Focus Markets

This detailed review examines the platforms, fees, and regulatory protections to determine if Focus Markets is a good broker. Our independent analysis provides a clear, objective breakdown to help you make an informed trading decision.

Is Focus Markets Legit and Safe?

Focus Markets is a legitimate and safe broker regulated by Australia's top-tier ASIC, though its offshore entities offer significantly fewer investor protections.

What Is Focus Markets? Company Background

Focus Markets is an online forex and contract for difference (CFD) broker founded in 2019, with its main headquarters located in Melbourne, Australia. The broker is operated by Focus Markets Pty Ltd, which has spent years building a reputation for executing institutional-grade trades with minimal latency. Historically, Focus Markets has shared close operational ties with its sister company, Eightcap. The parent group initiated a comprehensive brand refresh, appointing industry veteran Martin Doepke as the Chief Executive Officer to strategically differentiate Focus Markets in the global retail trading space. By focusing heavily on technology-driven infrastructure, the broker aims to appeal to advanced traders who require rapid execution, especially those utilizing automated systems on the MetaTrader 5 (MT5) platform.

Focus Markets Regulation

Focus Markets is overseen by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission and the Financial Services Commission of Mauritius. These regulatory bodies represent a combination of strict, top-tier oversight and more flexible offshore supervision. Our research confirms that the broker holds active licenses with these main financial watchdogs. You can check the ASIC official database to verify Focus Markets's license by searching AFSL license number 514425.

The comparison table below details the corporate entities of Focus Markets, their overseeing regulators, and the specific protections they afford to traders.

While clients under the Australian entity benefit from stringent Tier-1 regulatory protections and negative balance safeguards, international traders registered under offshore branches sacrifice these legal guarantees in exchange for higher trading leverage.

Which Focus Markets Entity Serves Your Region?

The structure of your trading account depends entirely on your country of residence, which dictates which entity governs your relationship with the broker. Onboarding, investor protections, and trading limits differ dramatically between regulated onshore accounts and offshore setups:

• Domestic registration provides robust legal backing — Australian clients register under the ASIC-licensed Focus Markets Pty Ltd, which guarantees strict compliance with top-tier financial regulations.
• Onboarding is highly simplified under offshore branches — International accounts registered under Focus Markets Global Limited or Focus Markets Ltd require less documentation, ensuring rapid, hassle-free account setup.
• Retail leverage is heavily restricted under ASIC — Domestic accounts are legally capped at a maximum leverage of 1:30 for major forex pairs to protect retail investors from rapid capital depletion.
• Global entities lack statutory investor compensation — Clients trading via the Mauritius or Saint Lucia entities operate without access to a government-backed ombudsman, trading off regulatory safety for higher leverage limits.

Restricted Countries

Because of stringent local derivative laws and strict licensing boundaries, Focus Markets does not offer its services to residents of certain countries.

• North American markets face absolute restrictions — Residents of the United States and Canada cannot open accounts because the broker lacks registration with local regulatory bodies like the SEC or CFTC.
• Strict regulatory environments limit onboarding — Trading services are restricted in Japan and select European jurisdictions to prevent non-compliance with regional derivative marketing laws.
• High-risk jurisdictions are systematically barred — In line with anti-money laundering rules, Focus Markets completely excludes applicants from FATF-blacklisted nations, including North Korea, Iran, and Syria.

Client Fund Protection

Focus Markets maintains high operational standards regarding the security of trader funds to ensure peace of mind. All client deposits are kept in fully segregated trust accounts with top-tier financial institutions, such as Westpac and the National Australia Bank (NAB). This standard ensures that client capital is legally separated from the company's operational funds, meaning the broker cannot use trader deposits to settle corporate debts or cover internal liabilities in the unlikely event of insolvency. Furthermore, retail traders under the ASIC branch enjoy legal negative balance protection, ensuring their accounts can never fall below zero during extreme market volatility. While offshore entities are not legally bound by the same regulatory negative balance mandates, Focus Markets uses automated margin-out systems at a 50% margin level on MT5 to prevent clients from incurring deficits.

Focus Markets User Reviews and Trustpilot Rating

Focus Markets holds a TrustScore of 3.5 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot, which is currently categorized as "Average" [1]. Because the broker does not actively run automated feedback campaigns or systematically invite its customers to write ratings, the current volume of reviews on the platform is exceptionally low [1]. Consequently, these metrics may not be representative of the broker’s actual global customer satisfaction levels [1]. You can See Focus Markets reviews on Trustpilot to read the individual experiences firsthand [1], as of July 2026.

Based on verified customer feedback across Trustpilot and major online trader forums, the recurring user experiences highlight the following:

Positive feedback points:

• Highly competitive gold trading conditions — Clients praise the broker's ultra-low institutional spreads, zero commission structure, and high leverage limits when trading spot gold.
• Flexible digital payment options — Users appreciate the seamless integration of cryptocurrency deposits and withdrawals, specifically for stablecoins like USDT and Bitcoin.
• Robust MT5 platform execution — Experienced traders report minimal order slippage and high execution speeds during standard market conditions.

Recurring user complaints:

• Absence of MT4 platform support — Some long-term traders express frustration over the lack of MetaTrader 4 support, forcing them to transition to the MT5 interface.
• Deficient built-in analytical resources — Customers frequently note a lack of essential auxiliary tools on the website, such as a localized economic calendar or a margin calculator.
• Slow customer support resolution times — A few users complain about delayed responses from customer service representatives, occasionally taking over a month to resolve non-urgent tickets.

Focus Markets Account Types

Focus Markets provides a simple choice between a commission-free Standard account and a raw-spread Raw account, both requiring a $100 minimum deposit.

Focus Markets Account Types and Minimum Deposit Requirements

To accommodate different experience levels and trading styles, Focus Markets limits its lineup to two straightforward account options. Both accounts share a low initial deposit barrier of $100, making them highly accessible for retail participants. Traders can select from a wide range of base currencies—including USD, AUD, EUR, GBP, NZD, CAD, and SGD—to match their funding source and avoid unnecessary currency conversion fees.

Depending on a trader’s specific style, the choices translate to the following practical conditions:

• The Standard account is designed for casual and novice traders — This option features an all-inclusive pricing structure with zero commissions and spreads starting from 1.0 pips (averaging around 1.2 pips for EUR/USD), simplifying cost calculations for beginners.
• The Raw account is optimized for high-frequency day traders and scalpers — This option delivers institutional-grade spreads starting from 0.0 pips, trading off spread markups for a competitive fixed commission of $3.50 per standard lot per side ($7.00 round turn).
• Leverage limits are dictated by geographic regulation — Traders onboarded under the Australian ASIC framework are restricted to a maximum leverage of 1:30, while international traders operating under the broker's offshore branches can access aggressive leverage limits up to 1:500 or 1:1000.
• Order execution remains consistent across both account structures — Both tiers utilize the MetaTrader 5 engine, supporting micro-lot trading down to 0.01 lots and allowing the unrestricted use of automated Expert Advisors (EAs) and hedging strategies.

For most active traders, the Raw account represents the more cost-effective choice over the long term, as the $7.00 round-trip commission is typically cheaper than paying the wider, marked-up spreads found on the Standard account.

Does Focus Markets Offer an Islamic Account?

Focus Markets does not offer swap-free or Islamic accounts, meaning all positions held overnight will incur standard interest-based swap fees. Consequently, the broker is not suitable for Muslim traders who require strict compliance with Shariah law.

Focus Markets Fees and Trading Costs

Focus Markets's pricing sits in the mid-range of the industry, offering raw spreads from 0.0 pips paired with a standard $7.00 round-turn commission, though its lack of swap-free options increases overnight costs.

Focus Markets Trading Fees

Trading costs at Focus Markets are structured clearly and depend heavily on which account type you choose. For Standard accounts, all brokerage costs are built directly into the variable spreads, which start from a minimum of 1.0 pips. Under standard market conditions, the average EUR/USD spread on a Standard account hovers around 1.2 pips, which equates to a trading cost of $12.00 per standard lot. While this model is simple, it is less competitive than commission-based accounts for active day trading.

For more demanding trading strategies, the Raw account offers direct access to raw market liquidity with spreads starting from 0.0 pips. To compensate for these tighter spreads, Focus Markets charges a flat commission of $3.50 per standard lot per side, totaling a $7.00 commission per round turn. This fee structure aligns with the industry standard for raw spread accounts, matching competitors but not undercutting them.

Overnight trading costs must also be factored into any long-term position strategy:

• EUR/USD spreads on Standard accounts average 1.2 pips — This spread width translates to a trading cost of $12.00 per lot, representing a moderately higher fee than some specialized retail brokers but remaining standard for commission-free accounts.
• Raw accounts charge a $7.00 round-turn commission — Paired with raw spreads starting at 0.0 pips, this structure represents a highly competitive option for day traders who trade high volumes and require tight pricing.
• Overnight swap rates apply to all open positions held past 00:00 MT5 server time — Focus Markets calculates swaps based on international interbank rates, which can significantly erode the profitability of long-term swing trades if positions are held for weeks.
• No swap-free alternatives are offered for standard retail traders — Because of the absolute lack of Islamic account structures, overnight carry costs are unavoidable for all traders registered under the platform.

Focus Markets Non-Trading Fees

Non-trading costs are kept to a minimum, ensuring that traders are not penalized for basic account maintenance. Focus Markets does not charge any deposit fees, account setup fees, or standard administrative costs.

• Dormant accounts may incur a minor inactivity charge — While the broker does not enforce high monthly inactivity fees, accounts that remain completely inactive for more than six consecutive months may be subject to a nominal monthly administrative fee of $10 until trading resumes or the balance reaches zero.
• Currency conversion charges apply automatically to foreign-denominated assets — Traders with an AUD-base account who trade US tech stocks will pay a small conversion fee on all realized profits and losses, making matching account currencies to primary assets highly advisable.

Focus Markets Deposits & Withdrawals

Focus Markets provides highly flexible, zero-fee deposit and withdrawal options supporting multiple fiat currencies and major digital assets like USDT and Bitcoin.

When funding your account, you can select from several convenient methods depending on your location. Credit and debit cards (Visa and Mastercard) are processed instantly with a standard transaction limit of $5,000 per deposit. E-wallets such as Neteller and Skrill offer instant deposit processing with a higher limit of $10,000 per transaction. For local transfers, BPAY is available for Australian domestic accounts, taking one to two business days to clear, while traditional bank wire transfers take 24 to 72 hours and carry no deposit limits. Additionally, cryptocurrency options including Bitcoin (BTC) and Tether (USDT on both TRC20 and ERC20 chains) are processed almost instantly with a $5,000 cap.

Withdrawals are designed to be equally seamless, with Focus Markets charging $0 in internal withdrawal fees. The broker requires that withdrawals be returned to the original source of funding. Electronic withdrawal methods—including Skrill, Neteller, Bitwallet, and cryptocurrency—are usually processed instantly or within 24 hours. Credit card withdrawals typically clear in one to two business days, while standard bank wire transfers can take anywhere from one to five business days depending on intermediate banking channels. There is no minimum withdrawal limit imposed by Focus Markets, making it straightforward to withdraw small account balances.

Importantly, our analysis of global regulatory reports and online retail trader forums shows that Focus Markets has no unresolved or widespread withdrawal complaints on record. This lack of negative billing data indicates a highly reliable cash-out process and robust financial processing standards.

Focus Markets Trading Platforms, Conditions & Experience

Focus Markets provides a modern trading experience centered on MetaTrader 5, cTrader, and TradeLocker, offering fast order execution and deep liquidity but lacking robust analytical and educational support.

Does Focus Markets Support MT4, MT5 & Mobile Trading?

Focus Markets supports MetaTrader 5, cTrader, and TradeLocker across desktop, web, and mobile, but has phased out support for the older MetaTrader 4 platform. By dedicating its technical resources to these advanced, modern engines, the broker ensures that traders have access to the latest charting software, algorithmic optimization, and depth-of-market (DOM) features.

• MetaTrader 5 serves as the flagship interface — The platform is available for Windows and macOS, alongside a lightweight WebTrader version that runs directly in any browser without installation.
• cTrader delivers premium charting and modern design — This platform is ideal for traders who prefer copy trading, custom cBots, and a highly intuitive interface optimized for depth-of-market trading.
• TradeLocker integration caters to the modern CFD crowd — Powered by TradingView charting, this sleek platform provides advanced risk management tools and seamless mobile accessibility.
• Mobile trading apps ensure on-the-go portfolio control — Mobile versions of MT5, cTrader, and TradeLocker are fully supported on iOS and Android devices, allowing real-time order execution and monitoring.

The lack of MT4 support may disappoint traditionalists who rely on older custom indicators and Expert Advisors written in MQL4. However, the available MT5 and cTrader options are objectively more robust, supporting multi-threaded backtesting and much faster script execution.

What Can You Trade on Focus Markets?

Focus Markets features a catalog of more than 800 CFDs across five major asset classes, with a particular strength in digital assets and precious metals. This range allows retail traders to implement complex cross-asset diversification strategies within a single platform.

• Forex trading covers over 50 currency pairs — The list includes all major global pairs alongside an extensive selection of minor and exotic options with competitive spread limits.
• Precious metals feature highly optimized conditions — Spot gold (XAU/USD) and silver (XAG/USD) are offered with zero commissions and tight institutional spreads, making the broker a favorite for gold day traders.
• An extensive cryptocurrency suite offers 90+ CFDs — Traders can speculate on major coins like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin, as well as a large selection of altcoins, with 24/7 trading availability.
• Indices and energy carriers cover global benchmarks — The platform supports popular indices like the S&P 500, Nasdaq, and FTSE, alongside energy markets like Brent crude, WTI, and natural gas.
• Hundreds of global shares are available as CFDs — Traders can buy or sell stock CFDs representing major corporations listed on US and Australian equity exchanges.

Note that Focus Markets does not offer direct access to real stocks, ETFs, or soft agricultural commodities (such as wheat, coffee, or cocoa). Additionally, due to regulatory restrictions, cryptocurrency CFDs are not available to clients residing in certain regions, such as the United Kingdom under FCA guidelines.

Focus Markets Leverage, Margin & Order Execution

Focus Markets executes trades via a low-latency STP/ECN network, offering flexible leverage from 1:30 to 1:1000 and a standard 50% stop-out level. The execution model is designed to minimize latency and ensure a transparent environment with no broker intervention.

• Fibre-optic infrastructure delivers execution under 50ms — By routing orders through physical and cloud-based data centers with direct connections to its main servers in Tokyo, the broker achieves lightning-fast execution speeds that minimize slippage.
• No-Dealing-Desk routing reduces conflicts of interest — Utilizing Straight-Through Processing (STP) and Electronic Communication Network (ECN) structures, Focus Markets routes client trades directly to tier-1 liquidity providers.
• Leverage is highly dependent on your account's entity — Clients registered under the Australian ASIC framework are capped at a conservative retail leverage of 1:30, whereas international accounts can utilize leverage levels up to 1:500 or 1:1000.
• Strict margin-out boundaries protect capital integrity — The broker initiates a margin call at an 80% margin level, with an automatic stop-out trigger at 50% to prevent balances from slipping into deep deficits.

Focus Markets Research Tools & Educational Resources

Focus Markets acts as an execution-only broker, meaning the platform contains virtually no built-in research, market insights, or educational courses. Unlike more comprehensive brokers that provide market news updates and structured trading courses, Focus Markets relies entirely on the client's independent knowledge and third-party tools.

• Website lacks localized analysis and calculators — There are no trading calculators, economic calendars, or sentiment tools directly on the main website portal, meaning traders must use external sites to plan their risk.
• No daily market commentary or trade signals are published — The broker does not produce video analysis, written trading ideas, or partner with signal providers like Trading Central or Autochartist.
• Beginner education is non-existent on the platform — There are no structured tutorials, webinars, or eBooks, making the broker a poor choice for raw beginners who need step-by-step guidance.

While the MetaTrader 5 and cTrader platforms do include built-in economic calendars and basic charting indicators, the absolute lack of broker-sponsored content forces traders to find external resources for their daily market research.

How Good Is Focus Markets Customer Support?

Focus Markets delivers 24/5 customer service through email, phone lines, and web live chat, though actual live assistance can be slow during high-volume sessions. The support team operates primarily during global market hours (Monday through Friday) and is closed over the weekend.

• Email support is the most reliable channel — Traders can submit queries to customerservice@focusmarkets.com or support@focusmarkets.com, with verified tests showing a standard response turnaround within one business day.
• Direct telephone assistance is available in Australia — Domestic clients can contact their Melbourne headquarters directly at (03) 8376 1322 for immediate assistance with account or billing queries.
• Live chat response times can be inconsistent — While a chat widget is available on the website, user tests report that connecting with a human agent can be slow, with automated chatbots handling the bulk of initial queries.

Overall, the support setup is standard, but the lack of 24/7 availability and the occasionally unresponsive live web chat are drawbacks for traders who require immediate technical or margin assistance outside of standard weekday sessions.

Who Is Focus Markets Best For?

Focus Markets is best suited for experienced day traders, scalpers, and active cryptocurrency speculators who can leverage low STP latency without requiring built-in educational guidance.

Is Focus Markets Good for Beginners?

Focus Markets is not recommended for complete beginners due to an absolute lack of educational guides, training webinars, or integrated market analysis tools. While the $100 minimum deposit makes opening an account relatively easy, the broker offers almost no foundational support to help novices understand risk management, technical indicators, or basic contract calculations. Novices are forced to seek external training resources just to navigate the advanced functionalities of MetaTrader 5 or cTrader, which can be highly intimidating. Additionally, the lack of a simplified proprietary mobile app means beginners must grapple with institutional-grade platform designs from day one.

Is Focus Markets Good for Day Traders and Scalpers?

Focus Markets is highly effective for day traders and scalpers who require sub-50ms execution speeds and raw spreads with unrestricted expert advisor (EA) support. The broker's Straight-Through Processing (STP) architecture routes orders directly to tier-1 liquidity providers, minimizing slippage during volatile news events. Since there are no restrictions on hedging, scalping, or algorithmic trading, active retail traders can run complex high-frequency strategies with complete peace of mind. The Raw account’s $7.00 round-trip commission is highly competitive, especially since it is paired with raw spreads that frequently hit 0.0 pips on major pairs like the EUR/USD.

Is Focus Markets Good for Crypto and Gold Spectators?

Focus Markets represents an excellent choice for gold and cryptocurrency traders looking for deep liquidity, ultra-tight metal spreads, and a massive catalog of altcoin CFDs. For gold traders, the broker’s raw pricing models offer a distinct advantage by delivering institutional-grade spot gold spreads with zero extra commissions. Cryptocurrency traders benefit from an exceptionally deep pool of over 90 digital asset CFDs, allowing them to trade altcoins 24/7 without needing to open a separate, unregulated crypto exchange account. The ability to fund and withdraw accounts directly using stablecoins like USDT further enhances the platform's convenience for crypto-native traders.

Best for: Automated day traders, gold scalpers, and active cryptocurrency speculators.
Less ideal for: Absolute beginners, long-term swing traders holding positions over weekends, and Shariah-compliant retail traders.

Compare Focus Markets with Other Popular Brokers

Focus Markets holds its ground against major retail competitors by offering excellent conditions for cryptocurrency and spot gold speculation, although it provides a narrower range of platforms and analytical tools than its peers.

Focus Markets vs Eightcap

Focus Markets shares operational roots with Eightcap, but the latter delivers a significantly broader selection of trading platforms including TradingView and MT4. While both brokers require a matching $100 minimum deposit and feature a comparable Raw account round-turn commission of $7.00, their platform flexibility diverges. Eightcap allows its clients to trade via MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, and TradingView, whereas Focus Markets has fully phased out MT4 to focus strictly on MT5, cTrader, and TradeLocker. Additionally, Eightcap stands out by integrating automated market analysis from Trading Central directly into its client portal. By contrast, Focus Markets provides almost no built-in research tools, leaving active traders to rely entirely on external third-party market data.

Takeaway: Focus Markets is the better choice for cTrader users; Eightcap suits those who prefer TradingView integration.

Focus Markets vs IC Markets

Focus Markets targets active day traders with similar execution goals as IC Markets, though the latter offers slightly lower Raw commission costs and a more established global footprint. IC Markets charges a raw round-turn commission of $7.00 on MT5 and cTrader, but reduces this to $6.00 for MT4 accounts, making it slightly more cost-effective for legacy platform users. Additionally, IC Markets has a higher minimum deposit requirement of $200 compared to Focus Markets' more accessible $100 entry point. IC Markets also provides a superior range of educational materials, retail trading calculators, and platform add-ons to assist traders. On the other hand, Focus Markets provides a more competitive spot gold contract featuring zero commission markups under standard conditions.

Takeaway: Focus Markets is the better choice for gold speculators; IC Markets suits those seeking the absolute lowest raw commissions.

Focus Markets vs Pepperstone

Focus Markets offers a lower entry point for cryptocurrency speculation than Pepperstone, but falls short of its rival's multi-tier regulatory licenses and lack of minimum deposit constraints. Pepperstone does not enforce any mandatory minimum deposit limits, allowing traders to start with as little as they want, whereas Focus Markets maintains a strict $100 funding floor. Furthermore, Pepperstone is regulated by multiple tier-1 authorities globally, including the FCA and BaFin, offering a much higher degree of structural protection for international traders. Pepperstone also supports MT4, MT5, cTrader, and TradingView, presenting a far more versatile platform portfolio than the MT5-centric Focus Markets interface. However, Focus Markets outperforms its Australian rival when it comes to the depth of its cryptocurrency CFD catalog, boasting over 90 digital tokens compared to Pepperstone's more limited selection.

Takeaway: Focus Markets is the better choice for cryptocurrency speculators; Pepperstone suits safety-focused traders who want premier platform choices.

Focus Markets Broker Quick Verdict

Focus Markets is a solid choice for automated day traders and cryptocurrency speculators seeking low-latency execution, though its lack of educational tools and legacy MT4 support makes it less suitable for beginners [1]. Our Focus Markets review confirms that while self-directed professionals will thrive under its raw STP environment [1], novice traders are better off looking elsewhere.

Editorial Transparency: This Focus Markets review is based on information from the official Focus Markets website, current regulatory filings, and independent third-party sources such as Trustpilot [1]. We cross-checked the broker's regulation and license details, account types, trading and non-trading fees, deposit and withdrawal terms, platforms, and real user feedback to ensure accuracy and objectivity [1]. This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice; trading CFDs carries a high risk of losing money. Last updated: July 2026.