Best Forex Brokers for Gold Trading (XAU/USD) 2026

Compare top-rated brokers for trading Gold with low spreads, high leverage, and fast execution.

Edith Balazs

Written by

Edith Balazs

Marcus Thompson

Fact Checked by

Marcus Thompson

Last reviewed:
By:Edith Balazs
Fact-checked by:Marcus Thompson

Top Gold (XAU/USD) Trading Brokers Reviewed

Gold (XAU/USD) is one of the most traded assets in the world due to its high volatility and safe-haven status. For profitable gold trading, you need a broker with tight spreads (ideally under 20 cents), fast execution to handle volatility, and flexible leverage. We have tested over 50 brokers to find the best environments for trading precious metals in 2026.

What is the best leverage for trading gold?

High leverage (e.g., 1:500) allows you to trade larger gold positions with small capital, but it significantly increases risk. For beginners, leverage of 1:20 or 1:30 is recommended to manage volatility.

Gold Trading Conditions

Spreads and leverage for XAU/USD pairs.

BrokerAction
Exness10-15 centsUnlimitedOpen Account
XM0.3 pips1:1000Open Account
HFMLow1:1000Open Account
Pepperstone1.2 cents (Razor)1:500Read Review
Tickmill0.09 avg1:500Read Review
IC Markets1.0 cents (Raw)1:500Read Review
XTB0.30 pips1:500Read Review

Detailed Broker Analysis

Recommended
Best Leverage for Gold Trading
4.8/5App Score

Exness is a favorite among gold traders due to its stable spreads even during volatile news events and the unique ability to offer unlimited leverage on XAU/USD pairs for small accounts.

Forex spread classUltra-Low
Minimum deposit$10
Inactivity feeNone
Currency pairsN/A
Deposit methodsN/A
Withdrawal fee
Recommended
Best for Low Deposit Gold Trading
4.7/5App Score

XM makes gold trading accessible to everyone with its Micro account, allowing you to trade gold with very small contract sizes. Their execution is reliable and they offer swap-free trading on Gold.

Forex spread classLow
Minimum deposit$5
Inactivity fee$5/mo
Currency pairsN/A
Deposit methodsN/A
Withdrawal fee
IC Markets logo
IC Markets
Read Review
Recommended
Best for Gold Scalping
4.9/5App Score

If you scalp gold, IC Markets is the top choice. Their Raw Spread account offers some of the tightest gold spreads in the industry, often nearing zero during liquid sessions, combined with lightning-fast execution.

Forex spread classRaw
Minimum deposit$200
Inactivity feeNone
Currency pairsN/A
Deposit methodsN/A
Withdrawal fee
Pepperstone logo
Pepperstone
Read Review
Recommended
Fastest Execution for Metals
4.8/5App Score

Pepperstone's Razor account is excellent for automated gold trading strategies. They offer deep liquidity on XAU/USD and support advanced platforms like cTrader and TradingView.

Forex spread classRazor
Minimum deposit$0
Inactivity feeNone
Currency pairsN/A
Deposit methodsN/A
Withdrawal fee
Recommended
Best Proprietary App for Gold
4.8/5App Score

XTB's xStation 5 platform provides excellent charting tools specifically for commodities. You can view gold sentiment, heatmaps, and correlation data directly in the app.

Forex spread classStandard
Minimum deposit$0
Inactivity feeNone
Currency pairsN/A
Deposit methodsN/A
Withdrawal fee
Recommended
Flexible Gold Accounts
4.6/5App Score

HFM (formerly HotForex) offers a variety of account types suitable for gold trading, including a Zero Spread account and a Cent account for testing strategies with real money.

Forex spread classLow
Minimum deposit$0
Inactivity fee$5/mo
Currency pairsN/A
Deposit methodsN/A
Withdrawal fee
Tickmill logo
Tickmill
Read Review
Recommended
Lowest Commission Gold Trading
4.5/5App Score

Tickmill is a solid ECN choice for gold traders who want to minimize costs. Their Pro account offers extremely low commissions and tight spreads on precious metals.

Forex spread classPro
Minimum deposit$100
Inactivity feeNone
Currency pairsN/A
Deposit methodsN/A
Withdrawal fee

Frequently Asked Questions

High leverage (e.g., 1:500) allows you to trade larger gold positions with small capital, but it significantly increases risk. For beginners, leverage of 1:20 or 1:30 is recommended to manage volatility.

The best time to trade gold (XAU/USD) is during the London (8:00 AM - 4:00 PM GMT) and New York (1:00 PM - 9:00 PM GMT) session overlaps, as liquidity and volatility are highest.

Most brokers charge overnight swap fees for holding gold positions. However, 'Swap-Free' or 'Islamic' accounts (offered by XM, Exness, etc.) waive these fees, though they may add other administrative charges.

Gold prices are primarily driven by the US Dollar strength (inverse relationship), interest rates (Fed policy), inflation data, and geopolitical instability (safe-haven buying).

Yes, gold is popular for scalping due to its daily range. You need a broker with fast execution and low spreads (like IC Markets or Pepperstone) to scalp effectively.

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Not Financial Advice:

Information on this website is for educational and comparison purposes only. This does not constitute financial, investment, or trading advice. How we rank brokers →

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Regional Availability Notice

Broker availability depends on your country of residence. Some brokers may not accept clients from certain jurisdictions including the USA, Canada, Japan, and others. The comparison table on this page shows country acceptance status. Please verify availability with the broker directly before proceeding.

Independent Analysis

Rankings based on verified data and hands-on testing. See our methodology →

Data Verified

January 2026