Been comparing different platforms lately and honestly getting mixed results with execution speeds and spreads.
What’s been working well for you lot? Looking at both forex and crypto options but want something that doesn’t mess around with UK regulations.
Saxo Bank for serious trading CMC for quick setups
Execution beats fancy features every time. Check your fills against the price you clicked, especially during London open or US close. That’s where you’ll spot quality brokers. For forex, find someone offering decent rebates on majors. Even 0.3 pips back per lot adds up fast. Don’t pay extra for fancy charts you won’t use. Crypto’s messier in the UK now. Most regulated brokers only do CFDs, not real coins. Keep your actual crypto somewhere else and just use FCA brokers for leverage.
FCA-authorized platforms are the best choice, especially if they don’t requote during volatile times. Most UK brokers have similar spreads now, so look at execution quality. Testing platforms during big news events is essential to see their true performance. For crypto, I recommend keeping it separate from forex brokers due to regulatory issues.
Rebates can help boost your profits. Always check FCA regulations before choosing a platform.
Your platform choice comes down to what you trade most. Trading forex? Find tight EUR/USD spreads during London hours - that’s peak volume time. MT4’s old but still does the job. For crypto, make sure they keep your coins separate from their money. Check FCA regulation and withdrawal times. Consistent fills beat speed every time - you want the price you see. Start small and test a few platforms first.
IG Markets has worked well for me the past few years. Their DMA gives you real market access - no dealing desk games.
I use them for forex during London hours. Never had fill problems, even during NFP or BOE news. The mobile app actually works when you need to close fast.
Crypto’s messier since FCA brokers only do CFDs now. I keep real coins on Kraken and just trade crypto CFDs on IG when I want leverage.
Watch out for weekend funding costs if you hold Friday positions. Learned that the hard way.