XTB broker review

XTB at a glance

XTB is a publicly listed brokerage with more than 20 years on the market and over 2.5 million clients worldwide. It gives retail traders access to more than 11,700 instruments – from forex pairs, indices and commodities traded as CFDs, through cryptocurrency CFDs, to 9,000+ real stocks and ETFs from European and US markets. The proposition is unusually broad: you can trade CFDs with leverage on short-term price moves and, in the same account, build a long-term portfolio of shares and funds.

What makes XTB stand out in this XTB broker review is the combination of a genuinely powerful proprietary trading platform, transparent pricing and strong regulatory coverage. Account opening is free and typically takes about 15 minutes, and a free demo account lets you practise trading forex and CFDs with virtual funds before risking real money.

Forex & CFD trading: indices and commodities

The heart of XTB's offering – and the reason most active users choose it – is CFD trading. XTB provides 2,500+ leveraged CFD instruments spanning forex, commodities and indices, all executed through xStation 5 with fast, transparent order routing.

Forex

If you want to trade forex, XTB covers the major, minor and exotic currency pairs – EUR/USD, GBP/USD and dozens more. Forex CFDs are priced through the spread, and leverage for retail clients is capped under ESMA rules (up to 1:30 on major pairs), which limits both risk and margin requirements. Built-in tools such as the trader's calculator, market sentiment and economic news help you plan every forex trade.

Indices

XTB offers index CFDs on the world's leading benchmarks – US500, US100, the German DE40 (DAX), UK100 and more. Index CFD trading lets you take a position on a whole market with a single instrument, going long or short depending on your outlook.

Commodities

Commodity CFDs cover gold, silver, oil, natural gas and soft commodities such as coffee. These markets are popular for both directional trading and hedging, and XTB prices them competitively with no commission on CFDs – your cost is built into the spread.

Important: leverage cuts both ways. Trading forex and CFDs on indices and commodities can move quickly against you, so risk management with stop-loss orders is essential.

Cryptocurrency CFDs

For traders who want exposure to digital assets, XTB offers cryptocurrency CFDs – typically 30 to 40+ instruments including Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH) and other major coins. Crypto CFD trading means you speculate on the price of a cryptocurrency without owning the underlying coin, and – crucially – you can go both long and short.

Crypto CFDs are among the most volatile instruments available, which is exactly why active traders use them, but it also makes them high-risk. Availability of crypto CFDs varies by country and regulatory entity, so check what your local XTB entity offers. As with all CFDs, positions are leveraged and priced through the spread.

Stocks & ETFs (0% commission)

Beyond leveraged products, XTB is a genuinely strong home for long-term investors. You get access to 9,000+ real stocks and ETFs from EU and US exchanges with 0% commission on monthly turnover up to €100,000. Above that threshold a commission of just 0.2% (minimum 10 EUR/GBP) applies. A currency conversion cost of 0.5% may apply when you buy an instrument in a currency other than your account base currency.

There are no custody fees on holdings up to €250,000 (0.02% per year above that). Fractional shares let you invest small amounts across expensive stocks. Think of commission-free investing as the top-of-funnel entry point – many users start here and then explore the full trading platform.

The xStation 5 platform

xStation 5 is XTB's award-winning proprietary platform, available on web and as a mobile app (rated 4.7/5 on the App Store and 4.5/5 on Google Play). It is the same platform whether you trade forex and CFDs or invest in shares.

Key features include advanced charting with dozens of indicators, one-click execution, a full set of order types (stop loss, take profit and pending orders), a trader's calculator that automates position sizing and currency conversions, real-time market sentiment showing how XTB clients are positioned, and push notifications for market news. The interface is clean enough for beginners yet deep enough for professionals.

Account & minimum deposit

Opening an XTB account is completely free and takes around 15 minutes. XTB does not impose a meaningful minimum deposit – you can fund the account with whatever amount suits you and start small. Deposits and withdrawals are free via bank transfer and card. A free demo account is available so you can test strategies with virtual money before committing capital.

Note that after 365 days with no transactions an inactivity fee of 10 EUR/GBP per month may apply, so the account rewards at least occasional activity.

Costs & spreads

XTB's pricing is transparent. On CFDs – forex, indices and commodities – there is no separate commission; your cost is the spread, which varies by instrument and market conditions. On real stocks and ETFs you pay 0% commission up to €100,000 of monthly turnover, then 0.2%.

Other fees to note: a 0.5% currency conversion cost, no custody fees up to €250,000, and the inactivity fee described above. Overnight financing (swap) applies to leveraged CFD positions held open.

Safety & regulation

XTB is one of the more heavily regulated brokers available to European traders. XTB S.A. is authorised and regulated by Poland's KNF; the group also holds authorisation from CySEC in Cyprus (licence 169/12) and, for UK clients, XTB Limited is regulated by the FCA (FRN 522157). Client eligible deposits are covered by investor compensation schemes, and the group is a publicly listed company subject to ongoing disclosure.

Security features include two-factor authentication (2FA) on login. For retail clients, regulation provides negative balance protection so you cannot lose more than your account balance on leveraged positions.

Who XTB is for

XTB suits active traders who want to trade forex and CFDs on indices, commodities and crypto through a professional platform, as well as investors who want commission-free stocks and ETFs in the same place. Beginners benefit from the demo account and clean interface; experienced traders get advanced charting and fast execution. It is less suited to those wanting futures, real crypto ownership or a huge fund supermarket.

Pros & cons

• Pro: 2,500+ CFDs on forex, indices and commodities plus 30–40+ crypto CFDs.
• Pro: Award-winning xStation 5 platform on web and mobile.
• Pro: 0% commission stocks and ETFs up to €100k/month.
• Pro: Strong regulation (KNF, CySEC, FCA) and negative balance protection for retail.
• Con: CFDs are high-risk – most retail accounts lose money.
• Con: 0.5% FX conversion and inactivity fee can add up.
• Con: No real (spot) cryptocurrency ownership.

Verdict

XTB is a top-tier choice for European traders. As a trading platform for forex, CFDs and cryptocurrencies it combines breadth, a superb proprietary platform and transparent pricing, while its 0% commission stocks and ETFs make it a credible long-term investing home too. Well regulated and easy to start, it earns a strong recommendation – provided you respect the risks of leverage.

Risk warning: CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 77% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider (74% for the UK entity). You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.