Best Trading Platforms UAE and Dubai

In this guide, we go over the best online trading platforms in UAE and Dubai. We analyzed and researched hundreds of brokers in UAE, based on a variety of different factors. We compared every aspect of their services, focusing on security, fees & commissions, trading platform, regulation, offering of investments, trading tools, deposits & withdrawals, and more. Brokers had to meet a threshold to be considered in the following list.

Top 5 Trading Platforms in UAE

  1. eToro is the Best Online Broker in UAE. Great for Copy Trading. Regulated by Top-tier Authorities. Wide Range of Investments.
  2. Avatrade comes in second. Low Fees and Commissions. Great for Forex and CFD Trading. 
  3. Interactive Brokers is in third place. Well established broker founded in 1978.
  4. Pepperstone takes fourth place. Best for Low Forex Spreads in UAE.
  5. IQ Option is in Fifth Place. Commission Free Real Stocks. Low Forex CFD Fees.
  6. Saxo Markets finishes the list. Wide variety of investment options.
Online Trading Platforms UAE

Best Forex Broker

AvaTrade Logo

PFI Rating 4.9

  • Well Regulated
  • Social Trading
  • Best For Forex

76% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.

Best Overall in UAE

etoro logo

PFI Rating 4.9

  • Well Regulated
  • 0% Commission Stocks
  • Copy Trading

{etoroCFDrisk}% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.

Best Market Access

Interactive Brokers Logo

PFI Rating 4.9

  • Well Regulated
  • Low Fees
  • Best Market Access

69.0% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with IBKR.

Best Online Trading Platforms and Brokers in UAE

RankTrading PlatformPFI ScoreInformationMinimum Deposit
#1etoro logo 300x150
eToro
4.9Best Platform for UAE Trading Overall. Best in Class for Copy Trading.$200
#2AvaTrade Logo
AvaTrade
4.9Best Forex Trading Platform in UAE.$100
#3Interactive Brokers Logo
Interactive Brokers
4.9Best Platform For Investors in UAE. Strong Reputation and Regulation.$0
#4Pepperstone Logo
Pepperstone
4.8Low Spread Forex Broker in UAE.$0
#5Compare IQ Option
IQ Option
4.5Best for CFD Trading.$10
#6Saxo Markets Logo
Saxo Markets
4.6Best Broker for High Net-Worth Traders.$2000

What are the best platforms for Options Trading in UAE?

The best options trading platforms in UAE include:

  1. Interactive Brokers – Best Options Trading Platform UAE Overall
  2. AvaTrade – Best Options Trading App UAE
  3. Saxo Bank – Best Professional Options Trading Platform UAE
  4. Tradestation – Good Options Trading Fees
  5. TastyWorks – Good for Active Options Traders UAE

What are the best trading platforms for Beginners in UAE?

The best trading platforms for beginners in UAE are:

  1. eToro – Best Trading Platform for Beginners overall in UAE
  2. AvaTrade – Best Trading App for Beginners UAE
  3. Interactive Brokers Global Trader – Best Beginner Trading Platform for Market Access UAE

How to pick an online trading platform?

When picking a UAE trading platform you should consider the following factors:

  • Overall great service
  • Regulation
  • Safety
  • Fees & Commissions
  • Range of Products
  • Account Opening Process
  • Deposits & Withdrawals

Read below, where we break down the Best Stock Brokers in UAE, starting with our best-rated eToro.

eToro – Best Broker in UAE Overall

etoro logo
Visit eToro >>

eToro AUS Capital Ltd ACN 612 791 803 AFSL 491139. OTC Derivatives are speculative and leveraged. Not suitable for all investors. Capital at risk. See PDS and TMD

eToro takes first place as the best for UAE traders. They offer a user-friendly copy-trading platform, allowing you to copy seasoned traders' trades. It's well-known for its robust platform, commission-free trades, and powerful social and copy trading features. 

They are regulated by top-tier authorities, which makes it a safe and reliable broker.

With 3,000+ symbols available, eToro keeps increasing its variety of markets as a multi-asset broker. CFDs on stocks, currencies, commodities, and indices, are available on eToro. 

AvaTrade – Best Forex Broker in UAE

AvaTrade Logo
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CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 71% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

AvaTrade comes in second as the best broker for UAE Forex traders. Their trading platform and mobile app are one of the best, and intuitive with lots of features. Choose AvaTrade if you are looking for a reliable low-fee CFD broker offering Forex, Crypto, Stocks, Commodities, Indices, and more.

Interactive Brokers – Well Established and Best Regulated Broker in UAE

Interactive Brokers is one of the top picks for UAE Traders. IBKR was established in 1978 and is regulated across the world by top-tier authorities.

It provides you with access to worldwide markets, with 135 markets in 33 countries. Moreover, it boasts sophisticated trading technology, thorough fundamental analysis, and industry-leading commissions, which include margin rates that are as low as you can find across all of its balance tiers. We highly recommend IBKR for day trading, options trading, futures trading, professional trading, and mobile trading. There is no minimum deposit!

Interactive Brokers offers Stocks, ETFs, Options, Futures, FOPs, Forex, Cryptocurrencies, Spot Gold, Bonds, Mutual Funds, and Hedge Funds.

They just released Global Trader, which is their brand new intuitive and easy to use trading platform.

Pepperstone – Best Low Spread Forex Broker in UAE

Pepperstone Logo
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74-89 % of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs

Pepperstone is a reputable Forex and CFD trading platform that is noted for its quick account opening, diverse social copy trading platforms, low margin rates, high-quality research, and excellent trading tools. Both algorithmic traders and copy traders will be happy with their offering of MetaTrader and cTrader. At Pepperstone, you can trade a variety of assets such as forex, CFDs, ,indexes, cryptocurrencies, stocks, and commodities. Pepperstone offers excellent customer service and an award-winning set of educational resources. 

The broker offers exceptional pricing on its Razor account when combined with Pepperstone’s Active Trader program for high-volume traders. The Standard account, on the other hand, is less impressive and has higher spreads.

IQ Option – Best For CFD Trading

Compare IQ Option
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RISK WARNING: Your Capital Might Be At Risk

Low spreads, free demo accounts, an advanced trading interface, and prompt customer service are some of the things that distinguish IQ Option as the top online trading platform for options trading. This broker is a fantastic choice for traders searching for a user-friendly, feature-rich platform to invest in options. It has a wide range of charting tools to assist you in predicting future market movements. 

IQ Option offers you a hassle-free trading experience through their proprietary web, mobile, and desktop platforms. All of them will gain the liking of  both expert and novice traders. Finally, this CySEC-approved broker adheres to the industry's strictest regulatory and safety standards, which is a big plus!

Saxo Markets – Best for High Net-Worth Investors

Saxo Bank is a premium multi-asset broker with a cutting-edge trading platform and research, not to mention its variety of a whopping 40,000+ securities. With Saxo Bank, you get to enjoy a rich trading experience with a vast array of tools and premium services for active traders. Saxo Markets is part of a Danish investment bank, established in 1992. They provide their clients with a great trading platform, research, and education. On the downside, their fees are high for some products. Saxo Markets has a $2,000 minimum deposit, which not many can afford.

UAE-based traders can use Islamic accounts to trade in accordance with Sharia law. Saxo Bank offers quality customer service that will leave you with  satisfying answers, it’s offered in Arabic via email or in person at the local offices. The fact that Saxo Bank is regulated by top-tier financial regulators, as well as the fact that it has a banking background and a long track record, are positive indicators of its security.

Online Trading in UAE

Online trading in UAE has two regions: the DIFC (Dubai International Financial Centre) and the rest of UAE. Regulators in UAE include the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates (CBUAE) and Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA).

Online trading became popular after the rally of the GameStop stock and similar events, which triggered a rise in popularity of online trading. The GameStop investors showed the power of “small investors” and how they can go against the Wall Street with simple trading platforms and apps.

Traders in UAE have to apply for a NIN investor number if they want to trade securities in the Dubai Financial Market. The NIN number enables traders to trade on the ADX and DFM exchanges. Transactions are settled in AED.

How To Verify Regulation in UAE

In the UAE the main regulatory authority is the UAE Securities Commodities Authority (SCA). The SCA regulates all non-banking financial activities such as forex, crypto and CFD trading.

To verify if a broker is regulated visit the Securities Commodities Authority website.

Final Verdict

We hope you found all the details you needed in our guide. We took into account every possible detail of all renowned brokers, such as fees, payment methods, regulatory bodies, commission charges, to provide you with the best options. Just to recap, here are the top online brokers in UAE:

eToroAvaTradeInteractive BrokersPepperstoneIQ OptionSaxo Markets
Our Score4.94.94.94.74.74.7
Fees Score4.74.95.04.94.64.6
Mobile App Score4.85.04.84.74.84.6
Trading Platform Score4.84.94.84.74.84.8
Offering Of Investments Score4.94.85.04.44.74.9
Regulation Score4.94.95.04.74.24.9

About the author

Ziga Breznik is the owner and head of research at PublicFinanceInternational.org – he is an active investor in the forex, crypto and stock markets – he has seen trading platforms disappear along with his investments – especially during the “crypto boom”. Ziga learned the hard way that finding a reputable and trustworthy online brokerage is key to long-term success in the financial markets. He founded PublicFinanceInternational.org as a platform where he shares his research with one goal in mind: to provide unbiased and trustworthy online brokers reviews.