ATFX account opening

Are you a new investor considering opening a brokerage account at ATFX but don't know how to do it? Are you wondering how long the process takes and how difficult it is?

Opening a brokerage account can seem daunting, but we'll show you it's often easier than you think. Account opening at ATFX is in fact a great experience that needs no prior knowledge.

Opening an account at ATFX is easy and intuitive

Opening an account at [Broker name] is easy and intuitive

András Régely

Investments • Stock Market • Market Analysis

As a Broker Analyst at BrokerChooser, I'm dedicated to providing data-driven insights that simplify the world of investments. With a solid academic background, including an MSc in Accounting and Finance from LSE, I bring a deep understanding of financial markets to my role. My mission is to assist retail investors in finding the perfect broker fit by leveraging my trading experience and analytical skills. At BrokerChooser, I merge my passion for trading with a keen eye for market trends, helping clients navigate online brokers confidently and effectively.

Learn about our methodology

András Régely

Investments • Stock Market • Market Analysis

Together with my brokerage analyst colleagues, I have thoroughly tested the services of ATFX by opening a real-money account. Here’s what you need to know about account opening if you want to start investing with ATFX:

• Account opening at ATFX is fully online and takes 1 day.

• You will need to prove your identity and residency with documents.

• Choose an account type that suits your needs.

• You can choose from multiple base currencies.

• The minimum deposit at ATFX is $500.

• Browse the best brokers for beginners for some great alternatives.

Before we start, let's check if ATFX is available in your country:

No, you can't open an account at ATFX if you live in United States!

United States

Account opening at ATFX is fully online, meaning you can do it from the comfort of your chair. In fact, you don't even need a chair: you can simply do it on the go on your mobile phone.

See how we rated the account opening experience and how long it takes to get started at ATFX compared with its main competitors:

Opening an account is always free of charge, but the time it takes differs from broker to broker. At some brokers, it's as quick as signing up for a new Gmail account. At others, it might take a couple of days as they run a background check on your data. At ATFX, it usually takes 1 day to have your account up and running.

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59.38% of retail CFD accounts lose money

Navigating the complexities of trading can be challenging. If you're a new investor, you'll need a broker with a user-friendly trading interface and robust educational materials. So where to find such brokers? Start with our toplist of brokers we rated as good for beginners.

First, you need to go to ATFX's website and fill a registration form to apply for an account. It takes the broker a bit of time to review and verify your application - usually 1 day - after which you can make your first deposit and start trading.

Opening a brokerage account is not unlike opening a bank account. As you go through the steps, you’ll find that it is a simple and familiar process. Once your brokerage account is set up, you’ll find that the experience is similar to what you get with a bank account that you use for savings and transactions. See, it’s just another way of managing your money!

The sign-up procedure is usually self-evident; just follow the instructions carefully. Here's what awaits you at ATFX:

ATFX's account opening process is straightforward and fully digital.
The five steps of ATFX account opening:

1. Enter your personal details.
2. Verify your identity by uploading a copy of your ID card, passport or driver's license. Your proof of residency can be a utility bill or a bank statement.
3. Add information about your financial situation.
4. Answer questions about your trading experience.
5. Fill out a test assessing your financial knowledge.

This initial registration takes 15-20 minutes, and in most cases, accounts are verified within 1-2 business days. When we tested the process, our account was verified on the same day.
During our test, we had to re-send our documentation to customer service. In the process, they reached out to us immediately, and after sending our documents, our account got validated almost instantly. However, our validation email was sent in Italian, which was surprising as our earlier discussion was in English.

The following steps are typical toward the end of the application process or after verifying your identity:

1. You'll have to fill out a trading experience survey. It might seem scary at first, but it is nothing to worry about. This is standard procedure, as brokers need to make sure that you have some basic financial knowledge and are aware of the risks of trading.

2. Next, you'll have to choose an account type and a base currency.

3. As a final step, you'll need to fund your account before you can start trading.

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59.38% of retail CFD accounts lose money

Brokers usually provide multiple account types. When choosing an account, consider how experienced you are in trading, and pick an account that suits your needs. Some factors to take into account: your investment goals, risk tolerance, trading frequency, and any associated fees or account balance minimums.

If you're a beginner, we recommend selecting the most basic account offered by the broker, which is the standard account.

The above apply to retail accounts opened by private individuals. If you're looking to open a brokerage account for your company, see our overview of whether you can open a business investment account at ATFX and under what conditions.

Alternatively, find out more about ATFX's specific account types in our comprehensive ATFX review for 2024.

At ATFX, you can choose from the following base currencies: EUR, GBP, USD. If possible, try to deposit money to your brokerage account in your account's base currency. Better yet, choose a base currency in the first place that you plan to most often use for depositing.

Why is all this important? If you fund your trading account in the same currency as your bank account, you won't have to pay a conversion fee. Conversion fees apply if:

• You make a deposit in a different currency than the currency of your brokerage account.

• You trade assets denominated in a different currency than your brokerage account's base currency.

A convenient way to save on currency conversion fees is by opening a multi-currency bank account at a digital bank.

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59.38% of retail CFD accounts lose money

Once you have filled out the registration form, uploaded your documents, finished the trading survey and selected your account type and base currency, ATFX will verify your account shortly. After successful verification, you need to fund your account to be able to begin trading.

• Choose your funding method.

• Enter the amount to be deposited and other necessary details for the transaction.

• Double-check if payment details are correct.

• If all looks OK, click to submit your deposit request.

At ATFX, the required minimum deposit is $500. This means that you have to put at least $500 in your broker account to be able to start trading.

Is that more than you're willing to commit at this point? See if you can start trading with less at other brokers.

At ATFX, you have multiple funding methods to choose from when you want to deposit money to your account. Check these options in the following table; and choose the one that's most convenient for you.

After successfully funding your account, you're all set to start trading.

To explore ATFX’s top competitors, head over to our top list of the best brokers for beginners, whose low fees and user-friendly features benefit new investors like you.

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59.38% of retail CFD accounts lose money