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The comparison reads the same evidence fields used by broker profiles, so users can scan scores, regulation, costs, platforms, withdrawals, and caveats side by side.
Broker 1
Broker 2
| VS field |  |  |
|---|---|---|
Decision summary | ||
| Overall score | 78 | 91 |
| Trust score | 82 | 100 |
| Cost score | 78 | 92 |
| Platform score | 82 | 94 |
| Withdrawal score | 89 | 89 |
| Best for | US forex traders who prioritize CFTC/NFA-regulated access · Active FX traders comparing spread-only vs RAW pricing · Traders who want web/mobile, TradingView, MT4/MT5, and advance… | Best suited for U.S.-centric investors and active traders who want a large, bank-affiliated multi-asset brokerage with $0 online listed stock/ETF commissions, strong platform dept… |
| Watch out | Users needing guaranteed negative-balance protection on US forex accounts · Users needing a single global fee/protection profile without jurisdiction differences · Investors seeki… | Needs verification |
Trust & regulation | ||
| Regulators | US: CFTC and NFA; global regulation page lists Canada CIRO, Cyprus CySEC, USA NFA/CFTC, Cayman CIMA, UK FCA/CMA, Japan FSA, Singapore MAS, Australia ASIC. Source | SEC; FINRA; SIPC; CFTC; NFA; FDIC Source |
| License numbers | NFA #0339826; Cayman Islands Monetary Authority license number 25033. Other regional license numbers not collected from official pages in this pass. Source | Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. CRD 5393; SEC 801-29938 and 8-16514 Source |
| Regulated entities | GAIN Capital Group LLC (US); GAIN Global Markets Inc. (Cayman/ROW); StoneX Financial Inc. for exchange-based futures/options services referenced by US site. Source | Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.; Charles Schwab Futures and Forex LLC; Charles Schwab Bank, SSB; Charles Schwab Premier Bank, SSB Source |
| Negative balance protection | US FAQ does not provide guaranteed negative-balance protection; customers risk losses greater than balance and FOREX.com reserves rights for large debit balances/special circumstances. Source | Not disclosed as retail brokerage negative balance protection; futures/forex are leveraged and losses may exceed initial investment. Source |
| Investor compensation | No direct official evidence found for investor compensation for FOREX.com retail forex accounts in reviewed US/ROW pages; futures/options entity SFI footer references SIPC but scope requires review. Source | SIPC protection up to $500,000 including a $250,000 cash limit for brokerage account assets; futures accounts are not protected by SIPC. Source |
| Restricted countries | Not found in the official pages reviewed; country availability is regional and requires manual review. Source | Not all products, services, or investments are available in all countries; Schwab is not registered outside the United States and products/services may not be registered in a user's jurisdiction. Source |
Costs & account conditions | ||
| Minimum deposit | US: $100 minimum per transaction for bank transfer or debit card; wire transfers have no minimum; FOREX.com recommends $2,500. Source | $0 minimum for standard U.S. brokerage and IRA accounts; Schwab One International accounts require a minimum deposit but amount is not disclosed in checked official pages. Source |
| Spread from | US: Spread-Only EUR/USD as low as 1.2; RAW major FX as low as 0.0. ROW page showed EUR/USD as low as 1.0, so regional differences need review. Source | Not applicable to this stock/ETF investment broker profile; no CFD/FX spread schedule identified as a core product in reviewed sources. Source |
| Commission | US Spread-Only: no commission; US RAW Pricing: $7 USD per $100k USD traded per side. Non-US pages show $5 per $100k for some regions. Source | stock_commission: $0 online commission for listed stocks and ETFs; OTC equities $6.95; broker-assisted service charge $25; etf_commission: $0 online commission for listed U.S.-exchange ETFs; options_commission: $0 online base commission plus $0.65 per options contract; futures_commission: $2.25 per contract, per side, for futures and futures options; exchange, regulatory, overnight, NFA, and market-data fees may apply; mutual_fund_commission: $0 on thousands of Schwab Mutual Fund OneSource funds; all other mutual funds up to $74.95 per purchase; bond_commission: New-issue bonds/CDs: $0 online/selling concession included; Treasuries online $0; most other secondary bonds $1 per bond with $10 minimum and $250 maximum; forex_commission: $0 commission; forex trade costs are reflected in the bid/ask spread Source |
| Maximum leverage | US default leverage setting is 50:1; MT4 can be reduced to 20:1 or 10:1. Regional maximums vary. Source | Not disclosed as a single broker-level maximum; leverage/margin depends on product, account approval, and regulatory/product requirements. Source |
| Deposit fee | FOREX.com does not charge ACH, incoming wire, or incoming card deposit fees; third-party bank/card fees may apply. Source | $0 for funds entering a standard brokerage account; banking deposit services generally no monthly/account minimum fees, but certain services can have fees Source |
| Withdrawal fee | US: no fee for bank transfer or debit card withdrawals; wire withdrawals $25 US / $40 international including Canada, waived for withdrawals over $10,000; bank/intermediary fees may apply. Source | No fee for routine withdrawals from standard brokerage per FAQ; full outbound ACAT $50 and outgoing wire $25; Schwab Bank Investor Checking has unlimited ATM fee rebates for cash withdrawals worldwide, subject to conditions. Source |
| Inactivity fee | $15/month inactivity fee after 12 months with no trading activity. Source | $0 annual maintenance/inactivity fee for standard brokerage accounts Source |
Markets, platforms & payments | ||
| Tradable assets | US site emphasizes forex plus futures/futures options and wealth management links; global site advertises 80+ FX pairs, stock CFDs, indices, commodities, crude oil, gold/silver, and cryptocurrency trading. Availability is jurisdiction-specific. Source | Stocks; fractional shares; ETFs; mutual funds; bonds/CDs/fixed income; money market funds; options; futures; futures options; forex; international stocks/ADRs/foreign ordinaries; cash products; annuities; alternatives; crypto ETPs/securities/futures. Source |
| Trading platforms | FOREX.com offers web/mobile platforms, TradingView integration, MetaTrader 4/5, plus NinjaTrader and API trading links on the US site. Source | Schwab.com; Schwab Mobile; thinkorswim desktop; thinkorswim web; thinkorswim mobile; paperMoney Source |
| Account types | US account pages show Spread-Only, RAW Pricing, MetaTrader/MT5, MT4, Corporate and Joint accounts; IRA appears in account navigation/help. Source | Individual Brokerage; Joint Brokerage; Schwab One Brokerage; Investor Checking-linked brokerage; Futures Account; Global Account; IRAs; custodial, education, trust, estate, organization, and business retirement accounts; Schwab Intelligent Portfolios. Source |
| Deposit methods | US funding methods: ACH bank transfer, wire transfer, debit card (Visa/MasterCard). Source | ACH/electronic transfer/MoneyLink; wire transfer; check/mail check; Schwab Mobile Deposit for checking; direct deposit for checking; account transfer/ACAT; branch/in-person deposit where available. Source |
| Withdrawal methods | Withdrawals must return deposited funds to originating source; excess funds may be withdrawn by bank transfer or wire transfer. Source | Transfer to linked bank/checking; wire transfer; check; ATM/debit card for Schwab Bank Investor Checking; ACAT outbound account transfer. Source |
| Withdrawal processing time | US withdrawals: bank transfer up to 48 hours; debit card typically immediate by FOREX.com but receiving bank up to 48 business hours; wires up to 2 business days US / 5 business days international. Source | Cash moved from brokerage to linked Investor Checking is generally available in seconds, but weekend/after-hours transfers may not be available until the next business day; other withdrawal methods vary/not fully disclosed on checked pages. Source |
BrokerVS provides broker comparison research only. Scores and evidence can vary by country, account type, and legal entity; users should verify source links before opening an account.