To help you to find the best international online brokers in the Middle East in 2022, we went ahead and did the research for you. We selected 101 quality online brokers, checked and compared basically every aspect of their services, with a special focus on fees, safety, trading platforms, as well as deposit and withdrawal options. Service providers had to prove their excellence in multiple areas to be considered among the best online brokers. And now, without further ado...
Top 5 picks for best international online brokers in the Middle East in 2022:
- Interactive Brokers is the best international online brokers in the Middle East in 2022. Low trading fees. Wide range of products. Many great research tools.
- Swissquote takes second place. Access to many markets and products. No inactivity fee. Rock-solid background.
- TradeStation rounds out the top three. Great web and mobile trading platform. Low trading fees. High-quality research and education tools.
- Oanda is numero quattro. Great trading platforms. Outstanding research tools. Fast and user-friendly account opening.
- Trading 212 just made it to the list in fifth place. Real stocks and ETFs are commission-free. Quick and easy account opening. Great trading platforms.
| Broker | Info | Score | Minmum deposit | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Interactive Brokers | International broker providing all asset classes | 4.9 | $0 |
| #2 | Swissquote | Swiss investment bank | 4.6 | $0 |
| #3 | TradeStation | US stockbroker | 4.5 | $0 |
| #4 | Oanda | US forex broker | 4.6 | $0 |
| #5 | Trading 212 | Global CFD broker, but real stocks/ETFs are also available | 4.5 | $0 |
What makes a good online broker? Surely, they need to provide great services in all areas, especially in terms of fair fees and safety. Depositing and withdrawing money should be either free or cheap and the process user-friendly. Great trading platforms, an easy account opening procedure and a wide range of products also weighed heavily in the scoring.
These features are easy to list, but hard to figure out. We are testing brokers based on nearly 500 criteria with real accounts and real money. You can find all the ranking criteria in our methodology.
For a tailored recommendation, check out our broker finder tool. Answer 4 simple questions and get a list of the most relevant brokers.
And now, let's see the best international online broker in the Middle East in 2022 one by one, starting with the winner, Interactive Brokers.
#1 Best international online brokers for Middle East citizens
Interactive Brokers
Interactive Brokers, one of the biggest US-based discount brokers, was founded in 1977. The broker is regulated by several financial authorities globally, including top-tier ones like the UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Given that the broker has licenses from multiple top-tier regulators, Interactive Brokers is considered safe. The fact that it has a long track record and publicly disclosed financials while being listed on a stock exchange all point to IB being a safe service provider.
Interactive Brokers recently launched a new app for global stock trading: read our review of IBKR GlobalTrader.
In addition, Interactive Brokers also has an app you can use for ESG investing: read our review of IMPACT by Interactive Brokers.
Recommended for traders looking for broad market access and a professional trading environment
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Low trading fees | • Complicated account opening process |
| • Wide range of products | • Complex desktop trading platform |
| • Many great research tools | • Understaffed customer service |
#1 Interactive Brokers
Fees
Interactive Brokers has low trading fees and the best margin rates in the industry. For US clients, stock and ETF trading is free if they choose the Lite plan.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Low trading fees | None |
| • Free stock and ETF trading for US clients | |
| • Low margin rates |
| Interactive Brokers | Swissquote | TradeStation | Oanda | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US stock | $1.0 | $25.0 | $1.0 | - | $0.0 |
| UK stock | $4.2 | $35.0 | - | - | $0.0 |
| EURUSD benchmark fee | $10.4 | $7.1 | - | $7.9 | $28.0 |
| US stock index options | $6.5 | $19.9 | $10.0 | - | - |
| Mutual fund | $15.0 | $9.0 | $15.0 | - | - |
| S&P 500 index CFD fee | $2.8 | $1.6 | - | $1.1 | $1.7 |
All commissions, spreads and financing rates (if applicable) for opening a position, holding for a week, and closing.
#1 Interactive Brokers
Mobile trading platform
The Interactive Brokers mobile trading platform boasts a lot of functions and a useful chatbot, but its user interface could be better.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Two-step (safer) login | • Minor technical glitches |
| • Good variety of order types | |
| • Price alerts |
#1 Interactive Brokers
Deposit and withdrawal
Interactive Brokers offers several account base currencies and one free withdrawal per month. The main drawback is that you can only use bank transfer.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • No deposit fee | • Credit/Debit card not available |
| • Several account base currencies | |
| • First withdrawal free each month |
| Interactive Brokers | Swissquote | TradeStation | Oanda | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Credit/debit card | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Electronic wallets | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $10 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
#2 Best international online brokers for Middle East citizens
Swissquote
Swissquote is a Swiss investment bank established in 1996. It has three main trading entities:
- Swissquote Bank - it provides all asset classes, including stocks and ETFs. This entity is based in Switzerland and has multiple regulations, including the top-tier Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA).
- Swissquote Bank Europe - it provides stocks, ETFs, funds, cryptos, forex, and CFD trading. This entity is based in Luxembourg and is regulated by the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF), Luxembourg's regulator.
- Swissquote LTD - it provides CFD and forex trading. The entity is based in the UK and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
The fact that Swissquote Bank Ltd has a banking license, is listed on the Swiss stock exchange, discloses detailed financials regularly, and has a long track record are all great signs with respect to Swissquote's safety.
In this review, we focus mainly on the Swiss entity, sometimes referred to as "Swissquote Bank (CH)" and we will refer to the Luxembourg and UK-based entities as "Swissquote Europe (LUX)" and "Swissquote LTD (UK)", respectively.
Recommended for affluent investors who value safety and are ok with higher fees
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Access to many markets and products | • High trading fees |
| • No inactivity fee | • Confusing trading platform selection |
| • Rock-solid background | • Some research tools are not free |
#2 Swissquote
Fees
Swissquote charges no inactivity fee and you can trade an impressive selection of funds for favorable fees. On the other hand, trading fees are generally high, including stock and ETF fees, and withdrawing money comes with a price tag.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Low fund fees | • High stock and ETF fees |
| • No inactivity fee | • High bond fees |
| Interactive Brokers | Swissquote | TradeStation | Oanda | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US stock | $1.0 | $25.0 | $1.0 | - | $0.0 |
| UK stock | $4.2 | $35.0 | - | - | $0.0 |
| EURUSD benchmark fee | $10.4 | $7.1 | - | $7.9 | $28.0 |
| US stock index options | $6.5 | $19.9 | $10.0 | - | - |
| Mutual fund | $15.0 | $9.0 | $15.0 | - | - |
| S&P 500 index CFD fee | $2.8 | $1.6 | - | $1.1 | $1.7 |
All commissions, spreads and financing rates (if applicable) for opening a position, holding for a week, and closing.
#2 Swissquote
Mobile trading platform
Swissquote's eTrading has a user-friendly and well-designed mobile trading platform. The search function is simple, although sometimes the results are organized a bit strangely, similarly to the web platform.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • User-friendly | • No advanced search filters |
| • Good search function | |
| • Price alerts |
#2 Swissquote
Deposit and withdrawal
Depositing at Swissquote is quick with credit/debit card and can be done in several base currencies. On the negative side, you can only withdraw money via bank transfer and there is a withdrawal fee charged.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Credit/Debit card available | • Withdrawal fee |
| • Several account base currencies |
| Interactive Brokers | Swissquote | TradeStation | Oanda | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Credit/debit card | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Electronic wallets | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $10 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
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#3 Best international online brokers for Middle East citizens
TradeStation
TradeStation is a US stockbroker founded in 1982. It is regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). Clients are eligible for up to $500,000 investor protection per account (including cash up to $250,000).
TradeStation is considered safe because it has a long track record; transparently discloses its financials; and its parent company, the Monex Group, is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
Recommended for traders focusing on us markets and buy-and-hold investing
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Great web and mobile trading platform | • Inconvenient deposit and withdrawal |
| • Low trading fees | • No forex trading |
| • High-quality research and education tools | • Mediocre customer service |
#3 TradeStation
Fees
TradeStation has low trading fees, and you can choose from multiple fee structures. On the negative side, there's an inactivity fee and only ACH is free for withdrawals.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Low trading fees | • Inactivity fee |
| • Low stock and ETF fees / Free stock trading | • WIthdrawal fee for bank wire transfers |
| • Free ACH withdrawals |
| Interactive Brokers | Swissquote | TradeStation | Oanda | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US stock | $1.0 | $25.0 | $1.0 | - | $0.0 |
| UK stock | $4.2 | $35.0 | - | - | $0.0 |
| EURUSD benchmark fee | $10.4 | $7.1 | - | $7.9 | $28.0 |
| US stock index options | $6.5 | $19.9 | $10.0 | - | - |
| Mutual fund | $15.0 | $9.0 | $15.0 | - | - |
| S&P 500 index CFD fee | $2.8 | $1.6 | - | $1.1 | $1.7 |
All commissions, spreads and financing rates (if applicable) for opening a position, holding for a week, and closing.
#3 TradeStation
Mobile trading platform
TradeStation's mobile platform is great. It is very user-friendly and well-designed, offering price alerts and excellent order management. However, search functions could be better.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • User-friendly | • Limited search functions |
| • Two-step (safer) login | |
| • Good variety of order types |
#3 TradeStation
Deposit and withdrawal
TradeStation's deposit and withdrawal functions are somewhat limited, as you can use only bank transfer; while the fee for wire transfer withdrawals is high.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • No deposit fee | • Credit/Debit card not available |
| • Deposit/withdrawal in cryptocurrencies | • High fee for wire withdrawal |
| • ACH withdrawal is free |
| Interactive Brokers | Swissquote | TradeStation | Oanda | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Credit/debit card | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Electronic wallets | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $10 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
#4 Best international online brokers for Middle East citizens
Oanda
Oanda is a US-based forex broker founded in 1996. It is a private company and therefore not listed on any stock exchange.
Oanda operates via several entities worldwide and is regulated by top-tier authorities, such as the US Commodity Trading Futures Commission, the National Futures Association (CFTC) and the UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
Disclaimer: CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 74-89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
The services offered by Oanda's various entities differ slightly. In this review, we mainly focus on the UK one.
Recommended for forex traders who value a user-friendly platform and great research tools
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Great trading platforms | • Only FX and CFD available |
| • Outstanding research tools | • No stock exchange listing and banking background |
| • Fast and user-friendly account opening | • Customer support is not 24/7 |
#4 Oanda
Fees
Oanda has low forex fees but average CFD fees. Withdrawal fees are low but not in all cases, while there's also a small inactivity fee.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Low trading fees | • Average CFD fees |
| • Low forex fees | |
| • First card withdrawal each month is free |
| Interactive Brokers | Swissquote | TradeStation | Oanda | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US stock | $1.0 | $25.0 | $1.0 | - | $0.0 |
| UK stock | $4.2 | $35.0 | - | - | $0.0 |
| EURUSD benchmark fee | $10.4 | $7.1 | - | $7.9 | $28.0 |
| US stock index options | $6.5 | $19.9 | $10.0 | - | - |
| Mutual fund | $15.0 | $9.0 | $15.0 | - | - |
| S&P 500 index CFD fee | $2.8 | $1.6 | - | $1.1 | $1.7 |
All commissions, spreads and financing rates (if applicable) for opening a position, holding for a week, and closing.
#4 Oanda
Mobile trading platform
Oanda's mobile platform is similar to the web trading platform in functionality, and as a plus, you can also set price alerts.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • User-friendly | • No Touch/Face ID login |
| • Two-step (safer) login | |
| • Good search function |
#4 Oanda
Deposit and withdrawal
Oanda charges no deposit and account fees. You can withdraw your money free of charge to a debit/credit card, but bank transfer withdrawals are quite costly.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Credit/Debit card available | • High withdrawal fee for bank transfers |
| • Free withdrawal | |
| • No deposit fee |
| Interactive Brokers | Swissquote | TradeStation | Oanda | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Credit/debit card | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Electronic wallets | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $10 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
#5 Best international online brokers for Middle East citizens
Trading 212
Trading 212 is onboarding clients without a waiting list from the EEA region only. Customers from other eligible countries can join Trading 212's waiting list, but it may take a while until onboarding restrictions are lifted and the waiting list is scrapped.
Trading 212 is a global CFD broker, but clients can also trade stocks and ETFs free of charge. The company was founded in 2004 and is now headquartered in London. Trading 212 is regulated by the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the Cypriot Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), and the Bulgarian Financial Supervision Commission (FSC).
Check out our Trading 212 review tailored to the needs of beginner investors and traders.
Trading 212 is considered safe as it is regulated by the top-tier FCA.
Disclaimer: CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 70% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Recommended for equity investors and cfd traders looking for easy-to-use trading platforms
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Real stocks and ETFs are commission-free | • Limited product portfolio |
| • Quick and easy account opening | • High forex fees |
| • Great trading platforms | • USD unavailable as account currency |
#5 Trading 212
Fees
Trading 212 offers commission-free stock and ETF trading, and there are also no fees for deposit, withdrawal or inactivity. However, fees for forex trading are high.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Free stock and ETF trading | • High forex fees |
| • No withdrawal and inactivity fee | • High financing rate |
| Interactive Brokers | Swissquote | TradeStation | Oanda | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US stock | $1.0 | $25.0 | $1.0 | - | $0.0 |
| UK stock | $4.2 | $35.0 | - | - | $0.0 |
| EURUSD benchmark fee | $10.4 | $7.1 | - | $7.9 | $28.0 |
| US stock index options | $6.5 | $19.9 | $10.0 | - | - |
| Mutual fund | $15.0 | $9.0 | $15.0 | - | - |
| S&P 500 index CFD fee | $2.8 | $1.6 | - | $1.1 | $1.7 |
All commissions, spreads and financing rates (if applicable) for opening a position, holding for a week, and closing.
#5 Trading 212
Mobile trading platform
Trading 212's mobile trading platform is user-friendly and well designed, with great search, alert and order functions.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • User-friendly | None |
| • Good search function | |
| • Price alerts |
#5 Trading 212
Deposit and withdrawal
Trading 212 offers many free deposit and withdrawal options. On the downside, there are only a few account base currencies available in each country, and you can't choose USD.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Credit/Debit card available | • USD unavailable as base currency |
| • Free withdrawal | • Few base currencies in each country |
| Interactive Brokers | Swissquote | TradeStation | Oanda | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Credit/debit card | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Electronic wallets | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $10 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Best international online brokers for in the Middle East in 2022
What makes a good online broker
Now that you know the top 5, you probably want to know how we came up with this list. Let's go through a few points quickly.
Are these brokers reliable?
Absolutely. You can be sure none of them is a scam. They are all regulated by at least one top-tier regulator.
How did BrokerChooser pick the best online brokers?
At BrokerChooser, we test online brokers based on more than 500 criteria, with real accounts and real money. We don't want to overwhelm you, so we will list only the top 5 criteria.
| 1. Fees | Trading fees for a given stock trade can be 50 times higher at one online broker compared to another. The brokers listed here all have low fees. |
| 2. Deposit and withdrawal | At some online brokers, funding and withdrawing funds can take much longer and be much more expensive than at others. |
| 3. Trading platform | A user-friendly and well-equipped trading platform can significantly increase your trading comfort. |
| 4. Account opening | Some online brokers require a minimum deposit to start investing while others don't ask for a fix first-time deposit. Check these requirements before opening an account. |
| 5. Markets and products | Want to invest in Japanese stocks or trade Bitcoin? They are not be available at each broker. We selected brokers with a wide range of products so you can trade many asset types. |
Best international online brokers for in the Middle East in 2022
Bottom line
These were the details, now let's zoom out. Here are the best international online brokers in 2022 for residents in the Middle East:
| Interactive Brokers | Swissquote | TradeStation | Oanda | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 4.9 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.5 |
| Fees score | 4.5 stars | 2.3 stars | 4.0 stars | 4.2 stars | 3.7 stars |
| Mobile platform score | 3.5 stars | 4.7 stars | 4.8 stars | 5.0 stars | 4.9 stars |
| Deposit and withdrawal score | 3.0 stars | 4.6 stars | 2.3 stars | 4.2 stars | 4.3 stars |
| Account opening score | 3.2 stars | 4.0 stars | 5.0 stars | 4.2 stars | 4.5 stars |
| Markets and products score | 5.0 stars | 5.0 stars | 2.8 stars | 1.8 stars | 4.1 stars |
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74-89% of retail CFD accounts lose money |
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68% of retail CFD accounts lose money |
Interactive Brokers is our winner, the best international online broker in the Middle East in 2022. Low trading fees. Wide range of products. Many great research tools.
Still unsure? For a tailored recommendation, check out our broker finder tool. If you enter the name of your country, it will show only the brokers that are relevant to you. Want more details? Compare brokers with the help of this detailed comparison table.
