Vantage Markets Review – Is Vantage Markets Safe? Features and Fees Explained
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Australia-based Vantage Markets has emerged as one of the world’s leading CFD brokers, offering a user-friendly trading experience while keeping fees low. Not only is Vantage Markets suitable for forex traders, but it also provides options for those looking to invest in commodities, stocks, ETFs, cryptocurrencies, and indices.
With that in mind, this article explores our in-depth Vantage Markets review, covering everything investors need to know about this broker before presenting an easy-to-follow guide on how to begin trading with Vantage Markets today.
Table of Contents
What is Vantage Markets?
First thing’s first – what is Vantage Markets is a leading CFD broker that serves over 50,000 clients worldwide. Although Vantage Markets was established in Australia, the broker now has offices in various countries around the globe and is regulated by leading institutions like the FCA, ASIC, and the VFSC.
As a CFD broker, Vantage Markets allows clients to trade a wide range of financial instruments. These include currencies, stocks, indices, ETFs, cryptocurrencies, and commodities, making it easy to create a diversified portfolio. Since CFDs are derivatives, Vantage Markets can offer leverage of up to 500:1 on certain assets.
Vantage Markets is also one of the best trading platforms for those looking to invest whilst on the go, as clients can use the free mobile app, which features an intuitive interface and real-time price charts. Alternatively, Vantage Markets also offers a web-based platform called ‘WebTrader’, which integrates directly with clients’ MT4/MT5 accounts.
Along with being a safe and user-friendly platform, Vantage Markets also excels regarding its sign-up process. The whole process can be completed in less than five minutes – with clients even given the option of utilizing the free ‘Unlimited Demo Account’ feature to practice before trading for real.
Vantage Markets Pros & Cons
Before we dive deeper into our Vantage Markets review, here’s a brief overview of the main pros and cons of partnering with this broker:
Pros
- Regulated by the FCA, ASIC, and VFSC
- Has 14 years of industry experience
- No commissions are charged on the STP account
- RAW ECN account offered with spreads from 0.0 pips
- Full support for MT4/MT5 accounts
- Clients can trade currencies, stocks, indices, cryptocurrencies, and commodities
- Unlimited demo account feature
- The minimum deposit is just $50
Cons
- Asset selection could be larger
- Not listed on a stock exchange
Your capital is at risk.
Vantage Markets Supported Markets
As a world-renowned CFD broker, Vantage Markets offers many popular asset classes. These include:
- Currencies (forex)
- Stocks
- Commodities
- Indices
- ETFs
- Cryptocurrency
Since Vantage Markets focuses on CFD trading, certain asset classes may not be available in some regions of the world. For example, UK-based clients will not be able to trade cryptocurrency CFDs since crypto-based derivatives are banned in the country.
The fact that Vantage Markets focuses on CFDs will benefit most clients, as it allows them to speculate on an asset’s price without owning it. Furthermore, it also means that clients with a Standard STP account can employ leverage of up to 100:1 – although approved accounts can receive leverage of up to 500:1 on FX trades.
Vantage Markets clients can also go long and short on the platform’s tradable assets. This ensures clients have abundant market opportunities, making it easy to create a robust investment portfolio.
Vantage Markets Platforms
Vantage Markets’ trading experience is top-notch, as clients have several ways in which they can trade. Forex traders will be glad to know that Vantage Markets has full support for MT4 and MT5 – a relatively rare feature in the trading industry.
Clients can trade using MT4 and MT5 through a desktop app, mobile app, or the dedicated ‘WebTrader’ browser platform. This means clients can benefit from a minimum trade size of just 0.01 lots and use up to 21 timeframes on MT5. There’s even scope to use ‘Expert Advisors’, which can automate the trading process.
Vantage Markets also offers several social trading features, including ‘Vantage Social Trading’, which allows talented traders to earn commissions by letting others copy their trades. Clients can also integrate their Vantage Markets account with ZuluTrade, MyFxBook, and DupliTrade if they wish to employ a more ‘hands-off’ approach.
Finally, Vantage Markets even has a dedicated ‘ProTrader’ platform powered by TradingView. This platform is targeted toward experienced traders and features hundreds of technical indicators and drawing tools, along with eight different timeframes – ideal for those who spend a lot of time in front of the charts.
Vantage Markets App
Clients who prefer to trade on the go can download the free Vantage Markets mobile app on iOS or Android devices. This app offers clients the ability to buy and sell CFDs in just a few taps whilst also allowing them to conduct asset analysis using various technical indicators and real-time price charts.
The Vantage Markets app also features custom watchlists, price alerts, market news, and even built-in trading signals. Clients can also make deposits and withdrawals through the mobile app, which can even be used to create a trading account in minutes for those who haven’t signed up yet.
Vantage Markets Fees
During the research and testing for our Vantage Markets review, we noted that the platform’s fees are one of its standout features. Vantage Markets adopts a ‘0% commission’ approach, meaning that no transaction fee is levied whenever a client opens or closes a trade.
Instead, Vantage Markets’ fee is built into the ‘bid/ask spread’, which is the difference between the price a client can buy and sell an asset. This spread will vary depending on the instrument and the market conditions, although it tends to remain relatively tight. For example, EUR/USD trading on the Standard STP account averages around 1.2 pips.
Some clients may wish to use the RAW ECN account, which does charge a commission on each trade. This commission is set at $3 per lot, although clients will benefit from razor-sharp spreads. These spreads can even be as low as 0.0 pips, which is ideal for high-frequency traders.
Regarding non-trading fees, Vantage Markets allows clients to make deposits and withdrawals free of charge (some exceptions are noted in the following section). There is also no inactivity fee or monthly account fee to contend with, ensuring Vantage Markets remains a cost-effective option across the board.
Vantage Markets Deposits & Withdrawals
Vantage Markets offers flexible funding options to all clients, meaning it’s quick and easy to get started. A total of eight base currencies are accepted, including USD, GBP, and EUR, which streamlines the process and ensures that most clients won’t have to use a multi-currency bank account to make deposits.
At the time of writing, Vantage Markets supports credit/debit card, bank transfer, and e-wallet deposits. Although bank transfers can take a few business days, card and e-wallet deposits tend to arrive instantly.
All payment methods are free to use, apart from China Union Pay, which is accompanied by a 1.30%-2.50% fee (based on the deposit amount). Some methods, such as Skrill and Neteller, may have costs that the provider itself charges.
On a separate note, no fees are charged for withdrawals to a credit/debit card or e-wallet. Moreover, the first international bank withdrawal is free each month, although any subsequent withdrawals will have a fee.
Is Vantage Markets Safe?
Whether a client is looking to trade forex or buy cryptocurrency, it’s essential to review the platform’s level of safety. Thankfully, Vantage Markets has a stellar reputation due to regulation from the FCA, ASIC, and the VFSC. Furthermore, UK-based client accounts are even protected by up to £85,000 by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS).
Alongside strict regulation, Vantage Markets also offers negative balance protection. This means that clients cannot lose more than they have in their trading balance, ensuring they never get into debt. Finally, since Vantage Markets has been operating since 2009, the platform has a strong track record that boosts credibility.
Vantage Markets Customer Service
Vantage Markets also excels when it comes to customer service, as the platform offers several ways that clients can reach out for help. These include live chat support, phone support, and email support. The great thing is that these channels are available 24/7.
In addition to the support options, Vantage Markets also has a dedicated ‘Help Centre’ that answers the most common questions traders ask. There’s even a handy search bar that clients can use to find answers to more complex queries.
How to Get Started with Vantage Markets Today – Full Walkthrough
Before rounding off our Vantage Markets review, let’s take a closer look at the sign-up process. Clients can create a Vantage Markets account in minutes without needing any physical paperwork.
With that in mind, the four steps below highlight how to get started with Vantage Markets today using your laptop, tablet, or smartphone:
Step 1 – Sign-Up for a Vantage Markets Account
Head over to the Vantage Markets website and click ‘Get Started’. On the page that appears, enter your full name, phone number, and email address, then decide which account type you’d like in the drop-down menu.
Your capital is at risk.
Step 2 – Complete Account Verification
To comply with anti-money laundering guidelines, Vantage Markets must verify new users. To complete the verification process, simply upload the following documents:
- Proof of ID (e.g. passport, driver’s license)
- Proof of Address (e.g. utility bill, bank statement)
Once these documents have been uploaded, Vantage Markets will double-check them and email you once everything has been okayed.
Step 3 – Make a Deposit
Once verified, you can make a deposit through the client portal. Vantage Markets’ minimum deposit threshold is just $50 (or currency equivalent), and the following payment methods are accepted:
- Bank transfer (EFT)
- Credit/debit card
- Neteller
- Skrill
- China Union Pay
- JCB
- AstroPay
- FasaPay
- Broker to Broket Transfer
- BTC/USDT
Step 4 – Begin Trading
After your account has been verified and you have funded your account, you’re ready to begin trading. Click the ‘WebTrader’ button on Vantage Markets’ website (or download the mobile app) and log in using the credentials created in Step 1.
After logging in, it’s simply a case of searching for the financial instrument you’d like to trade. Click on the instrument, and an order box will appear, in which you can choose your order type, set your investment amount, and create a stop-loss/take-profit level. Once you’re happy with everything, confirm the position, and the trade will be executed immediately.
Vantage Markets Review – Conclusion
To conclude, this article has covered everything there is to know about Vantage Markets, highlighting why this broker is considered one of the top options for those interested in CFD trading.
Traders looking to get started with Vantage Markets can create an account in minutes using the platform’s fully-digital sign-up process. Once an account has been created, it’s effortless to trade the hundreds of CFDs the platform supports – without paying any commissions.
Your capital is at risk.
FAQs
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Does Vantage Markets support MT4?
