XTB Review 2022

Forex fees are low, in many cases there's no withdrawal fee, and some clients are eligible for free stock and ETF trading. However, there's an inactivity fee.

How we ranked fees

We ranked XTB's fee levels as low, average or high based on how they compare to those of all reviewed brokers.

First, let's go over some basic terms related to broker fees. What you need to keep an eye on are trading fees and non-trading fees.

• Trading fees occur when you trade. These can be commissions, spreads, financing rates and conversion fees.
• Non-trading fees include charges not directly related to trading, like withdrawal fees or inactivity fees.

In the sections below, you will find the most relevant fees of XTB for each asset class. For example, in the case of forex and stock index trading the most important fees are spreads, commissions and financing rates.

We also compared XTB's fees with those of two similar brokers we selected, eToro and Trading 212. This selection is based on objective factors such as products offered, client profile, fee structure, etc. See a more detailed rundown of XTB alternatives.

To have a clear overview of XTB, let's start with the trading fees.

XTB trading fees

XTB's trading fees are low.

We know it is hard to compare trading fees for CFD brokers. So how did we approach the problem of making their fees clear and comparable? We compare brokers by calculating all the fees of a typical trade for selected products.

We have chosen popular instruments within each asset class:

• Stock index CFDs: SPX and EUSTX50
• Stock CFDs: Apple and Vodafone
• Forex CFDs: EURUSD, GBPUSD, AUDUSD, EURCHF and EURGBP

A typical trade means buying a leveraged position, holding it for one week and then selling. For the volume, we chose a $2,000 position for these stock index and stock CFDs and $20,000 for forex CFD transactions. The leverage we used was:

• 20:1 for stock index CFDs
• 5:1 for stock CFDs
• 30:1 for forex CFDs

These catch-all benchmark fees include spreads, commissions and financing costs for all brokers. Let's see the verdict for XTB fees.

Stock and stock index CFD fees

XTB has low stock index CFD fees and average stock CFD fees.

The fees are built into the spread in the case of stock index CFDs. Stock and ETF CFD fees are charged as a volume-based fee, but a minimum fee applies.

*There is also an additional fixed fee charged per transaction. The fee is between €0.25 and €200 depending on the trade value. For example, it's €0.25 for trade value of up to €2,500.

Other relevant fees you should take into account:

• XTB deducts the standard 30% withholding tax from dividends coming from US corporations. Even if you reside in a country that has a double taxation treaty agreement with the US, you're not eligible for a reduced tax deduction rate (generally 15% if you trade at XTB).
• A currency conversion fee is charged if you trade an asset in a currency other than your account base currency. For example, if you trade Vodafone CFDs but have a USD account, then the funds will be converted using XTB's GBPUSD exchange rate.

Forex CFD fees

XTB's forex CFD fees are low.

Real stock and ETF fees

XTB provides real stocks and ETFs only for EU customers onboarded under XTB's Polish entity.

There is no commission for stocks and ETFs if you trade less than €100,000 in a month. While favorable, this is still not the best offer on the market, as some competitors such as eToro or Trading 212 offer commission-free trading without any limitations.

If you trade stocks or ETFs above the €100,000 monthly limit, the fee is 0.2% with a minimum of €10. For example, if you carry out a transaction worth €110,000, then

• you wouldn't pay a commission for the €100,000 portion of the trade
• you'd pay a €20 commission for the part above €100,000 (€10,000 * 0.2% = €20, which is higher than the €10 minimum).

In addition, XTB charges a 0.5% conversion fee whenever you trade real stocks and ETFs in a currency other than your account base currency.

Non-trading fees

XTB has average non-trading fees. There is no account fee, no deposit fee for bank transfer deposits, and no withdrawal fee for bank transfer withdrawals above a certain threshold (between $50-$200 depending on your country of residence).

The fee charged for credit/debit card or electronic wallet deposits depends on your country of residence. The fee charged for these transfers is usually up to 2%. For example, for UK customers, credit/debit card transfers are free of charge but USD transfers via electronic wallets carry a 2% fee.

Lastly, there is a €10 monthly fee after one year of inactivity.

XTB's account opening process is hassle-free, straightforward and fully digital. Your account will be ready for trading on the same day.

Can you open an account?

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76% of retail CFD accounts lose money

XTB accepts customers from all over Europe and from most countries around the world.

What is the minimum deposit at XTB?

XTB requires no minimum deposit for individual accounts. On the other hand, corporate accounts require a relatively high £15,000 minimum deposit.

Account types

There is only one account type you can choose by default, it's called a Standard account. If you open an account from outside Europe, you can also open a Swap-free/Islamic account. This account type is compliant with Islamic law and doesn't charge swap fees.

A corporate account is also available.

How to open your account

Opening an account at XTB is very easy and straightforward and should take no more than 15-20 minutes on your end.

XTB account opening consists of the following steps (may vary by country):

1. Enter your email address and country of residence.
2. Add some personal information, like your date of birth and address.
3. Select the trading platform and account base currency.
4. Answer questions about your employment status, financial status and trading experience.
5. Activate your account by verifying your identity and residence.

Some European clients can verify their identity via video chat, which is a great feature. If video verification is not possible, you must upload a photo or scanned copy of your photo ID, passport or driver's license. Utility bills or bank statements are accepted as proof of residency.

Once you have uploaded your documents, XTB will verify your account very shortly.

XTB deposits and withdrawals are fast and mostly free. You can do deposits/withdrawals through bank transfers, credit/debit cards, and electronic wallets.

Account base currencies

XTB's account base currency selection includes USD, EUR and GBP. In addition to these major currencies, HUF and PLN accounts are also available.

This selection of account base currencies is considered average when compared with some close competitors.

Why does this matter? For two reasons. If you fund your account in the same currency as your bank account or you trade assets in the same currency as your account base currency, you don't have to pay a conversion fee.

A convenient way to save on currency conversion fees is opening a multi-currency bank account at a digital bank. Digital banks offer bank accounts in several currencies with great currency exchange rates as well as free or cheap international bank transfers. Opening an account only takes a few minutes on your phone.

Compare digital banks

Deposit fees and options

XTB charges no deposit fees for bank transfers. Depositing with credit/debit cards and electronic wallets might involve a fee, usually 1-2% depending on your country of residence. For example, Skrill charges 2% of the deposited amount for UK customers.

Besides bank transfers and credit/debit cards, many electronic wallets are also accepted for deposits:

• Skrill
• Paysafe

Your country of residence determines which electronic wallets are available for you. For example, deposit via Sofort is available only for German customers.

A bank transfer can take several business days, while payment with credit/debit cards and electronic wallets is instant. You can only deposit money from sources that are in your name.

HEADS UP: Recent feedback about deposit & withdrawal - If you choose a bank (wire) deposit, make sure to read the details under Deposit funds -> Bank transfer on XStation 5

• 'Account No' refers to the account number. This is XTBs bank account where they receive may receive your deposit
• 'Transfer description' means a unique ID you have to link with the transfer so that XTB can confirm your deposit
• If your bank requires it, XTB also provides the name of the 'Beneficiary' SWIFT code, the currency you have to make your deposit in, and the IBAN number if it is required instead of the regular account number

XTB withdrawal fees and options

XTB charges no withdrawal fees if the amount is above a certain treshold ($50-$200 depending on your country of residence).

The only way to withdraw money is by bank transfer.

The following withdrawal fees apply to UK customers (when withdrawing an amount below the threshold).

How long does it take to withdraw money from XTB? Bank transfer withdrawal took 1 business day. If you initiate the withdrawal before 1 p.m., it will arrive on the same day, otherwise it will arrive on the next working day.

You can only withdraw money to accounts that are in your name.

How do you withdraw money from XTB?

• Log in to the trading platform.
• On the bottom right, click 'Deposit and withdraw funds.'
• Enter your bank account details and the amount you wish to withdraw.
• Initiate the withdrawal.

XTB's xStation 5 platform is user-friendly, customizable and has a good search function. On the other hand, two-step login is not available.

At XTB, you can use xStation 5, XTB's own trading platform. 

xStation 5 is available in many languages: 

Look and feel

At first glance, xStation 5 might appear like a platform designed for professional users, but as you start to use it, you will find it well-designed and user-friendly, even if you are a beginner.

You can easily customize the web trading platform.

Login and security

Only one-step login is available. Two-step login would be more secure.

Search functions

XTB's search function is great. There are different ways you can search for an asset by clicking ‘Market Watch':

• Type the name of the product in the search bar.

• Browse by various categories and product types. For example, if you want to trade a US stock CFD, just click on the stock type and select the US.

Placing orders

You can use the following order types:

• Market
• Limit / Stop
• Stop-loss / Take profit
• Trailing stop 

If you are not familiar with the basic order types, read this overview.

There is also one order time limit you can use: Good 'til Time (GTT).

A useful feature of the platform is the trader calculator, which helps you calculate the margin, the commission and other important parameters for each trade. 

Alerts and notifications

We liked the ease of setting alerts and notifications. You can set up email, SMS and push notifications for important events such as margin calls, deposits and withdrawals, your closed/open positions and other features.

Portfolio and fee reports

The platform has clear portfolio and fee reports, including the profit/loss of each of your positions. You can find them under the 'History' tab. Daily email reports are also available.

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76% of retail CFD accounts lose money

The XTB mobile trading app has a good search function and a modern design. On the other hand, there is no two-step authentication.

xStation 5 (XTB's own platform) mobile platform is available for both iOS and Android. You can also use an Apple Watch. Similarly to the web trading platform, we tested xStation's own mobile application, using an Android device.

The mobile trading platform is available in the same languages as the web trading platform.

Look and feel

XTB's mobile trading platform is user-friendly and well-designed. You can easily find every important feature.

Login and security

The application offers only one-step login. Two-step login would be more secure.

At the same time, you can set fingerprint authentication on compatible devices. This is a great and convenient feature.

Search functions

xStation's mobile search function is great. You can type the name of the product in the search bar or just browse the various categories.

Placing orders

You can use the same order types as on the web trading platform:

• Market
• Limit / Stop
• Stop-loss / Take-profit
• Trailing stop

There is also one order time limit you can use: Good 'til Time (GTT).

Alerts and notifications

You can set many different types of alerts and notifications, including price alerts or notifications about important market news.

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76% of retail CFD accounts lose money

XTB's xStation 5 platform has a desktop version as well. In both functionality and design, it's exactly the same as the web trading platform.

xStation 5's desktop version is the same as its web equivalent version.

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76% of retail CFD accounts lose money

XTB's default selection includes only CFDs. Some European clients can also trade real stocks and ETFs. Popular assets like bonds, mutual funds, options or futures are not available.

XTB is a CFD broker. To learn more about CFDs, read our CFD trading tips.

Disclaimer: CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 76% 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.

XTB's CFD selection is, on the whole, similar to eToro's and Trading 212's.

The UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) banned the sale of crypto-derivatives to UK retail consumers from 6 January 2021.

You can't change the default leverage level of the products. This is a drawback, as we believe this is an important factor you should be able to control.

Changing the leverage manually is a very useful feature when you want to lower the risk of your trade. Be careful with forex and CFD trading, as preset leverage levels may be too high.

Real stocks and ETFs

Trading real stocks and ETFs is available for EU clients, except in Cyprus and Hungary. The stock product selection is great, though the number of ETFs is low.

XTB's research tools are user-friendly and helpful, including a news flow with some trading ideas.

XTB's research tools are available in two locations:

• The xStation 5 trading platform.
• The 'Market Analysis' section of the XTB website.

Research tools are available in many languages, such as English, Arabic or Chinese. However, when we set the platform's language to English, we still got the news commentary in our own language.

Trading ideas

XTB provides a few trading ideas, which can be found in the news flow. These trading ideas are usually short-term and based on technical tools. However, these trading ideas are not well structured. For example, when you search for trading ideas about a specific asset, you get a lot of search results and it's not easy to find the right one.

Fundamental data

You can use a great economic calendar. In the economic calendar, you can see upcoming events. When you select an event, you can read a short summary and check historical data.

However, you can only find limited equity fundamental data, such as the P/E ratio or the debt-to-equity ratio. However, you can't access financial statements or operational metrics.

Charting

XTB has good charting tools. It is easy to edit and save charts. You can use 39 technical indicators, which is about average when compared to other brokers.

News feed

News is provided by XTB's own research team. The news flow is a mix of recommendations; data releases from the economic calendar; live 'Traders Talks'; and brief messages about current market developments.

Other research tools you may enjoy

The 'Stocks screener' uses 15 factors to filter stocks you may want to trade, including market capitalization, P/E, beta and debt-to-equity ratio. Another tool, the 'Heatmap', visualizes winners and losers.

Another useful tool is the 'ETF scanner'. This is very similar to the stocks screener, offering 10 filters such as cumulative return or the total value of assets.

Lastly, XTB provides a forex heatmap that shows all currencies' changes.

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76% of retail CFD accounts lose money

XTB's phone and live chat support are reliable, fast and available in many languages. On the down side, customer service is available only 24/5 for European clients.

You can contact XTB via:

• Live chat
• Phone
• Email

You can reach customer service in many languages, including some minor ones like Hungarian or Romanian.

XTB's live chat works well. We tested it in multiple languages in several countries. Responses were fast and we got useful answers.

We had a great experience when we tested XTB's phone support. They answered the phone instantly and we got relevant answers.

When we contacted XTB via email asking for some help, we received a call back in a couple of hours. Customer Service answered our question that we had sent sent via email, and were also able to answer all additional questions during the call.

Clients outside Europe can reach XTB's customer support 24/7. For European clients, however, customer service is only available 24/5.

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76% of retail CFD accounts lose money

XTB has a well-organized and clear education section, offering written and video materials, along with trading platform tutorials.

XTB's education materials are varied and of high quality, including:

• Demo account
• Platform tutorial videos
• General educational videos
• Webinars
• Quality ebooks and educational articles

We liked the structure of educational texts, as they are grouped based on the user's trading experience as well as by subject. The texts are high quality, understandable and logically structured. At the end of each lesson, you can fill out a quiz. This is a great feature that is not usually offered by other brokers.

You can also watch educational and trading platform videos embedded into the texts on the website. XTB occasionally offers live webinars as well.

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76% of retail CFD accounts lose money

XTB is regulated by several financial authorities globally, including the top-tier FCA. It is listed on a stock exchange, but it has no banking license.

XTB is based in London and in Warsaw. It is a global broker established in 2002, serving clients around the world, and has offices in more than 10 countries.

Is XTB regulated?

It is regulated by several financial authorities:

• the UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
• the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC)
• the Polish Financial Supervision Authority (KNF)
• the National Securities Market Commission (CNMV) of Spain
• the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA)
• the International Financial Services Commission of Belize (IFSC)

Is XTB safe?

To be certain, we highly advise that you check two facts:

• how you are protected if something goes wrong
• what the background of the broker is

How you are protected

XTB operates via five different legal entities globally. This is important for you because the investor protection amount and the identity of the regulator differ from entity to entity.

Here’s a handy summary table for easy comparison:

*The investor protection amount is 100% up to €3,000, 90% up to €22,000, for total maximum compensation of €20,100

XTB provides negative balance protection.

Background

XTB was established in 2002. The longer track record a broker has, the more proof we have that it has successfully survived previous financial crises.

XTB is listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange, which is a big plus for safety as XTB releases its financial statements regularly and transparently.

Being listed on a stock exchange, being regulated by financial authorities and providing financial statements are all great signs for XTB's safety.

Find your safe broker

XTB is a great CFD broker. It is regulated by several financial authorities globally, including the UK's FCA. The company is listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange.

On the plus side, XTB's forex CFD fees are low, while many European clients can enjoy commission-free stock and ETF trading up to a €100,000 monthly trade volume. We also liked that the deposit and withdrawal process is fast and mostly free. The account opening process is seamless, hassle-free and quick.

XTB has some drawbacks, though. The product range is mainly limited to CFDs, although real stock and ETF trading is available in some European countries. Lastly, there is an inactivity fee charged.

We recommend XTB for clients who prefer forex or CFD trading and also want to enjoy great deposit and withdrawal options along with fast account opening. Feel free to test it using a demo account.

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76% of retail CFD accounts lose money

How do I put money in my XTB account?

You can deposit money to your XTB account using a bank transfer, a credit/debit card, or an electronic wallet such as PayPal or Paysafe. Credit card deposits are fastest but may involve a fee in some countries; while bank transfers are free but take a bit longer. You can initiate deposits after logging in to the xStation platform or your Client Office.

How long does it take to open an account at XTB?

Completing the registration process should take about 15 minutes. Once XTB receives all your information and documents, your account will be approved usually in less than a day.

How long does it take for XTB to approve my account?

Once you have completed the registration form and uploaded all documents to verify your identity, XTB will usually approve your account in less than a day.

How do I know if my XTB account is approved?

You will be notified by email as soon as your account is activated by XTB. You can also log in to the Client Office to check the status of your account.

How much do I need to open an account at XTB?

XTB requires no minimum deposit for newly opened accounts. This means you can start trading with relatively small amounts.

Can I use a debit card to deposit to XTB?

Yes, you can deposit to your XTB trading account using a debit card. Debit card deposits are usually free, although in some countries you will be charged a small fee, usually about 1% or less of the deposited amount.

Can I use PayPal to deposit on XTB?

Yes, you can use PayPal to fund your XTB account if you live in the European Union. Deposits via PayPal are instant and usually free.

Lower fees, lower costs?

We detailed this in our XTB fees article.

What about the minimum deposit?

Our ultimate guide to the XTB minimum deposit is updated regularly.

How to start your XTB account?

Look no further than our evaluation of XTB account opening.

How's their trading app?

Here's our expert view after checking the XTB trading app.

Is the quality of customer service satisfactory?

All you need to know about the XTB customer service.

Legit or scam?

Is XTB legit features all the key aspects you need to look at to see if a broker is safe and legit.

Free or premium? Or both?

A glance at actual costs and whether XTB is really free.

Is this broker good for beginners?

We checked it in Is XTB good for beginners.

Should you buy your silver bullets on XTB?

Research for silver bugs in the Silver buy on XTB guide

I want to trade options, are they available at XTB?

We explored the topic in Can you trade options on XTB?

What is the minimum account balance at XTB?

Check out the current account balance requirements at XTB in our What is the minimum account balance at XTB article.

Looking for commission and fees data for XTB?

We collected them in XTB commission and fees.

How do you withdraw money from XTB?

We tested it and collected the options and costs in How to withdraw money on XTB.