Previously known as HotForex, HFM has grown to become a significant global broker. This 2026 review is designed to give you a clear and simple understanding of their services, focusing on their pricing, the regulations they follow, and what other traders have to say about their experience.

Live Spreads: How HFM Manages Trading Fees

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A fundamental cost of trading is the spread, the small gap between the buy and sell prices of an asset. HFM offers different accounts that handle this cost in two main ways. The Premium account is commission-free, as the broker's fee is included within the spread itself. The Zero Spread account, popular with active traders, provides very narrow spreads but adds a fixed commission charge per trade.

Our live data, as seen in the table above, often highlights the competitive nature of HFM's pricing, with their Zero account frequently noted for its low costs on major currency pairs. To create your own comparison of HFM against other brokers or for different assets, you can use the orange 'Edit' button.

HFM User reviews

4.2
(115 )
Ranked 144 out of 1782 (Forex Brokers)
This rating is based on 77 reviews by users that proved they are real customers of this company. All reviews undergo significant human and technical moderation. Companies that get 30+ reviews by verified reviewers are scored only on their ratings by verified reviewers and get a green checkmark by their rating.


HFM Overall rating

4.8
Ranked 4 out of 1782 (Forex Brokers)
Overall rating is derived from an aggregate of ratings in multiple categories.
Rating Weight
User Rating 3
Popularity
5.0
3
Regulation
5.0
2
Pricing rating
4.5
1
Features
Not rated
1
Customer Support
Not rated
1

The overall ratings for HFM on Cashbackforex.com are very strong, reflecting positive user feedback and a top-tier score for their regulatory standing. Established in 2010, HFM has built a solid reputation in the industry. Their high scores for pricing and platform availability align well with user comments regarding their low costs and excellent trading tools. They operate as a privately held company.

Regulation: Globally Regulated Including UK FCA, CySEC, AE DFSA

Company Licenses & Regulations Segregated Client Money Deposit Compensation Scheme Negative Balance Protection Rebates Max. Leverage Retail Clients
HF Markets (Europe) Ltd up to €20,000 30 : 1
HF Markets (UK) Ltd up to £85,000 30 : 1
HF Markets (DIFC) Ltd 50 : 1
HF Markets (Seychelles) Ltd 1000 : 1
HFM Investments Ltd 400 : 1
HF Markets (SV) Ltd
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
2000 : 1

HFM operates with a strong regulatory foundation, holding authorisations from several respected authorities around the world. These include leading regulators such as the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the UK and the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), as well as the DFSA (Dubai), FSCA (South Africa), FSA (Seychelles), and the CMA (Kenya).

This multi-entity approach means that the rules and protections you receive depend on the specific entity your account is with. For instance, retail clients under FCA or CySEC regulation operate with leverage limits on major forex pairs and may be eligible for compensation schemes like the UK's FSCS (up to £85,000) and CySEC ICF (up to €20,000). Clients under other entities like the FSA in Seychelles may be offered much higher leverage but will not have access to equivalent government-backed compensation schemes.

Available Assets: Huge Selection, Including Cryptos, Shares and ETFs

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HFM provides its clients with access to a very extensive range of financial markets. Their offering includes a broad selection of foreign exchange pairs, CFDs on global stock indices, energy products like oil, precious metals such as gold and silver, bonds, a variety of digital currencies, and a large portfolio of international company shares and ETFs.

The live symbol search tool provided above allows you to explore their full product list. It's important to know that these instruments are mainly traded as CFDs (Contracts for Difference). This enables you to trade on price fluctuations using leverage, a facility that also inherently increases the level of risk involved.

Live Swap Rates: Competitive Costs for Holding Trades Overnight

Swap Rate: Long Position
Swap Rate: Short Position
Swap Rate Calculation Method
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When you hold trading positions open overnight, swap rates, also known as rollover fees, are applied. These are daily financing adjustments that can be either a credit or a debit to your trading account, depending on the instrument and market conditions. The swap rates offered by HFM are generally considered to be competitive.

In line with standard industry practice, they apply a triple swap charge on Wednesdays to account for the financing of positions over the weekend. The data shown in the table above is sourced from live accounts using our swap rate analysis tool. To compare HFM's swap charges with other brokers or for different symbols, you can click the orange 'Edit' button.

Trading Platforms: Extensive Choice with HFM App, MT4 & MT5

Software Main Advantages Important Considerations
MetaTrader 4 (MT4)
  • Industry standard with a massive user base
  • Huge library of available EAs and indicators
  • Known for its dependable performance
  • Simple and straightforward for beginners
  • Older software with fewer integrated tools
  • Less suited for non forex asset classes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5)
  • Modern platform with more built in features
  • Better for trading a diverse range of markets
  • Advanced MQL5 language for automated trading
  • Includes Market Depth and economic news
  • Can appear more complex than MT4
  • Some old MT4 indicators may not work
HFM App (Proprietary)
  • A streamlined experience for mobile users
  • Integrates account management and trading
  • Modern, intuitive user interface
  • Charting is less advanced than on desktop
  • Fewer options for customisation
  • Dependent on the HFM ecosystem

A key strength of HFM is its outstanding selection of trading platforms. Clients can choose from the global industry standards MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), and their own HFM App for mobile devices. This extensive selection ensures that nearly every type of trader can find a platform that suits their needs.

Deposits/Withdrawals: Supporting Crypto and Multiple Currencies

Payment Type Processing Time Fee from HFM Common Base Currencies
Bank Transfer 2-7 business days None* USD, EUR (regional variations)
Credit & Debit Cards Instantaneous None USD, EUR
Skrill & Neteller Instantaneous None USD, EUR
Digital Currencies (BTC, ETH, USDT, LTC) Dependent on Network Speed None** Crypto (which is converted to account currency)
Regional Options Varies (Often Instantaneous) None Regional currencies

HFM provides a broad range of methods for funding your account and making withdrawals. These options include traditional bank transfers, major credit and debit cards, popular e-wallets such as Skrill and Neteller, cryptocurrencies (with availability that can depend on your region and the specific entity), and a variety of local payment solutions.

HFM generally does not apply its own fees for deposits or withdrawals. It is important to be aware that third-party payment providers or *intermediary banks may apply their own service charges. Also, expect **crypto network fees applied to your deposit/withdrawal. For the most current and accurate information on available methods and any potential fees, you should always check the official HFM website.

Leverage: Up to 1:2000 via Offshore Licensing

The maximum trading leverage that HFM offers depends on the specific regulatory authority that oversees your account. Clients who are registered under more stringent regulators like the FCA (UK) or CySEC (Cyprus) will usually find their leverage is capped at 1:30 for major foreign exchange pairs, in accordance with retail client protection regulations.

Accounts that are regulated by the FSA in Seychelles can often provide access to much higher leverage, potentially as high as 1:2000. While using higher leverage can increase your potential returns from a smaller initial capital, it also equally magnifies the risk of losses, which requires a robust approach to risk management.

HFM Profile

Company Name HF Markets SA (PTY) & HF Markets (SV) Ltd
Categories Forex Brokers, Forex Rebates
Primary Category Forex Brokers
Year Founded 2010
Headquarters Cyprus
Office Locations United Arab Emirates, Bulgaria, Kenya, Mauritius, United Kingdom, South Africa
Account Currency EUR, JPY, USD, ZAR, NGN
Support Languages Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Thai, Vietnamese, Bengali, Urdu, Chinese (Traditional), Filipino
Funding Methods Bank Wire, Credit/Debit Card, FasaPay, Neteller, Skrill, Sofort, BitPay, PayRedeem
Financial Instruments Forex, Shares, Indices, Bonds, Oil/Energies, Cryptocurrencies, Metals, ETFs
Prohibited Countries Iran, United States
24 hour support
Segregated Accounts
Islamic Accounts
Accepts Canadian clients
Accepts Japanese Clients
Non expiring demo
Trading API
Cent accounts
Negative balance protection
Social trading
Regulatory deposit insurance
Trailing stops
Bonuses
Interest on margin
Fixed spread
Variable spread

The HFM profile on Cashbackforex.com provides a detailed overview of the broker. It outlines the available base currencies for your account, lists the various methods for deposits and withdrawals, and indicates the languages they support. You can also find important information regarding the safety of client funds, their regulatory authorisations, and a list of countries from which they do not accept clients.

HFM Promotions

HFM often has promotional offers available for their clients. These can include deposit bonuses and trading contests. Because promotions and the criteria for eligibility can change, you should always visit the official HFM website to see the full terms and conditions before you decide to participate in any offer.