Best Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Regulated Brokers 2026
We’ve tested and ranked the top brokers regulated by the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), providing robust safeguards for US traders especially.
Written ByRoyston Wild
Royston is a seasoned investor and financial writer with over a decade of experience analyzing brokers and investment markets. With a background in stocks, commodities, and forex reporting - he brings a fresh perspective to broker evaluations.
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Fact Checked ByJames Barra
James is an experienced broker analyst with a background in financial services. He has spent 2,500+ hours testing brokers, used 35+ different platforms and apps, audited 120+ broker T&Cs, and verified 300+ regulatory licenses.
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Edited ByTobias Robinson
Tobias is committed to helping traders find the right brokerage for their needs. He has tested 200+ brokers, spent 2,600+ hours using different platforms, and placed 2,100+ trades.
Tobias Robinson Profile PageJune 8, 2026
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1Interactive Brokers (IBKR) is a leading brokerage offering access to over 170 markets in 40 countries and a range of investment services. With 40+ years in the industry, this Nasdaq-listed company follows strict regulations by the SEC, FCA, CIRO, and SFC, making it a trusted global trading broker.
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2NinjaTrader is a US-based brokerage regulated for trading futures. It offers three different pricing plans for varied needs and budgets, along with extremely low margins on popular contracts. The company's renowned charting software and trading platform provides extensive customization options and excellent technical analysis features.
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3Plus500US, a broker since 2021 in the US, is authorized by the CFTC and NFA. It offers futures trading in forex, indices, commodities, cryptocurrencies, and interest rates. Sign-up takes 10 minutes with a $100 minimum deposit ($200 by wire transfer). The web platform is simple, enhancing its services for US traders.
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4Founded in 2001, FOREX.com is part of StoneX, a global financial services firm with over a million customers. Regulated in the US, UK, EU, Australia, and other regions, it offers thousands of markets, not just forex, with competitive pricing on advanced platforms.
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5Crypto.com is a major name in cryptocurrency trading, designed to speed up the global shift to DeFi technologies. The exchange provides token lending, prepaid cards, NFTs, and more. Founded in Germany in 2016, it serves 150 million users.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
✓ | ✓ | $0 | $100 | 1:50 (major forex pairs), 1:2-1:4 (equities) | ✗ | SEC, FINRA, CFTC, NFA, CIRO, FCA, CBI, ASIC, SFC, SEBI, JFSA, MAS | Stocks, Options, Futures, Forex, Funds, Bonds, ETFs, Mutual Funds, Cryptocurrencies, CFDs Stocks, Options, Futures, Forex, Funds, Bonds, ETFs, Mutual Funds, Cryptocurrencies | Trader Workstation (TWS), IBKR Desktop, GlobalTrader, Mobile, Client Portal, AlgoTrader, OmniTrader, TradingView, eSignal, TradingCentral, ProRealTime, Quantower | USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, INR, JPY, SEK, NOK, DKK, CHF, AED, HUF | Capitalise.ai, TWS API | ✓ | ✗ | |
 |
✓ | ✓ | $0 (live trades must meet intraday margin minimums, e.g., $50 to trade micro contracts) | 0.01 Lots | $50 intraday margins for Micro contracts and $500 for popular E-mini contracts | ✗ | NFA, CFTC, CySEC | Futures, Forex, Stocks, Options, Commodities, Futures, Crypto (non-futures depend on provider) | NinjaTrader Desktop, Web & Mobile, eSignal | USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD | NinjaScript or via Automated Trading Interface | ✗ | ✗ | |
 |
✓ | ✓ | $100 | Variable | Variable | ✗ | CFTC, NFA | Futures on Cryptocurrencies, Metals, Agriculture, Forex, Interest rates, Energy, Equity Index future contracts | WebTrader, App | USD | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | |
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✓ | ✓ | $100 | 0.01 Lots | 1:50 | ✗ | NFA, CFTC | Forex, Futures and Options on Metals, Energies, Commodities, Indices, Bonds, Crypto Forex, CFDs, Stock CFDs, Indices, Commodities, Futures, Options, Crypto | WebTrader, Mobile, MT4, MT5, TradingView | USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, JPY, CHF, PLN | Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader | ✓ | ✗ | |
 |
✓ | ✓ | Varies by payment method | $1 | ✗ | ✗ | SEC, FCA, MAS, AMF, CySEC, CBI, ASIC, FINTRAC, CIMA, VARA, OAM, HCMC, CFTC, OSC, KoFIU | Crypto, Stocks, ETFs, Prediction Markets and Strike Options (US only) | Own | USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, NZD, ZAR, TRY, SEK, NOK, DKK, CHF, HKD, PLN, CZK, AED, SAR, HUF, BRL, KES | DCA Auto-Staking | ✗ | ✗ | |
| 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 Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Regulated Brokers 2026 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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✗ | ✗ | ✓ | |
| Broker | Trust Rating |
Guaranteed Stop Loss |
Negative Balance Protection |
Segregated Accounts |
Mobile Trading Comparison
Compare the mobile trading features of the Best Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Regulated Brokers 2026.
| Broker | Mobile Apps |
iOS Rating |
Android Rating |
Smart Watch App |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
iOS & Android | ✓ | ||
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iOS & Android | ✗ | ||
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iOS & Android | ✗ | ||
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iOS & Android | ✗ | ||
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iOS & Android | ✗ | ||
| Broker | Mobile Apps |
iOS Rating |
Android Rating |
Smart Watch App |
Comparison for Beginners
Compare how suitable the Best Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Regulated Brokers 2026 are for beginners.
| Broker | Demo Account |
Minimum Deposit |
Minimum Trade |
Education Rating |
Support Rating |
Fractional Shares |
Demo Competitions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
✓ | $0 | $100 | ✓ | ✗ | ||
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✓ | $0 (live trades must meet intraday margin minimums, e.g., $50 to trade micro contracts) | 0.01 Lots | ✗ | ✗ | ||
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✓ | $100 | Variable | ✗ | ✗ | ||
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✓ | $100 | 0.01 Lots | ✗ | ✗ | ||
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✓ | Varies by payment method | $1 | ✗ | ✗ | ||
| Broker | Demo Account |
Minimum Deposit |
Minimum Trade |
Education Rating |
Support Rating |
Fractional Shares |
Demo Competitions |
Comparison for Advanced Traders
Compare how suitable the Best Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Regulated Brokers 2026 are for advanced or professional traders.
| Broker | Automated Trading |
VPS |
API |
AI |
Pro Account |
Leverage |
Low Latency |
Extended Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Capitalise.ai, TWS API | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | 1:50 (major forex pairs), 1:2-1:4 (equities) | ✓ | ✓ |
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NinjaScript or via Automated Trading Interface | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | $50 intraday margins for Micro contracts and $500 for popular E-mini contracts | ✓ | ✗ |
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✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | Variable | ✓ | ✗ |
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Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | 1:50 | ✓ | ✗ |
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DCA Auto-Staking | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Broker | Automated Trading |
VPS |
API |
AI |
Pro Account |
Leverage |
Low Latency |
Extended Hours |
Accounts Comparison
Compare the trading accounts offered by Best Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Regulated Brokers 2026.
| Broker | Demo Account |
Interest on Cash |
Islamic Account |
Joint Account |
Managed Account |
PAMM |
MAM |
LAMM |
Pro Account |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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✓ | USD: 3.14%, GBP: 3.24% | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
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✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
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✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
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✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
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✓ | USD: 5% | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| 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 Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Regulated Brokers 2026 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 Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Regulated Brokers 2026.
| Broker | Cost Rating |
Fixed Spreads |
Inactivity Fee |
EUR/USD Spread |
Crypto Spread |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
✗ | $0 | 0.08-0.20 bps x trade value | 0.12%-0.18% | |
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✗ | $35 | 1.3 | Floating | |
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✗ | $0 | 0.75 | ✗ | |
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✗ | $15 | 1.2 | BTC 1.4%, ETH 2% | |
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✗ | $5 | ✗ | 0.075% (spot), 0.034% (derivatives) | |
| Broker | Cost Rating |
Fixed Spreads |
Inactivity Fee |
EUR/USD Spread |
Crypto Spread |
Broker Popularity
See how popular the Best Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Regulated Brokers 2026 are in terms of number of clients.
| Broker | Popularity |
|---|---|
| Crypto.com |
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| Plus500US |
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| Interactive Brokers |
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| NinjaTrader |
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| FOREX.com |
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Why Trade With Interactive Brokers?
Interactive Brokers is ideal for seasoned traders due to its robust charting platforms, updated data, and adaptability, especially with the IBKR Desktop application. Its exceptional pricing and advanced order features appeal to traders, and its variety of stocks remains unmatched in the market.
Pros
- There's a large selection of free or paid research subscriptions available to all traders. If you subscribe to Toggle AI, you will also receive commission refunds from IBKR.
- The TWS platform is designed for intermediate to advanced traders. It includes over 100 order types and a dependable real-time market data feed that rarely experiences downtime.
- The new IBKR Desktop platform combines the advantages of TWS and adds unique tools like Option Lattice and Screeners with MultiSort to make trading accessible and impressive for traders of all levels.
Cons
- In 2025, IBKR was fined $11.8 million by the US OFAC for offering services in restricted areas. It also faced a $125,000 fine from FINRA in 2025 for failing to disclose municipal bond information.
- IBKR offers many research tools. However, the tools are not uniformly distributed across trading platforms and the web-based 'Account Management' page, causing confusion for the users.
- Customer service may take time to respond, and there may be delays in fixing problems based on tests. It could be difficult to reach the customer service promptly.
Why Trade With NinjaTrader?
NinjaTrader consistently satisfies active futures traders with its low-cost service and high-quality analysis tools. It offers superior charting features, including hundreds of indicators and over 10 chart types.
Pros
- Nano contracts, which are one-hundredth the size of standard contracts, let traders adjust positions precisely and manage risks on a smaller scale. This is beneficial for those who build positions gradually.
- The market replay feature lets you download tick-by-tick historical data, go back to any date, and interact with it as if trading live. It's useful for strategy testing and real-world practice.
's ecosystem offers traders access to thousands of add-ons and applications from developers in over 150 countries. These include indicators, strategies, and custom tools that extend the platform's native features.
Cons
- NinjaTrader was fined $250,000 in 2025 for not implementing a sufficient anti-money laundering program and for supervisory failures.
- Traders who need fundamental data research must find other sources, as the platform mainly focuses on technical analysis and lacks information on company or macro fundamentals.
- NinjaTrader was bought by Kraken in May 2025. Although it still operates independently, traders concerned about long-term stability may worry about changes in the platform's direction and pricing under new ownership.
Why Trade With Plus500US?
Plus500US is a great option for beginners with its easy-to-use platform and access to the Futures Academy to improve trading skills. It received second place in DayTrading.com's 'Best US Broker' award for its strong tools and dependable service.
Pros
- Plus500US stands out for its low fees, competitive trading margins, and no charges for inactivity, live data, routing, or platform use.
- Plus500 is a reputable publicly traded company with over 24 million traders and sponsors the Chicago Bulls.
- The Futures Academy is a useful resource for beginner traders due to its captivating videos and simple articles. Its unrestricted demo account is also beneficial for practicing trading strategies.
Cons
- Plus500US is expanding its investment options, but it currently only offers around 50+ futures and no stocks.
- Plus500US lacks social trading features, unlike competitors such as eToro US, which might enhance its appeal to aspiring traders.
- The private trading platform is easy to use, but doesn't have the advanced analysis tools that platforms like MetaTrader 4 do.
Why Trade With FOREX.com?
FOREX.com is a top-tier brokerage suitable for forex traders of all skill levels. It offers more than 80 currency pairs, has small spreads starting from 0.0 pips, and features low fees. The platform provides powerful charting tools that include over 100 technical indicators and multiple research aids.
Pros
- FOREX.com has over 20 years of experience with strong regulatory oversight, and has received multiple awards, including second place in our 'Best Forex Broker' awards. As such, FOREX.com is globally reputed as a reliable trading brokerage.
- The in-house Web Trader is a top platform for new traders, featuring a sleek design and over 80 technical indicators for market analysis.
- Numerous educational materials such as tutorials, webinars, and a comprehensive YouTube channel are available to assist you in learning about the financial markets.
Cons
- FOREX.com, part of GAIN Capital Group LLC, paid a $700,000 fine to the NFA for mismanaging client accounts.
- US clients do not have negative balance protection, so you can potentially owe more than your original account deposit.
- Demo accounts have a limited time duration of 90 days, which may not be sufficient for thoroughly testing trading strategies.
Why Trade With Crypto.com?
Crypto.com is ideal for new crypto traders looking to buy, sell, and trade over 400 digital tokens. Its strike options and prediction markets cover financial, economic, election, sport, and cultural events. As a CFTC-regulated platform, it provides a secure choice for US traders interested in binary-style contracts using an easy-to-use app.
Pros
- The Crypto.com Exchange platform provides advanced bots like Dollar Cost Averaging (DCA), Time-Weighted Average Price (TWAP), and Grid Trading bots. Traders can automate strategies, including leveraged perpetual trades, reducing manual work and slippage.
- Crypto.com now offers more than 9,000 stocks and ETFs in some regions, allowing traders to create diverse portfolios across various sectors.
- Crypto.com uses a cold wallet system with multi-signature technology and geographic distribution to improve security. This method ensures strong protection of user assets with secure offline storage.
Cons
- Customer support mainly uses chatbots and email, with limited reliable phone support from our testing. This may cause delays in solving urgent issues like account access or transaction problems, which can be frustrating for crypto traders needing quick help.
- Fees apply to crypto and fiat withdrawals, which can be significant for active traders making smaller transfers. The minimum withdrawal limits are also high, limiting flexibility in managing smaller portfolios or immediate liquidity needs.
- The app has high bid-ask spreads on many coins, which can be expensive for traders using market orders. Wide spreads mean the buying price is significantly higher than the selling price, reducing profits, especially in low-volume trades.
Filters
How We Chose The Top CFTC-Regulated Brokers
Our selection process comprises three things:
- We first check the regulatory position of every brokerage in our evolving database. This includes verifying that each firm claiming CFTC approval on their website is included on the National Futures Association (NFA) online database. This is known as the Background Affiliation Status Information Center (or BASIC for short).
- We also re-check each broker’s regulatory status on a regular basis, given that licenses can be revoked or suspended in the case of misconduct. We also ascertain if the regulator has launched any investigations into the firm, and whether any sanctions have been placed on the business.
- We then rank CFTC-regulated brokerages based not just on their regulatory status, but also other factors like the quality of their trading platform; the fees and charges customers can expect; and the range of financial securities they offer. This blends real-world testing with hundreds of data points we collect for each broker.
What Is The CFTC?
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) is a federal agency established more than 50 years ago under the Commodity Futures Trading Commission Act of 1974.
The CFTC’s role is “to promote the integrity, resilience, and vibrancy of the US derivatives markets through sound regulation.” Its authority is chiefly derived from the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA), passed in 1936 and whose scope has been expanded by subsequent acts passed by Congress.
This legislation gives the CFTC the power to regulate, oversee and enforce derivatives products including:
- Futures contracts.
- Options contracts.
- Swap contracts.
The CFTC regulates and oversees a wide range of entities including brokers, swap dealers, futures commission merchants and commodity pool operators.
Pro tip: As well as regulating commodity-linked derivatives, the CFTC oversees products linked to:
- Currencies.
- Stocks.
- Interest rates.
- Government bonds.
- Share indices.
The CFTC also supervises leveraged spot forex trading. This involves a trader buying and selling currencies using borrowed funds provided by their brokerage.
Under BrokerListings.com’s Regulator Rating System, the CFTC has attained Category A status. As a result, individuals using a CFTC-approved brokerage can expect excellent levels of service. They can also have confidence in the broader integrity, robustness and transparency of US derivative markets more generally.
What Powers Does The CFTC Have?
The CFTC has sweeping powers when it comes to regulating and overseeing entities, and, where necessary, bringing enforcement proceedings against brokerages and individuals that have breached derivatives market rules.
It can impose a range of administrative sanctions without having to pursue a full criminal court process. These include:
- Imposing monetary penalties.
- Applying trading restrictions, like banning a firm from offering certain products.
- Prohibiting individuals or companies from operating in derivatives markets.
- Issuing orders to cease and desist from committing further violations.
- Demanding the payment of compensation from affected individuals.
The CFTC will also seek action through Federal courts if it determines stronger action is required. In these cases, it can request measures including the freezing of assets, preservation of documents, injunctions to halt further misconduct, the appointment of a receiver, and civil financial penalties.
CFTC Actions Against Brokers
In September 2025, the CFTC issued an order filing and settling charges against Shinhan Securities, and ordered it to pay a $212,500 civil monetary penalty. It found the South Korean broker had engaged in 127 ‘wash trades’ between March 2023 and February 2024, in which buy and sell orders for the same futures contracts were executed simultaneously, thus leaving no change in the trader’s market position. Wash trades are typically done to inflate a security’s trading volumes and to manipulate prices.
Also in September 2025, the regulator imposed a $1.5 million civil monetary penalty on Citigroup for failing to submit accurate large trader reports between 2015 and 2023. It found the broker had also failed to maintain reliable regulatory record and establish an adequate supervisory system.
The CFTC played a key role between 2023 and 2024 in the investigation and eventual prosecution of Binance for a range of offences, including operating an unregistered derivatives platform and helping customers bypass compliance rules.
The cryptocurrency exchange – along with key figures – was ordered to pay billions of dollars in fines and compensation, which included:
- A $1.35 billion penalty from Binance to the CFTC.
- A $1.35 billion payment from Binance to the CFTC to cover the disgorgement of illegally obtained transaction fees.
- A $150 million penalty from former Binance chief executive officer Changpeng Zhao to the CFTC.
The CFTC also charged BitMEX for illegally operating a cryptocurrency derivatives trading platform in October 2020 and for contravening anti-money laundering (AML) rules. The company pleaded guilty in court and was ordered to pay a $100 million fine.
In addition, its founders Arthur Hayes, Benjamin Delo, and Samuel Reed were barred from operating a trading platform in the future and each hit with a $10 million fine.
What Rules Must A CFTC Broker Follow?
Brokerages must adhere to the CEA alongside CFTC regulations intended to protect customers, ensure market integrity, and prevent fraud and money laundering.
Key obligations include:
- Seeking the best possible trading result for the client.
- Ascertaining the customer’s financial circumstances, investing objectives and risk tolerance before providing advice or making product recommendations.
- Making sure that fees and charges are clearly stated.
- Following Know Your Customer (KYC) and AML requirements.
- Avoiding potentially deceptive and misleading information in any marketing or promotional material.
- Ensuring that product communications are balanced and clearly state the risk of losses.
- Creating procedures to avoid potential conflicts of interest between the client and broker, or between customers.
- Segregating customers’ funds from those of the company.
- Keeping comprehensive records of transactions and client accounts.
- Establishing robust risk management procedures and supervising employees’ conduct.
- Maintaining sufficient capital reserves.
Some CFTC approved brokers may also be signed up to the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC). It ensures that victims of fraud and customers of bankrupt financial services companies can claw back their lost capital.
The SIPC compensation limit is set at $500,000, including a $250,000 cap for cash holdings.
How Can I Check That The Brokerage Is CFTC Approved?
In our online age, checking a broker’s regulatory status is quick and simple to complete.
The CFTC doesn’t maintain a database of approved companies itself. Instead, it directs individuals to check a brokerage’s regulatory status through the website of the National Futures Association (NFA). Here you’ll find the NFA’s Background Affiliation Status Information Center, better known as BASIC.
Pro tip: It’s also possible to check a firm’s status by calling the NFA’s Information Center toll-free on 800-621-3570. I can email the organization at information@nfa.futures.org as well.
Let’s say I want to check the regulatory status of Ninjatrader using the BASIC tool. I’ll make sure the ‘Firm’ tab is selected, type in the name of the company and then click ‘Search.’
Source: NFA
My search brings up six different results, including ‘Ninjatrader’ with the NFA ID of 0309379. This registration number corresponds with that provided on the Ninjatrader.com website.
Source: NFA
Clicking on the entry provides additional information on Ninjatrader, including the company’s:
- Type of registration (‘Futures Commission Agent’).
- Address.
- Telephone number.
- Regulatory history.
- Net capital.
- Details on regulatory actions.
Pro tip: The CFTC also maintains an online database of enforcement actions individuals can use to check if the broker they’re considering has been hit by sanctions at any point.
Source: NFA
Bottom Line
The CFTC helps ensure derivatives markets in the US operate efficiently and securely. Under the regulator’s supervision, customers can also expect high levels of protection from bad business practices and fraud. Individuals and brokers that fall short of its requirements can be subject to strict administrative sanctions and/or legal action through the courts.
It’s critical to ensure the brokerage you’re considering is CFTC approved. This can be quickly checked via the NFA website, or by calling or e-mailing its Information Center. Never hand over any funds or personal data before completing this important check.
Pro tip for US traders:
- You may also want a broker with a USD account for a seamless trading experience.
- Check out our list of best brokers for US traders, catered specifically to residents of the United States.