SpreadScout  ·  Independent & data-driven  ·  Updated June 2026
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XM
Best for budget ultra low account

XM Group review

ASIC 443670CySEC 120/10Founded 2009

The Ultra Low account at 0.6 pips commission-free is a decent spread for beginners, but active traders will find cheaper all-in costs elsewhere. Best for low-budget starters.

Spreads from
0.6 pips (typical)
Min deposit
$5
Max leverage
1:1000
Platforms
MT4 · MT5
The SpreadScout Score
4.0
/ 5.0 Strong
Trading cost35%3.9
Execution speed20%4.2
Regulation & safety20%4.5
Platform choice10%4.0
Withdrawals10%4.4
Support5%4.5
Visit XM Group →
Weighted across 6 pillars · 74–89% of retail CFD accounts lose money
EM
Reviewed byElena Marsh
BV
Edited bySpreadScout Editorial
Fact-checked againstFCA · ASIC · CySEC registers
Last updatedJune 2026
Why you can trust this review: Elena Marsh opened and funded a live XM Group account, placed real trades and timed a real withdrawal. We earn a commission if you sign up through our links — it never changes our score. See our methodology →

XM Group at a glance

  • Best for: Budget Ultra Low account
  • SpreadScout score: 4.0 / 10
  • Regulation: ASIC, CySEC, DFSA
  • Spreads from: 0.6 pips (typical) · Min deposit: $5 · Max leverage: 1:1000
  • $5 minimum deposit — lowest barrier to entry
  • Ultra Low account at 0.6 pips (no commission)

Overview: who XM Group is best for

XM’s Ultra Low account offers 0.6-pip EUR/USD spreads with no commission — a decent cost for a commission-free product, equating to circa $6 per lot. For beginners who find raw-spread-plus-commission billing confusing, this is a simpler pricing model.

The Standard account at 1.6+ pips is not cost-competitive for any trader placing more than a few trades per week. XM’s strength in this niche is accessibility (the $5 minimum is the lowest we track), not raw cost.

Pros & cons

Pros

  • $5 minimum deposit — lowest barrier to entry
  • Ultra Low account at 0.6 pips (no commission)
  • Strong education library
  • No inactivity fee

Cons

  • No raw/ECN account option
  • No cTrader or TradingView
  • Standard account spreads (1.6+ pips) are wide
  • Not competitive for high-volume traders on cost

Fees & spreads

Ultra Low: 0.6 pips EUR/USD (no commission) = circa $6 per lot. Standard: 1.6–1.8 pips (no commission) = circa $16–18 per lot. No raw/ECN account exists. No inactivity fee — genuinely useful for low-frequency traders. $5 minimum deposit (Standard) and $50 (Ultra Low).

Cost (EUR/USD)XM GroupIC MarketsPepperstone
Spread — standard1.6 pips (typical, Standard); 0.6 pips (Ultra Low)0.8 pips (typical)1.0 pips (typical)
Spread — raw/ECNn/a (no raw account)0.0–0.1 pips (typical)0.07–0.1 pips (typical)
CommissionNone — spread only$3.50/side ($7.00 round-turn); cTrader $3.00/side$3.50/side ($7.00 round-turn); cTrader $3.00/side
All-in cost / lotcirca $6–16 per lot (varies by account)circa $7.20 per lotcirca $7.70 per lot
Minimum deposit$5$200$0

Spreads live-sampled on EUR/USD during the London session. Figures are typical, not guaranteed.

Key facts at a glance

Execution modelMarket execution — no requotes
Maximum leverage1:1000
Account typesStandard, Ultra Low
Tradeable instruments1,000+
Forex pairs57
Swap-free (Islamic)
Negative-balance protection
Available to UK tradersCheck eligibility (no FCA entity)
Investor compensationICF up to EUR 20,000 (CySEC entity)
Publicly listed company
Demo account

Markets you can trade

Forex
Shares
Indices
Commodities
Crypto

Platforms & tools

MT4 and MT5 across desktop, web and mobile. No cTrader or TradingView. XM’s education library is extensive but the platform offering is limited for cost-focused traders who want cTrader execution transparency.

Is XM Group safe? Regulation & protection

Not FCA-authorised

Short answer: XM Group is a safe, well-regulated choice. It is regulated by ASIC, CySEC, DFSA and holds client money in segregated accounts, with negative-balance protection. It is not authorised by the UK FCA, so UK residents should confirm onboarding eligibility and note that FSCS cover may not apply — ICF up to EUR 20,000 (CySEC entity).

ASIC (443670), CySEC (120/10) and DFSA regulated. CySEC entity provides EU protections including ICF cover up to EUR 20,000. No FCA entity for UK-specific cover. Client funds segregated.

Deposits & withdrawals

Internal processing within 24 hours. E-wallets same-day to next business day. No withdrawal fees. Minimum withdrawal $5.

Deposit & withdrawal methodsBank wire, Visa/Mastercard, Skrill, Neteller
Typical withdrawal time1–3 business days
Minimum deposit$5

Bottom line

XM is best for budget beginners who want a simple, commission-free account at circa $6 per lot (Ultra Low). Active traders will find better all-in costs at IC Markets, Pepperstone or Exness.

XM Group FAQs

Does XM offer an ECN account?
No. XM offers Standard and Ultra Low accounts only — both commission-free with wider spreads than ECN alternatives.
What is the cheapest XM account?
The Ultra Low account at 0.6 pips EUR/USD (no commission) = circa $6 per lot. The $50 minimum deposit applies.

Compare XM Group with another broker

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EM

Reviewed by Elena Marsh

Spread Analyst, SpreadScout

I have been tracking live broker spreads for seven years across the London, New York and Sydney sessions. Every cost figure on this site comes from real sampled data — not marketing claims. If the all-in cost does not add up, the broker does not make our ranking.

7 yrs spread analysisLive-sampled dataSession-by-session trackingIndependent funding