ATFX Review 2026: Spreads, Fees, Leverage & Regulation

What Is ATFX?

ATFX is a global CFD broker established in London in 2017 and expanded rapidly across Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America. ATFX Group is controlled by its chairman, Joe Li. Today, ATFX operates under several companies, with each company licensed in its own country. This is an important structure because the company you sign up with affects your protections, leverage, and account options. Here’s an important detail many older reviews miss: ATFX’s UK company, AT Global Markets (UK) Ltd, stopped its services for UK retail clients in 2021. It now focuses on professional and institutional clients through ATFX Connect. So, a retail trader in London cannot open a standard ATFX account under the FCA. Many retail clients outside Europe sign up with AT Global Markets Intl Ltd, which is regulated by the Financial Services Commission (FSC) in Mauritius.

ATFX uses an STP (straight-through processing) model. It routes orders to Tier-1 liquidity providers. The broker offers MT4 and MT5, a copy trading service, FIX API access and a research stack built on Trading Central and its own AT Premier and AT DeepSight tools.

The brand also significantly focuses and invests in marketing. ATFX sponsors the Argentine Football Association and the Duke of Edinburgh Cup. It also runs trading contests such as the World Trading Cup. It even launched a prop trading arm, ATFunded.

For this review, we opened ATFX account under the FSC Mauritius entity, the one most of our global readers will use. We tested two ATFX accounts with real money over 30 trading days.  ATFX runs a clean, regulated operation with fast fills and strong research. However, its cheapest Raw pricing requires a $20,000 deposit, while its Standard account costs more than many competitors. ATFX is best option for traders with larger accounts who want regulated STP execution and premium research. Traders with smaller accounts will pay more here than with most competitors.

How We Reviewed ATFX

We tested ATFX for 30 trading days, from 17 August to 25 September 2026. Our team opened two live accounts under AT Global Markets Intl Ltd (FSC Mauritius):

• A Standard account funded with $500 by Visa card
• A Raw account funded with $20,000 by bank wire, the minimum ATFX asks for this tier

We did not use demo data for any figure in this review. Every spread, fill time and withdrawal result comes from live accounts with our own money at risk.

Spreads

We logged quotes every five minutes from the MT5 trade ticket. We divide each day into three windows: Asia (01:00–08:00 UTC), London (08:00–16:00 UTC) and the London–New York overlap (13:00–17:00 UTC). We tracked EUR/USD, GBP/USD, USD/JPY, XAU/USD and US500.

Execution

We sent 340 market orders on the Raw account across forex majors, gold and index CFDs. We timed each order from click to fill and noted any slippage or rejection.

Deposit & Withdrawal

We initiated and recorded two deposits and two withdrawals end to end, from request to transferred in accounts.

Support

We asked five scripted questions through live chat, WhatsApp, email and phone, then scored speed and accuracy.

Regulation

We checked each license on the public registers of CySEC, the FSC, the FSCA and the FCA in September 2026.

Costs Beyond the Spread

We added commissions, overnight swaps and every non-trading fee to build an all-in cost per lot. We then modelled that cost for three trader types: a casual trader, a day trader and a high-volume trader.

Platforms and Tools

We used MT4, MT5, ATFX CopyTrade, and the AT Premier portal for at least two weeks. We placed trades, built charts, and ran a simple Expert Advisor. We also checked if the desktop, web, and mobile versions matched.

User Sentiment

We read 160 recent public reviews on Trustpilot, Forex Peace Army and Google. We classified them by topic so single complaints did not affect our results.

Our Test Setup

We tested everything from a London office using a 1 Gbps connection, a Windows PC, and an iPhone. We did not use a VPS for speed tests, because most retail traders don't. This gives you similar results that you may see at home.

Key Events Inside Our Test Window

We tested the broker on both normal days and major news days.

Who Did the Testing?

BrokersProfile analysts observed the accounts each day. Our one team member, who did not see the trading data, tested customer support. Our fact-checker then checked the details in this review against ATFX’s own pages before scoring it.

BrokersProfile keeps full editorial control. Partner links never change our scores.

Our Testing Methodology

Every broker we review goes through the same seven-pillar checks. This helps us keep our scores fair for every broker. The table shows what we measured at ATFX and how much each pillar affects the BP Score™.

We test with real funds because demo servers often quote tighter and fill faster than live ones. We also test at fixed times each day, so busy sessions and quiet sessions both show up in our averages. When ATFX’s figures differ from our results, we show both and explain the difference.

What We Found During Our Testing

Affordable Raw Account but Expensive Standard Account

Our Raw account averaged 0.12 pips on EUR/USD during London hours. With the $7 round-turn commission, the total cost is about $8.20 per standard lot. That is close to the market average, but about $1 higher than Tickmill Raw and IC Markets Raw in our 2026 data. The Standard account averaged 1.32 pips on EUR/USD, or about $13.20 per lot. ATFX advertises "average spreads from 1.1 pips, and we got a bit higher result during busy hours.

Quick and Honest Fills

We recorded a 78 ms average fill in the London session and 131 ms in Asia. Slippage affected 11.5% of orders: 6.2% worked in our favor and 5.3% worked against us. We saw zero requotes. Our three orders were rejected, all within seconds of the September US jobs report.

Smooth Yet Slow Onboarding

We completed our account sign-up in 11 minutes. ATFX uses facial recognition for KYC, which makes the process quick and easy. The entire account approval process took 19 hours, because a compliance officer asked for a second proof of address.

Free and Fast Withdrawals

The card refund applied anti-money-laundering rules. The money was returned to the same card we used to fund the account.

Knowledgeable Support

They answered our live chat queries in 2 minutes 41 seconds on average and solved four of five questions on first contact. WhatsApp support replied in under five minutes.

Widened Spreads During Major News Events

EUR/USD on the Raw account widened to 4.1 pips during the US CPI release and returned to normal levels within 50 seconds. The Standard account reached 6.8 pips at the same time. We recorded exotic pairs and Hong Kong index CFDs widened during the Asian rollover.

Our Honest Take at BrokersProfile

ATFX is ideal for traders with larger accounts. Our Raw account worked well, with fast order fills, balanced slippage, and useful research tools that gave us trade ideas each morning. If you can deposit $20,000 or more, ATFX offers good value.

The problem is getting there. A trader with $500 gets the Standard account, and that account costs about $13 per lot on EUR/USD. Majority of regulated competitors charge $7 to $10 on accounts that need $100 or less. ATFX gives better prices to traders with larger accounts.

The ATFX name carries FCA and SFC licenses, but they don’t cover retail clients. Most global traders get registered under the FSC in Mauritius. It is a real license, but there is no compensation fund. EU clients get CySEC and the €20,000 investor fund, but also the limited leverage up to 1:30.

We also noticed a specific pattern in public reviews. Several South African users complained about bonus rules that held profits. We did not take any bonus, so we could not test those claims. Still, we recommend traders to avoid promotions and read the terms carefully.

Our verdict: ATFX earns a BP Score™ of 72/100. It is a reliable STP broker with strong research and good execution quality. It is not cheap unless you trade large amounts.

Is ATFX Safe? Regulation & Safety

ATFX is a legitimate, regulated broker, not a scam. But your level of protection depends on which ATFX company holds your money. We checked every license below on the official registers in September 2026.

What This Means for You

If you live in the EU, you get strong retail protection through CySEC rules, segregated funds, negative balance protection, and the €20,000 Investor Compensation Fund. If you live outside the EU, you will be registered under the FSC in Mauritius. The FSC requires capital, audits, and segregated funds, but it has no compensation scheme. UK traders should note that ATFX UK closed its retail book in 2021. You can only join as a professional client through ATFX Connect.

ATFX also lists a company in St Vincent and the Grenadines. That company has no forex license, so we recommend avoiding accounts held there.

The Track Record

We found one serious issue. In December 2019, Abu Dhabi’s FSRA suspended and charged ATFX’s former UAE company for offering regulated services without permission. That company no longer operates, and we didn’t find any new fines in the records. Some third-party sites also list an ASIC license; ATFX's global site does not offer Australian retail accounts, so please confirm directly before depending on it.

Security Practices & Risk Management Tools

Segregated Client Money

Every ATFX entity says it keeps client funds in separate accounts at Tier-1 banks, apart from company money. If ATFX is liquidated, creditors cannot access client funds.

Negative Balance Protection

ATFX applies it to retail clients across its regulated entities. During our test, no loss pushed our balance below zero, but the rule means you cannot lose more than you deposit.

Client Funds Insurance

ATFX advertises an extra insurance policy on eligible client balances. The amount covered and claim terms can vary, so ask support for the current policy document before you depend on it.

Facial Recognition at Sign-Up

ATFX checks your face against your ID when you register. This helps prevent fake accounts and made our KYC process quick and secure. Two-factor login is also available in the client portal.

Margin Rules

Our FSC account showed a 100% margin call and a 50% stop-out. In simple terms, ATFX warns you when your equity reaches your used margin. It starts closing trades when it falls to half that level.

Trading Tools That Limit Risk

MT4 and MT5 support stop-loss, take-profit and trailing stops on every account. ATFX adds a free Position Size Calculator and a Support & Resistance indicator for MT4 and MT5. The calculator was useful for sizing gold trades, where many new traders get confused in pip values.

ATFX Spreads & Trading Costs vs. Industry Average

ATFX offers reasonable forex pricing on its Raw accounts, but the Standard account and index CFDs are more expensive. Below are our 30-day live averages from the London session, compared with the same instruments at three competitors we tested in 2026.

Where ATFX Does Well

Gold is the strongest option. The Raw account averaged 0.13 points on XAU/USD. It was tighter than Tickmill and close to Pepperstone. Gold traders on the Raw tier will find ATFX competitive. The Raw EUR/USD average of 0.12 pips is also fair. It is only 0.02 pips wider than Tickmill Raw.

Where ATFX Falls Behind

The Standard account averages 1.32 pips on EUR/USD. That is cheaper than Tickmill Classic (1.70 pips) but more expensive than Pepperstone Standard (about 1.0 pip) and other low-cost brokers. US500 is expensive. The Raw spread is 0.85 points, more than twice the cost at Tickmill, IC Markets, and Pepperstone. The Edge account is in the middle. ATFX lists average spreads of 0.8 pips with no commission. This costs about $8 per lot, close to the Raw account for most forex traders.

Non-Trading Fees

ATFX doesn’t charge deposit, withdrawal, and account fees. Some third-party sites mention an inactivity fee on dormant accounts. If you want to avoid it, log in every few months.

Real Cost of a Trade

The spread is only part of the cost. Here is what one standard lot of EUR/USD (100,000 units) really cost us, including one night of swap on a long position.

What The Numbers Mean

A scalper who trades 15 lots a day on Raw will pay about $2,460 a month in spread and commission. On Raw Pro, the same volume costs about $1,860, saving $600 a month. This is the main reason to reach the $50,000 tier.

A beginner trading two lots a week on Standard would pay about $106 a month before swaps. At Pepperstone Standard, the cost would be around $80. The dollar difference is small, but ATFX costs about one-third more.

One more point: We found ATFX’s Raw Pro all-in cost of $6.20 is the lowest among all the competitors we compared. The problem is the $50,000 minimum deposit.

ATFX Trading Platforms

ATFX offers MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, plus copy trading and FIX API for advanced traders. There is no TradingView link, no cTrader and no in-house trading app. If you like MetaTrader, ATFX is a good fit. If not, there are few other platform options.

MetaTrader 4

MT4 works on Windows, Mac, web and mobile. ATFX also offers an economic calendar, Support & Resistance indicator and position size calculator. We used MT4 for one week and saw the same fill times as MT5.

MetaTrader 5

MT5 is our top choice for new ATFX clients. It shows more timeframes, depth of market and more order types. Its strategy tester uses several CPU cores, so backtests run faster. All 300+ ATFX symbols were live on our MT5 server, while a few share CFDs were missing on MT4.

ATFX CopyTrade

CopyTrade lets you follow signal providers and copy their trades into your own account. We checked the provider list and liked that it showed drawdown as well as profit. Copy trading carries real risk because past results do not guarantee future gains. We recommend traders to start small and set a stop-loss for each strategy.

FIX API

ATFX offers FIX API access for clients who want to plug their own systems straight into its price feed. This is rare among brokers that also serve retail. It makes ATFX a fair choice for coders running custom engines.

ATFX Account Types

ATFX offers different account levels. Higher deposits give you lower trading costs. Here are the account levels for its global FSC Mauritius entity.

Standard Account

This is where most traders will start. You need $200, there is no commission, and you get ATPremier investor access to research. It is simple to use, but our 1.32-pip EUR/USD average makes it expensive for regular trading.

Edge Account

Edge drops the spread to about 0.8 pips with no commission. ATFX may move you back to Standard if your equity falls below the tier minimum, so keep an eye on your balance after losses.

Raw Account

Raw gives you true market spreads plus $3.50 per side. We tested this tier and liked it. The $20,000 entry point is its main weakness.

Raw Pro Account

Raw Pro charges $2.50 per side and gives you AT Premier’s top research tier, called “Royal.” It was the cheapest account we tested in 2026, but you need $50,000 to qualify.

EU Accounts Are Different

Under CySEC, ATFX lists Standard (from 500, spreads from 1.0), Edge (from 5,000, from 0.6) and Premium (from 10,000, raw spreads plus commission). Leverage stops at 1:30 for retail clients.

Islamic, Professional and Demo

ATFX offers swap-free Islamic accounts in eligible regions on request. EU clients who qualify as professionals can get higher leverage but may lose some retail protections. The demo account runs on MT4 or MT5 with virtual money and live prices.

ATFX Markets & Instruments

ATFX offers 300+ CFDs, properly covering the main markets. But its range is smaller than multi-asset brokers.

We recorded two outstanding things. First, ATFX offers a good range of Asian markets, including Hong Kong shares, HK50, H-Shares, and the FTSE China A50. Few brokers offer this many Asian markets. Second, we found no cryptocurrency CFDs on our account. If you want Bitcoin or Ethereum experience, you will need another broker. ATFX also has no soft commodities such as coffee, sugar or cocoa. USD/RUB and USD/TRY are listed but currently disabled. Exotic spreads are wide, often 15–50 pips, so they are better for occasional trades than daily trading.