Oanda Broker Review

Is OANDA Safe?

Well-known and CFTC-regulated, OANDA has a very high trust rating and is a reliable trading partner for American traders.

Trusted: Headquartered in Sydney and regulated by the Futures Commission Merchant and Retail Foreign Exchange Dealer with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and a member of the National Futures Association, OANDA has a good reputation in the Forex trading community and the company has received multiple awards for its customer service and customer satisfaction ratings. 

Safety Features: The CFTC requires OANDA to provide negative balance protection for all clients and to keep its operational funds segregated from client accounts. It also prevents OANDA from offering leverage higher than 50:1 on Forex majors, and because CFD trading is illegal in the United States, it only allows spot contracts on Forex.

Company Details:

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We confirmed each of the licences and regulations on the regulator’s online register. See below for details of OANDA’s CFTC-regulated entity:

OANDA’s Financial Instruments (CFDs)

As per CFTC regulatory rules, OANDA only offers trading on Forex to U.S. citizens, but the range of forex pairs is extensive and includes majors, minors, exotics, and many emerging currencies. 

Full List of Instruments and Leverage:

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• Forex: OANDA has 70 currency pairs available for trading which is around the industry average.  These include majors (EUR/USD, GBP/USD, and USD/JPY), minors (NZD/CAD, EUR/JPY, and USD/ZAR). 

Accounts and Trading Fees

OANDA offers two accounts, which is limited compared to other brokers, but we were pleased to find that its trading fees are lower than most other brokers. 

Trading Fees: The Standard and Advanced Trader accounts offer a range of benefits, including two pricing options – the spread-only or core pricing plus commission.

The spread-only option has trading costs included in its variable spreads, while the core pricing option offers tighter spreads in exchange for a small commission per trade. The standard account has no minimum deposit requirement, while the Advanced Trader account has a minimum deposit requirement of 10,000 USD.  

See below for account details:

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As you can see from the table above, the trading costs on the spread-only option are built into the spread and are higher than the costs on the Core Pricing option, which has a small commission per lot traded.  Overall, OANDA’s trading fees are slightly higher than the industry average – the average cost of trading one lot of EUR/USD is 9 USD at most other market makers.

Spread-Only Option

The Spread-Only Option has no minimum deposit and leverage of up to 50:1. Spreads start at 1.4 pips on the EUR/USD, which is wider than other market maker brokers.

Core Pricing Option  

Costs are included in the spread and the commission that is charged on this account.  Spreads start at 0.4 pips on the EUR/USD, which is tighter than other brokers, and a commission of 5 USD is charged.  Leverage is up to 50:1 for Forex pairs.  

Deposits and Withdrawals

OANDA offers a limited range of funding methods and charges high withdrawal fees via bank transfer.

In line with Anti-Money Laundering policies, deposits and withdrawals at OANDA cannot be made to/from third-party accounts.

Trading Account Currencies: The base currencies available at OANDA only include USD. Traders from the U.S. will therefore be able to avoid paying conversion fees unless trading on instruments with other base currencies.  Conversion fees can make trading expensive, and are usually not presented on the fee report, but affect profitability.

Deposit and Withdrawal Fees: While no fees are charged for deposits, OANDA charges fees for withdrawals by bank transfer.  See below for more details:

• Bank Wire: Bank wire deposits take 3-5 business days and are free. Bank wire withdrawals are charged at 20 USD for the first withdrawal in a calendar month and 35 USD for each subsequent transaction.  Withdrawals will take 2-4 business days to be processed. Be aware that banks may also charge a processing fee, especially in the case of international bank transfers.
• Debit Card: Debit card deposits are processed immediately and are free. Withdrawals to credit/debit cards take 1-3 business days, and while the first withdrawal in a calendar month is free, each subsequent withdrawal costs 15 USD.
• Check (USD): To deposit funds, checks must be drawn in USD and from a US bank. We don’t charge a fee when you deposit funds via check. It typically takes between 4 and 6 business days for funds to be deposited into your account. Withdrawals cannot be made via check.
• Automated Clearing House (ACH): For ACH deposits, there is a maximum limit of USD 50,000 per deposit. It can take up to six days for funds to be processed into your account. There is no fee or minimum limit for ACH deposits. No withdrawals can be made by ACH.

Overall, withdrawals by bank transfer are expensive and OANDA offers few methods for depositing and withdrawing funds.

OANDA’s Mobile Trading Platforms

With support for MT4 and its own in-house mobile trading app, OANDA’s mobile platform support is better than other brokers.

Both of OANDA’s mobile platforms are available on both Android and iOS.  

OANDA App

We downloaded and tested the OANDA app on an iPhone 11 and were impressed that we could access all our accounts with one login. The app integrates seamlessly with MT4, and you can trade directly on the charts, view multiple time frames, deposit and withdraw funds, choose from a huge number of technical indicators, and access VPS services. We were also pleased to find how easy it is to set risk and profit parameters on our order ticket. 

MT4 Mobile App

Traders should be aware that there is some loss in functionality when compared to the MT4 desktop trading platform, including reduced time frames and fewer charting options, but traders can close and modify existing orders, calculate profit and loss, and trade on the charts.  

Other Trading Platforms

OANDA offers full support for the MT4 and OANDA web trade platforms, which is average compared to other similar brokers.

OANDA Web Trader

The OANDA web trader is web-based and offers a streamlined trading experience, appealing to traders who want to avoid the complexity of third-party platforms.  We found that the platform looks fantastic, is very easy to use, and has a solid reputation in the trading community.

The powerful platform combines an intuitive interface, a suite of technical analysis tools, and a sophisticated charting package and allows users to create watchlists, analyze charts, and place and monitor trades.  It also allows traders to access TradingView’s top indicators and drawing tools.  Overall, the platform is a good choice for beginner traders because it is easier to set up and use than the MT4 platform.

MT4 

The advantage of brokers offering third-party platforms such as MT4 is that traders can take their customised version with them should they decide to migrate to another broker.  Additionally, thousands of plugins and tools are available for the MT4 platform.   However, MT4 is not as beginner-friendly as the in-house platforms offered by other brokers.

Opening an Account at OANDA

We found that OANDA’s account-opening process is seamless and hassle-free compared to other brokers, and we were pleased that our trading account was ready for trading within a day.

We tested the account opening process, which took approximately 10 minutes to complete, and once our documentation had been submitted, our accounts were ready for trading within a day. 

OANDA offers corporate and individual accounts, but we will focus on opening an individual account:

How to open an account at OANDA:

1. New traders will have to click on the “Start Trading” button at the top of the page, where they will be directed to register an account.    
2. OANDA’s intake form requires clients to fill in their country of residence, and personal details,  (including name, country of residence, and telephone number). 
3. Next, clients must confirm their citizenship, filling in their identity or tax number.
4. The fourth step requires traders to confirm their home address.
5. Lastly, traders are required to fill in their employment status and financial details. 
6. Note that verification documents are not needed for traders who deposit less than 9,000 USD. 
7. For clients that deposit more than 9,000 USD, OANDA needs at least two documents to accept you as an individual client:

1. 1. Proof of Identification – OANDA accepts all government-issued identification documents such as passports, national ID cards, driving licenses, or other government-issued ID. The document must be valid and must contain a trader’s full name, date of birth, a clear photograph, and issue date, and if it has to have an expiry date, that should be visible as well.
   2. Proof of Address – Proof of residence/address document must be issued in the name of the OANDA account holder within the last 3 months and must contain a trader’s full name, current residential address, issue date, and issuing authority.

After the application is approved, traders can log in and fund their accounts.  We advise you to read OANDA’s risk disclosure, customer agreement, and terms of business before you start trading. 

Overall, OANDA’s account-opening process is quick and efficient, and accounts are generally ready for trading within one business day. 

OANDA’s Trading Tools

OANDA’s trading tools are excellent compared to other similar brokers.

OANDA offers a variety of trading tools, including Autochartist, MT4 Premium Tools, TradingView, and a Trading Performance Portal.

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Broker

Autochartist

Trading Central

Trading View

Oanda

Yes

No

Yes

IG

Yes

No

No

Interactive Brokers

Yes

Yes

No

Autochartist

Autocharist is a powerful pattern recognition tool that scans and analyses the markets to identify trading opportunities. Other features of Autochartist include:

• Continuous intraday market scanning
• Correlating signals: receive email notifications and flag trading opportunities when support/resistance levels coincide with chart pattern projections
• Spot potential trading opportunities: get automated alerts about emerging or completed charts, Fibonacci, and key level formations
• Review only the forecasts that have historically had a certain level of success probability
• Volatility analysis
• Set instrument-specific exits based on estimated market volatility
• Performance statistics
• Customisable daily market reports sent to your inbox

Autochartist is one of the best technical analysis tools on the market, and OANDA does well to offer this tool to its clients.  

MT Premium Tools

The MT4 Premium Tools are a host of powerful forex trading indicators, including an alarm manager, keyboard trading, mini terminal, tick chart trader, and more.  These are provided by FX Blue Labs. You can access over 15 indicators and nine expert advisors in a single download. Popular features such as Renko charts, one cancels the other (OCO) orders, keyboard trading, tick chart trading, and advanced trade management are all included free of charge to OANDA MT4 traders.

Trading Performance Portal

The Trading Performance Portal is a behavioural analysis tool that is designed to help you improve your trading patterns. Powered by Chasing Returns, OANDA’s portal analyses your trading history and helps you focus on your strengths while identifying areas you can improve.

Advanced Charts Powered by Trading View

TradingView’s advanced charting solution is available through the OANDA Trade platform. Leading indicators and drawing tools include trade-through charts and 65+ technical indicators. Traders can analyse market trends using drawing tools such as Pitchforks, Gann Fans, Elliott Waves, and more.  Overall, an excellent addition to the suite of trading tools on offer at OANDA.  

OANDA Connect App

The OANDA Connect app provides direct access to content from Dow Jones, market news sentiment, as well as two calendars to stay up to date. Dow Jones FX Select provides real-time breaking news, expert trend analysis, and in-depth policy commentary developed by a global team of Dow Jones business news reporters and editors. It is available in a variety of languages.

Overall, OANDA offers a comprehensive suite of useful trading tools compared to other similar brokers. 

Trading Tools Comparison:

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Broker

Autochartist

Trading Central

Trading View

Oanda

Yes

No

Yes

IG

Yes

No

No

Interactive Brokers

Yes

Yes

No

The Getting Started section covers the basic aspects of Forex CFD trading, such as leverage and margin, and introduces traders to the MT4 platform. The Tools and Strategies section covers analysis and explains how traders can use various technical analysis tools to better predict the markets, an essential skill for successful traders. Finally, the Capital Management section covers risk management and how to apply it in real market conditions.

Alongside these tutorials, OANDA also hosts frequent webinars on all aspects of trading, including the Basics of Trading and Live Market Analysis. Past webinars are also stored in an archive and are available on demand. Webinars and the webinar archive are free but do require registration with your name and email address.

Demo Account

OANDA’s demo account mimics the conditions found on the Spread Pricing Account and is available with a virtual 100,000 USD balance. The demo account will not expire if you request this from OANDA customer service. 

Education Comparison: 

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Broker

Beginner Course

Advanced Course

Oanda

Yes

Yes

IG

Yes

Yes

Interactive Brokers

Yes

Yes

Analysis Material

OANDA’s analysis section is excellent compared to other brokers, curated by its in-house analysts and third-party provider, Market Pulse.

Market analysis is supplied by OANDA’s MarketPulse service. MarketPulse is an award-winning news site that delivers round-the-clock commentary on a wide range of asset classes and in-depth insights into the major economic trends and events that impact the markets. 

The 24/7 coverage at MarketPulse is provided by six expert analysts and professional traders with decades of experience covering and trading the full range of markets. All analysis is detailed, accurate, and posted within minutes of a market event occurring.

In addition to MarketPulse’s text-based coverage, regular videos and podcasts are also published.

Customer Support

Customer support is only available in English, Chinese, Spanish, and German. Support is available via email and live chat 24/5. For the purposes of this review, we found the customer support to be responsive but not knowledgeable of OANDA’s products and services.

Safety and Industry Recognition

Regulation: Founded in 1997 in Delaware, USA as an FX rate provider, OANDA has grown to become a large multi-service financial company offering retail CFD trading, Forex data services for institutions, and exchange rate information on over 38,000 currency pairs. As an international CFD broker OANDA is remarkably well-regulated, with regulatory oversight from no less than 7 top tier national regulators:

• OANDA Asia Pacific Pty. Ltd. is regulated and licensed in Singapore by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (CMS Licence No: CMS100122-4) and the International Enterprise Singapore (Commodity Brokers Licence No: OAP/CBL/2012) to trade commodity CFDs.
• OANDA Australia Pty Ltd. is regulated in Australia by the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) ABN 26 152 088 349, AFSL No. 412981
• OANDA Japan Inc. holds a Type 1 Financial Instruments license from the Japanese Financial Services Agency, registration with the Kanto Local Finance Bureau #2137, and is a member of the Financial Futures Association of Japan #1571.
• OANDA Corporation is a registered Retail Foreign Exchange Dealer (RFED) with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), and a Forex Dealer Member (FDM) of the National Futures Association (NFA # 0325821).
• OANDA (Canada) Corporation ULC is regulated in Canada by the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC).
• OANDA Europe Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the UK, No: 542574
• OANDA Europe Markets Limited is a company registered in Malta No: C 95813. It is authorised and regulated by the Malta Financial Services Authority as Category 3 Investment

Awards

OANDA has won numerous awards for its services and products over the years, such as Best Education Materials 2018 (Investment Trends – US Foreign Exchange Report) and No. 1 Forex Broker in Singapore 2017 (Investment Trends Singapore CFD & FX Report). More recently, OANDA was voted Most Popular Broker and Best Forex and CFD Broker 2020 by TradingView clients in the firm’s inaugural TradingView Broker Awards. TradingView is one of the world’s largest social networks for traders, boasting more than 15 million registered users worldwide.

Overall, because of its history of responsible behaviour, strong international regulation, strict auditing processes, and wide industry acclaim, we consider OANDA a trustworthy broker. 

Evaluation Method

We value transparency and openness in the way we review the partners. To bring transparency to the forefront, we have published our review process. Central to that process is the evaluation of the broker’s reliability, the broker, the platform offering of the broker, and the trading conditions offered to clients, summarised in this review. Each one of these is graded, and an overall score is calculated and assigned to the broker.

OANDA Disclaimer

Trading Forex is risky, and each broker must detail how risky the trading of Forex CFDs is to clients. OANDA would like you to know that: Trading our Products is high risk and can result in losses that exceed the total sum you have invested. All negative balances are payable.

Overview

With 70 forex pairs available for trading, OANDA offers support for MT4 and its own award-winning proprietary platform, which is beneficial for beginner traders, and although OANDA only offers trading on two live accounts, its trading costs are lower than other similar brokers.  Customer service is not available via telephone in many regions, but education and market analysis are excellent and OANDA provides a host of useful trading tools and plugins.

Editorial Team

 

Chris Cammack
Head of Content

Chris joined the company in 2019 after ten years experience in research, editorial and design for political and financial publications. His background has given him a deep knowledge of international financial markets and the geopolitics that affects them. Chris has a keen eye for editing and a voracious appetite for financial and political current affairs. He ensures that our content across all sites meets the standards of quality and transparency that our readers expect.

 

Alison Heyerdahl
Senior Financial Writer

Alison joined the team as a writer in 2021. She has a medical degree with a focus on physiotherapy and a bachelor’s in psychology. However, her interest in forex trading and her love for writing led her to switch careers, and she now has over eight years experience in research and content development. She has tested and reviewed 100+ brokers and has a great understanding of the Forex trading world.

 

Ida Hermansen
Financial Writer

Ida joined our team as a financial writer in 2023. She has a degree in Digital Marketing and a background in content writing and SEO. In addition to her marketing and writing skills, Ida also has an interest in cryptocurrencies and blockchain networks. Her interest in crypto trading led to a wider fascination with Forex technical analysis and price movement. She continues to develop her skills and knowledge in Forex trading and keeps a close eye on which Forex brokers offer the best trading environments for new traders.