XAU BROKER RATING · v1 · NOVEMBER 2026
Best gold brokers in the EU / EEA (2026)
On our 2026 rating for EU / EEA residents, the highest scores go to: Pepperstone (93, account held by Pepperstone GmbH, BaFin); CMC Markets (90, account held by CMC Markets Germany GmbH, BaFin); IG (90, account held by IG Europe GmbH, BaFin). The score is based on the company that would hold your account in the EU / EEA, not the best licence the group holds elsewhere.
- Tier 1–2 company for you
- 15
- Offshore for you
- 3
- Do not accept you
- 4
Data checked: November 2026
Trading gold in the EU / EEA: the rules
ESMA rules apply across the EU: gold leverage is capped at 20:1 for retail clients, negative balance protection is mandatory, and investor compensation schemes cover at least €20,000.
Gold broker ratings for EU / EEA residents
20 brokers available in EU / EEA
- 1
Pepperstone
Melbourne, Australia · 2010
Your account would be held by: Pepperstone GmbH, BaFin (Germany)Tier 1 · strictest Check this licence yourself
MT4MT5cTraderTradingViewSwap-free- ⚠ Licences taken from the broker’s legal page; register check pending
A+93/100
Trader Voice 79
Provisional
Protection you actually get · 35%
92
Gold trading cost · 25%
Not measured yet
Execution under stress · 15%
Not measured yet
Money in and out · 15%
Not measured yet
Platforms and gold conditions · 10%
95
- 2
CMC Markets
London, UK · 1989 · LSE: CMCX
Your account would be held by: CMC Markets Germany GmbH, BaFin (Germany)Tier 1 · strictest Check this licence yourself
MT4TradingViewOwn platform- ⚠ Licences taken from the broker’s legal page; register check pending
A+90/100
Trader Voice 80
Provisional
Protection you actually get · 35%
100
Gold trading cost · 25%
Not measured yet
Execution under stress · 15%
Not measured yet
Money in and out · 15%
Not measured yet
Platforms and gold conditions · 10%
55
- 3
IG
London, UK · 1974 · LSE: IGG
Your account would be held by: IG Europe GmbH, BaFin (Germany)Tier 1 · strictest Check this licence yourself
MT4TradingViewOwn platform- ⚠ Licences taken from the broker’s legal page; register check pending
A+90/100
Trader Voice 63
Provisional
Protection you actually get · 35%
100
Gold trading cost · 25%
Not measured yet
Execution under stress · 15%
Not measured yet
Money in and out · 15%
Not measured yet
Platforms and gold conditions · 10%
55
- 4
AvaTrade
Dublin, Ireland · 2006
Your account would be held by: AVA Trade EU Ltd, CBI (Ireland)Tier 1 · strictest Check this licence yourself
MT4MT5Own platformSwap-free- ⚠ Licences taken from the broker’s legal page; register check pending
A+88/100
Trader Voice 90
Provisional
Protection you actually get · 35%
92
Gold trading cost · 25%
Not measured yet
Execution under stress · 15%
Not measured yet
Money in and out · 15%
Not measured yet
Platforms and gold conditions · 10%
75
- 5
ThinkMarkets
London, UK · 2010
Your account would be held by: TF Global Markets (Europe) Ltd, CySEC (Cyprus (EU))Tier 2 · strong Check this licence yourself
MT4MT5TradingViewOwn platformSwap-free- ⚠ Licences taken from the broker’s legal page; register check pending
A81/100
Trader Voice 63
Provisional
Protection you actually get · 35%
78
Gold trading cost · 25%
Not measured yet
Execution under stress · 15%
Not measured yet
Money in and out · 15%
Not measured yet
Platforms and gold conditions · 10%
90
- 6
Eightcap
Melbourne, Australia · 2009
Your account would be held by: Eightcap EU Ltd, CySEC (Cyprus (EU))Tier 2 · strong Check this licence yourself
MT4MT5TradingViewSwap-free- ⚠ Licences taken from the broker’s legal page; register check pending
A80/100
Trader Voice 70
Provisional
Protection you actually get · 35%
78
Gold trading cost · 25%
Not measured yet
Execution under stress · 15%
Not measured yet
Money in and out · 15%
Not measured yet
Platforms and gold conditions · 10%
85
- 7
FP Markets
Sydney, Australia · 2005
Your account would be held by: First Prudential Markets Ltd, CySEC (Cyprus (EU))Tier 2 · strong Check this licence yourself
MT4MT5cTraderTradingViewSwap-free- ⚠ Licences taken from the broker’s legal page; register check pending
A79/100
Trader Voice 94
Provisional
Protection you actually get · 35%
74
Gold trading cost · 25%
Not measured yet
Execution under stress · 15%
Not measured yet
Money in and out · 15%
Not measured yet
Platforms and gold conditions · 10%
95
- 8
Tickmill
London, UK · 2014
Your account would be held by: Tickmill Europe Ltd, CySEC (Cyprus (EU))Tier 2 · strong Check this licence yourself
MT4MT5TradingViewSwap-free- ⚠ Licences taken from the broker’s legal page; register check pending
A78/100
Trader Voice 37
Provisional
Protection you actually get · 35%
76
Gold trading cost · 25%
Not measured yet
Execution under stress · 15%
Not measured yet
Money in and out · 15%
Not measured yet
Platforms and gold conditions · 10%
85
- 9
Exness
Limassol, Cyprus · 2008
Your account would be held by: Exness (Cy) Ltd, CySEC (Cyprus (EU))Tier 2 · strong Check this licence yourself
MT4MT5Own platformSwap-free- ⚠ Licences taken from the broker’s legal page; register check pending
A77/100
Trader Voice 91
Provisional
Protection you actually get · 35%
78
Gold trading cost · 25%
Not measured yet
Execution under stress · 15%
Not measured yet
Money in and out · 15%
Not measured yet
Platforms and gold conditions · 10%
75
- 10
HFM
Limassol, Cyprus · 2010
Your account would be held by: HF Markets (Europe) Ltd, CySEC (Cyprus (EU))Tier 2 · strong Check this licence yourself
MT4MT5Own platformSwap-free- ⚠ Licences taken from the broker’s legal page; register check pending
A77/100
Trader Voice 72
Provisional
Protection you actually get · 35%
78
Gold trading cost · 25%
Not measured yet
Execution under stress · 15%
Not measured yet
Money in and out · 15%
Not measured yet
Platforms and gold conditions · 10%
75
- 11
IC Markets
Sydney, Australia · 2007
Your account would be held by: IC Markets (EU) Ltd, CySEC (Cyprus (EU))Tier 2 · strong Check this licence yourself
MT4MT5cTraderTradingViewSwap-free- ⚠ Licences taken from the broker’s legal page; register check pending
A76/100
Trader Voice 94
Provisional
Protection you actually get · 35%
70
Gold trading cost · 25%
Not measured yet
Execution under stress · 15%
Not measured yet
Money in and out · 15%
Not measured yet
Platforms and gold conditions · 10%
95
- 12
Saxo
Copenhagen, Denmark · 1992
Your account would be held by: Saxo Bank A/S, Danish FSA (Denmark (EU))Tier 1 · strictest Check this licence yourself
TradingViewOwn platform- ⚠ Licences taken from the broker’s legal page; register check pending
A76/100
Trader Voice 55
Provisional
Protection you actually get · 35%
88
Gold trading cost · 25%
Not measured yet
Execution under stress · 15%
Not measured yet
Money in and out · 15%
Not measured yet
Platforms and gold conditions · 10%
35
- 13
Admirals
Tallinn, Estonia · 2001
Your account would be held by: Admirals Europe Ltd, CySEC (Cyprus (EU))Tier 2 · strong Check this licence yourself
MT4MT5Own platformSwap-free- ⚠ Licences taken from the broker’s legal page; register check pending
B+74/100
Trader Voice 78
Provisional
Protection you actually get · 35%
74
Gold trading cost · 25%
Not measured yet
Execution under stress · 15%
Not measured yet
Money in and out · 15%
Not measured yet
Platforms and gold conditions · 10%
75
- 14
XM
Limassol, Cyprus · 2009
Your account would be held by: Trading Point of Financial Instruments Ltd, CySEC (Cyprus (EU))Tier 2 · strong Check this licence yourself
MT4MT5Own platformSwap-free- ⚠ Licences taken from the broker’s legal page; register check pending
B+74/100
Trader Voice 15
Provisional
Protection you actually get · 35%
74
Gold trading cost · 25%
Not measured yet
Execution under stress · 15%
Not measured yet
Money in and out · 15%
Not measured yet
Platforms and gold conditions · 10%
75
- 15
XTB
Warsaw, Poland · 2002 · WSE: XTB
Your account would be held by: XTB Ltd (Cyprus), CySEC (Cyprus (EU))Tier 2 · strong Check this licence yourself
Own platformSwap-free- ⚠ Licences taken from the broker’s legal page; register check pending
B+72/100
Trader Voice 65
Provisional
Protection you actually get · 35%
82
Gold trading cost · 25%
Not measured yet
Execution under stress · 15%
Not measured yet
Money in and out · 15%
Not measured yet
Platforms and gold conditions · 10%
35
- 16
FXTM
Limassol, Cyprus · 2011
Your account would be held by: Exinity Ltd, FSC (Mauritius)Tier 3 · moderate Check this licence yourself
MT4MT5Own platformSwap-free- ⚠ Licences taken from the broker’s legal page; register check pending
B56/100
Trader Voice 44
Provisional
Protection you actually get · 35%
50
Gold trading cost · 25%
Not measured yet
Execution under stress · 15%
Not measured yet
Money in and out · 15%
Not measured yet
Platforms and gold conditions · 10%
75
- 17
EBC Financial Group
London, UK · 2020
Your account would be held by: EBC Financial Group (Cayman) Ltd, CIMA (Cayman Islands) · 2038223Tier 3 · moderate Check this licence yourself
MT4MT5Swap-freeWe have a commercial relationship with this broker. It does not enter the score.
C51/100
Trader Voice 67
Provisional
Protection you actually get · 35%
46
Gold trading cost · 25%
Not measured yet
Execution under stress · 15%
Not measured yet
Money in and out · 15%
Not measured yet
Platforms and gold conditions · 10%
70
- 18
Vantage
Sydney, Australia · 2009
Your account would be held by: Vantage Global Ltd, VFSC (Vanuatu) · 700271Tier 4 · light offshore Check this licence yourself
MT4MT5TradingViewOwn platformSwap-free- ⚠ Has strong licences elsewhere, but serves this country from an offshore entity
C46/100
Trader Voice 80
Provisional
Protection you actually get · 35%
34
Gold trading cost · 25%
Not measured yet
Execution under stress · 15%
Not measured yet
Money in and out · 15%
Not measured yet
Platforms and gold conditions · 10%
90
- 19
OANDA
New York, US · 1996
Your account would be held by: OANDA Global Markets Ltd, FSC (British Virgin Islands)Tier 4 · light offshore Check this licence yourself
MT4MT5TradingViewOwn platform- ⚠ Licences taken from the broker’s legal page; register check pending
- ⚠ Has strong licences elsewhere, but serves this country from an offshore entity
D40/100
Trader Voice 58
Provisional
Protection you actually get · 35%
30
Gold trading cost · 25%
Not measured yet
Execution under stress · 15%
Not measured yet
Money in and out · 15%
Not measured yet
Platforms and gold conditions · 10%
75
- 20
Wisuno
Kingstown, St Vincent & the Grenadines · 2013
Your account would be held by: Wisuno (SVG), SVG FSA (St Vincent & the Grenadines)Tier 5 · registration only Check this licence yourself
MT4MT5- ⚠ Licences taken from the broker’s legal page; register check pending
- ⚠ Claims licences we could not find on the regulators’ registers
- ⚠ The entity for this country is only a company registration, not a forex licence
We have a commercial relationship with this broker. It does not enter the score.
D12/100
Trader Voice 69
Provisional
Protection you actually get · 35%
0
Gold trading cost · 25%
Not measured yet
Execution under stress · 15%
Not measured yet
Money in and out · 15%
Not measured yet
Platforms and gold conditions · 10%
55
Which licence protects you in the EU / EEA
Of the 24 brokers we rate, 15 would open a EU / EEA resident's account with a Tier 1 or Tier 2 regulated company, 3 would use a light offshore or registration-only company, and 4 do not accept EU / EEA residents.
Account held by a Tier 1–2 regulated company
Account held by an offshore company
These groups may hold strong licences elsewhere, but that protection does not extend to you.
Brokers that do not accept EU / EEA residents
Questions people ask
Which gold broker is best in the EU / EEA?
On our 2026 rating for EU / EEA residents, the highest scores go to: Pepperstone (93, account held by Pepperstone GmbH, BaFin); CMC Markets (90, account held by CMC Markets Germany GmbH, BaFin); IG (90, account held by IG Europe GmbH, BaFin). The score is based on the company that would hold your account in the EU / EEA, not the best licence the group holds elsewhere.
Is gold and forex trading legal in the EU / EEA?
ESMA rules apply across the EU: gold leverage is capped at 20:1 for retail clients, negative balance protection is mandatory, and investor compensation schemes cover at least €20,000.
How many international brokers serve the EU / EEA from a local licence?
Of the 24 brokers we rate, 15 would open a EU / EEA resident's account with a Tier 1 or Tier 2 regulated company, 3 would use a light offshore or registration-only company, and 4 do not accept EU / EEA residents.
How do I check a broker's licence in the EU / EEA?
Find the company name on your account agreement (not the brand), then search that exact company on the ESMA + national regulators register (https://www.esma.europa.eu/). If the company is not listed, or the licence number belongs to a different company, do not deposit.
See also
Other countries
How we rate
Before you open an account
CFDs are complex instruments and carry a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Ratings are our opinion, based on the data and rules described in the methodology. They are not investment advice.