HF Markets Review

HF Markets was originally founded in 2010 under the brand name HotForex until its rebranding in 2019. Over the years it has grown into a broker that has a global presence and offers a wide range of tradeable markets and has become the broker of choice to millions of traders world-wide.

HFM is headquartered in Cyprus and is regulated in a number of regions including the FCA (United Kingdom), the FSA (Seychelles), the FSCA (South Africa), the CMA (Kenya) and the FSA (St. Vincent and the Grenadines). As is now becoming a standard feature amongst brokers, all HFM clients funds are held in segregated accounts with top tier banks – separate from the company’s operating capital – and all accounts are protected with negative balance protection, meaning clients cann't lose more money than they deposit.

In terms of trading platforms, there is a choice of MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), as well as HFM’s own trading app and the browser-based HFM Platform - all available via desktop, web, and mobile apps. Through these platforms, traders have the ability to trade a very wide range of instruments - forex (53), metals (6), energies (2), indices (12), commodities (4), bonds (3), ETFs (12), shares (89), and cryptocurrencies (75). Both MT4 and MT5 support automated trading via Expert Advisors, while the HFM App adds one-click trading, performance analytics, and account management in a single interface. HFM also offers Copy Trading for investors who like to follow experienced traders, and a feature packed PAMM model for money managers and their clients.

HFM has five main account types, all of which are available through any platform:

• Cent Account: designed for beginners or those testing strategies, it allows trading in smaller lot sizes with spreads from 1.4 pips, no commission, and no minimum deposit.
• Premium Account: offers spreads from 1.4 pips, no commission, and no minimum deposit, making it suitable for general trading across most instruments.
• Pro Account: aimed at experienced traders, with spreads from 0.6 pips, no commission, and a minimum deposit of US $100 (or €100).
• Zero Account: the raw-spread option, with spreads starting from 0.0 pips, a commission of US $3 per side (US $6 round-turn) per lot on forex pairs, and no minimum deposit.
• Top-up Bonus Account: 20% deposit bonus on every deposit (up to $5000), offers spreads from 1.4 pips, no commission, and no minimum deposit.

All accounts provide leverage of up to 1:2000 (depending on instrument and regulatory entity you are registered under) and swap-free (Islamic) options are available on certain instruments, not all.

Payments can be made by bank transfer, credit or debit card, and Skrill, Fasapay and various cryptocurrencies. Additional methods are available inside the client area depending on region. HFM does not charge fees on deposits or withdrawals, and most withdrawal requests submitted before 10:00 server time are processed the same business day.

For algo traders or ones who use strategies that require low latency and extra performance or , HFM provides VPS hosting through Beeks Financial Cloud. The VPS service is free for clients who meet specific trading and deposit requirements and for those who don’t, it can also be purchased in three packages starting from US $25 per month. This option allows traders to run automated strategies on MT4 or MT5 24/7 without interruption.

HFM also stands out for its education and analysis. They operate a large Learning Centre with free webinars, video tutorials, e-courses, and trading podcasts, along with daily market analysis and trading tools such as Autochartist, calculators, and an economic calendar. For traders wanting to test strategies, demo accounts mirror real trading conditions and remain active as long as they are used at least once every 60 days.

HFM offers fast execution speeds, combined with institutional level liquidity and Direct Market Access (STP/ECN trading model) with no dealing-desk intervention. The support team is available 24/5 in 27 languages and the platform interface itself can be displayed in all major languages.

There are a few limitations that are however worth noting. HFM does not accept clients from the United States or Canada due to local regulations (as is the case with most brokers today) and leverage limits can vary depending on which of their various entities (regulation) a trader registers under – so be sure to check that.

Overall, HFM offers a well-rounded trading environment that is suitable for both beginners and experienced traders alike. In balance they offer strong regulatory oversight, a good choice of platforms, wide market coverage and flexible account options making it one of the more complete brokers in the market.