LBLV Review 2024

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LBLV is an offshore broker incorporated in the Comoros Union that offers forex, commodities, stocks and other instruments. But with limited transparency about fees and payment methods – as well as a warning about this broker from the FCA – we are suspicious about LBLV’s activities.

This review will assess the broker in more detail, outlining key trading products, account security, and more.

Our Take

• Our experts had trouble using the brokerage’s services, including opening an account, accessing educational material and contacting customer support
• The firm is not regulated by a reputable authority such as the FCA raising safety concerns
• The very high minimum deposit of $5000 will put this out of reach for many beginner traders
• We think LBLV should be avoided by UK investors, though some high-net-worth traders may be attracted to the private bank accounts offered at the top account levels

Market Access

LBLV offers over 1,400 investment products. The range of instruments advertised is fairly decent and includes cryptocurrency assets like Bitcoin, which many UK brokers do not offer. Also, clients looking for a low-cost way to diversify their portfolios may benefit from indices like the FTSE 100.

Still, we recommend higher-rated alternatives like Plus500 or eToro. They offer many thousands of instruments including portfolio diversification opportunities. Trading conditions and account security are also higher at these firms.

The full list of assets is as follows:

• Metals, including gold and silver
• Forex, including major and minor pairs
• Indices, including the FTSE 100 and S&P 500
• Stock CFDs, including Apple, Amazon and Microsoft
• Commodities, including Brent Crude oil, coffee and gas
• Cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum and Ripple

Fees

LBLV claims to have low trading commissions, although no further details regarding spreads, commission charges or non-trading fees are given.

We find this extremely disappointing, making it difficult for traders to make an informed decision as to the profitability of investing with this broker.

The broker also fails to provide information about other trading costs, such as inactivity and swap fees.

Account Types

Our experts were pleased to see that all account types at LBLV have Islamic/Sharia-compliant options and mobile trading support.

However, accounts can only be opened in USD and EUR, which means UK investors may be subject to additional fees when converting from GBP.

Rookie

Although the Rookie account has the lowest minimum deposit, traders must still deposit £4,000 to open one. This will certainly exclude many novices. Our team were disappointed with this high minimum deposit requirement, finding it unnecessary and almost predatory. This account is also very basic and comes with no additional features.

Basic

The Basic account requires a £20,000 minimum deposit and, unlike the Rookie account, features access to an account manager. However, for such a large minimum deposit, we think this LBLV account should come with a much wider range of features.

Premier

The Premier account has a £40,000 minimum deposit and comes with an account manager and ‘technical indicator’. Our experts could find no detail as to the nature of this technical indicator given by the broker.

As the trading platform has built-in technical indicators, we think this account may be lacking relative to its high minimum deposit requirement.

Elite

This account at LBLV has all the features of the Premier account, as well as what the broker calls ‘technical analysis’. Again, no detail is given as to what this means. The account also has a hefty £80,000 minimum deposit.

Elite Plus

The Elite Plus account is only appropriate for serious traders as it has a £200,000 minimum deposit. It contains all the features of the Elite account, plus an EU private bank account.

VIP

The VIP account is the most premium account type at LBLV with an £800,000 minimum deposit and the broadest range of features. It includes everything that the Elite Plus account has to offer, as well as a personal banker.

However, we are still not convinced that this account offers value for money, particularly as there is no indication by the broker that the high minimum deposits result in any discounted fees.

How To Sign Up For An LBLV Account

1. Click Create Account on the broker’s website
2. Complete the form including name, address and account currency
3. Click Register Account

Note that proof of identity and residence may also need to be submitted.

Funding Option

No detail as to any deposit or withdrawal methods is given by LBLV. Again, this makes it difficult for traders to account for the costs of investing with this broker, given that wome brokers charge deposit and withdrawal fees, which can rack up if making regular transactions.

The lack of information on payment options and withdrawal times is also concerning, as this does not reassure us that investors will be able to access their money quickly and easily, if at all.

Regulation

LBLV is incorporated offshore in the Comoros Union, which is in the Indian Ocean off the Eastern Coast of Africa. It has an International Brokerage license and is regulated by the Mwali International Services Authority (MISA).

As this is not a top-tier regulator, we advise traders to approach this broker with caution as they may find themselves without the same protections offered by other regulators.

In January 2021, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the UK published an article stating that a firm named LBLV registered in Seychelles may be providing financial services or products in the UK without their authorisation. The email address given for this broker on the FCA website is the same as the email address on LBLV’s website.

The absence of FCA authorisation also means that UK clients will not have access to the UK’s Financial Ombudsman Service or the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS).

Trading Platform

LBLV integrates with the industry-leading MetaTrader 5 (MT5) platform, which suits both beginners and seasoned traders and has a range of built-in technical and fundamental analysis tools. However, some traders may find that other brokers’ proprietary platforms have a more straightforward design and more user-friendly layout, such as eToro.

There is a desktop version free download link on the broker’s website, as well as a web trader option, with the latter helpfully avoiding the need to download and install any software.

Our team have listed some of the main features of the MT5 platform:

• News reports
• 21 timeframes
• Expert Advisors (EAs)
• 38 technical indicators
• Copy trading capabilities
• Built-in economic calendar
• Unlimited number of charts
• MQL5 automated trading language

Mobile App

MT5 has a mobile app that can be downloaded onto Apple (iOS) and Android (APK) devices. It is an intuitive application with many of the same features available on the desktop version, although the app allows investors to trade while on the go.

LBLV states that the MT5 app has a fast trade execution speed of just 0.02s. It also has 0.01 micro lot trading, making it more accessible to lower-capital traders who invest in smaller quantities.

LBLV Leverage

UK investors can access leverage rates of up to 1:400 at LBLV. This is significantly higher than the maximum rates found at many UK-regulated brokers, typically limited to 1:30.

Although higher leverage capacity creates opportunities to magnify any profits, it can also lead to higher losses. Only experienced investors should trade with leverage due to the risk involved.

Demo Account

We were unable to find access to a demo account. This is disappointing as most top brokers, including Pepperstone and CMC Markets, have easily-accessible demo accounts so that beginners can familiarise themselves with the trading platform.

They can also assist seasoned traders to test and refine strategies – as long as the account replicates real market conditions.

Bonuses Deals

We found it unusual for an offshore broker like LBLV not to advertise a no-deposit or deposit welcome bonus/offer. The regulatory freedom that such brokers have often means they use attractive bonuses and promotions to entice new clients.

Extra Tools & Features

Although LBLV has named pages on its website relating to e-books, video courses, a glossary and forex forecasts, we were unable to access any of these resources. When our experts attempted to view the content of these pages, they were met with a server error message. This may indicate that the broker lacks legitimacy and is a serious drawback for beginners who often rely on such resources to make informed trading decisions. The news page and economic calendar cannot be accessed either.

There are no details of any additional investing resources such as a VPS or a social trading forum for connecting traders.

Customer Service

LBLV advertises the following customer support contact options:

• Live Chat
• Telephone – +18447924568
• Email – clientservices@lblv.com

The broker claims to provide 24-hour support. However, we did not receive a response when we tested the live chat, although we did get a reply to our email. The lack of efficiency in the live chat service is concerning and it is unclear whether it works at all. It is important that traders can easily get help if they experience technical issues or have queries as it is their money on the line.

The broker also has Facebook, Instagram and YouTube accounts.

Company Details & History

LBLV was founded in Seychelles in 2017, though few company details are provided on its website. We find this lack of transparency to be very concerning. There is also no information regarding its number of users, trading volume and where its offices (if any) are located.

Many other brokers willingly provide such information to show that they are an active, legitimate and popular company.

Trading Hours

Trading hours are usually 24/7 for crypto and 24/5 for forex, although our team would prefer the broker to confirm these hours as there are sometimes variations that can seriously restrict speculative opportunities.

It would also be useful to know the server time, so UK traders can plan their investment strategies.

Safety

We have strong concerns about the security and legitimacy of the LBLV platform. Our experts attempted to register for an account but we encountered technical issues, which meant it was not possible to get online login details. The inaccessible web pages and weak customer support are also worrying.

The only security features we found were that the trading platform has 256-bit encryption and the registration form is encrypted.

As for the security of investor funds, we would advise traders to be very cautious if using this broker.

Should You Trade With LBLV?

LBLV lacks much of the information and resources on its website that we would expect from a reputable and reliable brokerage. We were not able to access any educational material or market analysis and the minimum deposit requirements are significantly higher than many other brokers.

LBLV’s unresponsive customer support and lack of top-tier regulation are also causes for concern, not to mention the FCA itself condemning the sale of its services to UK clients.

Our experts recommend that readers avoid this brokerage and explore legitimate, FCA-regulated brokers with transparent pricing, low minimum deposits and a suite of helpful features.

FAQ

Article Sources

LBLV Website

Mwali International Services Authority (MISA)

FCA Warning

Top 3 LBLV Alternatives

These brokers are the most similar to LBLV:

1. Swissquote - Swissquote is a Switzerland-based bank and broker that offers online trading and investing. The company has a high safety score and is listed on the Swiss stock exchange. The firm offers a huge range of products, from stocks, ETFs, bonds and futures to 400+ forex and CFD assets. Hundreds of thousands of traders have opened an account with the multi-regulated brokerage. Clients can get started in three easy steps while 24/7 customer support is available to assist new users.
2. FXPrimus - FXPrimus is an award-winning CySEC-regulated brokerage offering CFD trading on 200+ instruments via the MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5 and cTrader platforms. The choice between a competitive commission-free account and two affordable raw spread options make this an accessible broker for anyone seeking forex, stocks, indices and commodities with high leverage.
3. IG Index - Founded in 1974, IG is part of IG Group Holdings Plc, a publicly traded (LSE: IGG) brokerage. The brand offers spread betting, CFD and forex trading across an almost unrivalled selection of 17,000+ markets, with a range of user-friendly platforms and investing apps. For 50 years, IG has maintained its position as an industry leader, excelling in all key areas for traders.

LBLV Feature Comparison

Trading Instruments Comparison

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