Our HFTrading review team has analyzed this broker so that you don’t have to. On this page, you can find detailed information about the broker’s licenses, account types, fees, payment methods, and trading platforms. In short, our review will help you to decide if HFTrading is the right place for you to trade.
HFTrading is a regulated financial services provider that offers you access to CFDs via the familiar and award-winning MetaTrader 4 platform. Transparent pricing with no hidden fees and spreads from 1.8 also helps HFTrading appeal to traders of all skill levels.
HFTrading accepts clients from Australia and New Zealand, so read on if HFTrading already sounds suitable for you.
Get to know HFTrading
HFTrading launched in 2019 and is owned by the CTRL Investments Limited brand. Before this, the broker was known as MahiFX.
- Minimum deposit of $250
- MetaTrader across devices
- Refer a Friend scheme
Contact Info
- Website: www.hftrading.com
- Phone Number: +64 48895407
- Email: [email protected]
- Headquarters: Level 13, 1 Albert Street, Auckland Central, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
- Licences: ASIC, NZFMA
Since the rebrand, the company has built on its reputation and has won multiple accolades. In 2020, HFTrading was voted the Most Transparent Broker at the World Finance Forex Awards. Our review team discovered that HFTrading also now offers various CFD options, including cryptocurrencies, shares, indices, and commodities. You can trade these alongside a wide variety of traditional currency pairs.
Trade under top-tier regulation and licenses
CTRL Investments Limited, the parent company behind HFTrading, is licensed and regulated by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) and the New Zealand Financial Markets Authority (NZFMA), under ASFL number 414198 and FSPR number FSP197465.
These two licenses require the company to comply with relevant regulatory requirements. to ensure that your funds are protected. In addition, the broker must operate in a financially responsible way. Below, our HFTrading reviewers have listed some of the ways that this is done:
- HFTrading must maintain a significant amount of net tangible assets (NTA). At least 50% of the required NTA must be held in cash or cash equivalents and any remaining balance must be as liquid assets. This ensures that the broker has sufficient financial resources to reduces the risk of the company going bust.
- All client funds must be stored in segregated accounts with tier-one banks.
- HFTrading is a member of the Australian Financial Complaints Authority and must respect your right to complain to the authority directly.
In addition to regulation-related protections, HFTrading also protects your data and funds by using SSL technology, encrypted transactions, and strict firewalls.
Choose an account type to suit you
As you review HFTrading’s account types, you will notice three options. All give you access to more than 300+ CFDs and the full range of MetaTrader 4 platforms.
- Silver accounts have a minimum deposit of $250 (AUD), maximum leverage of 1:200, and spreads from 1.8.
- Gold accounts have a maximum leverage of 1:400, spreads from 1.8, and a swap discount of 25%.
- Platinum account holders can enjoy increased leverage of 1:500, a swap discount of 50%, and spreads from 1.8.
Muslim traders can opt for Islamic accounts. To keep these Sharia-compliant, these accounts have no swap or interest fees for positions held overnight.
We encourage you to use the free demo account at HFTrading to put your knowledge from our review to good use. You can also use it to test your trading strategies and analysis skills.
Pros and cons
- Access to more than 300+ CFDs
- Uses the familiar MetaTrader 4 platform
- Educational resources, including videos and e-books
- Only available in Australia and New Zealand
No bonuses, just fair trading conditions
Instead of offering bonuses, HFTrading chooses to skip the gimmicks and consistently provide competitive spreads with no hidden fees. This creates a balanced environment where no trader has an advantage over another just because of when they signed up, or how much they deposited. In short, at HFTrading you can expect fair trading conditions at all times.
Avoid excessive fees and commissions
When we reviewed HFTrading’s fees and commissions, we were impressed by the transparent pricing structure. As the broker discloses all fees, you can easily and accurately calculate the cost of a trade. What’s more, spreads start at as low as 1.8.
Overnight rates are calculated based on the underlying asset you have chosen and your account type. You can review all of HFTrading’s swap fees in one document on the broker’s website, which is handy for beginner traders. All swap fees are in-line with the industry average and you can receive discounts on them by opening a Gold or a Platinum account.
Non-trading fees from HFTrading are equally competitive. There are no account maintenance fees nor any deposit fees. HFTrading does not charge for withdrawals either, however, some banks may charge you an intermediary fee.
Our HFTrading broker review team recommends that you maintain a reasonable activity level, as the inactivity fees are less-than-competitive. Inactivity fees can be charged if you make fewer than five trades in a month and start at 80 AUD. These start after two months of inactivity and are retroactive. After 91 days of inactivity you will be charged a further 120 AUD, 200 AUD after 181 days, and 500 AUD after 271 days. While this is higher than some brokers it is easy to avoid by making trades or closing your account.
Select a convenient payment method
You can deposit at HFTrading via bank transfer, credit or debit card, VPay, Skrill, or Neteller. Withdrawals are processed using the same method by which you deposited, so consider this beforehand.
Card and e-wallet deposits are usually instant, whilst bank transfers can take between two to five business days, depending on your bank. HFTrading process all withdrawal requests within three business days, although our reviewers found that they are often completed much sooner than this.
Use MetaTrader 4 on all devices
Trading with HFTrading online forex broker is always facilitated by MetaTrader 4 and there are three versions of the software available to fit your needs. You can use the browser-based WebTrader, the downloadable desktop platform for Mac or Windows, or the mobile application for Android or iOS.
One of the biggest advantages of having all three MetaTrader 4 platforms available is that it gives you the ability to switch seamlessly between them. If you are trading on your computer but have somewhere to be, you can pick up where you left off on the mobile application or vice versa.
MetaTrader 4 also gives you access to a huge range of tools to help with technical analysis. In addition to the 30 indicators built into the MT4 platform, there are more than 2,000 free custom indicators that you can download and add to the platform, and over 700 available for purchase. You can also take advantage of 24 graphical objects, including Fibonacci and Gann tools, arrows, lines, and shapes.
Almost all expert advisors and robots are compatible with MT4 and the platform is user-friendly and can be customized to fit your needs. Our HFTrading reviewers agreed that this further proves that the broker caters to all skill levels and budgets.
Enjoy HFTrading from your mobile
If you’re always on the go, you’ll be glad to know that our reviewers encountered no problems when using HFTrading on smartphones and tablets.
As mentioned, HFTrading supports the MT4 mobile app, which you can download from the Google Play Store for Android or the Apple App Store for iOS. This application gives you the same functionalities as the desktop and web versions of MT4, including the ability to fund your account, trade, use charts, and withdraw funds. You can also set up market news notifications so that you never miss a trading opportunity.
Improve your skills with e-books, videos, and more
You could review HFTrading broker’s educational materials for days and you still wouldn’t be finished. To help you to improve as a trader, the broker provides you with blogs, articles, videos, e-books, and live webinars.
The vast majority of resources are geared towards beginner traders. You will find platform tutorial videos and introductions to basic trading concepts and strategies, both in written and video form. If you’re a more experienced trader, we’d still recommend having a browse of this section of the site, however, as there are videos that cover advanced strategies and specific technical analysis tools.
Customer support via live chat, phone, or email
Our review of HFTrading found the company’s customer support to be dependable and helpful. You can contact them via live chat, phone, or email. If you opt for live chat or phone services, you’ll rarely need to wait more than a few minutes for an answer. In contrast, email responses may take up to 24 hours, yet these are often more detailed.
Unlike many of its competitors, HFTrading does not offer 24/5 support. Although the agents are available throughout the Sydney trading session, and so help is always at hand when you’re placing positions, this is still a little inconvenient if you are having trouble with your account or your funds.
Our verdict – A great broker with plenty of choice
Our review of HFTrading confirms that this is a legitimate CFD provider as it is licensed and regulated by both ASIC and NZFMA and boasts a transparent pricing structure,. Of course, this should be expected from all reputable brands, so how does HFTrading go the extra mile?
Overall, we were most impressed by how much choice HFTrading offers in all departments. You can choose from hundreds of CFD assets in different classes, three trading platforms, and a wide variety of technical tools. You can also select from three account types, three customer support channels, and five different forms of educational materials. All of this gives you the ability to build a unique and personalized trading experience to fit your budget and skill level.
Based on our review and the sheer amount of options HFTrading provides, we recommend HFTrading to all traders in Australia and New Zealand. Best of all, it only takes a few minutes to open an account.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Yes, our review of HFTrading confirms that the broker is licensed and regulated by both ASIC and NZFMA. Under this regulation, HFTrading must adhere to safeguarding policies, such as holding client funds in segregated accounts and maintaining sufficient financial resources at all times. Overall, this allows traders from New Zealand and Australia to register with the broker with confidence.
HFTrading offers Silver, Gold, or Platinum accounts, each of which has tighter spreads and more benefits than the previous. All three account types are available as Islamic accounts, and the broker also offers a free demo account. It’s worth noting that there are no ECN accounts available, however fees and execution speeds remain competitive.
There are no deposit bonuses or promotions available at HFTrading, but certain account holders will receive a discount on swap fees. This approach allows HFTrading to focus on offering fair conditions to everyone and means that clients are never pressured into depositing or trading more than they can afford.
The minimum deposit at HFTrading is just $250, making the broker accessible for all budgets. This limit is the same no matter which payment method you use and what instruments you wish to trade. If you are concerned about depositing with HFTrading immediately, you can get started with a free demo account.
Yes, HFTrading uses sophisticated technology to ensure that your data and funds are always secure. This includes firewalls, encryption, and SSL protection. Client funds are also stored in segregated accounts with top-tier banking institutions. This not only protects you from online hackers, but it stops the broker from being able to use your money for operational costs too.
