ATC Brokers review: Regulations, Platforms, Trading Instruments and Broker Ratings.

4.375 • 124 REVIEWS
Updated: Mar 3, 2024
ATCBrokers.com (co.uk)

4 star review by MACH26, United Kingdom

I really like ATC Brokers. They react quickly and I've never had problems withdrawing money although it takes a couple of days. The spreads are tight and commissions competitive. Spreads only widen late in the evening GMT. Only thing that's a bit of a nuisance is they charge for inactive accounts which is not specific to them but annoying anyway.

What is ATC Brokers?

ATC Brokers is a forex broker regulated by FCA, NFA, and CIMA since 2005.

In addition to MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 4 Mobile platforms, ATC Brokers.com offers proprietary MT Pro software for MetaTrader to enhance traders' MetaTrader 4.

ATC Brokers offers 38 currency pairs, 11 CFD instruments, and 5 Cyrptos for your personal investment and trading options.

Please read ATC Brokers Reviews below and share your live trading experiences with this broker.

2016-01-18:  The NFA fined ATC Brokers and David Manoukian $30,000.  CLICK HERE to verify.

September 2012:  The NFA has filed a complaint against ATC Brokers.  October 2012:  A settlement was reached.  Click here to see the files at the NFA website.

Broker Details

Minimum Trade Size: 0.01
Maximum Leverage: 200:1
Minimum to Open Live: $2,000
Established: 2005
Address: 27 Hospital Road George Town Grand Cayman , KY1-9008, Cayman Islands
Contact: support@atcbrokers.com, +44 20 3318 1399
Regional offices:
Regulators: CIMA #1448274, FCA # FRN 591361, NFA #NFA 358522
Prohibited countries: Unknown
Trading platforms: MT4, MT Pro (ATCBrokers)
Mobile Trading: ✅ Yes
ECN: ✅ Yes

Trading Instruments

Currencies: (35+)
Cryptocurrencies: (5+)
CFD: (10+) Gold, Silver, Oil

Trading Conditions

EAs/Robots: ✅ Yes
News Trading: ✅ Yes
Scalping: ✅ Yes

Managed Accounts & Social Trading

MAM: ✅ Yes
Deposit Methods: Bank Wire (BankTransfer/SWIFT), VISA, Skrill, UnionPay
Withdrawal Methods: Bank Wire (BankTransfer/SWIFT)
* Please check broker website for more information
4.375 • 124 REVIEWS

ATC Brokers Most Helpful Customer Reviews

J
JerBear45
Denver, USA,
Sep 24, 2017,
Registered user

ATC is a rare gem of a FOREX firm, being they are one of the only "Broker-Only" firms that are also regulated by the CFTC among others. I wo

I have been trading for 12 years, and writing my own EA's for about 3 years. This is important for all to know - ATC is probably about the BEST option for selecting a broker, and I did a lot of research, and have been testing in both a live and demo account with this firm for a couple of months. Dave Manoukian and Alex Hajinyan are my two primary POCs, both of which have been incredible to get to know, and bounce various ideas off of them, and learn their platform. It is few and far between to find a REAL BROKER ONLY firm that does not take the side of shady broker/dealer firms (which is always a conflict of interest), and today will be my first day doing real trading on my live account, both manually and with a set of EA's I have built. The most important things to look for when trading with any broker is 1) They are not a DD also, 2) If you qualify as an ECN, that they have an ECN program, especially as a US citizen, as ECN certified clients can bypass the stupid CFTC FIFO and no hedging rules/regs, and 3) That you remember there are many liquidity pools out there, and order execution can take some time, but not too much time, and also look carefully at your entry rates and what the bid/ask are at that exact time. I actually take a screenshot automatically every time I take a trade, and a timer also times the precise amount of time it takes to enter and exit a trade, what the bid/ask/spread is, and then I compare that against several other firms at that exact time. What is cool about ATC is if you actually encounter a real issue on a live account (not that is matters much if its a demo account but errors should still be reported), ATC are super honorable and will actually look into it, verify your errors,and either reimburse for the trade or figure out what the difference is and apply it to your account - I have yet to encounter a live account trading error, again, today will be my first day actually trading on a live account with ATC, not testing with a live account to optimize my EA's, so it will be an interesting day, evening, rest of the week. To close this review, I strongly recommend this firm if you are a serious trader looking to make real money that can actually be withdrawn. And remember, the broker only firms serve as a conduit between the liquidity pools and the traders, so if something goes wrong, even though it should be the thieving liquidity pools or BROKER?DEALER firms paying you for errors or intentional delaying of entrance or closing of trades, or opening the spread super big right after you take a trade, among other little tricks they pull, the broker bears the burden to take care of its client and then take it up with the liquidity pool afterward. As unfortunate as it sounds, most firms will scam your money, then suddenly your account drains to nothing, and you try and do a withdraw request with whatever your balance is remaining, and then they just disappear. I have lost tens of millions from the mom and pop donut shop smaller liquidity pools - I try and work with BROKER ONLY firms who are in with the Prime of Primes, but it is inevitable your trades will often times not get taken by the PoP banks, who the PoP's will relinquish who they are, but ask to get the name of the shady thieving smaller pools - not so much! Why do you think they don't want you knowing who they are? And I am not talking about the Broker, rather the liquidity pools. ATC gets 10 stars from me, and I will come back at the end of this week and let everyone know how the actual live trading goes, if there are any errors I catch, if so what happened with complete transparency. ATC deserves to have a good name as I feel thus far, and anyone bad mouthing a firm like ATC being a broker only firm, usually has no clue how to trade, loses their money, then blames it on the firm. We all win and lose, the key is to develop a good strategy, not be greedy, have patience, and watch your screens like a hawk who never sleeps during the trading week. Hope this helps everyone to realize ATC is a real deal firm, with amazing representatives, and I fully trust in ATC as of current, and hope that continues to build into a long lasting relationship. Rally on!! :)
M
Michael McCarroll
Pennsylvania, USA,
Oct 13, 2015,
Guest

I have been trading with ATC for approximately fine years, with Live and Demo accounts running concurrent. Years ago, I had some problems, but they were actually rooted with FXCM, and so was compensated appropriately. Knowing a lot about forex trading with vast experience over many years, I think that ATC gives a significant enough "edge" over other brokers to make profits possible. I would not consider changing brokers under current conditions, and if it would come to that, I would most likely stop trading in the forex market. I have used demo accounts with many others for comparison over time, and I have yet to find another broker that comes close to meeting my needs. Even with the commissions involved, I find that in comparison, trading costs are still lower than ANY of the others I have used. I offer a definite five stars.

2012-03-15 5Star Excellent proprietary modifications to the MT4 trading platform that other brokers don't seem to offer.

In the event of a margin call, ATC does not close all positions, giving a trader a massive advantage while avoiding large expenses to re-enter positions.

The support is superior to any others that I have had accounts with....a very competent staff (I encountered a virus on my trading station, and one staff member worked for hours remotely at no cost to resolve the issue.)

Their system is very reliable with very few server problems, that are quickly resolved.

Though they charge a small commission, the profit comparison to others is greater because of the much lower spreads. I personally ran multiple demos on different stations to verify this.

Simply put, they want you to succeed and will help you in any way they can.
J
John Naikuonam
, Canada,
Oct 21, 2014,
Guest

I stand corrected. Your useless platform was down for 2.5 hours... YES 2.5 HOURS on September 4... (not the 8th). Let's test your honesty now... since then how many times has your platform been down?? I would say at LEAST 4 times... how is this a reliable system? It's hard enough to make money trading without having to deal with a retarded system that isn't reliable... You guys are crooks!!!

2014-09-18 1Star Thankfully I closed my account but apparently they had another major outage on the 19th. That's 3 outages that each lasted for more than 2 hours... I wonder how many people they screwed over this time.... how are these guys still in business?

2014-09-13 1Star ATC is not a broker... they are a middle man who ultimately collects fees for nothing... infact you are worse off because now it's a more complex system so if either ATC of FXCM goes down you are going to shafted. Ask anyone who was trading on September 8 what happened when the system was down for over 2.5 hours. They used it as an opportunity to fill whatever orders they wanted and reject what they wanted. will provide statements to prove it....pure crooks
Copyscape:
0% match | Checked Sep 18, 2014

Comment: Added by ATC BROKERS on 2014-09-22
As we appreciate comments and feedback, we do not appreciate misleading and false information that is made to the public due to the lack of knowledge from the end user. We did experience technical issues on the 4th of September (not the 8th, as stated) for an approximate duration of one hour (not 2.5 hours, as stated) and we apologize for any inconvenience that you have experienced. During this time, our staff was available for clients that called our trade desk and placed trades. Furthermore, aside from your ridiculous accusation of “fill whatever orders they wanted and reject what they wanted” being misleading, it is not possible for us to do this as we are not the counter party and do not hold client funds.

As stated on the previous review comments, ATC BROKERS is an IB (introducing broker) to FXCM. We have connected our MT4 to FXCM's institutional price model to obtain competitive spreads and provide straight through processing (STP) order execution. We utilize FXCM as the counter party and work with both their US and UK division.

We are one of the very few honest brokers in the industry. We were established in 2005 and have grown our business mainly through word of mouth, which says a lot about a company's integrity. Unfortunately, this industry has been polluted with many corrupt brokers which take advantage of clients. We understand that there is a lack of trust from clients and we hope that traders will realize that our firm is different from many of the brokers out there because of our transparent approach.

Mr. Naikuonam, as to no surprise, we do not see your name on our client database. If you have a live account with us, please contact our office and place your order review, as we would love the opportunity for you to prove to us your theory.

We look forward to hearing from you.

ATC BROKERS
1 trader has found this review helpful
J
Reply by ATC BROKERS submitted Nov 24, 2014:
As there is no such thing as a flawless structure, there will always be elements that are outside of any brokers? control that can affect a trading environment such as ISPs, data centers, etc. This does not make us ?crooks?. Your comment is irrational and has no merit. We have yet to receive any account details or order reviews from you to try to rectify the matter and prove that you do in fact have a live trading account with ATC. The fact that you utilize the co-founders last name and spell it backwards is further evident that your posting has no credibility. ATC BROKERS
W
Wayne R
Boston, USA,
Sep 26, 2014,
Guest

Andrew and Robert.

I'd like to say you guys have far exceeded my expectations of support.
I truly thought my request for technical assistance for such a bizarre incident would be put on a low priority and lost in the ether.
Thank you so much for restoring my faith in what customer service can be :-))

Good news is that I upgraded to iOS 8 48 hours ago and the MetaTrader4 connection / settings reset have stopped occurring.
So I'm not sure if iOS impacted the WiFi or 3G....or if it impacted the MetaTrader4 App itself???
Anyhow, I'm satisfied at this point in time.
D
Don Miller
Southern California, USA,
Sep 17, 2014,
Guest

Fair, honest broker. Fast execution - over 5000 trades without one requote. Great trade copier! Trade copier is server based, and sub-accounts don't require MT4. Trade copier is very easy to set up and use, and it doesn't make mistakes, even in high frequency scalping. ATC is ideal for money managers.

Recent User Reviews of ATC Brokers

S
suhail
Uae, United Arab Emirates,
Jan 18, 2024,
Registered user

The best broker ever

Service use: Live Length of use: over 1 Year
The best broker ever I trade with them for more than 1 year they are great but they reduce the lavarege to 1:50 which is very difficult for small accounts the only limitation was that other than that they are perfect

Oct 20, 2019 - 5 Stars Excellent in trading deposits withdraw good spread support EA overall it’s excellent

Nov 25, 2017 - 5 Stars I was ATC brokers client and I will say they are the best in the market. I opened with them demo account then real account it’s the same what I got on demo as profit same as real account because I am using forex EA it’s working smoothunitefly and I doubled my account then I withdraw all the aUAEmount it reach my account with in 2 to 3 days without any delay or questions . Who think to open real ecn account with 5000 $ and accept 8$/lot commission go with ATC .

Aug 6, 2011 - 5 Stars i trade with ARC brokers for more than 1 year and really they are the best trading orders execution withdraw excellent
A
atilaa
Gelderland , Netherlands,
Nov 18, 2023,
Registered user

Fantastic Broker

Service use: Live
Fantastic broker services. Used for several years now. Fast withdrawals, good spreads and friendly customer service. I am very happy with this broker.
J
jojo1122
Bratislava, Slovakia,
Nov 10, 2023,
Registered user

Very bad experience

Length of use: over 1 Year
Hello traders,

This broker not pay withdrawal, very big problem with this way in ATC Broker.
I waiting 3th day for processing my request!
Not recommend to any trader.
1 trader has found this review helpful
A
Awareness
Auckland, New Zealand,
May 18, 2022,
Registered user

Happy customer since 2016

Service use: Live Length of use: over 1 Year
I have been a forex trader for over 12 years. I decided to go with ATC Brokers in 2016 after MB trading closed its services for NZ customers. Having seen the wild west of FX brokers in the yesteryears, I had done days of research and testing back then. (Scalping, no dealing desk, fair commissions, separation of client funds, etc.) and scored all the key brokers, before opening 3 accounts with ATC.
I am happy to say that, as I tried to find my trading niche, I have done all types of trading with ATC(scalping, Live EAs and swing trading). I have had no problems with execution and customer service is prompt, professional and clear. My only peeve is that there is no-use penalty if your account stays dormant for over 3 months. I don't think this should be the case as they still make interest out of my accounts. You can get around this by ensuring you make at least one trade within that period. Good, hassle-free broker and they have been trust-worthy for many years.
T
Trader Forex
USA, USA,
Nov 19, 2021,
Registered user

WARNING! A serious issue pointed out by professional traders worldwide!

Service use: Live Length of use: 3-6 Months
Before I begin, I will state the fact that I've been trading the forex market for more than 12 years. Before opening a live account with ATC Brokers, I downloaded their MT4 demo to make note of the Market Watch time used on their MT4 platform. One of the most important points to look for with ANY forex broker is to be sure that their Market Watch time matches the New York close. In other words, the DAY candle should end and a new candle begin at precisely 5 PM New York time. Why is this so important? Find a broker that uses the correct Market Watch time (NY time). Then find a broker that does not, and open a demo account from each broker. Open a chart of a currency pair on each platform using the H4 and Daily timeframes. Compare the candle formations between the two and you will see a significant difference, even if the Market Watch time differs by only one hour. Obviously, the reason for the different candle formations is because each candle closed and opened at a different time. This is a problem with ANY timeframe above 1 hour. This problem is compounded with the MT5 platform due to more timeframes being available (H2, H8, H16, etc.). I'm not going in depth into how this affects other currency markets such as Currency Futures, but you better believe how important this matter is to the markets! Can you imagine stock brokers using something other than New York time to validate their charts ??? This matter is just as important with forex brokers!

Over the years, I've kept myself informed of the various lawsuits against forex brokers via great websites like FPA. One of the most deceptive practices has been for brokers to use a Market Watch time that does not match New York time. I will give you a real-world example: A candle on a chart using an incorrect Market Watch time shows a beautiful Shooting Star formation at the close of a 4-hour candle after an extended bull run of that currency. A Shooting Star, used with other indicators, can signal a REVERSAL of a bull market. A trader places a SHORT trade based on that chart, but the market moves higher and the trader's stop loss is hit. Why did it move higher? Because on a chart that was CORRECTLY using New York time, the candle formation was actually a BULLISH Engulfing (not a Shooting Star). Therefore, the price continued moving higher instead of reversing. Trading with a forex broker with an incorrect Market Watch time is a recipe' for failure.

Some traders reading this review may think “this situation of having an incorrect Market Watch time doesn’t affect me since I trade the lower time frames.”  A lot of trading strategies will often be dependent upon what is currently happening in a higher time frame.  For instance, trading decisions made on a 15-minute or 30-minute chart could be dependent upon what is happening on the current 4-hour or Daily chart. 

Below is a detailed article by professional trader, Nial Fuller, of the United Kingdom. I don't want to make this a review of Nial Fuller or his website, but he does do a great job of explaining in more depth why using New York time is so important for any serious forex trader. I find it ironic that ATC Brokers will ignore a UK-based professional trader on this matter (and others!). All the while, coupling themselves as an Introducing Broker with a parent company that uses the wrong Market Watch time. This situation is not just an opinion of a few traders. Pick up any in-depth book by professional forex traders worldwide and they will most likely cover this aspect of selecting a broker. It has been covered in ALL forex books I've read over the last 12 years.

https://www.learntotradethemarket.com/meta-trader-demo-account-sign-up-new-york-close-charts

This problem with ATC Brokers using the wrong Market Watch time began on November 7 when Daylight Savings Time ended. ATC Brokers uses the same Market Watch time year-round. This in-turn causes the incorrect painting of candles as noted above for several months during the year between November and March. I could easily put together a list of legitimate brokers that make adjustment to their Market Watch time in November and March to correct this issue. But unfortunately, I cannot use most of the brokers on that list because I'm a US citizen! Don't be naïve'. You better believe that the parent broker used by ATC Brokers is very much aware of this problem! And what is ATC Broker's response when confronted with this issue? Tough. We're not changing it.

The argument put forth by SCAM brokers in the past went something like "We are located in a different time zone and, therefore, we use a time that does not match New York time." Absolutely ABSURD !! Can you imagine Charles Schwab using California local time for their charts instead of NY time because Schwab's headquarters is located in California ??? It's a ridiculous argument and they know it. It's been pointed out in suits against forex brokers during the past as a very unscrupulous practice. And where are most of the so-called "government regulatory agencies" on this issue? Crickets. Complete silence. Correcting this matter of wrong Market Watch time is a simple adjustment to their MT4 server when the market is closed during the weekend. Ask any IT tech that has worked for a forex brokerage firm.

Are you a serious trader with aspirations of being successful long-term in the forex market? Then stay away from ATC Brokers. And if you're already a client of ATC Brokers, sound off by calling to let them know that you are aware of this on-going problem that they refuse to correct!
2 traders have found this review helpful

Frequently Asked Questions

Is ATCBrokers a good broker?

Unbiased traders reviews on ForexPeaceArmy is the best way to answer if ATC Brokers is a good broker. https://www.forexpeacearmy.com/forex-reviews/1428/www.atcbrokers.com

Please come back often as broker services are very dynamic and can improve or deteriorate rapidly.

Additionally, we'd recommend to check recent ATCBrokers community discussions: https://www.forexpeacearmy.com/community/tags/atcbrokers/

Is ATCBrokers regulated?

ATCBrokers Ltd is regulated in 3 countries.
  • ATCBrokers is regulated by Cayman Islands Monetary Authority, 1448274.
  • ATCBrokers (UK) is authorized and regulated by United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority, FRN 591361.
  • ATC BROKERS (US) is regulated by the National Futures Association (NFA 358522).

What leverage does ATCBrokers offer?

ATCBrokers offers a variable leverage based on the branches.

ATCBrokers UK:
  • 30:1 for major currency pairs
  • 20:1 for non-major currency pairs, gold and major indices
  • 10:1 for silver and other commodities
ATCBrokers US:
  • The trading leverage is set to 50:1.
ATCBrokers Cayman:
  • 200:1 for major currency pairs for account sizes below 100,000.
  • 100:1 for major currency pairs for account sizes above 100,000.

What is the minimum deposit to open an account with ATCBrokers?

ACTBrokers introduces a variable minimum initial balance to open an account based on the branches.
  • ACTBrokers US: The minimum account balance to open is 3,000 USD.
  • ACTBrokers UK: The minimum account balance to open is 5,000 USD.
  • ACTBRokers Cayman: The minimum account balance to open is 2,000 USD.