Vantage FX Review 2023

Rating 8/10

Max. Leverage

1:30

for Forex

Minimum Deposit

£200

EUR/USD Spread

1 pip

Benchmark

Visit Vantage FX

Vantage FX is a regulated broker offering trading services for spreads betting and CFDs (contract for differences) on (forex) foreign exchange, indices, metals, energies, commodities, and shares.

Vantage was first founded in Australia in 2009 and has been regulated by the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) in the UK since 2013.

In this review, we assess the trading conditions, account types, deposits/withdrawals options, account opening process, and customer support on the Vantage FX platform.

Vantage FX is legit because they are regulated by 2 Tier-1 financial regulators and 1 Tier-3 regulator. This makes them score low on risk as they are bound by law to comply with the regulations.

Here are the jurisdictions in which Vantage FX is regulated.

1) Financial Conduct Authority (FCA): Vantage FX is regulated by the FCA as Vantage Global Prime LLP and authorized to offer financial services in the UK with reference number 590299, issued in 2013.

Vantage FX is also registered with the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) which will repay clients of Vantage up to £85,000 if the company becomes insolvent and cannot repay any claims.

This makes Vantage FX safe for clients’ funds in the UK.

2) Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC): Vantage FX is regulated in Australia by ASIC as ‘Vantage Global Prime Pty Ltd.’ and licensed to offer financial services with Australian Company Number (ACN) 157-768-566, issued in 2012.

3) Vanuatu Financial Services Commission (VFSC): Vantage FX is also regulated in Vanuatu, by the VFSC as ‘Vantage Global Limited’ which is registered as an international company, with company number 700271, issued in 2019.

This is an offshore regulation.

4) Cayman Islands Monetary Authority (CIMA): Vantage FX has another offshore regulation in the Cayman Islands as Vantage International Group Limited. Their Securities Investment Business Law (SIBL) number is 1383491. The license was issued and recognised in 2018.

For retail clients, the maximum leverage on Vantage FX is 1:30 for major forex currency pairs, 1:20 for non-major Currency pairs, Gold and Major Indices, 1:10 for commodities other than gold, and non-major equity Indices, 1:5 for individual equities and other reference values, and 1:2 for cryptocurrencies.

Professional clients on Vantage FX can access higher leverage of up to 1:500.

Vantage FX offers 3 main account types to traders with different features, fees, and market conditions. They also offer Islamic Accounts for Muslim traders and demo accounts for beginners who want to first get familiar with the platform before they start live trading.

Here is an overview of the account types on Vantage FX:

1) Standard STP Account: The Vantage FX Standard Account is designed for new traders and retail clients. This account uses the STP (Straight Through Processing) execution type which usually includes a markup on the spreads above the Inter-bank rate received from the liquidity providers of the broker.

Holders of this account do not pay commission fees when they enter or exit trade positions. Spreads start from 1.2 pips for major pairs like EURUSD, and you pay swap fees for keeping a position open overnight.

This account requires a minimum deposit of £200 and a minimum trade size of 0.01 with maximum leverage of 1:30.

You can also have an STP Spread betting account, that can be used on only the MT4 trading application.

2) Raw ECN Account: The Vantage FX Raw Account is designed for experienced traders and retail clients who want lower spreads. This account uses the ECN (Electronic Communication Network) execution type, which usually receives raw inter-bank spreads from the broker’s liquidity providers.

With Raw ECN Account, you pay commission fees whenever you enter or exit trade positions starting from £1 per side lot and can be up to £6 per round turn of trade. Spreads start from 0.0 pips, and you also pay swap fees for keeping a position open overnight.

This account requires a minimum deposit of £500 and a minimum trade size of 0.01 with maximum leverage of 1:30.

Apart from currency pairs and CFDs, you can also open a spread betting account under the RAW ECN Account. You will not incur any commission cost with the spread betting account. You are charged via the spreads only.

3) Professional ECN Account: The Vantage FX Professional Account is designed for experienced traders who trade large volumes of financial instruments. This account uses the ECN (Electronic Communication Network) execution type, which usually receives raw inter-bank spreads from the broker’s liquidity providers.

With Raw ECN Account, pay commission fees when you enter or exit trade positions starting from £1 per side lot and can be up to £6 per round-turn of trade. Spreads start from 0.0 pips for major pairs like EURUSD, and you also pay swap fees for keeping a position open overnight.

This account requires a minimum deposit of £500 and a minimum trade size of 0.01 with maximum leverage of 1:500.

Note that you can only apply for the Professional Account on Vantage FX after meeting at least 2 of the 3 conditions below:

1. You have at least one year of relevant experience in the financial sector.
2. You have done ten significant transactions in the relevant market over the past four quarters.
3. You have more than 500,000 EUR in your financial instrument portfolio.

To get a Professional Account, first, open a Standard or Raw Account, then apply to customer support via email to upgrade your account, if you meet the requirement, your account will be upgraded to Professional Account status.

4) Swap-free Account: Vantage FX offers Islamic Accounts to Muslim traders in line with the sharia law of no riba (interest). These accounts differ from others in that they do not charge any swap fees for keeping trade positions open overnight.

The Vantage Swap-free account can be operated as a Standard, Raw, or Professional Account. All you need to do is to apply to support to make your account Islamic, you will be required to submit additional documents before your application is approved.

With the swap-free account, you pay an administration fee each day whenever you keep a position open past midnight, which is 00:00 hours on the trading platform.

This account is only supported on the MT4 trading platform.

Vantage FX Base Account Currency

Vantage FX offers 4 account base currencies that you can choose from. They are British Pound sterling – GBP, Euros – EUR, Hong Kong Dollar – HKD, and United States Dollar – USD.

Your trades, deposits, withdrawals, and fees are measured in this currency on the platform.

Fees on Vantage FX depend on the account type, the instrument traded, and your trade size. Here is an overview of the trading and non-trading fees on Vantage FX.

Trading fees

1) Spreads: You pay spread fees whenever you trade an instrument on Vantage FX, which is the difference between the bid and ask price. Basically, it is a markup on the prices of the markets. Spread fees depend on the instrument you are trading and the account type you have.

Spreads can be from 0.0 pips for Professional and Raw Accounts, while Standard Account spread fees start from 1 pip. Find the minimum spread fees for major market pairs on the Vantage Standard Account below:

2) Commission fees: Vantage FX charges commission fees whenever you open a trade position and when you close the position. The commission fees on Vantage FX start from £1 for each lot side (open or close), which equals £2 for a round turn (open and close).

Commission fees can be up to £6 for a round turn on some instruments. Note that only the Vantage Standard and Professional Accounts pay commission fees. The Standard Account does not pay any commission fees for placing trades.

3) Swap fees: Whenever you keep a trading position open past the closing time of the market, you incur rollover fees also called swap fees. Swap fees on Vantage FX are based on a percentage and depend on the size of your trade and whether your position is long (buy) or short (sell).

The swap fees are charged at 00:00 hours of the platform time and all accounts pay swap fees, except the swap-free Islamic Account which pays a fixed administration fee for keeping a position overnight.

Non-trading fees

1) Deposit and Withdrawal fees: Vantage FX offers free deposits for all payment methods applicable to all account types.

While local bank transfers and cards have unlimited free withdrawals for the whole month, Vantage FX charges a processing fee for international bank transfer withdrawal of £20 per withdrawal, after the first withdrawal of the month, which is free of charge.

Withdrawals via Skrill incur a fee of 1% of the value of the transaction, while Neteller withdrawals on Vantage incur a fee of 2% of the transaction value, capped at £30.

2) Account Inactivity charges: If you do not log into your account or place any trade for any amount of time, Vantage FX will not charge any inactive account fees. Any funds in your account will be untouched.

How to Open Vantage FX Account in UK?

Follow these steps to open a trading account on Vantage FX.

Step 1) Go to the Vantage FX website homepage at www.vantagemarkets.co.uk, and click on the ‘START NOW’ or ‘GET STARTED’ button.

Step 2) On the form that appears, fill out your name, select the United Kingdom as your country, type in your email and select the type of account you want, then click on ‘OPEN LIVE ACCOUNT’, and you will be taken to the Vantage dashboard.

Step 3) On the dashboard, you will be required to provide further information to complete your account registration. Fill out the required information and select ‘British’ as your nationality then click ‘Next’.

Step 4) Answer the questions about your employment and financial status, and your knowledge/experience with trading financial assets, then click on ‘NEXT’.

Step 5) Select your preferred account type, trading platform and base account currency. Check the Terms and Conditions box, then click ‘NEXT’ to proceed.

Step 6) Upload your Identity and Address verification document to verify your account. You will receive a message saying your account application is being processed.

Note that you can only make deposits, place trades, and initiate withdrawals after your account application is approved.

Payment methods accepted on Vantage FX for deposits and withdrawals are bank transfers, cards, and e-wallets (Skrill & Neteller). Find details of the deposits/withdrawal options on Vantage FX below:

What is the Vantage FX minimum deposit?

The minimum deposit on Vantage FX depends on the account type you have. While the Standard STP Account requires a minimum deposit of £200, the Raw ECN and Professional ECN Accounts require a minimum deposit of £500.

Cards and e-wallet deposits are credited instantly, while deposits via local bank transfers are processed within 1-2 business days.

How do I deposit Vantage FX?

Follow the steps below to deposit to Vantage FX.

Step 1) Log in to your Vantage Client Portal with your email and the password via secure.vantagemarkets.co.uk/login.

Step 2) On the menu tab on the left, click on ‘DEPOSIT FUNDS’ and select your preferred deposit method.

Step 3) Enter the amount you want to deposit and fill out other required details then click on ‘SUBMIT’ to complete the deposit.

How much can I withdraw from Vantage FX?

Vantage FX has no mandatory minimum withdrawal amount. After you submit your withdrawal request, it usually takes one business day to be processed internally.

How long is the Vantage FX withdrawal time?

Once the request is processed, it takes from 1-3 business days for the funds to reach your account for card withdrawals on Vantage FX. Bank transfer withdrawals on Vantage FX may take up to 5 business days for you to receive funds.

How do I withdraw money from Vantage FX?

To withdraw money from your Vantage FX account, log in to your client portal, then click on ‘WITHDRAW FUNDS’, select a withdrawal method, and follow the on-screen instructions to complete your withdrawal.

You can trade the following financial instruments on Vantage FX:

Trading platforms supported by Vantage FX are:

1) Vantage ProTrader: This is a proprietary trading platform by Vantage FX that is powered by TradingView. This platform is available for web trading only.

ProTrader accommodates all trading styles (scalping, swinging, etc). The charting is precise, adding 12 different chart styles to the conventional candlestick style. Other styles on the platform include Renko, Kagi, etc.

You can also take advantage of the built-in market news and headlines. It helps you monitor updates on over 300 currency pairs. With the tools on Vantage ProTrader, you can effectively combine technical and fundamental analysis

2) MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5: Vantage FX supports the MT4 and MT5 trading application for trading financial assets, which is available for web trading, desktop, and mobile devices (Android & iOS). Vantage FX’s MT4 comes with some smart trade tools. These tools are free and can only be used if you choose the MT4 trading platform.

The nine smart trade tools are alarm manager, correlation matrix, correlation trader, excel RTD link, market manager, mini terminal, sentiment trader, session map, and trade terminal. These tools have specific uses and Vantage FX has a video guide for each of them. If you prefer texts, the guides are also available in word document format for you to download.

3) Vantage FX Social Trading: Vantage FX offers copy trading via the V-Social app which is available on both Android and iOS devices.

Vantage V-Social app connects traders in a network in which they can ask other traders in the community and decide to copy their trades. You can also start trading on the app with virtual money and then get familiar with it before you put in your real money.

Vantage FX is an STP broker with STP execution on their Standard STP Account. On this account, they act as an intermediary and execute your trades for you. Your trades are electronically transmitted to liquidity providers for execution so there is no dealing desk.

Vantage FX is also an ECN broker with ECN execution on their Raw ECN Account. On this account, your trades are not executed on your behalf. Instead, computerized communication networks connect you directly to other market participants (buyers or sellers). There is no dealing desk intervention too.

Vantage FX considers factors such as price, speed, the likelihood of execution, cost, and size of the order to provide traders with the best execution results. These factors do not carry the same level of importance. Vantage exercises their discretion to determine the most important ones for execution. If you feel any of these factors are important to your trades, you can give an expression to the firm.

Price is generally considered to have a higher importance by Vantage FX. However, other factors such as speed and likelihood might be given more importance depending on the nature and characteristics of the CFDs you trade.

For liquid CFDs, speed is considered a crucial execution factor. Liquid CFDs have high trading volumes and their prices tend to change rapidly. This is why the execution of orders on such CFDs must be as fast as possible. Also, t will be helpful if you trade such CFDs with a strong internet connection.

The likelihood of execution and settlement has precedence over price and speed for illiquid CFDs. This is because the trading volume of illiquid CFDs is quite low. Also, their prices do not move rapidly like liquid CFDs. Vantage FX will focus more on making sure that your order is connected to a buyer/seller when you are trading illiquid CFDs. It is not really about how fast they can get it executed.

Vantage FX’s education center is full of useful resources for beginners and experts. Here are some of them.

Vantage FX Academy: This is the latest on Vantage FX’s education list. The academy contains informative content on forex, indices, shares, and commodities. It is great for beginners. The forex section has the most content for now. However, we expect others to be updated because the academy is still in progress.

Learn Forex: Learn forex is a more specific part of the CFD broker’s education centre. It is for fx trading knowledge only. The learn forex section is divided into three parts. The first part is Forex Market Overview while the second and third part covers Forex Market Analysis and Forex Trading Psychology respectively.

MT4 Manual: MT4 is a popular trading platform. However, it might be a little complex for beginners. The MT4 manual is very useful for learning. You get to learn how to install it and the extra features that have been added to it. For better understanding, the Manual covers MT4 generally, MT4 for Mac, and Vantage FX’s MT4.

Pro Trader Videos: These are exclusive videos that cover advanced areas of forex and stock trading. They are over 130 in number. It also includes an introduction and a complete guide on MT4/MT5. Candlestick patterns, technical indicators, Fibonacci, and chart formation patterns are one of the many topics in the Pro Trader videos.

As loaded as this course is, it has a downside. You cannot access the over 130 videos without a funded live account. A minimum of $1000 is required to unlock the course.

Smart Trader Tools Videos: Smart Trader Tools is an extra add-on that come with MT4/MT5. It is usually added by forex brokers. This tool is very powerful but you cannot maximize it if you do not know how to use it. Vantage FX has a tutorial that solves this problem. It has 8 videos with a few notes attached. There is no fee required to access these videos.

Daily Market Updates: This is a combination of news and technically analyzed charts. The news focuses on a particular CFD. This is then combined with historical price movements and technical analysis for future price movements.

Though this is helpful, you should not rely on the work done by others only. You should read the news and try to analyze the charts independently too. Here is how Vantage FX sets up daily markets update.

Can you see the news about the S&P 500? Can you see the trendlines and market structures too? This simple analysis can save you lots of time.

Vantage offers 24/5 customer service to clients via the following channels:

1) Live chat support: The Vantage FX live chat is available from 10 PM on Sundays to 10 PM on Fridays for customer support. When our team tested, the wait time was under 1 minute and the answers to our questions were relevant.

You will be required to submit an email and your name to begin the chat. The live chat button is available on every page of the Vantage FX website and is easy to use.

2) Email support: Vantage offers email support to clients 24/5. When our team tested the Vantage FX email support, we got a reply after about 20 minutes.

The Vantage FX email address for support is [email protected].

3) Phone support: You can reach the Vantage FX Phone support via +44(0)20 7043 5050, which is available during business hours from Monday to Friday.

Do we Recommend Vantage FX UK?

Based on the regulations of Vantage FX, the broker is considered trustworthy for UK traders, because they are regulated by the FCA and registered with the FSCS.

The fees on Vantage FX are moderate, and you choose the commission-free Standard STP Account or low spreads Raw ECN Account. You can also trade as a professional client if you need more leverage, although they have fewer instruments available for trading.

Overall, the customer support of Vantage FX is fair, as the live chat responds fast and the email support is also prompt on business days. Although there are other brokers who offer 24/7 support in the UK, are regulated by the FCA and offer fair trading conditions.

We recommend that you check out the vantage website and probably chat with customer support to ask any questions you might have to decide if the platform is right for you.

Vantage FX UK FAQs