Best DFSA Regulated Forex Brokers for 2025
Online traders based in Dubai and across the Middle East and Persian Gulf have a large choice of forex brokers to choose from, many of which are already well-established, international investment firms. However, when it comes to opening a trading account and investing real funds, a DFSA Regulated Forex Broker should be the favoured option. The DFSA demands strict regulatory oversight and client fund protection measures, which give traders both security and peace of mind.
The Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) was founded in 2004 and is the main independent financial regulator of the special economic zone in Dubai. This zone is known as the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) of the United Arab Emirates. As an independent, transparent body, the DFSA has a solid reputation for being one of the most rigorous, proactive and effective organisations of its kind in the Middle East.
After many hours of extensive research involving a large number of brokers, our expert team has narrowed down the Best DFSA Regulated Forex Brokers for 2025 that excelled across a range of criteria. Read on to see which brokers made it into our leaderboard.
Overview of DFSA Regulated Forex Brokers
Interactive Brokers
Rating: 4.5 / 5
Broker Name: Interactive Brokers
Established: 1974
UAE Office: Dubai
Minimum Deposit: $None
Copy Trading: No
Negative Balance Protection: Yes
Pros & Cons
✅ Various proprietary platforms
✅ Strong education section
❌ Website is hard to navigate
XTB
Rating: 4.37 / 5
Broker Name: XTB
Established: 2004
UAE Office: Dubai
Minimum Deposit: $None
Copy Trading: No
Negative Balance Protection: Yes
Pros & Cons
✅ Automated payments
✅ Secure login process
❌ No MT4 or MT5
Plus500
Rating: 4.25 / 5
Broker Name: Plus500
Established: 2008
UAE Office: Dubai
Minimum Deposit: $100
Copy Trading: No
Negative Balance Protection: Yes
Pros & Cons
✅ User-friendly platform
✅ 24/7 customer support
❌ No MT4 or MT5
Swissquote
Rating: 4.2 / 5
Broker Name: Swissquote
Established: 1996
UAE Office: Dubai
Minimum Deposit: $1,000
Copy Trading: Yes
Negative Balance Protection: Yes
Pros & Cons
✅ Ultra-fast execution speeds
✅ Many educational videos
❌ High deposit requirement
HYCM
Rating: 4.12 / 5
Broker Name: HYCM
UAE Office: Dubai
Minimum Deposit: $5
Copy Trading: Yes
Negative Balance Protection: Yes
Pros & Cons
✅ Spreads from 0.1 pips
✅ Good range of platforms
❌ Inactivity fees after 90 days
FX Trust Score Comparison of DFSA Regulated Brokers
| Broker | DFSA Regulation | Dubai Office | Trading Platforms | Average EUR/USD Spread | Customer Support | FX Trust Score |
| Interactive Brokers | Reference number: F008423 | Unit 507, Level 5, Index Tower, DIFC, Dubai, UAE | IBKR Desktop, IBKR Trader Workstation, IBKR GlobalTrader, IBKR ForecastTrader, IBKR APIs | 0.6 pips | 24/5 | |
| Score | 10 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 9/10 |
| XTB | Reference number: F006316 | Unit 1204, Level 12, Index Tower, DIFC, PO Box 482081, Dubai, UAE | AvaOptions, AvaSocial, DupliTrade, MT4, MT5 | 1.3 pips | 24/6 | |
| Score | 10 | 10 | 9 | 4 | 9 | 8.75/10 |
| Plus500 | Reference number: F005651 | Unit 109-110, Level 1, Gate Village Building 04, DIFC, Dubai, UAE | Plus500 Platform | 1.2 pips | 24/7 | |
| Score | 10 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 8.5/10 |
| Swissquote | Reference number: F001438 | Office No 3, Level 9, Currency House Building, Tower 2, DIFC, PO Box 121364, Dubai, UAE | MT4, MT5, CFXD | 0.9 pips | 24/5 | |
| Score | 10 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 8 | 8.4/10 |
| HYCM | Reference number: F000048 | Tenancy 903, Level 9, Liberty House, DIFC, PO Box 506540, Dubai, UAE | MT4, MT5 | 1.2 pips | 24/5 | |
| Score | 10 | 10 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 8.25/10 |
The FXTS Verdict – Which are the Best DFSA Regulated Forex Brokers?
Our expert selection aims to help Middle East traders select the best DFSA regulated forex brokers for 2025. After extensive research, we have featured those who showed particular strength when it came to factors such as available trading platforms, average EURUSD spread and customer support. We also cross-checked each broker against the DFSA’s public register to confirm the validity of each broker’s licence.
Interactive Brokers ranked in first place due to its impressive range of proprietary IBKR trading platforms, comprising both desktop and mobile terminals. It also offers competitive pricing, with tight spreads, commissions from $0 and low fees across the board. XTB qualified in second position due to its strong platform lineup, while Plus500 came third thanks to its user-friendly platform and 24/7 client support. As for the rest, Swissquote and HYCM were both found to have an established presence in the UAE, reinforcing their reputations as trusted international brokers.
DFSA’s Role in Forex Broker Oversight
The Dubai Financial Services Authority, known as the DFSA, is a leading financial regulatory body operating out of the DIFC economic zone in Dubai, UAE. As a well-established financial watchdog with more than 20 years of experience, the DFSA regulator operates separately from the UAE’s federal Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA), whose jurisdiction spreads nationwide.
It adopts a risk-based approach towards regulated forex brokers, meaning it does not follow the “zero failure” principle of striking off firms that make honest mistakes. This meets the DFSA’s stated goal of not placing unnecessary regulatory burden on financial institutions or adversely impact the efficiency of the financial system. Alongside maintaining and updating a list of DFSA regulated brokers, the authority takes action against companies that pose the greatest risk to its regulatory objectives.
FAQs
The Dubai Financial Services Authority, or DFSA, is a leading financial regulator in the UAE. Headquartered within the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), it operates independently from the UAE government within a predefined legal framework. Founded in 2004, its main mission is to ensure fairness, transparency and efficiency across the UAE financial services industry.
Forex trading is indeed legal and highly-regulated in Dubai by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA). The DFSA ensures that investment firms adhere to a strict financial framework, covering compliance, anti-fraud and anti-money laundering measures and client fund protection. Local residents should opt for a broker with a DFSA license to ensure maximum protection.
There are two main regulators of UAE forex brokers – the DFSA and the SCA. While the DFSA governs financial services and activities within the DIFC in Dubai’s main economic zone, the SCA oversees the broader UAE financial services market. Both are considered to be reputable, internationally-recognised regulatory bodies.
The DFSA is responsible for overseeing the financial services industry within the DIFC. It can authorise and register forex brokers, publishing the full list of licensed firms online via the DFSA public register. One of its main roles involves supervising financial firms to ensure they fully comply with the relevant national laws, rules and regulations of the UAE. If necessary, the DFSA has a range of enforcement powers to help it tackle serious misconduct quickly and efficiently. This includes imposing sanctions and issuing penalties against persistent offenders.
There are numerous regulated forex brokers with valid DFSA licences. It is important that traders based in the Middle East conduct proper research into each broker before making a final decision on who to open an account with. To get an informed guide into the best DFSA regulated brokers, check out who our experts have ranked as the top options by checking out our leaderboard above.
The best brokers in the UAE are fully licensed and authorised with a leading regulator. The two main regulatory bodies are the DFSA and the SCA, both recognised as leading authorities within the Middle East financial services sector. To view the best DFSA regulated brokers, scroll up to see the final leaderboard.
All of the DFSA regulated forex brokers are based in or have offices in the DIFC in Dubai, UAE. Established in 2004, the DIFC, or Dubai International Financial Centre, is a financial free zone. The idea behind its creation was to promote the city as a regional financial hub by attracting leading global institutions to set up operations there. The DFSA is the independent regulator of financial services in the DIFC and is responsible for regulating all financial services within the zone.
Publication date:
29/04/2025
Author: FX Trust Score
Last updated on May 5, 2025
