Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of HFM vs IUX, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 51% and 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.
HFM and IUX are online brokers with different backgrounds. HFM was founded in 2010, while IUX began in 2016. Neither company is publicly traded, and neither operates as a bank.
In terms of regulation and trust, HFM holds 2 Tier-1 licenses (highly trusted) and 3 Tier-2 licenses (trusted), earning a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 85/99, which places it in the trusted range. IUX holds 1 Tier-1 and 1 Tier-2 license and scores 76/99, which is considered average risk. If regulatory standing and third-party trust are priorities, HFM ranks higher, while IUX has fewer top-tier licenses and a lower score.
| Feature |
HFM
|
IUX
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2016 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
When it comes to commissions and fees, both HFM and IUX offer pricing that can work for different types of traders, but IUX comes out ahead overall. HFM is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #29 out of 36 brokers for Commissions and Fees. Its trading costs are slightly above average, with typical spreads on its standard account around 1.2 pips, though no date range is given for that figure. Its Zero account can bring the effective spread down to 0.7 pips after commission, but that is not presented as an average either.
IUX is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #19 out of 36 brokers, making it the stronger choice on pricing. Its account lineup gives traders a few different paths: Standard and Standard+ accounts start at a $10 minimum deposit, while the Raw and Pro accounts require $500. The Standard+ account offers bonus promotions but wider spreads, the Standard account has lower spreads without bonuses, the Raw account charges a $6 commission per 100,000 units with low spreads, and the Pro account is spread-only with lower spreads than the Standard options.
For average spreads, IUX lists about 0.7 pips on its Pro account, 0.9 pips on its Standard account, and roughly 0.6 pips on its Raw account once the commission is factored in. In simple terms, HFM is decent but a bit pricier, while IUX offers more flexible pricing and better overall value for traders who want to keep costs down, especially if they choose the right account type.
| Feature |
HFM
|
IUX
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $50 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.8 | 0.86 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.1 | 0.6 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
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When it comes to range of investments, HFM offers a wider menu than IUX overall. Both online brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, and both let clients trade cryptocurrency CFDs rather than actual crypto. HFM lists 344 tradeable symbols and 38 forex pairs, compared with IUX’s 152 tradeable symbols and 34 forex pairs, giving HFM the edge for traders who want more market choices.
There are also some key differences in other assets. IUX offers exchange traded securities on international exchanges, while HFM does not offer exchange traded securities on either U.S. or international exchanges. HFM does offer copy trading, which IUX does not. This wider asset selection helps explain HFM’s stronger Range of Investments score, with 4 stars and a #29 ranking from ForexBrokers.com, versus IUX’s 3.5 stars and #36 ranking.
| Feature |
HFM
|
IUX
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 344 | 152 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 38 | 34 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
HFM and IUX both give traders a good mix of platform choices, including free demo accounts, a web-based platform, a Windows desktop download, and their own in-house platforms. Both also support MetaTrader 5 and let users place trades directly from charts, which can make trading more convenient for active users. On paper, the two brokers look closely matched for basic platform access and chart-based trading.
The main differences come down to extra tools. HFM stands out because it offers copy trading and MetaTrader 4, while IUX does not. That gives HFM a wider set of options for traders who want to follow other traders or use MT4. This edge shows in outside ratings too: HFM is rated 4 out of 5 for Trading Platforms and Tools and ranks #34 out of 36 brokers, while IUX is rated 3.5 out of 5 and ranks #36 out of 36.
| Feature |
HFM
|
IUX
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 38 | 106 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
HFM and IUX both offer iPhone and Android apps, so traders can place and manage trades on the go with either broker. HFM has the edge for everyday mobile trading features, though, because it offers stock and forex price alerts, while IUX does not. HFM also lets users draw trendlines in the app, and its chart drawings auto save. IUX also auto saves drawings, but it does not support trendline drawing in its mobile app.
When it comes to charting tools, IUX includes 106 technical studies in its mobile app, compared with just 5 at HFM, which may appeal to traders who want more chart analysis options on a phone or tablet. That said, neither broker offers watchlist symbol syncing between the mobile app and online account. Overall, HFM is rated 4 out of 5 stars for mobile trading apps and is ranked #33 out of 36 by ForexBrokers.com, while IUX scores 3.5 stars and ranks #36, giving HFM the stronger mobile app experience overall.
| Feature |
HFM
|
IUX
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | No |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 5 | 106 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
HFM offers a stronger market research setup than IUX, with daily market commentary, forex news from top sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, Autochartist tools, a sentiment indicator showing long and short positioning, and research from Acuity Trading. It also includes an economic calendar for tracking global events. IUX, by comparison, only provides an economic calendar, and does not offer daily commentary, top-tier news feeds, Autochartist, Trading Central, sentiment tools, or Acuity Trading research.
This difference is also reflected in third-party ratings and rankings. HFM is rated 4 out of 5 stars for Research and ranks #18 out of 36 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while IUX is rated 3 out of 5 stars and ranks #36. For traders who want more built-in market insights and research tools, HFM has the clear edge.
| Feature |
HFM
|
IUX
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When comparing HFM and IUX for beginner education, HFM comes out ahead overall. HFM offers forex and CFD learning material, runs online educational client webinars at least once a month, and provides at least 10 beginner videos as well as 10 advanced videos. That makes it a better fit for new traders who want to start with simple lessons and keep learning as they grow. HFM is also rated 4 out of 5 stars for Education and ranks #29 out of 36 brokers in the ForexBrokers.com Education category.
IUX also gives beginners access to at least 10 beginner trading videos, which is helpful for getting started. However, it does not offer monthly educational webinars and does not have at least 10 advanced educational videos, so the learning path is more limited for traders who want to go beyond the basics. IUX is rated 3 out of 5 stars for Education and ranks #36 out of 36, making it the weaker choice overall for educational support.
| Feature |
HFM
|
IUX
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that HFM is better than IUX. HFM finished with an overall rank of #27, while IUX finished with an overall rank of #36.
HFM (HF Markets) is a global broker best known for its MetaTrader offering, solid research tools, and proprietary copy trading platform, alongside a broad selection of forex pairs and CFDs.
| Feature |
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IUX
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| Trust Score | 85 | 76 |
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In the HFM vs IUX comparison for cryptocurrency trading, neither online broker lets you buy actual delivered crypto, but both allow you to trade cryptocurrency CFDs.
Online brokers HFM and IUX compared: neither supports ACH or SEPA transfers or PayPal for deposits/withdrawals, both support Skrill and bank wire transfers, and Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified.
Please note:
We review each broker’s overall global offering – a “Yes” checkmark in our Compare Tool does not guarantee the availability of any specific features in your country of residence. To verify the availability of any features within your country of residence, please contact the broker directly.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | HFM | IUX | |
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| Trust Score | 85 | 76 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | HFM Review | IUX Review |
| Broker Screenshots | HFM | IUX | |
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| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Regulation | HFM | IUX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 85 | 76 | |
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2016 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | HFM | IUX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | ||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | HFM | IUX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | HFM | IUX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 344 | 152 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 38 | 34 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
| Cost | HFM | IUX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.8 | 0.86 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.1 | 0.6 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | HFM | IUX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $50 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | HFM | IUX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | HFM | IUX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 38 | 106 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | No |
| Mobile Trading | HFM | IUX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 5 | 106 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | No |
| Research | HFM | IUX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | HFM | IUX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | HFM | IUX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | HFM Review | IUX Review |
| Overall | HFM | IUX | |
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| Trust Score | 85 | 76 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | HFM Review | IUX Review |
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