Which broker is better for Greece traders in 2026? Expert analysis across 12 categories.
For Greek retail traders in 2025, choosing between FXCM and Plus500 depends on your trading style and priorities. Both brokers are well-established in Europe and regulated by the Hellenic Capital Market Commission (HCMC) via their CySEC licenses, ensuring a safe trading environment. FXCM, with a Trustpilot score of 3.5/5, is known for its advanced trading platforms (MetaTrader 4 and Trading Station) and educational resources, appealing to experienced traders who want deep analysis tools. Plus500, rated 3.7/5, is a user-friendly CFD broker that offers a simple proprietary platform with tight spreads on forex, indices, and cryptocurrencies. Greek traders appreciate Plus500’s low minimum deposit and quick execution. However, both brokers operate under ESMA leverage restrictions (max 30:1 for major forex) and offer negative balance protection. Deposit methods common in Greece include Bank Transfer, Skrill, Neteller, and USDT TRC20. This comparison will help you decide which broker aligns with your forex trading goals in the Greek market.
| Instrument | FXCM | Plus500 | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD avg spread | 0.09 pips + $3.5/lot | 0.0 pips + $3.5/lot | Plus500 |
| XAU/USD (Gold) | $0.14 typical | $0.12 typical | Plus500 |
| GBP/USD avg spread | 0.29 pips | 0.23 pips | Plus500 |
| Standard acc spread | from 1.0 pips | from 0.8 pips | Plus500 |
| ECN commission | $3.5/lot/side | $3.5/lot/side | Tie |
| Min deposit | $50 | $100 | Plus500 |
When trading from Greece, costs matter. Plus500 offers competitive variable spreads starting from 0.6 pips on EUR/USD, while FXCM’s standard account has spreads from 1.3 pips. However, FXCM also provides a commission-based 'Raw Spread' account with spreads from 0.2 pips plus a small commission (e.g., $5 per lot). For Greek traders with high trading volume, FXCM’s Active Trader program can further reduce spreads. Plus500’s pricing is transparent with no hidden fees, but it charges rather high overnight funding costs if you hold positions. Overall, for low-volume traders, Plus500 is cheaper; for scalpers and high-volume Greeks, FXCM’s raw spreads may be more cost-effective.
| Account Type | FXCM | Plus500 |
|---|---|---|
| Standard account | ✓ | ✓ |
| ECN / Raw spread | ✓ | ✓ |
| Islamic (swap-free) | ✓ | ✗ |
| Demo account | ✓ | ✓ |
| PAMM / MAM account | ✗ | ✗ |
| Zero spread account | ✗ | ✗ |
| Copy trading | ✗ | ✗ |
| Min deposit | $50 | $100 |
| Entity / Asset | FXCM | Plus500 |
|---|---|---|
| Greece (offshore) | Up to 1:400 | Up to 1:300 |
| Forex major pairs | 1:400 | 1:300 |
| 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 | FXCM | Plus500 | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex pairs | 90+ | 65+ | FXCM |
| Gold (XAU/USD) | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Oil (WTI/Brent) | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Stock indices | 25+ indices | 20+ indices | FXCM |
| Crypto CFDs | ✗ | 20+ | FXCM |
| Stocks / Share CFDs | ✗ | 1,700+ | Plus500 |
| ETFs | ✗ | ✓ | Tie |
| Platform | FXCM | Plus500 |
|---|---|---|
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | ✓ | ✗ |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | ✗ | ✗ |
| cTrader | ✗ | ✗ |
| TradingView | ✓ | ✗ |
| Expert Advisors (EAs) | ✓ | ✗ |
| Scalping allowed | ✓ | ✗ |
| Hedging allowed | ✓ | ✗ |
Greek traders can choose between FXCM’s powerful platforms and Plus500’s simplicity. FXCM offers MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and its proprietary Trading Station, both with advanced charting tools, indicators, and automated trading via Expert Advisors. This suits technical traders who want customisation. Plus500’s web-based and mobile platform is intuitive, ideal for beginners or traders on the go. It includes risk management tools like guaranteed stop-loss (for volatile assets) and is optimised for low-lag execution on Greek internet connections. FXCM also provides API trading for algorithmic strategies. Neither broker offers cTrader.
| Factor | FXCM | Plus500 | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Execution model | ECN/STP | True ECN | Plus500 |
| Avg execution speed | ~30ms | ~40ms | FXCM |
| Slippage | Very low | Very low | Tie |
| Requotes | Very rare | Very rare | Tie |
| Scalping allowed | ✓ | ✗ | Tie |
| EA / Bot trading | ✓ | ✗ | Tie |
Execution quality is crucial for Greek scalpers. FXCM uses a No Dealing Desk (NDD) model on its MT4 platform, with low latency from servers in London. Plus500 operates as a market maker and executes orders instantly, with slippage protection via guaranteed stop-loss on certain assets. In practice, Plus500’s execution is faster for simple market orders, while FXCM may have slight slippage during news events. Both offer reliable execution for Greek internet speeds.
| Safety Factor | FXCM | Plus500 |
|---|---|---|
| Primary regulator | FCA | FCA |
| Top-tier regulated | ✓ | ✓ |
| Investor protection | ✓ | ✓ |
| Segregated funds | ✓ | ✓ |
| Neg. balance protection | ✓ | ✓ |
Both FXCM and Plus500 are regulated by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), which allows them to serve Greek clients under MiFID II passporting. The local Greek regulator, the Hellenic Capital Market Commission (HCMC), oversees compliance. This means Greek traders receive strong investor protection, including negative balance protection, segregation of client funds, and access to the Financial Ombudsman Service. FXCM is also regulated by the FCA and ASIC, while Plus500 is regulated by the FCA, ASIC, and other top-tier bodies. Leverage for retail Greek traders is capped at 30:1 for major forex pairs under ESMA rules. Both brokers offer Islamic accounts for Muslim Greek traders.
| Payment Method | FXCM | Plus500 |
|---|---|---|
| Bank Wire Transfer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Visa / Mastercard | ✓ | ✓ |
| Skrill | ✓ | ✗ |
| Neteller | ✓ | ✗ |
| USDT / Crypto | ✗ | ✓ |
| Withdrawal time | Internal Processing: FXCM reviews and processes requests in 1–2 business days.Credit or Debit Card: Arrives within 5 business days, though statements can take up to 1 billing cycle to update.Domestic Bank Wire: Arrives in 1–2 business days after processing.International Bank Wire: Arrives in 3–5 business days after processing. | 1 to 3 business day |
Greek traders have several convenient deposit methods. Both FXCM and Plus500 support Bank Transfer (wire), Skrill, and Neteller. Deposits via e-wallets are instant, while bank transfers take 1-3 business days. For those preferring cryptocurrency, FXCM accepts USDT TRC20 deposits via a third-party processor, though Plus500 does not directly support crypto deposits. Withdrawals are processed free of charge at both brokers, but FXCM charges a small fee for bank transfers. Plus500 typically processes withdrawals within 1-2 business days to the original payment method. Minimum deposit is €50 for FXCM and €100 for Plus500. Greek traders should note that USDT TRC20 deposits may incur conversion fees if trading in USD.
| Islamic Account Feature | FXCM | Plus500 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 cater to Greek Muslim traders with Islamic (swap-free) accounts. FXCM offers Islamic accounts exclusively through their UK entity (FXCM UK), but Greek clients can request one via customer support. The account has no overnight financing charges on eligible instruments. Plus500 automatically provides swap-free status to traders with a verified Muslim faith declaration, applied within 1 business day. Note that long-held positions beyond a certain period may incur an administration fee under both brokers. For Greek traders who trade short-term, Islamic accounts are interest-free and Sharia-compliant.
| Support Feature | FXCM | Plus500 | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Live chat | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Phone support | ✓ | ✗ | Tie |
| Email support | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| 24/7 support | ✗ | ✗ | Tie |
| Response time (chat) | <2 minutes | <3 minutes | FXCM |
FXCM offers 24/5 multilingual customer support via live chat, phone, and email with Greek language assistance available. Plus500 provides 24/7 live chat and email, but no phone support. Their FAQ is extensive. For Greek traders, FXCM has a slight edge in phone support availability. Both brokers have localised websites in Greek and offer responsive help.
| Mobile Feature | FXCM | Plus500 | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| iOS App Store rating | 4.5 stars | 4.3 stars | FXCM |
| Google Play rating | 4.3 stars | 4.2 stars | FXCM |
| Biometric login | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Push notifications | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Full charting on mobile | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| TradingView mobile | ✓ | ✗ | FXCM |
| Resource | FXCM | Plus500 | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Video tutorials | 100+ videos | ✗ | FXCM |
| Webinars (live) | ✗ | ✗ | Tie |
| Economic calendar | ✓ | ✗ | Tie |
| Market analysis | Daily | Basic | FXCM |
Choose FXCM if you...
Choose Plus500 if you...
For Greek retail traders in 2025, Plus500 (score 3.7) edges out FXCM (score 3.5) due to its user-friendly platform, lower spreads on standard accounts, and efficient 24/7 support. However, FXCM remains a strong contender for serious traders who need advanced tools and raw spreads. Both are safely regulated under the Hellenic Capital Market Commission and offer essential deposit methods like Bank Transfer, Skrill, Neteller, and even USDT TRC20 at FXCM. If you value simplicity and cost-effectiveness for typical forex and CFD trading, go with Plus500. If you need power and control for scalping or automation, FXCM is your choice. Consider your trading style and test each with a demo account.