Best CFD Broker
Australia 2026
Every broker below holds a current ASIC licence. We compared raw spreads, real fees, leverage caps and safety so you can pick the right one for how you trade.
Best CFD Broker Australia: Who Wins, For Whom
There is no single best CFD broker. There is a best broker for your style. Here is who wins each category, then the full table below.
AvaTrade
ASIC licence 406684, A$100 minimum deposit, negative balance protection and the strongest welcome offer for Australian clients. The editor's choice for traders who want one account that covers everything.
IC Markets
Raw spreads from 0.0 pips on the Raw account and 2,250+ instruments. The lowest all-in cost for active traders who pay commission per lot.
Pepperstone
4.9/5 for fees, raw spreads from 0.0 pips, ASIC licence 414530 and a strong safety score. The pick when you want tight pricing and a broker you can trust with real money.
XM
A$5 to open, ASIC licence 443670, MT4 and MT5. The cheapest way to test CFD trading with a regulated broker before committing serious capital.
IG
17,000+ instruments, ASIC licence 515106 and a 4.9/5 safety score. The deepest markets on this list, for traders who trade everything, not just FX.
All ASIC-Regulated CFD Brokers
Ranked by overall score. Every broker holds a current Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL).
| Broker | Min Deposit | Spreads From | Instruments | Max Leverage | Score | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $200 | 0.0 pips | 2,250+ | Up to 500:1 | 4.6/5 | Visit → | |
| $0 | 0.0 pips | 1,200+ | Up to 500:1 | 4.5/5 | Visit → | |
| $2,000 | 0.4 pips | 71,000+ | Up to 30:1 (EU) | 4.5/5 | Visit → | |
| $250 | 0.6 pips | 17,000+ | Up to 30:1 (EU) | 4.4/5 | Visit → | |
| $0 | 0.0 pips | 220+ | Up to 500:1 | 4.3/5 | Visit → | |
| $100 | 0.0 pips | 8,000+ | Up to 500:1 | 4.3/5 | Visit → | |
AvaTradeRecommended | $100 | 0.9 pips | 1,250+ | Up to 400:1 | 4.2/5 | Visit → |
| £100 | 0.5 pips | 13,500+ | Up to 30:1 (EU) | 4.2/5 | Visit → | |
| $50 | 0.0 pips | 1,000+ | Up to 500:1 | 4.2/5 | Visit → | |
| $0 | 0.1 pips | 150+ markets | Margin-based | 4.2/5 | Visit → | |
| $200 | 0.0 pips | 1,000+ | Up to 500:1 | 4.1/5 | Visit → | |
| $100 | 0.0 pips | 800+ | Up to 500:1 | 4.1/5 | Visit → | |
| $20 | 0.6 pips | 5,500+ | Up to 1:30 (retail) | 4.1/5 | Visit → | |
| $50 | 1.0 pips | 3,000+ | Up to 30:1 (EU) | 4/5 | Visit → | |
| $100 | 0.6 pips | 2,800+ | Up to 30:1 (EU) | 4/5 | Visit → | |
XMRecommended | $5 | 0.6 pips | 1,000+ | Up to 1000:1 | 4/5 | Visit → |
| $0 | 0.7 pips | 12,000+ | Up to 30:1 (UK retail) | 4/5 | Visit → | |
| $25 | 0.7 pips | 200+ | Up to 400:1 | 3.9/5 | Visit → |
Leverage shown is each broker's global maximum. ASIC caps Australian retail clients at 30:1 on FX majors, 20:1 on indices and gold, 10:1 on other commodities, 5:1 on shares and 2:1 on crypto CFDs, regardless of the number a broker advertises. All 18 brokers above are ASIC-regulated; 7 advertise raw spreads from 0.0 pips. Verify any licence number on ASIC Connect.
How ASIC Regulates CFD Brokers
ASIC is one of the strictest regulators for retail CFD trading. Here is what every broker above must do for you.
30:1 leverage cap on FX majors
Retail leverage is capped at 30:1 on major pairs like AUD/USD and EUR/USD, 20:1 on minor pairs, indices and gold, 10:1 on other commodities, 5:1 on shares and 2:1 on crypto CFDs. Wholesale clients can access more, but the cap applies to everyone else no matter what the broker's website says.
Negative balance protection
Retail clients cannot lose more than their account balance. If markets gap through your stop during a central bank announcement, the broker absorbs the deficit. Your liability stops at what you deposited.
Segregated client funds
Client money must sit in segregated trust accounts at Australian Authorised Deposit-taking Institutions (ADIs) such as CBA, ANZ, Westpac and NAB. The broker cannot use your deposits to fund its own operations.
AFCA dispute resolution
Every ASIC-licensed broker must be a member of the Australian Financial Complaints Authority. If the broker cannot resolve your complaint, you can escalate it to AFCA for free, independent adjudication.
Verify any broker's licence at connectonline.asic.gov.au before depositing. See how forex and CFD regulation works in Australia for the full picture.
What Separates a Good CFD Broker
Four things we check before a broker makes this list. The headline spread is not the bill.
Total cost over headline cost
Raw spreads from 0.0 pips sound free. The real bill is spread plus commission per lot, swap charged daily on positions held overnight, and any inactivity fee. Add them up at your trading volume before choosing. Compare the two tightest spreaders side by side to see how this works.
Execution quality
A tight spread means nothing if orders slip at news time. ECN and STP brokers pass orders to liquidity providers; market makers take the other side of your trade. Check the execution model and the requote policy before you deposit.
Platform fit
MT4, MT5, cTrader and TradingView cover most traders. Test the platform on a demo account first, because the chart you analyse on is the chart you trade on. A broker that only offers a clunky proprietary platform should justify why.
Support when markets move
Australian trading hours matter. Check whether support is staffed during Sydney and Melbourne sessions, not just London and New York. A weekend margin call with no one answering is a real cost.
CFD Broker Australia: Your Questions
Straight answers on legality, leverage, costs and safety for Australian CFD traders.
Which broker is best for CFD trading in Australia?
For active traders who want the lowest cost, IC Markets and Pepperstone lead with raw spreads from 0.0 pips and commission-based pricing. For beginners, AvaTrade is the strongest pick: ASIC regulated (licence 406684), A$100 minimum deposit, negative balance protection and the best welcome offer for Australian clients. There is no single best broker - the right one depends on how often you trade and what you trade.
Is CFD trading legal in Australia?
Yes. CFD trading is legal and regulated by ASIC. Every broker serving Australian retail clients must hold an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL). You can verify a broker's licence on ASIC Connect (connectonline.asic.gov.au) before depositing. The main restriction is leverage: ASIC caps retail clients at 30:1 on major FX pairs.
What leverage can I get on CFDs in Australia?
ASIC caps retail leverage at 30:1 on major currency pairs (AUD/USD, EUR/USD), 20:1 on minor pairs, equity indices and gold, 10:1 on other commodities, 5:1 on shares, and 2:1 on crypto CFDs. Traders who qualify as wholesale clients can access higher leverage, up to the broker's global maximum. See our full breakdown of the ASIC leverage rules for the exact numbers.
Do Australian CFD brokers offer negative balance protection?
Yes. ASIC requires negative balance protection on every retail CFD account. You cannot lose more than the funds in your account. If a sharp move pushes your balance below zero, the broker absorbs the difference. This applies to every broker in the comparison table above.
What is the cheapest CFD broker in Australia?
For active traders, IC Markets and Pepperstone are the cheapest all-in: raw spreads from 0.0 pips plus a commission per lot. For casual traders, AvaTrade and XM keep costs low without commissions. The headline spread is not the bill - check commissions, swap rates and inactivity fees at your trading volume before you commit.
Can I trade CFDs in AUD with an Australian broker?
Yes. Most ASIC-regulated brokers offer AUD-denominated accounts. Trading in AUD avoids currency conversion fees on every deposit and withdrawal. Some brokers also support local payment methods like POLi and BPAY.
Are offshore CFD brokers safe for Australian traders?
Offshore (Tier 3) brokers operate outside ASIC's jurisdiction. They are not required to provide negative balance protection, hold client funds with Australian ADIs, or offer AFCA dispute resolution. That does not automatically make them scams, but the protections are weaker. If a broker claims to serve Australians, verify the AFSL on ASIC Connect first.
What is the minimum deposit to start CFD trading in Australia?
It ranges from A$5 at XM to A$2,000 at Saxo Bank. Most brokers in this comparison sit between A$100 and A$250: AvaTrade from A$100, Pepperstone from A$0, IC Markets from A$200, IG from A$250. Start with money you can afford to lose, not the minimum the broker advertises.
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Want the geo view? See the best forex brokers for Australian traders or the best brokers for beginners.