Demo account terms by licensed broker
The table is sorted so that brokers with no stated expiry sit at the top, and those that publish no term sit at the bottom. Ties are broken by regulator in the order CMA (formerly SCA), DFSA (DIFC), FSRA (ADGM), then alphabetically. Our full ordering method is set out in how we capture broker data. The ordering makes it easy to spot which accounts offer the most time.
ADSS states on its own demo page that there is no time limit on the account, and its signup form asks for a first name, last name, email address, phone number, platform and country of residence. Source: adss.com/en/trade/demo-account/, captured 18 August 2026.
Our Demo Fit score combines this page’s own captured columns (70 points) with the broker’s Overall CFB Score from its review (30 points). That way, a broker that is strong here and strong overall ranks above one that is only strong here. Two brokers have no published CFB Score, so no Demo Fit is calculated and they sit at the bottom of the table with every figure we did capture. The weights are set out on our methodology page. This combined score highlights brokers that deliver a good demo and a good overall service.
| # | Broker | Demo Fit | Overall | Regulator | Expiry (Stated expiry) | Platforms (Demo platforms) | Visit broker | More details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | #1 Editorial pick 2026 XTB | 64 | 72 | DFSA (DIFC) | Does not expire | XTB web platformXTB app | Visit XTB | |
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| 2 |  ADSS | 70 | 79 | CMA (formerly SCA) | No time limit stated | ADSS Platform MT4 MT5 | Visit ADSS | |
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| 3 |  Century Financial | 57 | 81 | CMA (formerly SCA) | Not stated | Web platformmobile and tablet apps | Visit Century Financial | |
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| 4 |  AvaTrade | 54 | 64 | FSRA (ADGM) | 60 days (help centre) | MT4MT5WebTraderAvaTrade App | Visit AvaTrade | |
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| 5 |  Equiti | 47 | 87 | CMA (formerly SCA) | 90 days of inactivity | MT4MT5 | Visit Equiti | |
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| 6 |  eToro | 43 | 61 | FSRA (ADGM) | Not stated | eToro platform | Visit eToro | |
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| 7 |  IG | 41 | 72 | DFSA (DIFC) | Not stated | IG platformMT4 | Visit IG | |
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| 8 |  CFI | 40 | 84 | CMA (formerly SCA) | Not stated | MT5 | Visit CFI | |
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| 9 |  Amana | 36 | 75 | DFSA (DIFC) | No demo published | n/a | Visit Amana | |
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Read across the platform column and the eight demo accounts look similar: every one runs on a platform that the broker also offers live. The practical differences sit in expiry and disclosure. Six of the eight demo accounts run on MetaTrader 4 or MetaTrader 5, and the rest run on the broker’s own platform. The table also makes the data gaps visible: CFI, Century Financial, IG and eToro publish no expiry term, and CFI, Century Financial and XTB publish no starting balance.
Risk warning: CFDs are leveraged products. Leverage works against you as well as for you, and you may lose some or all of your deposit. Read the broker's own client agreement and check its licence on the CMA (formerly SCA), DFSA or FSRA public register before opening an account.
1. XTB: A demo that does not expire
XTB publishes that its UAE demo never expires and lets you adjust the virtual balance from the client office. I think that is a practical setup for testing strategies without deadlines or a fixed starting amount. Registration requires only an email and password. XTB MENA Limited is licensed by the DFSA (DIFC) under reference F006316.
Measured spread
1.01 pips EUR/USD (5 to 28 August 2026)
the account we measured, zero commission charged
Trading platforms
MT4, own platform
Minimum deposit
USD 0
Regulation
DFSA (DIFC)
F006316
Why higher here? The demo never expires and the balance is adjustable, pulling XTB to the top spot here even though it ranks eighth overall. See the ranking method ↓
Pros & Cons
- Zero minimum deposit on the standard account.
- No commission per lot on the standard account.
- Regulated by the DFSA in the DIFC under reference F006316.
- AED is not supported for deposits, withdrawals, or account currency.
- API access is not published.
- Swap-free account does not state Shari'ah certification.
Broker's Detail
XTB trades in the UAE through XTB MENA Limited on DFSA (DIFC) reference F006316: a dealing permission, so the UAE-licensed entity can be your counterparty, with client assets endorsed.
Licence covers: Dealing in Investments as Principal (Debentures, Futures, Options); Arranging Deals in Investments (Debentures, Futures, Options, Shares, Units)
2. ADSS: USD 5,000,000 virtual balance
ADSS states its demo has no time limit and starts with a virtual balance of USD 5,000,000, giving you a large sandbox to practise with. It also confirms that demo pricing matches live conditions. The account runs on ADSS Platform, MT4 and MT5. ADS SECURITIES - L.L.C - S.P.C is licensed by the CMA (formerly SCA) under reference CP-0000786.
Average spread
0.7 pips EUR/USD, from
quoted for a tier ADSS does not define
Trading platforms
MT4, MT5, own platform
Minimum deposit
USD 100 (Classic)
USD 25,000 (Elite, Pro)
Regulation
CMA (formerly SCA)
CP-0000786
Why higher here? ADSS's demo offers a USD 5,000,000 balance, no time limit, and live-matched pricing, lifting it to second for demo accounts while it ranks 22nd overall. See the ranking method ↓
Pros & Cons
- Holds an onshore UAE dealing licence from the CMA under reference CP-0000786.
- Supports AED deposits through UAEPGS, the Central Bank of the UAE payment gateway.
- Offers three platforms: MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, and the proprietary ADSS Trading Platform.
- Swap-free trading is limited to ten indices; standard forex accounts are not swap-free.
- Typical spreads and commissions are not published for Classic, Elite, and Pro accounts.
- The exact entity a UAE retail client contracts with has not been verified.
Broker's Detail
ADSS trades in the UAE through ADS SECURITIES - L.L.C - S.P.C on CMA (formerly SCA) reference CP-0000786, also published as SCA-era 305027 (Cat 1); 20200000217 (Cat 5): a dealing permission, so the UAE-licensed entity can be your counterparty, with client assets endorsed.
Licence covers: Category 1, Trading broker of OTC derivatives and currencies (spot market)
3. Century Financial: Top up the balance at any time
Century Financial allows you to top up your demo balance at any time, so you can test different position sizes without starting over. It also openly states that demo pricing differs from live, so you know the quotes are not identical. The demo runs on a web platform and mobile apps. Century Financial Consultancy LLC is licensed by the CMA (formerly SCA) under reference CP-0000038.
Average spread
No EUR/USD spread published
USD 15 per side on 100,000 units
Trading platforms
MT5, own platform
Minimum deposit
Not published
Regulation
CMA (formerly SCA)
CP-0000038
Why higher here? Century Financial's adjustable balance and its published note that demo prices differ from live lift it to fourth for demo accounts, above its 17th place overall. See the ranking method ↓
Pros & Cons
- Licensed by the CMA (formerly SCA) under reference CP-0000038.
- Zero fees for standard bank transfer deposits and withdrawals.
- Commission structure is published: USD 0.00015 per CFD unit (minimum USD 1.50 per lot per side).
- No swap-free account is offered.
- AED is not accepted as an account or deposit currency.
- Broker has not published a leverage schedule.
Broker's Detail
Century Financial trades in the UAE through Century Financial Consultancy LLC on CMA (formerly SCA) reference CP-0000038, also published as SCA-era 20200000028 / 301044: a dealing permission, so the UAE-licensed entity can be your counterparty, with client assets endorsed.
Licence covers: Trading broker of OTC derivatives and currencies (spot market); also Financial Consultations, Portfolios management, Promotion
4. AvaTrade: 60 days, renewable on request
AvaTrade's demo runs for 60 days and can be renewed on request, which I think adds useful flexibility if you are still evaluating. The virtual balance starts at USD 10,000 and the account works on MT4, MT5, WebTrader and the AvaTrade App. Ava Trade Middle East Limited is licensed by the FSRA (ADGM) under reference FSP 190018.
Measured spread
1.13 pips EUR/USD (5 to 28 August 2026)
the account we measured, zero commission charged
Trading platforms
MT4, MT5, own platform
Minimum deposit
USD 100
Regulation
FSRA (ADGM)
FSP 190018
Why higher here? AvaTrade's renewable demo and four-platform support push it to third on this page, above its 15th place overall. See the ranking method ↓
Pros & Cons
- ADGM dealing licence held by Ava Trade Middle East Limited (FSP 190018).
- No commission on the single CFD offering.
- Swap-free account available with a five-day grace period.
- Broker-published leverage for gold, indices, commodities and shares exceeds FSRA retail caps.
- AED acceptance for deposits and withdrawals is not stated.
- Swap-free account terms contain three conflicting statements on charges after five days.
Broker's Detail
AvaTrade trades in the UAE through Ava Trade Middle East Limited on FSRA (ADGM) reference FSP 190018: a dealing permission, so the UAE-licensed entity can be your counterparty, with no client-asset endorsement.
Licence covers: Dealing in Investments as Principal (Matched); Arranging Deals in Investments
5. Equiti: 90 days of inactivity, MT4 and MT5
Equiti's demo expires after 90 days of inactivity and starts with a virtual balance of USD 10,000. It supports MT4 and MT5, which I consider a solid pair of platforms for practising your trading. Equiti Securities Currencies Brokers LLC is licensed by the CMA (formerly SCA) under reference CP-0000791.
All-in cost per lot, measured
0.12 pips plus USD 5.76 round turn (5 to 28 August 2026)
Premier account
Trading platforms
MT4, MT5, own platform
Minimum deposit
USD 0 (Classic)
USD 3,000 (Premier)
Regulation
CMA (formerly SCA)
CP-0000791
Pros & Cons
- AED is accepted for account denomination, deposits and local bank transfers with no fees.
- The CMA licence permits the broker to deal as principal, providing direct counterparty execution.
- A Micro account offers MT5 and WebTrader access as an additional account alongside your main trading account.
- The broker publishes a maximum leverage of 500:1 on major forex pairs; the CMA does not set a numeric cap, so this figure is a commercial decision.
- Four versions of the swap-free terms are publicly accessible, creating uncertainty about the applicable equity or balance trigger.
- Classic and Standard accounts do not publish a typical or advertised EUR/USD spread.
Broker's Detail
Equiti trades in the UAE through Equiti Securities Currencies Brokers LLC on CMA (formerly SCA) reference CP-0000791, also published as SCA-era 20200000026 (Cat 1); 20200000352 (Cat 5): a dealing permission, so the UAE-licensed entity can be your counterparty, with client assets endorsed.
Licence covers: Category 1, Trading broker of OTC derivatives and currencies (spot market)
How long each demo account lasts
ADSS and XTB both state that their demo accounts have no expiry. ADSS says “There’s no time limit on your demo account.” XTB, in the wording published by XTB MENA Limited, its DFSA-licensed DIFC entity, says “The demo account does not expire and remains active indefinitely.” Note that XTB also operates XTB FINANCIAL SERVICES L.L.C under the CMA, reference CP-0001283, and that entity is the one a default visit to xtb.com contracts with. The demo terms quoted here belong to the DIFC entity. A no-expiry demo offers the most flexibility, and both ADSS and XTB offer that. It is worth checking which XTB entity the sign-up page contracts with, because the demo terms differ.
Equiti and AvaTrade state a term. Equiti says all demo accounts expire if inactive for 90 days. That means the 90-day period runs from inactivity. A trader who leaves the demo account alone for 90 days would trigger that expiry. AvaTrade’s help centre states a 60-day duration and asks a trader to contact customer services before expiry to extend it. A 60-day demo that is extended on request is also closer to open-ended than to a hard 60-day limit. AvaTrade’s demo product page invites a visitor to “open an unlimited demo account with AvaTrade” and says “Use the free forex account for as long as you wish until you are ready to commit real funds.” The two pages say different things. That inconsistency is troubling, and it should be resolved before relying on the demo. It is wise to check which page reflects the actual terms.
Four brokers publish no expiry term at all: CFI, Century Financial, IG and eToro. You can’t assume anything from that silence, because the broker hasn’t made a commitment. The absence should not be treated as a promise either way. Amana publishes no demo account. The name here means Amana Financial Services (Dubai) Limited, the DFSA-licensed broker, not the Amana construction group and not the separately regulated consumer app of a similar name. Noam Korbl confirmed the licensing details on the DFSA register on 17 August 2026.
Stated demo expiry across the nine brokers compared here. Two state there is none, Equiti states 90 days of inactivity, AvaTrade’s help centre states 60 days, four state nothing, and Amana publishes no demo account. Captured 18 August 2026.
What a demo account does not replicate
Century Financial states that trades made through its demo account will not be subject to slippage, interest and dividend adjustments or out-of-hours price movements. Orders placed on the demo will never be rejected on the grounds of size or price. They will not be closed for insufficient margin. No chart package charges apply on the demo account. IG publishes the same list for its MetaTrader 4 demo account. I think those published differences matter more than the virtual balance, because they tell you exactly where the simulation breaks. In my experience, these are the details that catch you out when you go live.
They pinpoint the exact moments when a live account will behave differently from the simulation, and those are the moments I would rehearse before funding anything. A demo can’t show you how you’ll react when your own money is on the line, and my advice is to size the first live trades as though the demo never happened.
What the demo reproduces and what Century Financial and IG state it does not: slippage, interest and dividend adjustments, out-of-hours price movements, chart package charges, rejection on size or price, and closure for insufficient margin. Captured 18 August 2026.
Whether demo pricing matches live pricing
The sample splits four ways on whether demo pricing matches live pricing. ADSS states plainly that demo accounts use the same real-time market data and pricing as live accounts. CFI says “Real-time pricing. Experience identical conditions as the live market,” but that statement appears on the product page rather than in a detailed pricing statement. Century Financial and IG publish the differences set out above. Equiti, XTB, AvaTrade and eToro publish nothing. A clear statement from those four is needed before assuming the demo prices are live. Check this before relying on a demo for strategy testing.
What a forex demo account is
A forex demo account is a trading account funded with virtual money on a broker’s real platform. It lets you place orders against live prices without risking any of your own money. You don’t need to deposit anything. The account simulates the order screen, but it doesn’t replicate the whole trading experience.
Moving from demo to a live account
Once you fund a live account, the execution differences described above start to apply and the money at risk is your own. A live account also brings spread and commission costs into sharp focus. Our guide on published spreads compared sets those costs out. One funding-related gap remains: a broker’s swap-free account terms don’t automatically carry over to a demo account, and none of the nine brokers compared here states whether they do. That is worth checking before opening a live Islamic account.
How each broker is licensed in the UAE
| Broker | Licensed entity | Regulator | Licence reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| ADSS | ADS SECURITIES - L.L.C - S.P.C | CMA (formerly SCA) | CP-0000786; SCA-era 305027 (Category 1) and 20200000217 (Category 5) |
| CFI | CFI FINANCIAL MARKETS L.L.C | CMA (formerly SCA) | CP-0000894; SCA-era 20200000154 |
| Century Financial | Century Financial Consultancy LLC | CMA (formerly SCA) | CP-0000038; SCA-era 20200000028 / 301044 |
| Equiti | Equiti Securities Currencies Brokers LLC | CMA (formerly SCA) | CP-0000791; SCA-era 20200000026 (Category 1) and 20200000352 (Category 5) |
| Amana | Amana Financial Services (Dubai) Limited | DFSA (DIFC) | F003269 |
| IG | IG Limited | DFSA (DIFC) | F001780 |
| XTB | XTB MENA Limited | DFSA (DIFC) | F006316 |
| AvaTrade | Ava Trade Middle East Limited | FSRA (ADGM) | FSP 190018 |
| eToro | eToro (ME) Ltd | FSRA (ADGM) | FSP 220073 |
These entries were checked against the CMA, DFSA and FSRA registers on 17 August 2026. The count covers only the brokers compared here. A guide to UAE-licensed forex brokers covers the CMA, DFSA and FSRA registers.
FAQs
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About the author
Justin Grossbard co-founded CompareForexBrokers in 2014 and serves as Co-Founder and CEO. He has traded forex since 1998. For this site he directs the research and comparison of UAE-licensed brokers. He holds Monash University degrees including a Bachelor of Commerce with Honours and a Master of Marketing. His commentary has appeared in Forbes, Kiplinger, Finance Magnates and Entrepreneur.