisdictional limits may apply and traders may not necessarily be able to access that much leverage. The top index CFDs you can access on the platform include AUS200, AUT20, CH50 cash, and DE30.cash.

Forex

There are 55+ forex pairs available on XTB and they include minor, major, and exotic trading pairs. The advantage of this diversity of forex pairs is that traders can spread their risk across many assets and adapt the general structure of their portfolio at any time to suit current trends among the various pairs better. The major pairs are those necessarily containing the dollar (though not all that contain the dollar are major pairs, as some are exotic), and trading activity on these is usually high. The minor pairs, by contrast, don’t include the dollar, but they include at least one of the three other major currencies, and they typically have lower trading activity than the major pairs. The exotics are basically every other pair.

The forex pairs on the XTB trading platform include EUR/USD, EUR/GBP, USD/TRY and many more. They are tradable 24/5.

Commodities

Trading in commodity CFDs differs from trading in other asset classes like forex pairs and crypto, because it involves trading in raw materials important for different industries. These may be anything from gold and silver to energy resources like crude oil and coal. However, it shares the need for leverage, even though commodity CFD leverages are usually a lot less than you will find for forex. 

Currently, XTB grants traders on the platform access to 25+ such commodities, particularly gold, silver, aluminium, and even cattle. These assets are traded on a 24-hour basis, and the broker promises transparent rollovers that are visible in the charts.

Cryptocurrencies

With the relatively recent rise of blockchain, the crypto assets based on this technology have come to constitute a formidable class of tradable commercial assets. XTB does quite well to provide clients with access to this very lucrative (however risky) market. The platform offers 45+ cryptocurrency CFDs available at good spreads and leverages. These crypto assets include big hitters like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, and Dogecoin.

ETFs

XTB also offers access to a robust portfolio of over 155+ ETFs for traders to trade with reasonable spreads and leverage. These ETFs include SPY.US, QQQ.US, and URA.US.

Stock Trading at XTB

XTB has performed quite well in the stocks department, officially getting listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange in 2016. The platform deals almost entirely in CFDs, which means traders actually trade in the underlying price movements of the assets in question without assuming ownership of said assets. 

In addition, traders dealing with XTB stock CFDs have access to a large portfolio of such instruments and some great trading features. These include charts to help keep track of market price movements and educational resources to help traders get acquainted with the nature of the market.

Available Stock Exchanges at XTB

XTB’s stock trade is mostly CFDs, the broker doesn’t offer real stocks. The stock CFDs in its portfolio currently number around 1920+,  and they include CFDs of stocks from major companies all over Europe. Here are the many national exchange markets traders can access these stock CFDs.

Stock Trading Fees & Commission at XTB

XTB does not charge any commissions for trading stock CFDs, which is one of its main selling points. There is, however,  a 0.30% markup included in the spread for all the various exchanges it offers access to.

Stock Trading Leverage at XTB

The 1,920+ stock CFDs on the XTB platform are tradable at a leverage of up to 1:10. As this is higher than the leverage limit set by CySEC and the FCA (up to 1:5), traders in regions under jurisdictions of these bodies cannot enjoy the full leverage allowed on XTB.

Regulations

XTB has its headquarters in Warsaw, Poland. However, it also conducts operations in several other major European nations, including the UK, Germany, and Portugal, and it is regulated by the Tier-1 (high trust) regulator, the FCA. Here, we will  review the main regional offices of the broker and their addresses.

XTB (Poland) Ltd: The XTB Poland office is the firm’s worldwide headquarters, and it’s located in ul. Prosta 67, 00-838, Warsaw. It is Regulated and licensed by the Polish Securities and Exchange Commission.

• Licence Number: DDM-M-4021-57-1/2005

XTB (UK) Ltd: The XTB regional office in the UK is situated in London, at  Level 9, One Canada Square, Canary Wharf, E14 5AA. This branch is within the jurisdiction of the FCA.

• Reference Number: FRN 522157

XTB (Germany) Ltd: The German branch office of the XTB is located at Mainzer Landstr. 47, 60329 Frankfurt am Main, Germany. 

• Registration Number: HRB 84148

XTB (Portugal) Ltd: XTB’s office in Portugal is situated at Praça Duque de Saldanha, Atrium Saldanha Building, Floor 9 Fraction B 1050-094 Lisbon.

• Registration Number: 980436613

XTB (Romania) Ltd: The platform’s Romanian office is located in Bucharest, at Bulevardul Eroilor, no. 18, sector 5.

• Registration Number: J40/13245/2008
• Fiscal Identification Number: 24270192

XTB (Slovenia) Ltd: The Slovakian branch office of the XTB is located at Poštová 1, 811 06 Bratislava.

• ID Number: 36859699
• VAT Number: 4020230324

XTB (Chile) Office:  The Chilean branch office is located at Av. Apoquindo 4501, Of 1604 – Las Condes, Santiago. Chile and other office regions outside the EU and UK are regulated by the International Financial Services Commission (IFSC) of Belize.

XTB (France) Ltd: XTBs French branch office can be found at 32 Rue de la Bienfaisance – 75008 Paris.

XTB (Cyprus) Ltd: You can find the XTB office here at Pikioni 10, Highsight Rentals Ltd building, 3075 in Limassol. CySEC regulates the Cyprus office and all the other EU offices.

Licence Number: 169/12

XTB (Spain) Ltd: The Spanish branch of the XTB trading platform operates out of Madrid and is located at Iberia Mart I Building Calle Pedro Teixeira 8, 6th Floor 28020.

XTB (UAE) Ltd: The United Arab Emirates branch of XTB is located in Dubai, at Unit 1204 of the Index Tower on Happiness Street, Dubai International Financial Centre, 482081.

XTB (Turkey) Ltd: The Turkish branch of the XTB is located at Büyükdere Caddesi No: 193 193 Plaza Floor: 2 34394 Levent Istanbul.

Fees and Commissions

XTB fees are generally quite low, as the platform tries to make trading as affordable as possible for all clients, both frequent and infrequent traders. The fees fall under two categories, which we will now look at: the trading and non-trading fees.

Trading Fees

The trading fees are changes that accrue due to a client’s trading activity, and these can be anything from spreads and financing rates to trading commissions. 

Spread

The spread is a term for the difference between the ask and bid prices of a trading instrument, a difference influenced by such factors as market news and liquidity. The XTB spreads vary from asset to asset, though the minimum available spread is from 0.5 pips. However, this is for advanced professional holders; standard account holders get a minimum spread of 0.5 pips.

Commissions

The commissions are fees charged by the broker based on the volume of a given trade, though some commissions don’t vary in this way. For example, there are no commissions for trading stocks and ETFs, except for Italian stock CFDs, for which traders must pay a fee related to notional charges. This fee is typically 1% of the transaction value.

Rollover Fees/Swap Rates

If you hold your leveraged position overnight, you get to pay a fee known as the rollover or swap fee, and it depends on the market you traded in, your account type, and whether you went short or long. For instance, the swap rate for AUD/CAD is -0.848 for the short position and -2.154 for the long.

Non-Trading Fees

The non-trading fees accrue due to any activity on the platform that is not actually trading.

Deposit and Withdrawal Fees

XTB accepts deposits in USD through bank transfers, e-wallets, and credit cards. For credit cards and bank transfers, deposits are free of charge. However, deposits from an e-wallet will be subject to charges that vary according to the e-wallet. For instance, the fee is 2% for PaySafe and 1% for Neteller.

The picture is a bit more elaborate for withdrawals as they are free of charge for clients with an account with XTB Limited (UK) if they exceed £60, 80 €, or $100. European and International clients also get free withdrawals for sums above 100 € and $50, respectively. Any withdrawals less than these amounts will be subject to an additional fee of $30.

Conversion Fee

All trades involving instruments with a different currency than the one specified on a trader’s account are subject to conversion costs. In addition to the exchange rate, a markup the platform obtains from the liquidity providers makes up the conversion cost.

Inactivity Fees

The inactivity fees are the ones charged for extended periods of dormancy on the platform. If you do not perform any trades on your account for more than 12 months, XTB levies an inactivity fee. This fee covers the costs of providing you with real-time market data on thousands of markets, and it amounts to 10 € per month (or its equivalent in GBP or USD)  for 12 inactive months 

When you resume trading, the inactivity fee will be automatically terminated, and you will not be charged again for at least 12 months.

Administrative Fees

Administrative expenses include charges for duplicate statements, audit certification, legal expenditures, debt collection correspondence, telephone transcripts, and so on.

Account Types

One of the downsides of XTB is that its account options are not very flexible. The platform offers only two actual trading account types, though there are three types altogether.

Demo Account

The XTB demo account option is designed to help traders practise and master trading in a risk-free environment and develop trading skills they can bring to bear in real markets. The demo account comes with $100,000 in virtual funds and real-time spreads, and it allows traders access to a replica of the live market that allows access to 1,500+ CFDs. 

The demo account appears to be the only XTB account type you can operate on the MT4.

Standard Account

XTB’s standard account is commission-free and suited for fresh traders out of the demo space. It is available for mobile and PC users on the xStation platform, offering access to all the best-traded base currencies, with a minimum lot size of 0.01 and minimum spreads of up to 0.5 pips. This account type charges swap fees.

Islamic (Swap-Free) Account

This account type is great for traders with faith or ideology that prevents them from working with interest. This option is available under the XTB international platform for traders in Arabic regions like the UAE, Kuwait, Lebanon, etc. The minimum lot size is still 0.01, but the minimum spread is up to 0.7 pips.

The benefits of the swap-free account include active trader rewards, such as trade alerts and cashbacks, and traders may also enjoy trading recommendations from major banks such as Goldman Sachs.

Trading Platforms

In this section of our XTB review, we will take a look at the digital platforms of the XTB broker. While there is indication that XTB used to operate on the third-party platform MT4, it no longer does. The company has begun to focus on running and improving its proprietary platforms, which we will examine here.

Desktop Trading Platform

Traders on the XTB trading platform can enjoy the desktop trading experience through the company’s proprietary platform, xStation 5. 

Platform Overview

The XTB trading platform, xStation 5, is very user-friendly, and the functions are easy to locate. It enables professional charting, and traders can read market news, analyse data, or utilise the stock-screener to locate the finest investing prospects. The security features are rather basic and could use an upgrade to two-factor verification instead of the email-and-password login it currently operates.

Overall, the xStation provides a trader with everything he requires, and we will go through the important aspects of the software here.

Market Watch

To the left of the desktop screen, traders can see the ‘Market Watch’ function, and clicking on it reveals the asset menu, enabling traders to find any markets they would like to trade. There is also a search function here to make finding these markets easier. Clicking on an asset causes a direct order window with the latest buy and sell price; it allows traders to perform simple trading actions like buying and selling as well as more complex ones like take profit or stop loss.

Charting and Analysis

The xStation 5 includes free professional charting and analysis capabilities, enabling traders to utilise various chart types and more than 50 indicators. Many drawing tools are available, and each tool and indication can be customised independently. There is also a multi-charting option.

Terminal

The terminal is the bottom module, and it allows you to view your margin, trading history, pending orders, currently open trades, etc. 

Education

This section grants traders access to educational material from top trading experts and analysts and tips on performing complex trading moves.

How to Open an Account and Trade on the XTB Desktop Platform

We will now outline the steps necessary to open a live account and start trading on the platform. However, you should bear in mind that registration is not instant, and it may take time for the process to be completed.

Now, here is the procedure for opening an account on the XTB trading platform.

1. Access the website’s homepage and click on ‘Create Account’ on the dashboard.
2. On the sign-up page that follows, enter your email and country, tick the consent boxes, then click on ‘Next Step’ to proceed.
3. On the next page, set your account password and move on to the next step.
4. The next page contains fields where you must provide extra details about yourself, including your honorifics, full name, phone number, Date of birth, etc. You will also have to specify your income range and how much you plan to invest annually. Fill in all of these and proceed to the next page.
5. Supply your location.
6. Select a base currency and language for your account. And if you have been referred to the platform, you may also supply the referral code your referrer gave you. Next, tick the boxes on the page that follows to accept the necessary terms and conditions.
7. The next page will inform you that your account has been created successfully.
8. Enter ‘xStation 5 login’ and click on the login entry on the results page. 
9. On the login page, input your registered account email and your password.
10. You are now logged in. You will be required to activate your account before you can start trading.
11. To activate, you must verify your identity and address, and you can do that through SMS verification on your mobile, or you can supply your ID details on your PC.
12. Supply the necessary information (including a snapshot of the relevant documents) and click on ‘Next’ to complete the process. Once your account is activated, you can now fund your account and start trading.

Mobile Apps

The xStation app is also available for mobile users as xMobile, which is readily available for download on Google Play Store (for android users) and the Apple store (for iOS users). The mobile trading platform has five main sections: Trading, Portfolio, Discover, News, and More.

Trading

This section is where traders can view the available trading instruments and place trades. Tapping on a particular instrument will open a new page with a chart of the instrument’s price movements and options to place a buy or sell order. Traders can also toggle the options for ‘take profit’ and ‘stop loss.’

Portfolio

This section allows traders to view their open and closed positions, cash operations, and pending orders, and they can select each option to make the page show the relevant list.

Discover

The discovery section allows traders access to hot takes on market trends and, very importantly, information on the best trading instruments in the market at any point in time.

News

This section allows traders access to news on the latest happenings and trends in the market, as well as any relevant events that may affect any of the assets in the market.

More

In this section, the trader can access the calendar, educational materials, and help centre. They can also view their profile, log out, or make deposits and withdrawals. Another important function here can be found in the settings, where traders can not only customise the app interface but also set their own security, which could be a passcode or a biometric lock, such as a fingerprint. These measures help secure trading activity, and if set, traders can ensure no one accesses their portfolio or makes trades without their authorization. And speaking of security, the mobile app also has the same security failure as the desktop version—it only has the login function but no two-factor verification to further safeguard user accounts.

How to Open an Account and Trade CFDs with the xStation Mobile Trading App

To enjoy the XTB mobile trading experience, you must first open an account on the platform by following the steps we have outlined in the desktop platform section of this review. Once you have done that, you can follow these steps to enter the XTB mobile space.

1. Download the mobile app on your app store.
2. Launch the app and select ‘login’ on the startup page.
3. Provide your login details and tap on ‘login’ to proceed.
4. In the ‘Trading’ section of the app, tap on the instrument you want to trade in.
5. On the next page, set your trading volume as well as any stop loss or take profit settings you want.
6. Execute your order by tapping on ‘Buy’ or ‘Sell,’ and ‘Yes’ to confirm it.

Payment Methods

XTB traders can fund and withdraw cash from their trading accounts through a number of methods, which we will review here.

Deposit

Deposits at XTB can be made using any of three methods: bank transfers, credit/debit cards, and e-wallets. Unlike most other platforms, XTB does not appear to support other modes of payment like internet banking and crypto. Where charges are concerned, using credit cards, debit cards and bank transfers are free, while fees ranging from 1-2% apply when using the three e-wallets the platform accepts – PaySafe, Neteller, and SafetyPay.

Withdrawals

The XTB trading platform accepts withdrawals through the same payment methods as for deposits. Withdrawals are free as long as they are above $50. It is also worth noting that XTB processes payments using the SHA model, which covers the full fee imposed by the sending bank.

Account Base Currency

The account base currency is the stipulated currency in which your account’s financial information will be rendered, and it’s also the currency in which you will be making withdrawals and deposits. The XTB trading platform allows four base currencies: USD, HUF, GBP, and EUR, though it mostly uses USD. Domestic withdrawals using any of these currencies are processed the same day as long as they are requested before 1 PM.

Research and Education

Compared to many other trading platforms we review, XTB’s stock of educational resources seems rather limited. The broker offers a manageable trading academy, otherwise known as the Knowledge Base, which holds scores of educational articles on basically every aspect of trading. There is also a library of downloadable eBooks that traders can use to further improve their understanding of trade, markets, and everything about CFDs. These resources are available in at least 11 languages from across Europe and the Americas.

Customer Services

First off, XTB’s customer service is not very diverse in scope. The platform does not appear to have any customer support on social media platforms, not even Whatsapp. Additionally, their customer service is not available 24/7.

On the bright side, however, customer support is pretty responsive on the three avenues through which they are available: live chat, email, and phone.  All live chats are first handled by the chatbot, which will then refer clients to a real customer service agent if needed. Depending on your location, you can reach them through any of the relevant contact numbers or email services addresses; and you can expect a prompt response, especially on the phone.

Online Reviews

In this section, we will examine the user feedback about the XTB trading platform from four popular review sites: Reddit, Quora, TrustPilot, and ForexPeaceArmy. 

What Reddit Users Say About XTB

The attitudes towards the XTB trading platform on Reddit are generally positive, and no one seems to have any significant gripe with it. There seems to be general confidence about the safety and trustworthiness of the platform.

There is also much praise for the educational material by the same user; apparently, some users still find the materials quite useful. The user also seems to have some preference for their stocks.

There are, however, one or two complaints, like this user who claims they were shut out of the platform without any explanations as to exactly why.

What Quora Users Say About XTB

There is one rather enigmatic review of XTB on Quora, and it doesn’t seem to favour the broker. However, the user’s claim about the minimum deposit doesn’t seem accurate from our research.

Otherwise, other users on Quora seem to favour XTB. For instance, this user considers it the better option compared to another platform, AvaTrade.

TrustPilot Users’ Review About XTB

XTB has a Trustpilot average  rating of 3.7, and the report from XTB users in the TrustPilot space is largely positive. Of the 664 reviews of the platform on Trustpilot, some commend the platform for the mobile app and customer service.

Some users commend the handling, like this user, who likes the ease of installation and the client verification. However, they have a problem with the pace of customer service binding.

There are, however, a few poor reviews from other users. For example, this user complains their positions were closed fraudulently, and the response has been slow.

ForexPeaceArmy Users’ Reviews About XTB

Reviews from the ForexPeaceArmy community are largely bad, though the average rating is 3.0 of the 59 reviews, some express disappointment at the XTB trading platform – like this user who considers the platform’s execution very slow and thinks the customer service has fallen short of previous standards.

This other user lost their money after a problem with the stop loss function, and the response from customer service has been, well, not good. The user now considers the platform a scam.

However, there are still a few positive reviews from a few other users, such as this one, who finds their educational material really informative and wishes to continue with the platform.

Other Products and Services

XTB doesn’t offer much else in terms of services, which is quite unfortunate. There isn’t much in the way of smart trading tools, and there is no VPS hosting. The limitations are further compounded by the apparent lack of any third-party platforms to operate on. It does, however, have a few products under its ‘Market analysis’ section we will briefly look at.

Market News

The market news section gives traders access to a steady stream of updates on recent events relating to the markets, asset classes, and all trading trends. These can help inform trading decisions.

Price Tables

The price tables allow traders to keep track of the prices of various CFDs in any available class, especially to monitor price changes.

Market Calendar

The market calendar service assists traders in planning their trading weeks and understanding where more market volatility may occur.

Is XTB Safe?

At this point in our XTB review, we must discuss the issue of XTB safety and security. How safe is XTB? Let’s look at the relevant metrics.

As far as regulation and licensing is concerned, XTB deos pretty well. The platform  is regulated by three different bodies – the IFSC Belize, FCA, and CySEC. These multiple regulations make it a safe platform to operate on, as it operates under reasonable security and corporate practice standards. The absence of multi-factor authorization, however, is a downside, as it means customer accounts will be easier to hack. 

However, there is at least a good degree of verification required to activate an account. The  mobile app offers users the option of further securing their app and trading activities with biometric or passkey security. The broker also has good SSL encryption, so that’s a plus for security.

Finally, there is one other aspect in which XTB excels: client money security. As an organisation regulated by the FCA, the platform holds all money from retail clients in a separate account from its own funds. This assures traders that their money is safe and will be returned in the event that the XTB runs into some financial  trouble. Additionally, traders on the platform also enjoy  eligibility for the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, which will see them compensated for up to $100,000 for any losses incurred due to the platform ceasing operations or going insolvent. Lastly, the platform also offers more protection for the customer’s funds in the form of insurance. Funds in any account with a balance greater than $20,000 are insured for up to $1 million. All in all, XTB lags a bit in digital account security. However, it does offer excellent security for the trader’s  money.

Bottom Line

The XTB trading platform performs a good job of providing users with competitive pricing, reasonably fast transaction execution, and a secure trading environment. It is well-regulated by prominent financial regulatory bodies, and is available in many international locations, albeit mostly active in Europe.

The registration and account activation process is very fast, and traders immediately gain access to a robust portfolio of asset CFDs to trade in all the best international markets. The leverages are great, and the spreads are competitive. Fees are generally built into the spreads, so users don’t actually encounter much in the way of fees; furthermore, withdrawals and deposits are fast and free of charge.

As for account options, XTB doesn’t exactly shine there; but at least there are two options to choose from and an extra type for practice purposes (the demo account). The swap-free account, in particular, is great for users from Islamic countries, and they can access it by registering under XTB International. Finally, the customer service is commendable, albeit limited in the diversity of options.