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Are you looking for a fast executing platform to use for day trading and scalping? Our team of analyst has gathered information from 133 online brokers and evaluated all aspects of their service in 9 categories. Our review methodology includes fees, mobile trading apps, customer support, platforms, tradable assets, deposits & withdrawals, regulation, research & education and trade execution speed.
After using 214 variables to classify the brokers and with 3500 data points compared, here are the Fastest Trading Platforms in UAE:
Fastest Trading Platforms UAE – List
- Interactive Brokers – Best For Stock and ETF Trading
- TradeStation – Best for active traders
- Charles Schwab – Best for mutual fund and for investors
- Lightspeed – Best For Options and Futures
- ETX Capital – Best For Forex and CFD
| RANK | BROKER | GENERAL | PLATFORM SCORE | BEST FOR | WEBSITE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Interactive Brokers | Great choice of different trading instruments | 4,9/5 | Best For Stock and ETF Trading | Official website |
| #2 | TradeStation | Great choice of trading instruments offered | 4,9/5 | Best for active traders | Official website |
| #3 | Charles Schwab | Offers thousands of no-load, no-transaction-fee mutual funds | 4,1/5 | Best for mutual fund and for investors | Official website |
| #4 | Lightspeed | Great choice of different trading platforms | 0,0/5 | Best For Options and Futures | Official website |
| #5 | ETX Capital | Very competitive trading fees | 4,1/5 | Best For Forex and CFD | Official website |
Below is a detailed break down of the recommended platform including pros, cons and detailed comparison od the most important features.
1. Interactive Brokers – Best For Stock and ETF Trading
Min Deposit: 0 ($2000 for margin account)
Fees: 4.9
Assets available: 4.9
Total Fees:
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 finishes at number one as the fastest trading platform for stocks and ETFs. It is a highly trusted global broker with a well-rounded offer of different shares, stocks and ETFs, great educational content and sophisticated order type configuration. Compared to the best UAE stock brokers, they have a lower entry level and a proprietary platform which is intuitive and easy to use for trading stocks and ETFs. 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).
Their offer of 16,500 shares, 8,000 stock CFDs and 2,300 penny stocks in addition to a great execution speed makes this brokers the best choice for traders looking for a fast executing trading platform.
Pros
- Fast and reliable trade execution in multiple global markets
- Wide choice of trading instruments
- Professional trading platforms for both active traders and investors
- Competitive trading fees
Cons
- IBKR Lite users have slower trade execution
- Few deposit and withdrawal options
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
2. TradeStation – Best for active traders
Tradestation is a reputable online broker known for its technology-leading trading platforms, great selection of tools and zero commission stock and ETF trading. Their industry leading trading platform suite combines a desktop, web and mobile version which are all performing above industry average. Tradestation offers a great selection of most popular asset classes including stocks, cryptos, options, futures, ETFs and IRAs.
Their trading fees vary based on account selection. Pricing is below industry average on the most used accounts (select and GO). Minimum deposit is $2000 and there are no monthly charges.
Pros
- Fastest trade execution on zero commissioned stocks
- Wide choice of trading instruments
- Great mobile trading platform
- Professional trading platform that works for different types of traders
Cons
- Research and education section lacking resources
Key features
- Access to over 20,000 stocks, ETFs, options, futures, mutual funds, bonds, and other financial instruments.
- Early-access to newly listed securities via TradeStation’s IPO trading platform
- Broad range of research and analysis tools for advanced traders like FuturesPlus, TSCrypto, Discover, and Insights
- Fully paid stock lending and margin trading available
- Low floating spreads, commissions, and other trading fees
- Perfect for both beginner and advanced traders
3. Charles Schwab – Best for mutual fund and for investors
Charles Schwab is a US-based FINRA and SEC-regulated broker that has been in business since 1971 at which users can trade stocks and ETFs without paying any commissions. Charles Schwab offers high-quality trading tools like stock research and detailed fundamental data to help you generate trading ideas.
Charles Schwab offers traders and investors the Schwab Intelligent Portfolios service, which is a robo-advisory service to help you optimize your portfolio and the StreetSmart Edge advanced desktop trading platform which includes a wide range of tools and features.
Pros
- Fast trade execution
- Choice of different tradable assets
- Competitive trading fees
- Deep research and education
Cons
- Not the best broker for beginners
Key features
- Access to over 3,000 US stocks and thousands of other financial instruments
- Multiple advanced order types
- Provides own equity ratings and reports from Morningstar and Credit Suisse
- Integrated with Google Assistant – Ask Google any stock price or market update
- Commissionless stock trading
- Suitable for both beginners and advanced traders
- Robo-advisor and financial advisors available
4. Lightspeed – Best For Options and Futures
Lightspeed is a globally operating FINRA-regulated broker that offers stocks, options, and futures trading to both professional and institutional traders. It has multiple trading platforms available like LightSpeed Trader, LightSpeed Web & Mobile, and Sterling Trader Pro, which features level 2 trading and dynamic charting functionality. They also offer advanced options and futures trading platforms like LiveVolX and Eze EMS.
Lightspeed mainly aims at professional high-volume traders with their low per-share and per-contract fees and fast order execution speeds. The minimum balance required to open an account is either $10,000 or $25,000, which may deter beginners from trading with them.
The Lightspeed mobile app has the same functionalities as their desktop trading platforms, but futures trading isn’t possible through mobile devices. In total, traders can trade over 6,000 stocks, futures, options, commodities and T-bills with Lightspeed using multiple advanced order types like OCO and FIFO.
Lightspeed offers 24/7 support by email, live chat and phone in English and offers a paper trading account to test out their platform.
Pros
- Excellent performance and speed
- Choice of different trading platforms
- Wide choice of tradable assets
- Good customer support
Cons
- High minimum deposit
Key features
- Access to over 10,000 different stocks, ETFs, options, and futures
- Trading fee discounts for active stock and ETF traders
- Broad range of risk management tools and third party software
- Extensive education section with live webinars, trading courses, and an active trader blog
- Specifically catered to professional and institutional traders
- Fully customizable trading platforms with Level 2 order book information and dynamic charting features
5. ETX Capital – Best For Forex and CFD
Min Deposit: $100
Fees: 4.9
Assets available: 3.0
Total Fees:
ETX Capital, recently rebranded to OvalX, is a top-tier brokerage firm that has been in business since 1965. It offers traders access to over 6000 tradable symbols via their OvalX Trader Pro platform. ETX Capital is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, offers single stock CFD trading, and is compatible with MetaTrader 4. Despite the fact that you can open an account with them from just $100, they do not have any crypto CFDs available nor do they offer social trading.
ETX Capital charges low, fixed spreads and has multiple advanced order types available like GTC, GSLO, and OCO. Apart from many different order types they offer over 60 indicators and 14 drawing tools, providing traders with the technical analysis tools they need to successfully trade the markets.
ETX Capital has two trading apps available, the OvalX Trader Pro and the MetaTrader 4 trading app. The OvalX app is designed very intuitively and traders can even place orders by phone by calling to ETX Capital’s dealing desk.
The ETX Capital customer service can be contacted 24/7 by email, live chat, and phone and is of excellent quality as can be concluded from their 4,5/5 star rating of over 247 reviews on TrustPilot.
If you are looking to trade with a reliable, regulated broker, we highly recommend trading on ETX Capital’s new OvalX trading platform.
Pros
- Choice trading platforms (desktop and mobile)
- Competitive trading fees
- Good Research and Education material
Cons
- Choice of trading instrument could be better
Key features
- Access over a thousand CFDs on forex, indices, shares, commodities, and cryptocurrencies
- Compatible with MetaTrader 4
- Wide range of educational material in the form of trading guides, analysis, and webinars
- Low, floating spreads
- Advanced order types available like GTC, GSLO, and OCO
- Free unlimited demo paper trading account
How Do We Choose The Fastest Trading Platforms?
Our list of the Fastest Trading Platforms in UAE uses 105 online brokers analyzed in 8 different categories with a special weighting of the speed of execution. We measured the speed for different trading instruments and different asset classes in different periods of the day (at market open, during high volatility period, at market close, during low volatility period). Then we analysed the results based on the other categories which include: costs, regulation, assets available, mobile apps, platforms, withdrawal & deposit, accounts and customer support. Below is a detailed breakdown of what exactly we considered:
- Fees: Look for a 0% commission broker so you make as much as possible on your trades, additionally, be sure to check the spreads between the brokers you like.
- Trading platforms: You need a trading platform that will keep up with your high speed trades. Also look for a platform that offers access to breaking news, historical data, and portfolio tracking. High speed trading tools need an API, so make sure your broker supports that.
- Mobile Trading: The Fastest Trading Platforms in UAE have mobile trading, so you can trade from anywhere with internet access. Look to ensure that the platform includes the trading features you need.
- Deposit & Withdrawal: You shouldn’t pay to make deposits or withdrawals with a high speed broker in UAE. Payment methods vary, so make sure the broker you like supports your payment platform.
- Assets: You need to have access to a range of assets for a high speed trading operation. Traders in the UAE can invest in forex, commodities, bonds, indices, mutual funds, options, swaps, ETFs futures, indexes, and cryptos.
- Regulation: Don’t waste your time or money with brokers that operate in unregulated markets, make sure the broker you use complies with the FCA, CySEC, and the ASIC.
- Research & Education: Anyone that is new to trading should look for a platform that offers educational resources. Your high speed trading tools need special access to the markets, so make sure the broker will tell you how to make the tools operate with the trading platform.
- Customer support: Expect great customer support from any trading platform. In addition to speaking your language, customer support should have a deep technical knowledge of the platform.
- Trade execution speed: It is an important success factor especially if you are trading volatile markets. Day traders and scalpers should be aware of how fast the trade execution happens and should not settle for anything over 100 milliseconds.
Here is a detailed breakdown of the trade execution speed for each broker from our list:
Trade Execution Speed Comparison
| Broker Name | Business 24-7 Score (For the Speed of Execution) |
|---|---|
| Interactive Brokers | 5.0 (out of 5) |
| TradeStation | 4.9 |
| Charles Schwab | 4.7 |
| Lightspeed Trading | 4.5 |
| ETX Capital | 4.3 |
*Islamic Accounts: Brokers for investors in the UAE must have trading options that are in full compliance with Sharia law requirements, we won’t consider non-compliant brokers.
Why is Fast Execution of Trades Important?
Day traders in the UAE need to choose a broker that offers fast trade execution, regardless of the assets they trade. Instead of taking on long term positions, day traders make money over short periods of time. Because of the time frame involved, trade execution by the broker needs to be instant.
For example, if a trader takes on a position in the EUR/USD currency pair, the trade execution is instant with the right broker. The market moves fast, especially when there is a major news event, and a delay in execution can impact the profit a trader makes.
Choosing a broker that is also a market maker is important for day traders, as the execution time with a market making broker is fast. Brokers who aren’t market makers won’t have access to the same level of liquidity. If you need to have your trades executed in 100ms or less, choose the correct broker for the trades.
Which assets allow fast trading / which assets are best for day trading?
Day traders need to choose assets that have liquid markets and are widely traded. For example, a small cap stock, or exotic forex pair, would be the wrong asset. Instead, large stocks like AAPL, or major forex pairs, like the EUR/USD pair, would be correct.
Here are factors for day traders to consider when choosing an asset:
- Liquidity: Any day trading asset should have a liquid market so opening and closing positions is instantaneous.
- Transaction Cost: Day traders make many transactions every day, so the costs to trade must be low.
- Volatility: Traders must be on the correct side of market volatility to make money, any day trading assets should be volatile.
- Margin and Leverage: Using a margin account, or leverage, will amplify the gains or losses from a position. Day traders use this to their advantage and make returns that are larger than the underlying asset’s price action.
Conclusion
After analysing and comparing 133 online brokers in 9 different categories including trade execution speed, we consider Interactive Brokers as the fastest trading platform in UAE. Besides the fastest trade execution, they offer great market coverage, a professional suite of trading platforms and mobile apps and industry lowest fees. Investors can trade on stocks, options, futures, and commodities.
FAQ
Is Day Trading Dangerous?
Day trading is risky, as most day traders use borrowed money to make trades. Markets move fast, and if a day trader is on the wrong side of a move, the potential for losses is high.
What Makes a Broker’s Trade Execution Fast?
Not all brokers are equal, and for the fastest execution speeds, deal with a market making broker. Market makers have the best execution speeds, and offer traders an advantage over slower brokers.
What Else Can Impact Execution Speeds?
There are a range of influences on the speed of trade execution. A slow internet connection will impact trade speed, and a bad API will make automated trades slow.
Which Assets Are Best for High Speed Trades?
The market that a high speed trader chooses is important, and it must be liquid. It is important to choose assets and markets that the trader understands, as high speed trading with margin debt is dangerous.
Disclaimer
eToro is a multi-asset platform which offers both investing in stocks and cryptoassets, as well as trading CFDs.
Please note that CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 68% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Past performance is not an indication of future results. Trading history presented is less than 5 complete years and may not suffice as basis for investment decision.
Copy trading is a portfolio management service, provided by eToro (Europe) Ltd., which is authorised and regulated by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission.
Cryptoasset investing is unregulated in some EU countries and the UK. No consumer protection. Your capital is at risk.
eToro USA LLC does not offer CFDs and makes no representation and assumes no liability as to the accuracy or completeness of the content of this publication, which has been prepared by our partner utilizing publicly available non-entity specific information about eToro.