Comparison of Rakuten Securities Hong Kong and Swissquote
Feature | Rakuten Securities Hong Kong | Swissquote |
---|---|---|
Broker | ||
Year Founded | 1999 | 1996 |
Broker Type | STP | STP |
Dealing | A-book | A-book |
Execution | Market | Market |
Regulation | SFC | FINMA, CSSF, FCA, DFSA, SFC, MAS |
Platforms | MetaTrader 4 (MT4), MARKETSPEED FX | MetaTrader 4 (MT4), MetaTrader 5 (MT5), CFXD, TradingView |
Spread | ⬊ Low | ⬈ High |
Maximum Leverage | 1:20 | 1:400 |
Minimum Deposit | $1200 | $1000 |
Base Currencies | USD, HKD | USD, EUR, JPY, GBP, CHF, CAD, AUD, TRY, PLN, SEK, NOK, SGD, XGD, HUF, CZK |
Funding Methods | Bank Transfer, FPS, Cheques | Bank transfer (SWIFT/SEPA), Visa, Mastercard |
Inactivity Fee | HK$200 annual admin fee after 12 months of inactivity | $10 per month after 6 months of inactivity |
Interest on Margin | ✖ | ✖ |
Withdrawal Fee | Bank wire - depends on sender bank | $10 for standard bank withdrawals; card withdrawals 1.9 % (SEPA) / 0 % (non-SEPA) |
Investor Protection | Investor Compensation Fund | esisuisse / FGDL |
Protection Size | HK$500000 | CHF 100 000 / €100 000 |
Segregated Accounts | ✔ | ✔ |
Negative Balance Protection | ✔ | ✔ |
Guaranteed Stop Loss | ✖ | ✖ |
Copy Trading | ✖ | ✔ |
VPS | ✖ | ✖ |
MAM/PAMM | ✖ | ✖ |
Scalping Allowed | ✔ | ✔ |
EAs/Robots | ✔ | ✔ |
Depth of Market (DOM) | ✖ | ✔ |
Tradable Assets (CFDs) | Currencies | Currencies, Indices, Stocks, Cryptocurrencies, Metals, Energies, Soft Commodities, Bonds |
Review | Rakuten Securities Hong Kong Review | Swissquote Review |
About Rakuten Securities Hong Kong
Rakuten Securities Hong Kong is the SFC-licensed arm of Rakuten Securities Group, designed for local and expat traders who want a Hong Kong–regulated venue for spot FX. Clients trade 40 currency pairs on MarketSpeed FX or MT4 with tight spreads from 0.5 pip and zero commissions. Accounts denominated in HKD or USD start from HK $10000, leverage is capped at 1:20 under SFC rules, and support is available in English, Cantonese and Japanese.
Pros
- SFC regulation (Type 3 licence) and segregated client funds
- Backed by publicly listed Rakuten Group
- Spreads from 0.5 pip with HK$0 commission
- HKD funding via FPS / local bank transfer
- Regular in-person seminars and bilingual support
Cons
- High minimum deposit HK$10000
- Leverage limited to 1:20 by regulation
- FX-only offering - no metals, indices or crypto
- Annual HK$200 maintenance fee after 12 months of inactivity
About Swissquote
Swissquote is Switzerland’s flagship online banking and brokerage group, supervised by FINMA and listed on SIX (SQN). Combining a Swiss bank account with a multi-asset trading hub, it offers 70+ FX pairs, 400+ CFDs on MT4/MT5, the proprietary CFXD platform and TradingView. Retail leverage is capped at 1:100 (EU 1:30), spreads start from 1.7 pips on Standard and 1.1 pips on Prime, while client funds enjoy segregated custody and deposit insurance up to CHF 100 000/€100 000. The broker best suits safety-minded traders who value Swiss banking regulation, high-volume FX/CFD professionals needing FIX/API connectivity, and diversified investors seeking direct access to global exchanges from a single account. Beginners with very small deposits may find the USD 1 000 entry threshold and inactivity fee less attractive than at zero-commission fintechs.
Pros
- Bank-licensed, publicly traded and multi-jurisdictionally regulated
- 70+ FX pairs and 400+ CFDs; real stocks on 30+ exchanges
- Choice of MT4/MT5, proprietary Advanced Trader & FIX API
- Retail negative-balance protection and segregated funds
- Comprehensive research, Autochartist, free market news
Cons
- High minimum deposit ($1 000) and tiered account pricing
- Spreads above industry average on Standard account
- Inactivity fee after 6 months
- No support for Skrill/Neteller/PayPal funding
Rakuten Securities Hong Kong & Swissquote Regulation
Feature | Rakuten Securities Hong Kong | Swissquote |
---|---|---|
Companies | Rakuten Securities Hong Kong Ltd | Swissquote Bank Ltd; Swissquote Bank Europe Ltd; Swissquote Ltd (UK); Swissquote MEA Ltd; Swissquote Asia Ltd; Swissquote Financial Services (Malta) Ltd; Swissquote Pte. Ltd; Swissquote Tech Hub Bucharest S.R.L; Swissquote Capital Markets Ltd; Swissquote South Africa (Pty) Ltd |
Countries | Hong Kong, Japan | Switzerland, Luxembourg, UK, Dubai, Hong Kong, Malta, Singapore, Romania, Cyprus, South Africa |
Regulators | SFC | FINMA, CSSF, FCA, DFSA, SFC, MAS |
Investor Protection | Investor Compensation Fund | esisuisse / FGDL |
Investor Protection Size | HK$500000 | CHF 100 000 / €100 000 |
Publicly Traded | ||
Segregated Accounts | ||
Guaranteed Stop Loss | ||
Negative Balance Protection |
Account Types
Account | Rakuten Securities Hong Kong | Swissquote |
---|---|---|
Market Maker Account | ||
Account Name | — | Standard |
Min Deposit | — | $1 000 |
Lot Size | — | 0.01 |
Spread Type | — | Floating |
Execution | — | Market |
Min Spread | — | 1.7 |
Fee | — | No |
Max Leverage | — | 1:100 |
Stop Out | — | 30% |
Margin Call | — | 100% |
STP Account | ||
Account Name | Forex Account | Premium |
Min Deposit | HK$10000 | $10 000 |
Lot Size | 0.01 | 0.1 |
Spread Type | Floating | Floating |
Execution | Market | Market |
Min Spread | 0.5 | 1.4 |
Fee | No | No |
Max Leverage | 1:20 | 1:100 |
Stop Out | 40% | 30% |
Margin Call | 100% | 100% |
Additional Features | ||
Demo Account | ||
VIP Account | ||
Swap-Free Account | ||
Copy Trading | ||
VPS | ||
PAMM/MAM Accounts |
Funding and Fees
Feature | Rakuten Securities Hong Kong | Swissquote |
---|---|---|
Base currencies | USD, HKD | USD, EUR, JPY, GBP, CHF, CAD, AUD, TRY, PLN, SEK, NOK, SGD, XGD, HUF, CZK |
Deposit and withdrawal methods | Bank Transfer, FPS, Cheques | Bank transfer (SWIFT/SEPA), Visa, Mastercard |
Inactivity fee | HK$200 annual admin fee after 12 months of inactivity | $10 per month after 6 months of inactivity |
Interest on margin | ||
Withdrawal fee | Bank wire - depends on sender bank | $10 for standard bank withdrawals; card withdrawals 1.9 % (SEPA) / 0 % (non-SEPA) |
Trading Platforms and Conditions
Feature | Rakuten Securities Hong Kong | Swissquote |
---|---|---|
Trading Platforms | MetaTrader 4 (MT4), MARKETSPEED FX | MetaTrader 4 (MT4), MetaTrader 5 (MT5), CFXD, TradingView |
Execution Speed | 100 ms | 9 ms |
Scalping | ||
Expert Advisors (EAs) | ||
Depth of Market (DOM) | ||
Spread | low | high |
Trading Assets
Asset | Rakuten Securities Hong Kong | Swissquote |
---|---|---|
Currencies | 40 | 76 |
Indices | 0 | 26 |
Stocks | 0 | 305 |
Cryptocurrencies | 0 | 2 |
Bonds | 0 | 3 |
Metals | 0 | 16 |
Energies | 0 | 9 |
Soft Commodities | 0 | 5 |
ETFs | 0 | 0 |
Education and Analytics
Feature | Rakuten Securities Hong Kong | Swissquote |
---|---|---|
Economic Calendar | ||
Indicators | ||
Robots | ||
Signals | ||
Autochartist | ||
Expert Analytics | ||
News Feed | ||
Education Articles | ||
Webinars | ||
Seminars |
Customer Support
Contact | Rakuten Securities Hong Kong | Swissquote |
---|---|---|
Email | support@rakuten-sec.co.jp | fx@swissquote.com |
Phone | +85221190116 | +41448258777 |
Facebook | ||
LinkedIn | — | |
YouTube | YouTube | YouTube |
Instagram | — | |
Twitter | — | |
TikTok | — | TikTok |
Which Broker is Better?
After comparing Rakuten Securities Hong Kong and Swissquote, Swissquote comes out ahead as our overall pick. It ranks higher in our internal scoring and delivers a stronger balance of pricing (spreads/fees), platform experience, and product range. That said, the runner-up may still be a better fit if you prioritize specific needs—like a particular account type, funding method, or niche instruments. This is not financial advice; always choose a broker that matches your goals and local regulatory requirements.
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Rakuten Securities Hong Kong Comparisons

Andriy Bondarenko
Broker Analyst
Andriy is a seasoned expert in broker reviews with over a decade of experience in finance and trading. Under his leadership, the team produces in-depth and unbiased analyses of leading trading platforms.