Compare 4 Best CFD Brokers in India 2024

By:

James Knight

James is the Editor of Education for Invezz, where he covers topics from across the financial world, from the stock market, to cryptocurrency, to macroeconomic markets.... read more.

Updated:  Sep 9, 2024

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8 min read

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 CFD trading in India.

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

• Regulatory approval from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), the financial regulator in India
• A low-cost way to trade CFDs in India
• A free demo account for beginners
• A significant number of available trading instruments to invest in, including stocks, forex, commodities, and crypto CFDs where available

The results are clear: Our panel recommends IG Markets as the best CFD broker in India for 2024.

Best CFD brokers India

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

Most popular

1

Min Deposit

-

Best offer

User Score

9.8

Zero Commission when trading US shares, only £3 commission for UK shares. Additionally, there’s an FX conversion fee of just 0.5%

Explore a vast range of stocks with 13,000+ options, including popular companies like Amazon, Apple, Tesla, and Netflix.

Offers longer trading hours, allowing you to access markets even when they’re closed elsewhere.

Start Trading more info

Payment Methods:

Bank Transfer, Debit Card, PayPal, Credit Card, Wise

Full Regulations:

ASIC, FCA, FINMA, is a licensed bank (IG Bank in Switzerland)

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.

2

Min Deposit

-

Best offer

User Score

9.7

Open an MT5 account to go long or short on 250 of the largest US, Australian, and European stocks

Instruments in 21 time-frames and 80 pre-installed indicators

Multi jurisdiction regulation by ASIC and VFSC

Start Trading more info

Payment Methods:

Bank Transfer, Bitcoin, Debit Card, PayPal, neteller, Credit Card, Wire Transfer, Cryptocurrencies, FasaPay, PayRetailers, POLi, Wise, Worldpay, skrill

Full Regulations:

ASIC, CySEC, FCA

74-89% of retail CFD accounts lose money

3

Min Deposit

-

Best offer

User Score

9.0

Trade with Exness to enjoy better-than-market conditions and a friction-free online trading experience

The Exness Group is an international award-winning broker, with licenses in Seychelles, Cyprus, UK, South Africa and Kenya

Flexible funding- Choose from multiple currency funding options

Start Trading more info

Payment Methods:

Bank Transfer, Debit Card, neteller, Credit Card, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Perfect Money, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Discover, Electron, Sticpay, Bank Transfer: EPS, skrill

Full Regulations:

CMA Lebanon, CySEC, FCA, FSA, FSC, FSCA

Exness does not offer services to residents of certain jurisdictions including the USA, Iran, North Korea and others. The content of the website including translations should not be construed as means for solicitation. Investors make their own and independent decisions. Trading in CFDs and generally leveraged products involves substantial risk of loss and you may lose all of your invested capital.

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

1. IG Markets: Best for trusted and transparent trading

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From 0.5%

Fees

$...

Minimum deposit

17,000

No. assets

Yes

Demo/virtual account

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

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 market offerings, and strong regulatory compliance. IG offers CFD trading in stocks, forex, commodities, indices, ETFs and more, with plenty of useful plugins and integrations to improve the trading experience.

One of the key strengths of IG Markets is its seamless integration with MetaTrader 4 (MT4), a popular third-party trading platform favored by many traders for its advanced charting tools, automated trading capabilities, and custom indicators. This integration allows users to leverage MT4’s sophisticated features while benefiting from IG Markets’ competitive pricing, reliable execution, and extensive market access.

Beyond its product range and platform integrations, IG Markets stands out for its commitment to education and customer support. The company offers a wealth of educational resources, such as webinars, tutorials, and market analysis, which help traders of all levels improve their knowledge and skills.

The fees: For most assets, you don’t pay a trading fee but will be charged through the spread instead. That’s the difference between the buy and sell price of an asset. IG’s spreads are competitive but variable: you’ll pay a smaller spread on popular assets compared to less popular ones. Share trading works differently, and you’ll be charged a minimum fee on each trade of at least $15.

Highlights

Features	IG Markets summary
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
View more >	IG Markets >

Visit IG Markets IG Markets 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.

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

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Up to $3.5 RT

Fees

$...

Minimum deposit

800

No. assets

Yes

Demo/virtual account

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

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 has over 900 markets available including stocks, forex, indices, commodities, and cryptocurrencies. 

The fees: Eightcap is a CFD broker and charges spreads, 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

Features	Eightcap summary
No. of tradable assets	800+
Min. Deposit	$100
ID verification required	Yes
Free demo account	Yes
Supported assets	Stocks, Cryptocurrencies, Commodities, Currencies, Indices
Mobile trading app	Yes
Web trading platform	Yes
Regulatory bodies	ASIC, FCA, CySEC
View more >	Eightcap >

Visit Eightcap Eightcap Review

74-89% of retail CFD accounts lose money

3. Exness. Best for tight spreads and a pro-style trading experience.

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From $0.2 per lot

Fees

$...

Minimum deposit

300

No. assets

No

Demo/virtual account

Pros & Cons

Trade all major asset classes with zero commission Competitive spreads starting from 0.3 pips on standard accounts Highly flexible trading terminal available on mobile app, desktop, and web browser Top-tier regulation and negative balance protection

Restricted access in the US and UK

Overview

We love Exness because of its tight spreads, which make it a top choice for traders looking to minimize trading costs and maximize profitability. The brokerage offers some of the most competitive spreads in the industry, especially on markets like stocks. Excess offers 80+ stocks via CFDs from some of the worlds largest companies.

Its focus on low trading costs is ideal for both newbies and experienced traders looking to trade with minimal overheads. Exness also stands out for its range of trading terminals. It offers MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, and the Exness web terminal. There’s also a dedicated mobile app meaning you’ll be able to always access your account. 

Beginners can take advantage of a free demo account or micro-lots for low minimum trades, while more experienced traders can use the hundreds of pre built indicators available on the MetaTrader suite. 

The fees: Standard accounts aren’t charged a commission but are charged through the spread. Spreads start from 0.3 pips on stocks. Overnight fees apply on some assets (exc. swap-free accounts).

Highlights

Features	Exness summary
No. of tradable assets	250+
Min. Deposit	From $10
ID verification required	Yes
Free demo account	Yes
Supported assets	Stocks, Cryptocurrencies, Commodities, Currencies
Mobile trading app	Yes
Web trading platform	Yes
Regulatory bodies	FSCA, FCA, CySEC, FSA, BVIFSC
View more >	Exness >

Visit Exness Exness Review

Exness does not offer services to residents of certain jurisdictions including the USA, Iran, North Korea and others. The content of the website including translations should not be construed as means for solicitation. Investors make their own and independent decisions. Trading in CFDs and generally leveraged products involves substantial risk of loss and you may lose all of your invested capital.

4. Pacific Union. Best for social trading & customer support

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...

Fees

$...

Minimum deposit

200

No. assets

No

Demo/virtual account

Pros & Cons

70+ forex pairs and 200+ financial assets available to trade Extremely low minimum trade sizes Multilingual support in 18+ languages

Minimum withdrawal of $100 Fewer assets than many competitors

Overview

We love Pacific Union because its beginner friendly platform comes loaded with lots of educational content, including how to guides and video learning. Pacific Union offers over 200 stock CFDs for some of the world’s biggest companies.  

It’s an award-winning broker and has a proprietary social trading application that makes it easy for beginners to follow the strategies and positions of the platform’s top traders. Pacific Union uses the popular Metatrader 4 software alongside its mobile and web based apps. Traders can choose the amount of leverage they want to use, all the way up to 500:1.

The fees: Commission starting at 0.1 points is charged on select stock CFDs across all account types. Spread starts at 0.5 points and applies to all stocks. Swap charges for holding a trade overnight vary depending on size.  

Highlights

Features	summary
No. of tradable assets
Min. Deposit
ID verification required	No
Free demo account	No
Supported assets
Mobile trading app	No
Web trading platform	No
Regulatory bodies
View more >	>

Visit Review

Contracts for Difference (CFDs) trading carries a high level of risk to your capital and can result in losses, you should only trade with money you can afford to lose. CFDs trading may not be suitable for all investors, please ensure that you fully understand the risks involved and take appropriate measures to manage it.

Is CFD trading legal in India?

Yes, you can legally trade CFDs in India. However, certain aspects of CFD trading are regulated by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). The restrictions generally work in your favour, as they are designed to protect traders from large, unexpected losses.

Primarily this means there are limitations on the amount of leverage that CFD brokers in India can offer, 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 India

The key features that separate the best CFD broker in India 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 India.

Are CFD brokers in India regulated?

Yes, CFD trading platforms in India are licensed and regulated by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) sets the rules on India CFD trading, such as how much leverage is available when you trade a contract for difference (CFD), along with which assets and markets are available.

The best CFD brokers in India often hold several licences across various jurisdictions. Here’s a look at the top 3 CFD platforms in India:

How else do CFD trading platforms in India protect me?

The top CFD brokers in India offer negative balance protection, which is a form of insurance that protects you from losing more money than you have in your account. This 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 Indian 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 Indian 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 India that effectively creates a market for any asset at all times, so you can always buy or sell.

Other forms of India 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 India cost?

Most CFD brokers in India 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 India 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.

Which assets can I trade through a India CFD broker?

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

Then the rules can change depending on the whims of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). Generally, you can trade stock CFDs, though the available companies may vary. In addition, you may be able to trade:

• Crypto CFDs
• ETF CFDs
• Indices CFDs

Though the regulation for crypto CFDs, in particular, can change rapidly.

To buy and sell the underlying assets, rather than using CFDs, consider using the best brokerage accounts in India, the best forex brokers in India, or the best crypto exchanges & apps in India.

Can I use leverage to trade CFDs in India?

Yes, it’s common and legal to trade CFDs with leverage in India. The maximum permitted leverage is set by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), and all CFD brokers in India must abide by those rules.

In reality, each CFD broker in India 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 India offer professional trading accounts?

Yes, generally they do, although the qualifications can be steep. Most of the best trading platforms in India 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 as a qualifying deposit, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to sign up to a professional account with any Indian CFD provider.

How to start trading CFDs in India

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

To summarise

CFD trading is a popular and accessible way to trade for all India users, but there are a few risks as well. Indian CFD providers give you access to 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 India, 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 India. 

FAQs