HFM vs OANDA (2026): regulation, platforms and costs compared

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Data refreshed 25 Aug 2026 · Compiled by David Ispiryan

HFM

Trust rank #29 · Founded 2010

HFM (formerly HotForex) is a well-regarded forex and CFD broker offering broad market access through popular platforms, varied account types, and risk management tools. It provides research, education, and multilingual support with…

Read the HFM review

OANDA

Trust rank #19 · Founded 1996

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…

Read the OANDA review

HFM (Cyprus, founded 2010) holds 4 regulatory licences (CySEC, DFSA, FCA, FSCA), 1 of them tier-1, offers MT4, MT5 and sits in our low-fee bracket. OANDA (Canada, founded 1996) holds 13 regulatory licences (ASIC, BVI FSC, CFTC, CIRO, FCA…), 7 of them tier-1, offers MT4, Proprietary, TradingView and sits in our low-fee bracket. The two overlap in 50 countries; HFM is available in 178 countries where OANDA is not, and OANDA in 3 where HFM is not.

Verdict at a glance

  • HFM leads on country coverage.
  • OANDA leads on trust rank, track record, regulatory coverage, platform choice and tier-1 licences.
  • Level on instrument range 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.

HFM vs OANDA: side-by-side data

CriteriaHFMOANDA
Trust rank#29#19
Founded20101996
HeadquartersCyprusCanada
RegulatorsCySEC, DFSA, FCA, FSCAASIC, BVI FSC, CFTC, CIRO, FCA, FFAJ, JFSA, JSDA, Kanto Local Finance Bureau, KNF, MAS, MFSA, NFA
Broker typeMarket Maker, STPMarket Maker
PlatformsMT4, MT5MT4, Proprietary, TradingView
InstrumentsCommodities, Forex, Indices, MetalsCommodities, Forex, Indices, Metals
Countries accepted228 countries53 countries
Fee levelLowLow
Trading typesCFD Trading, Spot TradingCFD Trading, Spot Trading
Best-for use casesCopy Trading, Retail TradingProfessional 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

HFM

  • Multi-jurisdiction regulation
  • Zero Spread account option
  • MT4 and MT5 platform support
  • Copy trading and PAMM/MAM
  • Wide range of tradable instruments

OANDA

  • Multi-jurisdiction top-tier regulation (CFTC/NFA, FCA, IIROC, ASIC, MAS)
  • Accepts US clients
  • No minimum deposit; flexible position sizing (1-unit trades)
  • Core Pricing + Commission option
  • Free REST/Streaming API; TradingView integration

Cons

HFM

  • Offshore entity onboarding with weaker regulatory oversight (St. Vincent & the Grenadines)
  • MT4/MT5-only platform choice; no cTrader
  • No guaranteed stop-loss orders (GSLO)
  • Negative balance protection not guaranteed across all entities
  • No investor compensation scheme for offshore clients

OANDA

  • Higher average spreads than ECN brokers
  • No MetaTrader 5 support
  • No guaranteed stop-loss orders
  • Inactivity fee after 12 months
  • CFDs not available in the US

Key features

HFM

  • Multi asset CFD trading across Forex Indices Commodities Metals Energies and Shares
  • MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 platforms with desktop web and mobile
  • Copy trading via HFCopy and PAMM account options
  • Zero Spread and other account types with raw pricing and low latency execution
  • Advanced tools including VPS hosting and Autochartist
  • Multi jurisdiction regulation client fund segregation and negative balance protection

OANDA

  • Forex and CFD Trading
  • Top Tier Regulation
  • MT4 and TradingView Platforms
  • REST API and Algorithmic Trading
  • Client Sentiment and Order Book Tools
  • Flexible Unit Based Position Sizing

Country availability: HFM vs OANDA

Available at both (50): American Samoa, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Chile, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guam, Hong Kong, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania and 10 more.

Only HFM (178): Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bonaire, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei and 153 more.

Only OANDA (3): Canada, United Arab Emirates, 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.

HFM vs OANDA: common questions

Which broker is more regulated, HFM or OANDA?

OANDA holds more regulatory licences: HFM (CySEC, DFSA, FCA, FSCA) versus OANDA (ASIC, BVI FSC, CFTC, CIRO, FCA, FFAJ, JFSA, JSDA, Kanto Local Finance Bureau, KNF, MAS, MFSA, NFA). Tier-1 licences: HFM 1, OANDA 7.

Which trading platforms do HFM and OANDA offer?

HFM offers MT4, MT5; OANDA offers MT4, Proprietary, TradingView.

Which has lower fees, HFM or OANDA?

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

Which is older, HFM or OANDA?

OANDA is the older of the two, founded in 1996; HFM was founded in 2010.

Are HFM and OANDA available in the same countries?

They overlap in 50 countries. HFM is additionally available in 178 countries (Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla and 172 more) and OANDA in 3 countries (Canada, United Arab Emirates, United States of America).

Keep comparing

HFM

OANDA

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.