Best Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) Regulated Brokers 2025
We’ve personally tested and ranked the top brokers regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA), ensuring high standards of trust and reliability.
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1XM is a well-known forex and CFD broker with over 10 million clients in more than 190 countries. Since 2009, this reliable broker has provided low trading fees on over 1000 instruments. It is highly regulated by bodies such as ASIC and CySEC and offers a complete MetaTrader experience.
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2Pepperstone, established in Australia in 2010, is a highly-regarded forex and CFD broker serving more than 400,000 international clients. It provides access to over 1,300 instruments through leading trading platforms such as MT4, MT5, cTrader, and TradingView, while keeping fees relatively low and transparent. The company is regulated by known authorities including FCA, ASIC, and CySEC, offering a safe trading environment for all.
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3Established in 1989, CMC Markets is a reputable brokerage firm authorized by various top regulators such as the FCA, ASIC and CIRO, and is listed on the London Stock Exchange. They boast a global client base of over 1 million traders and have received numerous awards.
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4Founded in 2002 in Poland, XTB now serves over 1 million clients. This forex and CFD broker offers a regulated trading environment with a wide range of assets and a commitment to trader satisfaction, featuring an intuitive in-house platform with excellent tools for aspiring traders.
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5Plus500, founded in 2008 and based in Israel, is a leading brokerage with more than 25 million registered traders across 50+ countries. The company specializes in CFD trading, provides a user-friendly platform and mobile app, and offers competitive spreads. It does not impose commission, deposit, or withdrawal fees. Plus500 holds the trust of its traders by being licensed by well-known regulators such as FCA, ASIC, and CySEC.
Compare Brokers
| Broker |  |
USD Account |
Demo Account |
Minimum Deposit |
Minimum Trade |
Leverage |
Copy Trading |
Regulator |
Instruments |
Platforms |
Account Currencies |
Automated Trading |
AI |
Guaranteed Stop Loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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✓ | ✓ | $5 | 0.01 Lots | 1:10001:30 | ✓ | ASIC, CySEC, DFSA, IFSC | CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Commodities, Indices, Thematic Indices, Precious Metals, Energies | MT4, MT5, TradingCentral | USD, EUR, GBP, JPY | Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader | ✗ | ✗ | |
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✓ | ✓ | $0 | 0.01 Lots | 1:30 (Retail), 1:500 (Pro) | ✓ | FCA, ASIC, CySEC, DFSA, CMA, BaFin, SCB | CFDs, Forex, Currency Indices, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Crypto (only Pro clients), Spread Betting | MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView, AutoChartist, DupliTrade, Quantower | USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, NZD, JPY, CHF, HKD, SGD | Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader | ✓ | ✗ | |
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✓ | ✓ | $0 | 0.01 Lots | 1:30 (Retail), 1:500 (Pro) | ✗ | FCA, ASIC, MAS, CIRO, BaFin, FMA, DFSA | CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Treasuries, Custom Indices, Spread Betting | Web, MT4, TradingView | USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, NZD, SEK, NOK, SGD, PLN | Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader | ✗ | ✓ | |
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✓ | ✓ | $0 | 0.01 Lots | 1:30 (EU) 1:500 (Global) | ✗ | FCA, CySEC, KNF, DFSA, FSC, SCA, Bappebti | CFDs on shares, Indices, ETFs, Raw Materials, Forex currencies, cryptocurrencies, Real shares, Real ETFs | xStation | USD, EUR, PLN | Open API | ✗ | ✓ | |
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✓ | ✓ | $100 | Variable | 1:30 | ✗ | FCA, ASIC, CySEC, DFSA, MAS, FSA, FSCA, FMA, EFSA | CFDs on Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Futures, Options, Crypto | WebTrader, App | USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, ZAR, CZK | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | |
| Broker | |
USD Account |
Demo Account |
Minimum Deposit |
Minimum Trade |
Leverage |
Copy Trading |
Regulator |
Instruments |
Platforms |
Account Currencies |
Automated Trading |
AI |
Guaranteed Stop Loss |
Safety Comparison
Compare how safe the Best Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) Regulated Brokers 2025 are.
| Broker | Trust Rating |
Guaranteed Stop Loss |
Negative Balance Protection |
Segregated Accounts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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✗ | ✓ | ✓ | |
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✗ | ✓ | ✓ | |
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✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
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✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
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✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Broker | Trust Rating |
Guaranteed Stop Loss |
Negative Balance Protection |
Segregated Accounts |
Mobile Trading Comparison
Compare the mobile trading features of the Best Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) Regulated Brokers 2025.
| Broker | Mobile Apps |
iOS Rating |
Android Rating |
Smart Watch App |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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iOS, Android & Windows | ✗ | ||
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iOS & Android | ✗ | ||
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iOS & Android | ✗ | ||
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iOS & Android | ✓ | ||
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iOS, Android & Windows | ✗ | ||
| Broker | Mobile Apps |
iOS Rating |
Android Rating |
Smart Watch App |
Comparison for Beginners
Compare how suitable the Best Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) Regulated Brokers 2025 are for beginners.
| Broker | Demo Account |
Minimum Deposit |
Minimum Trade |
Education Rating |
Support Rating |
Fractional Shares |
Demo Competitions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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✓ | $5 | 0.01 Lots | ✓ | ✓ | ||
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✓ | $0 | 0.01 Lots | ✗ | ✗ | ||
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✓ | $0 | 0.01 Lots | ✗ | ✓ | ||
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✓ | $0 | 0.01 Lots | ✓ | ✗ | ||
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✓ | $100 | Variable | ✗ | ✗ | ||
| Broker | Demo Account |
Minimum Deposit |
Minimum Trade |
Education Rating |
Support Rating |
Fractional Shares |
Demo Competitions |
Comparison for Advanced Traders
Compare how suitable the Best Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) Regulated Brokers 2025 are for advanced or professional traders.
| Broker | Automated Trading |
VPS |
API |
AI |
Pro Account |
Leverage |
Low Latency |
Extended Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | 1:10001:30 | ✓ | ✗ |
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Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 1:30 (Retail), 1:500 (Pro) | ✓ | ✗ |
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Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | 1:30 (Retail), 1:500 (Pro) | ✓ | ✓ |
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Open API | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | 1:30 (EU) 1:500 (Global) | ✓ | ✗ |
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✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | 1:30 | ✗ | ✗ |
| Broker | Automated Trading |
VPS |
API |
AI |
Pro Account |
Leverage |
Low Latency |
Extended Hours |
Accounts Comparison
Compare the trading accounts offered by Best Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) Regulated Brokers 2025.
| Broker | Demo Account |
Interest on Cash |
Islamic Account |
Joint Account |
Managed Account |
PAMM |
MAM |
LAMM |
Pro Account |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
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✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
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✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
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✓ | USD: 2%, GBP: 4.5%, EUR: 1.25% | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
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✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Broker | Demo Account |
Interest on Cash |
Islamic Account |
Joint Account |
Managed Account |
PAMM |
MAM |
LAMM |
Pro Account |
Detailed Rating Comparison
Compare how we rated the Best Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) Regulated Brokers 2025 in key areas.
| Broker | Trust |
Platforms |
Assets |
Mobile |
Fees |
Accounts |
Research |
Education |
Support |
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| Broker | Trust |
Platforms |
Assets |
Mobile |
Fees |
Accounts |
Research |
Education |
Support |
Fee and Cost Comparison
Compare the cost of trading with the Best Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) Regulated Brokers 2025.
| Broker | Cost Rating |
Fixed Spreads |
Inactivity Fee |
CFD Stocks Spread |
EUR/USD Spread |
Crypto Spread |
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✗ | $5 | 0.002 | 0.8 | Variable | |
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✓ | $0 | 0.02 | 0.1 | BTC 30, ETH 0 | |
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✗ | $10 | 0.02 | 0.7 | From 1.3 | |
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✗ | $0 | 0.2% | 1.0 | 0.22% | |
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✗ | $10 | Dynamic | Dynamic | Variable | |
| Broker | Cost Rating |
Fixed Spreads |
Inactivity Fee |
CFD Stocks Spread |
EUR/USD Spread |
Crypto Spread |
Broker Popularity
See how popular the Best Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) Regulated Brokers 2025 are in terms of number of clients.
| Broker | Popularity |
|---|---|
| Plus500 |
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| XM |
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| XTB |
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| Pepperstone |
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| CMC Markets |
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Why Trade With XM?
With a $5 minimum deposit, advanced charting on MT4 and MT5, a growing range of markets, and a Zero account with spreads from 0.0, XM offers what traders need. They have even won our 'Best MT4/MT5 Broker' award recently.
Pros
- XM offers over 1,000 instruments, giving traders various short-term opportunities, including turbo stocks, fractional shares, and thematic indices.
- XM’s Zero account is ideal for trading with spreads from 0.0 pips, 99.35% of orders executed in <1 second, without requotes or rejections.
- XM excels in trader education by providing well-organized resources like webinars, tutorials, and live trading sessions via XM Live.
Cons
- The XM app is user-friendly and offers unique copy trading products, but its technical analysis tools need enhancement for advanced traders.
- XM only uses the MetaTrader platforms for desktop trading, offering no in-house downloadable or web-based solutions with unique features for beginners.
- The XM global entity is generally reliable and well-regulated but is registered with the less robust IFSC regulator. It no longer accepts UK clients, limiting its market reach.
Why Trade With Pepperstone?
Pepperstone is a leading choice for trading with low spreads, quick execution, and advanced charting for experienced traders. New traders benefit from no minimum deposit, a wealth of educational resources, and 24/7 support. Operating under ASIC regulation, Pepperstone is a top option for Australian traders and won DayTrading.com's 'Best Aus Broker' award for 2025.
Pros
- Pepperstone is a low-cost broker, ideal for serious traders. The Razor account offers spreads from 0.0, with rebates up to 30% for indices and commodities, and $3 per lot for forex through the Active Trader program.
- Support for numerous top-charting platforms such as MT4, MT5, TradingView, and cTrader. These cater to different short-term trading styles, including algorithmic trading.
- Pepperstone provides impressive transaction completion speeds, averaging about 30ms. This allows for quick order processing and execution, making it suitable for traders.
Cons
- Pepperstone's demo accounts last for 30 days. This might be insufficient for learning the various platforms and testing trading strategies.
- Pepperstone does not support cTrader Copy, a popular feature in the cTrader platform available at alternatives like IC Markets, though it has launched an intuitive copy trading app.
- Despite market improvements, the crypto options provided are fewer compared to other brokers like eToro, with no chance to buy actual coins.
Why Trade With CMC Markets?
CMC Markets offers a great online platform for traders. It has advanced charting tools and a wide variety of CFDs to trade, including a large selection of currencies and customized indices. It caters to traders at all levels.
Pros
- We upgraded its 'Assets & Markets' rating due to frequent product additions in early 2025, including extended hours trading on US stocks and new share CFDs.
- The CMC web platform offers an excellent user experience, featuring advanced charting tools and customizable options for trading. It suits both beginners and experienced traders. It supports MT4 and will add TradingView in 2025.
- CMC Markets is strictly overseen by respected finance entities, helping to ensure safe and reliable trading. Its excellent reputation ensures a secure trading environment.
Cons
- Trading stock CFDs carries a comparatively high commission charge, particularly when contrasted with more affordable brokers such as IC Markets.
- While the web platform has improved, it still needs more enhancements to be as user-friendly for trading as competitor software such as IG.
- A $10 monthly inactivity fee is charged after one year of no trading activity. This could discourage occasional traders.
Why Trade With XTB?
XTB is a leading choice for new traders due to its exceptional xStation platform, no commission costs, no mandatory deposit, and high-quality educational resources, most of which are smoothly incorporated into the platform.
Pros
- XTB provides an extensive set of educational resources such as training videos and articles on its platform, making it suitable for traders of all skill levels.
- XTB increased its interest rate on uninvested funds and introduced zero-fee ISAs for UK clients, offering 3,000 stocks and 700 ETFs for varied trading options.
- Great customer support 24/5, including a live chat service. During tests, responses were typically provided in less than two minutes.
Cons
- XTB does not provide a raw spread account. This is often given by competitors such as Pepperstone. This can be of disadvantage to traders searching for the narrowest spreads.
- The inability to modify the default leverage on XTB products is disappointing. Manual adjustment can greatly reduce trading risks, especially in forex and CFD trading.
- XTB's research tools are decent but could be improved by expanding beyond their own features to include top external tools like Autochartist, Trading Central, and TipRanks.
Why Trade With Plus500?
Plus500 provides a streamlined experience for traders through a modern and dynamic CFD trading platform. However, its research tools are limited, it charges higher fees compared to some brokers, and its educational resources can be improved.
Pros
- The broker provides free trading in different markets, which reduces extra costs and interests experienced traders.
- You can use leverage in both long and short positions to create more strategic trading opportunities.
- Plus500 offers a WebTrader platform specifically made for CFD trading. It presents a neat and straightforward interface.
Cons
- Compared to competitors like IG, Plus500's research and analysis tools are somewhat limited.
- Algorithmic trading and scalping are not permitted, potentially discouraging some traders.
- Without social trading, users cannot mimic the trading actions of experienced traders.
Filters
Introduction to the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA)
The Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) is dedicated to regulating financial services within Dubai’s International Financial Centre (DIFC), including overseeing online brokers. This guide ranks top brokers regulated by the DFSA and explains their regulations, actions, and trader protections.
What Does the DFSA Do?
The DFSA aims to create a financial environment in Dubai that is honest, open, and efficient. It strives to protect and enhance the financial climate for both investors and service providers by ensuring high regulatory standards. Their goal is to be a respected leader in financial regulation both in the UAE and globally.
History of the DFSA
Here’s a quick look at some important moments in the DFSA’s history:
- 2004 – The DFSA was established on September 13 as an independent entity within the DIFC.
- 2004 – The regulator council held its first meeting in October.
- 2005 – The DFSA moved to its registered headquarters.
- 2010 – Launched its official website in Arabic, expanding communication with local markets.
- 2012 – The European Commission recognized DFSA’s audit system as on par with EU standards.
- 2014 – Published its first Anti-Money Laundering report.
- 2016 – Updated its website and launched a mobile app to increase accessibility.
- 2017 – Began offering licenses to FinTech firms through an Innovation Testing License.
The DFSA celebrated its 15th anniversary in 2019 by registering its 500th firm.
Purpose of the DFSA
The DFSA was created to ensure that financial markets are fair, transparent, and efficient. It oversees regulated entities to make sure they follow the laws and rules. Before any new firm can offer financial services in the DIFC, they need approval and registration with the DFSA.
DFSA’s Main Goals
The DFSA has several key responsibilities:
- Increase public understanding of financial regulations in the DIFC.
- Protect investors and guide new traders in the financial industry.
- Identify and prevent activities that could harm the reputation of the DIFC.
- Maintain economic stability in the finance sector by reducing system-wide risks.
- Ensure the financial services industry operates fairly, efficiently, and transparently.
Core Principles
The DFSA adheres to key principles to guide its regulatory efforts:
- Use resources efficiently.
- Support the DIFC’s mission as outlined in Dubai Law.
- Help the DIFC develop as a world-respected financial center.
- Ensure regulation costs are proportional to benefits.
- Cooperate with other regulatory bodies globally.
- Act transparently, including publishing annual reports.
Regulatory Framework
The DFSA’s regulatory scope includes various financial services such as asset management, insurance, and banking within the DIFC. It also combats money laundering and terrorism financing. The DFSA’s rule-making process often includes public consultation, allowing traders to comment on proposed rules. International reviews from entities like the IMF and World Bank ensure fair practices.
Organizational Structure
The DFSA is led by a chairman, currently Fadel Abdulbaqi Al Ali, alongside directors and an executive team. They handle:
- General Counsel
- Human Resources and Operations
- Committees on risk, audit, and legislative matters
- Board of Directors that include a Chairman and Chief Executive
The DFSA collaborates globally with other regulatory entities to provide fair guidelines for traders.
Investment Tokens
In October 2021, the DFSA revised rules for cryptocurrency and digital investments. It includes protocols for trading tokens like security and derivative tokens. They promote these guidelines to build a safe trading environment.
Recognition and Initiatives
The DFSA has been recognized with several awards, such as the Best Regulator for Islamic Funds in 2007. Their initiatives also include a program called Tomorrow’s Regulatory Leaders, creating career opportunities for UAE nationals, and a financial awareness initiative for the community.
Feedback and Critiques
Despite making significant progress, DFSA’s fees are considered high compared to other regulators like CySEC. Yet, traders can trust in their strict compliance standards, which are crucial for reliable financial services.
Conclusion on the DFSA
The DFSA is committed to maintaining a safe and transparent trading environment within the DIFC, aligning with international regulators, and prioritizing corporate social responsibility. If you’re considering a broker, ensure they are listed on the DFSA’s official website. Check our list of DFSA regulated brokers to start trading safely.
FAQ
How Do I Verify If a Broker Is DFSA Registered?
You can search for registered brokers using the DFSA’s online company search tool to ensure the broker is regulated.
How Can I Contact the DFSA?
You can reach the DFSA by phone at +971(0)43621500 during office hours from Sunday to Thursday, 8 AM to 5 PM (GMT+4).
Does the DFSA Cover FinTech Firms?
Yes, the DFSA started licensing FinTech firms in 2017, allowing them to participate in online trading environments.
Is Cryptocurrency Regulated by the DFSA?
Yes, since October 2021, guidelines exist for trading security and derivative tokens, requiring compliance from traders.
When Was the DFSA Established?
The DFSA was established in September 2004 to ensure fairness, transparency, and efficiency in financial services.