HYCM provides multi-asset CFD trading on MT4, MT5 and the HYCM Trader app, backed by 40+ years of group experience. However, international clients may contract with a Costa Rican entity without statutory investor compensation.
Spreads from
1.5 pips
Commission
$4 per lot round-turn
Min deposit
$20
Established
1977
Regulated by
FCA · DFSA (Dubai)
Written byLaverlane Team·Updated21 Oct 2026
Researched with AI assistance and verified by our editors
Regulation
HYCM operates through FCA and DFSA regulated entities, while international clients may contract with an offshore entity.
HYCM Capital Markets (UK) Limited is authorised by the FCA under reference 186171, and HYCM Capital Markets (DIFC) Limited holds DFSA licence F000048. HYCM Capital Markets S.R.L. is registered in Costa Rica under number 3-102-883933, and its Customer Agreement is published in the help centre.
Costa Rica has no regulator that specifically oversees online retail CFD trading, so clients of that company trade without official oversight or a compensation scheme to fall back on. Check which entity your account is opened under before you deposit.
Key facts
HYCM cites 40+ years of group experience and 25+ awards.
Client-facing entity
HYCM Capital Markets (UK) Limited
Regulators
FCA, DFSA (Dubai)
Restricted countries
US, BE, HK, AF
Negative-balance protection
Yes
Minimum deposit
$20
Max leverage (UK retail (FCA))
UK retail (FCA) 1:30
Max leverage (offshore entity)
Forex 1:500
Max leverage (offshore entity)
Indices 1:200
Max leverage (offshore entity)
Commodities 1:133
Max leverage (offshore entity)
Stock CFDs and cryptocurrencies 1:20
Platforms
MT4, MT5, Proprietary, HYCM Trader, MT4/MT5 Web Trader
Account currencies
USD, EUR, GBP, AED, JPY
HYCM states that the group has 40+ years of cumulative experience, six offices and clients in over 140 countries. The website lists an average execution time under 12ms and spreads from 0.1 pips.
Best for
Pros & cons
Fund safety
HYCM states that client funds are kept in Tier-1 banks, with statutory compensation only for UK clients.
HYCM says client funds are kept in Tier-1 banks and that negative balance protection applies. UK clients of HYCM Capital Markets (UK) Limited fall under the FSCS up to £85,000, whereas HYCM Capital Markets S.R.L. offers no statutory scheme.
Account terms
Account terms sit in the Customer Agreement published in the help centre.
Terms such as inactivity fees, stop-out levels and execution policy are published as legal documents rather than on the main website. Read the Customer Agreement for the company you'll sign with before you fund an account.
Costs
Spreads start from 1.5 pips on Fixed, 1.2 pips on Classic and 0.1 pips on Raw.
Fixed and Classic accounts carry no commission. Raw accounts charge $4 per lot round-turn on forex, $5 on metals and $0 on other products. HYCM notes that spreads widen during the midnight session (8pm to 6am GMT).
As listed on its website in October 2026, HYCM states that the group has 40+ years of cumulative experience, six offices and clients in over 140 countries. The website lists an average execution time under 12ms and spreads from 0.1 pips.
Markets
HYCM lists 300+ instruments across forex, stocks, indices, cryptocurrencies and commodities.
Forex CFD
Index CFD
15 indices
Commodity CFD
Metals, energies, softs
Single-Stock CFD
1000 shares
Crypto CFD
Available ✓
Real ownership: Stocks / ETFs
Stocks
Products cover forex pairs, stock CFDs, 15+ indices, cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum and Litecoin, and commodities. HYCM Invest also offers 1000+ shares with fractional investing from $10.
Platforms
Traders can use MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5 and the HYCM Trader app.
MT4 and MT5 support Expert Advisors, and web trading is available for both. HYCM Trader is available on iOS and Android with price notifications and in-app deposits and withdrawals. HYCM doesn't list a public trading API.
Execution
HYCM cites ultra-fast execution but publishes no fill statistics.
HYCM states an average execution time under 12ms. The website doesn't publish slippage or fill-quality data, and doesn't describe its dealing model.
Leverage
Maximum leverage varies by product and by the regulator of your entity.
HYCM lists up to 1:500 on forex, 1:200 on indices, 1:133 on commodities and 1:20 on stock CFDs and cryptocurrencies. UK retail clients are capped at 1:30 on major forex under FCA rules, and higher leverage magnifies losses as well as gains.
Account types
HYCM offers Fixed, Classic and Raw accounts, each with a $20 minimum deposit.
| Account | Min deposit | Commission | Swap | Spread | Demo | Islamic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed | $20 | Spread-only | Charged per night | From 1.5 pips · Fixed | Yes | Yes |
| Classic | $20 | Spread-only | Charged per night | From 1.2 pips · Variable | Yes | Yes |
| Raw | $20 | $4 per lot round | Charged per night | From 0.1 pips · Variable | Yes | Yes |
Fixed accounts start from 1.5 pips and are USD only. Classic starts from 1.2 pips and Raw from 0.1 pips, both with EUR, USD, GBP, AED and JPY base currencies. VIP and corporate accounts are available on request.
Funding
Deposits are free by bank wire, card and crypto.
HYCM charges no deposit fee, though banks may. Withdrawals carry no HYCM fee on cards and crypto, and bank wire is free above $300. Methods and processing times are listed on the deposits and withdrawals page.
Support
Support is available 24/5 by live chat, email and phone.
HYCM lists live chat, email and phone support Monday to Friday, with a help centre and a London phone line. There is no live support at weekends.
Availability
HYCM doesn't accept clients from several jurisdictions.
HYCM doesn't offer services to residents of Afghanistan, Belgium, Hong Kong or the United States, and says other regions may also be excluded. Check the help centre for your country before applying.
Verdict
HYCM has 40+ years of group experience, a $20 entry deposit and a choice of MT4, MT5 and the HYCM Trader app. The group holds FCA and DFSA licences, but international clients may sign with HYCM Capital Markets S.R.L. in Costa Rica, which has no statutory compensation scheme. Pricing is competitive on Raw accounts, while Fixed accounts start from wider spreads.
Choose HYCM if you want leverage up to 1:500 on forex, a low minimum deposit and familiar MT4 or MT5 tools. Avoid it if a compensation scheme and a Tier-1 regulator overseeing the company you sign with matter most.
Traders who want a low entry deposit and MetaTrader Expert Advisors on Classic or Raw accounts will find HYCM suitable. Those who need statutory protection should compare Tier-1 regulated alternatives.
FAQ
HYCM is a forex and CFD broker backed by 40+ years of group experience. It offers CFDs on forex, stocks, indices, cryptocurrencies and commodities on MT4, MT5 and the HYCM Trader app, with 300+ instruments stated on its website.
HYCM is the trading name of HYCM Capital Markets (UK) Limited, HYCM Capital Markets S.R.L. and HYCM Financial Services L.L.C. The group has offices in London, Dubai and Kuwait.
HYCM lists bank wire withdrawals at 1 to 4 working days, card withdrawals at 1 to 7 working days and crypto withdrawals within 24 hours. Bank wire withdrawals are free above $300, and a fee applies below that amount.
The minimum deposit is $20 on the Fixed, Classic and Raw accounts. Deposits can be made by bank wire, card or crypto, and HYCM doesn't charge deposit fees.
HYCM Capital Markets (UK) Limited is authorised by the FCA (186171) and HYCM Capital Markets (DIFC) Limited by the DFSA (F000048). International clients may contract with HYCM Capital Markets S.R.L. in Costa Rica, which has no statutory compensation scheme.
Alternatives
Eightcap offers CFDs on 850+ markets through TradingView, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5 and TradeLocker, with a Raw account that starts from 0.0 pips. Clients outside the regulated regions contract with Eightcap Global Limited in The Bahamas, which carries no statutory compensation scheme.
Octa offers swap-free forex and CFD trading on OctaTrader, MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, with no trading commission and a $25 minimum deposit. Accounts on octabroker.com are with Versustrategy Inc, registered in Saint Lucia, and the legal documents page lists no financial regulator.
JustMarkets offers leverage of up to 1:3000, swap-free trading and MT4, MT5 and its own app, but international clients contract with an offshore Seychelles entity without a statutory compensation scheme.
FXCM offers forex and CFD trading on Trading Station, MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and TradingView. Accounts on the international website are with Stratos Global LLC, an offshore entity in St Vincent and the Grenadines that sits outside the group’s regulated companies.
ThinkMarkets offers ThinkTrader, TradingView, MT4 and MT5 with 4,000+ instruments and leverage of up to 1:500 on Standard and ThinkZero accounts. International clients contract with a Seychelles-licensed entity.
IronFX operates as a retail CFD broker providing high leverage up to 1:1000 on MetaTrader 4, but international clients contract through an offshore entity without statutory compensation protection.
CFI Financial offers MT5, TradingView and its own app with no minimum deposit and leverage of up to 1:500. International clients trade with CFI International Ltd, licensed in Mauritius.
EC Markets offers MT4, MT5 and its own app with a $10 minimum deposit on STD and ECN accounts and leverage of up to 1:1000. International clients trade with the Mauritius-licensed entity.
General CFD risk warning
CFDs are complex leveraged products and carry a high risk of rapid losses. They do not give you ownership of the underlying asset. Depending on your jurisdiction, broker entity and client classification, protections such as leverage limits and negative-balance protection may differ or may not apply. Where negative-balance protection is not provided, losses may exceed the funds you deposit. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford the high risk of losing your money.
Disclaimer
This page is provided for general information only. Nothing on this page constitutes investment, tax or trading advice, or a recommendation to open an account or trade with a particular broker. Laverlane does not provide personalised investment advice. We are not a broker or financial institution, we do not arrange or execute trades, and we do not hold client funds.
Broker availability, spreads, fees, leverage, products and legal protections, including compensation schemes and negative-balance protection, vary by the broker’s legal entity, your country of residence and your client classification, and may change over time. Where a broker is required to publish its retail CFD loss rate, that figure is shown on its review page. Spreads shown are typical figures as at our verification date; they are not guaranteed and may widen, particularly during volatile market conditions.
Laverlane Scores reflect the information available at our most recent review. They are editorial assessments, not guarantees of a broker’s financial strength, reliability or future performance. Where we report a regulator warning or enforcement notice, it reflects the official public information available at the time of our review.
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