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XM Review: Licences, Costs and the Fine Print

Updated 30 October 2026 · Written by Broker Atlas Broker Reviews Desk · Data checked by Broker Atlas Data Desk

Short answer

XM Global is a sensible first offshore account: a $5 minimum deposit, leverage up to 1,000:1 that XM says stays the same during news, and negative balance protection, hedging and an Islamic (swap-free) option on every account. It also offers a 100% deposit bonus as extra margin. It is licensed in Belize, which gives far less protection than an EU, UK or Australian licence.

XMFeaturedFSC Belize
Editorial rating
  • Costs3.6
  • Trading conditions4.4
  • Safety3.3
  • Bonuses4.5
  • Platforms and tools4.8

Overall rating set by our editors (the part scores are calculated)

Best for Small accounts and bonuses

Pros

  • High maximum leverage (1,000:1)
  • Negative balance protection
  • Low minimum deposit ($5)
  • Deposit bonus available

Cons

  • Offshore licence: limited investor protection
Max leverage
1,000:1
Min deposit
$5
Bonus
100% deposit bonus
Negative balance protection
Yes
Stop-out level
20%
Platforms
MT4 / MT5 / XM App

Facts checked 4 November 2026How we score

XM bonuses and promotions

100% deposit bonus

No-deposit bonusNone listed publicly
Deposit bonus100% deposit bonus
Rebates and loyaltyXM loyalty programme: 7–16 XM Points per lot by status, redeemable for trading credit
Other promotionsNone

Bonuses as published on each broker's official pages. Terms change by country and over time, so check the broker's site before you sign up. N/A means no published information was found. checked 2026-11-03.

See the full bonus comparison →

XM key facts

Max leverage1,000:1
Min deposit$5
Bonus100% deposit bonus
Account types3 types
PlatformsMT4 / MT5 / XM App
LicenceFSC Belize
Bonus offered✓
No-deposit bonusNone listed publicly
Deposit bonus100% deposit bonus
Negative balance protection✓
Stop-out level20%
USD/JPY spread1.5 pips
EUR/USD spread1.6 pips
EUR/USD spread (low-spread account, no commission)0.6 pips
Gold spread35 pips
USD/JPY spread (raw account)No such account
EUR/USD spread (raw account)No such account
Commission (per lot, round turn)No such account
Withdrawal timeProcessed instantly or same day
Deposit & withdrawal methodsBank wire, credit/debit cards, Skrill, Neteller
ECN account✗
Cent account✗
Scalping allowed✓
EAs allowed✓
Copy trading✓
Swap-free✓
Crypto CFDs✓
Stock CFDs✓
Local-language support✓
Rebates and loyaltyXM loyalty programme: 7–16 XM Points per lot by status, re…
Where XM sits among 27 brokers: Max leverage 1:1,000 (#17 of 27), EUR/USD spread 1.6 pips (#21 of 27), Min deposit $5 (#8 of 27), Stop-out level 20% (#4 of 27)
Each dot is a broker we list; the blue dot is XM. Further right is better for the trader (higher leverage; lower spread, minimum deposit and stop-out level).

Verdict: an easy first account, with an offshore licence

XM Global’s appeal is simple. You can start with $5, every account has negative balance protection, and XM says your leverage stays at up to 1,000:1 even when major news hits. By XM’s own comparison, other brokers often cut it to around 200:1 at those moments.

The trade-off is regulation. The company that serves international clients, XM Global Limited, is licensed in Belize. That licence is real, but it gives you much less protection than a broker regulated in the EU, UK or Australia. Only deposit what you can afford to lose with a broker in that position.

Good for

  • First-time offshore traders starting small
  • Traders who want a deposit bonus as extra margin
  • Anyone who wants copy trading, crypto and stock products in one account

Not for

  • Traders who need a top-tier regulator and a compensation scheme
  • Residents of the US, Canada, Israel or Iran

Account types

XM Global’s account page lists three accounts.

Account Minimum deposit Who it’s for
Standard $5 Most traders; the account that gets bonuses
Ultra Low $5 High-volume traders who want lower spreads, swaps and commissions
Shares $10,000 Buying actual company shares

Every account includes negative balance protection, hedging and an Islamic (swap-free) option. If you deposit in a currency other than USD, the minimum is the equivalent amount in that currency.

Leverage

XM offers leverage up to 1,000:1 and says it keeps that level during volatile events such as the US jobs report, rather than lowering it. You can change your leverage yourself at any time. High leverage cuts both ways: at 1000:1, a 0.1% move against you wipes out your margin on a fully leveraged position. Work out your margin with our margin calculator before you size a trade, and see high-leverage brokers for alternatives.

Bonus

XM Global offers a deposit bonus that acts as extra margin. The terms on its public page are:

  • Availability and percentage vary by region
  • The bonus itself cannot be withdrawn
  • It is meant to keep positions open longer, not as cash

Because the percentage depends on where you live, we don’t quote a figure. Compare current offers on our bonus comparison.

Company and licence

International clients deal with XM Global Limited, licensed by the FSC Belize (licence 8557558). That’s an offshore licence: the company is registered and supervised in Belize, but there’s no investor compensation scheme of the kind attached to some onshore regulators’ licences. XM Global states negative balance protection on its accounts, so losses can’t exceed your balance. See is XM safe?

Funding and withdrawals

XM Global’s help centre says withdrawals are processed instantly or on the same day, while bank wires and cards usually take 2 to 5 business days to arrive. The minimum deposit is $5. Details: XM deposits and XM withdrawals.

Products and platforms

MT4, MT5 and the XM app are available. XM also runs XM Copy Trading, trading competitions, a Traders Club and a refer-a-friend scheme, and lists crypto and stock products. Copy trading and competitions come with their own terms, so read those before you join either.

How XM compares

BrokerMin depositVisit broker
XMFeatured4.9/5Editorial rating1,000:1$5✓✓✓✓Visit
Titan FX3.7/52,000:1No minimum✓✗✓✗Visit
FXGT4.1/55,000:1$0✓✓✓✓Visit
XS.com4.1/52,000:1No minimum✓✓✓✗Visit
BigBoss3.2/52,222:1No minimum deposit✓✓✗✓Visit

If you want an ECN account and permission to scalp and run EAs, look at Titan FX. For leverage above 1000:1, FXGT and XS.com go higher. Side by side: XM vs Titan FX, XM vs FXGT.

Licence register details

Legal entityRegulatorLicence no.
XM Global Limited serves readers of this editionFSC (Belize)8557558
Fintrade LimitedFSC (Mauritius)GB20025835
Tradexfin LimitedFSA (Seychelles)SD010

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Frequently asked questions

Is XM legit?

XM Global Limited is licensed by the Financial Services Commission of Belize (licence 8557558). That is a real licence, but an offshore one: supervision and compensation are much weaker than with EU, UK or Australian regulators.

Are XM and XMTrading the same company?

They are brands of the same group, run by different companies. XMTrading serves Japan through companies licensed in Seychelles and Mauritius. XM Global serves most other offshore clients from Belize. Conditions differ between them.

Can I lose more than I deposit with XM?

XM Global says all accounts come with negative balance protection, so your balance is reset to zero rather than going negative.

Can I withdraw the XM deposit bonus?

No. XM says its bonuses are not withdrawable. Profits made while trading with the bonus are yours to withdraw.

Which countries can't open an account?

XM Global states it does not serve citizens of the United States, Canada, Israel and Iran, or other sanctioned countries.