FBS Review

Overview

FBS is a legitimate multi-entity forex and CFD broker, but whether it is a good choice depends heavily on which FBS company serves your country. International clients can get a $5 minimum deposit, spreads advertised from 0.7 pips and leverage of up to 1:3000 through FBS Markets Inc in Belize. EU clients trade under the CySEC-regulated Tradestone Ltd instead, where retail leverage is capped at 1:30 and the Standard account currently requires a €100 initial deposit.

Our verdict is straightforward: FBS is most attractive to eligible international traders who value a very low starting deposit, MetaTrader, commission-free Standard account pricing and unusually high leverage. It is less compelling for traders whose first priority is maximum regulatory protection, raw-spread pricing or a particularly broad institutional-style product range.

The biggest mistake when reviewing FBS is treating every FBS customer as though they receive the same account. They do not.

Last checked: September 2026

This review is based on regulatory records, FBS legal documents, published trading conditions and current customer-review data. It is not presented as a first-hand live-account test.

FBS review at a glance

FBS currently advertises more than 550 instruments, spreads from 0.7 pips, commission from 0%, execution from 0.01 seconds and a $5 initial deposit on its international website.

Those figures should not be assumed to apply to every country.

Is FBS safe and legitimate?

FBS is a legitimate broker brand with identifiable companies and regulatory registrations. The protection available to you depends on the entity named in your account-opening documents.

European Economic Area clients are served by Tradestone Ltd, a Cyprus Investment Firm authorised by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission under licence 331/17. The CySEC register confirms Tradestone Ltd and lists fbs.eu as an approved website.

Tradestone Ltd says that EU client funds are kept separately from company funds and that it participates in Cyprus's Investor Compensation Fund. Eligible retail clients can receive compensation equal to the lower of 90% of a covered claim or €20,000, subject to the statutory conditions. EU retail clients also receive negative balance protection under the applicable CFD rules.

Australian customers are served by Intelligent Financial Markets Pty Ltd, trading as FBS Oceania. The company says it is authorised by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission under AFS Licence 426359. Australian government ABN records show Intelligent Financial Markets Pty Ltd as an active company and FBS Oceania as a registered business name.

Other eligible international customers may trade with FBS Markets Inc, a Belize company. FBS's current legal documents identify the company as registered by the Belize Financial Services Commission under licence 4077102.

The practical conclusion is that asking only "Is FBS regulated?" is not enough. You should identify the exact legal entity shown in your account-opening documents before depositing money.

FBS regulation by region

The same brand can therefore offer very different trading conditions to different customers.

What are the main pros and cons of FBS?

FBS advantages

• Low entry barrier internationally: the FBS Standard account starts from $5.
• Commission-free Standard pricing: FBS advertises no separate trading commission on its international Standard account, with floating spreads from 0.7 pips.
• Very high potential leverage: eligible international accounts can access leverage as high as 1:3000, although the maximum falls as account equity increases.
• MetaTrader support: international traders can use MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, including Expert Advisors and algorithmic trading features.
• Large international product selection: FBS advertises more than 550 instruments globally.
• Cent account availability: eligible international clients can use a Cent account for smaller position sizes, although current FBS terms state that the Cent account is opened through a Partner referral link.
• Demo and swap-free options: both are available in FBS's international offering.

FBS disadvantages

• The strongest headline conditions do not apply everywhere. An EU trader does not receive 1:3000 leverage or the same $5 Standard account entry point.
• 1:3000 is a maximum, not a permanent account setting. FBS reduces the maximum leverage as equity rises.
• "Spreads from 0.7 pips" is a minimum advertised spread, not evidence that every trade or instrument will cost 0.7 pips.
• The international account is regulated in Belize rather than through the stronger EU or Australian regulatory regimes available to FBS customers in those regions.
• FBS is unavailable in several major markets. FBS Markets Inc states that it does not provide services to residents of jurisdictions including the USA, EU, UK, Israel, India, Iran and Myanmar. EU users are instead served separately through fbs.eu where eligible.
• Withdrawal routes are constrained by funding method. FBS generally requires withdrawals to follow the payment methods previously used to fund the account.

How much does it cost to trade with FBS?

The international FBS Standard account uses spread-based pricing with no separate trading commission and advertises floating spreads from 0.7 pips.

That is competitive on paper, but the word "from" matters.

A broker can advertise a minimum spread of 0.7 pips without that being the normal spread you receive throughout every trading session. Spreads can change with liquidity, volatility, instrument and time of day.

For that reason, serious cost comparisons should use: total trading cost = actual spread + commission + overnight financing + slippage

FBS's zero-commission structure makes the Standard account easy to understand, but traders running high-frequency or spread-sensitive strategies should compare live or typical spreads rather than making a decision from the headline minimum alone.

EU pricing follows a similar spread-led structure. FBS's EU key information documentation states that Tradestone Ltd charges a spread on forex CFD trades, while the EU Standard account currently advertises spreads from 0.7 pips.

How does FBS leverage actually work?

FBS advertises leverage up to 1:3000 internationally, but only smaller account balances qualify for the maximum.

The current FBS leverage schedule links maximum leverage to account equity.

This makes the 1:3000 marketing claim technically meaningful but narrower than it first appears.

It also makes FBS unusually aggressive from a leverage perspective. At 1:3000, a very small market movement can create a disproportionately large change in account equity. High leverage increases purchasing power, but it increases the speed at which losses can accumulate as well.

EU retail clients are in a completely different position. Tradestone Ltd currently caps leverage at 1:30 on its Standard and Cent accounts.

What FBS accounts are available?

The account range depends on your jurisdiction. For eligible international clients, the Standard account is the main general-purpose account. The account is aimed at traders who want a conventional spread-based account without a separate trading commission. A Cent account displays balances and trades in cents, allowing smaller nominal position sizes. Current international trading conditions state that the account can start from $1, offers floating spreads from 0.7 pips and charges commission from 0%. FBS's Help Center says maximum leverage is 1:1000 and that the account is available through an introducing broker referral link. A Cent account can help traders move from a demo account to live trading with less capital at risk. It does not remove market risk. The EU accounts offer different conditions from the international accounts. Tradestone Ltd currently lists: This is why the statement "FBS has a $5 minimum deposit" needs a jurisdiction attached to it.

FBS Standard account

For eligible international clients, the Standard account is FBS's main general-purpose account.

FBS currently advertises:

FBS Cent account

A Cent account represents balances and trades in cents, allowing much smaller effective position sizes.

Current FBS trading conditions state that an international Cent account can start from $1, has floating spreads from 0.7 pips and commission from 0%. FBS's Help Center currently says the maximum leverage is 1:1000 and that the Cent account is available through an introducing broker referral link.

A Cent account can be useful for testing execution or moving from demo trading to real-money trading with smaller nominal exposure. It does not remove trading risk.

FBS EU accounts

The EU offering is materially different.

Tradestone Ltd currently lists a Standard account with a €100 initial deposit and a Cent account with a €10 initial deposit. Both use MetaTrader 5, advertise floating spreads from 0.7 pips and provide leverage up to 1:30.

That is why a generic statement such as "FBS has a $5 minimum deposit" is incomplete.

What can you trade with FBS?

FBS advertises more than 550 tradable instruments in its international offering.

The international product range includes:

• forex currency pairs
• metals
• energies
• stock CFDs
• indices
• cryptocurrency CFDs

Again, availability changes by region.

For example, the current EU Standard account lists 28 main currency pairs, 15 forex exotics, 8 metals, 11 indices and 3 energy instruments. That is substantially narrower than the 550+ instruments promoted by FBS internationally.

If a particular market matters to you, check the instrument list for the legal entity you will actually trade through rather than relying on FBS's global total.

Does FBS support MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5?

Yes. International FBS clients can use MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, although platform availability varies by entity.

FBS lists the following MT4 features:

MT5 adds 21 timeframes, 38 technical indicators, an economic calendar and updated Expert Advisor functionality. International users can also access the FBS mobile app.

EU Standard and Cent accounts currently use MetaTrader 5 rather than both MT4 and MT5.

MetaTrader support is a clear advantage for discretionary forex traders and users of Expert Advisors. Anyone who needs a different specialist platform should confirm compatibility before opening an account.

How do FBS deposits and withdrawals work?

FBS supports cards, bank transfers, electronic payment systems and various local payment methods, although the options shown to each customer depend on their region.

FBS states that it does not charge a deposit fee on international trading-account deposits. Third-party banks or payment providers can still impose their own charges.

The more important restriction concerns withdrawals.

FBS generally requires customers to withdraw through payment systems previously used to fund the account. Where several methods were used, FBS applies rules governing the order or proportion in which funds can be returned.

FBS currently gives the following indicative withdrawal processing times after approval:

These are published estimates, not guaranteed withdrawal times.

What do FBS customer reviews say?

FBS has a strong overall Trustpilot rating, but customer reviews should be treated as reputation evidence rather than proof of financial safety.

As of September 2026, FBS's Trustpilot profile showed a 4.3 out of 5 rating from roughly 9,945 reviews. Around 68% were five-star reviews and 10% were one-star reviews at the time checked.

Trustpilot's summary of recent FBS feedback highlights frequent positive comments about deposits, withdrawals, support and ease of use. Negative feedback includes reports involving withdrawal delays, specific payment methods and trading costs.

That evidence is useful, but it should not outrank regulator records or contractual terms. Online reviews can tell you what recurring customer friction looks like. They cannot establish whether client funds are legally protected.

Is FBS good for beginners?

FBS can suit beginners who want to start with small amounts, but the highest-leverage version of FBS is not inherently beginner-friendly.

The $5 international Standard account, demo account, educational material and optional Cent account make the entry barrier unusually low.

The danger is that the same international account can offer leverage up to 1:3000.

A low minimum deposit reduces the amount needed to open the account. High leverage does the opposite to risk by allowing a trader to control a much larger position relative to account equity.

Beginners considering FBS would therefore get more practical value from the demo or Cent environment than from immediately maximising available leverage.

Is FBS good for scalping and active trading?

FBS has some attractive characteristics for short-term trading, including MetaTrader support, commission-free Standard pricing and spreads advertised from 0.7 pips.

However, an advertised minimum spread is not enough to establish that FBS is the cheapest broker for scalping.

A proper scalping comparison requires typical spreads during the trader's actual trading hours, execution quality, slippage and total round-trip cost. FBS advertises execution from 0.01 seconds internationally, but that is a best-case published figure rather than evidence that every order executes at that speed.

Traders who care about fractions of a pip should test the demo or a small live account against their alternative broker rather than choosing on headline spread alone.

Is FBS available in the US, UK and EU?

FBS Markets Inc does not currently offer its international service to residents of the USA, EU or UK.

Its current legal disclosure also lists Israel, India, Iran and Myanmar among restricted jurisdictions.

European FBS customers are handled separately through Tradestone Ltd and fbs.eu where the service is legally available.

FBS Oceania is intended for Australian residents and states that it does not offer services to residents of jurisdictions including the USA, EU, UK, Japan and China.

Always check current eligibility before depositing because broker availability can change with local regulation.

FBS vs a more heavily regulated broker: which should you choose?

The answer depends on what you are trying to optimise.

Choose FBS's international offering if your priorities are a very small opening deposit, MetaTrader and access to substantially higher leverage, and you accept the regulatory trade-off involved in using the Belize entity.

Choose a broker operating under a stronger regulatory regime in your country if statutory investor protection and regulatory recourse matter more than leverage.

For EU customers, that decision is partly removed because FBS itself routes eligible clients through the CySEC-regulated Tradestone Ltd structure.

The important comparison is therefore not simply: > FBS vs Broker X

It is: > the specific FBS legal entity available to you vs the specific legal entity offered by Broker X

That is the comparison that determines regulation, leverage, compensation arrangements, product range and contractual protections.

Who should consider FBS?

FBS is most suitable for an eligible international trader who wants a small starting deposit, MT4 or MT5, commission-free Standard account pricing and access to higher leverage.

The case is weaker if your first priority is the strongest domestic regulatory framework, raw-spread pricing, access from a restricted jurisdiction or a wider institutional-style product range.

Is FBS a scam?

FBS should not be described as an anonymous or unlicensed broker. The FBS brand operates through identifiable companies with regulatory authorisations in several jurisdictions.

CySEC's register confirms Tradestone Ltd under licence 331/17, while the Australian FBS operation identifies Intelligent Financial Markets Pty Ltd as the holder of AFS Licence 426359. The international FBS legal documentation identifies FBS Markets Inc as regulated by Belize's Financial Services Commission under licence 4077102.

That does not mean every FBS account has identical protection, nor does regulation protect a trader from normal market losses.

The more useful question is not simply "Is FBS a scam?" It is "Which FBS company will hold my account, and what protections apply to that company?"

What is the minimum deposit at FBS?

The international FBS Standard account has a minimum deposit of $5.

The answer changes in Europe. Tradestone Ltd currently lists a €100 initial deposit for its EU Standard account and €10 for its EU Cent account.

A specialised international Cent account can start from $1 under current FBS trading terms, but FBS currently states that this account is opened through a Partner referral link.

Does FBS charge commission?

The international FBS Standard account currently advertises zero trading commission and floating spreads from 0.7 pips.

Other costs can still exist, including spreads, swaps or financing, payment-provider charges and costs attached to particular instruments or account circumstances.

Zero commission therefore does not mean zero-cost trading.

Can you withdraw money from FBS?

Yes. FBS supports withdrawals through approved payment systems, but it generally requires funds to be returned through payment methods linked to previous deposits.

Published processing times range from near-instant electronic-payment withdrawals to several business days for cards and bank transfers. Approval and the external payment provider can affect the actual timing.

FBS review verdict

FBS is worth considering, but the reason to choose it is specific rather than universal.

For eligible international customers, FBS combines a $5 Standard account minimum deposit, spreads from 0.7 pips, no separate Standard trading commission, MT4 and MT5, more than 550 advertised instruments and leverage that can reach 1:3000 on smaller account balances.

The trade-off is that those conditions sit under FBS Markets Inc's Belize regulatory structure.

EU customers receive a very different proposition through CySEC-regulated Tradestone Ltd: leverage up to 1:30, negative balance protection, segregated client funds and potential Investor Compensation Fund coverage for eligible retail clients, but with different minimum deposits, platforms and instrument availability.

Final verdict: FBS is a credible option for eligible traders who specifically value low entry requirements, MetaTrader and flexible leverage. It would not be our automatic first choice for someone selecting a broker primarily on regulatory strength or professional-grade low-spread execution.

Before opening an account, verify three things: the legal entity named in your agreement, the trading conditions available in your country and the actual spread on the instruments you intend to trade.

Risk warning: Forex and CFD trading involves a substantial risk of loss, particularly when leverage is used. On its EU website, FBS currently reports that 66.43% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with Tradestone Ltd.