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

Trust rank #16 · Founded 1983

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.…

Read the City Index review

tastytrade

Trust rank #22 · Editorial rating 9.1 / 10 · Founded 2017

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…

Read the tastytrade review

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

CriteriaCity Indextastytrade
Editorial ratingNot verified9.1 / 10
Trust rank#16#22
Founded19832017
HeadquartersUnited KingdomUnited States
RegulatorsASIC, FCACFTC, NFA
Broker typeMarket MakerMarket Maker
PlatformsMT4, ProprietaryProprietary
InstrumentsCommodities, Forex, Indices, MetalsForex
Countries accepted230 countries56 countries
Fee levelLowMedium
Trading typesCFD Trading, Spot TradingSpot Trading
Best-for use casesRetail 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

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.

Only tastytrade (1): United States of America.

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).

Keep comparing

City Index

tastytrade

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.