XTB: broker review

Founded in 2002 by Jakub Zablocki and Omar Arnaout, XTB has grown over the years into a major player in the world of stock market investing. The company has had several key moments in its history, including an IPO in 2016.

What makes it unique?

XTB stands out for the breadth of its investment offering. The broker offers a wide range of financial instruments, from Forex to indices, commodities, stocks, ETFs, and even cryptocurrencies.

In addition, XTB stands out for its xStation trading platform, known for its ease of use and wide range of features.

What kind of investor profile is it for?

XTB is primarily aimed at sophisticated investors who want to diversify their portfolios with different financial instruments. Whether you are a long-term investor or a short-term speculator, XTB has something for everyone.

However, this broker may not be the best choice for beginners due to the complexity of some of the products offered.

Like most modern online brokers, XTB offers a demo account. On it, you will be able to test your strategies on the market using a conditional capital of €14 000 available for 14 days. This way, you do not risk losing your money.

The xStation 5 platform, which you will use, works equally well on your computer or on your cell phone, via the XTB mobile app.

Standard Account

The XTB Standard Account is ideal for investors looking to take their first steps into the market. It offers access to a wide range of financial products, competitive rates and flexible investment terms.

To open a standard account with XTB, all you need to do is fill out an online form and fulfill certain conditions, including market knowledge.  

Rates are transparent and competitive, with tight spreads and no share commissions. Investment terms are also flexible, with leverage up to 1:30.

Pro Account

For more experienced investors, XTB offers a Pro account. This account offers additional benefits over the standard account, including:

•  tighter spreads;
•  negative balance protection;
•  higher leverage.

To open a Pro account, you must meet stricter criteria than for a Standard account. These criteria include:

•  An investment portfolio of at least €500 000;
•  more than 10 trades per quarter with a unit value of at least €50 000 for at least the last 4 quarters;
•  significant experience in the CFD market (more than one year in the financial sector).

The Pro account provides access to the same investment products as the Standard account, but with additional benefits:

•  Spreads are narrower, allowing you to save money on each trade.
•  In addition, the Pro account offers leverage of up to 1:200, allowing for greater profits.

Finally, Pro investors receive negative balance protection. This means that they cannot lose more than the amount they have deposited into their account.

Trading platform

The essence of the online broker lies in its trading platform. XTB has developed xStation, an advanced trading platform that is intuitive and easy to use. The software offers many features to help you make informed investment decisions.

With its user-friendly interface, xStation offers:

•  real-time access to financial markets;
•  interactive charts;
•  advanced technical analysis;
•  a variety of indicators to help you analyze market trends.

In addition, the platform offers risk management tools such as Stop Loss and Take Profit to help you protect your investments.

Customer Service

One of the aspects that sets XTB apart from its competitors is undoubtedly the quality of its customer service, which is regularly praised by its clients.

XTB's customer service is available 24/7 and is renowned for its professionalism and responsiveness. If you have a technical question, information request or problem, you can count on XTB to help you.

You can contact the XTB support team:

•  By phone;
•  by e-mail;
•  via live chat on the company's website.

In addition, the XTB website has a detailed FAQ section where you will find answers to most of your questions.

Training

XTB demonstrates a commitment to supporting its clients throughout the entire investment process. The broker offers a variety of educational resources including:

•  webinars;
•  seminars;
•  video lessons;
•  blog articles on a variety of topics.

Regardless of your level: whether you are a beginner or an experienced investor, you will find useful resources to improve your investment skills.

Market Analysis

XTB's Market Analysis tab contains the most useful tools for investors:

•  latest news (with date and time);
•  economic calendar
•  market sentiment;
•  standings table.

Each item is easily visible and clearly highlighted in color. Moreover, the "Order" button helps investors to immediately move from the previous day to action. So you can quickly make the right investment decision.

Webinars

For those who want to go further, XTB's webinars section is the way to go. The emphasis here is on expert analysis in video format.

A link to XTB's Youtube channel will keep you updated on a daily basis so you don't miss out on any of the latest opportunities. Whether live or replayed, this section will help you stay one step ahead of the market.

Pricing

XTB is an online broker that is well known among investors for its transparency when it comes to commissions. The broker employs competitive rates that are detailed on its website.

Fees vary depending on the type of account you decide to open.

Additional fees

The broker charges an inactivity fee, which is €10 per month if you don't make any trades for a month. However, these fees can be avoided if you are an active investor.

XTB also charges a swap fee for holding open positions overnight.

The broker charges a conversion fee of 0.5%. This fee should be considered if you are investing in Forex in particular.

XTB charges a €3.5 fee for opening and closing most positions for Pro and Premium accounts.

Conclusion

Overall, XTB is a good choice for sophisticated investors looking for a broker that offers a wide range of investment products and services, as well as high quality customer service. However, beginners should consider other options that offer lower commissions and simpler products.