Instaforex Review – Is Instaforex a multi-asset broker?
| Broker | Instaforex |
|---|---|
| Website URL | www.instaforex.eu |
| Founded | 2007 |
| Headquarters | Spetson 23A, Leda Court, Block B, Office B203, 4000 Mesa, Limassol, Cyprus |
| Support Number | +357 256 54 112 |
| Support Types | Email, Chat, Phone , Whatsapp, Telegram, Facebook Messenger and Viber |
| Languages | 12 languges supported |
| Trading Platform | WebTrader, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader Multiterminal, MT4 mobile |
| Minimum 1st Deposit | $1 |
| Minimum Account Size | $0 |
| Maximum Trade Amount | 10,000 lots |
| Bonus | No bonus |
| Leverage | up to 1:1000 |
| Spread | fixed/floating |
| Free Demo Account | Yes, Click Here To Open New Account |
| Regulated | Regulated by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission, license number 266/15 |
| Account Types | Insta.Standard, Insta.Eurica, ECN, ECN Pro, Scalping |
| Deposit Methods | credit/debit card, bank wire, PayCo, WeChat, Bitcoin, Litecoin and a number of localized options - Including withdrawal fees |
| Withdrawal Methods | credit/debit card, bank wire, PayCo, WeChat, Bitcoin, Litecoin and a number of localized options |
| Number of Assets | 300+ |
| Types of Assets | FX, stocks, indices, precious metals, CFDs, cryptocurrencies |
| US Traders Allowed | no |
| Mobile Trading | yes |
| Tablet Trading | yes |
Introduction
InstaForex has been offering the trading off Forex since 2007 and in the intervening period it has grown into one of the biggest brokers of its kind in the online space, having more than 7 million traders signed up for an account. Its main area of focus is on traders that are based in the European Union.
There are five main asset classes offered, with many different assets contained within these classes. There is a top-quality research offering at InstaForex thanks to the dozens of analysts that are employed.
To operate in the European online brokerage market, InstaForex is regulated by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC). One way in which InstaForex has been promoting its offering is through a variety of sponsorship deals. Its most notable deal is as a sponsor for the Borussia Dortmund football team.
This InstaForex review looks at the pros and cons of the offering, allowing you to decide if you want to start trading with them or not.
Pros
- Great forex offering
- Top-quality research
- 24/5 customer support team
- Wide variety of payment methods
Cons
- Average fee structure
- Transactions can be slow and costly
Products
The InstaForex offering is wide-ranging, covering a lot of different types of asset classes and trading tools. You have everything from CFD trading to cryptocurrency, options, futures and Forex trading capabilities. As the name probably suggests, its main focus is on its forex offering.
There are more than 100 different currency pairs that can be traded. There are also more than 85 different equities CFDs that can be traded. You also have access to precious metals and commodities trading, as well as a handful of indices CFDs and cryptocurrencies.
There is leverage available, with it varying depending on what asset you are looking to trade. The available leverage begins at 1:1 and goes as far up to 1:1000. There is the availability of copy traders, allowing you to copy the trades that the most successful traders on the platform are making.
There is also the option to create a demo account so you can trade without putting any money on the line. One of the best aspects of the InstaForex offering is the high-quality research and analysis that you can get access to in order to help your trading.
Fees and Charges
The fees and charges levied by InstaForex vary depending on what type of account you are using. For the standard account, the average spread begins at three pips and will rise to about seven pips. There is no commission added on top of these trades as it has already been integrated into the fee structure for this account type. The average spread for EUR/USD as an example is 3 pips.
The Eurica account type will only vary very slightly in terms of its charges and fees. There are no discounts on fees available for more active traders. Overall, the trading fees are about average for the market, but they are certainly not better than what you will find with most other brokers.
While there are no deposit fees, there are charges when you make withdrawals. For a personal account, this will be a fee of 1.8% for credit card withdrawals for example. If you have not placed a trade for a year, there will be a monthly inactivity charge of €10 enacted on your account.
Trading Platforms
The main trading platform to choose on InstaForex is the industry-standard MetaTrader 4 platform. This will be very familiar to most experienced traders as it is offered as an option by the majority of online forex brokers. It has a great variety of different tools and charting options.
The interface is well-laid out and easy to use. It is particularly friendly for beginners who are just getting started with their trading. You have options to automate your trading or to enact copy trading if you wish to do so. There are also backtesting capabilities that allow you to test out different strategies first before implementing them.
As well as downloading MetaTrader 4 to your desktop, you can also trade through your web browser through the InstaForex proprietary WebIFX platform. While it is basic in its nature, there is a decent selection of different instruments to use. For mobile traders, you can download the MetaTrader 4 mobile app for iOS and Android devices. The InstaTick Trader option allows you to make instant tick deals. Overall, the selection of trading platforms is decent, depending on your given needs.
Security and Reliability
InstaForex operates in the European market as it is regulated by the CySEC. This regulatory body is respected in the region and is popular among online brokers. It means that InstaForex has to be compliant with all financial and anti-money laundering directives that are in place by the European Union.
InstaForex is also part of the Investor Compensation Fund This means that if the broker ends up out of business, client funds will be covered up to a max of €20,000. The platform also deploys the latest in encryption technology to ensure that all of the data of its clients are kept safe both when it is being transferred and when it is stored. There is the option to add two-factor authentication onto your account to provide you with an added layer of security.
Customer Support
If you have an issue that needs resolving, you can check out the support section on the InstaForex website and look at the FAQs. Otherwise, you can directly contact the support team. There are a few different options when doing so.
You can request a call back over the phone, use the live chat option or send the team an email. These options are available on a 24/5 basis. There are also now options to send messages to the team via Whatsapp, Telegram, Facebook Messenger and Viber.
Deposits and Withdrawals
If you are looking to deposit funds at InstaForex, there are no fees in place but there are certain time periods when these requests will not be processed. At InstaForex, all transactions will be processed from Monday until Friday by the company’s Finance Department from 10 AM until 7 PM (UCT+3).
If you are looking to make a deposit, you can do so by using a debit or credit card, a bank wire transfer, PayCo, WeChat, Bitcoin, Litecoin and a number of localized options. Most of these options will see your funds hit your account straight away once the request has been processed. There is a minimum required deposit in place of just €1.
For withdrawals, you have access to the same range of payment options. However, there are fees associated with making a withdrawal. For example, a credit card withdrawal will cost 1.8% of the transactions plus a €0.05 fee.
Conclusion
The InstaForex offering is a mixed one. Its main focus is on its forex offering, which has one of the best selections that you will find in the space today. It also offers a few other asset classes.
The research offering is top-quality, being a plus and there is a decent selection of trading platforms for you to use. The fee structure is about average for the space and the deposit times are a bit lackluster and the withdrawal fees not ideal. Overall, InstaForex is a good fit for those traders who are looking to focus solely on Forex.