Which broker is better for Taiwan traders in 2026? Expert analysis across 12 categories.
For Taiwan traders exploring forex brokers, Forex.com and XM Group are two prominent choices, each with distinct strengths. Forex.com, a publicly traded US broker (NASDAQ: GLBR), holds regulation in multiple jurisdictions including the FCA and ASIC, and has a long history since 2001. XM Group, founded in 2009, is regulated by CySEC, FCA, and ASIC, and is particularly popular in Asia for its low minimum deposits and tight spreads. Both brokers accept Taiwan residents and support local payment methods like Bank Transfer and Credit Card, as well as TWD deposits. However, their trading costs, platform features, and overall suitability for experienced retail traders in Taiwan differ significantly. This comparison focuses on the specific needs of Taiwan traders, considering the lack of FSC Taiwan licensing for both firms, and provides a detailed analysis to help you choose the better fit for your trading style in 2025.
| Instrument | Forex.com | XM Group | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD avg spread | 0.09 pips + $3.5/lot | 0.0 pips + $3.5/lot | XM Group |
| XAU/USD (Gold) | $0.14 typical | $0.12 typical | XM Group |
| GBP/USD avg spread | 0.29 pips | 0.23 pips | XM Group |
| Standard acc spread | from 1.0 pips | from 0.8 pips | XM Group |
| ECN commission | $3.5/lot/side | $3.5/lot/side | Tie |
| Min deposit | $100 | $5 | Forex.com |
Trading costs are a critical factor for experienced retail traders in Taiwan. XM Group offers lower spreads: on its Standard Account, spreads start from 1.0 pips for EUR/USD, while its Zero Account can go as low as 0.0 pips (with a $3.5 commission per lot). Forex.com’s spreads start from 1.2 pips on standard accounts for majors, and its raw pricing account (commission-based) starts from 0.0 pips but with a higher commission of $4 per lot. For a Taiwan trader executing 10 lots per month, XM Group can save approximately $20–$50 in spread costs monthly. Additionally, XM Group does not charge deposit fees, while Forex.com may impose conversion fees for TWD transactions. Overall, XM Group provides more cost-effective trading for active Taiwan traders.
| Account Type | Forex.com | XM Group |
|---|---|---|
| Standard account | ✓ | ✓ |
| ECN / Raw spread | ✓ | ✓ |
| Islamic (swap-free) | ✗ | ✓ |
| Demo account | ✓ | ✓ |
| PAMM / MAM account | ✗ | ✓ |
| Zero spread account | ✗ | ✓ |
| Copy trading | ✗ | ✗ |
| Min deposit | $100 | $5 |
| Entity / Asset | Forex.com | XM Group |
|---|---|---|
| Taiwan (offshore) | Up to 1:50 | Up to 1:1000 |
| Forex major pairs | 1:50 | 1:1000 |
| Gold (XAU/USD) | 1:200 | 1:200 |
| Indices | 1:100 | 1:100 |
| Cryptocurrencies | 1:2 to 1:10 | 1:2 to 1:10 |
| Asset Class | Forex.com | XM Group | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex pairs | 90+ | 65+ | Forex.com |
| Gold (XAU/USD) | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Oil (WTI/Brent) | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Stock indices | 25+ indices | 20+ indices | Forex.com |
| Crypto CFDs | 30+ | 20+ | Forex.com |
| Stocks / Share CFDs | ✗ | ✗ | XM Group |
| ETFs | ✗ | ✗ | Tie |
| Platform | Forex.com | XM Group |
|---|---|---|
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | ✗ | ✓ |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | ✓ | ✓ |
| cTrader | ✓ | ✗ |
| TradingView | ✗ | ✗ |
| Expert Advisors (EAs) | ✗ | ✓ |
| Scalping allowed | ✓ | ✓ |
| Hedging allowed | ✓ | ✓ |
Both brokers offer the industry-standard MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), but XM Group also provides its own XM WebTrader and mobile apps, while Forex.com has a proprietary Advanced Trading Platform and TradingView integration. For Taiwan traders who prefer mobile trading or automated strategies, both support Expert Advisors (EAs) on MT4/MT5. XM Group’s platforms are slightly more user-friendly for beginners but still robust for experienced traders. Forex.com’s desktop platform offers advanced charting and order types. Given that many experienced Taiwan traders use MT4, XM Group’s seamless MT4 offering with local server options (Asia) may provide faster execution. Both platforms are reliable, but XM Group’s lower latency to Asian servers can benefit Taiwan traders.
| Factor | Forex.com | XM Group | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Execution model | ECN/STP | True ECN | XM Group |
| Avg execution speed | ~30ms | ~40ms | Forex.com |
| Slippage | Very low | Very low | Tie |
| Requotes | Very rare | Very rare | Tie |
| Scalping allowed | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| EA / Bot trading | ✗ | ✓ | Tie |
XM Group uses a no-dealing-desk (NDD) execution model with STP and DMA options, offering average execution speeds of under 0.2 seconds. Forex.com also provides NDD execution with speeds under 0.1 seconds on its web platform. In practice, both brokers deliver reliable order fills with minimal slippage for liquid pairs. However, XM Group’s lower spreads combined with fast execution provide a better overall trading experience for Taiwan traders, particularly for scalping and high-frequency strategies.
| Safety Factor | Forex.com | XM Group |
|---|---|---|
| Primary regulator | FCA | ASIC |
| Top-tier regulated | ✓ | ✓ |
| Investor protection | ✓ | ✓ |
| Segregated funds | ✓ | ✓ |
| Neg. balance protection | ✓ | ✓ |
Neither Forex.com nor XM Group is regulated by the Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) of Taiwan. Forex.com is regulated by the FCA (UK), CFTC (US), and ASIC (Australia), offering strong investor protection (e.g., FSCS coverage for UK clients up to £85,000). XM Group is regulated by CySEC (Cyprus), FCA (UK), and ASIC, with ICF coverage up to €20,000 for EU clients. For Taiwan traders, this means no local regulatory oversight, so account segregation and compensation schemes depend on the entity you choose. XM Group’s CySEC clients have lower protection limits, while Forex.com’s FCA entity offers higher safeguards. Taiwan traders should carefully consider the jurisdictional risks and choose the entity that offers the best balance of protection and trading conditions.
| Payment Method | Forex.com | XM Group |
|---|---|---|
| Bank Wire Transfer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Visa / Mastercard | ✓ | ✓ |
| Skrill | ✗ | ✓ |
| Neteller | ✗ | ✓ |
| USDT / Crypto | ✗ | ✓ |
| Withdrawal time | 1 to 3 business days | Visa/Mastercard and e-wallets near-instant to 1-2 business days; bank wire several days |
Taiwan traders can deposit via Bank Transfer and Credit Card at both brokers. XM Group supports TWD bank transfers without deposit fees and processes credit card deposits instantly. The minimum deposit is just $5, making it accessible. Forex.com requires a minimum deposit of $50 and also accepts Bank Transfer and Credit Card, but may charge currency conversion fees if depositing in TWD (usually 1–2%). Withdrawals: XM Group offers free withdrawals for most methods, including Bank Transfer, with a processing time of 1–2 business days. Forex.com charges a fee for wire transfers ($25) and takes 2–5 business days. For Taiwan traders, XM Group’s lower fees and faster processing make it the more convenient option for both deposits and withdrawals.
| Islamic Account Feature | Forex.com | XM Group |
|---|---|---|
| Swap-free available | ✗ | ✓ |
| Admin fee instead of swap | On some instruments | On some instruments |
| MT4 / MT5 supported | ✓ | ✓ |
| How to apply | Contact support | Contact support |
Both brokers offer Islamic (swap-free) accounts for Muslim traders in Taiwan who comply with Sharia law. XM Group provides Islamic accounts on all account types (Micro, Standard, Zero) with no additional charges; swap fees are replaced by a small admin fee if the position is held beyond 3 days. Forex.com also offers Islamic accounts but requires a manual request and may charge a maintenance fee after a certain period. XM Group’s policy is more straightforward and widely used by Asian Muslim traders. Taiwan Muslim traders should verify eligibility and any holding period restrictions before opening an Islamic account. Overall, XM Group has a more favorable policy for swap-free trading.
| Support Feature | Forex.com | XM Group | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Live chat | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Phone support | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Email support | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| 24/7 support | ✗ | ✗ | Tie |
| Response time (chat) | <2 minutes | <3 minutes | Forex.com |
XM Group offers 24/5 multilingual customer support including Mandarin Chinese via live chat, phone, and email. Forex.com provides 24/7 support in English but limited Mandarin availability. For Taiwan traders, XM Group’s Chinese-speaking support team is a clear advantage, especially for resolving account or payment issues. Forex.com’s support is reliable but may experience language barriers. Both offer comprehensive FAQ sections, but XM Group’s localized support is more accessible for Taiwan clients.
| Mobile Feature | Forex.com | XM Group | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| iOS App Store rating | 4.5 stars | 4.3 stars | Forex.com |
| Google Play rating | 4.3 stars | 4.2 stars | Forex.com |
| Biometric login | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Push notifications | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Full charting on mobile | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| TradingView mobile | ✗ | ✗ | Tie |
| Resource | Forex.com | XM Group | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Video tutorials | 100+ videos | 50+ videos | Tie |
| Webinars (live) | Weekly | Monthly | Tie |
| Economic calendar | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Market analysis | Daily | Basic | Forex.com |
Choose Forex.com if you...
Choose XM Group if you...
For experienced retail traders in Taiwan, XM Group is the stronger overall choice. It offers lower spreads, more flexible deposit options including Bank Transfer and Credit Card in TWD without fees, and a lower minimum deposit of $5. Its Chinese-language support and Asian server locations provide a tailored experience for Taiwan traders. While Forex.com offers superior regulatory protection from the FCA, its higher costs and less convenient payment processing make it less suitable for cost-conscious traders. Neither broker is regulated by the FSC Taiwan, so traders should use robust risk management. For most Taiwan traders seeking value and convenience, XM Group (score 4.7) outperforms Forex.com (score 3.4) in 2025.