Pepperstone Review |
|
| 📅 Year founded |
2010 |
| 📈 Multiple top-tier regulation |
Yes |
| 📍 Headquarters |
Melbourne, Australia |
| 🌍 Country of regulation |
Australia / United Kingdom / Kenya / United Arab Emirates |
| ✅ Regulators |
ASIC / FCA / CMA / DFSA |
| 📈 Execution Type |
Market Execution |
| 💰 Minimum Deposit |
None |
| 🛡️ Negative Balance Protection |
Yes |
| 📉 Trading Platforms |
MetaTrader4 / MetaTrader5 / cTrader / TradingView |
| ☪ Islamic account |
Yes |
| 📉 Trading Instruments |
Forex / Commodities / Indices / Share CFDs / ETFs / CFD Forwards (Futures) / Cryptocurrencies |
| 📱 Mobile trading |
iOS / Android / Windows |
| 💳 Payment Types Accepted |
Credit and Debit Cards / Bank Wire Transfer / Neteller / Skrill / PayPal / MPESA / Flutterwave |
| 🎮 Demo Account |
Yes |
| ⓒ Copy Trading |
Yes |
| 🎁 Bonus Offer |
Refer a Friend $250 USD / Active Trader Program |
| 💰 Account Currencies |
USD / EUR / GBP / AUD / CAD / CHF / JPY / NZD / SGD / HKD |
| 📈 Minimum Trade |
None |
| 📈 Account Types |
STP / MAM / PAMM |
| 📈 Margin Trading |
Yes |
| 📈 Trading fees |
Low |
| 📈 Inactivity fee |
No |
| 💰 Withdrawal fee |
No |
| ☎ Customer Support |
24/5 / 18 hours on weekends at variable times |
| 💰 Max. Leverage |
400:1 |
| ✔️ Hedging Allowed |
Yes |
| ✔️ Scalping Allowed |
Yes |
| 💰 Commission |
Low |
| 💰 Spreads |
From 0.0 pips |
| 💰 Leverage |
Flexible |
| 💰 Currency Pairs (Total Forex pairs) |
90 + |
| 🔢 Number of clients |
400 000 + |
| 🥇 Instruments Offered |
1 200 + |
| 📙 Education |
Learn to Trade CFDs Tab / Learn to Trade Forex Tab / Learn to Trade Shares Tab / Trading Guides / Webinars / Educational Videos |
WHAT IS PEPPERSTONE?
Found in 2010, Pepperstone is a respectable forex and CFD brokerage firm with its headquarters located in Melbourne, Australia. This online broker is regulated by ASIC, FCA, CMA and DFSA amongst others.
At Pepperstone, clients can trade a range of trading instruments such as forex, commodities, indices, share CFDs, ETFs, CFD Forwards and cryptocurrencies.
The broker also offers a variety of trading platforms to its traders including MetaTrader4 (MT4), MetaTrader5 (MT5), cTrader and TradingView.
INTRODUCTION
Pepperstone is an established forex and CFD broker in Melbourne, Australia. The company was founded in 2010 by a group of expert traders with a common goal to develop global online trading. They are regulated by the highly reputable Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) amongst others.
Since 2010, the company has grown into one of the best brokers in forex globally. Today, Pepperstone has more than 400 000 traders around the world while handling roughly $9.2 billion US Dollars’ worth of trades on a daily basis. They are recognised for their outstanding client service, value for money and exceptional trading conditions.
Is Pepperstone a good broker? Here are some benefits of trading with Pepper stone:
- Value for money with Pepperstone’s swift execution speeds and low-cost pricing.
- Peace of mind with segregated funds and regulations by ASIC and FCA and more.
- 4 great platforms, including MT4, MT5, cTrader and TradingView.
- More trading options with over 1 200 instruments across various asset classes.
- Complete control over a trading account through a secure client section.
Pepperstone is globally recognised by many top awards bodies for its work in providing great client service, pricing, value and trading products for its traders. Some of these awards are listed later on in this review.
Pepperstone is known as one of the world’s biggest MT4 brokers, but has several trading platforms to choose from across all operating systems.
The broker operates all over the world and constantly develops its trading capacity to exceptional levels. Pepperstone is a great choice for all kinds of traders, whether traders are just beginning or already at a professional level.
PROS & CONS
PROS
- Low forex fees.
- Good customer service.
- Smooth deposit and withdrawal process.
- Low trading fees.
- No inactivity fees.
- No deposit fee charged.
- Client funds are segregated.
- Pepperstone does not require a minimum deposit.
- Swift and easy account opening process.
- A number of account base currencies available.
- Negative balance protection.
- Competitive spreads and commissions.
- Customer support in multiple languages available.
- Swap-free (Islamic) account is available.
CONS
- Basic news flow.
- No fundamental data.
- Only two account types available.
TRADING INSTRUMENTS
Pepperstone offers new markets that can help traders to diversify their trading approaches and expand their trading opportunities. Traders have a choice to trade several trading instruments including forex, commodities, indices, share CFDs, ETFs, CFD forwards and cryptocurrencies. Some of the instruments are described below:
Forex
The forex market is a global, decentralised, OTC (over-the-counter) financial market for exchanging currencies. The forex market is considered as the biggest financial market globally and trading volumes are substantially more than the joint total of the stock and futures markets. Pepperstone offers a variety of currencies and currency pairs to its clients, over 90 in fact, making it one of the largest offerings available in the industry.
Commodities
Pepperstone has four precious metals on offer that traders can trade with namely gold, silver, platinum and palladium. These precious metals can all be traded against the Euro or US Dollar and other currency pairs. Platinum and palladium can be traded on Pepperstone’s MT4, MT5, cTrader and TradingView platforms.
Commodities such as oil and gas products can be traded on all available platforms at Pepperstone. While soft commodities such as cotton, sugar, coffee, cocoa and orange juice are also tradable options at Pepperstone.
Index CFDs
Index CFDs means that you are trading on the actual market price. At Pepperstone, you can trade on the fluctuations of 14 major stock markets globally without a trading desk or commission.
Pepperstone’s index CFDs offers traders with access to several global markets, allowing traders to expand their trading strategies across various instruments. Pepperstone offers 14 index CFDs to its clients (this number is subject to changes made by Pepperstone).
Share CFDs
Share CFDs means that you are trading on the actual market price. Pepperstone provides the opportunity to trade with the best US companies and to make swift market moves when required. Pepperstone offers a variety of top-quality stocks to its clients, including Apple, Amazon, JPMorgan Chase & Co and Tesla amongst others.
Cryptocurrencies
Pepperstone provides various cryptocurrency derivative products, as well as leverage of up to 5:1 across all platforms. The tradable cryptocurrencies include, Ethereum, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin and Dash, while further cryptocurrencies are added regurarly. Here are some benefits of trading cryptocurrencies with Pepperstone:
- Leverage of up to 5:1.
- Commission-free.
- Hedging is allowed.
TRADING PLATFORMS
Pepperstone does not own a self-developed trading platform and provides a choice of four third-party trading platforms to its customers. The four trading platforms offered by Pepperstone include MT4, MT5, cTrader and TradingView.
All four platforms are designed and developed to suit any type of trader, whether you are a beginner or a professional trader. These platforms are available on desktop (Windows and Mac OS), mobile devices (iOS and Android) and the web.
MetaTrader4
MT4 is considered as the most popular trading platform globally. The MT4 trading platform at Pepperstone is created to provide traders with the upper hand in the current trading environment.
As indicated before, the MT4 trading platform is available on desktop (Windows and Mac OS), mobile devices (iOS and Android) and the web. The MT4 platform is highly customisable and has something to offer for all types and levels of traders.
Here are some benefits and features of the MT4 Pepperstone platform:
- Use Autochartist to find statistically major market fluctuations.
- Use Smart Trader Tools to access up to 28 indicators and EAs.
- Choose between countless online trading tools to plug into the MT 4 platform.
- The Pepperstone App (desktop) offers 85 pre-installed indicators.
- Use analysis tools in order to make better trading decisions.
- 24/5 automated trading available.
- Multiple chart setups.
- Live quotes.
- Real-time charts.
- In-depth news and analytics.
- Order management tools.
MetaTrader5
The MT5 platform is for traders who require innovative financial trading functions and better tools for analysis. MT5 is also a user-friendly and easy to understand trading platform. The platform offers outstanding features in order to help traders keep on top of the markets.
Here are some benefits and features of the MT5 platform:
- Swift processing and built-in indicators.
- Advanced customisation to suit your trading style.
- Easy to use the platform.
- Easy MQL5 coding program.
- Use Smart Trader Tools.
- Use Autochartist to find statistically major market fluctuations.
- Hedging is allowed.
- Integrated economic calendar.
- 38 indicators.
- Up to a total of 500 orders.
- 21 timeframes.
cTrader
Pepperstone’s cTrader platform is a great trading platform for professional traders and for traders that are just starting out. It is an intuitive and user-friendly trading platform with cutting-edge order capabilities and a customisable interface.
Here are some benefits and features of the cTrader platform:
- Intuitive design.
- Access FIX API.
- Perfect for beginners.
- Advanced risk management.
- Great range of indicators.
- Detailed order tickets.
- All-inclusive educational videos.
TradingView
TradingView has started offering its platforms to brokers to make use of when traders are looking to place trades. The TradingView platform has been used by traders for many years, to perform their analysis on and thus comes with a plethora of built in indicators. Additionally, members of the TradingView community can also upload their own indicators which can be used by members. The codes are open source and can thus be customised.
While it may take time to see how TradingView works as a trading platform, the early signs are very promising and with an excellent broker such as Pepperstone, the future looks bright.
ACCOUNT TYPES
At Pepperstone, you can choose between the Standard, Razor or Swap-free trading accounts.
Pepperstone’s Razor Account is best for scalpers and algorithmic traders while its Standard Account is best for new traders that are just starting out. The company has a Swap-free account, which is an interest-free account that is developed for Islamic traders who cannot pay or receive swaps.
Pepperstone has a simple and fully digital account opening process that can take just 15 minutes to complete, whereafter the account needs to be approved and verified by Pepperstone.
HOW TO OPEN AN ACCOUNT
Pepperstone has a great account opening process that is user-friendly and fully digital. The Standard Account requires no minimum deposit for Pepperstone.
It takes approximately 15 minutes to finalise the broker’s application for opening an account. Traders can expect to receive approval and verification of their application within 3 business days.
In order to open a broker account, traders can follow these simple steps below:
- Register with the broker by providing your email address and password.
- Confirm your email.
- Proceed to the Secure Client Area.
- Provide the broker with your personal information on the secure application form.
- Provide the broker with a copy of your passport / ID to verify your identity.
- Provide the broker with a utility bill or any other document that shows proof of residence.
- Once approved, you can fund your broker account to start trading.
If you experience any difficulties with the account opening process, you can contact the broker’s customer support via email or live chat for assistance.
SOCIAL TRADING, COPY TRADING AND DEMO ACCOUNTS
Social trading or “copy trading” is a relatively new concept in the trading industry. Pepperstone has partnered with several social trading platforms that are developed by third parties. These platforms are created for CFD and forex traders who want to track and duplicate the trades of other traders.
Social trading is ideal for traders who are attracted to trading but do not yet have the necessary skills or knowledge to make sensible trades. Some of the top reasons and benefits to make use of social trading include low start-up costs, diversifying your risk, benchmarking your performance, saving on fees and verified results.
Pepperstone’s Myfxbook is a copy trading account that allows traders to copy or duplicate the trades from the most successful trading systems. There are no performance or management fees applicable when opening a Myfxbook portfolio. Myfxbook AutoTrade also runs on its own servers and traders do not need to install any software.
Pepperstone Demo Account
Pepperstone has a demo account on offer that can be ideal for traders that are seeking trading practice, or traders that want to experiment with new strategies. The demo account provides traders with virtual capital to start trading on Pepperstone’s replicated live trading environments. The demo account also helps traders to learn how Pepperstone’s trading platforms work.
Trading on a demo account is risk-free and it can be a great way to become accustomed to the trading environment. At Pepperstone, you can choose between several innovative platforms to trade on, with up $50 000 USD in virtual capital for a total period of 30 days.
It must be noted that the MT4 and 5 demo accounts will only last for up to 30 days, unless the trader has a live funded account with Pepperstone and has asked the broker to set a “non-expiry”. The cTrader demo account, however, will not expire unless the client has not used the broker account for 30 days. Additionally, the TradingView demo account does not expire at all.
Pepperstone’s forex demo account is especially recommended for traders that are new to forex trading, who want to experiment with automated trading or who want to explore different trading strategies.
COMMISSIONS & FEES
Pepperstone’s fees are low and they offer reasonable commissions. In order to suit its traders’ needs, Pepperstone offers micro, mini and standard contract sizes on forex.
Pepperstone is generally regarded as an inexpensive broker when talking about non-trading fees. For instance, Pepperstone will not charge its traders any type of inactivity fee when the account is not being used.
At Pepperstone, deposit fees are applicable when transferring money from a bank account into a trading account. They also do not charge any withdrawal fees, which means that a trader’s bank account will reflect the exact amount that was transferred from his / her trading account, subject to any applicable third party banking fees.
Pepperstone’s account holders will not be charged with an inactivity fee if the trading account has not been used for a period of time.
LEVERAGE
Leverage consists of borrowing capital from a broker to trade with. Leverage amounts depend on the type of instrument that you are trading, as well as under which jurisdiction you fall. Leverage provides the client with the capability to create significant profits on currency fluctuations while risking minimal funds on a particular position.
Pepperstone offers a maximum leverage of 400:1 on forex for both their retail and expert traders. For example, for each $1 USD that a trader has in his / her trading account, the trader may trade $400 USD in the forex market. Traders are welcome to read more about Pepperstone’s leverage on their website here.
WITHDRAWALS AND DEPOSITS
Pepperstone has an extensive variety of funding options on offer with no extra fees for clients in most countries. Managing an account is easy and simple with Pepperstone, traders have their own protected client section to safely access all of their funding and withdrawal options.
The broker accepts a multitude of payment options listed in the table above. Clients’ withdrawal status can be seen in Peppersone’s “Funds” tab, as well as their existing status and a legend with guiding details.
If clients want to add funds to their trading account, they need to select “Add Funds”, where they will discover a variety of depositing options to decide on. If clients wish to withdraw funds from their account, they need to select “Withdraw Funds”, where they will also discover a variety of withdrawal options to decide on.
CUSTOMER SERVICE
Pepperstone has a great customer service offering that is available 24/5 as well as for limited times on weekends. Their customer service can be reached via a number of different channels including Pepperstone live chat, email, phone and through social media channels.
Clients can also expect to receive swift and relevant answers from Pepperstone’s customer service. The broker’s customer service is offered in numerous languages such as Russian, English, Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, Portuguese, Spanish and Arabic to name a few. Pepperstone has a frequently asked questions (FAQs) section on their website that may answer some basic questions.
SAFETY AND SECURITY
Pepperstone is regulated by the FCA for EU account holders and ASIC for Australian account holders. They are further regulated by the CMA and DFSA as well. Pepperstone also has a strong culture of regulation and compliance with many security features in position for its clients, such as the following:
- Capital reserves.
- Segregated bank accounts.
- Background checks for directors.
- Protecting funds in top-tier banks.
- Liability insurance to protect the broker in the event of an unpredicted liability.
- Independent auditing.
- No dealing desk policy.
GLOBAL AWARDS
- Global Forex Broker of the Year (2023) – FxScouts Forex Awards.
- Best Overall Broker (2023) – DayTrading Broker of the Year Awards.
- Fastest Execution Broker (2023) – Tradingbeasts.com.
- Broker of the Year (2022) – TradingView Broker of the Year.
- Global Forex Broker of the Year (2022) – FxScouts Forex Awards.
- Best Forex Trading Execution (2021) – FxScouts Forex Awards.
- Best NDD Broker in the UK (2021) – Trading Guide Broker Awards.
PROMOTIONS
Forex traders that are trading on high-volumes can earn cash rebates and exclusive benefits on the company’s Active Trader Program, such as saving on trading commissions. Other benefits may include access to a free VPS hosting service. Further details on this program can be found on the broker’s website here.
The total rebates will be subject to the amount of standard lots that are traded each month.
Pepperstone does not provide bonuses for depositing funds however, clients can expect instant cash rebates into their trading account the day after a position is closed.
Traders can go to Pepperstone’s Active Trader Program section on its website for additional information.
Additionally, Pepperstone also offer a Refer a Friend Program where clients can receive up to $250 USD for qualifying referrals.
RESEARCH
At Pepperstone, traders can discover trading ideas based on technical tools and first-rate market reports. Unfortunately, the broker’s news feed lacks in quality and no fundamental data is offered.
The broker’s research tools can be found on the trading platform, in the Secure Client Area or on the website at ‘Market Analysis’.
Trading ideas – Trading ideas are based on technical tools and can be accessed through Autochartist at the Secure Client Area.
Fundamental data – No fundamental data is offered by the broker (except via the TradingView platform).
Charting – The broker’s charting tools are average and traders can use 31 technical indicators. Additional tools such as trend lines and Fibonacci retracement are also available.
News feed – As previously indicated, the broker’s news feeds are lacking quality. The News feeds are very short and there is an absence of quality visualisation.
Third-party tools – With Pepperstone, Autochartist can be accessed by clients. Autochartist is software that provides trading signals and automated pattern recognition. Clients with more than $500 AUD in their trading account can also use the broker’s Smart Trader Tools. This is a MT4 add-on with a variety of additional trading tools.
Market analysis – The broker provides content from 3rd party analysts when talking about fundamental and technical analysis. The company’s economic calendar is powered by Trading Economics (a market data provider). At Pepperstone, you will have access to its own technical analysis reports that include expert commentary, videos, a number of assets and the impact of major economic events.
In-house commentary – Pepperstone’s in-house analysts also provide further quality commentary on markets around the globe.
EDUCATION
A great range of educational resources are available on Pepperstone’s website, such as webinars, various learning tabs, educational videos and the availability of demo accounts.
The demo account can be used to get more acquainted with the trading platforms on offer. It provides an excellent opportunity to learn how the broker’s trading platforms work. A trading glossary is also available for traders to better understand trading lingo, expressions or acronyms.
If you are new to trading, you will be able to find all the necessary educational resources on trading from the broker’s website. Pepperstone also has a section to explain how forex trading and other types of trading works.
Pepperstone’s webinars are led by industry experts and are designed to assist traders to develop their trading skills and become better traders. With the broker’s economic calendar, you will also stay updated with upcoming international events.
A range of trading guides is also offered by Pepperstone.
SAFE OR SCAM?
Found in 2010, Pepperstone is an Australian private company with a great track record. The broker has successfully sailed across times of crisis in the financial sector, such as the Swiss Franc crisis in 2015.
The brokerage firm is also regulated by the FCA (UK) and ASIC, top-tier regulators, as well as a host of other regulating entities.
Pepperstone is trustworthy and is considered a low-risk online broker. The UK’s Investor Protection Fund protects clients that are based in the EU up to £85 000. However, clients that are based outside the EU will not receive protection from the broker if anything goes wrong.
CONCLUSION
With a number of trading instruments on offer, the broker’s unique offering is mainly for traders who focus particularly on forex and CFD markets. Pepperstone accommodates all forex and CFDs traders, whether they are experienced traders or just starting out.
Pepperstone requires no minimum deposits and has a great variety of third-party trading platforms, such as MT4, MT5, cTrader and TradingView, whereby clients can trade on multiple devices. There are also no fees charged for deposits or withdrawals. Their customer service is excellent, providing their clients with swift and relevant answers.
Pepperstone is well-regulated, honest, transparent and always places its clients first. The broker also provides its clients with an exceptional collection of trading tools. The broker also has a free demo account that traders can use in order to practice prior to making their first deposit.
Traders can expect a great forex broker that is regulated by the top-tier ASIC and FCA.
Overall, Pepperstone is an excellent online forex broker with a low minimum deposit and a great variety of 3rd party trading platforms. The broker accommodates all forex and CFDs clients, irrespective of experience level. Its tight spreads and low fees are a further selling point for any interested traders. Brokersuggest.com can confidently say that we highly recommend Pepperstone.
