Top 8 Best STP Forex Brokers in 2025

This page picks out the best forex brokers that use STP technology and compares them to help you decide which one to use.

Learn about the key features of each platform and assess the benefits versus the risks of signing up.

Best STP forex brokers overall for 2025

What are the best STP brokers?

Our forex experts have ranked the leading STP brokers and you can sign up to any of them through the links in the table below. Keep reading for more information on why each one made the cut.

4.6

eToro

Min. Deposit $100

Fees 1%

No. assets 3600+

Demo account Yes

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eToro review

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

Best STP forex brokers

Min. Deposit n/a

Fees -

No. assets n/a

Demo account -

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Top 8 STP brokers, reviewed

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

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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

Cryptoassets investing and custody are offered by eToro (Europe) Ltd as a digital asset service provider, registered with the AMF. Cryptoasset investing is highly volatile. No consumer protection. Tax on profits may apply. 51% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. You will never lose more than the amount invested in each position.

2. Plus500. Best for international trading*

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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 make a trade. Its technology driven platform gives access to futures contracts for some of the biggest indices.

Plus500 has something for all types of traders, no matter what level of experience. Its low margin requirements (starting at $100) and different contracts 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.

What is an STP broker?

STP platforms are a type of no dealing desk forex broker that sends trades automatically to the market. This is in contrast to a dealing desk, which is a ‘market maker’ that takes the other side of a trade itself rather than passing the order on.

It’s difficult to be certain about what type of broker a platform is. Few platforms are explicitly clear about their service and you can have hybrids; brokers that have a dealing desk but also operate some form of electronic network or straight through processing technology.

There are a few clues that can help differentiate them. No dealing desk brokers that use STP often have better prices but larger spreads, as you’re interacting with the forex market directly. Market makers have smaller spreads but can restrict trading during high volatility, as they set the prices and take the trades.

How do STP brokers work?

STP brokers send trade orders directly to the interbank market without routing them through a market maker first. 1 faculty.haas.berkeley.edu https://faculty.haas.berkeley.edu/lyons/rime%20new%20electronic%20fx.pdf This gives traders that use this type of broker access to the rates that banks and other financial institutions get when they trade currencies among themselves.

The two big advantages of an STP broker are speed and price. Your trades are sent straight to the market (hence the name ‘Straight Through Processing’) rather than going through a middleman, and that same lack of an intermediary means there is no one taking a cut of the potential profit.

Should I use an STP broker?

It’s a great option if you’re experienced and know what you’re doing. The decentralized nature of the forex market lends itself to choosing an STP or an ECN broker instead of a market maker. The prices are better and there is no danger of the broker restricting trading.

However, the flip side is that there are far fewer protections. The spreads are higher as the prices are more volatile, which means there might be a significant difference between the buy and sell price for a currency. You normally also have to navigate a more complex trading interface, rather than the simplified ones provided by market makers that target the casual trader.

For any new trader, a market maker is the best option. They are normally the forex brokers with demo accounts so that you can practice first and then the real thing has fewer risks than with an STP broker. For more advanced traders with lots of volume, an STP or ECN broker is an excellent choice.

How to choose an STP forex broker?

There are lots of factors, features, and options to consider when choosing an STP broker. While fees, spreads, and speed at usually what traders look at, we’ve provided a few more things you should consider:

Understand how an STP broker works

Before you even begin, you must understand how an STP forex broker works. A Straight Through Processing (STP) forex broker passes your trades directly to liquidity providers without any dealing desk intervention. 

This ensures that the broker doesn’t take the other side of your trades which results in no conflict of interest. In my experience, an STP model provides a more transparent trading environment and can offer faster execution, especially during volatile market conditions. 

Check the broker is properly regulated

One of the first things I always look for when choosing any forex broker, especially an STP broker, is whether it is regulated by a reputable financial authority. You should always favour tier 1 regulators over offshore ones. Good regulation means you’re better protected against malicious conduct. 

I’ve traded with brokers regulated by the FCA (UK) and ASIC (Australia), and in my experience, these brokers offer better security and more reliable trading conditions. Below you can find the regulatory status of the top 3 STP forex brokers in 2025:

Evaluate execution speed and liquidity

Execution speed is key when using an STP broker because your trades are routed through multiple liquidity providers. An honest STP forex broker should be able to offer fast execution, especially during high-impact news events when markets move fast. 

Slow execution can lead to significant slippage which can hurt your bottom line. If you’re a scalper or a short timeframe trader, this is especially important. You can compare execution speeds during demo trading and real trading. The best STP brokers have minimal slippage and quick order processing. 

Look out for low spreads and fees

Spread and fees are another major factor you should consider when looking for an STP forex broker in 2025. With STP brokers, spreads are generally variable as trades are sent directly to the market. Variable spreads mean you should expect fluctuations, but a good STP broker should still offer competitive rates. 

You should also investigate what other fees you may be charged when using an STP forex platform. Some STP brokers will charge a commission per trade in addition to offering tighter spreads, which can work out cheaper than brokers that offer “commission-free” trading but have wider spreads. 

How many liquidity providers does the broker use

When it comes to liquidity, not all STP brokers are created equal. Some connect to a few liquidity providers, while others may connect to dozens. The more the broker has access to, the better the pricing and execution you will receive. 

One of the best ways to check is to look at depth of market (DOM) visibility. Not all brokers let you view DOM, but if you find one that does, you’ll be able to check the available liquidity at different price levels. If a broker isn’t clear about who its liquidity providers are, it’s usually not a good sign. 

What trading platform does the STP broker offer

Brokers offer a range of different trading platforms. Forex brokers generally let you trade via MT4 or MT5. cTrader and TradingView are also popular among some. If you’re looking for fast execution, platforms like cTrader and MT5 are the best. 

What are the risks of using STP brokers?

The biggest risk is that you can lose money. The risks are heightened with this type of broker compared to a market maker because the minimum lot (i.e. the trade size) is higher, so you have to place larger trades.

The fact that you deal direct with the market means that prices can swing much faster and the spreads are higher. The combination of those two factors can leave you with currencies that you can only sell at a significant loss.

Here are some of the benefits versus the risks of using an STP broker.

What are the fees for using an STP broker?

The fees can either be a commission or a markup on the currency prices. Commissions can be charged as a percentage of total trading volume over a period of time, such as a month. Markups are simply an addition to the price that’s charged by the market and are the primary reason why forex brokers charge different prices.

Methodology: How did we choose the best STP brokers?

Helping people make better financial decisions is at the heart of our mission at Invezz. 

We periodically test more than 63 forex trading platforms to provide our users with clear, accessible guidance on the investing options available. All testing is carried out by our panel of forex experts, analysts, and active traders who sign up to each broker, conduct research, and score each service.

Our tests are designed to find foreign exchange platforms that offer a beginner-friendly, secure trading experience at a fair price. To supplement our practical testing and experience, we research each service to gather any further relevant information. We read online customer reviews, app reviews on the Play Store and App Store, and conduct user surveys to get feedback from real people about what works, and what doesn’t.

Each forex broker is awarded a final score based on 130+ data points across 8 ranking categories: cost, reliability, user experience, deposit & withdrawals, investing options, range of products/markets, research & analysis tools, and the availability of educational & learning resources.

We work closely with individual brokers to ensure all factual information displayed here is accurate. All data is then fact-checked by an independent reviewer. You can learn more about our expert panel and how we test, rate, and review platforms in our review process.

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