In order to trade successfully, it is very important to choose the right broker. in the UK, a large number of companies provide access to trading and you will have to choose the one for you among them. It is important to work only with reliable brokers providing all the required instruments for trading based on your trading strategy. TU analysts have selected the best bitcoin brokers for short selling in the UK 2026. You can compare their features and trading conditions.
1
XM - Best for short selling in the UK
XM is a globally recognized broker, operating in nearly 190 countries and serving over 15 million traders. In 2025, the company marks its 15th anniversary. It provides access to more than 1,400 trading instruments, including Forex pairs, stocks, commodities, cryptocurrencies, and precious metals. Licensed by CySEC (Cyprus), FSCA (South Africa), DFSA (Dubai), FSC (Belize), FSA (Seychelles), FSC (Mauritius), CMA (Kenya) and SCA (United Arab Emirates), XM offers a secure and regulated trading environment.
The broker ensures high-speed order execution without requotes, with 99.35% of trades executed almost instantly. Leverage is up to 1:1000 in some non-EU countries, while strict European compliance applies in other regions, and spreads start from 0.8 pips.
XM runs multiple bonus programs, adapts trading conditions to each client’s country, and provides negative balance protection. Accounts are available for traders of any level and strategy, and for passive income, the broker offers a copy trading platform for investors as well as experienced traders willing to share their strategies.
👍 Advantages of trading with XM for traders from the UK:
•Regulation in six jurisdictions;
•Accounts designed for different strategies and levels of trader experience;
•Minimum deposit of $5;
•Various bonuses, trading competitions, and an affiliate program;
•100% order execution;
•No markup on tight market spreads;
•Access to more than 1,400 instruments;
•No deposit or withdrawal fees;
•24/7 multilingual support in over 30 languages.
👎 Disadvantages of XM for traders from the UK:
•Copy trading and stock trading accounts are not available in all countries.
2
Pepperstone - Best for short selling in the UK
Pepperstone (Pepperstone.com) was founded in 2010 in Melbourne, Australia, by professional traders who were not satisfied with the quality of services provided by most brokers. The founders decided to avoid many of the disadvantages of competitors, including high commissions, delayed execution of orders, etc. The founders therefore focused on improving the technical component. The company has set itself the goal of changing the “rules of the game” and setting the bar high for online trading.
Today, Pepperstone offers clients all over the world some of the best technological solutions and favorable trading conditions. The company also provides professional tools that help traders not only master the fine art of trading, but also significantly increase trading efficiencies. In addition, Pepperstone’s platform is scrutinized by seven regulatory authorities, including ASIC (Australian Securities and Investments Commission, AFSL No.414530), FCA (UK Financial Conduct Authority, 684312), DFSA (F004356), BaFin (151148), CMA, SCB (SIA-F217), and CySec (388/20). Moreover, with Pepperstone, clients' assets are maintained in aggregated accounts with several major, global banking institutions.
👍 Advantages of trading with Pepperstone for traders from the UK:
•Attractive trading conditions.
•Fast order execution - 30 ms on average.
•1,200+ trading instruments.
•Low fees.
•No inactivity fee.
•Support service works only 24/7.
👎 Disadvantages of Pepperstone for traders from the UK:
•No cent account.
•Not available to US clients.
•Limited passive trading opportunities.
•Limited analytical materials available on the site.
•No news section.
•Demo accounts can trade for free for 60 days.
3
Bitget - Best for short selling in the UK
The Bitget crypto exchange provides traders with the opportunity to trade in spot, futures, and cryptocurrency. Cryptocurrency is used exclusively as instruments at the exchange: BTC (₿), LTC (Ł) ETH (Ξ), USDT (₮) and others. Trades are carried out on the crypto exchange’s own platform, which is available as a web terminal and an application for mobile devices. Bitget's futures fees are lower than its competitors in the market, with maker fees of 0.02% and takers of 0.04%. The commission can also be paid with bonus funds that each Bitget client receives upon registration, verification, and a trading account replenishment. There are no fees for maintaining an account, but a commission is charged upon withdrawal, the amount of which depends on the cryptocurrency in which the withdrawal is made. For investors, Bitget offers its own service for copying trades, and it is available at the exchange and at an affiliate program. Novice traders can use demo accounts to hone their trading skills, but there are no educational materials on the website. The Bitget cryptocurrency exchange provides services on an international level and cooperates with traders from different countries.
👍 Advantages of trading with Bitget for traders from the UK:
•availability of demo accounts;
•convenient ways to contact the support service;
•a wide range of cryptocurrencies for account replenishment;
•service of copying trades for receiving passive income;
•ability to reduce commissions using credits earned in the bonus program;
•ability to engage in algorithmic trading;
•educational materials for novice traders on the exchange website;
•the exchange uses hot and cold cryptocurrency wallets to store client funds;
•deposits and withdrawals in fiat currencies.
👎 Disadvantages of Bitget for traders from the UK:
•no.
4
xChief - Best for short selling in the UK
xChief (ForexChief) is an all-inclusive online platform for margin trading in currency contracts and precious metals. The STP/NDD (straight-through processing/no dealing desk) model is the technical basis of the broker’s operation. Such a solution excludes conflicts of interest between the company and its clients and significantly improves the quality of services. It allows the company to offer competitive trading conditions due to tight spreads and fast execution of orders. The broker pays special attention to the steady operation of the platform and software provided to its traders.
xChief (ForexChief) operates under a dealer in securities license issued by MISA (Mwali International Services Authority in the Island of Mwali, reg.number HY00923433 and license number T2023379).
👍 Advantages of trading with xChief for traders from the UK:
•high-security level;
•favorable trading conditions, bonuses, and affiliate programs.
👎 Disadvantages of xChief for traders from the UK:
•support service only works 24/5;
•few features for passive trading;
•no trading credits (analog of bonus for depositing) on МТ5;
5
MultiBank - Best for short selling in the UK
Established in 2005, MultiBank Group has successfully stamped its authority in the world of trading. It has a valid impact in the foreign exchange industry with providing exemplary products, services, and trading platforms. With a paid-up capital of over $322 million, MultiBank Group is recognized as one of the largest only financial derivatives providers worldwide.
-
The Group is closely supervised by 11 financial regulators worldwide across various jurisdictions, what ensures investor protection. Entities regulated by SCA (20200000045), MAS (CMS101174), CySEC (430/23), ASIC (416279), AUSTRAC (100724469), BaFin (HRB 73406), FMA (491129z), FSC (SIBA/L/14/1068), CIMA (1811316), TFG, VFSC (700443).
-
20,000+ CFD Products across six asset classes including Forex, Metals, Commodities, Indices and Cryptocurrencies
-
Lowest spreads, starting from 0.0* pips on Forex, and $0.07 on Gold.
-
Multi-lingual Expert Customer support 24/7
-
Guaranteed funds withdrawals within 24 hours
-
Zero commission trading and negative balance protection
👍 Advantages of trading with MultiBank for traders from the UK:
•ECN accounts with floating spreads from 0.1 pips.
•Popular trading platforms MT4 and MT5.
•Passive earnings.
•ECN start from 0 pips.
👎 Disadvantages of MultiBank for traders from the UK:
•Lack of micro (cent) accounts.
•Trading restrictions on scalping.
Commissions & Fees
Brokerage fees are the amount of money that you pay for using the services that a brokerage offers in order to perform trading and manage investments. The brokerage fee structure and regulations vary from broker to broker, and there are two primary fee types which are:
Trading Fees: This type of fee is only charged when you perform a trade. It can be a conversion fee, margin rate, financing rate, spread, or commission.
Non-Trading Fees: This type of fee isn't directly related to your trading activity, and it can include inactivity fee, withdrawal fee, deposit fee, etcetera.
XM Commissions and Fees
Traders Union analysts have analyzed the main and additional commissions for each XM Broker account. There are no additional commissions on all accounts.
| Account type | Spread (minimum value) | Withdrawal commision |
|---|---|---|
|
Ultra Low |
From 6 USD |
No |
|
Zero |
From 0 USD |
No |
Pepperstone Commissions and Fees
Pepperstone’s commissions and fee structure has been reviewed by our professional analysts for trading and non-trading commissions. The company's spread was considered as a trading commission. Our professional analysts also categorized additional fees charged for withdrawing funds as non-trading commission additional fees.
| Account type | Spread (minimum value) | Withdrawal commision |
|---|---|---|
|
Razor |
From $0 |
No |
|
Standard |
From $1 |
No |
Bitget Commissions and Fees
Bitget has fixed fees for contracts, spot, and futures trading. Fees vary depending on the type of trade. When working with futures, the commission is 0.02% for the maker and 0.04% for the taker, while for spot trading, the fee is 0.1% for both makers and takers.
Under the terms of Bitget, it is possible to reduce the amount of commissions. Thus, traders can use the funds earned in the bonus program to pay fees, as well as use the services of the Traders Union and compensate for part of the trading costs by receiving rebates.
| Account type | Spread (minimum value) | Withdrawal commision |
|---|---|---|
|
Standard |
0.04% |
Yes |
xChief Commissions and Fees
The Traders Union has analyzed the broker’s trading and non-trading fees. Spreads were considered as trading fees and additional charges on withdrawal were considered as non-trading fees.
| Account type | Spread (minimum value) | Withdrawal commision |
|---|---|---|
|
MT4/5.DirectFX |
$0 |
$15 for $1 million |
|
MT4/5.Classic+ |
$3 |
No |
|
Сent-MT4/5.DirectFX |
$0 |
$15 for $1 million |
|
Сent-MT4/5.Classic+ |
$3 |
No |
MultiBank Commissions and Fees
The commission charged for Pro account users is $3 per lot per trade in the case of Forex trades.
Multibank beats its nearest competitors when it comes to trading costs for EURUSD and EURCHF pairs. Fees for other popular pairs such as GBPUSD or AUDUSD are closer to the market average but still competitive.
Summary
Many brokers are available for traders from the UK, but not all of them offer good conditions. In this review, TU experts chose the Best bitcoin brokers for short selling in the UK 2026. These are the most trusted companies that offer the best conditions for traders. You will also be able to review the general assessment of each broker.
Overall score of the best Bitcoin Brokers For Short Selling in the UK
| XM | Pepperstone | Bitget | xChief | MultiBank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Overall score |
9.3 |
9.25 |
9.2 |
7.03 |
7.51 |
|
Execution of orders |
9.35 |
9.15 |
8.8 |
6.15 |
5.41 |
|
Investment instruments |
10 |
10 |
10 |
4.7 |
10 |
|
Withdrawal speed |
7 |
7 |
7.5 |
5 |
6 |
|
Customer Support work |
9.6 |
7 |
7.2 |
3 |
5 |
|
Variety of instruments |
8.02 |
6.32 |
0 |
7.15 |
7.67 |
|
Trading platform |
8.9 |
7.3 |
7.8 |
3 |
5.1 |
|
|
|||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
Can you earn passive income in the financial markets?
Yes, the best brokers in the UK offer passive income options. These could include copy trading, PAMM accounts, managed portfolios, etc.
What commissions and fees should I take into consideration when I am choosing a broker?
The commissions and fees in the financial markets are divided into trading and non-tradings ones. Trading fees are the fees that are charged directly during trading (spread, commission per lot, etc.), while non-trading fees are the ones charged outside the trading process (for example, account fee, inactivity fee, deposit and withdrawal fee).
What learning instruments can a broker offer?
Brokers offer various educational options. These include full-fledged educational courses, or video tutorials, articles, and books. Companies also often hold seminars and webinars.
What are the risks of trading in the financial markets?
Any trading in the financial markets carries risks of losing your money due to asset volatility. Therefore, it is important to develop the rules of risk management in your strategy and strictly follow them.
Best Bitcoin Brokers For Short Selling by Countries
Related Articles
Team that worked on the article
Mikhail Vnuchkov joined Traders Union as an author in 2020. He began his professional career as a journalist-observer at a small online financial publication, where he covered global economic events and discussed their impact on the segment of financial investment, including investor income. With five years of experience in finance, Mikhail joined Traders Union team, where he is in charge of forming the pool of latest news for traders, who trade stocks, cryptocurrencies, Forex instruments and fixed income.
Olga Shendetskaya has been a part of the Traders Union team as an author, editor and proofreader since 2017. Since 2020, Shendetskaya has been the assistant chief editor of the website of Traders Union, an international association of traders. She has over 10 years of experience of working with economic and financial texts. In the period of 2017-2020, Olga has worked as a journalist and editor of laftNews news agency, economic and financial news sections. At the moment, Olga is a part of the team of top industry experts involved in creation of educational articles in finance and investment, overseeing their writing and publication on the Traders Union website.
