Orbex Review 2023

Trust

Orbex Regulations

Orbex operates under 3 entities:

• Orbex Global Limited is regulated by Mauritius Financial Services Commission (FSC). We rate FSC as a Tier-3 regulator.
• Orbex Limited is regulated by Seychelles Financial Services Authority (FSA). We rate FSA as a Tier-3 regulator.
• Orbex Ltd is regulated by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC). We rate CySEC as a Tier 1 regulator.

Why is it Important to Know Where Your Broker’s Subsidiary Is Regulated?

Each regulator has its own requirements for brokers, which may vary significantly. These requirements include leverage levels and specific protections offered to investors, including negative balance protection, segregated accounts, and investor compensation funds. Traders should carefully comprehend the distinctions in regulations to evaluate whether the broker suits their needs.

Orbex operates under three entities: Orbex Global Limited (regulated by FSC Mauritius, a Tier-3 regulator), Orbex Limited (regulated by FSA Seychelles, a Tier-3 regulator), and Orbex Ltd (regulated by CySEC, Tier-1 regulator).

The entities hold clients’ funds in segregated accounts to ensure that the clients’ money is not used for the broker’s own business purposes. Using segregated accounts increases the safety of clients’ funds in case the broker faces financial problems. Orbex also provides negative balance protection for all entities ensuring that clients cannot lose more money than they have in their accounts.

The CySEC-regulated entity is a member of the Investor Compensation Fund, which covers up to 20,000 EUR if the broker fails to meet its obligations.

I have summarized key aspects of the broker’s entities in terms of regulation and safety in the table below:

Is Orbex Safe to Trade With?

Orbex has two entities that are regulated by Tier-3 regulators and one entity regulated by Tier-1 regulator. The entities provide negative balance protection and maintain separated funds from the firm. The segregation of clients’ funds ensures that the broker cannot use them for its own purposes. Moreover, with negative balance protection, clients cannot lose more money than they have in their accounts.

The CySEC-regulated entity is a member of the Investor Compensation Fund, which provides compensation of up to 20,000 EUR if the broker has financial problems. The offshore entities do not provide access to compensation schemes, which is a common characteristic for entities regulated by Tier-3 regulators.

Stability and Transparency

In my tests for the Trust category, I also cover factors relating to stability and transparency. Here, I focused on how long the broker has been in business, how big the company is, and how transparent it is in terms of information being readily available.

My findings show that Orbex is not publicly traded and does not have a bank parent, which is common for a broker. Clients can find important legal documents in the dedicated section of the website, including Client Agreement, Conflicts of Interest Policy, Banking Details, Best Execution Policy, SYC Complaint Handling Policy, and other important documents. The regulatory details can be found in the Regulations section of the website.

Traders can evaluate the fee structure details in the Account Types and Spreads, Swaps & Commissions sections.

In summary, my research indicated that Orbex can be regarded as having a reasonable level of trust and stability due to the following factors:

• Regulated by Tier-1 and Tier-3 regulators.
• All entities offer negative balance protection and segregated accounts.
• More than 12 years in business.
• Easy access to important information on the company’s website.
• CySEC-regulated entity is a member of the Investor Compensation Fund, while offshore entities do not provide access to compensation schemes.

Fees

Orbex Trading Fees

For this review, I tested the Orbex Starter account, in which the broker applies spreads and swap/rollover fees, but does not charge any commissions. Spreads are variable and depend on the liquidity condition for each instrument at a certain point in time.

Orbex Spreads

I tested the spread on the Starter Account during the London open at 8 a.m. UK time and shortly after the US open at 2.45 p.m. UK time. These are the most actively traded hours.

I summarised my findings in the table below.

In the Starter Account, Orbex offers attractive spreads for Apple, Tesla, and Bitcoin. I found that the spreads for Gold, WTI oil, DAX, and Dow Jones were moderate. The spreads for the forex pairs, EUR/USD and GBP/JPY, were rather high in comparison to the industry average.

Swap Fees

My research showed that swap fees for EUR/USD were moderate, while the swap fees for GBP/JPY were high when comparing to the industry average.

Are Orbex Trading Fees Competitive?

Orbex provides attractive spreads for Apple, Tesla, and Bitcoin. The spreads for the other instruments I measured were either moderate or high, compared to the industry average. In general, the spreads at the Starter Account were mostly above the industry benchmark, which we established through our extensive comparative research.

Non-Trading Fees

Orbex charges a $20 fee (or 20 EUR/GBP/PLN, depending on the base currency of the client’s account) if the account remains dormant with no transactions for a period of six months or more. It is a high fee, compared to the industry average.

Platforms and Tools

MetaTrader platforms are often used by brokers as they provide a wide range of technical analysis tools and support algorithmic trading. Many traders have already used either MetaTrader 4 or MetaTrader 5, so they don’t have to spend time learning the features of the platform.

Orbex has also developed the Orbex Mobile App, which is used to register, set up and manage the trading accounts. It is an account management app, and clients cannot use it for trading.

Orbex Desktop and Web Platforms

In this review, I tested the MetaTrader 5 platform, analyzing charts, indicators, drawing tools, orders, and the general ease of use of the platform.

General Ease of Use

MT5 is an advanced trading platform that could be tailored to traders’ needs. Its interface is rather intuitive, although some traders may want to search for tutorials to take a deep dive into MT5’s capabilities. In general, advanced traders would have no problems with MT5, while beginners may need to spend some time learning the fundamental features of the platform.

For beginner traders, it’s beneficial to familiarize yourselves with various chart options, indicators, drawing tools, and order types. You may need to learn how to create watchlists and manage your trading positions. Despite the initial time and effort required, traders who invest in this learning, ultimately gain a powerful tool that helps achieve better trading results. While the general look of the MetaTrader 5 platform may seem a bit outdated, I find the platform fairly intuitive and easy to learn. However, for novice traders who have never had experience with this platform, it may initially appear overwhelming. Orbex provides the standard MT5 offering, so those who have previously used the platform with other brokers will be ready to trade in a couple of minutes.

Charts

MT5 offers 97 indicators and 21 timeframes, which is more than enough to customize your charts and adjust them to your needs.

Trend indicators, oscillators, volumes, Bill Williams indicators, and custom indicators help to design the chart you need.

Available timeframes range from 1 minute to 1 month, providing traders with an opportunity to observe short-term developments, as well as significant multi-month trends.

MT5 also supports:

• lines
• channels
• Gann tools
• Fibonacci tools
• Elliott tools
• shapes

These tools are commonly used for decision-making in trading, so their inclusion is a must for any reputable trading platform.

Each chart could be displayed as a bar, a candlestick, and a line. Candlesticks are generally the most popular among traders as they suggest plenty of various patterns that are used for making trading decisions. That said, other chart types also have their advocates.

MT5 charts are accessible even to novice traders. Nevertheless, they also offer enough options for experts.

Like most traders, I have my favorite indicators and drawing tools, which include RSI, moving averages, and channels. I use candlestick charts to benefit from the analysis of candlestick patterns. I find it easy to use and combine various indicators in MT5.

Orders

MT5 offers all main order types including:

• Market orders. This order allows you to buy or sell the instrument at the current market price. It is used when the trader needs to establish a position in the fastest possible way. The main downside of the market order is the necessity to pay a spread, which is a difference between the bid price and the ask price.
• Limit orders. This order is used to buy or sell the instrument at a pre-set price or better. Limit orders are suitable when the trader wants to get a specific entry point and is unwilling to pay the current market prices.
• Stop-loss orders. These orders are used to get you out of the position when the price is moving in the wrong way. The order is triggered when the price reaches a specified point.
• Stop limit orders. This is a stop-loss order which puts a limit order instead of a market order, when triggered. This is a potentially risky way to close a position, and it should be used only by experienced traders.
• Trailing stop orders. This order allows you to set a stop order that will move if your open position trends favorably. It is used to protect your profits in case the market direction changes.

Different expiration types are available for all pending orders, including GTC (good-till-cancel), Today, Specified, and Specified Day.

Personally, I strongly prefer limit orders and use them for both entry and exit points. These orders are highly effective in risk management, particularly during significant market movements when market orders can result in prices that deviate greatly from your expectations.

Orbex Mobile App

In this review, I have tested the Orbex MetaTrader 5 Mobile App for Android.

General Ease of Use

The MT5 mobile app for Android is quite user-friendly. It provides charts, quotes, account balance info, an economic calendar, news, and other tools designed to help traders make informed decisions. As expected, traders have access to the standard features of the MT5 mobile app. If you’ve previously worked with the MT5 app, you’ll be able to begin trading in a short amount of time.

Charts

• MT5 mobile app offers:
• 30 technical indicators
• 24 drawing tools
• 9 timeframes
• 3 chart types

This selection of options is sufficient for mobile-based trading. I prefer using mobile app when I don’t have access to the desktop platform, but need to monitor the market and open positions. While the app is helpful in certain circumstances, it is not as efficient as the desktop platform, which remains the primary solution for traders who require fast and active trading capabilities.

Orders

The MT5 mobile app allows you to place market orders, limit orders, and stop orders. However, trailing stops are not available on mobile trading terminals.

Orbex Mobile App

Orbex provides the user-friendly Orbex Mobile App, available for download on the App Store and Google Play. This app serves as a convenient tool for managing Orbex accounts while on the move, including withdraw and deposit funds, access to market analysis, and connect to 24/5 live chat with support team.

However, it’s important to note that the Orbex Mobile App is not designed for trading purposes. Traders can still manage their accounts through the traditional website login.

Orbex VPS

Orbex offers free VPS on all account types, which is a solid bonus for algorithmic traders who rely on VPS. The server specifications are: CPU 1.9 GHz, RAM 2 GB, Hard Drive 50 gb ssd, bandwidth 3 TB, While it may not be the most powerful VPS on the market, it is provided free of charge to Orbex clients. However, in order to get access to the VPS service, clients must meet certain requirements, such as an initial deposit of at least $500 and close a minimum of 3 trading lots every month.

Tradable Instruments

Orbex offers 47 forex pairs, 12 commodities, 22 indices, 11 cryptocurrencies, and 283 stocks and ETFs. The number of available commodities and indices is high, while the number of available stocks, cryptocurrencies and forex pairs is moderate.

What are CFDs?

CFDs (Contracts for Differences) are financial instruments that allow traders to bet on asset prices without actually holding the respective assets. The key advantage of CFDs is the access to significant leverage, which is typically not available when trading other instruments. Hence, CFDs are very popular in short-term trading.

What Can You Trade with Orbex?

• 47 forex pairs. The list includes popular pairs like EUR/USD and USD/JPY, as well as more exotic options like EUR/TRY (Euro vs Turkish Lira) or USD/DKK (US Dollar vs Danish Krone).
• 12 commodities. Traders have access to spot metals, as well as energy and agricultural futures.
• 22 indices. Both spot and futures indices are available at Orbex.
• 283 stocks. The broker offers stocks from the U.S., UK, and EU.
• 11 cryptocurrencies. The offering includes popular coins like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP.

Orbex provides access to forex pairs, stocks, indices, commodities, and cryptocurrencies. While the forex offering is slightly smaller than the industry average, it still encompasses major pairs as well as a variety of exotic options. Both spot and futures indices are available for trading. The commodities offering also exceeds the industry average and features a wide range of instruments. The stock offering is well-balanced, granting access to popular stocks from the U.S., UK, and EU. In terms of cryptocurrencies, Orbex covers the basic needs of traders seeking diversification within this market segment by including the most important coins.

Customer Support

Orbex Customer Support Test

Orbex customer support is available 24/5 via online chat, email, and phone. The support is available in 17 languages.

During my tests, I posed various questions to the support team through the online chat. I began with basic inquiries regarding the available account types and leverage, and proceeded with the questions about the VPS service. The customer support team promptly provided me with a direct link to the VPS specifications, which I had not come across during my initial examination of the website. Thus, the support team exhibited both professionalism and helpfulness.

Deposit and Withdrawal

Orbex Deposits

Orbex clients have the flexibility to deposit funds via credit/debit cards, e-wallets, crypto, and bank transfers. The majority of these methods are free of charge.

Overall, Orbex provides an extensive selection of deposit methods, available in multiple base currencies, including exotic options. Based on my research, the broker’s offering exceeds the industry average.

Orbex Withdrawals

As usual, bank wire transfers are the slowest option, typically taking 3-5 business days, while the other available options are processed within 24 hours.

Account Types and Terms

Orbex clients can choose between a spread-based account and commission-based accounts. In the spread-based Starter Account, traders pay the spread and swap/rollover fees. The commission-based accounts feature tight spreads, but traders also have to pay commissions.

Why is Choosing the Right Account Type Important?

Choosing an account that aligns with your trading needs is crucial. Typically, traders should consider factors such as base currency options, contract size, commission, fees, the number of pending orders/positions, and the minimum deposit size.

What Account Types Does Orbex Offer?

Orbex offers two types of accounts: spread-based (Starter Account) and commission-based (Premium and Ultimate Accounts). Traders who open an account with Orbex can access leverage of up to 1:500 across all account types. The Ultimate Account, which provides the lowest commission level, requires a minimum deposit of over $25,000 to be eligible.

Besides that, Orbex also provides PAMM (Percentage Allocation Management Module) accounts for both fund managers and investors. PAMM accounts allow managers to showcase their trading strategies and earn performance fees from investors. For investors, PAMM accounts present an opportunity to profit from successful fund managers and diversify their risks.

What is CFD leverage?

CFD leverage allows traders to hold a position without paying the full value. Instead, you pay a deposit, which is called margin, while borrowing the rest.

In the Orbex case, traders have access to leverage of up to 1:500. This is a high level of leverage. Traders should be careful and use the appropriate risk management techniques when utilizing such high leverage ratios of 1:500.

Orbex Account Opening Process

To open an account with Orbex, follow the following steps:

1. Visit the broker’s website and click on the “Register” button on the home page.
2. Provide your name, email, and phone number.
3. Choose the proper account type and the platform you plan to use (MT4 or MT5).

In my case, the opening of the account took less than 10 minutes. During the individual account setup, you’ll have to answer questions on your trading preferences, trading experience, job, and financial situation, as well as provide your ID/passport, proof of residence and the source of funds.

What is a demo account?

A demo account is an account that allows you to test the broker’s services and your trading skills without risking your money. To experience the Orbex’s offerings before using a live account, you have the option to open a demo account using either the MT4 or MT5 platforms. This allows you to test and explore their services in a simulated trading environment.

Please note that your trading experience will differ when you use a demo account compared to a real-money account due to psychological factors, as traders find themselves under pressure when real money is at stake.

It’s a good idea to use the demo account for practicing and learning the trading platform, but do not spend too much time on the demo.

Research

Orbex offers the highly popular Trading Central tool, which becomes the new standard for a research offering. Personally, I like the sentiment tools in Trading Central as they provide a glance at what’s really hot in the market which is often moved by emotions. In addition to the Trading Central, Orbex provides analysis from the team of the broker’s in-house experts.

Traders have access to fundamental and technical analysis, as well as analytical videos. The quality of the material is high, and it caters to both beginner and advanced traders. The offering is especially strong in the Elliott Wave Analysis — the videos I watched were thorough and provided a lot of food for thought.

The broker also provides an economic calendar, which is a standard feature nowadays.

In my view, the Orbex research offering easily exceeds the industry average by providing both the popular Trading Central tool and the thoughtful analysis from the team of the in-house experts.

Education

Orbex provides its educational support via Forex Educational Hub. Traders have access to more than 100 educational articles covering various topics, including strategies, tips, tutorials, and trading psychology.

Furthermore, traders have the opportunity to explore multiple e-books that delve into subjects such as strategic forex trading, risk management, and Elliott Wave Technical Analysis.

The Orbex video tutorials in the Forex Educational Hub primarily focus on MT4. Traders should note that it is easy to switch from MT4 to MT5. Therefore, the need for MT5 tutorials may not be urgent if the broker already provides MT4 tutorials.

Additionally, the broker conducts regular webinars. This year, such webinars have been conducted on a monthly basis and covered the Non Farm Payrolls trading session. However, while it is understandable that market volatility is expected during the release of the U.S. NFP report, it is somewhat peculiar that the broker has chosen to solely focus on this topic throughout the entire year.

As usual, the broker provides a glossary that encompasses various trading terms from A to Z.

The Bottom Line

Orbex offers a diverse range of tradable instruments, encompassing forex pairs, stocks, indices, commodities, and cryptocurrencies. The broker provides access to the popular MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 platforms, along with a dedicated mobile app for account management.

Clients of Orbex benefit from strong research support, including the efficient Trading Central research tool. Furthermore, the in-house analyst team delivers high-quality fundamental and technical analysis on a daily basis.

The broker operates under three entities: Orbex Global Limited, regulated by FSC Mauritius (a Tier-3 regulator), Orbex Limited, regulated by FSA Seychelles (also a Tier-3 regulator), and Orbex Ltd, regulated by CySEC (a Tier-1 regulator). The entities guarantee negative balance protection and keep the firm’s money separate from the client’s funds. The CySEC-regulated entity is a member of the Investor Compensation Fund, which provides compensation of up to 20,000 EUR in case the broker is unable to meet its obligations.

Orbex provides clients with the option to choose between spread-based and commission-based accounts. The broker offers a variety of deposit and withdrawal methods, available in multiple currencies. Importantly, the methods also include exotic African currencies, catering to the specific needs of clients in the region.

During my tests, I discovered that fees associated with the Starter Account surpass the industry average. However, clients can find some attractive deals in stocks and cryptocurrencies.

FAQ