FXCM’s forex and CFD services are provided by Stratos companies. This reference separates Australian product and account terms from the existing UK contract, with each region’s funding, pricing and client-money arrangements labelled.[4][9][5]
AvaTrade’s 9 October agreement covers most of FXCM’s business and brand; the release provides no completion date or detailed entity list.[26]
Broker essentials01
Brand and company reference
| Measure | Value | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Brand origin | 1999 | FXCM’s brand history; the UK legal company was incorporated in 2000.Source 3Source 2 |
| Group headquarters | 110 Bishopsgate, London | Address published in the Stratos international offices directory.Source 4 |
| Ownership at 31 December 2025 | Jefferies: 100% of Stratos Group | The UK prudential disclosure dates full ownership to 14 September 2023.Source 1 |
| UK company | Stratos Markets Limited — 04072877 | Formerly Forex Capital Markets Limited; renamed in September 2023.Source 2 |
| Other selected account providers | Stratos Europe; Stratos Trading | Cypriot and Australian legal companies respectively.Source 6Source 9 |
Account routes and available products
Sections ↑Account comparison02
Regional account routes as checked 9 October 2026
| Route | Access or entry condition | Account terms |
|---|---|---|
| Australia: individual | Initial deposit: 50 account-currency units | Margin FX and CFDs; retail major-FX leverage up to 30:1Source 27 |
| Australia: corporate or trust | Initial deposit: 50,000 account-currency units | Corporate, trust and superannuation/trust applicationsSource 27 |
| Australia: Active Trader | Wholesale classification; at least US$10m monthly notional volume | Volume rebates and additional services; eligibility-based programmeSource 28 |
| UK: new application | FXCM directs applications to Trade Nation | Trade Nation account and termsSource 10 |
| UK: existing client | Existing FXCM account until its notified transfer | Stratos Markets account schedule applies before migrationSource 12 |
Platforms & products03
Selected Australian product range
| Market | Published offering | Contract form |
|---|---|---|
| Forex | 40+ currency pairs | Leveraged margin FXSource 27 |
| Shares | Share CFDs within the Australian trading service | Price exposure through a derivativeSource 14 |
| Indices | Index CFDs, including UK100 | Cash-style CFD; UK100 guide specifies no expirySource 14Source 30 |
| Gold | XAU/USD, quoted in US dollars per troy ounce | Spot CFD with overnight financingSource 29 |
The UK execution policy describes Stratos Markets as principal and sole execution venue. It may hedge some, all or none of the resulting exposure. That is the contractual execution model for the existing UK account; the platform connection does not change the counterparty.[15]
Contract sizes and published trading costs
Sections ↑Pricing & charges04
Two Australian CFD contract examples
| Instrument | Published target spread | Minimum point value | Maximum contracts per trade |
|---|---|---|---|
| XAU/USD gold | 41 broker points = US$0.41 in the quoted gold price | US$0.01 per broker point; one point is a US$0.01 price movement | 10,000Source 29 |
| UK100 | 1.5 index points | £0.10 per index point; one point is a 1.0 index-price movement | 4,000Source 30 |
FXCM’s MT4 help page uses standard-lot notation: 0.01 lot represents 1,000 units of the FX base currency, 0.1 represents 10,000 and 1.0 represents 100,000. CFD sizing follows each product’s own specification. Gold rollover is normally charged or credited on an overnight position, with the guide describing a three-day adjustment on Wednesdays.[32][29]
Pricing & charges05
Existing UK schedule and Australian transaction costs
| Account or charge | Published rate | Charging basis |
|---|---|---|
| UK Active Trader FX, GBP-base account | Tier 1: £2.00; Tier 2: £1.70 | Per 100,000 notional, per side; approved GBP-base commission accountsSource 16 |
| UK currency conversion | 0.1% mark-up | Conversions associated with deposits, withdrawals, transfers, fees or chargesSource 16 |
| UK GBP withdrawal | BACS: £0; other wire: £15 UK / £30 outside UK | Provider charge; receiving or intermediary banks may add feesSource 16 |
| UK inactivity | Lesser of 50 base-currency units or remaining balance | After 12 months without trading activity; advance email noticeSource 16 |
| Australia standard account | Opening and closing costs generally included in the spread | Financing is separate; bespoke commission arrangements require written approvalSource 17 |
| Australia AUD wire withdrawal | A$15 domestic / A$30 international | Australian issuer’s published wire scheduleSource 17 |
| Cyprus inactivity | Up to 50 account-currency units; capped at balance | Annual charge after 12 months without trading activitySource 18 |
Pricing & charges06
Australian wholesale Active Trader rebates
| Monthly eligible notional volume, US$ | Rebate per US$1m | Product scope |
|---|---|---|
| 10m to under 50m | US$2.50 | FX, shares, commodities, cryptocurrency and basket CFDsSource 28 |
| 50m to under 200m | US$5.00 | Same tiered product categoriesSource 28 |
| 200m to under 400m | US$10.00 | Same tiered product categoriesSource 28 |
| 400m and above | US$15.00 | Same tiered product categoriesSource 28 |
Platform functions
Sections ↑Platforms & products07
How the published platforms differ
| Platform | Functions | Access and scope |
|---|---|---|
| Trading Station | Chart trading, price alerts, overlays and preloaded indicators | Desktop, web and mobileSource 14 |
| Trading Station desktop | Automated strategies, backtesting and parameter optimisation | Desktop strategy tools; historical simulations do not establish future returnsSource 14 |
| MetaTrader 4 | Expert Advisors and standard-lot position entry | Separate third-party platform connected to an FXCM accountSource 13Source 32 |
| TradingView | Charts and broker-account trading connection | FXCM connection is advertised on its Australian forex siteSource 27 |
| Active Trader tools | FIX, ForexConnect and Java APIs; market-depth functionality | Eligibility-based services for the relevant Active Trader accountSource 28Source 14 |
Funding and operating hours
Sections ↑Account comparison08
Australian funding and support reference
| Item | Published term | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Additional card deposit | Minimum 50 account-currency units | Subsequent card fundingSource 27 |
| Additional wire deposit | No deposit minimum | The initial account-opening requirement still appliesSource 27 |
| Service support | 24 hours, five days a week | Telephone, email and live web chatSource 27 |
FXCM’s Australian hours page gives a Sunday FX opening between 17:00 and 17:15 Eastern Time and a Friday close around 16:55 Eastern Time. Its separate CFD calendar uses GMT and product-specific breaks; the page was last updated on 29 September 2026. Opening and closing can move when liquidity is insufficient.[31]
The scheduled UK transition
Sections ↑Trade Nation’s 6 October agreement concerns the UK client book, with a transition targeted for late November.[11]
Client money and historical regulatory record
Sections ↑Protections & eligibility09
Protection by company and client category
| Company / provision | Published arrangement | Scope or limit |
|---|---|---|
| Stratos Markets: retail money | Segregated client accounts; conditional FSCS compensation | Eligible investment claims up to £85,000 per person, per firmSource 19 |
| Stratos Markets: retail trading balance | Losses limited to deposited funds | Professional clients and eligible counterparties can lose more than depositsSource 20 |
| Stratos Europe: client money and ICF | Segregation; compensation for covered claims | Lower of 90% of covered claims or €20,000; professional clients excludedSource 21Source 22 |
| Stratos Trading: client money | Segregated accounts with an Australian authorised deposit-taking institution | Australian client-money arrangementsSource 23 |
The FCA’s February 2014 case imposed a £4 million penalty on Forex Capital Markets Ltd and FXCM Securities Ltd over asymmetric slippage and failures of openness. A separate February 2017 CFTC order against the named US company, parent and founders imposed a US$7 million penalty and required specified respondents to withdraw from CFTC registration. These historical findings concern the entities and conduct identified in the two notices.[24][25]
Company background & evidence
Sections ↑- Headquarters
- Stratos Group headquarters: London, United Kingdom
- Founded
- 1999 (FXCM brand history; UK company incorporated in 2000)
Legal entities & licences
These are source-dated records, not a blanket assessment of the broker. Read each issuer, identifier, status and scope together.
Stratos Markets Limited
| Issuer & identifier | Recorded status | Date & scope |
|---|---|---|
| Financial Conduct Authority217689 | Not verified | Checked 9 Oct 2026FCA reference disclosed in the UK agreement. A complete current FCA permission record did not render for independent verification on 9 October 2026.Source 5 |
Stratos Europe Limited
| Issuer & identifier | Recorded status | Date & scope |
|---|---|---|
| Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission392/20 | Authorised | Checked 9 Oct 2026Listed in CySEC’s investment-firm directory; licence dated 23 November 2020. Associated approved domains were also checked.Source 7Source 8 |
Stratos Trading Pty. Limited
AustraliaSource 23
| Issuer & identifier | Recorded status | Date & scope |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Securities and Investments Commission309763 | Not verified | Checked 9 Oct 2026AFSL reference disclosed by the Australian issuer. The complete current ASIC licence record was not independently inspected.Source 17 |
Sources & further reading
- Stratos Markets Limited: 2025 prudential disclosures Stratos Markets Limited · Accessed 9 Oct 2026
- Stratos Markets Limited company identity and former names Companies House · Accessed 9 Oct 2026
- FXCM UK: brand history and forex offering FXCM · Accessed 9 Oct 2026
- FXCM international offices and regional companies FXCM · Accessed 9 Oct 2026
- Stratos Markets Limited: UK terms of business Stratos Markets Limited · 1 Jun 2026 · Accessed 9 Oct 2026
- Stratos Europe Limited: terms of business Stratos Europe Limited · 14 Feb 2025 · Accessed 9 Oct 2026
- CySEC register of Cypriot investment firms: Stratos Europe entry Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission · Accessed 9 Oct 2026
- CySEC approved domains: Stratos Europe entry Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission · Accessed 9 Oct 2026
- Stratos Trading: Australian FX contracts product disclosure Stratos Trading Pty. Limited · 20 Nov 2025 · Accessed 9 Oct 2026
- FXCM UK: new accounts provided through Trade Nation FXCM · Accessed 9 Oct 2026
- Trade Nation agreement to acquire FXCM UK client book Trade Nation · 6 Oct 2026 · Accessed 9 Oct 2026
- Trade Nation: FXCM UK account-transfer timetable and FAQs Trade Nation · Accessed 9 Oct 2026
- FXCM UK platform comparison FXCM · Accessed 9 Oct 2026
- FXCM Australia: Trading Station features and devices FXCM · Accessed 9 Oct 2026
- Stratos Markets Limited: order execution policy Stratos Markets Limited · 19 Dec 2023 · Accessed 9 Oct 2026
- Stratos Markets Limited: UK charges and fees Stratos Markets Limited · 25 Jun 2026 · Accessed 9 Oct 2026
- Stratos Trading: Australian charges and fees Stratos Trading Pty. Limited · 25 Jun 2026 · Accessed 9 Oct 2026
- FXCM EU inactivity fee FXCM · Accessed 9 Oct 2026
- FXCM UK client-money arrangements FXCM · Accessed 9 Oct 2026
- FXCM UK retail and professional risk disclosure FXCM · Accessed 9 Oct 2026
- FXCM EU segregation and compensation arrangements FXCM · Accessed 9 Oct 2026
- Stratos Europe: Investor Compensation Fund policy Stratos Europe Limited · Accessed 9 Oct 2026
- FXCM Australia client-money arrangements FXCM · Accessed 9 Oct 2026
- FCA 2014 financial penalty concerning FXCM UK Financial Conduct Authority · 26 Feb 2014 · Accessed 9 Oct 2026
- CFTC enforcement findings concerning Forex Capital Markets LLC Commodity Futures Trading Commission · 6 Feb 2017 · Accessed 9 Oct 2026
- AvaTrade agreement to acquire the majority of FXCM business and brand AvaTrade / Business Wire · 9 Oct 2026 · Accessed 9 Oct 2026
- FXCM Australia: forex range, retail leverage and deposit thresholds Stratos Trading Pty. Limited · Accessed 9 Oct 2026
- Australian wholesale Active Trader rebate schedule Stratos Trading Pty. Limited · Accessed 9 Oct 2026
- Australian XAU/USD contract guide Stratos Trading Pty. Limited · Accessed 9 Oct 2026
- Australian UK100 contract guide Stratos Trading Pty. Limited · Accessed 9 Oct 2026
- FXCM Australia trading hours and market-calendar notice Stratos Trading Pty. Limited · Accessed 9 Oct 2026
- FXCM MT4 volume notation and forex lot sizes FXCM · Accessed 9 Oct 2026
This profile reports dated public information, including broker-published services and terms. It does not independently test or guarantee execution, pricing or withdrawals. Inclusion is not an endorsement. Permissions and protections apply only to the named legal entity, service and client category; check the current official records and your contract.