Key To Markets or Axi – which is better for UK traders 2025? Compare Key To Markets and Axi in this detailed breakdown of their platforms, features and fees.
Key To Markets is an ECN brokerage firm that was set up in London in 2010 for retail, professional and institutional investors to access a reliable and consistently-priced trading environment. The broker is regulated by the UK's FCA and the FSC in Mauritius.
Established in 2007, Axi is a multi-regulated forex and CFD broker that has made strides to improve its trading experience over the years, from expanding its suite of stocks and upgrading the Axi Academy to launching its own copy trading app.
72.4% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider
Pros
I'm glad to see that one of Key To Markets' regulatory licenses is from the UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), a highly respected authority with top-tier safeguarding measures
I was impressed by the inclusion of social trading options and access to a free virtual private server (VPS), providing a more extensive range of services than the average online broker
I like that all clients can freely access MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, two of the industry's top platforms with impressive analysis tools and intuitive automation capability
It's also good to see a range of educational content and free analysis material that is regularly updated and provides clients with a deeper understanding of the markets
I experienced tight spreads when I tested Key To Markets and found no additional costs to consider, not even deposit or withdrawal fees
Axi offers a terrific MT4 experience, enhanced with the NextGen plug-in for advanced order management and analytics, and complete with low execution latency of approximately 30ms.
The growing educational resources in the Axi Academy, including free eBooks, video tutorials and notably interactive quizzes, are excellent for supporting beginner traders.
Axi's latest copy trading app is really intuitive based on our tests with useful filtering options to match strategies with individual risk preferences.
Advanced traders can now sign up for the Axi Select funded trader program through the broker’s offshore entity, providing funding up to $1 million with a 90% profit share.
Cons
I think the lack of commission-free, STP account types will restrict the broker's accessibility to beginners and less experienced traders
I would prefer to see a wider range of product classes to allow for greater diversification opportunities
Any deposits or withdrawals not made via wire transfer will incur costly transaction fees
Axi is falling behind by only offering MT4 when many rivals now support MT5, cTrader, TradingView and proprietary software for a slicker experience with more advanced tools.
Despite bolstering its stock CFDs in US, UK and EU markets, it’s still nowhere near as extensive as firms like BlackBull which offer thousands of equities for diverse opportunities.
Axi still has our confidence but issues with the ASIC and FMA in recent years mean it needs to continue providing a secure environment while adhering to licensing conditions.
Despite performing well whenever we use it, Axi's support is unavailable 24/7, which can be inconvenient for traders in different time zones or those needing assistance outside standard trading hours.
Awards
Best Forex Provider 2023 – Online Money Awards
Best MT4 Provider UK 2022 – International Business Magazine Awards
Best CFD Provider 2022 – Shares Awards
Best CFD Provider 2021 – Shares Awards
Most Transparent Forex Broker (Middle East) 2021 - Global Forex Awards
Best EMEA Region Broker 2020 - ADVFN International Financial Awards
Axi’s app delivers a smooth, efficient trading experience, integrating all the tools needed for active trading in global markets right from your palm. Benefiting from upgrades to fix bugs and improve speed, it now features push notifications, personalized watchlists, and educational videos, all within a user-friendly interface that really impresses.
iOS App Rating
3.6
Android App Rating
4.2
Margin Trading
No
Yes
MetaTrader 4
Yes
Yes
MetaTrader 5
No
No
cTrader
No
No
AlgoTrader
No
No
OmniTrader
No
No
TradingView
No
No
Autochartist
No
Yes
eSignal
No
No
Trading Central
No
No
STP Account
No
Yes
ECN Account
No
No
DMA Account
No
No
MAM Account
Yes
Yes
PAMM Account
No
Yes
LAMM Account
No
No
Demat Account
No
No
AI / Machine Learning
No
No
Robo Advisor
No
No
Negative Balance Protection
No
Yes
Market Maker
No
No
P2P Trading
No
No
Spot Trading
No
Yes
Auto Trading
Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader
Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader, Myfxbook
Copy Trading
No
Yes
Social Trading
Yes
Yes
Trade Signals
MT4, Autochartist
VPS Hosting
No
Yes
Tournaments
No
No
Demo Competitions
No
Yes
Ethical Investing
No
No
Custodial Account
No
No
Guaranteed Stop Loss
No
No
Inactivity Fee
$10
Islamic Account
No
Yes
Account Currencies
USD
EUR
GBP
CHF
PLN
Commodities
Gold
Silver
Natural Gas
Copper
Oil
Gold
Silver
Platinum
Cocoa
Coffee
Gasoline
Natural Gas
Precious Metals
CFD
The broker's selection of 180 CFD products is pretty small compared to competitors and I found it quite limiting that these only span forex, indices, commodities and stocks.
Axi offers a growing suite of CFDs covering currencies, shares, indices, commodities and crypto (location dependent). It’s clearly built with active traders in mind with zero restrictions on scalping or algo trading, extensive leverage opportunities, and fast execution with latency under 100ms.
Leverage
1:30
1:30
FTSE Spread
2
1.0
GBPUSD Spread<
0.7
0.6
Oil Spread
0.46
0.03
Stocks Spread
Variable
0.07
Forex
My evaluations uncovered a decent range of 65 forex instruments, comprising major, minor and exotic currency pairs, available with leverage rates of up to 1:30 and ECN execution.
Axi’s 70+ currency pairs is its strongest market offering and beats out rivals like AvaTrade, which offers only 50+. Combine this with an elevated MT4 offering through the NextGen add-on, and Axi remains an excellent broker for forex traders.
Assets
65
70+
GBPUSD Spread
0.7
0.5
EURUSD Spread
0.4
0.2
EURGBP Spread
0.7
0.5
Cryptocurrency
Trade cryptos against the US Dollar and Euro.
Axi provides 24/7 short-term trading opportunities on 30 popular cryptos paired with fiat currencies, other tokens and more unusually, metals. It also stands out with its high leverage up to 1:200 for advanced crypto traders, amplifying potential returns but also losses.