Score card

HYCM review

Every factor behind HYCM's ranking, with the points each one contributed.

Last checked

HYCM ranks lower than its marketing would suggest, and the working below shows exactly which categories cost it the places. Regulated by FCA (186171); DFSA (F000048), offering HYCM Trader, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, WebTrader.

Our rating

76/100

One rating, identical across our sites - only the way it is shown changes. It averages six assessments: regulation, trading costs, platforms, markets, support and education.

What it costs to trade

8.2/10
Spread from
0.1 pips
EUR/USD spread
Approx. 0.2 pips, Raw
GBP/USD spread
Approx. 0.5 pips, Raw
Commission
$2 per side / $4 round turn, Raw
All-in cost, EUR/USD
Approx. 0.6 pips
Spread type
Fixed and variable, account-dependent
Overnight swap
Both: overnight swaps may be charged or credited
Inactivity fee
$10/month after 90 days inactivity
Deposit fee
None internally
Withdrawal fee
Generally none internally; payment-provider/bank fees may apply
Currency conversion
Currency conversion at applicable exchange rate

Cost is the second heaviest, and the one most likely to move a broker several places.

A quoted spread from 0.1 pips is a raw-spread figure, which almost always means a separate commission per lot. Compare the two together - a "zero spread" account with a high commission can cost more than a wider spread with none.

Quoted spreads are best-case figures on the most liquid pair, in normal conditions. What you actually pay widens around news and at the session open.

HYCM lists a minimum deposit of $20. Treat it as the cost of opening an account, not the cost of trading one - position sizing on a small balance is what tends to cause damage.

Markets and execution

7.9/10
Markets
Forex, Stocks, Indices, Cryptocurrencies, Commodities
Currency pairs
60+
Total instruments
300+
Crypto CFDs
Yes
Maximum leverage
1:500
Execution model
Market maker / principal
Execution speed
12ms
Order types
Market, limit, stop, stop-loss, take-profit, trailing stop
Servers
London and global financial data-centre infrastructure

Leverage up to 1:500 is available on this entity. High leverage does not increase your expected return - it increases position size for the same deposit, and shortens the move needed to close you out.

HYCM covers forex, stocks, indices, cryptocurrencies, commodities. A wider range matters less than depth in the instruments you actually trade.

Funding options: visa, mastercard, bank transfer, skrill, neteller and regional payment methods. Check withdrawal routes as well as deposit ones - they are often not the same, and the difference only becomes apparent when you try to take money out.

Platforms and tools

8.4/10
Platforms
HYCM Trader, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, WebTrader
Own platform
Yes, HYCM Trader
Mobile app
Both proprietary and third-party
Browser trading
Yes
Automated trading
Yes; MT4/MT5 Expert Advisors and automated trading
Copy trading
No
Indicators
30+ MT4; 38+ MT5; additional proprietary-platform tools
Third-party tools
Seasonax, Financial Source, Trading Central
API access
Yes, institutional connectivity

MetaTrader 4 remains the most widely supported platform for expert advisors. If you rely on an existing EA, this is usually the deciding factor.

MetaTrader 5 handles more asset classes and order types than MT4, but expert advisors are not compatible between the two - an MT4 EA will not run on it.

Regulation and safety

9.1/10
Regulated by
FCA (186171); DFSA (F000048)
Regulator tier
Tier 1
Register entry
FCA Financial Services Register, FRN 186171
Client money segregated
Yes
Held at
Tier 1 banks
Negative balance protection
Yes
Compensation scheme
FSCS up to £85,000 for eligible UK clients
Audited by
Independent external auditors
Not available to
Afghanistan, Belgium, Hong Kong, United States and other restricted/sanctioned jurisdictions

Regulation is the heaviest-weighted input into the position on this page.

HYCM holds a tier-one authorisation from FCA. That matters more than any headline spread: it determines your leverage cap, whether losses can exceed your deposit, and what happens to your money if the firm fails.

The FCA caps retail leverage at 1:30, mandates negative balance protection, and covers eligible clients under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.

The DFSA regulates from the Dubai International Financial Centre, a separate legal jurisdiction from the wider UAE.

Check the licence yourself: the FCA Register, the DFSA public register.

Accounts

Minimum deposit
$20
Account types
Fixed, Classic, Raw, Islamic/Swap-Free, Professional, Demo
Account currencies
EUR, USD, GBP, AED, JPY
Islamic account
Yes
Demo account
Yes
Professional account
Yes
Minimum trade size
0.01 lots
Time to open
Typically a few minutes

Deposits and withdrawals

Deposit methods
Visa, Mastercard, bank transfer, Skrill, Neteller and regional payment methods
Withdrawal methods
Bank transfer, Visa/Mastercard, Skrill, Neteller and supported original funding methods
Deposit time
Instant for most cards/e-wallets; bank transfers typically 1-7 business days
Withdrawal time
Typically processed within 1 business day; receipt depends on payment method
Minimum withdrawal
$20
Local payment methods
Multiple jurisdiction-specific online banking and regional payment methods

Support and education

6.3/10
Support hours
24/5
Contact channels
Live chat, email, phone
Languages
Multilingual
Telephone
+44 20 3996 4943
Email
support@hycm.com
Live chat response
Typically under 2 minutes
Education
Extensive: webinars, workshops, educational articles, trading courses, platform tutorials and demo trading
Research
Market analysis, Financial Source, Seasonax, technical/fundamental analysis and trading insights

The company behind the brand

Legal entity
HYCM Capital Markets (UK) Limited
Company number
02878581
Headquarters
London, United Kingdom
Founded
1977
Publicly listed
No
Parent company
HYCM Capital Markets Group
Employees
200+
Also trades as
HYCM; Henyep Capital Markets

Questions people ask about HYCM

How long does a withdrawal from HYCM take?

HYCM gives a withdrawal time of typically processed within 1 business day; receipt depends on payment method. The clock usually starts when the broker approves the request rather than when you submit it, and a first withdrawal is slower because identity checks run alongside it.

Does HYCM offer a swap-free account?

HYCM offers an Islamic, swap-free account. Brokers usually recover the swap through a wider spread or an administration charge, so it is worth asking which.