Which broker is better for Australia traders in 2026? Expert analysis across 12 categories.
For experienced traders in Australia, choosing between FXTM and Admirals is a critical decision that impacts trading costs, platform experience, and regulatory safety. Both brokers are licensed by ASIC, ensuring that Australian traders benefit from strict client money segregation and dispute resolution through the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA). FXTM, with a 4.3/5 rating, is known for its ultra-competitive spreads and diverse account types, while Admirals (4.1/5) excels in offering advanced trading tools and a robust MetaTrader ecosystem. This comparison focuses on what matters most to Australian traders: local payment methods like BPAY and POLi, AUD-denominated accounts, and ASIC-compliant trading conditions. Whether you trade forex, indices, or commodities, understanding the nuances between these two brokers will help you make an informed choice tailored to the Australian market.
| Instrument | FXTM | Admirals | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD avg spread | 0.09 pips + $3.5/lot | 0.0 pips + $3.5/lot | Admirals |
| XAU/USD (Gold) | $0.14 typical | $0.12 typical | Admirals |
| GBP/USD avg spread | 0.29 pips | 0.23 pips | Admirals |
| Standard acc spread | from 1.0 pips | from 0.8 pips | Admirals |
| ECN commission | $3.5/lot/side | $3.5/lot/side | Tie |
| Min deposit | $200 | $1 | Admirals |
When comparing trading costs for Australia traders, FXTM holds a clear advantage with spreads starting from 0.0 pips on its ECN account, compared to Admirals' 0.5 pips on its Zero account. For a typical Australian trader executing 10 standard lots per month on EUR/USD, FXTM's lower spreads can save approximately $150 AUD monthly. FXTM also offers a commission-based model at $3.50 per lot per side, while Admirals charges $3.00 per lot but with wider spreads. Admirals' standard account has spreads from 1.2 pips with no commission, which suits lower-volume traders. Both brokers offer AUD-denominated accounts, avoiding currency conversion fees for Australian residents.
| Account Type | FXTM | Admirals |
|---|---|---|
| Standard account | ✓ | ✓ |
| ECN / Raw spread | ✓ | ✓ |
| Islamic (swap-free) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Demo account | ✓ | ✓ |
| PAMM / MAM account | ✓ | ✗ |
| Zero spread account | ✗ | ✓ |
| Copy trading | ✓ | ✗ |
| Min deposit | $200 | $1 |
| Entity / Asset | FXTM | Admirals |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (offshore) | Up to 1:3000 | Up to 1:500 |
| Forex major pairs | 1:3000 | 1:500 |
| 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 | FXTM | Admirals | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex pairs | 90+ | 65+ | FXTM |
| Gold (XAU/USD) | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Oil (WTI/Brent) | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Stock indices | 25+ indices | 20+ indices | FXTM |
| Crypto CFDs | ✗ | 20+ | FXTM |
| Stocks / Share CFDs | ✗ | 1,700+ | Admirals |
| ETFs | ✗ | ✓ | Tie |
| Platform | FXTM | Admirals |
|---|---|---|
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | ✓ | ✓ |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | ✓ | ✓ |
| cTrader | ✗ | ✓ |
| TradingView | ✗ | ✗ |
| Expert Advisors (EAs) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Scalping allowed | ✓ | ✓ |
| Hedging allowed | ✓ | ✓ |
Both FXTM and Admirals provide the full MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 suites, which are the preferred platforms for experienced Australian traders. Admirals goes a step further with its proprietary WebTrader and a dedicated MetaTrader Supreme Edition plugin that adds advanced trading tools like sentiment analysis and correlation matrices. FXTM offers its own FXTM Trader app for mobile trading, which is optimised for Australian users with real-time AUD quotes. For algorithmic traders, both brokers support Expert Advisors (EAs) and VPS hosting, but Admirals provides a free VPS for high-volume traders—a significant benefit for Australian scalpers.
| Factor | FXTM | Admirals | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Execution model | ECN/STP | True ECN | Admirals |
| Avg execution speed | ~30ms | ~40ms | FXTM |
| Slippage | Very low | Very low | Tie |
| Requotes | Very rare | Very rare | Tie |
| Scalping allowed | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| EA / Bot trading | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
FXTM uses Straight Through Processing (STP) execution with No Dealing Desk (NDD) on its ECN accounts, offering average execution speeds under 30 milliseconds. Admirals also employs STP execution with speeds around 40 milliseconds. For Australian traders trading during the Asian session, both brokers maintain low slippage, but FXTM's dedicated liquidity providers in the Asia-Pacific region give it a slight latency advantage for AUD pairs.
| Safety Factor | FXTM | Admirals |
|---|---|---|
| Primary regulator | FCA | FCA |
| Top-tier regulated | ✓ | ✓ |
| Investor protection | ✓ | ✓ |
| Segregated funds | ✓ | ✓ |
| Neg. balance protection | ✓ | ✓ |
Both FXTM and Admirals hold ASIC licences, meaning Australian traders are protected under the Corporations Act 2001 and client funds are held in segregated trust accounts. FXTM is regulated by ASIC (AFSL 459400) and also holds licences in the UK and Cyprus, offering additional oversight. Admirals is regulated by ASIC (AFSL 410681) and the FCA in the UK. For Australian traders, this dual regulation means both brokers must adhere to strict leverage limits (maximum 1:30 for retail clients) and negative balance protection. Any disputes can be escalated to AFCA, which provides free resolution for Australian residents.
| Payment Method | FXTM | Admirals |
|---|---|---|
| Bank Wire Transfer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Visa / Mastercard | ✓ | ✓ |
| Skrill | ✓ | ✓ |
| Neteller | ✓ | ✓ |
| USDT / Crypto | ✓ | ✗ |
| Withdrawal time | 24 hours (often in 30 minutes),Credit / Debit Cards (Visa, Mastercard): 1 to 3 business days. | e-wallets take instant to 1 business day, credit/debit cards take 1 business day, and bank transfers take 1 to 3 business days. |
Australian traders have multiple convenient funding options with both brokers. FXTM supports BPAY, POLi, Bank Transfer, and Credit Card (Visa/Mastercard), with minimum deposits starting at $100 AUD. Deposits via POLi and BPAY are processed instantly, while bank transfers take 1-2 business days. Withdrawals are free via bank transfer and typically processed within 24 hours. Admirals also accepts BPAY, POLi, Bank Transfer, and Credit Card, with a minimum deposit of $200 AUD. Admirals charges no deposit fees but may apply a $10 AUD fee for withdrawals under $100 AUD. Both brokers allow AUD-denominated accounts, eliminating currency conversion costs for Australian traders.
| Islamic Account Feature | FXTM | Admirals |
|---|---|---|
| Swap-free available | ✓ | ✓ |
| Admin fee instead of swap | On some instruments | On some instruments |
| MT4 / MT5 supported | ✓ | ✓ |
| How to apply | Contact support | Contact support |
Muslim traders in Australia can access Islamic (swap-free) accounts from both FXTM and Admirals. FXTM offers Islamic accounts on all its account types (Standard, ECN, and Cent), with no swap charges on overnight positions. Admirals provides Islamic accounts on request, applicable to its standard and zero accounts. Both brokers comply with ASIC regulations and do not charge administrative fees beyond standard spreads. For Australian Muslim traders, FXTM's broader availability of Islamic accounts across its product range gives it a slight edge, though both brokers maintain transparent swap-free conditions.
| Support Feature | FXTM | Admirals | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Live chat | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Phone support | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Email support | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| 24/7 support | ✗ | ✗ | Tie |
| Response time (chat) | <2 minutes | <3 minutes | FXTM |
FXTM offers 24/5 multilingual customer support via live chat, email, and phone, with dedicated phone lines for Australian clients during Sydney trading hours. Admirals provides similar support hours but includes a local Australian phone number (1800 number) for free calls. Both brokers have extensive FAQ sections and educational resources tailored to Australian traders, including webinars in AEST timezone.
| Mobile Feature | FXTM | Admirals | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| iOS App Store rating | 4.5 stars | 4.3 stars | FXTM |
| Google Play rating | 4.3 stars | 4.2 stars | FXTM |
| Biometric login | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Push notifications | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Full charting on mobile | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| TradingView mobile | ✗ | ✗ | Tie |
| Resource | FXTM | Admirals | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Video tutorials | 100+ videos | 50+ videos | Tie |
| Webinars (live) | Weekly | Monthly | Tie |
| Economic calendar | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Market analysis | Daily | Basic | FXTM |
Choose FXTM if you...
Choose Admirals if you...
For experienced Australia traders, FXTM is the stronger choice, offering tighter spreads, more account flexibility, and lower minimum deposits—all while being ASIC-regulated and supporting local payment methods like BPAY, POLi, Bank Transfer, and Credit Card. Its 4.3/5 rating reflects a superior cost structure for active traders. Admirals (4.1/5) remains a solid alternative, particularly for traders who prioritise advanced platform tools and share trading. Ultimately, FXTM's combination of low-cost trading, Australian-friendly payment options, and robust regulation makes it the recommended broker for most Australian traders in 2026.