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Overall Score
4.2 /5

Pros

  • No Swap Charges
  • Fast Withdrawals
  • Low Trading Fees
  • Leverage up to 500:1

Cons

  • Limited Product Portfolio
  • Main Regulators: CySEC, FSCA, MWALI
  • Crypto: Yes
  • Minimum Deposit: $25
  • Average Trading Cost EUR/USD: 0.9pips
  • Withdrawal Fee: $0
  • Account Opening: 1 Day
Year Established
2011
Headquarters
Comoros
Traded Assets
300+
Options
Crypto
Trading Fees
Low
Trading Platforms
MT4, MT5, OctaTrader, OctaFX CopyTrading
Islamic Account
Demo Account
Funding Methods
Bank wire, credit cards, e-wallets, crypto
Tiers 1 Regulators
Tiers 2 Regulators
Negative Balance Protection

Products

Overall Score
4.1 /5

Pros

  • 50+ Forex Pairs
  • High leverage
  • Copy Trading available
  • Competitive Spreads

Cons

  • Limited Product Portfolio

Asset Selection and Leverage

Octa offers a curated portfolio of trading instruments, including 52 currency pairs (MT5 account), 30 cryptocurrency pairs, 5 commodities, 10 index CFDs, and 150 equity CFDs.
While the overall selection of instruments is relatively limited, Octa's considerable variety of cryptocurrency CFDs is an exception.
This setup is ideal for traders who prefer focused strategies concentrating on fewer, highly liquid assets.

 
Availability
Maximum Leverage
Forex
500:1
Crypto
100:1
Stocks
20:1
Equity Indices
200:1
Precious Metals
200:1
Other Commodities
200:1
Bonds
ETFs
Real Stocks
20:1
Real Bonds
Options
Thematic Indices
Synthetics

 

At Octa, the maximum leverage is set at 500:1 for Forex traders, 100:1 for cryptocurrency traders, 200:1 for commodities and indices, and the industry standard of 20:1 for equity traders.
This high leverage is particularly advantageous for scalpers and those requiring leveraged accounts. Notably, Octa does not apply swap rates and provides negative balance protection, making its offering quite competitive.
However, it's worth mentioning one issue we encountered while testing the platform: There was a significant reduction in initial leverage—from 500:1 to 100:1—on large positions without clear explanation.

Average Trading Spreads (for Standard Accounts)

EUR/USD
0.9 pips
GBP/USD
1.0 pips
USD/JPY
1.1 pips
Gold
$0.2
Bitcoin
$11
S&P 500 Index
1.50
WTI Crude Oil
$0.07

Platforms

Overall Score
3.9 /5

Pros

  • Prop Copy Trading app
  • MT4/MT5 available

Cons

  • Limited choice of external platforms

Various trading platforms are available for users, accessible via web, desktop, and mobile devices. These platforms include:

Popular External Platforms

The MT4 platform is one of the most popular trading platforms amongst new and established traders.
It offers a comprehensive set of features designed to empower traders with the tools they need to succeed in the dynamic world of financial markets.
From advanced analytical tools to smart trader features and community support, it caters to the diverse needs of traders while providing a seamless trading experience.

 

Key Features:
  • Analytical Tools: The platform boasts a wide array of analytical instruments, including advanced charting capabilities and a diverse range of technical indicators. These tools empower traders to conduct thorough market analysis and make informed trading decisions.
  • Smart Trader Tools: Enhancing functionality, the platform provides smart trader tools such as Expert Advisors (EAs) and a variety of indicators, allowing for automated trading strategies and advanced charting features.
  • Order Types and Execution Options: Traders benefit from the flexibility of various pending order types and execution options, enabling precise control over trade entry and exit points.
  • Community and Customization: Access to a vibrant trading community and thousands of online plug-in tools enriches the trading experience. Additionally, traders have the ability to create custom Expert Advisors using the platform's programming language.

 

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MetaTrader 5 (also known as MT5), is a versatile trading platform, that caters to advanced trading needs, providing access to automated trading systems, technical tools, and copy trading.
Among its notable features are:

  • Diverse Asset Classes: MT5 offers access to a wider range of asset classes, including stocks and commodities, compared to MT4.
  • Advanced Timeframes: MT5 provides additional timeframes for charting, offering more flexibility in analyzing price movements.
  • Enhanced Depth of Market (DOM): MT5 improves the Depth of Market feature, providing a more comprehensive view of market liquidity.
  • Built-in Economic Calendar: MT5 includes a built-in economic calendar, allowing traders to stay updated on key economic events directly from the platform.
  • Advanced Technical Analysis: MT5 introduces more built-in technical indicators and graphical objects for in-depth market analysis.
  • Hedging and Netting: MT5 supports both hedging and netting accounts, offering more flexibility in position management.
  • Improved Strategy Tester: MT5's Strategy Tester offers faster and more efficient backtesting of trading strategies compared to MT4.

 

Key Features
Analytical Tools:

The platform boasts a wide array of analytical instruments, including advanced charting capabilities and a diverse range of technical indicators. These tools empower traders to conduct thorough market analysis and make informed trading decisions.

Smart Trader Tools:

Enhancing functionality, the platform provides smart trader tools such as Expert Advisors (EAs) and a variety of indicators, allowing for automated trading strategies and advanced charting features.

Order Types and Execution Options:

Traders benefit from the flexibility of various pending order types and execution options, enabling precise control over trade entry and exit points.

Community and Customization:

Access to a vibrant trading community and thousands of online plug-in tools enriches the trading experience. Additionally, traders have the ability to create custom Expert Advisors using the platform's programming language.

 

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In-House Platform Offering

OctaTrader, a proprietary trading platform from Octa, is available as an app for desktop, laptop, and mobile devices, enabling traders to manage their Octa portfolios effectively.
Leveraging TradingView's advanced charting technology, OctaTrader offers comfort and customization.
The success of Octa's proprietary trading service (downloaded over 10 million times by Android users) has also led to the development of a dedicated mobile app.

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Copy Trading

Octa did a great job investing in developing a proprietary copy trading service, which they've also made available through a mobile app. In this service, traders can follow signal providers, referred to by Octa as Master Traders.
A standout feature is the flexible commission structures offered.

Octa provides two commission models: a revenue share where copiers pay a fee only on profitable trades, and a fixed revenue per lot, which is charged regardless of trade outcomes.
Copiers can use filters to select Master Traders that fit their preferred commission structure.

The platform includes a ranking system that evaluates the trading history and performance of each Master Trader, providing in-depth details about their strategies.
This allows copiers to assess each trade and choose Master Traders based on a comprehensive range of trading metrics, enhancing decision-making.

Before following any Master Trader, copiers need to fund their copy trading accounts, either through direct deposit or by transferring from their existing trading accounts.
Octa suggests a recommended investment amount for each Master Trader, and copiers can choose to copy trades either fully or proportionally based on their balance relative to the Master Trader.

I suggest the former approach for potentially better trading results, as it adjusts positions according to portfolio size and leverage.
Additionally, a risk management feature, the drawdown percentage (DDP), is available for copiers to set according to their risk tolerance.

This feature automatically closes positions if the Master Trader incurs losses, but copiers also have the option to manually close positions, maintaining full control over their investments.

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Accounts

Overall Score
4.4 /5

Pros

  • Smooth and Fast Account Opening
  • Low Minimum Deposit
  • Swap-Free

Cons

  • No Raw Spread accounts

Account Types

Octa provides a range of account types designed to accommodate diverse trading preferences and experience levels, ensuring a personalized trading journey for each user (and they are all swap-free!):

OctaTrader Account
Intuitive and versatile swap-free account offering the same instruments as the MT4 account.
MT5 Account
Traders can trade real shares and more financial instruments using this account.
MT4 Account
Suitable for the traders enjoying Metatrader 4.
Demo Account
Traders at Octa can open MT4/MT5 demo accounts with no time limit on active accounts.
However, MT4 demo accounts will expire after eight days of inactivity, while MT5 demo accounts will expire after 30 days without trading activity.

These platforms offer flexibility in choosing deposits and leverage, allowing for more realistic demo trading results.
They are particularly well-suited for algorithmic traders to test Expert Advisors (EAs) and debug their trading algorithms.

Account Opening Process

Octa's account opening process is simple and efficient, allowing you to potentially start trading on the same day.

 

Account Features

Minimum Deposit
$25
Inactivity Fee
Currency Conversion Fee
Broker commissions
Hidden Fees
Negative Balance Protection

Deposit and Withdrawal

Overall Score
4.6 /5

Pros

  • No Deposit Fee
  • Free Withdrawal
  • Fast Withdrawal
  • e-wallets funding available

Cons

  • None

Traders manage all financial transactions through Octa's secure back office, where no fees are charged for deposits or withdrawals.
However, third-party costs might be incurred, and it's advisable for traders to verify with their chosen payment provider.

While Octa supports several cryptocurrency options, the absence of additional third-party payment processors and localized solutions for its key markets is a drawback.
Withdrawal requests at Octa are typically processed within one to three hours.

Payment Methods

Bank Transfer
Credit/Debit Cards
Electronic Wallets
Crypto Payments

 

 

e-wallets

Neteller

Fees and Processing Time

Deposit Fee
Withdrawal Fee
Withdrawal Processing Time
Fast

Trust

Overall Score
4.2 /5

Pros

  • Good TrustPilot Score [4.5]
  • Established since 2011

Cons

  • Not many tier-1 regulators

The only top-tier regulator for OctaFX is CySec.
However, the company has established a solid reputation since its inception in 2011, with numerous positive reviews online, including a 4.5 out of 5 rating on Trustpilot.

Despite these credentials, it's important to note that depositing funds and managing capital with OctaFX carries a higher risk compared to trading with brokers who are subject to more stringent regulatory oversight.

Global Regulations
Registration Country
CySEC
Cyprus
FSCA
South Africa
MWALI
Comoros

Customer Xperience

Overall Score
4.4 /5

Pros

  • Bonus available
  • Contests and giveaways
  • Good Customer Support

Cons

  • No VPS offering

Education and Research

OctaFX boasts a robust research and education hub on its website, complete with an economic calendar and frequent news updates to help traders stay informed on vital market fundamentals.

In terms of education, the site offers platform tutorial videos and a basic forex trading course suitable for novice traders. Distinctively,

OctaFX regularly organizes webinars covering various topics, including Fibonacci analysis and trading psychology. Additionally, the company features unique live trading session broadcasts, allowing users to observe a company trader throughout an entire trading session.

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Sweeteners

Bonus
Trading Competitions
Free VPS
EA

Customer Support

Octa provides 24/7 customer support, mainly through live chat, known for its quick response times.
Email support and a comprehensive FAQ section are also available to address common queries.
However, the only notable omission in the support options is the lack of a phone number.

FAQs
Well Structured
Support Methods
Live Chat,
Email,
Support Hours
24/7
Multiple Languages
English,
Arabic,
Portuguese,
Spanish,
Chinese,
Other