Dukascopy Versus Saxo Bank – Which Broker is Better for Your Trading?
Dukascopy and Saxo Bank are leading global Forex brokers, but which one should you trust for your Forex portfolios?
I have conducted an in-depth review of Dukascopy vs. Saxo Bank to determine which presents the better overall choice and which traders will benefit the most at either broker.
Headquarters | Denmark | Switzerland |
Regulators | N/A | FINMA, JFSA |
Tier 1 Regulator(s)? | ||
Owned by Public Company? | ||
Year Established | 1996 | 2004 |
Execution Type(s) | ECN/STP | ECN/STP |
Minimum Deposit | $500 | $100 |
Negative Balance Protection | N/A | |
Trading Platform(s) | Proprietary platform, Web-based | MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, Proprietary platform, Web-based |
Average Trading Cost EUR/USD | 0.7 pips ($7.00) | 0.3 pips ($3.00) |
Average Trading Cost GBP/USD | 1.1 pips ($11.00) | 0.8 pips ($8.00) |
Average Trading Cost WTI Crude Oil | $0.05 | $0.05 |
Average Trading Cost Gold | $0.55 | $0.32 |
Islamic Account | ||
Signals | ||
US Persons Accepted? | ||
Managed Accounts | ||
Get Started | Get Started |
The Main Advantages of Dukascopy and Saxo Bank
The Most Notable Advantages of Dukascopy
- In-house developed Swiss FX Marketplace (SWFX)
- Deep liquidity and fast order execution via 20+ banks
- API trading using SWFX
- STP/NDD/ECN trading environment
- Volume-based commission discounts
- Regulated capital of approximately CHF 40,000,000
- Swiss bank with its cryptocurrency coin, Dukascoin
- MT4, MT5, proprietary JForex platform, and a dedicated binary options trading platform
- Volume-based rebate program
The Most Notable Advantages of Saxo Bank
- Cutting-edge trading platforms
- Algorithmic trading and API trading
- Industry-leading asset selection of 71,000+ assets
- 260K+ daily trades
- $20B+ daily trade volume
- $90B+ of client assets
- 1.2M+ clients
- Point-based reward program on qualifying assets
Features & Platforms
MT4 | ||
MT5 | ||
cTrader | ||
Proprietary Platform | ||
Automated Trading | ||
DOM? | ||
Guaranteed Stop Loss | ||
Scalping | ||
Hedging | ||
One-Click Trading | ||
OCO Orders | ||
Interest on Margin | ||
Get Started | Get Started |
Available Markets
Commodities | ||
Crude Oil | ||
Gold | ||
Metals | ||
Equity Indices | ||
Stocks (non-CFDs) | ||
ETFs | ||
Futures | ||
Synthetics | ||
Get Started | Get Started |
During my Saxo Bank review, the asset selection exceeded 71,000 trading instruments covering all sectors versus 430+ at Dukascopy.
Here is why Dukascopy is a better choice for most traders:
- The asset selection is ideal and manageable for most traders
- Deep liquidity via 20+ banks
- Lower trading fees with volume-based rebate program
Typical Spreads & Fees
Average Trading Cost EUR/USD | 0.7 pips ($7.00) | 0.3 pips ($3.00) |
Average Trading Cost GBP/USD | 1.1 pips ($11.00) | 0.8 pips ($8.00) |
Average Trading Cost WTI Crude Oil | $0.05 | $0.05 |
Average Trading Cost Gold | $0.55 | $0.32 |
Average Trading Cost Bitcoin | $90.65 | $73.95 |
Get Started | Get Started |
Saxo Bank offers commission-free and commission-based accounts versus commission-based accounts at Dukascopy, but which one is cheaper?
Dukascopy fees are overall lower if volume-based rebates apply, while Saxo Bank has lower out-of-the-box trading fees.
Account Types
Account Types | Dukascopy | Saxo Bank |
Commission-free Accounts | No | Yes |
Commission-based Accounts | Yes | Yes |
Demo Accounts | Yes | Yes |
Islamic Accounts | Yes | No |
Social / Copy Trading | Yes | No |
Managed Accounts | Yes | Yes |
The Dukascopy account types incur lower costs, with net deposits and monthly trading fees versus the Saxo Bank account types, which have high minimum deposit requirements, except for the Classic account, which has none.
Are there any other noteworthy differences in the account structure between Dukascopy vs. Saxo Bank?
Here is what stands out the most:
- Dukascopy has lower trading fees
- Dukascopy has volume-based rebates
- Dukascopy offers TradingView
Minimum Deposit
Deposit Snapshot | Dukascopy | Saxo Bank |
Minimum Deposit | $200 | $0 |
Deposit Fees | Yes + Third-Party | Third-party |
E-wallets | Yes | No |
Cryptocurrencies | Yes | No |
Localized Methods | No | Yes |
Total Deposit Methods | 8 | 2 |
Supported Deposit Currencies | USD, EUR, GBP, 19+ | USD, EUR, GBP, 23+ |
How difficult is it to deposit at Dukascopy vs. Saxo Bank?
The Dukascopy minimum deposit is $200, a reasonable request but higher than the minimum deposit requirements at many competitors. A Saxo Bank minimum deposit does not exist for the Classic account. Dukascopy supports more payment processors, including cryptocurrencies, making it the better broker in this category.
Minimum Withdrawal
Withdrawal Snapshot | Dukascopy | Saxo Bank |
Minimum Withdrawal | No minimum withdrawal amount | No minimum withdrawal amount |
Internal Withdrawal Fees | Yes (third-party processing fees may also apply) | $0 (third-party processing fees may apply) |
Internal Processing Times | Within 48 hours | Instant withdrawal processing |
Which withdrawal process is better: Dukascopy or Saxo Bank?
Traders have more withdrawal methods at Dukascopy than at Saxo Bank, as the latter only processes bank wires. Neither broker lists a minimum withdrawal amount, but final processing fees are higher at Dukascopy.
However, Dukascopy supports cryptocurrency withdrawals, and overall, Dukascopy provides a more user-friendly withdrawal process than Saxo Bank.
Security & Trust
Country of the Regulator | Australia, Belgium, Switzerland, Denmark, France, Hong Kong (SAR), Netherlands, Singapore, United Kingdom | Switzerland, Japan, Latvia |
Name of the Regulator | N/A | FINMA, JFSA |
Regulatory License Number | 1149, 551422, Undisclosed, 34357130, 483632501, Undisclosed, 200601141M, 1395901, 280372 | Undisclosed but confirmed, Undisclosed, Undisclosed |
Regulatory Tier | 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1 | 1, 1, 1 |
Get Started | Get Started |
Which Broker Is More Secure and Trustworthy?
At Dukascopy and Saxo Bank client deposits are held in segregated accounts, and both brokers offer negative balance protection. My Dukascopy review and my Saxo Bank review confirmed excellent client protection of up to CHF 100,000 and €100,000, respectively. Both bank-brokers have a spotless track record spanning more than 20 years. Therefore, I rank Dukascopy and Saxo Bank as equally secure and trustworthy.
Dukascopy Versus Saxo Bank  Verdict
Dukascopy
Pros | Cons |
Excellent STP/NDD/ECN trading infrastructure | Account verification requires a video call |
Competitive trading fees with volume-based discounts | |
Banking services and trading as a bundled service | |
Quality trading tools and in-house research |
Saxo Bank
Pros | Cons |
Cutting-edge proprietary trading platforms supportive of algorithmic trading | Limited deposit and withdrawal methods |
Industry-leading asset selection of 71,000+ trading instruments | |
Excellent order execution statistics amid superb technology infrastructure | |
No minimum deposit requirement for the Classic account |
Which Forex broker is better?
Both Dukascopy and Saxo Bank are top brokers, so I recommend traders test the trading environments in the Dukascopy demo account versus the Saxo Bank demo account.
My Verdict
Saxo Bank is an industry-leading bank and broker with an unmatched asset selection, but Dukascopy pulls ahead primarily based on lower trading fees once volume-based rebates apply. It is also better suited for retail traders than Saxo Bank.
FAQs
What countries are restricted by Dukascopy?
Dukascopy does not provide a detailed list of accepted countries, but the footer of its homepage lists Belgium, Israel, Russia, Turkey, Canada, and the UK as restricted countries.
Is Dukascopy a true ECN?
Dukascopy is a true ECN broker featuring its in-house developed Swiss FX Marketplace (SWFX).
Can I trust Saxo Bank?
Saxo Bank established itself among the most trusted banks and brokers over the past 30+ years, complies with eight tier-1 regulators, and offers excellent client protection.
Is Dukascopy a real bank?
Dukascopy is a real bank headquartered in Switzerland with additional entities in Latvia and Japan.
Is Dukascopy a good broker?
Dukascopy is an excellent broker with low trading fees, a balanced asset selection, and outstanding technology and trading infrastructure.
Is Dukascopy or Saxo Bank safer for Forex and CFDs trading?
Dukascopy and Saxo Bank are equally safe for Forex and CFD trading. Both are well-regulated banks and brokers with a spotless track record exceeding 20+ years and superb client protection.
Is Saxo Bank a good bank?
Saxo Bank ranks among the best banks due to its cutting-edge technology infrastructure, tier-1 regulation, and competitive banking environment.