FOREX.com vs ThinkMarkets (2026): regulation, platforms and costs compared
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Data refreshed 25 Sep 2026 · Compiled by David Ispiryan
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…
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…
FOREX.com (United States, founded 2001) holds 4 regulatory licences (ASIC, CFTC, FCA, NFA), 4 of them tier-1, offers MT4, MT5, Proprietary, TradingView and sits in our low-fee bracket. ThinkMarkets (Australia, founded 2010) holds 4 regulatory licences (ASIC, CySEC, FCA, FSCA), 2 of them tier-1, offers MT4, MT5, Proprietary and sits in our low-fee bracket. The two overlap in 199 countries; FOREX.com is available in 32 countries where ThinkMarkets is not, and ThinkMarkets in 0 where FOREX.com is not.
Verdict at a glance
FOREX.com leads on trust rank, track record, platform choice, country coverage and tier-1 licences.
ThinkMarkets leads on instrument range.
Level on regulatory coverage and fee level.
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.
Copy Trading, Professional 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
FOREX.com
Multi-jurisdiction regulation (US/UK/CA)
Accepts US clients
Proprietary platform + MT4/MT5 support
Competitive spreads with raw/commission pricing options
Extensive FX pair offering
ThinkMarkets
FCA & ASIC regulation
MT4/MT5 and ThinkTrader platforms
Raw-spread ThinkZero; commission-free Standard
Negative balance protection; segregated funds
Hedging, scalping, EAs allowed; high leverage options
Cons
FOREX.com
No CFDs for U.S. clients
FIFO and no-hedging rules on U.S. accounts
No negative balance protection in the U.S.
Inactivity fee after 12 months of no trading
High minimum balance for STP Pro/DMA accounts
ThinkMarkets
- Offshore entity for many clients with weaker investor protections
- No guaranteed stop-loss orders (GSLO)
- Not available to U.S. residents
- No cTrader platform support
- CFDs only (no physical shares/ETFs)
Key features
FOREX.com
Spot forex and multi asset CFD trading
Top tier regulation and segregated client funds
MetaTrader 4 MetaTrader 5 and Advanced Trading platform
TradingView integration and advanced charting tools
API trading via REST and FIX plus VPS support
Raw pricing with commission and standard spread only accounts
ThinkMarkets
Multi Asset CFD Trading Forex Indices Commodities Shares
MT4 MT5 and ThinkTrader Platforms
Multi Jurisdiction Regulation ASIC FCA FSCA FSA and Segregated Client Funds
Negative Balance Protection
Standard and ThinkZero Raw Spread Accounts
VPS Hosting and Algorithmic EA Support
Country availability: FOREX.com vs ThinkMarkets
Available at both (199): Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bonaire, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Colombia, Comoros and 159 more.
Only FOREX.com (32): Austria, Bermuda, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal and 7 more.
Both sit in the same fee bracket (low) in our catalogue; compare the spreads and commission rows above for detail.
Which is older, FOREX.com or ThinkMarkets?
FOREX.com is the older of the two, founded in 2001; ThinkMarkets was founded in 2010.
Are FOREX.com and ThinkMarkets available in the same countries?
They overlap in 199 countries. FOREX.com is additionally available in 32 countries (Austria, Bermuda, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus and 26 more) and ThinkMarkets in 0 countries ().
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.