City Index vs tastytrade (2026): regulation, platforms and costs compared
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Data refreshed 25 Aug 2026 · Compiled by David Ispiryan
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.…
tastytrade provides forex trading through its tastyfx platform, offering access to a wide range of currency pairs on an intuitive interface with built-in tools and education. It delivers a focused, platform-driven forex…
City Index (United Kingdom, founded 1983) holds 2 regulatory licences (ASIC, FCA), 2 of them tier-1, offers MT4, Proprietary and sits in our low-fee bracket. tastytrade (United States, founded 2017) holds 2 regulatory licences (CFTC, NFA), 2 of them tier-1, offers Proprietary and sits in our medium-fee bracket. The two overlap in 55 countries; City Index is available in 175 countries where tastytrade is not, and tastytrade in 1 where City Index is not.
Verdict at a glance
City Index leads on trust rank, track record, platform choice, instrument range, country coverage and fee level.
Level on regulatory coverage 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.
City Index vs tastytrade: side-by-side data
Criteria
City Index
tastytrade
Editorial rating
Not verified
9.1 / 10
Trust rank
#16
#22
Founded
1983
2017
Headquarters
United Kingdom
United States
Regulators
ASIC, FCA
CFTC, NFA
Broker type
Market Maker
Market Maker
Platforms
MT4, Proprietary
Proprietary
Instruments
Commodities, Forex, Indices, Metals
Forex
Countries accepted
230 countries
56 countries
Fee level
Low
Medium
Trading types
CFD Trading, Spot Trading
Spot Trading
Best-for use cases
Retail Trading
Retail 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
City Index
Tier-1 regulation (FCA/ASIC/MAS)
Competitive FX spreads
Fast execution and deep liquidity
Proprietary web/mobile platforms + MT4 support
Guaranteed Stop-Loss Orders (GSLO)
tastytrade
NFA/CFTC-regulated US forex trading
Competitive, spread-only pricing
Fast execution on robust web and mobile platforms
Broad selection of major, minor, and exotic pairs
Rich trader education and market content
Cons
City Index
Inactivity fee applies
No MetaTrader 5 or cTrader support
Spread-only pricing; no raw ECN account
Average FX spreads vs low-cost peers
Not available to U.S. residents
tastytrade
No spot forex (futures-only FX)
Limited FX pairs vs spot brokers
No MetaTrader/cTrader (proprietary platform only)
Higher costs per trade (exchange/clearing/NFA fees)
Fixed contract sizes; no micro-lot position sizing
Key features
City Index
Multi asset trading Forex CFDs and Spread Betting
Tier one regulation FCA ASIC MAS and client fund protection
Advanced platforms Web Trader Mobile and MetaTrader 4
Smart Signals performance analytics and advanced charting tools
Guaranteed Stop Loss Orders and negative balance protection
Fast execution competitive spreads and deep liquidity
tastytrade
CFTC and NFA regulated RFED via IG US LLC
Spot forex only no CFDs
US compliant leverage 50 to 1 majors 20 to 1 minors
Proprietary tastyfx platforms with advanced charting
Two factor authentication for account access
Spread only pricing with variable spreads
Country availability: City Index vs tastytrade
Available at both (55): Andorra, Argentina, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Czechia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, French Polynesia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Isle of Man, Israel, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal and 15 more.
Only City Index (175): Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bonaire, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso and 150 more.
Availability reflects the countries each broker declares it serves. Local rules change; confirm on the broker's own site before signing up.
City Index vs tastytrade: common questions
Which broker is more regulated, City Index or tastytrade?
City Index holds more regulatory licences: City Index (ASIC, FCA) versus tastytrade (CFTC, NFA). Tier-1 licences: City Index 2, tastytrade 2.
Which trading platforms do City Index and tastytrade offer?
City Index offers MT4, Proprietary; tastytrade offers Proprietary.
Which has lower fees, City Index or tastytrade?
City Index is in the lower fee bracket (low vs medium) in our catalogue.
Which is older, City Index or tastytrade?
City Index is the older of the two, founded in 1983; tastytrade was founded in 2017.
Are City Index and tastytrade available in the same countries?
They overlap in 55 countries. City Index is additionally available in 175 countries (Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Angola, Anguilla and 169 more) and tastytrade in 1 countries (United States of America).
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.