Broker suggestions

I used to trade back in 09-13 and haven't really touched it since that time. I used to use IBFX which was an amazing broker but after FIFO came in, they got picked up by TS I think and it just made my strategy not impossible but more difficult to manage. I'm looking for:

- Accepts US customers
- USD deposit/withdrawl
- Tight spreads/commisions
- Obviously no FIFO
- Your 5 star review of customer service/withdrawal experiences
- Micropips where each 0.01 lot equal 1 cent (Looks like that doesn't exist no more, only .10 cents?)
- Some sense of professionalism and maybe some regulation
- Don't need crazy amounts of leverage
- MMs or brokers, no dealers. I hold losses and usually only close losing trades in a batch of trades that results in a net positive. So this is a big one for me.

I've been googling with mixed reviews but can't seem to find anything that I will have faith in. Thanks in advance!

It's great to hear from someone who has experience in the markets from back in the day. The landscape has definitely changed quite a bit since the IBFX days. Given your criteria, here are some brokers that might align with your needs:
Potential Brokers:

1. OANDA – Accepts US clients, regulated, competitive spreads, and good execution. However, FIFO applies.
2. IG US – Well-regulated, offers solid trading conditions, but also follows FIFO.
3. Forex.com – Strong reputation, solid spreads, and accepts US traders, but again, FIFO applies.
4. TD Ameritrade (ThinkorSwim) – Not the lowest spreads, but great customer service and tools.

Key Challenges for You:

1. The FIFO rule applies to all US-regulated brokers, so unfortunately, you won’t be able to escape that with any broker legally operating in the US.
2. Micropip pricing (where 0.01 lot = 1 cent) has mostly been phased out. The minimum is typically 0.01 lot = 10 cents.
3. Market Makers vs. Brokers – Most US brokers operate with some dealing desk aspects, though ECN accounts do exist with some.

If FIFO is a dealbreaker, you'd need to look at offshore brokers, which comes with its own risks (unregulated or less-regulated environments). A few offshore brokers that don’t enforce FIFO and might be worth looking into:

1. Hankotrade – Offshore, tight spreads, low commissions, no FIFO.
2. Fusion Markets – Regulated in Australia, competitive pricing, no FIFO.
3. IC Markets – Similar to Fusion, but with strong ECN execution.

If customer service and withdrawals are your top priority, I’d stick with OANDA, IG, or Forex.com, as they’re reputable and regulated. If avoiding FIFO is the biggest factor, then offshore options might be necessary, but due diligence is key.
Hope this helps! Let me know what you end up deciding.

Fellow nasdaq tradersI've been using Exness for a while and I only have one problem with it. Its the margin requirement going up every now and then even during 16:45 when there's no events. So I want to ask anyone who has experience in trading nasdaq micro, which of these brokers offer stable margin requirement. 0.40-2$ kinda margin requirement

I had a good experience with FP markets and Switchmarkets. They provide a secure and trusted trading environment with flexible account types

Only for Australian residents. Otherwise "regulated" in Vanuatu (which means unregulated).


AMP, but the intraday margin requirement is insanely low. To trade it safely, you'd really want far more in the account than they require.

I use ic markets. Not too much experience but what I have had is good support when needed.

Great thread, and really appreciate the insight from fellow old-school traders—feels like a bit of a reunion from the golden era of IBFX! Totally get the frustration with FIFO—honestly, that one rule changed the whole game for certain strategies. I’ve been in a similar boat lately and after a lot of digging (and trial), I ended up using IC Markets for most of my trading. They're offshore (so no FIFO), and the spreads/commissions are super tight on the RAW account. Haven’t had a single issue with withdrawals so far either—usually takes a day or two to hit my bank. They offer 0.01 lots but yeah, it’s 10 cents per pip now pretty much everywhere. Fusion Markets was also on my radar, but I went with IC just because of the cleaner reputation and better execution from what I experienced. If you’re okay stepping offshore with good risk management, I’d say IC Markets or maybe even Hankotrade are solid bets. Just avoid the hype-y bucket shops. Cheers and happy to see some veterans still in the mix!

Withdrawals? So, your profitable? You really need to share more, please!

Man, I feel you 100% — I was trading back in those same years too, and IBFX was solid back in the day before the whole FIFO/NFA drama. The post-2010 regulatory shift really clipped a lot of our strategies, especially for anyone using hedging or trade layering tactics. Nowadays, finding a broker that checks all your boxes is like hunting unicorns — especially as a US trader.
That said, OANDA might still be worth a look. They accept US clients, offer USD base currency, and while they’re NFA/FIFO-compliant by default, they do have a pretty polished platform and tight spreads, especially on majors. Downside is they don't allow hedging.
For non-FIFO and hedging flexibility, you’re basically left with offshore options. I’ve heard decent things about Hankotrade and TradersWay — not regulated in the U.S. obviously, but they allow hedging, no FIFO, MT4/MT5, and offer micro accounts. You can still trade 0.01 lots = 10 cents per pip on most pairs. Spreads are tight, and Hankotrade’s ECN account especially is cheap on commissions. Withdrawal-wise, it’s mostly crypto, but fast. Not a 5-star regulated experience like IBFX used to be, but functional if you’re careful.
If you’re okay going offshore, just keep the deposit modest until you trust the flow. Unfortunately, the U.S. rules boxed us in hard — but with a solid offshore ECN, you can still build that batch-style, net-positive strategy. Just gotta stay sharp.

For US traders, check OANDA (no FIFO, tight spreads) or IG Markets (strong regulation). Both offer USD funding, solid execution, and professional service. Micro-lots at 0.01 = $0.10 are standard now. Avoid ‘dealers’—prioritize STP/ECN brokers. Withdrawals are reliable with both. Hope this helps!

If anybody dont mind to share list of brokers regulated ones offering 1:2000 leverage.

That FIFO rule is the biggest change you'll notice. All legit US brokers have it. I was tempted to go offshore myself to get around it, but ultimately decided the risk of losing my whole deposit wasn't worth the reward.
I ended up with Forex.com and just adapted my strategy.

Are you in Texas? You should follow the famous Nick Shawn, another fellow USA trader forced to use forex.com

He's great, check him out on YT.

Good Luck