Hankotrade Review Summary
Quick Verdict: Is Hankotrade Worth It?
Hankotrade is an offshore, unregulated brokerage providing STP/ECN trading in foreign exchange, commodity, index, and cryptocurrency CFDs. The broker features margin leverage up to 1:500, a $15 entry threshold on its spread-markup tier, and raw-spread accounts with commissions ranging from $1 to $2 per side per $100,000. Account funding and withdrawals operate exclusively through digital assets, with zero internal transaction fees assessed by the firm.
The defining trade-off is the broker's complete absence of regulatory oversight. Hankotrade Global Markets Limited holds no financial license in Belize, the United Arab Emirates, or any other supervisory jurisdiction, offering no statutory investor compensation and no verified segregation of client capital. The firm suits experienced market participants who explicitly require high leverage and cryptocurrency-denominated funding while accepting total counterparty exposure. Traders requiring statutory oversight, segregated custodial banking, or fiat payment methods should avoid this broker.
Who Hankotrade Is Best For
- Traders requiring margin ratios up to 1:500 for foreign exchange and CFD positions.
- Market participants funding accounts and withdrawing capital exclusively through cryptocurrency.
- High-frequency and algorithmic traders seeking raw-spread pricing with reduced commission rates on higher account tiers.
- Traders seeking a low entry requirement ($15) with spread-only execution.
Who Should Avoid Hankotrade
- Traders requiring statutory oversight from regulators such as the FCA, ASIC, or CySEC.
- Clients seeking investor compensation funds or legally verified segregation of deposits.
- Traders relying on conventional fiat rails, including credit cards, debit cards, and bank wire transfers.
- Long-term investors seeking physical ownership of shares or exchange-traded funds rather than derivative contracts.
- Residents of restricted jurisdictions, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and European Union member states.
Pros
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Maximum margin leverage reaching 1:500 across supported CFD markets.
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Raw floating spreads starting at 0.0 pips on ECN tiers.
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Commission rate of $1 per side per $100,000 on ECN Plus accounts.
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Entry threshold of $15 on the standard STP account tier.
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Zero internal fees charged on deposits, withdrawals, or account inactivity.
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Execution policies permit scalping, hedging, news trading, and automated APIs.
Cons
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Unregulated entity holding no financial services license in any jurisdiction.
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No statutory investor compensation scheme or verified fund segregation.
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Account funding and withdrawals limited exclusively to cryptocurrency assets.
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Service prohibited for residents of 17 countries, including the US, UK, and EU.
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No direct telephone support channel provided.
What Is Hankotrade?
Company Background
Hankotrade was founded in 2018 as an online brokerage providing execution in foreign exchange and CFD markets. The firm operates as Hankotrade Global Markets Limited and maintains its registered corporate address at Blake Building, Corner Houston & Eyre Street, Belize City, Belize. The company also operates an administrative office at Citadel Tower, Office 2808, Business Bay, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
The company is privately held and is not publicly listed on any exchange. Hankotrade runs an STP/ECN/NDD execution framework, routing client orders without dealing desk intervention. Platform servers operate on GMT+2 and GMT+3 configurations to align with global market sessions.
Available Countries
Hankotrade serves an international client base while explicitly restricting access to residents of 17 countries based on regional regulatory constraints and internal compliance policies:
- Afghanistan
- Albania
- Angola
- Australia
- Bahamas
- Bahrain
- Belarus
- Bolivia
- Canada
- France
- Germany
- India
- Italy
- Poland
- Spain
- United Kingdom
- United States
Traders located outside these territories may register for accounts, provided that trading offshore derivatives complies with their domestic laws.
Hankotrade Fees and Costs
Trading Fees
Hankotrade structures execution costs across three tiers: a spread-markup STP account, an ECN account, and an ECN Plus account. The STP account embeds all execution costs directly into the floating bid-ask spread. The two ECN accounts pass raw floating spreads directly from liquidity providers and charge fixed per-lot commissions.
Spreads and Commissions
On the STP account, floating spreads incorporate a broker markup, averaging approximately 0.7 pips on EUR/USD (typically fluctuating between 0.7 and 1.5 pips). On ECN and ECN Plus accounts, floating spreads start from 0.0 pips, with EUR/USD raw quotes typically between 0.1 and 0.2 pips.
Commissions apply to trading volume across the two raw-spread tiers:
- STP Account: $0 commission; broker revenue is embedded in the spread markup.
- ECN Account: $2 per side per $100,000 traded ($4 per round turn per standard lot).
- ECN Plus Account: $1 per side per $100,000 traded ($2 per round turn per standard lot).
| Instrument / Benchmark | STP Account Spread | ECN / ECN Plus Spread | Commission Structure |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | 0.7 pips (average) | From 0.0 pips (0.1–0.2 typical) | $0 (STP) / $4 round lot (ECN) / $2 round lot (ECN Plus) |
| GBP/USD | 1.1 pips (average) | From 0.1 pips (0.3–0.4 typical) | $0 (STP) / $4 round lot (ECN) / $2 round lot (ECN Plus) |
| Gold (XAU/USD) | 25 cents (average) | Raw floating market spread | $0 (STP) / $4 round lot (ECN) / $2 round lot (ECN Plus) |
| S&P 500 CFD | 1.0 points | Raw floating market spread | $0 (STP) / $4 round lot (ECN) / $2 round lot (ECN Plus) |
Deposit and Withdrawal Fees
Hankotrade charges zero internal processing fees on deposits or withdrawals. Because operations rely on blockchain infrastructure, clients remain responsible for external cryptocurrency network miner or gas fees. Third-party payment gateways and exchanges may also levy independent transaction costs.
Inactivity and Account Fees
Hankotrade does not assess account maintenance or inactivity fees. Dormant or unfunded accounts incur no recurring administrative balance deductions.
Bonus and Promotions
The broker provides promotional margin credits, including a 100% matching deposit bonus, which may extend up to 200% during specific promotional campaigns utilizing promotional codes. These bonus funds function strictly as auxiliary trading margin and cannot be withdrawn as cash. Hankotrade also operates an Introducing Broker (IB) and affiliate program, but does not host ongoing retail trading competitions or loyalty tiers.
Currency Conversion Fees
Internal currency conversion fees are not assessed on trading accounts. Accounts can be configured in USD, CAD, EUR, or AUD. Because all account funding occurs in cryptocurrency, external conversion fees apply when converting fiat capital into digital tokens prior to depositing.
Overnight and Swap Fees
Open positions held past the daily rollover cutoff (GMT+2 / GMT+3) incur overnight swap debits or credits based on prevailing interest rate differentials and CFD financing charges. Swap-free Islamic accounts are available upon request to waive standard rollover fees on qualifying instruments for religious compliance.
Hankotrade Account Types
STP Account
The STP Account provides spread-only pricing without separate trade commissions. The minimum deposit is $15. Floating spreads start at 0.7 pips on major currencies. The account supports leverage up to 1:500, a minimum transaction size of 0.01 lots, a 70% margin call level, and a 50% stop-out threshold across all available CFD instruments.
ECN Account
The ECN Account provides direct raw spreads starting from 0.0 pips paired with a commission of $2 per side per $100,000 traded ($4 per round turn per standard lot). The minimum deposit is $100. Operational parameters include leverage up to 1:500, a 0.01 lot minimum trade size, a 70% margin call level, and a 50% stop-out threshold.
ECN Plus Account
The ECN Plus Account offers the firm's lowest execution cost, designed for higher-volume retail traders. The minimum deposit requirement is $1,000. It features raw spreads from 0.0 pips paired with a reduced commission rate of $1 per side per $100,000 traded ($2 per round turn per standard lot). Maximum leverage remains 1:500, with identical 70% margin call and 50% stop-out levels.
Islamic Account
Hankotrade provides swap-free Islamic accounts that eliminate overnight interest debits and credits on eligible instruments. This configuration can be activated on supported base tiers, maintaining the respective tier's leverage limits, minimum deposit rules, and execution models.
How to Open an Account with Hankotrade
Signup Process
- Visit Hankotrade and click the registration button.
- Fill out the registration form with your legal name, email address, password, and country of residence.
- Confirm your email address via the link delivered to your inbox.
- Sign into the client portal to select your platform (HankoX), base currency (USD, CAD, EUR, or AUD), account tier (STP, ECN, or ECN Plus), and leverage ratio (up to 1:500).
- Navigate to the funding section to generate a unique cryptocurrency deposit address.
Verification Requirements
Hankotrade applies Know Your Customer (KYC) identity checks. While profile registration and preliminary deposits proceed immediately, account verification is mandatory to unlock full operations and initiate withdrawals. The verification procedure requires:
- A valid government-issued photographic ID (passport, national ID card, or driver's license).
- Proof of residence issued within the preceding three months (utility bill, bank statement, or local tax assessment reflecting the registered address).
Minimum Deposit
Entry minimums depend on the chosen account tier:
- STP Account: $15
- ECN Account: $100
- ECN Plus Account: $1,000
How Long Account Approval Takes
Client registration and dashboard generation are automated and occur instantly. The review and approval of KYC documentation depend on internal compliance queue volumes, as the broker publishes no guaranteed verification timeframe.
Markets and Assets Available
Forex
The foreign exchange selection covers major, minor, and exotic currency pairs. Positions can be traded down to 0.01 lot increments with leverage up to 1:500. Execution policies support scalping, hedging, and automated strategies across all tiers.
Commodities
Commodity offerings include cash and futures CFDs on precious metals, industrial metals, and energy assets. Gold (XAU/USD) carries an average spread of 25 cents. These derivatives allow leveraged speculation on price fluctuations without physical delivery.
Indices
Index CFDs track equity benchmarks, including the S&P 500 CFD, which carries a typical spread of 1.0 points. These instruments are cash-settled derivatives that reflect index performance without granting physical share ownership or corporate voting rights.
Cryptocurrencies
Cryptocurrency instruments are traded exclusively as CFD pairs against sovereign currencies. Traders speculate on price volatility without managing private keys or utilizing external digital wallets. Margin parameters follow offshore CFD terms rather than spot cryptocurrency exchange rules.
Trading Platforms and Tools
HankoX Platform
HankoX is the broker's proprietary multi-asset trading platform, available on Desktop, Web, iOS, and Android. It includes technical charting suites, one-click execution, market depth data, and an integrated Position & Risk Simulator. Algorithmic traders can build and test systems using visual automated trading modules and Expert Advisors. HankoX also provides REST and FIX API connectivity, alongside support for Multi-Account Manager (MAM) and Percent Allocation Management Module (PAMM) accounts.
ActTrader Platform
Hankotrade also supports ActTrader for desktop and mobile devices. The software serves as an alternative trading interface, providing technical charting layouts, visual order tracking, and automated strategy execution.
Research and Charting Tools
Platforms feature native technical indicators, mathematical analysis tools, and social sentiment metrics connected to copy trading profiles. The broker's website includes an All-In-One FX Calculator to compute pip values, margin requirements, and swap rates. The broker does not supply integrated Virtual Private Server (VPS) hosting; algorithmic traders must arrange external third-party hosting independently.
Educational Resources
Educational materials are centered on the firm's Official YouTube Channel, which hosts HankoX platform tutorials and interface guides. Written documentation covers account configuration, copy trading setup, and basic foreign exchange calculations. Free demo trading accounts are available to test execution and strategies using simulated funds.
Hankotrade Deposits and Withdrawals
Payment Methods
Hankotrade does not accept conventional fiat banking methods, such as payment cards, wire transfers, or domestic automated clearing house networks. Account funding and withdrawals rely exclusively on cryptocurrency transactions across eight supported digital assets:
- Bitcoin (BTC)
- Ethereum (ETH)
- Litecoin (LTC)
- Dogecoin (DOGE)
- Bitcoin Cash (BCH)
- Tether (USDT)
- USD Coin (USDC)
- TrueUSD (TUSD)
Deposit Times
Cryptocurrency deposits are credited once the corresponding blockchain network completes the required block confirmations. Under normal network conditions, transfers settle within several minutes.
Withdrawal Times
The firm states an internal withdrawal processing timeframe of up to 24 business hours. Following broker approval and blockchain broadcast, settlement speed depends on network congestion for the chosen token.
Withdrawal Limits
Withdrawal minimums reflect standard blockchain network transaction limits. To satisfy anti-money laundering policies, withdrawals must be sent to wallet addresses registered in the account owner's legal name. Third-party processors may assess independent transfer fees on low-balance requests.
Deposit Methods:
Withdrawal Methods:
Hankotrade Customer Support Review
Support Channels
Hankotrade advertises customer support 24 hours a day, five days a week (24/5), covering major forex trading sessions. Traders can contact the broker through several channels:
- Live Chat: Available through the official website and client portal for trading, account, and technical inquiries.
- Email: Customers can send inquiries to [email protected].
- Contact Form: A web-based inquiry form is available for written support requests.
- Skype: Listed as an additional communication channel.
Hankotrade does not publish a direct telephone support number. In the supplied live chat exchanges, a support representative responded to questions about trading conditions, account selection, and investor protection.
Response Times
During our firsthand testing, Hankotrade's customer support demonstrated fast and reliable response times across multiple communication channels. Live chat was particularly impressive, with an agent responding in under one minute and providing clear answers to our questions about account types, trading conditions, and investor protection.
Skype support responded within 1 to 5 minutes, while email and contact form inquiries received replies within 2 to 24 hours. Overall, our testing showed that Hankotrade delivers responsive customer service, with live chat standing out as the fastest and most convenient option for traders seeking immediate assistance.
Support Quality
During our firsthand testing, Hankotrade's live chat support provided clear and helpful answers to questions about account types, trading conditions, and platform functionality. The representative accurately explained minimum deposits, spreads, and commissions and recommended using a free demo account before trading with real funds.
Support also confirmed that open positions remain active during internet disconnections. However, when asked about investor compensation, the agent mentioned internal investigations and reimbursement without clarifying whether any formal protection scheme exists. Overall, we found the support team knowledgeable and helpful with routine inquiries, although explanations of regulatory safeguards could be more transparent.
Languages Available
Hankotrade's website documentation and customer support are available in English.
Hankotrade User Reviews and Complaints
Positive User Reviews
Hankotrade has generally favorable customer feedback on Trustpilot, with a rating of 4.8 out of 5 based on 2,844 reviews. Positive reviews frequently highlight responsive customer service, helpful support representatives, straightforward account management, and assistance with deposits and promotional bonuses. Some traders also report smooth withdrawals and a positive experience with the trading platform.
"Anne was amazing! Responded quickly and very professional."
Customer support is a particularly recurring theme in favorable reviews. Users frequently mention individual support representatives who resolve account-related questions, payment issues, and bonus requests quickly. However, positive experiences do not guarantee identical service or withdrawal outcomes for every client.
Negative User Reviews
Despite its high overall Trustpilot score, Hankotrade has received negative feedback, particularly concerning delayed withdrawals, account access difficulties, and communication during transaction reviews. Some dissatisfied customers describe extended waiting periods for withdrawal approvals and limited explanations from support teams.
"This company has been holding on to my withdrawals for over 2 weeks now."
Other reviewers describe withdrawal requests remaining unresolved after providing identity verification documents. These reports represent individual customer allegations rather than independently established findings, but they highlight the importance of understanding the broker's withdrawal procedures before depositing funds.
Common Hankotrade Complaints
Concerns raised in customer reviews and the broker's operating conditions include:
- Withdrawal delays: Some Trustpilot reviewers report withdrawals remaining pending beyond the broker's advertised processing timeframe.
- Identity verification: Certain users describe additional KYC documentation requests or prolonged verification reviews before withdrawals can proceed.
- Customer communication: Although support receives considerable praise, some negative reviewers report difficulty obtaining clear updates about unresolved transactions.
- Cryptocurrency-only funding: The lack of conventional bank transfers and card payments may inconvenience traders who prefer traditional payment methods.
- Platform reliability: Reviews of the associated ActTrader mobile application mention occasional freezing, crashes, and account display issues.
Trustpilot and App Store Ratings
| Platform | Rating | Review Count / Ratings | Our Takeaway |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trustpilot (Hankotrade) | 4.8/5 | 2,844 reviews | Strong overall customer satisfaction, particularly regarding responsive support. However, some reviewers report unresolved withdrawal requests and transaction delays. |
| Google Play (ActTrader) | 2.7/5 | 111 reviews | Mixed feedback, with complaints about mobile stability and functionality. This rating covers the third-party ActTrader application, not Hankotrade exclusively. |
| Apple App Store (ActTrader, US) | 4.2/5 | 201 ratings | Generally positive feedback on the iOS trading experience. The score is specific to the US storefront and reflects ActTrader users across supported brokers. |
Ratings checked in October 2026. Review counts and scores can change. Hankotrade's official website links to the third-party ActTrader mobile application, so its Google Play and Apple App Store ratings should not be interpreted as ratings exclusively for Hankotrade or HankoX.
Verification Issues
Identity verification is another concern raised in some negative customer reviews. Traders may be asked to provide a government-issued ID, proof of address, or additional documentation before a withdrawal can be approved. At least one Trustpilot reviewer described an unresolved withdrawal despite submitting KYC documentation and supplementary identity evidence.
To reduce potential delays, traders should complete verification before requesting withdrawals, ensure their registered information matches their identification documents, and familiarize themselves with the broker's applicable withdrawal requirements.
Platform Problems
Hankotrade provides access to its HankoX trading environment and links to ActTrader for mobile trading. Reviews of the ActTrader Android application include complaints about occasional crashes, account display problems, and difficulties managing positions through mobile devices. These reports concern a platform used by multiple brokers and do not necessarily establish Hankotrade-specific execution failures.
Traders relying on automated strategies or mobile execution should test platform stability using a demo account, maintain reliable internet connectivity, and understand the risks of execution delays during periods of elevated market volatility.
Best Hankotrade Alternative
Best Alternative for Beginners
eToro provides an established framework overseen by statutory authorities such as the FCA and CySEC. Unlike Hankotrade, which offers only CFD contracts and requires digital asset funding, eToro supports direct ownership of physical shares alongside social copy trading, funded via debit cards and bank transfers. Hankotrade may suit market participants specifically seeking higher leverage up to 1:500 and cryptocurrency deposits, both of which fall outside retail regulatory boundaries at eToro.
Best Alternative for Low Fees
Tickmill operates a regulated trading structure featuring raw ECN spreads alongside standard commissions of $2 per side per lot ($4 round turn) under tier-1 and tier-2 supervisory frameworks. Traders who prioritize statutory client fund segregation and regulated custodial accounts will find Tickmill aligns with standard risk-management practices. Hankotrade requires less capital to access its lowest commission rate ($1 per side per $100,000 on ECN Plus) and provides a lower entry threshold ($15 on STP versus $100 on Tickmill), but it lacks Tickmill's formal regulatory protections.
Best Alternative for Advanced Traders
Pepperstone serves systematic and multi-asset traders requiring deep liquidity overseen by regulators including ASIC and the FCA. Pepperstone supports MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, cTrader, and TradingView, accompanied by dedicated VPS integrations and institutional API connections. While Pepperstone enforces standard retail leverage restrictions (typically capped at 1:30 in major jurisdictions), Hankotrade offers leverage up to 1:500 and cryptocurrency-based account funding, trading regulatory security for operational flexibility.
Best Alternative for Forex or CFD Trading
IC Markets offers multi-asset liquidity across currency pairs and index markets under Australian (ASIC) and European (CySEC) regulatory frameworks. Its raw spread tiers feature commissions of $3.50 per side on MetaTrader and $3.00 per side on cTrader, paired with segregated accounts at top-tier banks. In contrast, Hankotrade may appeal to individuals who prioritize non-fiat deposit rails across digital assets and higher margin leverage, but it exposes traders to full counterparty risk due to its unregulated offshore status.
How Hankotrade Compares for Different Traders
Hankotrade for Beginners
The broker's lower entry requirement reduces the initial capital barrier for novice traders, but the availability of high margin leverage up to 1:500 significantly increases the risk of rapid capital depletion. Furthermore, the complete absence of regulatory oversight and statutory investor compensation schemes leaves inexperienced traders without formal legal recourse in the event of broker insolvency or execution disputes.
Hankotrade for Day Trading
For intraday traders, the broker's raw-spread accounts provide narrow bid-ask differentials that reduce entry and exit costs. The low round-turn commission structure on the ECN Plus tier lowers overhead for high-frequency strategies. Additionally, the lack of trading style restrictions accommodates scalping, news trading, and automated EA execution, while a 50% stop-out level allows positions to remain active during short-term market fluctuations.
Hankotrade for Forex Trading
Foreign exchange traders benefit from margin flexibility across major, minor, and exotic currency pairs. However, because execution relies on floating market spreads, traders face spread widening and order slippage during major macroeconomic data releases, requiring conservative position sizing during volatile periods.
Hankotrade for Long-Term Investors
Hankotrade is structurally unsuited for buy-and-hold investing. The catalog lacks physical shares, custodial equity ownership, and exchange-traded funds. Because all products are derivative CFDs, positions held across daily settlement cutoffs incur continuous overnight financing fees that erode capital balances over extended investment horizons.
Hankotrade for Crypto Trading
Cryptocurrency participants face a synthetic CFD structure rather than direct spot trading. Traders cannot withdraw digital assets to private storage or interact on-chain with purchased tokens. The primary cryptocurrency utility at Hankotrade lies in account infrastructure, enabling clients to fund, trade, and withdraw using digital assets without interacting with traditional fiat banking networks.
Is Hankotrade Safe and Legit?
Licensing and Regulation
Hankotrade is an unregulated offshore broker. The parent entity, Hankotrade Global Markets Limited, holds corporate registrations in Belize and operational offices in Dubai, UAE, but possesses no financial services license or regulatory authorization from the Belize Financial Services Commission (FSC), the UAE Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA), or any other financial supervisory body. There are no statutory license numbers associated with this brokerage.
Security Features
Client portal connections use standard web encryption and account authentication protocols. However, digital security practices do not eliminate corporate solvency risk. Because the firm functions outside any legal financial services framework, client capital is entirely subject to the commercial solvency and operational discretion of the operating company.
Investor Protection
Hankotrade provides no statutory investor compensation scheme. In the event of company insolvency, fraud, or operational failure, clients have no access to government-backed arrangements such as the UK Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) or the Cypriot Investor Compensation Fund (ICF). All deposited funds carry full counterparty risk.
Negative Balance Protection
Hankotrade provides negative balance protection on CFD accounts according to its published guidelines. This mechanism prevents retail client balances from dropping below zero during extreme market gapping, ensuring losses cannot exceed deposited capital.
Segregated Client Funds
There is no verified policy or independent audit confirming that Hankotrade maintains client deposits in segregated bank accounts distinct from corporate operating funds. Without mandatory regulatory oversight, client capital may be co-mingled with working capital.
Final Verdict
Hankotrade operates within a specific market niche, pairing high margin leverage and cryptocurrency funding rails with raw-spread STP/ECN execution. Its account structure provides lower per-lot commission overhead on higher tiers and accommodates unrestricted scalping, hedging, and automated workflows. These operational features make the broker viable for experienced, risk-tolerant traders who specifically require non-fiat deposit mechanisms and flexible leverage.
The decisive trade-off remains the broker's unlicensed offshore status. Hankotrade provides no statutory compensation schemes, no verified custodial fund segregation, and no access to traditional fiat banking. The decision to use this broker ultimately rests on whether a trader values lower trading costs and crypto-centric flexibility enough to accept complete counterparty risk. Market participants who prioritize legal protections and segregated banking should seek established, tier-1 regulated brokerages.
Hankotrade Review FAQs
Is Hankotrade regulated by any financial authority?
No. Hankotrade is an unregulated offshore brokerage operating as Hankotrade Global Markets Limited without financial services licenses from any regulatory authority.
What is the minimum deposit required by Hankotrade?
The minimum deposit is $15 for the STP Account, $100 for the ECN Account, and $1,000 for the ECN Plus Account.
What trading platforms are available at Hankotrade?
Hankotrade provides its proprietary HankoX platform for Desktop, Web, Android, and iOS, along with support for the ActTrader platform.
Does Hankotrade provide negative balance protection?
Yes. Hankotrade applies negative balance protection to prevent client account balances from falling below zero during volatile market movements.
Amy Baily
Amy Baily is a Forex education writer with over nine years of experience in trading and market analysis. She focuses on risk management, trading psychology, and the importance of maintaining a disciplined approach to the markets.

