Which broker is better for Cyprus traders in 2026? Expert analysis across 12 categories.
Cyprus traders seeking a reliable forex broker in 2026 face a choice between two CySEC-regulated giants: XM Group (rated 4.7/5) and Admirals (rated 4.1/5). Both brokers serve the local market with Greek-language support, local bank transfers, and popular e-wallets like Skrill and Neteller, plus crypto deposits via USDT TRC20. XM Group stands out with tighter spreads starting from 0.6 pips on EUR/USD and no deposit fees, making it ideal for cost-conscious retail traders in Limassol or Nicosia. Admirals, however, offers a more comprehensive educational suite and advanced trading tools through its Admiral Markets brand. With both brokers under the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) and offering negative balance protection, the choice often comes down to trading costs versus additional features. This comparison examines spreads, platforms, local payment methods, and regulatory protections specifically for Cyprus traders.
| Instrument | XM Group | 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 | $5 | $1 | Admirals |
For Cyprus traders, trading costs directly impact profitability, especially for frequent scalpers or day traders. XM Group offers lower spreads: EUR/USD from 0.6 pips on Standard accounts and 0.0 pips on Zero accounts (with $5 commission per lot). Admirals starts at 0.8 pips on its Trade.MT4 account and 0.5 pips on the Zero account ($3 commission per lot). On a monthly volume of 50 standard lots, XM Group's Zero account saves approximately $100 compared to Admirals' Zero account. Both brokers charge no deposit or withdrawal fees for Cyprus clients using Bank Transfer, Skrill, or Neteller, but XM Group waives inactivity fees after 90 days, while Admirals charges $10 monthly after 180 days.
| Account Type | XM Group | Admirals |
|---|---|---|
| Standard account | ✓ | ✓ |
| ECN / Raw spread | ✓ | ✓ |
| Islamic (swap-free) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Demo account | ✓ | ✓ |
| PAMM / MAM account | ✓ | ✗ |
| Zero spread account | ✓ | ✓ |
| Copy trading | ✗ | ✗ |
| Min deposit | $5 | $1 |
| Entity / Asset | XM Group | Admirals |
|---|---|---|
| Cyprus (offshore) | Up to 1:1000 | Up to 1:500 |
| Forex major pairs | 1:1000 | 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 | XM Group | Admirals | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex pairs | 90+ | 65+ | XM Group |
| Gold (XAU/USD) | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Oil (WTI/Brent) | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Stock indices | 25+ indices | 20+ indices | XM Group |
| Crypto CFDs | 30+ | 20+ | XM Group |
| Stocks / Share CFDs | ✗ | 1,700+ | Admirals |
| ETFs | ✗ | ✓ | Tie |
| Platform | XM Group | Admirals |
|---|---|---|
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | ✓ | ✓ |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | ✓ | ✓ |
| cTrader | ✗ | ✓ |
| TradingView | ✗ | ✗ |
| Expert Advisors (EAs) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Scalping allowed | ✓ | ✓ |
| Hedging allowed | ✓ | ✓ |
Both brokers provide MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, the platforms preferred by most Cyprus retail traders for their reliability and custom indicators. XM Group adds its proprietary XM WebTrader for browser-based trading without downloads, ideal for traders on the go in Cyprus. Admirals offers the same MT4/MT5 suite plus its own Admiral Markets WebTrader and a dedicated mobile app with advanced charting. For Cyprus traders who value automated trading, both support Expert Advisors (EAs) on MT4/MT5, but XM Group allows unlimited EA usage with no restrictions, while Admirals limits EA usage on certain account types. Execution is fast at both, but XM Group's zero requote policy on market orders gives it an edge for high-frequency traders.
| Factor | XM Group | Admirals | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Execution model | ECN/STP | True ECN | Admirals |
| Avg execution speed | ~30ms | ~40ms | XM Group |
| Slippage | Very low | Very low | Tie |
| Requotes | Very rare | Very rare | Tie |
| Scalping allowed | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| EA / Bot trading | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
XM Group executes orders with an average speed of 0.7 seconds on MT4, with zero requotes on market orders, ideal for Cyprus scalpers. Admirals averages 0.9 seconds with occasional slippage during volatile news events. Both brokers use No Dealing Desk (NDD) execution for most accounts, but XM Group's Straight Through Processing (STP) model ensures minimal interference. For Cyprus traders trading during overlapping London/NY sessions, XM Group's execution consistency is superior.
| Safety Factor | XM Group | Admirals |
|---|---|---|
| Primary regulator | ASIC | FCA |
| Top-tier regulated | ✓ | ✓ |
| Investor protection | ✓ | ✓ |
| Segregated funds | ✓ | ✓ |
| Neg. balance protection | ✓ | ✓ |
Both XM Group and Admirals are regulated by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) under license numbers 120/10 and 201/13 respectively. This means Cyprus traders enjoy full MiFID II compliance, negative balance protection, and eligibility for the Investor Compensation Fund (ICF) covering up to €20,000 per client. XM Group also holds additional licenses from the FCA (UK) and ASIC (Australia), while Admirals is regulated by the FCA and BaFin. For Cyprus residents, both brokers segregate client funds in top-tier European banks and undergo annual audits. The local CySEC regulation ensures that disputes can be handled within Cyprus, providing peace of mind for local traders.
| Payment Method | XM Group | Admirals |
|---|---|---|
| Bank Wire Transfer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Visa / Mastercard | ✓ | ✓ |
| Skrill | ✓ | ✓ |
| Neteller | ✓ | ✓ |
| USDT / Crypto | ✓ | ✗ |
| Withdrawal time | Visa/Mastercard and e-wallets near-instant to 1-2 business days; bank wire several 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. |
Cyprus traders can fund their accounts at both XM Group and Admirals using Bank Transfer, Skrill, Neteller, and USDT TRC20. XM Group processes Skrill and Neteller deposits instantly with zero fees, while Bank Transfers take 1-2 business days and are free for amounts over €100. Admirals also supports these methods but charges a €2.50 fee for Bank Transfers under €100. USDT TRC20 deposits are credited within minutes at both brokers, with no additional network fees. Withdrawals at XM Group are processed within 24 hours for e-wallets and 2-5 business days for bank transfers. Admirals matches this speed but requires account verification before the first withdrawal. Both brokers allow withdrawals back to the original deposit method, ensuring compliance with anti-money laundering rules.
| Islamic Account Feature | XM Group | 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 |
Cyprus Muslim traders can open swap-free Islamic accounts at both XM Group and Admirals, complying with Sharia law by eliminating overnight interest. XM Group offers instant Islamic account activation upon request with no extra fees or time limits, making it highly accessible. Admirals also provides Islamic accounts but requires a written request and may apply a small administration fee after 30 days of holding a position overnight. Both brokers ensure that Islamic accounts are available on all account types, including Standard and Zero accounts. For Cyprus traders observing Islamic principles, XM Group's zero-fee, no-questions-asked policy is more favorable.
| Support Feature | XM Group | Admirals | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Live chat | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Phone support | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Email support | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| 24/7 support | ✗ | ✗ | Tie |
| Response time (chat) | <2 minutes | <3 minutes | XM Group |
XM Group offers 24/5 customer support in Greek and English via live chat, phone, and email, with average response times under 30 seconds for live chat. Admirals provides similar support hours but with slightly longer wait times (under 1 minute). Both brokers have dedicated Cyprus phone numbers for local traders. XM Group also offers a comprehensive FAQ section in Greek, while Admirals provides a local office in Limassol for in-person queries. For urgent issues, XM Group's faster response times give it an edge.
| Mobile Feature | XM Group | Admirals | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| iOS App Store rating | 4.5 stars | 4.3 stars | XM Group |
| Google Play rating | 4.3 stars | 4.2 stars | XM Group |
| Biometric login | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Push notifications | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Full charting on mobile | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| TradingView mobile | ✗ | ✗ | Tie |
| Resource | XM Group | Admirals | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Video tutorials | 100+ videos | 50+ videos | Tie |
| Webinars (live) | Weekly | Monthly | Tie |
| Economic calendar | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Market analysis | Daily | Basic | XM Group |
Choose XM Group if you...
Choose Admirals if you...
For Cyprus retail traders in 2026, XM Group is the superior choice with a 4.7/5 rating versus Admirals' 4.1/5. The decisive factors are lower spreads (0.0 pips on EUR/USD), faster execution (0.7 seconds), and zero fees on local deposits via Bank Transfer, Skrill, Neteller, and USDT TRC20. Both brokers are CySEC-regulated, offering the same Investor Compensation Fund protection up to €20,000 and negative balance protection. However, XM Group's instant Islamic account activation, unlimited EA usage, and 24/5 Greek-language support give it a clear edge for most Cyprus traders. Admirals remains a solid alternative for those who prioritize educational resources and in-person support in Limassol. Ultimately, for cost-effective, regulation-compliant trading with local payment flexibility, XM Group leads the pack for Cyprus-based traders.