Beware! Ms Hipex is an offshore broker! Your investment may be at risk.
RECOMMENDED FOREX BROKERS
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Open trading accounts with at least two brokers.
The Ms Hipex website looks familiar to us, but not because it is the regulated forex broker it claims to be. The reason is that this website is identical to other scams we have encountered, such as Silcom GT and Starq Emic. In this review, we will show you how to recognize scams like Ms Hipex and how to find a trustworthy financial intermediary.
Ms Hipex Regulation and safety of funds
Guaranteed Funds | Segregated Accounts | Negative balance protection | |
Ms Hipex | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
UK regulated brokers | £85 000 | Yes | Yes |
EU regulated brokers | €20 000 | Yes | Yes |
AU regulated brokers | No | Yes | Yes |
US regulted brokers | Yes | Yes | No |
If a financial services provider is legitimate, you will find on its website clear and detailed information about the company that owns and operates it, where it is based, and what licences it has. Genuine brokers also provide access to a comprehensive set of legal documentation. The availability of such information does not guarantee that it is not false or misleading. But the absence of these elements is very indicative that in all likelihood you are dealing with scammers.
Ms Hipex does not disclose which company is behind this alleged broker. On the homepage we see a contact address in Switzerland, but also a claim that Ms Hipex is licensed in Cyprus.
Elsewhere on the website it is claimed that the broker is also authorised by financial regulators in Australia, South Africa and Belize.
The text of the General Terms and Conditions lists as the applicable jurisdiction Vanuatu, an offshore zone.
But a check of the databases of all relevant regulators shows that there is no licensed broker using this name and domain.
Another regulator, the Bank of Russia, has issued a warning that Ms Hipex is not authorised.
Under no circumstances should you trust your money to such anonymous websites full of false and contradictory information. Instead, you can turn to one of the many companies that really work under the supervision of respected regulatory bodies like Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) or Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the UK.
As their customer you will enjoy a number of guarantees including negative balance protection and guarantee for your funds if the broker goes bankrupt, which goes up to EUR 20,000 in EU and 85,000 GBP in the UK. Regulations in the UK and EU include some important measures designed to improve investor protection and promote market integrity and transparency, such as transaction reporting. Regulated brokers are also required to segregate their operational funds from the client’s money.
Ms Hipex Trading software
Analytical tools | Auto trading | Custom indicators | Mobile apps | |
Ms Hipex platform | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
MT4 | 30+ indicators | ✅ | ✅ | Android and iOS |
MT5 | 50+ indicators | ✅ | ✅ | Android and iOS |
cTrader | 40+ indicators | ✅ | ✅ | Android and iOS |
Ms Hipex implements a basic web-based trading platform. Here is how it looks like:
It should be noted that the presence of a trading platform does not make this website any more legitimate and does not guarantee that this alleged broker offers real trading. Many scammers use rigged trading software to fool their victims that their money is being invested.
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). These platforms have established themselves as industry standard because they offer a wide range of features, including a variety of options for customization, multiple account usage, designing and implementing custom scripts for automated trading and backtesting trade strategies.
Ms Hipex Trading instruments
Currency | Stocks | Indices | Crypto | Commodities | |
Ms Hipex | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
XM | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
FBS | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
FXTM | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
The Ms Hipex trading platform includes instruments from all major asset classes. But as stated, there is no guarantee that this anonymous and unregulated website offers real trading. In fact, it is certain that the trading is fictitious.
Ms Hipex Spreads and cost of trading
Ms Hipex | XM | FBS | FXTM | |
Spread EURUSD | 0.1 | 0.6 | 1 | 1.1 |
Spread GBPUSD | 0.1 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 1.4 |
Spread USDJPY | 0.1 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 1.4 |
In the trading platform we see a spread close to zero. This means that the broker must charge some kind of commission. But Ms Hipex does not specify what price the client pays.
Ms Hipex Maximum leverage
Forex | Stocks | Crypto | Gold | Indices | |
Ms Hipex | 100:1 | 100:1 | 100:1 | 100:1 | 100:1 |
UK regulated brokers | 30:1 | 5:1 | ❌ | 10:1 | 10:1 |
EU regulated brokers | 30:1 | 5:1 | 2:1 | 10:1 | 10:1 |
AU regulated brokers | 30:1 | 5:1 | 2:1 | 10:1 | 10:1 |
US regulated brokers | 50:1 | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
Ms Hipex offers leverage up to 1:100, which exceeds the levels permitted in the jurisdictions in which Ms Hipex claims to be licensed. 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 don’t qualify as a professional trader but are willing to take the risk of high-leverage trading, the most viable option is to use the services of an offshore affiliate of an established brand.
Ms Hipex Deposit and withdrawal methods
Deposit time | Withdrawal time | Price | |
Crypto | 24 hours | 24 hours | Fee depends on crypto |
Ms Hipex only allows the deposit of funds with cryptocurrencies. This is typical of financial scammers. Cryptocurrencies are their payment method of choice because on the one hand they allow the scammer a degree of anonymity, and on the other hand they do not allow the scammed to ask for a refund.
While there are some legitimate brokers that accept digital currencies like Bitcoin, they do so alongside other transparent payment methods such as credit/debit card, bank transfer or popular e-wallets like PayPal, Neteller or Skrill.
Ms Hipex Minimum deposit
Ms Hipex | XM | FBS | FXTM | |
Minimum deposit | $1000 | $5 | $10 | $5 |
The minimum deposit required by Ms Hipex is quite high – 1000 USD. For ten or even a hundred times lower amount you could become a client of a genuine regulated broker, including the leading brands in the industry.
Ms Hipex Withdrawal requirements
Trading volume | Fee/Tax on withdrawal | Minimum withdrawal | |
Ms Hipex | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified |
UK regulated brokers | No | No | No |
EU regulated brokers | No | No | No |
AU regulated brokers | No | No | No |
US regulated brokers | No | No | No |
Ms Hipex does not specify extraordinary conditions for withdrawal. But these types of scams always surprise you with hidden fees and other tricks that prevent you from withdrawing your money back.