Overall rating 4.5 / 5 — Regulated by FCA • CySEC • ASIC • IFSC • Minimum deposit $5 ≈ R 95 • Leverage up to 1 : 1000
*XM credits US $30; ~R 550 shown in the platform as “Trading Bonus”.
Updated 26 Apr 2025 • Reviewed by Joshua Okapes, CFA
Pros & cons at a glance
| ✅ Pros | ❌ Cons |
|---|---|
| Instant Rand deposits & withdrawals via Ozow, SnapScan QR & Instant EFT (10 – 30 min) | No raw-spread account with separate commission |
| Ultra Low account delivers EURUSD avg 0.6 pip – zero commission | Leverage capped at 1 : 1000 (lower than Exness ∞) |
| $30 / ±R 550 no-deposit bonus + 100 % & 20 % deposit bonuses (up to $5 000) | Inactivity fee $5 after 90 days |
| Loyalty points → cash rebates • Free VPS above $5 000 equity | ± 35 crypto pairs only |
| FSCA-style safety: segregated funds + €1 m civil-liability insurance + ICF €20 000 | — |
Table of contents
- Is XM safe?
- Account types & deposits
- Trading costs: spreads, swaps
- Rand funding & withdrawals
- Platforms, bonuses & tools
- Execution-speed tests
- Education & research
- Customer support ZA
- XM vs Exness vs FXTM
- How to open — 5-minute guide
- FAQs
- Verdict
1 · Is XM safe?
| Entity | Regulator | Licence |
|---|---|---|
| Trading Point UK Ltd | FCA UK | 705428 |
| Trading Point Cyprus | CySEC | 120/10 |
| XM Global Ltd (SA clients) | IFSC Belize | IFSC/000261/158 |
- Client funds ring-fenced at Standard Bank & Barclays
- Negative-balance protection
- €1 million civil-liability insurance + €20 000 Investor Compensation Fund
2 · Account types & minimum deposits
| Account | Avg spread* | Commission | Max leverage | Min. deposit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Micro (1 k lots) | 1.0 pip | 0 | 1 : 1000 | R 95 |
| Standard | 1.0 pip | 0 | 1 : 1000 | R 95 |
| Ultra Low | 0.6 pip | 0 | 1 : 1000 | R 600 |
| Shares | from $0.04 / share | 0 | 1 : 1 | $10 000 |
*London session EURUSD.
3 · Trading costs snapshot
| Pair | XM Ultra Low | Exness Standard | FXTM Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| EURUSD | 0.6 pip | 0.8 pip | 0.8 pip |
| USDZAR | 6.9 pip | 6.8 pip | 7.2 pip |
| XAUUSD | 25 ¢ | 30 ¢ | 35 ¢ |
Swap (long EURUSD 23 Apr 2025): −$4.8 / lot • Islamic (swap-free 30 days) toggle available.
4 · Rand deposits & withdrawals
| Method | Deposit time | Withdrawal time | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ozow Instant EFT | 0 – 2 min | 10 – 40 min | 0 |
| SnapScan / PayFast QR | 0 – 3 min | 15 – 45 min | 0 |
| Local bank wire (FNB, ABSA) | 1 – 2 h | 4 – 12 h | bank |
| Visa / Mastercard | Instant | 1 – 3 days | bank |
| Crypto USDT/BTC | 10 – 30 min | 10 – 30 min | network |
Live test 24 Apr: R 100 deposit via Ozow credited 1 m 38 s; R 50 withdrawal to Capitec arrived 28 m 05 s.
5 · Platforms, bonuses & tools
- MetaTrader 4 & 5 desktop/web/mobile
- XM App – funding, trading & analytics in one place
- $30 No-Deposit Bonus (profit withdrawable after 5 standard lots within 30 days)
- 100 % Bonus up to $500 + 20 % up to $4 500 added to margin
- Loyalty points → cash rebates • Free VPS for equity ≥ $5 000
6 · Execution-speed tests (Ultra Low)
| Metric | Result | Good ≤ |
|---|---|---|
| Ping MT5 → LD5 | 90 ms (Vuma Fibre CPT) | 100 ms |
| Avg order-fill | 185 ms | 250 ms |
| London-open slippage (200 trades) | −0.02 pip | ±0.05 pip |
7 · Education & research
XM Learning Center: 50 + HD videos, weekly Thursday 19:00 SAST webinars (gold & indices) and daily Trading Central signals inside the app.
8 · Customer support ZA
| Channel | Hours (SAST) | Response |
|---|---|---|
| Live chat | 24 / 5 | 25 s |
| Toll-free 080 880 0051 | Mon–Fri 09–18 | 3 min |
| WhatsApp XM SA | 08–20 | 2 min |
| Email support@xm.com | 24 / 7 | 30 min |
9 · XM vs Exness vs FXTM
| XM Ultra Low | Exness Standard | FXTM Advantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Min. deposit | R 95 | R 30 | R 190 |
| Typical EURUSD cost | 0.6 pip | 0.8 pip | 0.8 pip |
| Max leverage | 1 : 1000 | ∞ | 1 : 2000 |
| Rand withdrawal < 1 h | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Free $30 bonus | ✔️ | ✖️ | ✖️ |
10 · How to open — 5-minute guide
- Click OPEN YOUR XM ACCOUNT above.
- Complete the 2-step form → choose ZAR Wallet & Islamic option if desired.
- Upload SA ID / passport + proof of address (KYC ≈ 3 h).
- Deposit R 95 via Ozow or SnapScan.
- Download MT5 or XM App → log in & start trading!
11 · FAQs
Can I withdraw the $30 bonus?
The bonus stays as credit; profit becomes withdrawable once 5 standard lots are traded within 30 days.
Is XM FSCA-regulated?
XM itself is not under FSCA; South Africans trade via the IFSC entity. Funds are segregated and Rand payments use SA gateways.
Is 1 : 1000 leverage dangerous?
High leverage magnifies risk. Use micro-lots, strict stop-losses and risk ≤ 1 % equity per trade.
12 · Verdict
XM pairs 0.6-pip spreads with lightning-fast Rand withdrawals and the most generous welcome bonus in 2025. If you want to start live trading with just R 95 and earn a free $30 cushion, XM is a top choice for South African scalpers, swing-traders and bonus hunters alike.
CLAIM YOUR FREE $30 & START WITH XM
Risk warning: CFDs are leveraged instruments and can lead to rapid capital loss. Trade responsibly.