Compare 4 best CFD trading platforms in Australia 2025

Trade your favourite markets with our top-rated broker, eToro.

eToro 4.6/5

eToro is a multi-asset investment platform. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk.

Visit site

eToro is a multi-asset investment platform. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk.

This detailed guide is the result of our extensive research. We’ve picked out the top CFD trading platforms that offer the best service to help you start your investment journey by CFD trading in Australia.

To identify the best services, we created a checklist of key criteria that an Australia CFD broker must meet in order to earn a high ranking. The features it must offer include:

• Regulatory approval from the ASIC, the financial regulator in Australia
• A low-cost way to trade CFDs in Australia
• A free demo account for beginners
• A significant number of available trading instruments, including stocks, forex, commodities, and crypto CFDs where available

The results are clear: Our panel recommends eToro as the best CFD broker in Australia for 2025.

Best CFD brokers Australia

Alongside eToro , a number of other Australia CFD brokers impressed the experts. We rank these platforms highly, as CFD trading platforms in Australia that offer a secure, simple, and low cost trading experience.

4.6

eToro

Min. Deposit $100

Fees 1%

No. assets 3600+

Demo account Yes

Visit site

eToro review

Crypto assets are unregulated & highly speculative. No consumer protection. Capital at risk.

4.5

Plus500

Min. Deposit $100

Fees From 2%

No. assets 2800+

Demo account Yes

Visit site

Plus500 review

This information is NOT relevant to EU residents who are to be serviced by EU subsidiaries of the Plus500 Group, such as Plus500CY Ltd, authorized by CySEC (Reg. 250/14). Different regulatory requirements apply in Europe, such as leverage limitations and bonus restrictions.

4.4

IG Markets

Min. Deposit n/a

Fees Spread only

No. assets 17000+

Demo account Yes

Visit site

IG review

Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 75% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading spread bets and CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how spread bets and CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Our top 4 best CFD trading platforms in Australia, reviewed & compared

1. eToro. Best for beginners, copy-trading & demo-account

Copy link to section

4.5

Ratings

$100

Min. deposit

0% commission

Fees

3,600

No. assets

Yes

Demo account

Overview

We love eToro because it’s a crypto trading platform built with beginners and casual traders in mind. The platform combines an interactive, social trading experience with an easy-to-use interface, making it ideal for novice traders.

The far-reaching catalog of 100 cryptocurrencies includes big names like Bitcoin and Ethereum, as well as smaller crypto tokens with high growth potential. Some supported tokens can be seamlessly transferred to the eToro Money crypto wallet for safekeeping.

One feature we particularly appreciate is the ability to interact with eToro’s 35 million users on any asset, market, or portfolio page. If you find traders whose strategies match your risk tolerance, you can copy their portfolios automatically using eToro’s flagship copy trading functionality. eToro crypto’s Smart Portfolios offer a great entry point into digital currencies, an opportunity to learn and potentially benefit from the expertise of more experienced traders.

If you don’t feel comfortable investing your cash straight away, you can use a free demo account, credited with $100,000 virtual dollars. This offers plenty of opportunities to try out a trading strategy that works for you across the 100 crypto tokens available.

Highlights

No. of tradable assets	3600+
Min. Deposit	$100
ID verification required	Yes
Free demo account	Yes
Supported assets	Stock CFDs, ETF CFDs, Forex CFDs, Index CFDs, Commodity CFDs, NFTs, Crypto
Mobile trading app	Yes
Web trading platform	Yes
Regulatory bodies	ASIC, FCA, CySEC, FinCEN

Fees & Costs

Trading fees	Yes, on certain assets
Inactivity fees	Yes
Rollover/overnight fees	Yes, on CFDs
Withdrawal fees	Yes
Spreads	Yes, on certain assets
Conversion fees	Yes, for non-USD currencies

Pros & Cons

Great for beginners, simple to set up and get started Competitive, industry-leading commissions Popular ‘Copy Portfolios’ function lets you follow top traders Excellent customer service, with live chat support provided

Comparatively high fees for withdrawals and account inactivity Does not integrate with the MetaTrader platform High spreads on some assets

Read review Visit eToro

Crypto assets are unregulated & highly speculative. No consumer protection. Capital at risk.

2. Plus500. Best for international trading*

Copy link to section

4.5

Ratings

$100

Min. deposit

From 0.08%

Fees

2,800

No. assets

Yes

Demo account

Overview

We love Plus500 because it is one of the industry’s most transparent and reliable brokers. Its fees are clear and you’ll know exactly what you will be paying before you trade. Its technology driven platform gives access to futures for the two biggest cryptos, Bitcoin and Ethereum. 

Plus500 has something for all types of crypto trader, no matter what level of experience. Its low margin requirements of $20 for Ether and $100 for Bitcoin make it a top choice for day traders. At the same time, its trading academy is packed with educational content, perfect for beginners just starting. 

For accurate instrument availability, visit plus500.com.

The fees: Plus500 charges a commission of $0.49 per Micro contract and $0.89 per Standard contract (per side). There is an Auto-Liquidation fee of $10 per contract. Other exchange fees may be applicable and can be found on the CME group website. 

*Based on a comparison of 60+ leading brokers and trading platforms.

Highlights

No. of tradable assets	2800+
Min. Deposit	$100
ID verification required	Yes
Free demo account	Yes
Supported assets	Stock CFDs, ETF CFDs, Forex CFDs, Crypto CFDs, Index CFDs, Commodity CFDs
Mobile trading app	Yes
Web trading platform	Yes
Regulatory bodies	FSA, ASIC, FMA, FCA, CySEC

Fees & Costs

Trading fees	No
Inactivity fees	Yes
Rollover/overnight fees	Yes
Withdrawal fees	No
Spreads	Yes
Conversion fees	Yes

Pros & Cons

Free demo account for every user Secure broker, licensed by top-tier regulators Wide variety of CFDs to trade Several good risk management tools

No support on trading information and education Website isn’t brilliantly designed to help users find answers to their questions No MetaTrader trading platform compatibility

Read review Visit Plus500

This information is NOT relevant to EU residents who are to be serviced by EU subsidiaries of the Plus500 Group, such as Plus500CY Ltd, authorized by CySEC (Reg. 250/14). Different regulatory requirements apply in Europe, such as leverage limitations and bonus restrictions.

3. IG Markets: Best for trusted and transparent trading

Copy link to section

4

Ratings

$-

Min. deposit

Spread only

Fees

17,000

No. assets

Yes

Demo account

Overview

We love IG because it’s one of the most established and reputable names in the online trading industry, known for its reliability, comprehensive offerings, and strong regulatory compliance. In the United States, IG recently changed its name to TastyFX and is focused solely on forex trading. 

TastyFX is America’s fastest growing forex brokerage and as you’d expect from a subsidiary of IG, it offers excellent service with a wide selection of tools and features. Not only will you have access to over 80 forex pairs like EUR/USD, GBP/USD, and USD/JPY, but you’ll also pay $0 commission and have spreads starting from just 0.8 pips. 

What makes TastyFX stand apart from other US brokers is its excellent bonus schedule. After creating an account you can access up to $10,000 in cash bonuses. You cna also earn up to 15% rebate cashback every month. 

The fees: TastyFX has a clear and easy to understand fee schedule. It is a commission free brokerage and only charges a spread. Spreads are variable and generally lower for more liquid currency pairs. Spreads are as low as 0.8 pips for EUR/USD. Forex markets offer up to 50:1 leverage, or 2% margin requirements, on forex pairs like EUR/USD and USD/CAD.

Highlights

No. of tradable assets	17,000+
Min. Deposit	$0
ID verification required	Yes
Free demo account	Yes
Supported assets	Stock CFDs, ETFs, Forex CFDs, Crypto CFDs, Index CFDs, Commodities
Mobile trading app	Yes
Web trading platform	Yes
Regulatory bodies	FSCA, MAS, FMA, ASIC, FCA, BaFin, FINMA, DFSA, BMA, CFTC, NFA

Fees & Costs

Trading fees	Yes
Inactivity fees	Yes
Rollover/overnight fees	Yes
Withdrawal fees	No
Spreads	Yes
Conversion fees	Yes

Pros & Cons

Intuitive web trading platform Excellent demo account available Variety of deposit and withdrawal options Wide variety of useful educational tools Trading platform tutorial to get you started

Slow account opening process Unavailable in all regions

Read review Visit IG Markets

Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 75% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading spread bets and CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how spread bets and CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

4. Eightcap. Best online broker for choice of trading platform

Copy link to section

4.5

Ratings

$100

Min. deposit

Up to $3.5 RT

Fees

800

No. assets

Yes

Demo account

Overview

We love Eightcap because you have several trading platforms to choose from. You can choose between MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, and TradingView. All of these platforms are favourites among retail traders. With the MetaTrade suite of platforms, you can access lots of technical indicators, custom tools, and expert advisors. 

TradingView with Eightcap allows you to trade directly from your charts while accessing the hundreds of tools and features available. Eightcap a selection of over 200 crypto CFDs so there’s an excellent range to choose from. You can trade the biggest coins like BTC/USD and many altcoins like DOGE/USD.  

The fees: Eightcap is a CFD broker and charges spread, commissions, or a combination of both. There are two account types available, RAW, and Standard. The RAW account has ultra-low spreads starting from 0.0 pips but charges $3.5 RT per lot. The standard account is commission-free for most assets and spreads start from 1 pip.

Highlights

No. of tradable assets	800+
Min. Deposit	$100
ID verification required	Yes
Free demo account	Yes
Supported assets	Stocks, Crypto, Commodities, , Indices
Mobile trading app	Yes
Web trading platform	Yes
Regulatory bodies	ASIC, FCA, CySEC

Fees & Costs

Trading fees	Yes
Inactivity fees	No
Rollover/overnight fees	Yes, on certain assets
Withdrawal fees	Yes, for certain payment methods
Spreads	Yes
Conversion fees	Yes, currency dependent

Pros & Cons

Low trading fees for CFDs Trade directly from the TradingView platform Regulated by top-tier authorities Leverage up to 1:500 Partnered with multiple proprietary trading firms

Some markets are not available to all regions Customer support does not operate 24/7

Read review Visit Eightcap

Is CFD trading legal in Australia?

Yes, you can legally trade CFDs in Australia. However, certain aspects of CFD trading are regulated by the ASIC. The restrictions generally work in your favour, as they are designed to protect retail traders from large, unexpected losses.

Primarily this means there are limitations on the amount of leverage that CFD brokers in Australia can offer, capped at 30:1, along with a limit on the maximum losses any retail customer account can experience. In addition, they must clearly warn traders of the risks involved so you can make informed trading decisions.

How to find a reliable CFD broker in Australia

The key features that separate the best CFD broker in Australia from the rest are security, cost, the range of markets available. Keep those in mind and you won’t run into too many problems. 

If you need more help making up your mind, use this short Q&A to find the best CFD trading platform in Australia.

Are CFD brokers in Australia regulated?

Yes. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) regulates CFD trading in Australia. CFD trading platforms in Australia must own an Australian Financial Services License (AFSL), issued by ASIC, in order to offer CFD products.

Many of the rules were introduced in 2021 to reduce the risk to Australian CFD traders and to restrict how Aussie CFD brokers can promote their products.

In 2022, ASIC announced that these regulations would stay in place until at least 2027.

Primarily, these restrictions serve to limit the amount of leverage available on CFDs to 30:1 and to ensure all CFD services must offer negative balance protection to control the maximum losses any individual trader can make.

How else do CFD trading platforms in Australia protect me?

The top CFD brokers in Australia offer risk management tools to prevent beginner CFD traders from losing more money than they have in their account.

This is called ‘Negative Balance Protection’ and every platform must offer this feature to protect Australian traders. Indeed, no Australian CFD trading platform can get an AFSL license from ASIC without it.

This form of insurance is particularly useful if you use leverage or short CFDs, as it’s possible to lose significantly more than the initial value of your trade.

A Australian CFD broker should also protect you by providing Two Factor Authentication (2FA) to secure your account and with a customer service line that’s always open and available to help. 

What types of Australian CFD brokers are there?

Most of the time, you’re going to be dealing with market makers. A market maker is a CFD broker in Australia that effectively creates a market for any asset at all times, so you can always buy or sell.

Other forms of Australia CFD brokers include direct market access (DMA) brokers or STP/ECN brokers. These offer faster trade execution or allow you to buy and sell from other traders directly, rather than through an intermediary. Though the truth is that these services are geared towards professional or high volume traders, rather than casual users.

How much do CFD brokers in Australia cost?

Most CFD brokers in Australia offer no-commission trading, so you don’t have to pay each time you make a trade. However, the costs come elsewhere, usually in the form of the spread.

The spread is the difference between the buy and sell price of a contract for difference (CFD). The best Australia CFD trading platforms make money by taking a cut of that difference, so you can compare the costs of using different platforms by comparing the spreads. The lower the difference between the buy and sell price, the more cost-effective a platform is.

Do I have to pay tax on CFDs in Australia?

It depends. If you only trade occasionally as a hobby, then according to the tax regulations laid out by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) you don’t have to pay tax. If you trade CFDs with the view of making a profit, you’re classed as a speculator and your earnings are taxable. If you are a professional trader, you have to pay tax on CFDs.

There is some uncertainty over how much you have to trade to be classed as a speculator rather than a hobbyist. If you trade regularly, or with the specific aim of making a profit, then you are a speculator and should pay tax. If you only do so occasionally, like gambling on a sports event, you may not have to.

Keep a record of your transactions and ask the advice of a qualified tax professional to establish whether you have to pay tax or not.

Which assets can I trade through an Australia CFD broker?

Any CFD broker in Australia will offer currency and commodity markets. CFDs are the most common way to trade forex and commodities like gold and oil.

You can also trade stock CFDs, though the range of markets on offer can vary. You can trade any stock that lists on the ASX (the Australian Securities Exchange, based in Sydney), and most large US companies. But share CFDs from other countries may not be available with every broker.

Currently, in Australia you can trade:

• Commodity CFDs
• Crypto CFDs
• Forex CFDs
• ETF CFDs
• Indices CFDs
• Stock CFDs

Though the regulation for crypto CFDs, in particular, can change rapidly. Crypto CFDs are currently permitted by ASIC, but we have seen regulators in other countries restrict this form of trading, so it’s worth checking in regularly to make sure it’s still available.

To buy and sell the underlying assets, rather than using CFDs, consider using the best share trading platforms in Australia, the best forex brokers in Australia, or the best Australian crypto exchanges.

Can I use leverage to trade CFDs in Australia?

Yes, it’s common and legal to trade CFDs with leverage in Australia. The maximum permitted leverage is set by the ASIC, and all CFD brokers in Australia must abide by those rules.

In reality, each CFD broker in Australia also offers differing leverage on different assets. Currency pairs offer the most leverage, as it’s a vital part of successful forex trading, while stock and crypto CFDs generally offer the lowest.

Are there any other ways to trade?

Yes, one of the most appealing aspects of CFD trading for beginners is the fact you can use CFDs to trade for and against the market. Shorting is when you place a trade on an asset or market to fall in value, and is a very popular way to trade.

Because of that, you can also use CFDs to hedge other trades that you have open. This is where you place a trade on the opposite position to one you made previously. It’s used as a risk management strategy to minimise losses or lock in profit in case something changes.

Do CFD platforms in Australia offer professional trading accounts?

Yes, generally they do, although the qualifications can be steep. Most of the best trading platforms in Australia offer a retail account to all users, then provide faster execution speeds or lower spreads to high volume users who must meet certain capital requirements.

These accounts are only accessible to a small number of people, who have both significant starting funds and a high annual turnover. Unless you can supply the equivalent of at least 500,000 AUD as a qualifying deposit, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to sign up to a professional account with any Australian CFD provider.

How to start trading CFDs in Australia

Follow this guide to learn how to use a CFD trading platform in Australia and to place your first CFD trade.

To summarise

CFD trading is a popular and accessible way to trade for all Australia users, but there are a few risks as well. Australian CFD providers give you access to ASX stocks, global markets and a greater range of trading options, so you can back markets to go both up and down.

However, using leverage can lead to significant losses and, with CFDs, you don’t own the underlying assets themselves, so you have less investor protection than – for example – company shareholders.

This guide picks out the 4 best CFD brokers in Australia, based on their cost, accessibility, and the range of products available. Once you fully understand the pros and cons, choose any of the top CFD trading platforms above to get started with. It only takes a few minutes to start trading CFDs in Australia. 

FAQs