XTB Review

Overview

XTB is a good choice for investors and traders who want low-cost stocks and ETFs, CFDs and investing tools inside one platform. For UK investors, XTB offers 0% commission on stocks and ETFs up to €100,000 of monthly turnover, no minimum deposit and access to a Flexible Stocks & Shares ISA. Its biggest weaknesses are the 0.5% currency conversion fee and the lack of MetaTrader 4 or MetaTrader 5.

Our verdict: XTB is worth considering for self-directed investors, ETF investors and traders who are happy using XTB's proprietary xStation platform. It is less compelling for investors who frequently buy foreign-currency assets, professional traders who depend on MetaTrader or APIs, or anyone who needs the product breadth of a full-service broker such as Interactive Brokers.

There is also an important regulatory issue to disclose. On 28 August 2026, Poland's Financial Supervision Authority, the KNF, upheld a PLN 20 million fine against XTB S.A. relating to client-appropriateness assessments, product governance, conflicts of interest and CFD information practices during 2022 and 2023. This does not mean XTB is an unregulated or illegitimate broker, but it belongs in any genuinely current assessment of XTB's regulatory record.

This XTB review primarily uses the UK offering for precise fees and regulatory details. XTB products, investor protections and account terms vary by country.

XTB at a glance

Is XTB safe and legitimate?

Yes. XTB is an established, regulated broker, although the entity protecting your account depends on where you live.

UK residents are onboarded through XTB Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under FRN 522157. Eligible UK clients may also have access to the Financial Ombudsman Service and Financial Services Compensation Scheme protections.

XTB uses different legal entities in other regions. EU residents may be onboarded through XTB's CySEC-regulated entity under licence 169/12. Some international clients use XTB International Limited, which is regulated in Belize. Check the legal entity named in your account documents before depositing money. That entity determines the regulator, investor protection and account terms that apply to you.

XTB S.A. is a publicly traded company. It joined the Warsaw Stock Exchange on 6 May 2016, giving investors access to more public financial information than they would get from a privately held brokerage company.

What about the 2026 KNF fine against XTB?

The 2026 KNF decision is a negative part of XTB's regulatory record, but it does not make XTB an unregulated broker.

On 28 August 2026, the KNF issued a final decision maintaining a PLN 20 million penalty against XTB S.A. The regulator identified problems with: The relevant conduct took place mainly between January 2022 and September 2023.

That should not be exaggerated into "XTB is unsafe". XTB remains regulated, and the UK business operates through a separate FCA-authorised entity. But it should not be buried either. Regulatory enforcement history is relevant when choosing any financial institution.

XTB fees: is XTB really commission-free?

XTB can be very cheap for stocks and ETFs, but "0% commission" does not mean every transaction is free. The 0.5% foreign-exchange fee is the cost most investors should pay attention to.

For UK accounts, XTB charges no dealing commission on real stocks and ETFs until your total monthly turnover exceeds the equivalent of €100,000. Above that threshold, XTB charges 0.2%, subject to a minimum £10 commission.

The more important charge for many ordinary investors is currency conversion.

XTB charges a 0.5% currency conversion margin when the currency of an investment differs from the account currency.

That makes the economics quite different depending on what you buy.

For example, suppose a UK investor uses a GBP account to buy £10,000 worth of a US stock denominated in USD. A 0.5% conversion cost represents approximately £50 of FX friction on the purchase alone. If the investment were later sold at the same value and the proceeds converted back into GBP at another 0.5%, total round-trip currency conversion friction would be roughly £100, ignoring exchange-rate movements.

That is why XTB is particularly attractive when your investments match your account currency, while the economics become less impressive if you repeatedly trade foreign securities.

XTB lets UK users open additional accounts in GBP, EUR and USD, which can reduce unnecessary currency conversion in some situations.

Other XTB fees to know about

XTB does not charge an account-opening fee or a standard account-maintenance fee for active clients. It also advertises free deposits and withdrawals, although your bank or payment provider may charge separately.

An inactivity fee of €10 per month, or the equivalent in GBP or USD, applies only when both conditions are met:

• No position has been opened or closed during the previous 365 days.
• No deposit has been made during the previous 90 days.

XTB does not charge custody fees on real stocks and ETFs up to a portfolio value of €250,000. Above that amount, the published custody fee is 0.02% per year, subject to a £10 minimum for UK accounts.

CFD charges work differently. XTB's Standard account builds much of the trading cost into variable spreads. CFD positions may also incur overnight financing or swap charges.

What can you invest in with XTB?

XTB offers real stocks and ETFs alongside CFDs, giving customers access to both long-term investing and leveraged trading products in one account.

XTB's UK website lists more than 11,700 instruments overall and more than 9,100 stocks and ETFs within its investing service. The exact selection depends on your country.

CFD markets cover forex, indices, commodities, stocks and ETFs. XTB's help centre says that more than 50 currency pairs are available.

Check the product label before placing an order. XTB offers both real shares and share CFDs, and they are different products. In xStation, a real stock is labelled STC, while a stock CFD is labelled STC CFD.

A real share gives you exposure to the underlying company. A CFD is a leveraged derivative whose value tracks the underlying asset.

XTB also offers Investment Plans, which let users build ETF portfolios around target allocations. More than 300 ETFs can be used in Investment Plans, with up to nine ETFs in each plan. XTB states that Investment Plans are not currently available inside ISA accounts.

Is the XTB xStation platform good?

Yes. xStation is a capable platform for investors and traders who are happy using XTB's own software. The trade-off is that XTB offers little choice if you prefer another platform.

XTB provides a browser-based platform and mobile apps for iOS and Android. Features include:

The interface sits between a basic investment app and a professional trading terminal. It offers more analysis and order functionality than a simple stock app without requiring the full complexity of a professional platform.

The limitation is compatibility with other trading tools.

XTB does not support MetaTrader 4 or MetaTrader 5 for new accounts. MT4 was removed from XTB's UK offering in 2024, and existing accounts were moved to xStation.

Independent testing by ForexBrokers.com also reports no direct TradingView support, API access or algorithmic-trading capability.

For ordinary investors, this may not matter. MetaTrader users, systematic traders and anyone with an automated setup may need another broker.

Who is XTB best for?

XTB is most suitable for three groups of customers.

1. Investors buying stocks and ETFs regularly

Investors who remain below the €100,000 monthly turnover threshold can buy eligible stocks and ETFs without dealing commission.

The offer works best when the investments are denominated in the same currency as the XTB account. Otherwise, the 0.5% conversion margin can reduce the benefit of commission-free dealing.

2. People who want investing and active trading in one account

XTB is unusually well positioned between pure investment apps and specialist CFD brokers.

A user can hold real stocks and ETFs while also having access to forex and CFD markets through the same platform. That makes XTB attractive if you do not want separate brokers for long-term investing and shorter-term trading.

That convenience should not be confused with risk. XTB's current UK disclosure states that 74% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with the provider. CFDs use leverage and are fundamentally different from buying an unleveraged stock or ETF.

3. UK investors wanting a flexible ISA

XTB offers a Flexible Stocks & Shares ISA and a Flexible Cash ISA to eligible UK residents. The Stocks & Shares ISA has no standard platform fee and uses the same 0% stock and ETF commission threshold as the general investing account.

As of September 2026, XTB says that uninvested cash held inside its ISA products earns a variable 4% AER, calculated daily and paid monthly. The rate can change, so check it before opening an account.

XTB pros and cons

XTB vs Trading 212

Trading 212 is worth comparing if your main priority is low-cost foreign stock investing.

Trading 212 publishes a 0.15% FX fee for Invest and Stocks ISA transactions. XTB charges a 0.5% conversion margin.

For an investor repeatedly buying USD-denominated stocks from GBP, that difference can matter more than the headline "commission-free" claim.

XTB has the stronger case if you want more trading tools, market analysis and access to investing and CFD products in one account. Trading 212 may be the simpler choice for investors focused mainly on foreign shares and ETFs.

So, is XTB worth using in 2026?

Yes, XTB is worth considering if you want stocks, ETFs and trading products in one account and are comfortable using xStation.

It is most competitive when you stay below the €100,000 monthly stock and ETF turnover limit and keep investment and account currencies aligned. The 0.5% FX fee can otherwise make the platform more expensive than its 0% commission headline suggests.

MetaTrader users and traders who need APIs or automated strategies should look elsewhere.

On trust, XTB has meaningful positives: the UK entity is FCA authorised, XTB S.A. is publicly traded and the group has operated for more than two decades. The final PLN 20 million KNF enforcement decision in August 2026 is nevertheless a legitimate negative and should form part of the decision rather than being hidden beneath a generic "fully regulated" label.

XTB is a strong general-purpose broker for self-directed investors and traders, but it is not automatically the cheapest option for international investing or the best option for advanced automation.

Information checked on 10 September 2026. Fees, interest rates, product availability, CFD loss percentages and regulatory protections can change. This review is for informational purposes and is not personalised investment advice.