What is ACY Securities？

ACY Securities is a multi-financial broker regulated by the Commonwealth of Australia Regulatory Authority (AUS) in Australia. Since 2011, the company has relied on its keen insight into the market, effective demand management, client-oriented & advanced technology, and perfect educational resources to help more institutional participants and retail traders integrate into the ever-changing financial derivatives industry.

In the following article, we will analyze the characteristics of this broker from various aspects, providing you with simple and organized information. If you are interested, please read on. At the end of the article, we will also briefly make a conclusion so that you can understand the broker's characteristics at a glance.

Pros & Cons

ACY Securities offers a comprehensive trading experience with access to multiple assets through the industry-standard MT4/MT5 platforms. It shines in stringent regulation in Australia, low minimum deposits required, competitive spreads and commissions, trading tools, educational resources, and more. However, some traders have reported issues with severe slippage and withdrawals. While ACY provides demo accounts for practice, it's crucial to evaluate the potential drawbacks alongside the benefits before committing to a live account.

Note: These pros and cons are based on the information provided and may not be exhaustive.

ACY Securities Alternative Brokers

There are many alternative brokers to ACY Securities depending on the specific needs and preferences of the trader. Some popular options include:

RoboForex - A reliable broker with a wide range of trading platforms, but with high fees and a limited product portfolio.

Hantec Markets - A good choice for experienced traders seeking a range of markets and trading platforms, but with limited educational resources and high fees.

Key Way Investments - A decent broker for beginners with a strong focus on education and low fees, but with a limited product range and average customer service.

Ultimately, the best broker for an individual trader will depend on their specific trading style, preferences, and needs.

Is ACY Securities Safe？

Currently, ACY Securities has two entities regulated by the Commonwealth of Australia Regulatory Authority (AUS) in Australia. The only difference lies in license type: ACY SECURITIES PTY LTD holds a Maket Making license under license no. 403863 and ACY CAPITAL PTY LTD holds a STP license under license no.474738.

Market Instruments

ACY Securities offers access to over 2200+ trading instruments, covering Forex, Indices, Commodities, Cryptocurrencies, ETFs, Shares as well as Futures. This allows traders to diversify their trading portfolio and take advantage of different market conditions. With so many options, traders can find opportunities in multiple asset classes and take positions based on their trading strategies. The variety of instruments offered by ACY Securities makes it a versatile platform for traders looking for diverse opportunities in the financial markets.

Accounts

In terms of accounts offered, both demo accounts and live trading accounts are available on the ACY Securities platform.

Demo Accounts

ACY Securities demo accounts are funded with $100,000 in virtual funds, replicating the real trading experience. Traders can access over 2,200 tradable assets through the industry-standard MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) trading platforms, allowing them to familiarize themselves with the platform's features and functionalities before committing real capital.

Live Trading Accounts

For live trading accounts, ACY Securities presents three options: Standard, ProZero, and Bespoke. The Standard account requires an initial minimum deposit of $50, with subsequent minimum deposits set at $50 as well. Both the ProZero and Bespoke accounts mandate a higher initial minimum deposit of $200 and $10,000, respectively. Regardless of the account type, all three options allow traders to open positions with a minimum trading volume of 0.01 lot. Notably, while the Standard account offers swap-free (Islamic) trading, this feature is not available for ProZero and Bespoke accounts.

All account base currencies are available in USD, AUD, EUR, GBP, NZD, CAD, JPY, targeting traders from a broader range of areas.

Leverage

ACY Securities currently provides 50:1, 100:1, 200:1, 300:1, 400:1, and 500:1 leverage to meet investors' various needs. The maximum leverage for commodities and precious metals is 1:500, the stock index is 1:100, and for share CFDs is 1:25.

While leverage can amplify potential profits, it also increases the risk of significant losses. Therefore, it's important for traders to understand the risks involved and use leverage responsibly, especially for beginner traders who should start with lower leverage until they gain more experience.

Spreads & Commissions

Spreads and commissions with ACY Securities are scaled with the accounts offered. Specifically, the spread is variable on the Standard account, and from 0.0 pips on the ProZero and Bespoke accounts.

Note that the ProZero and Bespoke accounts have a commission-based pricing structure, which means that while the spreads can be tighter, traders need to pay a commission on top of the spread. Specifically, $3 per lot per side on the Bespoke account, 2.5/lot per side on the Bespoke account. In contrast, there is no commission charged for the Standard account.

Below is a comparison table about spreads and commissions charged by different brokers:

Note: Spreads can vary depending on market conditions and volatility.

Trading Platforms

ACY Securities provides clients with the popular MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) trading platforms for desktop, mobile, and web. These platforms are renowned for their user-friendly interfaces and advanced charting capabilities, as well as their extensive range of technical indicators and trading tools.

With MT4 and MT5, traders can customize their trading experience to suit their individual needs, and execute trades quickly and efficiently. The mobile and web versions of the platforms allow traders to access their accounts on-the-go, ensuring that they can always stay up-to-date with market conditions and execute trades at their convenience.

Overall, the availability of these well-established trading platforms can be a significant advantage for traders who are looking for a reliable and versatile trading experience.

See the trading platform comparison table below:

Trading Tools

ACY Securities offers a variety of trading tools to enhance clients' trading experience. Capitalise.ai is a trading automation platform that enables traders to automate their strategies using natural language. MetaTrader Scripts are designed to help traders automate some repetitive actions in the MT4 and MT5 platforms, such as opening multiple orders or closing all positions at once.

Signal Start is a platform that provides signals from third-party signal providers, which traders can use to make informed trading decisions. Forex VPS is a virtual private server service that allows traders to run their trading platform and expert advisors (EAs) 24/7 without interruptions. With these trading tools, traders can optimize their trading strategies, improve efficiency, and potentially increase profitability.

Deposits & Withdrawals

ACY Securities offers approximately 20 funding options including China Union Pay, QR codes, credit/debit cards, e-wallets (PayTrust, DragonPay, Skrill, Neteller), bank transfers, and cryptocurrencies (USDT, BTC, ETH). Minimum deposits range from $50 to $1,000 depending on the method. No deposit fees are charged, and processing time is typically within 24 hours. The platform targeting traders globally with multi-currency support.

ACY Securities minimum deposit vs other brokers

You can make 3 free withdrawals per month, and after that, you will be charged $25 per withdrawal in your base currency, or you can wait for the new month to get your free withdrawals again. The amount you withdraw must be the same as the deposit, and you must withdraw within 20 days of the transaction.

ACY Securities processes withdrawal requests on the same day if received before 16:00 AEST; requests received after that time will be processed on the next business day. The speed of receiving and clearing funds depends on the withdrawal method chosen. Bank transfers take 2-3 business days, while card withdrawals take 3-5 business days.

See the deposit/withdrawal fee comparison table below:

Please note that the fees may vary depending on the specific payment method used and the country of the trader. It is important to check the broker's website for the most up-to-date information on fees and charges.

Customer Service

ACY Securities provides multiple channels for clients to get in touch 24/5, including phone, email, live chat, and an online messaging system. Clients can also follow the broker on various social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and TikTok. In addition, an FAQ section is available on the website to answer common questions. Overall, ACY Securities' customer service is considered reliable and responsive, with various options available for traders to seek assistance.

Note that these pros and cons are based on user feedback and experiences, and may not necessarily be representative of everyone's experience with ACY Securities' customer service.

Education

ACY Securities places great emphasis on forex education, providing a wide range of learning resources to help traders improve their trading skills and strategies. The broker offers a variety of educational materials, including webinars, e-books, and premium training resources, catering to traders at all levels, from beginners to experienced professionals.

The Market Analysis Webinar provides insight into market trends and helps traders stay up to date with the latest news and events affecting the forex market. The Forex E-books are comprehensive guides that cover various trading strategies, tools, and techniques. The Premium Training Resources are designed to provide traders with personalized education tailored to their individual needs, helping them gain a deeper understanding of the forex market and improve their trading performance.

Conclusion

As a whole, ACY Securities is a regulated and reputable broker that offers a wide range of trading instruments, multiple account types, and various trading platforms. The broker also provides traders with educational resources, trading tools, and excellent customer support. However, there have been some reports of slippage and withdrawal issues, which should be taken into consideration.

ACY Securities may be a suitable broker for experienced traders looking for a diverse range of trading options and strong support, but potential investors should be aware of the risks involved and exercise caution before investing.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is ACY Securities regulated？

Yes. It is regulated by the (AUS) in Australia.

Does ACY Securities offer demo accounts？

Yes. Demo accounts funded with $100, 000 in virtual funds are offered.

Does ACY Securities offer the industry-standard MT4 & MT5？

Yes. Both MT4 and MT5 are available.

What is the minimum deposit for ACY Securities？

The minimum initial deposit to start trading is $50.

Is ACY Securities a good broker for beginners？

No. ACY Securities is not a good choice for beginners. Though it advertises very well, there are too many complaints on the Internet.

Risk Warning

Online trading involves significant risk, and you may lose all of your invested capital. It is not suitable for all traders or investors. Please ensure that you understand the risks involved and note that the information contained in this article is for general information purposes only.

General Information

Hantec Markets, one of the subsidiaries of the Hantac group, was established in 2008 in Australia as a new brand. Its business scope focuses on CFDs trading on forex, commodities, indices and bullion.

Demo account is available for practicing and trades can be executed on the world renowned MetaTrader4 and 5 platforms.

One exciting news is that the broker is decently regulated by ASIC (Australia Securities & Investment Commission) and FCA (Financial Conduct Authority), proving a certain level of liability and legality. What's more, the broker implements fund segregation and negative balance to protect customer funds.

However, the company charges several fees such as commissions, overnight fees, conversion fees, etc., adding trading costs.

Pros and Cons

Is Hantec Markets Legit?

Yes, Hantec Markets is a legitimate and regulated forex broker that operates under the oversight of reputable financial regulatory bodies. It is officially regulated by ASIC (Australia Securities & Investment Commission) and FCA (Financial Conduct Authority), with licenses numbering at 326907 and 502635 respectively.

Though its CGSE and VFSC licenses are suspected to be fake clones, but after investigation, the regulated entities are subsidiaries of the Hantec Group who has 19 offices around the globe, which means Hantec Markets does not necessarily duplicate these licenses.

Nonetheless, during the research, we found that the company holds a suspected clone license with number “関東財務局長（金商）第102号” from FSA (Financial Services Agency) as well. But the company name is “Gaitame Finest Company Limited”, not relating to Hantect Group at all. You should be vigilant about this alarming red flag since the company might deceiving clients in another company's name in some business areas.

Regulated Country	Regulator	Regulatory Status	Regulated Entity	License Type	License No.
	ASIC	Regulated	Hantec Markets (Australia) Pty Limited	Market Making (MM)	326907
	FCA	Regulated	Hantec Markets Limited	Market Making (MM)	502635
	CGSE	Suspicious Clone	亨達金銀投資有限公司	Type AA License	163
	VFSC	Suspicious Clone	Hantec Markets (V) Company Limited	Retail Forex License	40318
	FSA	Suspicious Clone	Gaitame Finest Company Limited	Retail Forex License	関東財務局長（金商）第102号

Market Instruments

Currency pairs, indices, commodities, metals, energies, stocks... Hantec Markets gives its clients access to a massive trading market. So, both beginners and sophisticated traders could find what they want to trade on Hantec Markets.

Account Type

Demo account: Hantec Markets offers a demo account for you to test a little on the financial market without the risk of losing money.

Real account: there are 2 types of real accounts in total: Cent account and Standard account.

The Cent account is said to target beginners who want to trade with less risks. The initial deposit requirement is affordable at $10, with spread starting from 1.2 pips. However, additional functions such as copy trading and demo account are not available with this account. You cannot practice before you start real trading or imitate trading strategies from successful traders.

While Standard account, with access to a full suite of Hantec features, also requires the same initial deposit of $10. Spread is tighter from 0.1 pips and copy trading/demo account is available.

In addition, there is a Swap Free Accounts that allows trading the following products without swap charges: EURUSD, GBPUSD, USDJPY, USDCHF, EURCAD, GBPCAD, EURGBP, CHFJPY, EURCHF, EURJPY, NZDUSD, AUDUSD, AUDNZD, USDCAD, GBPJPY, CADJPY, CADCHF, GBPCHF, XAGUSD, XAUUSD. However, if you hold a position for longer than one week in this account, a holding fee of 10 USD (or equivalent) per lot on FX and 30 USD (or equivalent) per lot on XAUUSD and XAGUSD per day will be charged.

Leverage

Hantec Markets offers a maximum leverage of up to 1:1000, which is a generous offer and ideal for professional traders and scalpers. However, since leverage can magnify your profits, it can also result in a loss of capital, especially for inexperienced traders. Therefore, traders must choose the right amount according to their risk tolerance.

Spreads and Commissions

Hantec Markets offers Forex trading with spreads starting from specified values for various currency pairs. There are no commissions charged for Forex trades. The spread type is floating, and the minimum order size is 0.01 lot. The trading conditions also include a stop-out level set at 40% of the used margin. Overall, Hantec Markets provides competitive spreads and transparent commission-free trading for Forex.

Trade major pairs like EUR/USD, GBP/USD, and USD/JPY:

EUR/USD spread: 0.00014898 pips

GBP/USD spread: 0.000213589 pips

USD/JPY spread: 0.022286942 pips

Hantec Markets offers precious metals trading with competitive spreads and floating spread types. Traders can trade gold (XAU) with a minimum margin requirement of 5% and silver (XAG) with a minimum margin requirement of 10%. The minimum order size for gold is 0.1 lot (10 ounces) and for silver is 0.1 lot (500 ounces). There are no commissions charged for trading these metals, and the trading hours are available according to the server time.

Hantec Markets offers CFD trading on a variety of symbols, including stocks. The spreads for stock CFDs start from specified values for each symbol. Additionally, there are no specific details provided regarding commissions for stock CFD trading.

Hantec Markets offers indices trading on various major indices in Europe, Asia, Australia, and the US. The spreads for indices trading start from specified values for each symbol. Additionally, there are no specific details provided regarding commissions for indices trading.

In terms of Commodity Trading conditions at Hantec Markets, both US Oil and UK Oil have a spread of 0.05. There are no specific details provided regarding commissions for commodity trading.

Hantec Markets offers cryptocurrency trading with competitive spreads on a range of popular cryptocurrencies.

Non-Trading Fees

Currency Conversion Fee:

A conversion fee may be applicable to trades based on the currency settings of your trading account, funding currency, and the settlement currency of the market being traded.

The conversion fee is set at 0.6% and is added to the settlement exchange rate, which is determined by the market rate at the time of settlement. To account for the conversion fee, the underlying exchange rate is multiplied by 1.006 during the conversion process.

For instance, if the GBP/USD exchange rate is 1.1, the applicable FX conversion rate would be 1.1 x 1.006 = 1.1066.

By default, CFD accounts are set to 'instant' conversion. This means that any realized profit, loss, funding, dividend adjustments, or commission will be automatically converted to your account's base currency.

Let's consider an example:

Suppose you have purchased £20 per point worth of FTSE (UK100), and the base currency of your trading account is USD. Since you are trading in GBP, which is different from your account's base currency, the related transactions need to be converted to USD.

Assuming the exchange rate is 0.7576 ($1 equals £0.7576), after incorporating the conversion fee of 0.6%, the conversion rate becomes 0.7576 x 1.006 = 0.7621.

If FTSE increases by 30 points, your profit would amount to £600. This profit will be reflected as £600/0.7621 = $787.30 in your account. To calculate the admin fee charged, multiply your profit by 0.6%:

$787.30 profit x 0.6% = £4.72 currency conversion fee (already included – not charged separately)

Overnight Funding (Swap charges):

Also known as the 'Swap' charge, this is the cost of holding a position overnight. The amount will be dependent on the size of your trade, whether you have a long or short position and the instrument you are trading. Swap rates are determined by the underlying interest rates of the products or currency pairs you have open positions in.

Trading Platforms

Hantec Markets offers two trading platforms for trades execution: the popular MetaTrader4 and MetaTrader5.

Both platforms are widely recognized globally for its robust functions, built-in charting tools and techinical indicatiors and customized interface. Traders can configure settings of the platform according to their own preferences.

You can acess these two platforms via web on any devices, or download apps from Windows, iOS, Mac and Android devices.

Deposit and Withdrawal

Hantec Markets provides multiple payment methods:

Credit/Debit Card: Accepts USD, EUR, GBP, and NGN with a minimum deposit of $25 by Visa, Maestro, UK Debit Cards; no processing fees apply, and payment details must match the account name.

Skrill: Allows deposits in USD, EUR, GBP, and NGN with a minimum of $100; no processing fees, and account details must match.

NETELLER: Supports USD, EUR, GBP, CHF, NGN, and AUD with a minimum deposit of $100; no processing fees, and account details must match.

China UnionPay: Supports all Mainland Chinese cards; no minimum deposit specified and no processing fees.

Withdrawals are made via the original funding method, processed within 2-5 working days, and must match the account holders name.

Customer Support

Hantec Markets prides itself on providing excellent customer service to its clients. Each client is assigned a dedicated relationship manager who serves as their primary point of contact for any queries or issues. The relationship manager can be reached conveniently through the live chat tool available on the website.

The customer support team is also available 24/5 and can be contacted by leaving a message in the “contact us” section of the website.

Alternatively, you can reach out to them through the live chat feature, which is located at the lower right corner of the broker's website. Additionally, you have the option to contact customer support via telephone using the following numbers:

China – 4000280332

Nigeria – 7080601265

Jordan – 18442000155

Thailand – 1800019263

Taiwan – 886801491458

Pakistan – 080090044349

Main Office (UK) – +41225510215

Please note that international numbers may incur toll fees.

Office Locations:

Hantec Markets' main headquarters is situated at 5-6 Newbury St, Barbican, London EC1A 7HU in the United Kingdom. For the addresses of their Dubai, India, or other offices, please refer to the Hantec Markets website.

Education

Hantec Markets offers a wide range of educational resources on its website to support traders in their learning journey. These resources include market reports, analysis videos, YouTube webinars featuring Nigerian and African traders, as well as podcasts. Moreover, there is a dedicated learning hub that provides valuable content across four experience tiers, along with lessons on strategy creation and risk management.

Conclusion

Overall, Hantec Markets is a well-established forex broker with competitive spreads, transparent commission-free trading, and access to popular trading platforms like MT4 and MT5. Traders can benefit from various trading platforms and a diverse selection of tradable assets. However, some aspects, such as limited information about certain commissions and the availability of Hantec Social platform, could be improved. Traders should carefully assess their trading requirements and preferences, as well as consider the associated risks and costs, before choosing Garnet Trade as their trading platform.

FAQs

Is Hantec Markets a legitimate broker?

Yes, Hantec Markets is a legitimate and regulated forex broker. They are authorized and supervised by ASIC and FCA.

What account types do Hantec Markets offer?

Hantec Markets offers demo accounts, Cent accounts, and Standard accounts. The minimum deposit to open an account is just $10.

What trading platforms are available on Hantec Markets?

MT4 and MT5.

What is the maximum leverage offered by Hantec Markets?

Hantec Markets offers maximum leverage of 1:1000 for international clients using the Cent Account and 1:500 for international clients using the Standard Account. However, for European clients, leverage is limited by ESMA regulations to 1:30 for major FX pairs, 1:20 for minors and exotics, gold, and stock indices, and 1:10 for oil and silver.

What deposit and withdrawal methods are supported by Hantec Markets?

Hantec Markets supports Bank Wire, VISA, MasterCard, Neteller, Skrill, and UnionPay.