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Data refreshed 25 Aug 2026 · Compiled by David Ispiryan
Trust rank #30 · Editorial rating 8.7 / 10 · Founded 1977
HYCM is a well-regarded forex and CFD broker offering access to a broad range of currency pairs and other markets on MetaTrader platforms. It provides flexible account types, education and research resources,…
Read the HYCM review
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 reviewHYCM (United Kingdom, founded 1977) holds 4 regulatory licences (CIMA, CySEC, DFSA, FCA), 1 of them tier-1, offers MT4, MT5 and sits in our medium-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 157 countries; HYCM is available in 48 countries where Markets.com is not, and Markets.com in 18 where HYCM is not.
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.
| Criteria | HYCM | Markets.com |
|---|---|---|
| Editorial rating | 8.7 / 10 | Not verified |
| Trust rank | #30 | #18 |
| Founded | 1977 | 2008 |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | Cyprus |
| Regulators | CIMA, CySEC, DFSA, FCA | ASIC, BVI FSC, CySEC, FCA, FSCA |
| Broker type | Market Maker, STP | Market Maker |
| Platforms | MT4, MT5 | MT4, MT5, Proprietary |
| Instruments | Commodities, Cryptocurrencies, Forex, Indices, Metals | Commodities, Cryptocurrencies, Forex, Indices, Metals |
| Countries accepted | 205 countries | 175 countries |
| Fee level | Medium | Low |
| Trading types | CFD Trading, Spot Trading | CFD Trading |
| Best-for use cases | Professional Trading, 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.
Available at both (157): Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Benin, Bermuda, Bolivia, Bonaire, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Croatia, Curaçao, Czechia, Côte d'Ivoire, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt and 117 more.
Only HYCM (48): American Samoa, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belize, Bhutan, Brunei, China, Cook Islands, Guam, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Libya, Macao, Maldives, Micronesia, Mongolia, Montserrat, Nauru, Nepal, New Zealand and 23 more.
Only Markets.com (18): Afghanistan, Albania, Barbados, Burkina Faso, Cayman Islands, Cyprus, France, Gibraltar, Iraq, Jamaica, Lebanon, Mozambique, Panama, Portugal, Senegal, Spain, Tanzania, Uganda.
Availability reflects the countries each broker declares it serves. Local rules change; confirm on the broker's own site before signing up.
Markets.com holds more regulatory licences: HYCM (CIMA, CySEC, DFSA, FCA) versus Markets.com (ASIC, BVI FSC, CySEC, FCA, FSCA). Tier-1 licences: HYCM 1, Markets.com 2.
HYCM offers MT4, MT5; Markets.com offers MT4, MT5, Proprietary.
Markets.com is in the lower fee bracket (medium vs low) in our catalogue.
HYCM is the older of the two, founded in 1977; Markets.com was founded in 2008.
They overlap in 157 countries. HYCM is additionally available in 48 countries (American Samoa, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belize and 42 more) and Markets.com in 18 countries (Afghanistan, Albania, Barbados, Burkina Faso, Cayman Islands, Cyprus and 12 more).
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.