Top Alternative Investments for 2022
We found 11 online brokers that are appropriate for Trading Forex, Crypto And ETF.
Best Alternative Investments Guide
Updated August 08, 2022
Alternative Investments
Financial assets which are different from conventional investment categories such as bonds, stocks and cash are termed as alternative investments.
Most of the alternative investments are held by high-net-worth individuals or large finance institutions as alternative investments may not be regulated by a financial regulator and the investments themselves can be complicated.
Things to Know in Alternative Investments
Alternative investments are not categorized in conventional cash, income or equity.
Examples of alternative investments include real property, venture capital, commodities, hedge funds and tangible assets.
Most of the alternative investments lack regulation and alternative investments are not liquid to some extent.
Retail investors are able to trade in alternative investments through trading mutual funds, ETFs and other types of alternative funds.
Alternative Investments in Brief
In general, most of the alternative investments have high fee structures and high minimum investments compared to ETFs and mutual funds. However, the transaction costs are lower than conventional assets.
Most of the alternative investments are fluid to some extent compared to other conventional counterparts, for example selling shares of Microsoft is easier than a 10 year old bottle of wine due to less volumes of buyers.
Alternative Investments Regulation
It is important to note that such assets are prone to fraud and scams because of the non-regulatory nature. In the US the alternative investments fall under the Consumer Protection Act and Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform. These are monitored by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
This is the reason investors are always indicated to conduct due diligence and get satisfaction before considering such alternative investments.
Alternative Investments Strategy
There is little relationships between the alternative investments and standard asset classes. The similarities are that they both move counter to the stocks markets, hence, investors use it for a portfolio diversification such as investing in oil, gold and property.
Lately, it has been seen that large institutional funds like private endowments and pension funds often invest a smaller portion of the portfolio in their alternative investments.
Non-accredited retail investors too get the chance to invest in such assets like ETFs and mutual funds, aka liquid alts or alt funds.
The alt funds provide several opportunities to invest in such categories which were earlier costly and difficult. Currently, such funds are publicly traded and are regulated to some extent.
Alternative Investments Pros and Cons
Pros
- The alternative investments are counterweight to conventional investments.
- These are basically used for portfolio diversification.
- These are the inflation hedges and offers high rewards.
Cons
The alternative investments are illiquid, difficult to value and of a high-risk nature as they are not regulated.
Alternative Investments Real Examples
It is important to note here that even if a fund is highly regulated by a regulatory agency this does not mean it is secure.
A note from the SEC says that most of the alternative mutual funds do not have enough of a performance history and that many have been launched after the recession of 2008 hence, it is yet to understand how these funds would perform when the market declines.
Even though it is known that a diversified portfolio mitigates loss threats, but alt fund is risky due to its underlying assets.
Also note, the performance track record of ETFs dealing in alternative investments is mixed.
Lets understand this with an example. As of January 2021, the SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF had a 15.87% negative. In the same period, the SPDR Dow Jones Global Real Estate ETF posted a five-year return of 5.2%.
Liquid Alternatives Investments
Also widely known as liquid alts, the liquid alternative investments are referred to ETFs and mutual funds which are focused to provide diversification as well as downside protection to investors with the help of alternative investment strategies.
These products can be bought and sold daily and are made available at lower minimum investments compared to hedge funds. Liquid alts basically counteract the alternative investments drawbacks.
Lately, many liquid alt funds have mushroomed after the 2008 financial crisis. Critics say these funds charge higher fees and are not for everyone.
Alternative Investments Verdict
Alternative investments are different. These financial instruments are different from conventional investments like bonds, stocks and cash.
These are mainly held by institutional investors and not opened directly for individual investors.
The best example of alternative investments are below:
- Forex
- Cryptocurrency
- ETFs
- Real property
- Tangible assets
- Hedge funds
- venture capital
After the 2008 financial crisis a lot of liquid alternative investments have mushroomed charging higher fees.
It is suggested to remain away from such funds if you are risk adverse, it is better to invest in conventional assets if you prefer safer investment strategies.
We've collected thousands of datapoints and written a guide to help you find the best Alternative Investments for you. Our aim is that this information helps you choose a trustworthy, reputable and professional broker who can satisfy your trading needs online. We have compiled a list of what we consider the best Forex, Crypto and ETF brokers below.
Reputable Alternative Investments Checklist
There are a number of important factors to consider when picking an online Forex, Crypto And ETF trading brokerage.
- Check your Forex, Crypto And ETF broker has a history of at least 2 years.
- Check your Forex, Crypto And ETF broker has a reasonable sized customer support of at least 15.
- Does the Forex, Crypto And ETF broker fall under regulation from a jurisdiction that can hold a broker responsible for its misgivings; or at best play an arbitration role in case of bigger disputes.
- Check your Forex, Crypto And ETF broker has the ability to get deposits and withdrawals processed within 2 to 3 days. This is important when withdrawing funds.
- Does your Forex, Crypto And ETF broker have an international presence in multiple countries. This includes local seminar presentations and training.
- Make sure your Forex, Crypto And ETF can hire people from various locations in the world who can better communicate in your local language.
Our team have listed brokers that match your criteria for you below. All brokerage data has been summarised into a comparison table. Scroll down.
Our brokerage comparison table below allows you to compare the below features for brokers offering Forex, Crypto And ETF Brokers.
We compare these features to make it easier for you to make a more informed choice.
- Minimum deposit to open an account.
- Available funding methods for the below Forex, Crypto And ETF Brokers.
- What you are able to trade with each brokerage.
- Trading Platforms offered by these brokers.
- Spread type (if applicable) for each brokerage.
- Customer support levels offered.
- We show if each brokerage offers Micro, Standard, VIP and Islamic accounts.
Top 15 Forex, Crypto And ETF Brokers of 2022 compared
Here are the top Forex, Crypto And ETF Brokers.
Compare Forex, Crypto And ETF Brokers min deposits, regulation, headquarters, benefits, funding methods and fees side by side.
All brokers below are Forex, Crypto and ETF brokers. Learn more about what they offer below.
You can scroll left and right on the comparison table below to see more Forex, Crypto and ETF brokers that accept Forex, Crypto and ETF clients
| Broker |
IC Markets
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eToro
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AvaTrade
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XTB
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Pepperstone
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Plus500
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EasyMarkets
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FXPro
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SpreadEx
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Admiral
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Trade.com
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| Regulation | Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), Financial Services Authority (FSA), Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) | Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), Markets In Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID), Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) | Central Bank of Ireland, Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), ASIC (406684), Financial Services Authority (FSA), South African Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA), Financial Stability Board (FSB), The Financial Services Agency (JAPAN FSA), Financial Futures Association of Japan (FFAJ), Abu Dhabi Global Markets (ADGM), Financial Regulatory Services Authority (FRSA), Polish Financial Supervision Authority (KNF), Israel Securities Association (ISA), British Virgin Islands Financial Services Commission (BVI), BVI (SIBA/L/13/1049) | Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), FCA number FRN 522157, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), CySEC Licence Number: 169/12, Comisión Nacional del Mercado de Valores, Komisja Nadzoru Finansowego, Belize International Financial Services Commission (IFSC) under license number IFSC/60/413/TS/19, Polish Securities and Exchange Commission (KPWiG), Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA), Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC),Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA), XTB AFRICA (PTY) LTD licensed to operate in South Africa | Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin), Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA), Capital Markets Authority of Kenya (CMA), Pepperstone Markets Limited is incorporated in The Bahamas (number 177174 B), Licensed by the Securities Commission of the Bahamas (SCB) number SIA-F217 | Plus500UK Ltd authorized & regulated by the FCA (#509909), Plus500CY Ltd authorized & regulated by CySEC (#250/14), Plus500AU Pty Ltd (ACN 153301681), ASIC in Australia AFSL #417727, FMA in New Zealand, FSP #486026 and Authorised Financial Services Provider in South Africa FSP #47546, Plus500SEY Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Seychelles Financial Services Authority (Licence No. SD039), Plus500SG Pte Ltd (UEN 201422211Z) holds a capital markets services license from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) for dealing in capital markets products (License No. CMS100648-1), PLUS500AU (PTY) LTD is regulated by the FSCA (Financial Sector Conduct Authority), Plus500 adheres to MiFID rules | Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), Financial Services Authority (FSA), British Virgin Islands Financial Services Commission (BVI) | Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA), Securities Commission of the Bahamas (SCB) | Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) | Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) | Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) |
| Min Deposit | 200 | 10 | 100 | No minimum deposit | 200 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 1 | 200 | 1 |
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| Used By | 180,000+ | 27,000,000+ | 300,000+ | 250,000+ | 89,000+ | 15,500+ | 142,500+ | 1,866,000+ | 10,000+ | 10,000+ | 10,000+ |
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| Platforms | MT4, MT5, Mirror Trader, ZuluTrade, Web Trader, cTrader, Mac | Web Trader, Tablet & Mobile apps | Web Trader, MT4, MT5, AvaTradeGo, AvaOptions, DupliTrade, ZuluTrade, Mobile Apps, ZuluTrade, DupliTrade, MQL5 | MT4, Mirror Trader, Web Trader, Tablet & Mobile apps | MT4, MT5, TradingView, DupliTrade, myFXbook, Mac, Web Trader, cTrader, Tablet & Mobile apps | Web Trader, Tablet & Mobile apps | MT4, MT5, Web Trader, Tablet & Mobile apps | MT4, MT5, cTrader, Tablet & Mobile apps | Web Trader, Tablet & Mobile apps | MT4, MT5, Mac, Web Trader, Tablet & Mobile apps | MT4, Web Trader, Tablet & Mobile apps |
| Support |
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| Learn More |
Sign
Up with icmarkets |
Sign
Up with etoro |
Sign
Up with avatrade |
Sign
Up with xtb |
Sign
Up with pepperstone |
Sign
Up with plus500 |
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Up with easymarkets |
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Up with fxpro |
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Up with spreadex |
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Up with admiralmarkets |
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Up with tradecom |
| Risk Warning | Losses can exceed deposits | 78% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. | 71% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider | 74% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. | 74-89 % of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs | 74% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. | Your capital is at risk | 75.78% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs and Spread Betting with this provider | Losses can exceed deposits | Losses can exceed deposits | Your capital is at risk |
| Demo |
IC Markets Demo |
eToro Demo |
AvaTrade Demo |
XTB Demo |
Pepperstone Demo |
Plus500 Demo |
easyMarkets Demo |
FxPro Demo |
SpreadEx Demo |
Admiral Markets Demo |
Trade.com Demo |
| Excluded Countries | AF, GN, SL, BW, IR, SY, MM, IQ, TG, KH, LS, YE, CI , LR, ZW, CU, LY, TZ, CG, ML, BO, LR, NE, AO, GM, NG, AG, GH, KR, KG, GN, SN, NA | ZA, ID, IR, KP, BE, CA, JP, SY, TR, IL, BY, AL, MD, MK, RS, GN, CD, SD, SA, ZW, ET, GH, TZ, LY, UG, ZM, BW, RW, TN, SO, NA, TG, SL, LR, GM, DJ, CI, PK, BN, TW, WS, NP, SG, VI, TM, TJ, UZ, LK, TT, HT, MM, BT, MH, MV, KZ, GD, FJ, BB, BM, BS, AG, AI, AW, LB, SV, PY, HN, GT, PR, NI, VG, AN, | BE, BR, KP, NZ, TR, US, CA, SG | US, IN, PK, BD, NG , ID, BE, AU | AF, AS, AQ, AR, AM, AZ, BY, BE, BZ, BT, BA, BI, CM, CA, CF, TD, CG, CI, ER, GF, PF, GP, GU, GN, GW, GY, HT, VA, IR, IQ, JP, KZ, LB, LR, LY, ML, MQ, YT, MZ, MM, NZ, NI, KP, PS, PR, RE, KN, LC, VC, WS, SO, GS, KR, SS, SD, SR, SY, TJ, TN, TM, TC, US, UY, VU, VG, EH, YE, ZW | MY, BE, US, CA, CN, ID, PH, TG, NG, DO, MA, ZW, PR, TZ, TN, UG, BW, AO, AE | US, IL, BC, MB, QC, ON, AF, BY, BI, KH, KY, TD, KM, CG, CU, CD, GQ, ER, FJ, GN, GW, HT, IR, IQ, LA, LY, MZ, MM, NI, KP, PW, PA, RU, SO, SS, SD, SY, TT, TM, VU, VE, YE | US, CA, IR | US, TR | US, CA, JP, SG, MY, JM, IR, TR | AU, BE, CA, CN, Crimea region, CY, CU, of CG, ER, HK, GW, IQ, IR, JP, IL, LY, NZ, CY, KR, PR, SG, SO, SD, SYn Arab, TR, US, VI, US |
All Forex, Crypto and ETF brokers in more detail
You can compare Forex, Crypto And ETF Brokers ratings, min deposits what the the broker offers, funding methods, platforms, spread types, customer support options, regulation and account types side by side.
We also have an indepth Top Forex, Crypto And ETF Brokers for 2022 article further below. You can see it now by clicking here
We have listed top Forex, Crypto and ETF brokers below.
Alternative Investments Table of Contents
- Alternative Investments Explained
- 6 Factors to Consider when Choosing Alternative Investments
- Are Your Alternative Investments Trusted And Established?
- Are The Alternative Investments World Leading?
- What are the Alternative Investments Commissions and Fees?
- What are the Alternative Investments Funding and Withdrawl Methods?
- Find Alternative Investments with Round-the-clock support?
- Make sure the Alternative Investments Offer Comprehensive Trader resources?
- Why Alternative Investments needs to be regulated?
- Alternative Investments FAQ
- What are the best Forex, Crypto and ETF brokers?
- What is the best Forex, Crypto and ETF broker?
- Related Alternative Investments Reviews
- Related Alternative Investments Alternatives
- Related Alternative Investments Comparisons
Alternative Investments Explained
Trading the financial markets with Alternative Investments when conditions are volatile can be difficult, even for experienced traders.
Apart from the educational and other resources made available online, another important factor for traders to consider when looking for Alternative Investments is the platform that a Alternative Investments offer.
Choose Alternative Investments that's at the forefront of innovation and generally considered an industry-leader.
To gain access to the financial markets, you'll need Alternative Investments that you can rely on.
6 Factors to Consider when Choosing Alternative Investments
Follow these five rules for selecting a broker that's right for you:
Are Your Alternative Investments Trusted And Established?
Look for a broker that has a good track record/longevity in the market so that your strategy is your primary concern for navigating the markets. The top rated Alternative Investments broker is IC Markets. Established in 2007, and in operation for 12 years IC Markets have a head office in Australia.
IC Markets is regulated. This means IC Markets are supervised by and is checked for conduct by Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), Financial Services Authority (FSA), Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) regulatory bodies.
Another top rated broker is eToro.
eToro was established 2007, and in operation for 14 years eToro have a head office in Cyprus, UK.
eToro is regulated. This means eToro are supervised by and is checked for conduct by Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), Financial Services Authority (FSA), Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) regulatory bodies.
| Broker |
IC Markets
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eToro
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AvaTrade
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XTB
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Pepperstone
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Plus500
|
EasyMarkets
|
FXPro
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| Year Established | 2007 | 2007 | 2006 | 2002 | 2010 | 2008 | 2001 | 2006 |
| Head Office | Australia | Cyprus, UK | Ireland | Poland | Australia | Israel | Cyprus, Australia | UK |
| Regulation | Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), Financial Services Authority (FSA), Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) | Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), Markets In Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID), Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) | Central Bank of Ireland, Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), ASIC (406684), Financial Services Authority (FSA), South African Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA), Financial Stability Board (FSB), The Financial Services Agency (JAPAN FSA), Financial Futures Association of Japan (FFAJ), Abu Dhabi Global Markets (ADGM), Financial Regulatory Services Authority (FRSA), Polish Financial Supervision Authority (KNF), Israel Securities Association (ISA), British Virgin Islands Financial Services Commission (BVI), BVI (SIBA/L/13/1049) | Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), FCA number FRN 522157, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), CySEC Licence Number: 169/12, Comisión Nacional del Mercado de Valores, Komisja Nadzoru Finansowego, Belize International Financial Services Commission (IFSC) under license number IFSC/60/413/TS/19, Polish Securities and Exchange Commission (KPWiG), Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA), Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC),Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA), XTB AFRICA (PTY) LTD licensed to operate in South Africa | Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin), Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA), Capital Markets Authority of Kenya (CMA), Pepperstone Markets Limited is incorporated in The Bahamas (number 177174 B), Licensed by the Securities Commission of the Bahamas (SCB) number SIA-F217 | Plus500UK Ltd authorized & regulated by the FCA (#509909), Plus500CY Ltd authorized & regulated by CySEC (#250/14), Plus500AU Pty Ltd (ACN 153301681), ASIC in Australia AFSL #417727, FMA in New Zealand, FSP #486026 and Authorised Financial Services Provider in South Africa FSP #47546, Plus500SEY Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Seychelles Financial Services Authority (Licence No. SD039), Plus500SG Pte Ltd (UEN 201422211Z) holds a capital markets services license from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) for dealing in capital markets products (License No. CMS100648-1), PLUS500AU (PTY) LTD is regulated by the FSCA (Financial Sector Conduct Authority), Plus500 adheres to MiFID rules | Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), Financial Services Authority (FSA), British Virgin Islands Financial Services Commission (BVI) | Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA), Securities Commission of the Bahamas (SCB) |
| Used By | 180,000+ | 27,000,000+ | 300,000+ | 250,000+ | 89,000+ | 15,500+ | 142,500+ | 1,866,000+ |
| Negative balance protection | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Guaranteed Stop Loss | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Learn More | Visit IC Markets | Visit eToro | Visit AvaTrade | Visit XTB | Visit Pepperstone | Visit Plus500 | Visit easyMarkets | Visit FxPro |
| Risk Warning | Losses can exceed deposits | 78% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. | 71% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider | 74% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. | 74-89 % of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs | 74% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. | Your capital is at risk | 75.78% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs and Spread Betting with this provider |
Are The Alternative Investments World Leading?
Choose a broker that's at the forefront of innovation and generally considered an industry-leader. IC Markets Segregates clients funds and offers over 232 instruments. IC Markets offers both an online trading platform as well as a mobile platform giving clients easy access to markets.
In addition, the IC Markets platform enables access to a variety of financial markets worldwide. IC Markets is a world-leader when it comes to innovation and they are always looking at ways to improve and to maintain their competitive advantage.
Another good choice when looking for Alternative Investments is eToro. eToro Segregates clients funds and offers over 2000 instruments.
| Broker |
IC Markets
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eToro
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AvaTrade
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XTB
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Pepperstone
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Plus500
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EasyMarkets
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FXPro
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| Instruments Available | 232 | 2000 | 1250 | 4000 | 1200 | 2000 | 200 | 430 |
| Platforms | MT4, MT5, Mirror Trader, ZuluTrade, Web Trader, cTrader, Mac | Web Trader, Tablet & Mobile apps | Web Trader, MT4, MT5, AvaTradeGo, AvaOptions, DupliTrade, ZuluTrade, Mobile Apps, ZuluTrade, DupliTrade, MQL5 | MT4, Mirror Trader, Web Trader, Tablet & Mobile apps | MT4, MT5, TradingView, DupliTrade, myFXbook, Mac, Web Trader, cTrader, Tablet & Mobile apps | Web Trader, Tablet & Mobile apps | MT4, MT5, Web Trader, Tablet & Mobile apps | MT4, MT5, cTrader, Tablet & Mobile apps |
| Excluded Countries | US | ZA, IR, KP, BE, CA, JP, SY, TR, IL, BY, AL, MD, MK, RS, GN, CD, SD, SA, ZW, ET, GH, TZ, LY, UG, ZM, BW, RW, TN, SO, NA, TG, SL, LR, GM, DJ, CI, PK, BN, TW, WS, NP, SG, VI, TM, TJ, UZ, LK, TT, HT, MM, BT, MH, MV, KZ, GD, FJ, BB, BM, BS, AG, AI, AW, LB, SV, PY, HN, GT, PR, NI, VG, AN, | BE, BR, KP, NZ, TR, US, CA, SG | US, AU, CA, JP, KR, KP, SG, MU, IL, TR, IN, PK, BA, ET, UG, CU, SY, BD, NG, ID, BE, LY, MO, KE, YE, VU, GY, CD, CG, AF, LA, MZ, IQ, IR | AF, AS, AQ, AR, AM, AZ, BY, BE, BZ, BT, BA, BI, CM, CA, CF, TD, CG, CI, ER, GF, PF, GP, GU, GN, GW, GY, HT, VA, IR, IQ, JP, KZ, LB, LR, LY, ML, MQ, YT, MZ, MM, NZ, NI, KP, PS, PR, RE, KN, LC, VC, WS, SO, GS, KR, SS, SD, SR, SY, TJ, TN, TM, TC, US, UY, VU, VG, EH, YE, ZW | MY, BE, US, CA, CN, ID, PH, TG, NG, DO, MA, ZW, PR, TZ, TN, UG, BW, AO, AE | US, IL, BC, MB, QC, ON, AF, BY, BI, KH, KY, TD, KM, CG, CU, CD, GQ, ER, FJ, GN, GW, HT, IR, IQ, LA, LY, MZ, MM, NI, KP, PW, PA, RU, SO, SS, SD, SY, TT, TM, VU, VE, YE | US, CA, IR |
| Forex pairs offered | 65 | 50 | 55 | 57 | 70 | 100 | 150 | 70 |
| Forex pairs offered | 65 | 50 | 55 | 57 | 70 | 100 | 150 | 70 |
| Major forex pairs | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Minor forex pairs | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Exotic forex pairs | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrencies (availability subject to regulation) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Commodities Offered | 19 | 31 | 17 | 21 | 16 | 17 | 12 | 30 |
| Metals | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Energies | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Agricultural | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Stocks Offered | 110 | 2042 | 1000 | 1696 | 1100 | 1816 | 52 | 1700 |
| UK Shares | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| US Shares | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| German Shares | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Japanese Shares | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
What are the Alternative Investments Commissions and Fees?
Ensure that your broker is transparent with fees and those dues are competitive.
The best rated Alternative Investments broker IC Markets offers competitive offers for Forex, CFDs, Spread Betting, Share dealing, Cryptocurrencies. IC Markets minimum deposit is 200.
Another top rated Alternative Investments broker eToro offers Stocks, Commodities, Forex, CFDs, Social Trading, Indices, Cryptocurrency, Index Based Funds, Exchange Traded Funds (ETF). eToro minimum deposit is 10. Please note that any cryptocurrency availability with any broker is subject to regulation.
| Broker |
IC Markets
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eToro
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AvaTrade
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XTB
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Pepperstone
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Plus500
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EasyMarkets
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FXPro
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| Min Deposit | 200 | 10 | 100 | 0 | 200 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Withdrawl Fees | No | Yes | No | varies | No | No | No | No |
| Inactivity Fees | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Deposit Fees | Varies | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| CFD Commission Fees | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | charge commissions on cTrader only |
What are the Alternative Investments Funding and Withdrawal Methods?
When dealing with Alternative Investments having convenient funding and withdrawl facilities makes the trading process and your trading experience smoother.
| Broker |
IC Markets
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eToro
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AvaTrade
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XTB
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Pepperstone
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Plus500
|
EasyMarkets
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FXPro
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| Bank transfer | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Credit Cards | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Paypal | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Skrill | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Payoneer | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Neteller | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Find Alternative Investments with Round-the-clock support?
Customer service is very important when dealing with Alternative Investments.
When investing and dealing with brokers customer support can be a range of customer services to assist customers in making cost effective and correct use the brokers services. It can include assistance in installation, training, troubleshooting, upgrading, and cancelation of a product or service.
Alternative Investments customer support can include Phone answering services, Live chat support and Email customer service support.
IC Markets support a wide range of languages including English, Japanese, Chinese, Polish, Afrikans, Danish, Dutch, German and more
eToro support a wide range of languages including English, German, Spanish, French, Italian
IC Markets and eToro offer support where clients are able to call or contact the helpdesk via email or a chat service.
| Broker |
IC Markets
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eToro
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AvaTrade
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XTB
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Pepperstone
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Plus500
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EasyMarkets
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FXPro
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| Languages | English, Japanese, Chinese, Polish, Afrikans, Danish, Dutch, German and more | English, German, Spanish, French, Italian | Arabic, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Indonesian, Japanese, Mongolian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Malay, Korean and Turkish | English, Spanish, Czech, Chinese, German, French, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovenian, and Turkish | English, Spanish, Portuguese, Thai, Russian, Italian, French, German, Polish, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Arabic | English, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Dutch, Polish, Arabic, Hebrew, Danish, Norwegian, Czech, Slovak, Bulgarian and Chinese | English, German, Arabic, Chinese, Spanish and Polish | Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Vietnamese, Greek, Malaysian, Thai, Turkish, Romanian, Czech, Slovak |
| Learn More | Visit IC Markets | Visit eToro | Visit AvaTrade | Visit XTB | Visit Pepperstone | Visit Plus500 | Visit easyMarkets | Visit FxPro |
| Risk Warning | Losses can exceed deposits | 78% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. | 71% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider | 74% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. | 74-89 % of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs | 74% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. | Your capital is at risk | 75.78% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs and Spread Betting with this provider |
Make sure the Alternative Investments Offer Comprehensive Trader resources?
Make sure your broker offers free resources like analysis, education and risk-management tools. With a wealth of knowledge from top analysts, IC Markets and eToro work together to bring the latest news and insights to traders.
For most traders, the first – and sometimes only – concern is pursuing their 'edge'. While that is surely important, along with sound money management habits, to navigating the markets; that step alone does not represent the full preparation. As each trader dives into this important venture, it is important not to forget the most rudimentary yet crucial steps such as selecting the best broker to access the markets.
Why Alternative Investments needs to be regulated?
A regulated Alternative Investments broker lowers your risk.
Broker regulation protects consumers. Too little broker regulation can lead to poor services and possibly financial harm.
Alternative Investments brokers are regulated to stop fraud. The agent's working capital and clients funded account have to be separated. This amounts to fraud if client money is used to conduct the business. Regulation is required to make sure this does not happen.
Alternative Investments List
Funding methods
Bank transfer Credit Card PaypalPlatforms
MT4, MT5, Mirror Trader, ZuluTrade, Web Trader, cTrader, MacCustomer support
Live chat Phone support Email supportAccount Types
Micro account Standard account ECN accountIslamic account VIP account
eToro is a multi-asset platform which offers both investing in stocks and cryptoassets, as well as trading CFDs.
Please note that CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 67% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Past performance is not an indication of future results.
Cryptoassets are volatile instruments which can fluctuate widely in a very short timeframe and therefore are not appropriate for all investors. Other than via CFDs, trading cryptoassets is unregulated and therefore is not supervised by any EU regulatory framework.
eToro USA LLC does not offer CFDs and makes no representation and assumes no liability as to the accuracy or completeness of the content of this publication, which has been prepared by our partner utilizing publicly available non-entity specific information about eToro.
Funding methods
Bank transfer Credit Card PaypalPlatforms
Web Trader, Tablet & Mobile appsCustomer support
Live chat Phone support Email supportAccount Types
Micro account Standard account ECN accountIslamic account VIP account
Funding methods
Bank transfer Credit Card PaypalPlatforms
Web Trader, MT4, MT5, AvaTradeGo, AvaOptions, DupliTrade, ZuluTrade, Mobile Apps, ZuluTrade, DupliTrade, MQL5Customer support
Live chat Phone support Email supportAccount Types
Micro account Standard account ECN accountIslamic account VIP account
Funding methods
Bank transfer Credit Card PaypalPlatforms
MT4, Mirror Trader, Web Trader, Tablet & Mobile appsCustomer support
Live chat Phone support Email supportAccount Types
Micro account Standard account ECN accountIslamic account VIP account
Funding methods
Bank transfer Credit Card PaypalPlatforms
MT4, MT5, TradingView, DupliTrade, myFXbook, Mac, Web Trader, cTrader, Tablet & Mobile appsCustomer support
Live chat Phone support Email supportAccount Types
Micro account Standard account ECN accountIslamic account Pro Account VIP account
Plus500 offer a 100% Free and Unlimited Demo account No Deposit fees/Commissions No hidden fees Competitive fees Tight Spreads
Funding methods
Bank transfer Credit Card PaypalPlatforms
Web Trader, Tablet & Mobile appsCustomer support
Live chat Phone support Email supportAccount Types
Micro account Standard account ECN accountIslamic account VIP account
Funding methods
Bank transfer Credit Card PaypalPlatforms
MT4, MT5, Web Trader, Tablet & Mobile appsCustomer support
Live chat Phone support Email supportAccount Types
Micro account Standard account ECN accountIslamic account VIP account
Funding methods
Bank transfer Credit Card PaypalPlatforms
MT4, MT5, cTrader, Tablet & Mobile appsCustomer support
Live chat Phone support Email supportAccount Types
Micro account Standard account ECN accountIslamic account VIP account
Funding methods
Bank transfer Credit Card PaypalPlatforms
Web Trader, Tablet & Mobile appsCustomer support
Live chat Phone support Email supportAccount Types
Micro account Standard account ECN accountIslamic account VIP account
Funding methods
Bank transfer Credit Card PaypalPlatforms
MT4, MT5, Mac, Web Trader, Tablet & Mobile appsCustomer support
Live chat Phone support Email supportAccount Types
Micro account Standard account ECN accountIslamic account VIP account
Funding methods
Bank transfer Credit Card PaypalPlatforms
MT4, Web Trader, Tablet & Mobile appsCustomer support
Live chat Phone support Email supportAccount Types
Micro account Standard account ECN accountIslamic account VIP account
Learn more
Losses can exceed deposits