Introduction
Here is the fact most comparisons of these two brokers never mention: InstaForex and ForexMart are not independent competitors. Both belong to the same corporate family, ForexMart is a brand of Tradomart SV Ltd, and its European services run through Instant Trading EU Ltd under CySEC license 266/15, the very same Cypriot entity and license that anchors InstaForex’s EU operation, while both brands share the group’s ForexCopy social trading technology and SVG-registered offshore structures. Choosing between them is less “which company do I trust” and more “which storefront of the same company suits my trading.”
InstaForex is the flagship, and the better choice for most of this group’s audience. Operating since 2007 with a reported seven million clients, it offers the far larger universe (up to 2,600+ instruments on parts of the group, including 100+ currency pairs and 70+ crypto CFDs trading 24/7), the unique zero-spread Eurica account, cent accounts from $1, the industry’s most famous deposit-bonus culture, and one of the largest native social trading and PAMM networks in existence.
ForexMart is the leaner, quieter sibling, and the better choice for simple spread-based trading. Its Classic account (average spreads around 1.2 pips) and Pro account (around 0.8 pips) price major pairs far tighter than InstaForex’s fixed 3-to-7-pip Standard account, its four-account menu is refreshingly simple, and it inherits the group’s ForexCopy system and CySEC umbrella with fewer promotional distractions.
Neither brand suits cost-obsessed professionals, both lean on the aging MT4, and both carry the offshore caveats of their SVG and BVI entities. Within the family, InstaForex wins on ecosystem and ForexMart on everyday pricing. The full picture follows.
Comparison Table
| Feature | InstaForex | ForexMart |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2007 | 2015 |
| Parent/Group | InstaFintech Group | Tradomart SV Ltd (same group family) |
| EU Entity | Instant Trading EU Ltd, CySEC 266/15 | Instant Trading EU Ltd, CySEC 266/15 (shared) |
| Offshore Entities | BVI FSC, SVG/FSC registrations | SVG FSA registration (23071 IBC 2015) |
| Publicly Listed | No | No |
| Minimum Deposit | From $1 | From $1 (Zero Spread) / $15 (Classic, Cents) |
| Trading Platforms | MT4 core (MT5 in parts of group), WebTrader | MT4 only, WebTrader, mobile app |
| Tradable Assets | 300+ core; up to 2,600+ on MT5 offerings | Approx. 100 to 150 instruments |
| Forex Pairs | 100 to 110+ | Approx. 55 |
| Maximum Leverage | Up to 1:1000 offshore; 1:30 EU | Commonly 1:500 (higher advertised regionally); 1:30 EU |
| Spreads | Standard fixed 3 to 7 pips; Eurica 0 (commission); ECN Pro from 0.8 | Classic avg 1.2; Pro avg 0.8; Zero Spread 0 (commission) |
| Commissions | Eurica 0.02 to 0.07%; ECN approx. EUR 2/lot | Zero Spread 0.02 to 0.07% (approx. from $6/lot) |
| Lot Convention | 1 lot = 10,000 units (custom) | Standard conventions |
| Inactivity Fee | None significant | None |
| Withdrawal Fees | Percentage-based on most methods | Up to approx. 2.5% by method |
| Account Types | Standard, Eurica, Cent variants, ECN, ECN Pro, ECN VIP, Scalping | Classic, Pro, Cents, Zero Spread |
| Demo Account | Yes | Yes, unlimited |
| Islamic Account | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes, ForexCopy (massive network) plus PAMM | Yes, ForexCopy system |
| Bonuses | Extensive (30%, 55%, 100% deposit; offshore only) | Welcome/deposit bonus (international clients) |
| Mobile Trading | MT4/MT5 mobile, client apps | MT4 mobile, ForexMart app (basic) |
| Educational Resources | Large library, analytics, contests | Limited (analysis, brochure, news) |
| Customer Support | 24/7 multilingual (chat, phone, Telegram, WhatsApp) | 24/5 multilingual |
| Sponsorships | Chess champion V. Anand, Legia Warsaw, more | Modest |
| Investor Protection | ICF up to EUR 20,000 (EU entity only) | ICF up to EUR 20,000 (EU entity only) |
Conditions vary by entity and change often. Confirm current figures on the official InstaForex and ForexMart websites before opening an account.
Company Overview
InstaForex
InstaForex launched in 2007 under the InstaFintech Group and grew into one of the most recognizable retail forex brands in the developing world, reporting more than seven million clients across 100+ countries, a shelf of industry awards, and marketing muscle that has sponsored everything from chess legend Viswanathan Anand to football club Legia Warsaw. The group operates in layers: Instant Trading EU Ltd in Cyprus (CySEC license 266/15) serves European clients under MiFID protections, while BVI- and SVG-registered entities (including the InstaTrade brand) serve the global majority with high leverage and the famous bonus programs, which are prohibited under the EU arm.
The product is a universe unto itself, with quirks a newcomer must learn. Lot sizing is custom (1 lot = 10,000 units, a tenth of the industry standard), which makes micro-risk management easy and confuses EA settings in equal measure. The account menu splits along a unique axis: Insta.Standard bakes costs into wide fixed spreads (3 to 7 pips), while Insta.Eurica charges zero spread and a visible 0.02 to 0.07% commission instead, a structure beloved by beginners and algorithmic developers because the entry price equals the chart price. Cent variants of both start from $1, and an ECN family (ECN, ECN Pro from EUR 1,000, ECN VIP, plus a dedicated Scalping account) offers floating spreads from around 0.8 pips for serious traders. Around the accounts sits the ecosystem: the ForexCopy social trading system, one of the largest PAMM networks anywhere, InstaWallet transfers, contests and endless promotions, and an instrument list that stretches past 2,600 symbols on the group’s MT5-enabled offerings, including 70+ crypto pairs trading around the clock.
The honest caveats: standard-account spreads are among the widest in the industry, withdrawal fees are percentage-based on most methods, watchdog files include withdrawal-friction complaints alongside millions of satisfied-user reports, and the platform stack remains MT4-centric in an MT5 world.
ForexMart
ForexMart launched in 2015 as the group’s second brand, operated by Tradomart SV Ltd from St Vincent and the Grenadines (registration 23071 IBC 2015), with European services provided through the same Instant Trading EU Ltd CySEC entity (266/15) that serves InstaForex. Headquartered operationally from Limassol, it presents itself as a cleaner, more conventional broker than its flamboyant sibling, and in pricing terms it genuinely is.
Its four-account menu maps to trader experience rather than to exotic structures: Classic ($15 minimum, no commission, spreads averaging about 1.2 pips), Pro ($200 minimum internationally, spreads averaging around 0.8 pips, no commission), Cents ($15, cent-denominated Classic conditions) and Zero Spread (from $1, instant execution at zero spread with a 0.02 to 0.07% commission, the direct cousin of InstaForex’s Eurica). Leverage commonly runs to 1:500 (with higher figures advertised in some regions) and drops to 1:30 under the EU entity. The instrument list is compact, roughly 100 to 150 symbols led by 55 currency pairs plus metals, index and stock futures CFDs and cryptocurrencies, and the platform is MT4 only, with WebTrader and a basic mobile app. The group’s ForexCopy system carries over, letting clients earn as copied traders or follow others, and a welcome deposit bonus greets international (non-EU) clients. Traders Union’s assessment rates its safety unusually well for its size (9.2/10) on the strength of the CySEC umbrella, while flagging the weak mobile app, thin education, weekday-only support and its unsuitability for scalpers as the honest drawbacks.
Regulation & Safety
Because the brands share their strongest regulatory asset, this section is largely one analysis told twice.
The shared CySEC umbrella. Instant Trading EU Ltd (license 266/15) provides both brands’ EU clients with MiFID-grade protections: segregated funds, negative balance protection, leverage caps, a bonus ban, and Investor Compensation Fund coverage up to EUR 20,000. For eligible Europeans, either brand offers identical statutory protection, because it is literally the same entity. Note that the entity’s former UK passporting (FRN 728735) is no longer authorized post-Brexit.
The offshore reality. Most clients of both brands sit elsewhere: InstaForex’s global business runs through BVI FSC-licensed and related offshore entities, and ForexMart’s through the SVG-registered Tradomart SV Ltd, where SVG’s FSA acts as a registry rather than a conduct regulator. There, protections are company policy (segregation, negative balance protection, insurance claims) rather than statutory rights, leverage climbs, and the bonus programs live. Complaint files for both brands feature the segment’s recurring themes, withdrawal delays and bonus-term disputes, at volumes consistent with their respective sizes, and neither carries a defining enforcement scandal.
Trust verdict: a structural tie. EU-eligible traders get real protection at either brand; everyone else is trusting the InstaFintech group’s 19-year record, which is substantial but unregulated where most clients live. As always, the entity named in your account agreement matters more than the logo.
Trading Products
InstaForex fields the bigger arsenal by far: 100 to 110+ currency pairs spanning deep exotics, gold, silver and metals, index CFDs, energy, 83+ US share CFDs (with synthetic US shares and ETFs, curated basket products and IPO-linked instruments on parts of the group’s MT5 offering, where totals exceed 2,600 symbols), and one of the widest crypto CFD menus anywhere at 70+ pairs trading 24/7.
ForexMart keeps it compact: roughly 55 forex pairs, precious metals, major indices, stock and commodity futures CFDs and a core cryptocurrency selection, around 100 to 150 instruments in total. Adequate for a forex-first trader, restrictive for anyone diversifying.
Verdict: InstaForex, decisively, on breadth; ForexMart covers the essentials with less noise.
Trading Platforms
Both brands are MetaTrader houses running the group’s shared infrastructure.
InstaForex centers on MT4 with the full EA, indicator and one-click ecosystem, WebTrader and mobile apps, with MT5 access available through parts of the group (where the expanded instrument list lives). Its real platform differentiators are the services bolted on: the ForexCopy system (follow or be followed, with copied traders earning commissions), the giant PAMM network for managed money, InstaWallet internal transfers and a client cabinet dense with tools, contests and analytics. Density is also the criticism: the ecosystem sprawls across more pages, portals and offers than any newcomer needs.
ForexMart runs MT4 only, plus WebTrader and a simple mobile app, and inherits ForexCopy in a cleaner wrapper. There is no MT5, no cTrader, no TradingView, and fewer distractions, a genuine simplicity advantage for traders who want one terminal and a copy system without the carnival.
Verdict: InstaForex for ecosystem depth (PAMM, contests, MT5 access); ForexMart for focused simplicity. Neither satisfies a trader who has outgrown MetaTrader 4.
Trading Costs
The family’s two brands price the same markets very differently, and this is where ForexMart earns its existence.
Spread-only accounts. InstaForex’s Insta.Standard carries fixed spreads of roughly 3 to 7 pips on majors, among the widest in the industry, with the offset that they never widen during news and that bonuses (offshore) subsidize margin. ForexMart’s Classic averages about 1.2 pips floating and its Pro about 0.8 pips, three to five times cheaper than its sibling’s Standard on a typical EUR/USD trade. For plain commission-free trading, ForexMart wins by a landslide.
Zero-spread accounts. The brands mirror each other: InstaForex’s Eurica and ForexMart’s Zero Spread both quote entry at the chart price with a commission of 0.02 to 0.07% per side (roughly $2 to $7 per 10k-lot equivalents depending on instrument), structures that beginners and EA developers appreciate for their arithmetic transparency. Costs land in similar territory; InstaForex’s custom 10,000-unit lot makes granular sizing easier.
ECN pricing. Only InstaForex offers a true ECN family: floating spreads from about 0.8 pips (ECN Pro, EUR 1,000 minimum) with commissions around EUR 2 per lot on some tiers, plus a dedicated Scalping account. ForexMart, by Traders Union’s own assessment, is not built for scalpers at all.
Non-trading costs. Both brands reimburse or waive deposit fees and charge no meaningful inactivity fees, and both charge withdrawal fees that vary by method, percentage-based across most channels at InstaForex, and up to about 2.5% at ForexMart, making method choice consequential at both. Bonuses (offshore only) carry volume terms at both brands; the group’s complaint files trace overwhelmingly to those terms.
| Cost Item | InstaForex | ForexMart |
|---|---|---|
| Spread-only account (EUR/USD) | Fixed 3 to 7 pips (Standard) | Avg 1.2 (Classic); avg 0.8 (Pro) |
| Zero-spread account | Eurica: 0 spread + 0.02 to 0.07% | Zero Spread: 0 spread + 0.02 to 0.07% |
| ECN option | Yes (from ~0.8 pips + ~EUR 2/lot) | No true ECN |
| Deposit fees | None (broker side) | None, reimbursed |
| Withdrawal fees | Percentage-based, most methods | Up to ~2.5% by method |
| Inactivity fee | None significant | None |
| Bonuses (offshore) | 30% to 100% deposit programs | Welcome deposit bonus |
Cost verdict: ForexMart for everyday spread trading; InstaForex only via its Eurica/ECN routes, or when bonus margin is deliberately part of the plan.
Account Types
InstaForex:
- Insta.Standard: from $1, fixed 3 to 7 pip spreads, no commission, leverage to 1:1000.
- Insta.Eurica: from $1, zero spread, 0.02 to 0.07% commission, instant execution.
- Cent variants: both structures in cent denomination for micro-risk live practice.
- ECN / ECN Pro / ECN VIP: floating spreads from ~0.8 pips; Pro from EUR 1,000.
- Scalping account: ECN conditions tuned for short-term strategies.
- Islamic: swap-free variants. Demo: free.
ForexMart:
- Classic: $15 minimum, no commission, avg 1.2 pips.
- Pro: $200 minimum ($1,100 EU), avg 0.8 pips, no commission.
- Cents: $15, Classic conditions in cents.
- Zero Spread: from $1, zero spread plus 0.02 to 0.07% commission, instant execution.
- Islamic: swap-free configurable at signup. Demo: free, unlimited.
| Account Feature | InstaForex | ForexMart |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $1 | $1 to $15 |
| Cent accounts | Yes | Yes |
| Zero-spread structure | Yes (Eurica) | Yes (Zero Spread) |
| True ECN tier | Yes | No |
| Account count | 7+ | 4 |
| Custom lot size | Yes (10,000 units) | No |
Deposits & Withdrawals
Both brands run the group’s funding rails: cards, bank transfer, Skrill, Neteller, regional systems (Fasapay, Payco, QIWI-era methods by region) and cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin and USDT. Deposits are free or reimbursed at both. Withdrawals are the friction point across the family: percentage-based fees on most methods at InstaForex and up to roughly 2.5% at ForexMart, with crypto and select e-wallets the cheap, fast rails (often same-day). Processing is generally quick once accounts are verified; both complaint files concentrate on delays where bonuses were active or verification incomplete. The practical protocol at either brand: verify fully first, read bonus terms before accepting anything, test a small round trip, and route payouts through low-fee methods.
Research & Education
InstaForex maintains one of the larger content operations in the segment: daily analysis across markets, video reviews, an education library, calculators, contests with real prizes, and Telegram/WhatsApp distribution. Depth varies, but volume and localization are genuine strengths.
ForexMart offers a thin package by comparison, market analysis, economic news and a forex brochure, with reviewers consistently flagging education as its weakest area. Beginners at ForexMart will study elsewhere.
Verdict: InstaForex, comfortably.
Customer Support
InstaForex runs 24/7 multilingual support across live chat, phone, email, Telegram and WhatsApp, with dedicated account managers featuring prominently in positive user reviews.
ForexMart offers 24/5 multilingual support through the same core channels, competent on weekdays, absent on weekends, which matters for crypto positions that trade through Saturday and Sunday.
Verdict: InstaForex, on hours and channel breadth.
Mobile Trading Experience
Both brands lean on MT4 mobile as the real trading app, which is functional and dated. InstaForex supplements with richer client-cabinet apps and (via the group) MT5 mobile access; ForexMart’s own app rates poorly in independent testing and serves mainly as an account-management companion. Neither approaches modern proprietary apps.
Verdict: InstaForex, modestly.
Pros & Cons
InstaForex
Pros
- 19-year flagship brand with 7M+ reported clients and CySEC EU arm (266/15)
- Huge range: 100+ FX pairs, 70+ crypto CFDs 24/7, up to 2,600+ symbols via group MT5
- Unique Eurica zero-spread structure and $1 cent accounts, ideal for beginners and EAs
- ForexCopy plus one of the largest PAMM networks anywhere
- Legendary bonus programs (offshore): 30% to 100% deposit offers
- 24/7 support, big education library, ECN and Scalping accounts for progression
Cons
- Insta.Standard fixed spreads of 3 to 7 pips are among the industry’s widest
- Percentage-based withdrawal fees on most methods
- MT4-centric stack; custom 10,000-unit lots confuse imported EAs
- Sprawling, cluttered ecosystem; bonus terms drive recurring disputes
- Offshore entities carry no statutory protection; UK authorization lapsed
- Withdrawal-friction complaints on watchdog platforms
ForexMart
Pros
- Same CySEC umbrella as its sibling (Instant Trading EU Ltd, 266/15) for EU clients
- Far tighter everyday pricing: Classic avg 1.2 pips, Pro avg 0.8, no commission
- Simple four-account menu; Zero Spread from $1 with transparent commissions
- ForexCopy system included; unlimited demo; deposit fees reimbursed
- No inactivity fee; strong third-party safety score for its tier
- Cleaner, quieter experience than the flagship
Cons
- Small universe: roughly 100 to 150 instruments, 55 FX pairs
- MT4 only, weak mobile app, no MT5/cTrader/TradingView
- Not built for scalpers; no true ECN tier
- Withdrawal fees up to ~2.5% by method; support closes on weekends
- Thin education and research
- Offshore SVG entity for most clients, with registry-level oversight only
Who Should Choose InstaForex?
Choose InstaForex if you want the full ecosystem of the family’s flagship. Absolute beginners get the gentlest live on-ramp in the industry, $1 cent accounts on the Eurica structure where the price you click is the price you get, wrapped in localized education and 24/7 support. Social and passive traders get ForexCopy plus a PAMM network deep enough to diversify across dozens of managers. Crypto-heavy traders get 70+ pairs around the clock, algorithmic developers get the zero-spread sandbox and a dedicated Scalping/ECN track to grow into, and bonus-tolerant offshore clients get the segment’s most generous margin subsidies. Just trade its structure knowingly: avoid the wide-spread Standard account unless fixed pricing is genuinely your strategy, budget for withdrawal percentages, and read every bonus clause twice.
Who Should Choose ForexMart?
Choose ForexMart if you like the family but not the carnival. Everyday discretionary traders get major-pair pricing three to five times tighter than the flagship’s Standard account, in a four-account menu a beginner can understand in one sitting, with the same CySEC protection for EU clients and the same ForexCopy engine for passive income or copied strategies. Small-account traders get $1 to $15 entries with cents and zero-spread options, and anyone allergic to promotional clutter gets a broker that mostly just quotes prices. Accept its ceilings honestly: a compact instrument list, MT4-only tooling, no weekend support and no scalping-grade venue mean serious traders will eventually look beyond it, sometimes to its own sibling’s ECN accounts.
Final Verdict
This comparison ends where it began: with one group wearing two faces.
InstaForex is the bigger, richer, louder face, the right choice for beginners who want cent-and-zero-spread simplicity inside a vast ecosystem, for social and PAMM investors, for crypto CFD traders and for bonus hunters, provided its wide Standard spreads and withdrawal fees are navigated deliberately.
ForexMart is the tidier, cheaper face, the right choice for straightforward spread-based forex trading with the family’s CySEC umbrella and copy system, minus the noise, and minus the depth.
Because the EU entity, copy technology and offshore philosophy are shared, switching between them is more like changing rooms than changing houses; some traders reasonably run the Eurica/ECN structures at InstaForex beside a Classic account at ForexMart. Whichever face you choose, the family disclosure applies: leveraged CFD trading loses money for the large majority of retail clients, offshore entities offer no statutory protection, and bonuses are marketing with terms attached. Fund either brand only with money you can afford to lose, and verify current conditions on the official sites first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are InstaForex and ForexMart the same company?
They are sister brands of the same family. ForexMart is operated by Tradomart SV Ltd, and its European services run through Instant Trading EU Ltd (CySEC license 266/15), the same Cypriot entity that anchors InstaForex’s EU operation under the InstaFintech Group. They also share the ForexCopy social trading technology and similar offshore structures, while running separate brands, sites, account menus and pricing.
Which broker has lower spreads?
ForexMart, for everyday commission-free trading: its Classic account averages about 1.2 pips and Pro about 0.8 pips on majors, versus fixed 3 to 7 pips on InstaForex’s Standard account. On zero-spread structures (InstaForex Eurica vs ForexMart Zero Spread) costs are similar, and only InstaForex offers a true ECN tier from about 0.8 pips floating plus commission.
Are these brokers regulated?
Partly. EU clients of both brands trade under Instant Trading EU Ltd, regulated by CySEC (266/15) with ICF compensation up to EUR 20,000, segregated funds and negative balance protection. Most international clients trade under offshore entities, BVI/SVG structures for InstaForex and the SVG-registered Tradomart SV Ltd for ForexMart, where oversight is registry-level and protections are company policy.
What are the minimum deposits?
InstaForex: from $1 across its Standard, Eurica and cent accounts (ECN Pro from EUR 1,000). ForexMart: from $1 on Zero Spread and $15 on Classic and Cents, with Pro at $200 internationally ($1,100 under the EU entity).
Do both offer copy trading?
Yes, via the same underlying ForexCopy system: follow experienced traders automatically, or earn commissions by being copied. InstaForex adds one of the industry’s largest PAMM networks for managed investing, which ForexMart lacks.
Which platforms do they support?
Both are MT4-centric with WebTrader and mobile apps. InstaForex offers MT5 access through parts of its group (where the expanded 2,600+ instrument list lives); ForexMart is MT4 only. Neither offers cTrader or TradingView, and InstaForex uses a custom 10,000-unit lot convention worth checking before importing EAs.
What bonuses are available?
InstaForex runs the family’s famous programs, deposit bonuses of 30%, 55% and up to 100%, club bonuses and contests, for offshore clients only (EU rules prohibit them). ForexMart offers a more modest welcome deposit bonus to international clients. All bonuses carry trading-volume and withdrawal conditions that cause most disputes at both brands.
Are there withdrawal fees?
Yes at both, varying by method: percentage-based charges on most channels at InstaForex, and up to roughly 2.5% at ForexMart. Cryptocurrency and select e-wallets are typically the cheapest, fastest payout rails. Neither brand charges meaningful inactivity fees, and deposit costs are waived or reimbursed.
Which is better for beginners?
InstaForex, on balance: $1 cent accounts, the Eurica zero-spread structure (chart price = entry price), a large education library, contests and 24/7 support create the softer landing. ForexMart’s simpler menu appeals too, but its thin education and weekday-only support leave beginners more alone.
Which is better for crypto trading?
InstaForex, clearly, with 70+ cryptocurrency CFDs trading 24/7 versus ForexMart’s core selection, and richer crypto funding options across the group.
Can scalpers and EA traders use these brokers?
At InstaForex, yes: the ECN family and dedicated Scalping account exist for exactly that, and EAs run freely (mind the custom lot size). ForexMart is explicitly not suited to scalping, with no ECN tier and instant-execution zero-spread pricing better matched to casual strategies.
Do they accept US or UK clients?
No US clients at either brand. UK retail authorization for the shared EU entity has lapsed post-Brexit, so UK residents are not served under FCA-equivalent terms; both brands also restrict various sanctioned jurisdictions. Check the official restricted-country lists before registering.
