9Markets

9Markets is an online brokerage that presents itself as a provider of forex and CFD trading services. The company claims to be headquartered in the United States and was founded in November 2020. Despite its relatively short time in operation, it positions itself as a global trading partner.

Public information about the firm is scarce. The broker does not disclose the size of its team—reporting zero employees—and provides no verifiable physical address or corporate registration details beyond a claimed US base. This lack of transparency makes it difficult for potential clients to conduct basic due diligence.

One of the most critical pieces of information for any trader is a broker’s regulatory status. 9Markets does not hold any verifiable regulatory license. Our checks of public databases found no record of authorization with major financial authorities such as the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), or the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).

Operating without regulation means that client funds are not protected by any compensation scheme, and there is no external body to turn to in the event of a dispute. Traders dealing with unregulated brokers bear all counterparty risk themselves.

9Markets structures its trading accounts into five tiers: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Premium. The minimum deposit requirements are as follows: - Bronze: from €250 - Silver: €5,000 - Gold: from €10,000 - Platinum: from €50,000 - Premium: from €100,000

What is unusual is that beyond these deposit thresholds, the broker does not publicly disclose how the accounts differ. There is no information on spreads, leverage limits, commissions, or any additional features that come with higher-tier accounts. This opacity forces traders to commit funds before knowing the exact trading conditions they will receive.

The broker’s website makes general claims about offering a range of tradable instruments and a dedicated trading platform, but it does not list specific asset classes or the platform name. Whether it provides access to forex pairs, commodities, indices, or cryptocurrencies is left unstated.

For a trader, knowing the trading environment—spread types, execution model, charting tools—is essential. Without this information, assessing the suitability of 9Markets for any particular trading style is impossible.

No information is publicly available on accepted deposit or withdrawal methods, processing times, or associated fees. The broker does not disclose whether it supports bank wires, credit/debit cards, e-wallets, or cryptocurrency transfers.

User reviews are mixed on this point. Some traders report smooth deposits and withdrawals within 48 hours, while others claim that attempts to withdraw funds were blocked entirely. This inconsistency, combined with the lack of official policy, is a significant risk factor.

Online user feedback on 9Markets is polarized. A portion of reviewers praise the broker for low spreads, fast execution, and helpful customer support. However, a substantial number of reviewers label the operation a scam, describing experiences of being pressured to deposit more money and then being unable to withdraw.

Given the small number of reviews—only 15 on Trustpilot at the time of writing—and the presence of possible fake reviews, the overall sentiment is unreliable and should be viewed with extreme caution.

In our assessment, the combination of zero regulatory oversight, a near-complete blackout of critical operational details, and serious scam allegations from users makes 9Markets unsuitable for the vast majority of retail traders. Only individuals with a high tolerance for risk, full understanding that their capital is entirely unprotected, and a willingness to accept the possibility of total loss would even consider an engagement.

For everyone else, especially those new to trading or reliant on their savings, we see no reason to take the chance when numerous regulated alternatives exist.