Plus500 vs XM (2026): regulation, platforms and costs compared
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Data refreshed 25 Aug 2026 · Compiled by David Ispiryan
Plus500 is a regulated forex and CFD broker offering broad access to currency pairs and other markets on a proprietary web and mobile platform. It provides built-in charting, order types, and risk…
XM is a well-regarded forex and CFD broker providing online access to multiple markets on widely used platforms, along with research tools, education, and multilingual support.
Plus500 (Israel, founded 2008) holds 11 regulatory licences (ASIC, CFTC, CySEC, DFSA, FCA…), 6 of them tier-1, offers Proprietary and sits in our low-fee bracket. XM (Cyprus, founded 2009) holds 5 regulatory licences (ASIC, CySEC, DFSA, FCA, IFSC), 2 of them tier-1, offers MT4, MT5 and sits in our low-fee bracket. The two overlap in 228 countries; Plus500 is available in 3 countries where XM is not, and XM in 1 where Plus500 is not.
Verdict at a glance
Plus500 leads on trust rank, track record, regulatory coverage, instrument range, country coverage and tier-1 licences.
XM leads on platform choice.
Level on 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.
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
Plus500
Multi-jurisdiction regulation and segregated client funds
Commission-free FX trading with competitive spreads
Negative balance protection and advanced risk tools
Intuitive WebTrader and mobile apps
Broad FX pair selection
XM
CySEC and ASIC regulation
Low $5 minimum deposit
MT4/MT5 platform support (desktop/web/mobile)
Negative balance protection
Low-spread account options (commission-free and commission-based)
Cons
Plus500
Market-maker execution (no ECN/STP/DMA)
Proprietary platform only (no MetaTrader/cTrader)
No algorithmic/API trading support
No commission-based raw-spread accounts
Inactivity fee after inactivity
XM
Offshore regulation via IFSC Belize
CFDs only (no real stocks/ETFs ownership)
MT4/MT5 only; no proprietary platform
Inactivity fee applies
No ECN/DMA accounts
Key features
Plus500
Multi asset CFD trading Forex Indices Commodities Shares ETFs Options and Crypto
Proprietary WebTrader platform on web and mobile advanced charting alerts and sentiment
Top tier regulation segregated client funds and FTSE 250 listed parent company
Both sit in the same fee bracket (low) in our catalogue; compare the spreads and commission rows above for detail.
Which is older, Plus500 or XM?
Plus500 is the older of the two, founded in 2008; XM was founded in 2009.
Are Plus500 and XM available in the same countries?
They overlap in 228 countries. Plus500 is additionally available in 3 countries (Canada, Israel, United States of America) and XM in 1 countries (Belgium).
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.