Best Trading Platform in Pakistan 2023 | TOP 5 Revealed

Are you looking for the best trading platforms in Pakistan? There are 155 online trading platforms availableon the Pakistani market, offering different apps and trading features.

To get started you should know about your trading preferences and what your investment goal is. If you are a beginner, you will want to have an intuitive trading platforms with easy buy and sell options, and if you are an advanced trader you will want to have access to complex order types.

This guide breaks down the 5 best trading platforms and apps in Pakistan across 8 different categories to help you understand your options before signing up with a broker.

Best Trading Platforms Pakistan: 

1. AVAtrade– Best Trading Platform
2. Capital.com – Top choice for traders looking for a discount broker
3. Interactive Brokers – Best broker for professional tools
4. Saxo Bank – Best trading platform for crypto traders and investors
5. Sarwa – Suitable for both beginner and professional traders

Best Online Brokers in Pakistan 2023

The TOP 5 Online Brokers in Overview:

1. AVAtrade – Best Trading Platform Overall

Rating: 4,9/5

Min Deposit: $100

Fees: 4.9

Assets available: 4.9

Total Fees: 0.9 pip

Open account Read review

71% of retail CFD accounts lose money

AVAtrade is a well trusted global online broker for forex and CFD trading. Their multi-asset trading platform and mobile trading app enable traders to access 1365+ tradable symbols overall, including 1200+ CFD’s, major currency pairs with low forex spreads and premium options.

Besides their proprietary platform AVAtradeGo and MetaTrader, AVAtrade has great selection of copy trading solutions including ZuluTrade, DupliTrade and AVAsocial.

Account opening is fast, deposits and withdrawals are free of charge. The minimum deposit is $100.

Choose AVAtrade if you are a beginner or semi advanced forex trader, looking to trade major forex currency pairs, options or CFDs as stocks, cryptos, indices or commodities with premium services.

Pros

• Great Research and Educational tools
• Great Customer support
• Good choice of social trading options

Cons

• Comparing others relatively few trading instruments are offered;  offers Forex, CFDs and Binary Options

Key features

• Access to 1250 CFDs and 44 forex options
• Excellent copy trading features
• Advanced mobile trading app (AvaOptions)
• Industry average pricing
• Perfect for casual and advanced traders
• Access to the full meta trader suite

2. Capital.com – Top Research & Education Broker

Rating: 4,8/5

Min Deposit: $20

Fees: 4.8

Assets available: 4.7

Total Fees:

Open account Read review

79.17% of retail CFD accounts lose money

Capital.com is a top choice for traders looking for a discount broker with great educational content and resources, advanced research tools and a premium trading interface. They offer a wide range of tradable assets including CFDs on cryptos, stocks, indices, commodities and forex pairs.

Founded in 2016, Capital.com is an international fintech company which has group of entities authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”), the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (“ASIC”), the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (“CySEC”), and the Financial Services Authority of Seychelles (“FSA”). It does not operate a bank and is not publicly traded.

Choose Capital.com if you are looking for a great mobile trading experience, professional web trading interface, day trading features. Beginner traders will like the low minimum deposit ($20), industry leading commission structure, and award winning education section.

Pros

• Newsroom grade educational videos and analysis
• Award winning education and research section
• New age mobile trading app
• Real time market updates and price alerts
• Hedging and risk management tools

Cons

• MT4 and MT5 not available
• Market access is industry average

Key features

• Access to 6.000 tradable symbols and 477 cryptocurrency CFDs
• High quality research and educational content
• Patented AI trade bias system
• $20 minimum deposit
• No inactivity fees

3. Interactive Brokers – Best For Professionals and Day Traders

Rating: 4,9/5

Min Deposit: 0 ($2000 for margin account)

Fees: 4.9

Assets available: 4.9

Total Fees:

Open account Read review

All trading involves risk. More than 80% of investors lose in spread bet and CFD trading. As these complex instruments allow for the use of leverage, there is a high risk of losing more money than you have deposited. Before attempting to participate in spread bets and CFDs, consider how well you understand them and if you can afford to lose your money.

Interactive Brokers is a highly trusted global broker with a well-rounded offer of tradable markets, great educational content and sophisticated order type configuration. It is a high trusted and well capitalize company with an industry leading trading platform, a competitive fee structure and great global market access. Their low entry level and the Global Trader platform, which is intuitive and easy to use trading station, make this broker s great choice for beginners and advanced forex traders.

Professional and seasoned traders will appreciate the great selection of advanced trading tools and order type configurations available on their proprietary Trader Workstation desktop platform (TWS).

Pros

• Best market coverage in the industry (100k+ assets on different instruments)
• Access to 16,500 shares and 8,000 stocks as CFDs
• Professional trading platform suitable for different types of traders
• Intuitive and easy to use mobile trading app
• Industry leading fee structure
• Compatible features for casual and professional traders
• Responsive customer support

Cons

• Few deposit and withdrawal options
• Research and education materials missing

Key features

• Margin loan rates on stocks of 1.3%
• Access to 135+ global markets
• Advanced order types, tools and features
• Access to frictional shares
• Lowest commissions in the industry

You can compare Interactive Brokers with the best stock brokers here.

4. Saxo Bank – Best For High Volume and Advanced Traders

Rating: 4,9/5

Min Deposit: $2000

Fees: 4.7

Assets available: 4.9

Total Fees:

Open account Read review

69% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.

Saxo Bank is a reputable global brand known for its complete overall offer and exclusive conditions for high volume traders and investors. Users can enjoy cutting edge trading technology paired with a premium interface and great trade execution on mobile and desktop. The Saxo Bank trading platform offers a feature rich trading experience, easy to use interface, competitive margin rates, and trading on over 40,000 financial instruments. This makes them an industry leader in trading assets coverage as an ECN broker.

If you can afford the minimum deposit of $10.000, this is the go to broker for traders and investors at all levels. They combine high-quality in-house research with top-tier third-party providers and a diverse portfolio of investment options.

Investors who are looking to trade in accordance with Sharia Law can open an islamic account. Saxo Bank also offers high quality customer service in Arabic and English language via phone, email or in person at their local office with guaranteed satisfying answers.

Pros

• Industry leading market coverage
• Excellent Trading Features with SaxoTraderGo
• Advanced order type and account protection features
• Intuitive and easy to use mobile trading app
• Great education and research materials
• Competitive fee structure for active traders

Cons

• $10,000 minimum deposit for UAE users
• High time investment to set up
• Only for advanced traders

Key features

• 40.000 tradable symbols available (crypto derivatives, forex options and futures)
• Advanced account protection and order types
• Fast execution of trades
• $2.000 minimum deposit
• “Best in class” educational resources
• Great ease of use level combined with advanced features

5. Sarwa – Best Broker For Stock Trading

Rating: 4,2/5

Min Deposit: $5

Fees: 4.5

Assets available: 4.5

Total Fees:

Open account Read review

Sarwa, founded in 2017, is the most popular DFSA and FSRA-regulated Robo-Advisor for both beginner and professional Dubai-based investors. It features an automated trading platform that offers investors the opportunity to invest in multiple mutual funds and ETFs or trade the markets themselves according to their risk appetite. 

Sarwa has low trading fees, offers personalized investment options, and is backed by robust technology, making investing and portfolio management easy and accessible to its users.

Pros

• Suitable for both beginner and professional traders
• Option to visit their offices in Dubai or Abu Dhabi and receive direct investment advice
• Competitive trading fees

Cons

• Few banking options

Key features

• Invest in or trade over 2,000 US stocks, ETFs, and cryptocurrencies
• 5 differently diversified portfolios available to invest in
• Physical offices in Dubai and Abu Dhabi
• Well-suited for both beginner and advanced traders and investors
• Multiple order types available
• Access to historical and real-time price data
• Transfer money without paying any fees from local UAE bank accounts

How Did We Choose The Top International Trading Platforms For Pakistani Residents?

We choose the Best Trading Platform in Pakistan by using data from 105 online brokers in 9 different categories. The categories we use are: research & education, assets available, platforms, costs, withdrawal & deposit, copy trading, customer support, regulation, mobile apps, and Islamic account availability.

*Islamic Accounts: The Best Trading Platforms in Pakistan follow Sharia law. You can choose a broker that follows Islamic law. 

Which is the best Mobile Trading App in Pakistan?

Based on our research, Capital.com, AVAtrade, Interactive Brokers, and Saxo Bank offer the best mobile trading apps in Pakistan. All the brokers support iOS and Android, and all the apps are free. 

Here is why you should consider these brokers for mobile trading:

• Capital.com
  offers the mobile version of MetaTrader 4 (MT4), as well as its own trading app. You can use whichever app you want, and as a bonus, the broker includes its Investmate education app. The apps are available on both iOS and Android.  
  
• AVAtrade
  has its own trading app, called AvaTradeGo, and also offers the mobile versions of MT4 and MT5. AvaTradeGo is like the desktop version, so if you like to use AVAtrade’s platform, the mobile app will be a good fit. 
  
• Interactive Brokers
  has two trading apps, IMPACT for stocks and crypto, and IBKR for every other asset it offers for mobile trading. IBKR offers customization, but it isn’t made for new traders. If you are a serious trader who needs a deep mobile trading platform, IBKR makes sense.  
  
• Saxo Bank
  builds its own trading platform, called SaxoTraderGO, for mobile trading. The features and markets available on SaxoTraderGO are the same as the desktop, and professional traders will find advanced market data, charts, and limit orders. Saxo clients can also use the mobile version of MT4 with Saxo, but with reduced access to assets. 

Online trading in Pakistan

Opening an account with a top-tier broker gives you access to many global markets, like stocks, commodities, bonds, ETFs, and mutual funds. 

The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan regulates financial markets in Pakistan, but the top brokers available to traders in Pakistan are offshore. 

There are no restrictions on using offshore brokers, as long as the activities are legal and not connected to money laundering. 

You can check with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) to check on the registration status of the broker you like. Brokers like AVAtrade are compliant with SECP regulations. 

How to Open a Brokerage Account in Pakistan?

It’s simple to open a brokerage account in Pakistan, and you will need a bank account, legal ID like a passport or driver’s license, and proof of address. 

STEP ONE: Select a broker you like, make sure you have enough money for its minimum deposit, and open an account online. If you need an account compliant with Sharia law, this is the time to make sure you open the correct account type. 

STEP TWO: When you sign up with the broker, they will ask you for KYC documents, like your passport. Once you pass the KYC check, you can fund your account. 

Be sure to check on the funding methods, so you don’t have surprises at this stage. If your broker is offshore, remember you will have to pay bank fees to wire the new account. 

STEP THREE: Fund your trading account, choose a trading platform and start opening up new positions. 

All the brokers we recommend offer both a demo account and educational resources. Be sure to use the demo account if you have never traded before, and don’t lose real money while you learn.

Points to consider before you get started

For anyone in Pakistan who isn’t an experienced investor, there are some important things to consider before opening a brokerage account. 

Here are three things to consider:

• Investment Goals
  Everyone has different goals, and when you trade and invest, you need to think about your goals before putting money in the market. Your goals will also impact broker selection, as some brokers fit day traders, while others are better for long term investors. A CFD broker is better for a trader, opposed to a broker that has stocks and ETFs, which are better for long term investors.  
  
• Assets and Markets 
  People invest because they want to gain money, but there are many ways to invest and trade. The assets you choose to trade relate to your investment ideas, and some work for both traders and long term investors. ETFs are a good example of an asset that works for both traders and investors, you can trade the S&P 500 as a proxy for the global economy in CFD form if you day trade, and you can also buy it to invest for the long term. 
  
• Active or Passive
  Active investors need to consider different things compared to passive investors, like a fee structure. Some people want to trade daily or weekly, and others need time for other things. When you look at a broker, consider what you will do with your investments, and how often you plan to trade. If a broker has high fees, but you only want to buy ETFs and mutual funds a few times a year, the fees don’t matter. If you plan to make ten trades a day, pay attention to how the fees work. 

Final Verdict 

After comparing 105 online brokers in 9 different categories, we know AVAtrade is the Best Trading Platform in Pakistan. It has a professional trading platform, low fees and knowledgeable customer support. Investors can buy stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, options, futures, commodities and more with AVAtrade.