I’ve been researching different brokers and everyone claims to have tight and stable spreads. But then you hit a major news event and suddenly everything widens dramatically. I’m trying to figure out if this is just how forex works or if some brokers actually hold their ground better than others.
With XM specifically, I’m curious if traders here have noticed whether they keep spreads reasonable when something major happens—like NFP, ECB announcements, or other high-impact news. Do they stay consistent or do they blow out like the rest?
This matters to me because I trade around news sometimes, and I want to know if I’m looking at a broker where I’m getting what’s advertised or if I should expect a significant cost increase when volatility kicks in. And since I’m looking at using GlobeGain rebates to lower my costs, I’m wondering if reliable spreads during volatile periods actually make a broker worth choosing over one with lower baseline spreads.
What’s the actual experience here? Does XM hold their spreads reasonably tight during news events, or should I expect typical widening like everywhere else?
Every broker widens spreads during news. That’s market reality, not a choice. The question is by how much and how quickly they tighten back.
XM typically widens spreads during high impact news but rebounds reasonably fast—usually within 30 seconds to a minute after the event. I’ve seen them widen from 1.5 pips to 4 to 5 pips on EUR/USD during NFP, then drop back down pretty quickly.
What matters more is their execution quality during that spike. Some brokers widen spreads but still fill you at quoted prices. Others reject orders or requote. XM’s execution during news has been consistent in my testing.
If you want tighter news spreads, ECN brokers like IC Markets or AXI handle volatility better because they’re passing through actual market liquidity instead of managing risk themselves. But you’ll pay commissions instead. Factor in GlobeGain rebates and the true cost comparison gets interesting—sometimes the standard account with rebates beats the ECN when you calculate everything.
I’ve been trading XM through several news cycles. Spreads definitely widen, but it’s not catastrophic. On EUR/USD I’m used to seeing them go from around 1.8 pips to maybe 3 to 4 pips during major news.
The thing is, that’s pretty standard across most STP brokers. I tested IC Markets and AXI too, and they behave similarly—spreads widen, then come back.
What I noticed with XM is that they don’t seem to reject orders as often as some other brokers during the chaos. You get filled, even if the spread is wider. Some platforms just stop accepting orders entirely until things settle.
If you’re planning to trade news specifically, yeah, you might want to look at ECN accounts where you can see individual liquidity providers. But if you’re just trying to avoid the worst-case scenario on a standard account, XM performs about average. Nothing special, nothing terrible.
All brokers widen during news. XM is probably about average, maybe slightly better on execution.
Spread widening isn’t optional in forex—that’s how market makers work. What separates brokers is how quickly they tighten back and whether they reject orders or execute during chaos. XM handles this reasonably well overall.
Avoid trading exactly at news release and this becomes irrelevant.