Admirals vs Markets.com (2026): regulation, platforms and costs compared

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Data refreshed 25 Aug 2026 · Compiled by David Ispiryan

Admirals

Trust rank #13 · Founded 2001

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…

Read the Admirals review

Markets.com

Trust rank #18 · Founded 2008

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…

Read the Markets.com review

Admirals (Estonia, founded 2001) holds 5 regulatory licences (ASIC, CySEC, FCA, FSCA, JSC), 2 of them tier-1, offers MT4, MT5 and sits in our low-fee bracket. Markets.com (Cyprus, founded 2008) holds 5 regulatory licences (ASIC, BVI FSC, CySEC, FCA, FSCA), 2 of them tier-1, offers MT4, MT5, Proprietary and sits in our low-fee bracket. The two overlap in 175 countries; Admirals is available in 53 countries where Markets.com is not, and Markets.com in 0 where Admirals is not.

Verdict at a glance

  • Admirals leads on trust rank, track record and country coverage.
  • Markets.com leads on platform choice.
  • Level on regulatory coverage, instrument range, fee level and tier-1 licences.

Scored on 8 measurable dimensions where both brokers have verified data. Dimensions missing for either side are excluded rather than guessed. This is a data summary, not a recommendation.

Admirals vs Markets.com: side-by-side data

CriteriaAdmiralsMarkets.com
Trust rank#13#18
Founded20012008
HeadquartersEstoniaCyprus
RegulatorsASIC, CySEC, FCA, FSCA, JSCASIC, BVI FSC, CySEC, FCA, FSCA
Broker typeMarket Maker, STPMarket Maker
PlatformsMT4, MT5MT4, MT5, Proprietary
InstrumentsCommodities, Cryptocurrencies, Forex, Indices, MetalsCommodities, Cryptocurrencies, Forex, Indices, Metals
Countries accepted228 countries175 countries
Fee levelLowLow
Trading typesCFD Trading, Spot TradingCFD Trading
Best-for use casesProfessional Trading, Retail TradingRetail Trading

Highlighted cells mark the stronger value where a direction is objectively better (e.g. more licences, lower fees). "Not verified" means the field is not yet in our catalogue for that broker — we never fill gaps with estimates.

Pros

Admirals

  • FCA, ASIC, CySEC regulation
  • MT4/MT5 with MetaTrader Supreme Edition
  • Zero Accounts with raw spreads and low commissions
  • Wide multi-asset range (FX, indices, commodities, stocks, ETFs, crypto CFDs)
  • Volatility Protection and negative balance protection

Markets.com

  • Multi-jurisdiction tier-1 regulation (FCA/ASIC) + segregated client funds
  • MT4/MT5 and proprietary platforms with advanced analytics
  • 2,000+ instruments including 50+ forex pairs
  • Integrated research, sentiment, and economic calendar tools
  • Negative balance protection for retail clients

Cons

Admirals

  • Charges inactivity fee
  • Limited free withdrawals
  • No cTrader platform support
  • Leverage capped at 1:30 for EU/UK retail
  • Not available to U.S. residents

Markets.com

  • No raw/commission pricing; wider spreads
  • Not available to U.S. clients
  • Protections vary by entity; weaker safeguards offshore
  • No cTrader or DMA/ECN access
  • Currency conversion fees apply

Key features

Admirals

  • Forex and CFD trading on MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5
  • Invest MT5 real stocks and ETFs
  • Multi jurisdiction regulation and segregated client funds
  • Negative balance protection and volatility protection
  • Zero account raw spreads with market execution
  • MetaTrader Supreme Edition and premium analytics

Markets.com

  • Multi jurisdiction regulation and client fund segregation
  • Forex and CFD trading across major asset classes
  • Proprietary web and mobile platforms with MT4 and MT5
  • Advanced research sentiment and event tools
  • Negative balance protection and risk management
  • Spread betting for UK clients

Country availability: Admirals vs Markets.com

Available at both (175): Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Benin, Bermuda, Bolivia, Bonaire, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Croatia, Curaçao, Cyprus, Czechia, Côte d'Ivoire and 135 more.

Only Admirals (53): American Samoa, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belize, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Cook Islands, Guam, Haiti, Hong Kong, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Libya, Macao, Maldives, Mali, Micronesia, Mongolia, Montserrat and 28 more.

Availability reflects the countries each broker declares it serves. Local rules change; confirm on the broker's own site before signing up.

Admirals vs Markets.com: common questions

Which broker is more regulated, Admirals or Markets.com?

Admirals holds more regulatory licences: Admirals (ASIC, CySEC, FCA, FSCA, JSC) versus Markets.com (ASIC, BVI FSC, CySEC, FCA, FSCA). Tier-1 licences: Admirals 2, Markets.com 2.

Which trading platforms do Admirals and Markets.com offer?

Admirals offers MT4, MT5; Markets.com offers MT4, MT5, Proprietary.

Which has lower fees, Admirals or Markets.com?

Both sit in the same fee bracket (low) in our catalogue; compare the spreads and commission rows above for detail.

Which is older, Admirals or Markets.com?

Admirals is the older of the two, founded in 2001; Markets.com was founded in 2008.

Are Admirals and Markets.com available in the same countries?

They overlap in 175 countries. Admirals is additionally available in 53 countries (American Samoa, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belize and 47 more) and Markets.com in 0 countries ().

Keep comparing

Admirals

Markets.com

Risk warning: CFDs and forex are complex, leveraged instruments and carry a high risk of losing money rapidly. A majority of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. Nothing on this page is financial advice; verify licence status on the regulator's register before depositing. Full risk disclosure.