Choosing a forex broker in the UAE, Dubai or Abu Dhabi
No single broker is best for everyone. The best one for you is licensed in the UAE with the right licence and offers the market you want at a clear cost. This guide explains how to compare; the table below is built from the official registers.
Start with the licence
Three UAE regulators license trading companies: the Capital Market Authority (CMA) onshore, the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) in the DIFC, and the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) in ADGM. Ask which regulator, which legal entity and which licence number, then check the public register yourself. Your account is opened with a specific entity, not with the group brand.
Licence type matters more than the logo
Some firms hold a dealing licence that lets them execute your trades and hold your money; others only hold an arranging or promotion licence, which means accounts may be opened with another entity, possibly abroad. The table below shows which kind each broker holds in the UAE.
Dubai: DIFC or onshore?
Dubai has DFSA-regulated firms inside the DIFC and CMA-regulated firms onshore. Both are UAE regulation; what matters is that the entity opening your account is the licensed one. Some DFSA licences cover retail clients and some do not. To trade DFM shares themselves you need a DFM member broker.
Abu Dhabi: ADGM and the FSRA
Forex trading in Abu Dhabi is offered by firms licensed by the FSRA in Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), as well as by CMA-licensed firms onshore. The ADGM public register shows each firm's permissions; check that they cover dealing for retail clients before you open an account with an ADGM entity.
What to compare next
Markets offered (CFDs, real shares, or both); the full cost of a trade (spread, commission, swap, withdrawal fees); AED deposits and withdrawal times to a UAE bank; the platform; and, if you need it, the written terms of a swap-free account.
Data for 18 brokers from the official registers (CMA, DFSA, FSRA) and the brokers' pages, in no order of preference. We do not rank or rate brokers.
| Broker | UAE licence | Minimum deposit | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
| XTB | CMA CP-0001283 (Dealing licence) DFSA F006316 (Dealing licence) | No minimum | Details on the broker page |
| Capital.com | CMA CP-0000937 (Dealing licence) | 20 USD/EUR/GBP or 80 AED | Capital.com app, TradingView |
| Plus500 | CMA CP-0001317 (Dealing licence) DFSA F005651 (Arranging or promotion only) | Details on the broker page | Details on the broker page |
| Equiti | CMA CP-0000791 (Dealing licence) | No minimum (Classic) · $100 (Standard) · $3,000 (Premier) | Details on the broker page |
| CFI | CMA CP-0000894 (Dealing licence) | No minimum | Details on the broker page |
| Century Financial | CMA CP-0000038 (Dealing licence) | Details on the broker page | MT5 |
| Daman Markets | CMA CP-0001473 (Dealing licence) | $100 (DM Classic) · $20,000 (DM Pro) | MT5 |
| Exness | CMA CP-0001100 (Dealing licence) | No minimum | MT4, MT5, Web terminal |
| ADSS | CMA CP-0000786 (Dealing licence) | $100 | ADSS platform, MT5, MT4 |
| IG | DFSA F001780 (Dealing licence) | No minimum (bank transfer) | IG platform, MT4, MT5, TradingView |
| CMC Markets | DFSA F002740 (Dealing licence) | Details on the broker page | Details on the broker page |
| XM | DFSA F003484 (Dealing licence) | $5 | Details on the broker page |
| HFM | DFSA F004885 (Dealing licence) | No minimum | Details on the broker page |
| Swissquote | DFSA F001438 (Dealing licence) | $1,000 (Standard) · $10,000 (Premium) · $50,000 (Prime) | Details on the broker page |
| eToro | FSRA FSP 220073 (Dealing licence) | Details on the broker page | eToro platform |
| AvaTrade | FSRA FSP 190018 (Dealing licence) | 100 (card / e-payment) · 500 (wire transfer) | WebTrader, MT4, MT5, AvaOptions |
| Pepperstone | CMA CP-0001424 (Arranging or promotion only) DFSA F004356 (Arranging or promotion only) | $10 | Pepperstone platform, TradingView, MT5, MT4, cTrader |
| Interactive Brokers | DFSA F008423 (Arranging or promotion only) | USD 0 | Details on the broker page |
Red flags
Promised or fixed returns, an "account manager" pushing you to deposit more, requests to pay a personal account or a crypto wallet, or a website without an entity name and licence number. Leveraged CFDs are high-risk and most retail accounts lose money.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the best trading company in the UAE?
There is no single best. Start with firms licensed by the CMA, DFSA or FSRA, confirm the licence type and the entity, then compare markets, full costs, platform and withdrawals for the way you trade.
How do I check a broker is licensed in the UAE?
Take the entity name and licence number from the broker's site and search the CMA licensed-companies list, the DFSA public register or the ADGM register. Each broker page on Invvex links to its register entry.
Does Invvex rank or rate brokers?
No. We publish licence data, minimum deposits and platforms as verified from official sources and leave the choice to you.
Risk warning: CFDs and leveraged trading are high-risk. This content is educational, not investment advice.