ActivTrades Review 2027 Supported Platforms and Tools

ActivTrades has been quietly serving traders for more than two decades without the loud marketing that characterises much of its industry. Its selling points are practical ones: quick execution, an extra layer of insurance on client funds, and a home-grown platform that has improved considerably. This ActivTrades review for 2027 sets out what the broker offers and how it compares with better-known names.

Background

ActivTrades was founded in Switzerland in 2001 by Alex Pusco and moved its headquarters to London in 2005. It has since opened offices in several European countries, the Middle East and Latin America, where it has built a notable presence in Brazil. The company is privately owned and has remained under the control of its founder.

The broker operates without a dealing desk on its main offering and emphasises execution statistics, reporting that the overwhelming majority of orders are filled at the requested price in a few milliseconds.

Regulation and the extra insurance

ActivTrades is authorised by the FCA in the United Kingdom, the CSSF in Luxembourg and the CMVM in Portugal, giving it regulated entities both in the UK and inside the European Union. It also holds licences from the Securities Commission of the Bahamas and the Financial Services Commission of Mauritius, and it is registered with the financial authorities in Brazil.

UK and EU retail clients receive negative balance protection, segregated client money and leverage capped at 1:30 on major pairs, with eligibility for the statutory compensation schemes in their jurisdictions. International clients served from the Bahamas can access leverage of up to 1:400.

ActivTrades adds a feature few competitors match: an excess of loss insurance policy, arranged through the London insurance market, that provides cover for client funds well beyond the statutory compensation limits, up to a substantial amount per client, in the event of the broker's insolvency. Negative balance protection is extended to clients of all entities.

ActivTrades review of costs

There is no minimum deposit, and the account structure is simple: one main account type with spread-only pricing on forex.

A commission-free spread starting from half a pip on EUR/USD is highly competitive and compares well even with the total cost of raw-spread accounts elsewhere. Spreads on other major pairs and on indices are similarly tight. Share CFDs carry a commission. Professional clients and high-volume traders can negotiate improved terms, and swap-free accounts are available.

Platforms in 2027

• ActivTrader is the broker's proprietary platform for web, desktop and mobile. It offers a clean layout, integrated TradingView charts, one-click trading, a sentiment indicator and advanced order types including trailing stops and progressive trailing stops, which follow the market at a changing distance.
• MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 are supported, with a set of in-house add-ons, notably SmartOrder for fast order management, SmartLines for trading from trend lines and SmartTemplate for combining indicators.
• TradingView can be linked directly to an ActivTrades account.

The proprietary platform has matured into a strong alternative to MetaTrader for discretionary traders. cTrader is not offered. Expert advisors are allowed, and a VPS is available to qualifying clients.

Markets

ActivTrades offers more than 1,000 CFD instruments, including around 50 currency pairs, indices, commodities, shares, ETFs, bonds and cryptocurrencies. UK residents can trade the same markets through spread betting accounts. The selection is sufficient for most traders, though not as deep as that of the largest multi-asset brokers.

Education and research

The broker runs regular webinars in multiple languages, one-to-one training sessions for clients, and publishes educational articles and platform tutorials. Daily analysis and an economic calendar are provided. The personal training sessions are a distinctive touch, particularly useful for newcomers learning the platform.

Customer support

Support is available 24 hours a day on trading days by live chat, email and phone, in more than a dozen languages. ActivTrades publishes its average response times, which are short, and its service is regularly rated highly in independent surveys.

Opening an account

The application is completed online and usually approved within a day. Accounts can be held in several base currencies. A free demo account with virtual funds is offered on all platforms and can be used to test the progressive trailing stop and other order features before trading live.

Execution and order handling

ActivTrades states that its average execution time is a few milliseconds and that nearly all orders are filled at the requested price. There are no restrictions on scalping or hedging, and pending orders can be placed close to the market price.

Pros and cons

Who is ActivTrades best for?

ActivTrades suits traders who value safety of funds and low, simple pricing, and who are happy with either MetaTrader or a well-made proprietary platform. It is a good choice for UK and European clients in particular. Traders who want cTrader, copy trading or a very wide range of markets may prefer other brokers.

Frequently asked questions

Risk warning: CFDs and spread bets are leveraged products that carry a high risk of losing money rapidly. This ActivTrades review is not investment advice.