Beware! Trades Universal is an offshore broker! Your investment may be at risk.

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Trades Universal is an offshore broker suspicious enough to be blacklisted by a EU financial regulator. In this review, we will take a detailed look at why it is advisable to invest through a more trustworthy financial services provider.

Trades Universal Regulation and safety of funds

Guaranteed FundsSegregated AccountsNegative balance protection
Trades Universal
UK regulated brokers£85 000YesYes
EU regulated brokers€20 000YesYes
AU regulated brokersNoYesYes
US regulted brokersYesYesNo

The most important information about a financial services provider is its regulatory status. Licensed brokers provide detailed information about which company runs them, where it is based, which jurisdictions it is authorised in and which regulatory bodies oversee its activities.

Behind Trades Universal is the Marshall Islands-based company Everest Capital Ltd. It is an offshore zone where there is no financial regulator and an international business company can be incorporated entirely online. This makes the Marshall Islands a preferred base for shady brokers and outright fraudsters.

The Spanish financial regulator CMNV explicitly warns against trusting Trades Universal.

If you have decided to invest in financial instruments, and especially if you are a novice trader, you should use the services of a licensed broker based in a jurisdiction with strong regulations.

Depending on your location, it is advisable to choose a company that is regulated by an institution such as Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) in the US, Australian Securities and Exchanges Commission (ASIC), UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) or some EU regulator like Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC).

Clients of these brokers receive protections such as negative balance protection and segregation of the client’s funds from the broker’s funds.  In the EU and the UK, brokers must also participate in guarantee schemes that cover a certain amount of the trader’s investment if the broker becomes insolvent. These guarantees amount to up to 20 000 EUR in the EU and 85 000 GBP in the UK.

Trades Universal Trading software

Analytical toolsAuto tradingCustom indicatorsMobile apps
Trades Universal platform
MT430+ indicatorsAndroid and iOS
MT550+ indicatorsAndroid and iOS
cTrader40+ indicatorsAndroid and iOS

After registering an account, we get access to a pretty basic web trading platform that doesn’t feature extensive customization options or advanced functionality.

We’ve seen the exact same platform being used by multiple fake brokers we’ve encountered. Scammers are using rigged trading software to fool their victims into believing that their money is really being invested and even turning a profit.

Legitimate brokers offer clients a wide selection of trading software, including desktop, mobile apps and web-based platforms. The most widely used platforms in the industry are MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5).

Trades Universal Trading instruments

CurrencyStocksIndicesCryptoCommodities
Trades Universal
XMYesYesYesYesYes
FBSYesYesYesYesYes
FXTMYesYesYesYesYes

In the trading platform we see financial instruments of all major asset classes. But Trades Universal does not provide information on trading conditions.

When you visit the website of a legitimate broker you will find proposals for different types of trading accounts suitable for investors with different preferences, as well as detailed descriptions of trading parameters – minimum deposit, order execution method, tradable financial instruments, leverage, spread, swap, commissions, etc.

Trades Universal Spreads and cost of trading

Trades UniversalXMFBSFXTM
Spread EURUSD5.41.711.1
Spread GBPUSD51.31.21.4
Spread USDJPY51.31.21.4

In the trading platform we see an extremely high spread of over 5 pips. In the industry, even a spread of 2 pips is considered too high and disadvantageous for the trader.

Trades Universal Maximum leverage

ForexStocksCryptoGoldIndices
Trades UniversalNot specifiedNot specifiedNot specifiedNot specifiedNot specified
UK regulated brokers30:15:110:110:1
EU regulated brokers30:15:12:110:110:1
AU regulated brokers30:15:12:110:110:1
US regulated brokers50:1

High leverage creates the opportunity for more significant profit, but correspondingly increases the risk of sudden and excessive losses. All leading regulators therefore restrict leverage for retail traders

Regulated brokers offer higher leverage only to professional clients who must meet very high standards for capital and experience and forgo the guarantees enjoyed by retail traders.

If you are willing to take the risk of trading with high leverage and benefit from bonuses and promotions, the best option is to invest through an offshore division of an established brand.

Trades Universal Deposit and withdrawal methods

Deposit timeWithdrawal timePrice
Bank wire2-5 business days2-5 business days$25+
Credit cardInstant24 hoursFree
Crypto24 hours24 hoursFee depends on crypto

Trades Universal advertises multiple payment methods, but on the deposit menu the only option is a credit card through an obscure payment processor.

Trades Universal Minimum deposit

Trades UniversalXMFBSFXTM
Minimum depositN/A$5$10$5

If you use the services of a licensed and established broker, you will be able to take advantage of the Micro Account offers with a very low minimum deposit.

Trades Universal Withdrawal requirements

Trading volumeFee/Tax on withdrawalMinimum withdrawal
Trades UniversalNot specified10100
UK regulated brokersNoNoNo
EU regulated brokersNoNoNo
AU regulated brokersNoNoNo
US regulated brokersNoNoNo

The minimum withdrawal amount is EUR 100. Smaller amounts are charged a high withdrawal fee of EUR 10.

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