What is Windsor Brokers？

Windsor Broker Ltd, founded in 1988 and headquartered in Limassol, Cyprus, is an European brokerage firm that has been providing financial services to retail, corporate and institutional investors worldwide for many years, offering a wide range of financial instruments, including Forex, commodities, indices, and shares, as well as a variety of trading platforms and trading tools. Windsor Brokers Ltd is licensed and regulated by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC, No. 030/04).

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

Is Windsor Brokers Safe or Scam？

Regulation by a reputable authority like Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) is a positive factor indicating that Windsor Brokers is a legitimate broker. Additionally, the fact that they offer negative balance protection is also a plus for traders.

Besides, its entity in Belize, Windsor Brokers (BZ) Ltd, is regulated by the Financial Services Commissions (FSC).

Its global entity, Windsor Brokers International Ltd, operates under the regulation of the Seychelles Financial Services Authority (FSA), with license no. SD072.

Market Instruments

CFDs on forex, spot metals, spot commodities, spot indices, shares, ETFs are all available at Windsor Brokers. The broker allows clients to access a huge range of trading markets. Therefore, both beginners and experienced traders can find what they want to trade with Windsor Brokers.

Accounts

Demo Account: Windsor Brokers provides a demo account that allows you to try out the financial markets without the risk of losing money.

Live Account: Windsor Brokers offers two types of real trading accounts: the Prime Account and the Zero Account. The Prime Account, geared towards support-oriented traders, has a lower $50 minimum deposit and spreads starting from 1.0 pips on major pairs. It provides zero commission on forex CFDs, an $8 commission per lot for crypto CFDs, and includes training resources.The Zero Account targets heavy traders with a $1,000 minimum deposit, zero spreads on major currency pairs, and a maximum leverage of 1:1000. It charges an $8 commission per lot for forex, metals, and crypto CFDs, with no commission on other CFDs. Both accounts offer negative balance protection, personal account managers, a 0.01 minimum trade volume, a 50 lot restriction per ticket, hedging allowance, and a 20% stop-out level with a 100% margin call. Notably, the Zero Account does not support Islamic/swap-free accounts.

Leverage

The maximum leverage offered by Windsor Brokers is only 1:30, which may seem too low to you. Margin requirements for professional clients based on 1:100 leveraged accounts. Other leverages are available to Professional Clients only.

In reality, those leverage of up to 1:500 or even 1:1000 are all from unregulated or offshore regulated brokers, and as we know, offshore regulation is much less strict regulation. For brokers that are formally regulated by the major regulatory bodies, they can only offer leverage of 1:30 or 1:50 at best, which is sufficient for the novice Forex trader. Lower leverage reduces the potential gains on trades, but more importantly, it reduces much of the risk. We recommend that you always keep your account risk at 2% or less.

Spreads & Commissions

It is commendable that in the trading instruments interface, Windsor Brokers provides a detailed table showing the spreads, margin requirement, pip value, and stop levels of various instruments in various accounts in detail, which greatly facilitates customers' inquiries and comparisons.

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

Windsor Brokers offers traders the popular MT4 trading platform for PC, Mac, WebTrader, Android, iPhone, Android Tablet and iPad, which is ideal for all traders, whether they are professional traders or beginners. MT4 trading platform features powerful charting capabilities, a large number of indicators and algorithmic trading features, a user-friendly interface, a dynamic security system, and multi-terminal functionality.

See the trading platform comparison table below:

Trading Tools

Windsor Brokers provides a variety of trading tools to its clients to help them make informed trading decisions. These tools include market analysis and commentary, an economic calendar, and information on market holidays. Additionally, the broker offers several Forex calculators, such as Profit, Margin, Pip, Fibonacci, and Pivots calculators, which can be useful in managing risk and determining potential profits. By providing these trading tools, Windsor Brokers aims to empower traders with the necessary knowledge and resources to navigate the financial markets.

Deposits & Withdrawals

In terms of deposits and withdrawals, Windsor Brokers offers these payment methods: Credit/debit cards (Visa/MasterCard), WebMoney, Wire Transfer, Neteller and Skrill.

Windsor Brokers minimum deposit vs other brokers

The broker does charges fees for deposits and withdrawals, which vary on the payment method. All deposits are processed on the same day, while most withdrawals can be processed on the same day with the exception of wire transfer withdrawal.

More details concerning deposit/withdrawal fees and processing time can be found in the table below:

See the deposit & withdrawal fee comparison table below:

Note: Fees may vary based on the payment method and currency used. Please refer to the broker's website for the most up-to-date information.

Customer Service

Below are the details about the customer service.

Service Hour: 24/5

Live Chat/Fill in Contact Form

Email: support@windsorbrokers.eu

Phone: +357 25 500 700

Fax: +357 25 500 555

Address: Spyrou Kyprianou 53, Windsor Business Center, 3rd Floor, Mesa Geitonia, 4003 Limassol, Cyprus,

Or you can also follow this broker on some social media platforms, such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Linkedin.

Overall, Windsor Brokers' customer service is considered reliable and responsive, with various options available for traders to seek assistance.

Note: These pros and cons are subjective and may vary depending on the individual's experience with Windsor Brokers' customer service.

Promotions

Windsor Broker offers a $30 no deposit bonus for new clients, credited after completing a straightforward account opening process - apply, register by meeting requirements, and receive $30 in trading credit upon approval, allowing risk-free platform exploration.

Education

Windsor Brokers offers some educational resources to help traders improve their skills and knowledge. They have a video library that covers topics such as technical analysis, risk management, and trading strategies. They also have a glossary of trading terms and an ebook library that covers a range of topics such as trading psychology, fundamental analysis, and more. These educational resources are available for free to all clients of Windsor Brokers.

User Exposure on WikiFX

On the WikiFX website, you can see that some users have reported unable to withdraw. Please be aware and exercise caution when investing. You can check our platform for information before trading. If you find such fraudulent brokers or have been a victim of one, please let us know in the Exposure section, we would appreciate it and our team of experts will do everything possible to solve the problem for you.

Conclusion

Windsor Brokers is a regulated broker that offers access to multiple markets and trading platforms, as well as a range of trading tools and educational resources. The broker's negative balance protection is a positive feature that helps protect traders from incurring losses beyond their deposited funds.

However, some users have reported difficulties with withdrawals, which may raise concerns about the broker's reliability. Overall, Windsor Brokers appears to be a reputable broker that offers a good range of services, but potential traders should carefully consider the reported withdrawal issues before deciding to open an account.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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.