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Most traders want an Islamic Forex account because they comply with the Shari’ah prohibition on Riba, or the accumulation of interest. Some brokers try to compensate for the missed revenue that would otherwise have been generated by collecting interest, so we always look for limitations on trading opportunities, additional fees, and widened spreads. Otherwise, we focused on finding the best Islamic accounts for all types of trader, including a range of platforms, excellent trading tools and good education for beginners.
According to our testing and our research, these are the best Islamic Forex accounts for 2023.
AvaTrade offers Islamic accounts on MT4, MT5, Webtrader and the excellent and newly designed AvaTradeGo mobile app. The AvaTradeGo app offers Tanzanian Forex traders an intuitive and sophisticated trading experience, with spreads as low as 0.9 pips on the EUR/USD for Islamic accounts. AvaTradeGo features an advanced dashboard, with intuitive management tools, clear charts, zoom for details, and a Market Trends feature to monitor trading trends within the AvaTrade community. The AvaProtect tool is also available in the mobile app, allowing traders to purchase loss protection for a time.
Islamic accounts at AvaTrade do require a little more setup than with other brokers. First, a normal account must be opened and funded, once this step is complete an application for an Islamic account must be made and approved. Applications are usually processed within 1-2 business days. Islamic accounts at AvaTrade are not charged swap fees or a commission, as is common with other Islamic accounts, but instead, the spread will be marked up to cover overnight fees.
FXTM offers three accounts on MT4 and MT5, but Islamic accounts are only available on MT4 and trading on exotic currency pairs is prohibited. Unlike many brokers, FXTM makes switching your account to an Islamic account a simple process and can be done inside the MyFXTM dashboard with a few clicks. While Islamic accounts will not be charged a swap fee, a commission is charged instead, starting at 12.90 USD per lot on the EUR/USD.
FXTM is well-regulated and offers trading on Forex, commodities, stocks, and indices. Minimum deposits are low, and spreads are generally tight, starting at 1.5 pips on the Micro Account but down to 0 pips – plus a 4 USD commission – on the Advantage Account. Islamic account users can also take advantage of FXTM’s copy-trading platform, FXTM Invest, which allows traders to follow profitable traders for a fee.
Accepts Tanzanian Clients. Average spread EUR/USD 1.50 pips on trading account with lowest minimum deposit. Max leverage 2000:1. Islamic account available. MT4 & MT5 platforms supported. Leverage offered can vary depending on country of residence, and your trading knowledge and experience. FXTM is regulated by CySEC, FCA, FSCA, and the FSC.
XM is unusual in the Forex industry because it does not apply any extra charges for Islamic accounts. Most other brokers apply a commission or widen the spread to cover the cost of the lost swap fees. XM does neither, meaning its Islamic account has exactly the same trading conditions as a normal trading account, minus the swap fee. In addition, opening an Islamic account with XM is relatively straightforward: First, a trader must open and validate a standard account and then file a request for an Islamic account with the XM back office. Approval usually takes a matter of minutes.
XM is one of the most regulated market makers in the Forex industry and stands out for leading trading conditions, account choice, execution speed and a wide range of CFD assets available on both the MT4 and MT5 platforms. With a minimum deposit of 50 USD, traders can open the XM Ultra Low Account, where spreads start at 0.6 pips with no commission charged.
Accepts Tanzanian Clients. Average spread EUR/USD 0.70 pips on trading account with lowest minimum deposit. Max leverage 500:1. Islamic account available. MT4 & MT5 platforms supported. XM Group regulated by CySEC, ASIC, and the IFSC.
HFM offers Islamic accounts for all customers of the Muslim faith on four of its six account types, including the Micro Account and Auto Account. Trading conditions are especially good on the Micro Account, with spreads starting at 1 pip, a low minimum deposit of 5 USD, and hedging, scalping, and copy-trading all available. While HFM’s Islamic account spreads are slightly wider than normal to cover the cost of removing the swap fee and MT5 is not supported, trading conditions are broadly similar to traditional trading accounts.
Islamic accounts incur an additional carry charge on any position held overnight for more than 7 days. While this is not a significant cost, it does make positional trading more costly over the long term. All Islamic accounts feature market execution and maximum leverage of 1:500.
Accepts Tanzanian Clients. Average spread EUR/USD 1.00 pips on trading account with lowest minimum deposit. Max leverage 1000:1. Islamic account available. MT4 & MT5 platforms supported. HF Markets Group regulated by the FSCA, FCA, FSC, CySEC and the DFSA.
A respected FCA-regulated broker with no dealing desk intervention, FxPro offers excellent trade execution on a variety of platforms and account choices. Islamic swap-free options are available on the MT4, cTrader and FxPro Edge account types, which feature a minimum deposit of 100 USD and leverage of up to 200:1. Spreads are relatively wide on its MT4 and FxPro Edge account types, averaging at around 1.84 pips on the EUR/USD. Spreads tighten on the cTrader Account, down to 0.31 pips, in exchange for a commission of 4.5 USD per lot. Most trades are executed in under 14 milliseconds, with 80.48% of market orders executed at the requested price, and 9.6% at a better price, known as positive slippage.
In lieu of the interest charged on overnight positions, Islamic traders will be charged a commission of 7.50 USD per lot, but this only applies after the 8th night of trading. FxPro only offers Swap-free accounts for religious purposes as per the Shariah law. In order to open an account, traders will need to provide an official document such as a Birth or Marriage certificate or an official letter from the leader of their local Muslim community.
Accepts Tanzanian Clients. Average spread EUR/USD 1.40 pips on trading account with lowest minimum deposit. Max leverage 200:1. Islamic account available. MT4, MT5, cTrader and FxPro proprietary trading platform supported. FxPro Group is regulated by FCA, CySEC, FSCA, and the DFSA
An ECN/DMA broker, FP Markets offers trading on multiple instruments, including Forex, shares, metals, commodities, and indices. Unlike many other brokers, FP Markets publishes all information about the Islamic accounts on its website, and caters to Muslim traders with two distinct Islamic account options. The swap-free account option is available on both its Raw and Standard account types on the MT4 and MT5 trading platforms.
The Islamic Standard Account requires a minimum opening balance of 100 AUD. Spreads start at 1.0 pips on the EUR/USD, and no commissions are charged on the trades. The Islamic Raw Account also has a minimum opening balance of 100 AUD, spreads starting at 0.0 pips on the EUR/USD, which is tighter than other ECN brokers, and a low commission of 3 USD per lot traded. Note that FP Markets charges administration fees on its Islamic account, which vary depending on the instrument traded. A fee of 5 USD is charged on the EUR/USD, but this will only be applicable from the eleventh night a position is held open.
Accepts Tanzanian Clients. Average spread EUR/USD 0.10 pips on trading account with lowest minimum deposit. Max leverage 500:1. Islamic account available. MT4, MT5 & IRESS platforms supported. FP Markets is regulated by CySEC and ASIC.
XTB – Best Proprietary Platform for Islamic Traders
Overall Rating
4.29 / 5
🏦 Min. Deposit
USD 0
🛡️ Regulated By
CySEC, FCA, DFSA, FSC
💵 Trading Cost
USD 7
⚖️ Max. Leverage
500:1
💹 Copy Trading
Yes
🖥️ Platforms
xStation5
💱 Instruments
Commodities, Cryptocurrencies, Stock CFDs, ETFs, Forex, Indices
Founded in 2002, XTB is a well-regulated market maker offering trading on its award-winning platform on two market execution account types: The Standard Account and the Islamic Account. Islamic Account-holders are charged both a spread mark-up and a commission per lot. Spreads start at 0.5 pips (EUR/USD) on the Standard Account and 0.7 pips (EUR/USD) on the Islamic Account, which is still tighter than other market makers. Islamic account holders are also charged a commission of 10 USD/lot, while Standard Account-holders are charged a commission starting at 0.08% but only on stocks and ETFs.
XTB only offers trading on its award-winning trading platform, xStation 5. Intuitive, powerful, and fast, xStation 5 introduces sentiment data directly into the platform, so traders can view the percentage of clients who are long or short, and on which instruments. It also offers powerful charting tools, one-click trading, and real-time performance statistics. Mobile versions of the platform are available on both iOS and Android and seamlessly connect to the desktop versions of the app.
Accepts Tanzanian Clients. Average spread EUR/USD 0.70 pips on the trading account with lowest minimum deposit. Max leverage 500:1. Islamic account available. MT4 & xStation platforms supported. XTB Group is regulated by CySEC, FCA and the IFSC
A well-regulated market maker broker, Amana Capital offers trading on multiple assets, including Forex, indices, metals, commodities, cryptocurrencies, energies, and shares. Amana Capital offers full support for the MT4 and MT5 platforms in addition to an extensive range of trading tools, including Autochartist, Trade Captain, and a free VPS service. With competitive trading conditions on three live accounts, spreads are tight, leverage is high, and minimum deposits start at 50 USD. All accounts can be converted into swap-free accounts for traders who choose not to receive or pay interest in adherence to Islamic religious principles.
Amana Capital does not charge any administration fees on the swap-free accounts, which is unusual, because most brokers mark up the spread or add a commission to make up for the lost swap fees. However, swap-free accounts at Amana capital are not available on some Forex pairs, cash CFDs, spot energies, and all share CFDs. In order to open a swap-free account, clients must submit the relevant documentation to Amana Capital’s customer support, and the company will, at its discretion, approve the request.
Accepts Tanzanian Clients. Average spread EUR/USD 1.40 pips on trading account with lowest minimum deposit. Max leverage 500:1. Islamic account available. MT4 & MT5 platforms supported. Amana Capital Group is regulated by the CySEC, FCA, and the DFSA.
Islamic Forex Trading
There are three articles of the Islamic Mua’malat that are relevant to Forex trading:
Riba: Prohibition of payment and receipt of interest
Gharar: Prohibition on gambling
Shared Risk: Both profit and losses
The key element here is the elimination of Riba – or interest on loans or assets.
Riba is central to conventional Forex trading, but according to Islamic law, or Shari’ah law, Muslims are banned from earning interest on loans. Some scholars believe that the practice of removing Riba, as brokers do on their Islamic Forex accounts, legitimises Forex trading under Shariʻah.
Islam also emphasises that when conducting business transactions, elements of uncertainty, excessive speculation and gambling should also be avoided, so it could be argued that hedging trades with Forex is also legitimate under Shari’ah. It is also widely agreed that conventional Forex transactions – if used carefully – are a very effective means of protecting banks from exposure to international risk.
Shared Risk
Another concern about the Islamic nature of Forex trading is the element of shared risk. Luckily, with Forex trading, when you trade, you are investing in an asset – the currency purchased. If this asset increases in value, you will make a profit and if the asset loses value, you will make a loss. The result is a sharing of the benefits and losses of the currency exchange with your counterparty. From this point of view, Forex trading and Islam are compatible in terms of shared risk.
What is an Islamic Forex Account?
Across the Islamic world, many brokers offer Shari’ah compliant accounts to make sure that your trading is not haram – though this does mean that there are a few differences when compared to traditional Forex accounts.
Islamic Forex accounts have two underlying attributes:
Other than the above, Islamic Forex accounts usually have the same trading terms and conditions as a regular Forex account. However, some most Forex brokers change the commercial terms of trading with them and might limit the trader from trading cryptocurrencies.
Some Forex brokers will widen their spreads on Islamic accounts to compensate for the missed revenue that would otherwise have been generated by collecting interest. Another practice, but is far rarer, is that some Forex brokers charge an up-front commission on trades instead of widening the spreads.
Forex Brokers with Islamic Swap-free Accounts
There are a variety of brokers that offer Islamic accounts tailored for Muslim traders. There are usually no limitations on this account type – this means you can trade Forex, commodities, CFDs contracts and every financial instrument that complies with the Islamic financial regulations.
An important note: With most Forex brokers, you will need to open a real trading account which can then be converted into an Islamic account. Few brokers have a registration page specifically for Islamic accounts, and even fewer have Islamic demo accounts, but some brokers with clients from predominantly Muslim countries automatically create accounts as Islamic accounts.
If you are in doubt, make sure you discuss your concerns with your account manager or broker representative before you make a deposit.
Forex Rollovers and Swap Rates Explained
In the Forex market, any position held overnight generates a rollover which will be earned or paid out depending on the currency you are trading and the direction of the market. Rollover interest is a form of interest that can be credited or debited from your Forex trading account, and thus it is prohibited by Islamic financial regulations. In the financial world, this rollover is also known as the swap rate. So, Islamic Forex accounts are swap-free accounts where no overnight interest is credited or debited.
Islamic Financial Regulatory Bodies
The central financial regulatory bodies in the Islamic world are the following:
Forex brokers that are registered in Muslim majority countries often have to comply with many local regulations and are required to follow Shari’ah law, whereas Western Forex brokers have much more flexibility when it comes to the interest charged to their clients. This is why only some of the brokers offer this account type.
Summary
An Islamic Forex account, or swap-free account, is an optional account type that is often selected after signing up with a broker. They are intended for use by traders of the Islamic faith, which prohibits generating income from interest payments. Most Forex brokers can accommodate followers of the Islamic faith by offering swap-free trading accounts that are compliant with Shari’ah law. To learn more about different brokers further reading on how to compare Forex brokers can be found here.
Forex Risk Disclaimer
Trading Forex and CFDs is not suitable for all investors as it carries a high degree of risk to your capital: 75-90% of retail investors lose money trading these products.
Forex and CFD transactions involve high risk due to the following factors: Over-leveraging, unpredictable market volatility, slippage arising from a lack of liquidity, inadequate trading knowledge or experience, and a lack of regulatory protection for clients.
Traders should not deposit any money that is not disposable. Regardless of how much research you have done, or how confident you are in your trade, there is always a substantial risk of loss. (Learn more from the FCA or from ASIC)
Our Methodology
Our State of the Market Report and Broker Directory are the result of extensive research on over 180 Forex brokers. The explicit goal of these resources is to help traders find the best Forex brokers – and steer them away from the worst ones – with the benefit of accurate and up-to-date information.
With over 200 data points on each broker and over 3000 hours of research and review writing, we believe we have succeeded in our goal.
In a world where trading conditions and customer support can vary based on where you live, our broker reviews focus on the local trader and give you information about these brokers from your perspective.
All research has been conducted by our in-house team of researchers and writers, gathering information from various company representatives, websites and by sifting through the fine print. Learn more about how we rank brokers.
4.49
Accepts Tanzanian Clients. Average spread EUR/USD 0.90 pips on trading account with lowest minimum deposit. Max leverage 400:1. Islamic account available. MT4 & MT5 platforms supported. AvaTrade Group regulated by ASIC, FSCA, B.V.I FSC & FSA.
