Best STP Forex Brokers

Compare live Forex trading accounts from STP brokers, including DMA and ECN STP brokers, in Nigeria. Understand how STP brokers work and what this means for you.

Brokers we recommend


4.3 / 5 Exness
Trading in CFDs carries a high level of risk thus may not be appropriate for all investors.

Exness.com is an offshore broker trusted by over 500,000 active clients. Trade Forex, crypto, commodities, stocks and indices on MetaTrader 4 or 5 with unlimited leverage (conditions apply).


4.2 / 5 HYCM
85% of retail CFD accounts lose money

HYCM.com, formerly HY Markets, is an award-winning regulated online broker suitable for day traders as well as long-term investors. It's also an established broker, in business since 1999.


3.9 / 5 LiteFinance
83% of retail CFD accounts lose money

Trade CFDs on a wide range of markets on MetaTrader 4 and 5, with leverage up to 1:1,000 through LiteFinance.com. This broker accepts all EAs and trading styles, including scalping and news trading. Earn up to 2.5% interest on your balance.


Other brokers:

Comparison table

We rate brokers across 5 categories and 18 criteria, following a standardised methodology. Here are our overall and category-specific ratings:

OverallMarketsTrading environmentDeposits and withdrawalsInvestor protectionCustomer service
Exness 4.3 3.8 4.0 5.0 3.8 4.7
HYCM 4.2 5.0 3.8 4.4 3.8 4.0
LiteFinance 3.9 4.0 4.4 4.2 2.0 4.7
RoboForex 4.1 5.0 4.5 3.9 3.2 3.8
JustMarkets 4.0 3.9 4.5 4.8 4.5 2.3
Forex (CFD)Cryptos (CFD)*Stocks (CFD)Indices (CFD)Metals (CFD)Energy (CFD)Commodities (CFD)ETFs (CFD)
Exness 9611981043
HYCM 6728151271334
LiteFinance 576313515535
RoboForex 40338400102041001000
JustMarkets 61141651373
Bank transferCredit cardDebit cardNETELLER *Skrill *Binance PayBTC (Bitcoin)USDT (Tether)
Exness
HYCM
LiteFinance
RoboForex
JustMarkets
BelizeCayman IslandsCyprus (EU)SeychellesSouth AfricaSt. Vincent & the GrenadinesUAEUK
Exness
HYCM
LiteFinance
RoboForex
JustMarkets

* Availability is subject to local laws and regulations.

Note: for brevity, this table only shows the most popular payment methods and regulators. Open a free account with any of these brokers to view funding options available in your country.



4.3 / 5 Exness
Trading in CFDs carries a high level of risk thus may not be appropriate for all investors.

Exness.com is an offshore broker trusted by over 500,000 active clients. Trade Forex, crypto, commodities, stocks and indices on MetaTrader 4 or 5 with unlimited leverage (conditions apply).

  • Likes
  • Low and stable spreads.
  • No swap charges across most FX pairs.
  • Unlimited leverage on MetaTrader 4 and 5 (conditions apply).
  • Withdrawals processed instantly in a wide range of currencies.
  • Negative balance protection is available.
  • Dislikes
  • No access to a compensation fund in the event of bankruptcy.
  • No CFDs on agricultural commodities, ETFs or government bonds.
Our take on Exness

Once you start trading with Exness, you soon understand why this broker is trusted by over 500,000 active clients. We traded through its MT5 Standard account with spreads from just 0.3 pips. Most instruments have no swap charges at all, which makes it easy to estimate how profitable each trade could be.

You'll find a wide range of instruments through its platform. These include over 100 currency pairs, crypto, U.S. stocks, global indices and commodities. The gold and silver crosses against the euro, the British Pound and the Aussie dollar will appeal to gold bugs.

Its web trading platform, built around TradingView charts, is sleek. If you're into technical analysis, you'll be able to customise charts with over 100 indicators and save them for later. Visit Exness to create an account and see for yourself what this broker has to offer.


4.2 / 5 HYCM
85% of retail CFD accounts lose money

HYCM.com, formerly HY Markets, is an award-winning regulated online broker suitable for day traders as well as long-term investors. It's also an established broker, in business since 1999.

  • Likes
  • Trade CFDs or invest in over 1,000 "real" stocks.
  • Trade on MetaTrader 4 or MetaTrader 5.
  • Get free signals from Trading Central.
  • Open a trading account in USD, EUR, GBP, CAD and AED.
  • Dislikes
  • Trading fees on its Fixed and Classic accounts are a little high.
  • Monthly inactivity fees apply after 90 days.
  • Copy trading isn't possible.
Our take on HYCM

Trade over 300 instruments across a wide range of markets, spanning currencies, cryptocurrencies, stocks, indexes, and commodities. HYCM offers a variety of trading accounts for beginners and more experienced traders, on the MetaTrader 4 and 5 platforms.

Of note, 'buy and hold' investors can now access over 1,000 'real' stocks, and earn dividends on their investments. It is possible to invest from as little as $10 through fractional ownership. This service includes American, Asian, and European stocks.

HYCM is an established broker, in business since 1999. It is also a safe place to trade, being overseen by regulators in the EU, the UK, the UAE, and other regions. HYCM provides a reliable trading environment. However, its trading fees are somewhat higher than the competition, unless you open a Raw account.


3.9 / 5 LiteFinance
83% of retail CFD accounts lose money

Trade CFDs on a wide range of markets on MetaTrader 4 and 5, with leverage up to 1:1,000 through LiteFinance.com. This broker accepts all EAs and trading styles, including scalping and news trading. Earn up to 2.5% interest on your balance.

  • Likes
  • All trading strategies are allowed.
  • Get free daily technical and fundamental analysis.
  • Receive up to 2.5% interest on used funds.
  • Copy trading accounts are also available.
  • Dislikes
  • Withdrawals fees are somewhat high, especially card withdrawals.
Our take on LiteFinance

We have been trading through LiteFinance's ECN account for over 3 years on raw spreads plus a commission of $5 per lot, per side, and we enjoy its unrestricted trading environment.

Their customer service team is responsive, even on weekends. Our withdrawals have always been processed as quickly as possible. However, their withdrawal fees are a bit high, especially card withdrawals.

LiteFinance publishes a lot of educational content in the form of webinars and articles on its blog, often focused on technical analysis. However, you might find yourself lost if you are new to trading.


4.1 / 5 RoboForex
58.42% of retail CFD accounts lose money

RoboForex.com is an offshore broker based in and regulated in Belize. Access over 12,000 instruments, including real equities and CFDs on Forex, crypto and oil, from a single platform. We were able to start trading in minutes, without ID verification.

  • Likes
  • Access 12,000 instruments, including real stocks.
  • Start trading in minutes without ID verification.
  • Enjoy negative balance protection.
  • Dislikes
  • RoboForex is only regulated in Belize.
  • Withdrawal fees across most funding methods.
Our take on RoboForex

RoboForex is an offshore broker you should consider, if you're looking for high leverage (up to 1:2000) across a wide range of asset classes.

We were able to open an account and start trading in under 5 minutes, as RoboForex postpones account verification until you raise a withdrawal request. It's free to fund your account, but pay attention to withdrawal fees across most withdrawal methods.

RoboForex accepts all trading styles and EAs on the MetaTrader 4 and 5 platforms. Its trading fees are on par with its competition, and swap fees generally lower. You may also qualify for a complimentary VPS if you trade at least 3 lots per month.

We particularly like its R StocksTrader platform, which allows you to invest in over 12,000 "real" stocks, in addition to CFDs across all other asset classes. If you're a buy-and-hold investor with an interest in stocks, this platform is one you should consider.


4.0 / 5 JustMarkets
Your capital is at risk.

Trade CFDs on over 250 instruments with high leverage through JustMarkets.com. JustMarkets accepts all trading styles and Expert Advisors on MetaTrader 4 and 5. It provides a good trading environment, but customer support is underwhelming.

  • Likes
  • Flexible leverage up to 1:3000.
  • All trading strategies and EAs are allowed on MT4/5.
  • You can also trade on raw spreads, plus commission.
  • No fees on deposits or withdrawals.
  • Dislikes
  • No access to an investor compensation fund as this broker is incorporated in the Seychelles.
  • Withdrawals can go missing.
  • Customer support is underwhelming.
Our take on JustMarkets

JustMarkets offers trading accounts for traders both new and experienced. Its Standard and Standard Cent accounts, designed with beginners in mind, have a low US$10 minimum deposit. Its Pro and Raw Spread accounts will appeal to day traders and scalpers.

With JustMarkets, you can open a trading account in USD, EUR, GBP, JPY, MYR, IDR, THB, VND, KWD, CNY, and even ZAR. If possible, open a trading account in your currency to avoid currency conversion fees. Notably, JustMarkets charges no fees on deposits or withdrawals.

Our withdrawals have generally been processed swiftly. However, our first bank withdrawal took several weeks because of an error by its payment provider. During that period, customer support was slow to respond and acknowledge the underlying problem.

What's an STP broker?

Straight Through Processing (STP) means full integration between all market participants, from liquidity providers to investors and the trading platform. In its purest form, an STP broker aggregate prices in real time from liquidity providers and passes client orders onto them. In practice, this also means there is No Dealing Desk (NDD).

Types of STP brokers

However, Forex brokers tend to apply the term loosely and "STP" can mean different things to different brokers. This article describes common traits and differences between STP brokers and suggests ways to check how your own broker operates.

Number of liquidity providers

STP brokers aggregate prices from banks, financial institutions and other liquidity providers (LPs) in the Forex interbank bank market. The price you see on your end is the best-bid and the best-offer (BBBO) across all quotes. This means the bid could come from Bank A and the ask from Bank B.

STP brokers typically work with more than one liquidity provider. However, circumstances can arise when they only have one. The more liquidity providers your broker works with, the greater the competition and the tighter the spreads.

Fixed or variable spreads

The spread is the difference between the buying and selling price of a currency pair. If you're quoted EUR/USD at 1.2502/05, the spread is 0.0003 or just 3 pips.

STP brokers usually quote variable spreads because the prices they receive from liquidity providers change dynamically over time. The price you're quoted adjusts automatically to reflect the BBBO available from your broker's liquidity providers. Your broker adds his own mark-up to the spread to cover his costs and earn a profit.

However, some brokers can quote fixed spreads instead. This can happen when they have just one liquidity provider. And when they have more, they can achieve this by adjusting the mark-up they apply to the BBBO to ensure that the spreads you see on your end remain the same.

Instant vs. market execution

A regular STP broker fills client orders through instant execution. This means your broker acts as the counterparty to your trades and will hedge these positions with his liquidity providers. This can give rise to re-quotes if your broker has difficulties filling orders at the price you requested. However, instant execution does allow you to enter Stop and Limit Orders at the very same time you open a position, which can help manage your risks.

Other STP brokers offer market execution. When this happens, your broker passes your order directly onto his own liquidity providers. This gives you what is known as Direct Market Access and is one of the purest forms of trading. Liquidity providers will act as the counterparty to your trade and fill your order at the prevailing market price. The downside is that you cannot enter Stop or Limit orders at the time you place an order because the execution price is not known when you click the 'Trade' button.

Is your broker STP?

First, check your broker's website and Order Execution Policy for comments about spreads and execution types. If in doubt, ask your account manager directly.

If your broker offers fixed spreads and instant execution, it's unlikely but not impossible that he delivers Straight Through Processing.

Share this article:

Author

About the author

I'm Stéphane, a trader and an entrepreneur. My mission with TrustedBrokers is to help you find the right broker for you, whether you're a beginner or a pro. I've personally used and tested the brokers on our service, opening and funding real-money accounts, contacting customer service and placing trades. I started my career in investment banking in London.

Leave a comment

Your email will not be published. Required fields are marked with *