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Risk warning: CFDs and forex are leveraged products. Most retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You could lose more than you deposit with brokers that do not offer negative balance protection. Nothing here is financial advice.
Gold is quoted as XAU/USD, the price of one troy ounce in US dollars. Brokers offer it as a CFD, so you trade the price without owning metal. Every broker below lists metals in our catalogue and holds at least one licence from a major regulator. The order is our trust rank, which no broker can pay to change.
One note on a broker you will not see here. tastyfx, the US forex broker, does not offer gold, so it is left out on purpose.
FOREX.com is a well-regarded forex broker offering broad access to forex markets through web, desktop, and mobile platforms, with research, education, and risk management tools. It operates under applicable regulatory oversight in many regions.
Interactive Brokers is a well-regarded forex broker providing broad access to currency pairs, advanced trading platforms, and research and risk management tools. It supports multi-asset trading and a wide range of order types for active FX participants.
Plus500 is a regulated forex and CFD broker offering broad access to currency pairs and other markets on a proprietary web and mobile platform. It provides built-in charting, order types, and risk management tools to support straightforward trade execution.
Saxo Bank is a well-regarded forex broker with a proprietary multi-asset trading platform, broad access to currency pairs, advanced charting, and research-driven tools. It emphasizes robust technology, risk management features, and a professional user experience.
Swissquote provides forex and multi-asset trading through proprietary and third-party platforms, with research, education, and customer support. It is well-regarded for a broad product range, clear pricing, and tools suitable for different experience levels.
eToro is a well‐regarded forex broker and multi‐asset platform offering broad access to currency markets via web and mobile trading. It provides social trading features, research, and education within an integrated interface and straightforward account management.
Pepperstone is a well-regarded forex broker offering access to forex and CFD markets through multiple trading platforms, with tools for analysis and risk management.
AvaTrade is a well-regarded forex and CFD broker offering multiple trading platforms, broad market access, and educational resources. It provides market research and risk management tools with an emphasis on platform reliability and compliance.
Admirals is a well-regarded forex and CFD broker offering broad market access, user-friendly platforms, and integrated research and education. It provides a range of account options and risk management tools under established regulatory frameworks, emphasizing platform reliability and client support.
IG is a well-regarded forex broker that provides broad access to currency pairs, multiple trading platforms, and extensive research and education within a regulated framework. It emphasizes transparent pricing, diverse order types, and built-in risk management tools.
City Index is a well-regarded, regulated forex broker offering forex and CFD trading across a broad range of markets via web and mobile platforms, supported by research, charting, and risk management tools. It emphasizes clear pricing, regular market analysis, and…
FxPro forex broker provides access to a broad range of forex and CFD markets on popular trading platforms, with an emphasis on order execution and risk management tools.
Markets.com is a well‐regarded forex and CFD broker offering broad access to currency pairs and multi‐asset CFDs on intuitive web and mobile platforms. It provides built‐in research, education, and risk management tools to support clear, streamlined trading.
OANDA is a well-regarded, regulated forex broker offering broad access to major currency pairs through intuitive web and mobile trading platforms. It provides order execution, research, charting, and educational resources, with products and availability varying by region.
ThinkMarkets is a well-regarded forex and CFD broker offering broad market access via MetaTrader and its proprietary ThinkTrader platform. It provides research, education, and risk management tools to support analysis and platform use.
A standard lot of XAU/USD is 100 ounces. At $2,400 an ounce that is a $240,000 position. Most brokers let you trade a tenth or a hundredth of a lot, so a 0.01 lot trade is one ounce. Each $1 move in the gold price is worth $1 per ounce you hold.
Gold trades almost around the clock from Sunday evening to Friday afternoon, New York time. The busiest hours are the London and New York overlap. Spreads widen in the hour around the New York close at 17:00, when brokers roll positions and charge swap. Our market hours tool shows the sessions in your own time zone.
In the EU and the UK, retail leverage on gold is capped at 20:1, so a $10,000 position needs $500 of margin. Australia uses the same 20:1 cap. In the United States gold is traded as a futures contract on COMEX rather than as a CFD. Offshore brokers offer far more leverage, sometimes 500:1 or more, with none of the retail protections that come with a major licence.
Look at the typical spread in dollars, not pips, because brokers quote gold spreads in different ways. Check the swap for holding overnight, because gold swaps can be large. Check the contract size and the smallest trade size. And check whether the broker widens spreads or raises margin around news such as US inflation data, which moves gold fast.
XAU/USD at a CFD broker is a contract that tracks the gold price. You cannot take delivery, and you pay a financing charge for holding it overnight. If you want to own gold, you need bullion or a fund that holds it.
It changes by broker and by time of day. Brokers publish a typical spread for XAU/USD on their contract pages. Compare that number in dollars per ounce, and check it again during the New York close, when spreads are widest.
Only at offshore brokers. Regulated brokers in the EU, the UK and Australia cap retail leverage on gold at 20:1. High leverage on a fast market like gold is the quickest way to lose a whole account.
Brokers tagged with metals in the catalogue and holding at least one licence from a major regulator, ordered by our trust rank. We have not yet compared gold spreads and swaps broker by broker. That comparison will be added when our cost fields are filled.
Sources: CME Group, gold futures trading hours (checked 25 Sep 2026) · FCA PS19/18, leverage tiers (2019)
