Choosing the right forex broker in 2025 means balancing regulation, platform quality, spreads, market access, and user experience. OvalX (formerly ETX Capital) and FOREX.com are two notable players in the retail trading space. While both are regulated and offer access to global markets, they cater to different trader types.
This detailed comparison between Oval and FOREX.com will help you understand which broker better suits your needs based on tools, pricing, reliability, and performance.
Broker Review Contents
🛡 Regulation & Trustworthiness
Oval:
- Previously known as ETX Capital
- Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the UK
- Over two decades of operational history
- Recently acquired by Guru Capital SA
FOREX.com:
- Regulated by:
- CFTC/NFA (USA)
- FCA (UK)
- ASIC (Australia)
- CySEC (EU)
- Operated by StoneX Group, publicly traded on NASDAQ
👉 Winner: FOREX.com
With broader international regulation and a public financial parent, FOREX.com offers stronger regulatory coverage and transparency.
📈 Market Access & Instruments
| Asset Class | Oval | FOREX.com |
|---|---|---|
| Forex | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Indices | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Commodities | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Stock CFDs | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Bonds | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| ETFs | ❌ No | ❌ No |
| Cryptocurrencies | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Options/Futures | ❌ No | ❌ No |
👉 Winner: FOREX.com
Offers a slightly broader range, including bond CFDs, giving it an advantage in asset class diversity.
💰 Spreads & Pricing
| Instrument | Oval Avg Spread | FOREX.com Avg |
|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | 1.0 pips | 1.0 pips |
| Gold | 0.4 | 0.15 |
| S&P 500 | 0.7 | 0.6 |
| Bitcoin | 95 | 90 |
- Oval offers competitive spreads but limited transparency on fee structures
- FOREX.com includes both spread-only and commission-based accounts
👉 Winner: FOREX.com
Lower spreads on commodities and crypto, plus more pricing flexibility for high-frequency traders.
💻 Platforms & Trading Experience
| Platform | Oval | FOREX.com |
|---|---|---|
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | ✅ OvalX Trader Pro | ✅ Web + Mobile |
| TradingView Integration | ❌ No | ❌ No |
- Oval offers its own OvalX TraderPro, good for intermediate traders
- FOREX.com supports MT4, MT5, and proprietary web & mobile
👉 Winner: FOREX.com
Supports MT5, giving access to more tools, timeframes, and EAs for algorithmic traders.
🧠 Trading Tools & Features
| Feature | Oval | FOREX.com |
|---|---|---|
| Economic Calendar | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Trading Central Signals | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Autochartist Integration | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| VPS Hosting | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Social/Copy Trading | ❌ No | ❌ No |
👉 Winner: FOREX.com
Includes Autochartist, VPS hosting, and better integration for active traders.
💳 Deposit & Withdrawal Methods
| Method | Oval | FOREX.com |
|---|---|---|
| Bank Transfer | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Credit/Debit Card | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| PayPal | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Skrill/Neteller | ❌ No | ❌ No |
| Crypto | ❌ No | ❌ No |
👉 Winner: FOREX.com
More flexible with PayPal support for deposits and withdrawals.
📚 Education & Research
| Resource Type | Oval | FOREX.com |
|---|---|---|
| Trading Courses | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Daily Market Insights | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Webinars | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Technical Analysis Tools | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
👉 Winner: FOREX.com
Stronger on live webinars, daily outlooks, and trading guides.
📊 Scorecard Summary
| Category | Oval | FOREX.com |
|---|---|---|
| Regulation | 7/10 | 10/10 |
| Market Access | 8/10 | 9/10 |
| Spreads & Pricing | 7/10 | 8/10 |
| Platforms | 7/10 | 9/10 |
| Tools & Features | 6/10 | 9/10 |
| Deposit Flexibility | 6/10 | 8/10 |
| Education & Research | 7/10 | 9/10 |
| Total Score | 48/70 | 62/70 |
🏁 Final Verdict: Oval or FOREX.com?
- Choose Oval if you’re an intermediate UK or EU trader who wants a clean, fast interface and FCA regulation under a familiar brand (formerly ETX Capital).
- Choose FOREX.com if you want tight spreads, MT5 support, more tools, and global reach, backed by a NASDAQ-listed parent.
For serious traders in 2025, FOREX.com offers more value, more depth, and more global flexibility.
