According to our idea, the TU Overall Score indicator should answer the biggest question of all: “Can I trust this broker with my money?”. The scores range within 0.01 – 9.99 (the higher the indicator the more trust the broker has). More details
- $100
- MetaTrader4
- MetaTrader5
- ASIC
Our Evaluation of Focus Markets
According to our idea, the TU Overall Score indicator should answer the biggest question of all: “Can I trust this broker with my money?”. The scores range within 0.01 – 9.99 (the higher the indicator the more trust the broker has). More details
Focus Markets is a moderate-risk broker with the TU Overall Score of 6.12 out of 10. Having reviewed trading opportunities offered by the company and reviews posted by Focus Markets clients on our website, Traders Union expert Anton Kharitonov recommends users to thoroughly analyze pros and cons before opening an account with this broker as not all clients are satisfied with the company, according to reviews.
Focus Markets offers clients optimal trading conditions with tight spreads, low fees, a wide range of financial instruments, moderate leverage, and no trading restrictions. Additional benefits include a free demo account and a low minimum deposit for live accounts. The platform supports all popular deposit and withdrawal methods, as well as eight base account currencies. However, it lacks alternative income options, educational resources for beginners, trading tools, and advanced analytics.
Brief Look at Focus Markets
Focus Markets is a broker providing access to trading currency pairs, along with CFDs on metals, energies, stocks, indices, and cryptocurrencies, totaling over 2,000 available assets. Trading is conducted through the MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 platforms, with no restrictions on trading strategies. A demo account and two live account options are available, with a minimum deposit of $100. Spreads start from 0 pips, and a $3.5 fee per full lot applies to accounts with raw spreads. Leverage is up to 1:30.
Deposits and withdrawals can be made via bank transfer, Visa/Mastercard, Skrill, and POLi. Account currencies include AUD, USD, GBP, EUR, NZD, CAD, JPY, and SGD. Multilingual technical support is available 24/5. However, the broker does not offer alternative income options, educational materials, or analytical tools.
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- The demo account allows exploring the platform and experimenting with trading strategies without risk;
- Opening a live account requires only $100, with all major deposit options available;
- Spreads are minimal, there are advantageous trading fees compared to the market average, and no withdrawal fees;
- A large pool of assets allows for various trading approaches and portfolio diversification;
- The broker maintains a 100% transparent policy, providing all information to traders in advance;
- Withdrawals are processed promptly, with various withdrawal channels available;
- The MT4/5 trading platforms are highly customizable with plugins, easy to learn, and functional.
- The broker does not offer joint accounts, copy trading, or a partnership program for additional income;
- There platform lacks basic trading information and essential tools like a calculator or economic calendar.;
- The company only supports MetaTrader 4 and 5, not offering other platforms like cTrader, NinjaTrader, or WebTrader.
TU Expert Advice
Author, Financial Expert at Traders Union
Focus Markets offers a broad array of trading services with over 2,000 financial instruments encompassing Forex and CFDs on metals, energies, stocks, indices, and cryptocurrencies. Trading is facilitated through MetaTrader 4 and 5 platforms. Spreads start from 0 pips, and there is a $3.5 commission per lot for the Raw account, with leverage capped at 1:30. The platform supports convenient deposit and withdrawal methods, and account opening requires a minimum deposit of $100.
Despite the comprehensive range of assets and services, drawbacks include the absence of joint accounts, copy trading, and educational resources. The platform may not fully meet the needs of advanced traders seeking analytical tools or alternative platforms like cTrader. Focus Markets is suitable for both novice and experienced traders who appreciate transparent costs and diverse trading options within the constraints mentioned.
Focus Markets Trading Conditions
Your capital is at risk. 79.43% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. Focus Markets Ltd and its affiliates do not target EU/EEA/UK clients. It is the user's responsibility to ensure that any use of the website or services adhere to local laws or regulations. Please be aware that you are able to receive investment services at your own exclusive initiative only, ensuring you fully understand all the risks involved.
💻 Trading platform: | MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 |
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📊 Accounts: | Demo, Standard, Raw |
💰 Account currency: | AUD, USD, GBP, EUR, NZD, CAD, SGD, JPY |
💵 Deposit / Withdrawal: | Bank transfers, bank cards, electronic transfer systems |
🚀 Minimum deposit: | $100 |
⚖️ Leverage: | Up to 1:30 |
💼 PAMM-accounts: | No |
📈️ Min Order: | 0.01 |
💱 EUR/USD spread: | 0,10 pips |
🔧 Instruments: | Currency pairs, as well as CFDs on metals, energies, stocks, indices, and cryptocurrencies |
💹 Margin Call / Stop Out: | No |
🏛 Liquidity provider: | No |
📱 Mobile trading: | Yes |
➕ Affiliate program: | Yes |
📋 Order execution: | Market Execution |
⭐ Trading features: | A demo account is provided for free for 30 days, two trading accounts with a small minimum deposit, over 2,000 diverse financial instruments, user-friendly trading platforms with a high level of customization, competitive spreads, and low fees, various options for deposit and withdrawal, no withdrawal fee |
🎁 Contests and bonuses: | Yes (rebates from TU) |
Often, if a broker offers multiple live account types, the minimum deposit for different accounts varies because trading conditions differ. But with Focus Markets, it's not the case. Regardless of the live account type a trader wants to open, they deposit at least $100. The leverage for an account type is not determined either. It depends solely on the asset. The highest leverage for currency pairs is 1:30. As for the broker's technical support, it operates 24/5. There is no live chat or ticketing system on the website. You can contact technical support by phone and email.
Focus Markets Key Parameters Evaluation
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Trading Account Opening
To begin working with Focus Markets, register on its website, pass verification, and obtain a user account. Next, open a trading account and make a deposit. This is a standard process, it is straightforward and does not take much time. However, TU experts have prepared a step-by-step guide to address any questions. They have also reviewed the main features of the user account.
Navigate to the Focus Markets website. Click on the "Create an account" button.
Select your country. Enter your first name, last name, email address, and phone number. Create and enter a password. Click on the "Create account" button. Note that you can generate a random password by clicking the corresponding button. Also, in the upper right corner, you can choose the interface language.
A system email will be sent to the email address you provided. In the email, you will find a link, by clicking on it to confirm your mailbox. After that, you will be directed to the trader's user account.
Provide detailed information about yourself, including your date of birth and full residential address with zip code. Finally, select the country of which you are a tax resident. Click «Next."
Select the trading platform, account type, and base currency. Click «Next."
Answer a few questions about your financial capabilities and share your trading experience. After filling in each block, click «Next."
Take a simple test on understanding the basics of financial markets. Then agree to the terms of cooperation. Click "Complete Application.»
Provide the broker with scans/photos of the required documents to confirm your identity. Just follow the instructions on the screen. Then wait for the verification process to complete.
Navigate to the "Deposit/Withdrawal" section. Choose a suitable channel and deposit funds. Remember that the minimum deposit for all live accounts is $100. Wait until the funds are deposited in your account.
Download the trading platform distribution. MT4 and MT5 are available, in desktop and mobile versions. The distribution is available on the broker's website, or you can visit the MT solution website. Install the platform on your device, enter your registration details, and start trading.
Your Focus Markets’ user account also provides access to:
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Dashboard. The section that displays summarized data for all trader accounts,each parameter can be detailed further;
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Trading Accounts. The section where traders can open and close accounts, both live and demo;
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Deposit/Withdrawal. The section for depositing and withdrawing of funds Instruments. The section where traders can access real-time quotes here, making forecasting easier;
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Reports. The section where traders can generate reports on accounts and transactions at any time to obtain statistics;
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Help. The section contains detailed FAQs on platform usage, and contact information for technical support;
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Settings. In this section, adjustments to some personal data and security parameters can be made.
Regulation and safety
Focus Markets has a safety score of 8/10, which corresponds to a High security level. The safest brokers are those with Tier-1 regulation, a long history (over 10 years in the market), and participation in investor compensation schemes.
- Tier-1 regulated
- Negative balance protection
- Track record of less than 8 years
Focus Markets Regulators and Investor Protection
Abbreviation | Full Name | Country of regulation | Investor Protection Fund | Regulation Level |
---|---|---|---|---|
|
Australian Securities and Investments Commission | Australia | No specific fund but has stringent consumer protection | Tier-1 |
Focus Markets Security Factors
Foundation date | - |
Negative balance protection | Yes |
Verification (KYC) | Yes |
Commissions and fees
The trading and non-trading commissions of broker Focus Markets have been analyzed and rated as Low with a fees score of 9/10. Additionally, these commissions were compared with those of the top two competitors, Pepperstone and OANDA, to provide the most comprehensive information.
- Low Forex trading fees
- Tight EUR/USD market spread
- No inactivity fee
- No deposit fee
- No withdrawal fee
- Complex fee structure
Trading Fees and Spread
Below, we evaluated and compared the trading commissions of Focus Markets with those of two competitors. We focused on the spreads and other transaction fees directly associated with executing trades (e.g commission per lot on an ECN account). This comparison aimed to provide a clear understanding of the cost efficiency of each broker.
Standard Account Spread
For Standard accounts, Focus Markets’s commissions are part of the floating spread, which varies with market conditions. Typical values are provided, but during high volatility, the spread may exceed these.
Focus Markets Standard spreads
Focus Markets | Pepperstone | OANDA | |
EUR/USD min, pips | 1,0 | 0,5 | 0,1 |
EUR/USD max, pips | 1,3 | 1,5 | 0,5 |
GPB/USD min, pips | 1,0 | 0,4 | 0,1 |
GPB/USD max, pips | 1,5 | 1,4 | 0,5 |
RAW/ECN Account Commission And Spread
The spread on ECN/RAW accounts is market-based and fluctuates, with average values given during active hours. It may vary during volatility spikes. A commission per lot is also charged.
Focus Markets RAW/ECN spreads
Focus Markets | Pepperstone | OANDA | |
Commission ($ per lot) | 1,75 | 3 | 3,5 |
EUR/USD avg spread | 0,10 | 0,1 | 0,15 |
GBP/USD avg spread | 0,10 | 0,15 | 0,2 |
Non-Trading Fees
We conducted a detailed analysis of the non-trading fees associated with Focus Markets. This review offers a comprehensive overview of the additional costs that may impact traders beyond regular trading activities.
Focus Markets Non-Trading Fees
Focus Markets | Pepperstone | OANDA | |
Deposit fee, % | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Withdrawal fee, % | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Withdrawal fee, USD | 0-20 | 0 | 0-15 |
Inactivity fee ($, per month) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Account types
If a broker offers several trading accounts with different conditions, it can be difficult to make a choice. However, in the case of Focus Markets, it's quite simple. The Standard account is positioned as universal, with relatively tight spreads and no trading fees. Whereas the Raw account is more geared towards professionals, with raw spreads, although there is a trading fee. Considering that the costs on all Focus Markets accounts are objectively low, and the minimum deposit is always $100, nothing prevents the trader from opening any of these accounts. Moreover, they can have multiple trading accounts. As for the free demo account, it is necessary to take into account the time limit. The demo is available for only 30 days, after which it closes automatically. However, this is more than enough time to explore the platform and experiment with new strategies.
Account Types:
Typically, a trader first opens a demo account to familiarize themselves with the platform. If everything suits them, they switch to a live account according to their trading preferences. Regarding the choice of the platform, it is recommended to try both MT4 and MT5, as they have important differences.
Deposit and withdrawal
Focus Markets received a Medium score for the efficiency and convenience of its deposit and withdrawal processes.
Focus Markets provides a reasonable range of deposit and withdrawal options with moderate fees, in line with industry standards.
- Low minimum withdrawal requirement
- Bank wire transfers available
- Minimum deposit below industry average
- No withdrawal fee
- USDT payments not accepted
- Wise not supported
- Only major base currencies available
What are Focus Markets deposit and withdrawal options?
Focus Markets provides a basic range of deposit and withdrawal options, covering essential methods in line with industry standards. This set of options is sufficient for most traders, with available methods Bank Card, Bank Wire, Skrill, Neteller, BTC.
Focus Markets Deposit and Withdrawal Methods vs Competitors
Focus Markets | Plus500 | Pepperstone | |
Bank Wire | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Bank card | Yes | Yes | Yes |
PayPal | No | Yes | Yes |
Wise | No | No | No |
BTC | Yes | No | No |
What are Focus Markets base account currencies?
A wide range of base account currencies minimizes the need for currency conversion, potentially reducing transaction costs for clients worldwide. Focus Markets supports the following base account currencies:
What are Focus Markets's minimum deposit and withdrawal amounts?
The minimum deposit on Focus Markets is $100, while the minimum withdrawal amount is $1. These minimums may vary depending on the chosen account type and payment method. For specific details, please contact Focus Markets’s support team.
Markets and tradable assets
Focus Markets provides a standard range of trading assets in line with the market average. The platform includes 1000 assets in total and 50 Forex currency pairs.
- Indices trading
- 50 supported currency pairs
- Crypto trading
- No ETFs
- Futures not available
Focus Markets Supported markets vs top competitors
We have compared the range of assets and markets supported by Focus Markets with its competitors, making it easier for you to find the perfect fit.
Focus Markets | Plus500 | Pepperstone | |
Currency pairs | 50 | 60 | 90 |
Total tradable assets | 1000 | 2800 | 1200 |
Stocks | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Commodity futures | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Crypto | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Stock indices | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Options | No | Yes | No |
Investment options
We also explored the trading assets and products Focus Markets offers for beginner traders and investors who prefer not to engage in active trading.
Focus Markets | Plus500 | Pepperstone | |
Bonds | No | No | No |
ETFs | No | Yes | Yes |
Copy trading | No | No | Yes |
PAMM investing | No | No | Yes |
Managed accounts | No | No | No |
Customer support
Is it possible to use a Visa card issued in the U.S. to deposit funds? What order types are available in the MetaTrader 5 platform? What is the withdrawal fee via Skrill? Some traders' questions stem from their carelessness or lack of information. However, they may also encounter atypical situations where they genuinely need expert assistance. Focus Markets clients have the option to reach out to the technical support team for assistance at any time. There are two channels for contacting technical support, including email and the call center. Support operates 24/5
Advantages
- Managers are available 24 hours on weekdays
- High level of competency
Disadvantages
- Support is not available on weekends
Even if you are not a broker’s existing client, the support team will assist you.
Here's how you can contact Focus Markets technical support:
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Multichannel call center;
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Email.
Unfortunately, the broker does not offer popular communication options like tickets and live chat. On the other hand, client reviews highlight the promptness of the support team's responses.
Contacts
Registration address | Level 8, 550 Bourke Street, VIC, Australia, 3000 |
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Regulation | ASIC |
Official site | https://www.focusmarkets.com/ |
Contacts |
03 8376 1322
|
Education
Many brokers offer educational resources to support beginner and experienced traders alike. These resources can include articles, video tutorials, glossaries, webinars, or even interactive courses. The absence of educational materials shouldn't necessarily be seen as a disadvantage, as some brokers prioritize providing a user-friendly trading experience or catering to more advanced traders. Ultimately, the best platform depends on your individual needs and trading goals.
Indeed, the company's website lacks comprehensive education. However, the "FAQs" section will help beginners find the most important answers for them. For example, what order types exist, what is margin, and how to use leverage correctly.
Comparison of Focus Markets with other Brokers
Focus Markets | Bybit | Eightcap | XM Group | Exness | InstaForex | |
Trading platform |
MetaTrader4, MetaTrader5 | MetaTrader5 | MT4, MT5, TradingView | MT4, MT5, MobileTrading, XM App | Exness Trade App (mobile), Exness Terminal (web), MetaTrader5, MetaTrader4 | MT4, MultiTerminal, MobileTrading, MT5, WebTrader |
Min deposit | $100 | No | $100 | $5 | $10 | $1 |
Leverage |
From 1:1 to 1:30 |
From 1:1 to 1:500 |
From 1:30 to 1:500 |
From 1:1 to 1:30 |
From 1:1 to 1:2000 |
From 1:1 to 1:1000 |
Trust management | No | No | No | No | No | Yes |
Accrual of % on the balance | No | No | No | No | No | No |
Spread | From 0 points | From 0 points | From 0 points | From 0.8 points | From 0 points | From 0 points |
Level of margin call / stop out |
No | No / 50% | 80% / 50% | 100% / 50% | 60% / No | 30% / 10% |
Order Execution | Market Execution | Market Execution | Market Execution | Market Execution | Market Execution, Instant Execution | Instant Execution |
No deposit bonus | No | No | No | No | No | No |
Cent accounts | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Detailed Review of Focus Markets
For many years, Focus Markets has been providing brokerage services to residents worldwide. This is a powerful platform that employs virtual dedicated servers to ensure uninterrupted 24-hour trading. Order execution is extremely prompt. Collaborations with top liquidity providers keep costs low for traders. In terms of security, SSL protocols, authentication tokens, and other protective measures are used. The asset pool is constantly expanding in response to feedback from traders, making Focus Markets unquestionably a client-centric broker.
Focus Markets by the numbers:
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The minimum deposit is $100;
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There are 2 live accounts + 1 demo account;
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The are over 2,000 assets with no trading restrictions;
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The minimum spread on Raw account is 0 pips;
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The maximum leverage is 1:30.
Focus Markets is a versatile platform for trading various financial instruments
The versatility of the Focus Markets platform empowers traders with a wide range of options. There are over 2,000 instruments available, including currency pairs, CFDs on metals, energies, stocks, indices, and cryptocurrencies. This diversity allows for effective risk diversification and the flexibility to employ various trading strategies. The moderate leverage of 1:30 can amplify profits even with a small capital, without introducing excessive risk. The industry-standard MT4/MT5 trading platform is user-friendly and customizable with free plugins, making it suitable for both beginners and experienced traders. Even the standard version comes equipped with over 80 technical indicators for comprehensive market analysis.
Useful Functions of Focus Markets:
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MT Platforms. MetaTrader trading platforms are recognized as the best by users and experts alike, being the most in-demand on the international market. The advantage of MT lies in its simple interface, full set of necessary functions, and customization through plugins;
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Detailed FAQs. While there is no formal education on the website, the "Frequently Asked Questions" section succinctly explains the basic aspects of trading. Additionally, the terms of cooperation between traders and the broker are transparently detailed here.
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Deposit/Withdrawal Options. Not all companies allow deposits and withdrawals through various channels. Focus Markets clients can use bank accounts, Visa/Mastercard cards, as well as Skrill and POLi electronic transfer systems for this purpose.
Advantages:
The platform operates with complete transparency, meaning the client always knows the exact fee for each transaction;
Two live account types provide the opportunity to choose the optimal option for a specific trading style;
A large pool of assets combined with moderate leverage ensures comfortable trading conditions;
Traders trade at their own pace, without any limits or restrictions from the broker;
The platform is easily customizable, making it easy to use even for those who are just starting their trading journey.
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