ECN brokers (Electronic Communication Network brokers) are among the fastest emerging brokerages in the Forex world, and there's no question that new ECN brokers are opening their doors regularly. In short, ECN Forex brokers provide a marketplace where traders and market makers can place competing bids against each other. Minimum deposits for ECN accounts are often higher than they are with standard Forex accounts, but there are several significant advantages offered by the best ECN brokers, such as the ability for scalping and lower spreads. With so many attractive options to choose from, choosing between different ECN trading options can be surprisingly difficult. Compounding the decision is the fact that many traditional brokers offer ECN accounts in addition to their standard trading accounts, which widens your pool of options. To make your decision easier, we've compared critical aspects of some of the top ECN brokers to give you a starting point in your search for the best ECN Forex broker.
# | Forex Broker | Year | Regulator | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() | ADSS | 2011 | FCA, SFC, Central Bank of UAE |
2 | ![]() | FXTM | 2011 | CySEC, FCA, IFSC |
3 | ![]() | Admiral Markets | 2001 | ASIC, CySEC, FCA, MiFID |
4 | ![]() | HYCM | 1977 | CySEC, FCA, MiFID, DFSA, SFC |
5 | ![]() | Alpari | 1998 | FSC |
6 | ![]() | Pepperstone | 2010 | ASIC, FCA |
7 | ![]() | USGFX | 2006 | ASIC, FCA |
8 | ![]() | GO Markets | 2006 | ASIC |
9 | ![]() | Orbex | 2010 | BaFin, CySEC, FCA |
10 | ![]() | Vantage FX | 2009 | ASIC, CIMA |
How does ECN Forex brokers work? Click on image to enlarge Recent years have seen many new Forex brokers open their doors as ECN brokers. ECN stands for “electronic communications network” and sometimes brokers of this type are also referred to as “STP brokers” (STP stands for “straight through processing”) or “no dealing desk” (NDD) brokers. All these terms mean approximately the same thing: clients’ trades are executed by matching them with other clients or 3rd party counterparties who wish to take the other sides of the trades. Non-ECN brokers, in contrast, take the other side of the trade themselves, creating a large and obvious conflict of interest with their clients. They are typically referred to as “dealing desk brokers” or “market makers”.
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