Best CFD brokers in Saudi Arabia compared
| Broker | How Saudi residents are served | Swap-free for Saudi residents | Minimum deposit | Trading commission |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pepperstone | Through an international entity; no Saudi licence | No (Saudi Arabia is not on its swap-free list) | $10 | Depends on account type |
| Capital.com | Through an international entity; no Saudi licence | Yes | $20 | None |
| XS | Through an international entity; no Saudi licence | Yes | None (Standard account) | None (Standard account) |
Pepperstone, Capital.com and XS are our partners. We may earn a commission if you open an account through our links. That does not change the facts in this table.
Pepperstone
Partner · Seven retail regulatorsSeven retail regulators, $10 minimum deposit, MetaTrader 4 and 5, cTrader and TradingView.
Open a Pepperstone accountPepperstone is regulated by seven retail regulators: ASIC, the FCA, CySEC, BaFin, the DFSA in Dubai's DIFC, the SCB in the Bahamas and CMA Kenya. It holds no Saudi licence. The minimum deposit is $10, and you can trade on MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, cTrader or TradingView.
One limit matters in Saudi Arabia. Pepperstone offers its swap-free account only in a list of eligible countries, and Saudi Arabia is not on that list.
Capital.com
Partner · Swap-free for Saudi residentsSwap-free accounts for Saudi residents, $20 minimum deposit, no trading commission, MetaTrader 4 and 5.
Open a Capital.com accountCapital.com is regulated by the FCA, CySEC and ASIC, and its UAE firm holds a Category One dealing licence from the UAE Capital Market Authority (No. 20200000176). It holds no Saudi licence. Swap-free (Islamic) accounts are available to residents of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman.
The minimum deposit is $20. There is no trading commission and there are no deposit, withdrawal or account fees. You can trade on the Capital.com web platform and app, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5 (Expert Advisors supported) or TradingView. Withdrawals are processed within 24 hours; when the money arrives depends on the payment method.
XS
Partner · No minimum depositNo minimum deposit or commission on the Standard account, MetaTrader 4 and 5, swap-free account.
Open an XS accountXS was established in Australia in 2010. It works through eight entities, licensed by ASIC, CySEC, the FSCA in South Africa, the FSA in Seychelles, the LFSA in Labuan, the FSC in Mauritius and the UAE CMA, plus a commercial licence in Kuwait. It holds no Saudi licence. Its UAE CMA licence is Category 5 (arrangement and advice), not a retail trading licence.
Spreads start from 0.1 pips on EUR/USD on the Elite account ($6 round-turn commission, $500 minimum), and the Standard account has no minimum deposit and no commission. You trade on MetaTrader 4 or MetaTrader 5, and a swap-free account is available.
How to choose a CFD broker in Saudi Arabia
- Know who regulates your account. The Saudi Capital Market Authority (CMA) does not license international CFD firms for retail clients. Saudi residents therefore use internationally regulated brokers. Before you deposit, find out which legal entity your account opens under, then look that entity up on its own regulator's register. That regulator, not your address, sets your protections and leverage limits.
- Read the swap-free terms. If you need an Islamic account, check that the broker offers it to Saudi residents and whether any fee replaces the overnight swap.
- Add up the full cost. Compare the spread, any commission, overnight financing and any account fees, not just one of them.
- Pick your platform. MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, cTrader, TradingView or the broker's own app: make sure the one you use is offered.
- Check deposits and withdrawals in riyals. Ask whether you can pay in and withdraw from a Saudi bank account, which currency your account is held in, and what conversion rate applies to riyals.
What a CFD is, and the risk
A contract for difference (CFD) is an agreement with a broker to settle the change in an asset's price. It gives you exposure to the price of a share, index, currency or commodity without owning it. CFDs use leverage: you put down only part of the position's value as margin, so a small price move becomes a large gain or a large loss compared with your deposit.
Most retail CFD accounts lose money. Brokers publish the share of their own retail accounts that lose money; read that figure on the broker's website before you open an account. If you want to own shares rather than trade their price, read CFDs versus owning shares.
Islamic (swap-free) CFD accounts in Saudi Arabia
A swap-free account removes the overnight swap, the interest-based charge or credit on positions held past the daily close. Some brokers charge a fixed fee instead or limit how long a position can stay open, so read the account terms.
Capital.com and XS offer swap-free accounts to Saudi residents. Pepperstone does not: its swap-free account is limited to a list of eligible countries, and Saudi Arabia is not on it. That is one reason traders in Saudi Arabia who want an Islamic account choose Capital.com.
We describe swap-free accounts as a product feature only. Whether a particular account meets your religious requirements is a question for a qualified scholar.
More from Saudi Arabia
Buying US shares rather than trading CFDs? See how to buy US stocks from Saudi Arabia, which covers brokers, the 30% US dividend withholding and funding. For a wider list of share CFD brokers, see best US share CFD brokers.