Is Alpari (UK) Regulated? Is it safe? - TU Expert review
License is the most important document you have to consider when choosing a broker. Many traders, who would like to start working with Alpari (UK) try to check whether it is regulated. Traders Union experts have already done that. In this article, you will learn whether Alpari (UK) is regulated, what regulatory authorities supervise the broker and whether it is safe to work with the company in general.
Short summary about the broker Alpari (UK)
The Alpari broker has been providing financial services in the international foreign exchange market since 1998. The company's services include both active Forex trading and investment offers. The broker is registered in the territory of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Its license is № 20389 IBC 2012, issued by the Registrar of International Business Companies. The Company is also a member of The Financial Commission, which handles the settlement of disputes worldwide between brokers and their clients. The broker has received more than 30 awards, including Forex Expo Awards (2011, 2012, 2014), International Finance Magazine Awards (2013), and FX Empire Awards (2017).
| 💰 Account currency: | USD and EUR |
|---|---|
| 🚀 Minimum deposit: | From $1 |
| ⚖️ Leverage: | Up to 1:3000 |
| 💱 Spread: | from 0.2 pips |
| 🔧 Instruments: | Currency pairs, metals, CFDs |
| 💹 Margin Call / Stop Out: | 50%, from 10% |
Pros and cons of Alpari (UK)
👍 Advantages of trading with Alpari (UK):
•a large number of trading accounts for traders with different levels of experience and goals;
•high-quality and efficient work by the customer support service;
•many ways to replenish the deposit and withdraw funds.
👎 Disadvantages of Alpari (UK):
•no trading on weekends;
•withdrawal of funds is carried out after occasional delays;
•commission compensation for deposits or withdrawals is available only for traders with VIP status;
•trading on the MetaTrader 5 platform is available only for traders with standard accounts, and swap-free Forex Islamic accounts work only on MetaTrader 4.
Why is it important to work with a regulated broker?
License is a document that certifies that a broker operates legally and guarantees fulfillment of its obligations to the traders. A financial license is issued by a financial regulatory authority of a country (the National Bank) or a specialized authority (for example, Securities Commission, Futures Trading Commission, etc.). It is important to choose licensed brokers for the following reasons:
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A license guarantees that the broker operates in compliance with the rules of the financial regulator that issued the document.
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In order to obtain the license, a broker must comply with certain requirements, for example, the size of the authorized capital or personnel qualification. It is simply not lucrative for scammers to comply with such requirements.
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A broker’s license provides access to real markets, and you can be sure that the quotes are real and up-to-date.
The best option is to work with a broker that holds the license of the jurisdiction, where the trader resides. You can also choose a company with a financial license of another reliable jurisdiction, for example, the U.S. or the European Union.
Is Alpari (UK) Regulated? Broker’s license
Security (Protection for Investors)
The Alpari broker is registered in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and holds a 20389 IBC 2012 license from the Registrar of International Business Companies, which can be found on the Alpari website.
This license allows the company to provide its services in the international foreign exchange market. The company is also a member of the International Financial Commission, whose task is to resolve disputes between traders and brokers at the international level. Alpari does not provide data on the regulatory bodies of the broker.
👍 Advantages
- The rights of the company's clients are protected by the International Financial Commission
- The rules for using the broker's services are prominently displayed on the official website.
👎 Disadvantages
- Information about the regulators is not provided on the broker’s official website
Brokerage fees
Broker’s regulation is the most important choice criterion. However, before you start working with the broker, it is also important to analyze its commissions and fees. TU analysts have studied the commissions and fees charged by Alpari (UK), which you can see below.
The experts at Traders Union have reviewed the trading conditions of Alpari for explicit and hidden commissions. No hidden trading fees were found, nor does the broker set a commission for the replenishment of a deposit or withdrawal of funds. Other commissions may be charged by a payment system under its rules. Users of pro.ecn.mt4 and ecn.mt5 accounts pay a commission of $1.6 per 1 lot and users of special.ecn.mt4 pay $6 per lot.
| Account type | Spread (minimum value) | Withdrawal commission |
| nano.mt4 | From $8 | No |
| standard.mt4 | From $8 | No |
| standard.mt5 | From $8 | No |
| ecn.mt4 | From $8 | No |
| pro.ecn.mt4 | From $8 | No |
| special.ecn.mt4 | From $8 | No |
| ecn.mt5 | From $8 | No |
Brokers that are similar to Alpari (UK)
Many brokers operate legally, obtaining relevant licenses and permissions. However, when choosing a broker, it is important to compare their trading conditions. TU experts have prepared a comparative analysis of Alpari (UK) conditions with its closest competitors.
Comparison of Alpari (UK) with other Brokers
| Alpari (UK) | RoboForex | Pocket Option | Exness | XM Group | InstaForex | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Trading platform |
MetaTrader4, MetaTrader5 |
MT4, MT5, R MobileTrader, R StocksTrader, R WebTrader |
Pocket Option, MT5, MT4 |
Exness Trade App (mobile), Exness Terminal (web), MetaTrader5, MetaTrader4 |
MT4, MT5, MobileTrading, XM App |
MT4, MultiTerminal, MobileTrading, MT5, WebTrader |
Min deposit |
$1 |
$10 |
$5 |
$10 |
$5 |
$1 |
Leverage |
From 1:1 |
From 1:1 |
From 1:1 |
From 1:1 |
From 1:1 |
From 1:1 |
Trust management |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
Accrual of % on the balance |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Spread |
From 0.2 points |
From 0 points |
From 1.2 point |
From 1 point |
From 0.6 points |
From 0 points |
Level of margin call / stop out |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Execution of orders |
Market Execution, Instant Execution |
Market Execution, Instant Execution |
Market Execution |
Market Execution, Instant Execution |
Market Execution |
Instant Execution |
No deposit bonus |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Cent accounts |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
The Alpari broker focuses on traders with all levels of experience and provides clients with reasonable conditions for both active trading and investment.
Attention! The company does not participate in the cashback program.
The minimum deposit in RoboForex is $10. Leverage up to 1:2000. Traders choose RoboForex for reliability, favorable trading conditions, minimum spreads, and commission fees. The company is recommended for beginner traders and experienced investors.
Pocket Option offers a wide range of trading instruments and copy trading services. It constantly improves its service quality and expands the list of assets and trading platforms. The broker is suitable even for novice traders without significant capital due to the low initial deposit. Experienced traders who work with CFDs and binary options can also use Pocket Option’s services.
Exness broker is a trusted broker partner that is compliant with all relevant terms. Exness complies with all payment obligations and pays money earned.
XM Broker is a broker for professional trading. Trading conditions correspond to the average market; there are technical advantages that distinguish XM Broker from its competitors.
InstaForex is the best option for traders with any level of experience. For active professional traders, there is a large pool of non-standard technological solutions for more accurate analysis. For novice traders, there are comfortable starting conditions, such as a $1 minimum deposit under the regulation of FSC and a $200 minimum deposit with the broker regulated by CySEC. There are PAMM accounts and social trading for investors.
Conclusions
Alpari (UK) cannot be considered absolutely reliable. The broker operates on a license of an offshore regulator. This creates certain risks regarding security of your funds. The broker has a good reputation. However, you can work with companies with an offshore regulation only at your own risk.
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FAQ
How difficult is it to obtain a brokerage license?
The procedure for obtaining a license differs depending on the jurisdiction, but it is very difficult and expensive to get the document in a reliable jurisdiction. This is why only reliable brokers obtain licenses.
Why is it not recommended to work with offshore brokers?
Offshore brokers have to meet minimum requirements for obtaining a license and reporting, which is why often scammers get such licenses.
Can an offshore broker be reliable?
Yes, although there are not many of such brokers. There are brokers with a good reputation, but with an offshore license. You still need to be very cautious when working with such companies.
How do I check a broker’s reputation?
In order to check a broker’s reputation, you need to read user reviews. However, it is recommended to only use independent websites for that.
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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.