ECN refers to an electronic trading platform that automatically matches long and short orders. In the Foreign Exchange market, an ECN acts as an electronic bridge connecting tier-1 liquidity providers with retail traders. This process takes place through an ECN Forex broker. The liquidity providers in ECN Forex trading include central banks, retail and investment banks, investment firms, market makers, and both retail and institutional Forex traders. The main advantages of trading with an ECN Forex broker are (i) tight spreads and (ii) fast order execution without price manipulation.
Compare Online Brokers and Review Their Trading Terms - Online Brokers Comparison
Here are some Forex brokers offering segregated client bank accounts. All of the following companies have been operating in the market for at least five years.
Table: Compare Online Forex Brokers
CFD BROKER
SAFETY OF FUNDS
TRADING TERMS
PLATFORMS / ASSETS
ACCOUNT INFO
BROKER'S INFO
■ ROBOFOREX
US TRADERS: NO
ISLAMIC ACCOUNTS: YES
EXECUTION: ECN/STP
REGULATION:
- FSC 000138/7
ACCOUNT SEGREGATION:
- YES
CORPORATE INFO:
The broker was founded in 2009 and it is based in Belize
CUSTOMER SUPPORT:
- English
- Arabic
- Russian
- Portuguese
- Spanish
- Kazakh
- Malay
- Czech
SPREADS
EURUSD: 1.3
GBPUSD: 1.4
USDJPY: 1.4
COMMISSIONS:
No
SCALPING: YES
AUTOMATED TRADING: YES
SLIPPAGE: 0.3 pip
PLATFORMS:
- MetaTrader-4, MetaTrader-5, MT4 for iPhone and Android
- R StocksTrader
- WebTrader
PAMM: NO
DEMO: YES
FREE VPS: YES
RoboForex welcomes scalpers and algorithmic traders
ASSETS:
35+ Forex currency Pairs
Stocks and stock-indices
Precious Metals
Energy Assets
Soft Commodities
MIN. DEPOSIT:
$10
DEPOSIT FUNDS:
- Credit Cards
- Bank Wire
- Skrill
- Neteller
- UnionPay
- Western Union
- PerfectMoney
TRADING PROMOTIONS:
- Cash Bonus
- Trading Rebates
KEY POINTS
- Fast and low-cost trading
- Free VPS
- PAMM Accounts
► Open a Real/Demo account with RoboForex
■ FXDD
US TRADERS: NO
ISLAMIC ACCOUNTS: YES
EXECUTION: ECN/STP
REGULATION:
- MFSA (Malta)
- FSC (Mauritius)
ACCOUNT SEGREGATION:
- YES
CORPORATE INFO:
The broker was founded in 2002 and it is based in Mauritious and Malta (EU)
CUSTOMER SUPPORT:
- English
- Arabic
- Russian
- Portuguese
- Spanish
- German
- French
- Japanese
SPREADS
EURUSD: 0.3
GBPUSD: 0.7
USDJPY: 0.5
COMMISSIONS:
$7.0 / lot
SCALPING: YES
AUTOMATED TRADING: YES
SLIPPAGE: (N/A)
PLATFORMS:
- MetaTrader-4
- MetaTrader-5
- WebTrader
PAMM: YES
DEMO: YES
FREE VPS: NO
Welcomes scalpers and algorithmic traders
ASSETS:
65 Forex currency Pairs
Stocks and indices
Precious Metals
Energy Assets
Soft Commodities
Cryptocurrencies
MIN. DEPOSIT:
$100
DEPOSIT FUNDS:
- Credit Cards
- Bank Wire
- Neteller
- UnionPay
TRADING PROMOTIONS:
- TradingCentral Analysis
- Market Reports
KEY POINTS
- Modern ECN Trading
- PAMM Accounts
- TradingCentral Analysis
► FXDD Real Account Registration
Review Broker:
■ TITANFX
US TRADERS: NO
ISLAMIC ACCOUNTS: NO
EXECUTION: ECN/STP
REGULATION:
- FSC Vanuatu (40313)
ACCOUNT SEGREGATION:
- YES
CORPORATE INFO:
The broker was founded in 2014 and it is based in Vanuatu
CUSTOMER SUPPORT:
- English
- Japanese
SPREADS
EURUSD: 0.2
GBPUSD: 0.57
USDJPY: 0.33
COMMISSIONS:
$7.0 per full traded lot
SCALPING: YES
AUTOMATED TRADING: YES
SLIPPAGE: (N/A)
PLATFORMS:
- MetaTrader-4
- MetaTrader-5
- WebTrader
PAMM: NO
DEMO: YES (Including Competition)
FREE VPS: YES
Welcomes scalpers and algorithmic traders
ASSETS:
60+ Forex currency Pairs
Stocks and indices
Precious Metals
Energy Assets
Soft Commodities
Cryptocurrencies
MIN. DEPOSIT:
$200
DEPOSIT FUNDS:
- Credit Cards
- Bank Wire
- Skrill
- Neteller
- UnionPay
TRADING PROMOTIONS:
- Free VPS
- Demo Competition with Cash Prizes
KEY POINTS
- ECN executions and tight spreads
- Free VPS
- Demo Account Competition
Review Broker:
■ IC MARKETS
US TRADERS: NO
ISLAMIC ACCOUNTS: YES
EXECUTION: CFD Provider
Note:
IC Markets will not allow European Traders and traders from Brazil.
REGULATION:
- FSA (Seychelles)
ACCOUNT SEGREGATION:
- YES
CORPORATE INFO:
The broker was founded in 2007 and it is based in Seychelles.
CUSTOMER SUPPORT:
- Chinese
- English
- French
- German
- Italian
- Japanese
- Spanish
SPREADS
EURUSD: 0.0
GBPUSD: 0.0
COMMISSIONS:
$7.0 / lot
SCALPING: YES
AUTOMATED TRADING: YES
SLIPPAGE: 0.8 pip
PLATFORMS:
- MetaTrader-4, MetaTrader-5, MT4 for iPhone and Android,
- cTrader, Mobile cTrader, cAlgo
- WebTrader
PAMM: NO
DEMO: YES
FREE VPS: YES (100 round turn lots per calendar month are required)
ASSETS:
- 61 currency pairs
- 4 major metals
- Equities (12 index CFDs)
- Energies (Brent and WTI)
MIN. DEPOSIT:
$200 for the MT4 account and cTrader accounts
FUND METHODS:
- Bank Wire
- Credit Card
- Skrill
- Webmoney
- Neteller
TRADING PROMOTIONS:
- Trading Rebates
KEY POINTS
- Not for European Traders
- Tight Spreads
- cTrader and cAlgo plus MT4
- Low latency
► Register a Real/Demo Account
Note:
IC Markets will not allow European Traders and traders from Brazil.
The Basic Features of the Electronic Communication Network (ECN)
An ECN (Electronic Communication Network) serves as a centralized electronic marketplace where a wide range of participants—from large banks to individual traders—can trade currencies directly and anonymously. It provides greater transparency, deeper liquidity, and often lower trading costs compared to traditional market maker or dealing desk models, making it especially beneficial for active and high-volume traders.
- The ECN network is designed to collect, display, and execute trading orders automatically without any intervention
- Trading via an ECN provides tight spreads, fast order execution, and full anonymity.
These key points distinguish ECN trading from other methods:
(1) Variable Spreads
Spreads between the ask and bid prices on an ECN are variable and fluctuate with market volatility, which often changes during news releases or significant economic and political events. Only brokers acting as Market Makers (Dealing Desk) offer fixed spreads. However, fixed spreads often result in high re-quotes during periods of increased volatility, negating their advantage. True ECN brokers offer variable spreads and do not charge re-quotes.
(2) Anonymity of Trading
Trading on an ECN is anonymous, meaning all participants trade under the same conditions with neutral prices, regardless of their trading volume or account size. This creates a reliable and fair environment, benefiting retail traders.
(3) Huge Liquidity
Since Forex trading through ECNs involves participants worldwide, even large players like investment banks find it difficult to manipulate the market. The vast liquidity ensures that orders are fulfilled, even in challenging market conditions. Exceptions occur rarely, often after weekends, which is why professional traders avoid holding positions after Friday’s close.
(4) Volume Activity Can’t Be Measured Precisely
Because ECN transactions are not cleared through a central system, there is no consolidated volume data available.
(5) Time Zones and GMT
Forex traders operate across different time zones, causing some confusion about market opening and closing times. To avoid this, many traders use Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) on their charts.
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