Hantec Markets Broker Review

Hantec Markets’ Overall Rating

Hantec Markets is recognized for its straightforward account options, competitive trading fees, and exclusive support for the MT4 platform, making it a suitable choice for traders prioritising low trading costs and simplicity. Hantec has a single trading account, with spreads starting impressively low at 0 pips for EUR/USD and leverage up to 500:1. However, it falls short in platform diversity, offering no alternatives to MT4, and has a relatively narrow range of CFDs. Trading tools extend to the Trading Central indicator but lack other resources some traders might seek. FxScouts gives Hantec Markets a high rating of 4.33 out of 5.

Is Hantec Markets Safe?

Yes, Hantec Markets is a safe broker for South African traders to trade with. It has good regulatory oversight, segregates client funds, and provides traders with negative balance protection (up to a maximum of 10,000 USD).

Founded in 1990, Hantec Markets is regulated by the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the Financial Services Commission (FSC) Mauritius, and the Jordan Securities Commission (JSC) of Jordan. It is also publicly listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Although clients from South Africa will be trading through the Mauritius-based subsidiary which has less regulatory supervision than Hantec Markets’ company based in the UK, it segregates its client funds from company funds and provides all traders with negative balance protection (up to a maximum of 10,000 USD). On this basis, we consider Hantec Markets a safe broker for South African clients to trade with. Click here for more details on Hantec Markets’ regulatory oversight.

Scroll for more details

Trading Fees

Hantec Markets‘ fees are lower than most other brokers, but it only offers a single live trading account.

There is no account choice at Hantec Markets, which is unusual because most of its competitors offer several accounts with higher minimum deposits linked to lower trading fees and better trading conditions. 

Hantec Markets has a simple account structure with trading costs that are significantly lower than the industry average. However, although Hantec Markets states that its revenue is derived from the spread, it is not transparent about how the spreads are derived, and it does not publish its average spreads on its site. That said, the minimum spreads is low – 0 pips (EUR/USD), though traders will only experience this in times of high liquidity.  

Hantec Markets’ account was assessed to compare the costs to those of other brokers. The costs were evaluated based on the trading fees on one lot (100 000 USD) on the EUR/USD, including the spread and commission.

When making this calculation, we used one lot of EUR/USD as a benchmark as it is the most commonly traded currency pair and it usually has the tightest spread.

Spread x Trade Size + Commission = Total Trading Cost (USD)

Scroll for more details

As you can see from the table, the trading costs are built into the spread, which is variable and gets wider or tighter depending on trade volume and market volatility. 

The cost of trading one lot of EUR/USD is 2 USD, which is extremely low compared to other similar brokers, but it must be reiterated that traders will only see these spreads during times of high liquidity. 

Scroll for more details

Broker

Trading Conditions

Base Currencies

EURUSD (Standard)

Trading Cost (Standard)

EURUSD (Best)

GBPUSD (Best)

USDJPY (Best)

Commission

Hantec Markets

4/ 5

USD, EUR, GBP, NGN

0 pips

USD 12

0.20 pips

0.50 pips

0.50 pips

USD 0

HFM

4.5/ 5

USD, ZAR

1.00 pips

USD 10

0.10 pips

0.50 pips

0.30 pips

USD 0

XM

5/ 5

USD, EUR, GBP, JPY, CHF, AUD, HUF, PLN, RUB, SGD, ZAR

0.60 pips

USD 6

0.60 pips

0.60 pips

0.60 pips

USD 0

Swap Fees (Overnight Funding)

Hantec Markets charges swap fees or fees for positions that are held overnight.  The funding amount is either added to or subtracted from your account. In a welcome show of transparency, Hantec Markets publishes all swap fees associated with each instrument on its website.  In the case of forex instruments, the amount charged depends on both the positions taken (i.e. long or short) and the rate differentials between the two currencies traded. 

For example, the swap fees for holding a long position of 1 lot (100 000 USD)  EUR/USD is -3.08 USD, and your account will be credited with 1.26 USD for holding a short position overnight.

Non-trading Fees

Hantec Markets’ non-trading fees are lower than other similar brokers.

Some of the most overlooked trading costs are the non-trading fees that are charged by brokers.  These fees can significantly affect your profitability and so should be carefully scrutinised.

Unlike most brokers, Hantec Markets does not charge any administration fees. In addition, Hantec Markets does not charge any deposit or withdrawal fees, though be aware that Hantec Markets will not cover the costs of international bank wires. Additionally, Hantec Markets charges currency conversion fees for deposits and withdrawals on accounts denominated in anything other than USD, EUR, GBP, and NGN.  For more on Hantec Markets’ deposit and withdrawal methods and fees, click here.

Hantec Markets also does not charge any inactivity fees, though if an account remains dormant for longer than six months, it will be archived. 

Opening an Account at Hantec Markets

Opening an account at Hantec Markets is a fully digital process, and accounts are ready for trading within a matter of hours.

South African traders are eligible to open a trading account at Hantec Markets but will have to follow the fully digital four-step application process. Hantec Markets offers both Individual and Corporate accounts, but we will outline the process for opening an individual account:

How to open an account at Hantec Markets:

1. Hantec Markets’ intake form requires clients to fill in their email address, name, telephone number, and country of residence.
2. The second step is to fill in your account details, including preferred base currency (although USD is the only base currency available for South African traders) and level of leverage (up to 500:1). Traders will also have to complete their personal details, employment or financial status, investment experience, and acknowledge that they have read the terms and conditions.
3. Once the application form has been successfully submitted, traders will have to verify their account by email.
4. Clients will then have to confirm their identification. Hantec Markets will need an ID document, a copy of your bank statement, and proof of address. The easiest way to provide these documents is to take a photo of them with a mobile phone:
5. A photo ID (passport, driver’s license, or national ID card) and; 

6. 1. A bank statement

   2. Proof of address (a bank or utility statement with your full name and address dated in the last three months)

   3. Important: Before uploading, please ensure the document is clear and all details can be easily read. Your proof of identity must be valid and contain your photo, full name, and date of birth. When uploading Drivers Licences, National ID Cards, or other double-sided identity documents, please ensure both sides are included.

   4. Once these documents have been received and approved, you will be able to fund your account and start trading.

We suggest you read Hantec Markets’ risk disclosure, customer agreement, and terms of business before you start trading.  

Compared to other similar brokers, Hantec Markets’ account opening process is fast, generally hassle-free, and fully digital. 

Hantec Markets Account

Hantec Markets offers only one account type, whereas most CFD providers will provide at least two or three, and its account is suitable for serious beginners and more experienced traders.

With a single registration, Hantec Markets clients can open both a real and a demo account, and trading is only offered on the MT4 platform (click here for more on Hantec Markets’ platforms).

Hantec Markets offers one live commission-free account with a high minimum deposit, making it suitable for serious beginners and more experienced traders. Additionally, it offers extremely tight spreads (of 0 pips pips on the EUR/USD) and charges no commission for Forex trading. 

Because of the reasonable minimum deposit, Hantec Markets’ account is suitable for beginner traders who do not want to risk trading large sums of money and will generally not be able to trade full-time during the workweek. Experienced traders will also appreciate the tight spreads offered on this account.

Hantec Markets allows hedging and copy trading, but prohibits scalping. See below for more details on Hantec Markets’ account:

Scroll for more details

Retail Account

A market maker, Hantec Markets’ retail account is commission-free and has spreads that start at 0 pips on the EUR/USD, which is extremely tight compared to most other brokers.  Maximum leverage (under FSC regulations) is up to 500:1, and it has a reasonable minimum deposit requirement – 100 USD. Trading is only offered on the MT4 platform, which is limited compared to most other brokers and the number of instruments available to trade is limited too, with 43 currency pairs, 13 indices, 6 metals, 8 commodities, and 5 cryptocurrencies.

Demo Accounts

Prospective traders can open a Hantec Markets demo account for the MT4 platform, loaded with virtual funds. Demo accounts are a great way to familiarise oneself with markets and practice trading strategies, however, Hantec Markets’ demo account expires after 30 days.

Overall, Hantec Markets only offers a single live account, and although its trading costs are low, the minimum deposit requirement of 1000 USD for Forex trading puts it out of the reach of beginner traders.  

Hantec Markets Deposits and Withdrawals

Hantec Markets offers an average range of deposit and withdrawal methods, and while no fees are charged for most methods, Hantec Markets charges high currency conversion fees. Additionally, Hantec Markets does not publish any details about deposits or withdrawals on its website.

In line with Anti-Money Laundering rules, Hantec Markets does not process payments to third-party accounts. All withdrawal requests from a trading account will be funded to a bank account or source in the trader’s name.   

Hantec Markets offers a range of account funding and deposit methods, including bank wire transfers, debit cards/credit cards (Visa and Maestro), Skrill, Neteller, and China Unionpay. Accounts can only be funded in USD, EUR, GBP, and NGN, and currency conversion fees will apply to all deposits and withdrawals in other currencies. However, it does not publish the currency conversion fees on its website.

Deposits are free on all funding methods and are processed within 24 hours, which is around the industry average. However, it takes 2 – 5 days on average for Hantec Markets to process withdrawals, which is longer than most other brokers, but no fees are charged.

Withdrawals can be submitted using any of the deposit methods, however, please note you will only be able to withdraw using a method you have previously used to deposit. For example, if you have only deposited via bank transfer, you will only be able to withdraw via bank transfer.

Please see below for more details:

Overall, Hantec Markets offers an average range of deposit and withdrawal methods, but withdrawal processing times are long.  Additionally, it is not transparent about its currency conversion fees. 

Base Currencies

Hantec Markets only offers accounts denominated in USD, which is very limited compared to most other brokers.  Most other brokers allow trading accounts to be denominated in up to 5 – 10 currencies.  

Hantec Markets only allows trading accounts to be denominated in USD, which is hugely limiting for traders, and especially for traders from South Africa who will likely have bank accounts denominated in ZAR.  This means that traders will have to pay conversion fees on all deposits and withdrawals.  Conversion fees can make trading expensive, and affect profitability. 

Additionally, some traders may want to have multiple accounts with different base currencies to avoid paying conversion fees.  However, because Hantec Markets accounts are only denominated in USD, this is not possible.  

In this case, it is better to open an account at a digital bank.  Digital banks offer bank accounts in several currencies with great currency exchange rates as well as free or cheap international bank transfers.

Trading Platforms

Hantec Markets only offers support for MetaTrader 4, which is severely limited compared to other brokers. Most other brokers offer a range of platforms, including MetaTrader 5, cTrader, or their own proprietary solutions.

Currently, Hantec Markets only supports the MetaTrader 4 (MT4) platform, but MT4 gives you the ability to manage multiple trading accounts from one interface. MT4 is available on both Windows and Mac.

Scroll for more details

Broker

Platform Choice

Copy Trading

Platforms

Hantec Markets

4.5/ 5

Yes

MT4

MT5

HFM

4.5/ 5

Yes

MT4

MT5

HFM Trading App

XM

4.5/ 5

Yes

MT4

MT5

Developed by MetaQuotes in 2002, MT4 is still considered one of the best CFD trading platforms in the world.  The benefit of Hantec Markets offering a third-party platform such as MT4 is that traders can use the platform should they choose to migrate to another broker. Although the platform feels somewhat outdated, it is still widely recognised for its execution speeds, excellent charting tools, algorithmic trading, and customisability.  Other features of MT4 include:

• Supports the creation, modification, and utilisation of automated trading strategies.
• Supports MQL4 programming language.
• Algorithmic trading, which allows any trading strategy to be formalised and implemented as an Expert Advisor. 
• Allows traders to develop their own custom indicators.
• Superior charting tools in nine timeframes
• 24 graphical objects
• 30 built-in indicators
• Four pending order types, including buy stop, sell stop, buy limit, and sell limit.

Hantec Markets’ Mobile Trading Platforms

As Hantec Markets only offers MT4, on mobile as well as desktop, the mobile trading experience is limited compared to other brokers.

Hantec Markets offers MT4 on a mobile trading platform. It is available for both Android and iOS. Although there is slightly limited functionality compared to the desktop version of the platform, with reduced timeframes and fewer charting options, traders will still have access to analytics with technical indicators, graphical objects, and a full set of trading orders.

Trading Tools

Hantec Markets’ trading tools are severely limited compared to most brokers.

Hantec Markets’ suite of trading tools includes access to Trading Central and MAM accounts. 

Trading Central

Trading Central is provided free of charge to all Hantec Markets’ clients, provided they fund their accounts with a minimum of 100 USD and trade a minimum of 0.01 lots (1000 USD).

A third-party tool, Trading Central’s professional analysts use the most advanced technical analysis tools in the industry to gather comprehensive and in-depth information. Their decisions are based on building price corridors and resistance levels, digital and graphical indicators for various classes, as well as recognizing candlestick patterns. This tool essentially supports traders without the technical know-how in making trading decisions. Trading Central is considered one of the best trading tools in the industry, and Hantec Markets does well to offer this tool to its clients.

MAM Accounts

Hantec Markets offers an account management service to its clients which allows account managers to trade on their behalf.  In order to perform this service, bespoke technology or software is required, also known as MAM. The MAM software communicates all allocation settings directly with the Hantec Markets MetaTrader 4 server.    

MAM stands for Multi-Account Manager which permits a range of customisable ways to sub-allocate trades.  This means investors can be part of a set of sub-accounts that are traded together by a money manager or trader who has permission from clients to trade on their accounts.  Account Managers take a portion of the profits generated by the trades. 

Managed accounts are great for beginner traders who have limited experience with trading.

Overall, Hantec Markets’ trading tools are limited compared to most other brokers and it would do well to add more trading tools to its arsenal.

Scroll for more details

Broker

Economic Calendar

Autochartist

Trading Central

Trading View

Free VPS

Hantec Markets

Yes

No

Yes

No

No

HFM

Yes

Yes

No

No

Yes

XM

Yes

No

No

No

Yes

Hantec Markets’ Financial Instruments 

Hantec Markets’ range of financial instruments to trade is smaller than most other brokers, but it allows share CFD trading on MT4. 

While Hantec Markets does offer a selection of CFDs to trade, it only provides support for the MT4 trading platform which is historically and primarily a platform for trading Forex. This shows in Hantec Markets’ relatively limited range of financial instruments, however, it allows trading on share CFDs.

Scroll for more details

Forex: Hantec Markets only offers 45 currency pairs for trading, which is limited compared to other brokers, but these include majors, minors, and exotics. 

Indices: Hantec Markets only offers trading on 13 indices, which is limited compared to other similar brokers, but includes the likes of the USD index, US2000, VIX, and AU200, among others. 

Share CFDs: With only 25 share CFDs available for trading, Hantec Markets’ share CFD range is severely limited compared to other brokers. These include the likes of top US-listed companies, including Amazon, Apple, Berkshire, Google, and Zoom, among others.

Commodities: Hantec Markets offers trading on 8 commodities, which is average compared to other similar brokers.  Commodities include energies such as oil, and softs such as coffee, cocoa, and sugar. 

Bullions: A bullion market is a market through which buyers and sellers trade gold and silver as well as associated derivatives. Hantec Markets offers trading on both gold and silver.

Metals: Hantec Markets offers trading on 5 metals, which is average compared to other brokers, including aluminium, zinc, lead, copper, and nickel.

Cryptocurrencies: Hantec Markets offers trading on 5 cryptocurrencies, a limited range compared to other similar brokers, but includes favorites like Bitcoin and Ethereum.

Overall, Hantec Markets has a disappointing range of CFDs, which may leave more experienced traders dissatisfied.

Hantec Markets Research and Market Analysis

Hantec Markets research and market analysis are only available in video format, and are seldom updated.

Aside from a functional Economic Calendar, Hantec Markets offers technical and fundamental analysis in video format that was last updated in 2020. That said, it offers the services of Trading Central, which provides technical and fundamental analysis of the financial markets from top experts that is updated by the hour. 

Education

Hantec Markets’ education section is detailed and caters to traders of all experience levels, but it is limited compared to what’s available at other large international brokers.

Trader education at Hantec Markets is detailed and offers materials for traders of all experience levels, but it only offers a small selection of articles under different category headings. Highlights of the education available include:

• Macroeconomics
• Managing your risk
• Strategy and Planning

However, Hantec Markets does offer an extensive webinar series, held three to four times a week, presented by industry experts. Webinars are run at three different times each day, and visitors are free to attend but must register before doing so. An archive of previous webinars is also available on the website.

While Hantec Markets’ education section is limited compared to other large international brokers, it offers extensive webinar training sessions, which are useful for both beginners and experienced traders.

Scroll for more details

Broker

Beginner Course

Advanced Course

Well Structured Education

Education Quality

Webinars

Hantec Markets

Yes

Yes

Yes

High

Yes

HFM

Yes

Yes

Yes

High

Yes

XM

Yes

Yes

Yes

High

Yes

Customer Support

Hantec Markets‘ customer support is average compared to other similar brokers.

Customer support is available 5 days a week during business hours via email, live chat, and telephone. Support is offered in five different languages, including English, Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese, and Arabic.

For the purposes of this review, we found the live chat support polite and knowledgeable about Hantec Markets’ services.

Regulation and Safety

Hantec Markets is a safe broker for South Africans to trade with. It maintains regulation from the FCA in the UK, the FSC of Mauritius, and the JSC of Jordan. 

Established in 1990 in Hong Kong, Hantec Markets was founded with the vision of becoming a multinational financial broker. In 2008 it expanded into Australia and in 2010 it set up a flagship office in London, United Kingdom. It is also listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, providing an extra layer of regulatory scrutiny. Hantec Markets is regulated by multiple top-tier regulators, including the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the UK, the Financial Services Commission (FSC) Mauritius, and the Jordan Securities Commission (JSC) of Jordan. See below for more details:

• Hantec Markets Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the UK (Register no: FRN 502635).
• Hantec Markets Limited is authorised and regulated as an Investment Dealer by The Financial Services Commission of Mauritius (License no: C114013940).
• Hantec Markets Limited Jordan is authorised and regulated as an Intermediary Financial Broker by the Jordan Securities Commission (License no: 51905).

South African traders will be trading under the Hantec Markets subsidiary authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Commission of Mauritius (FSC). 

The FSC regulatory requirements are not as strict as regulators from the EU or Australia.  It does, however, require that all trading brokers hold client funds in segregated accounts and submit periodic reports of their finances and operations.  Brokers must also be audited yearly by a trusted third-party auditing company.  

Hantec Markets also offers its traders negative balance protection, up to a maximum of 10,000 USD, which means that traders cannot lose more than their initial deposit. 

Overall, because of its long history of responsible behaviour, the fact that Hantec Markets is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Market, and strong international regulation, we consider Hantec Markets a safe broker to trade with.

Evaluation Process

We value transparency and openness in the way we review the partners. To bring transparency to the forefront, we have published our review process that includes a detailed breakdown of the Hantec Markets offering. Central to that process is the evaluation of the reliability of the broker, the platform offering of the broker, and the trading conditions offered to clients, which are summarised in this review. Each one of these is graded, and an overall score is calculated and assigned to the broker.

Hantec Markets Risk Warning

Trading Forex is risky, and each broker is required to detail how risky the trading of Forex CFDs is to clients. Hantec Markets would like you to know that: CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 63.08% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. 

Overview

Hantec Markets is a well-regulated broker with a single live account on the MT4 platform. Trading costs are extremely low, with spreads that start at 0 pips on the EUR/USD with no commissions for Forex trading, and a reasonable minimum deposit requirement of 100 USD. Additionally, no fees are charged for withdrawals or deposits, or on inactive accounts. 

Some drawbacks for traders considering Hantec Markets is the lack of educational and market analysis materials on offer, although traders have access Trading Central and interactive webinars are run thrice weekly. Additionally, the range of financial assets available for trading is very limited compared to other brokers, which may leave more experienced traders dissatisfied. 

Editorial Team

 

Chris Cammack
Head of Content

Chris joined the company in 2019 after ten years experience in research, editorial and design for political and financial publications. His background has given him a deep knowledge of international financial markets and the geopolitics that affects them. Chris has a keen eye for editing and a voracious appetite for financial and political current affairs. He ensures that our content across all sites meets the standards of quality and transparency that our readers expect.

 

Alison Heyerdahl
Senior Financial Writer

Alison joined the team as a writer in 2021. She is the Senior Editor for FXScouts.  She has a medical degree with a focus on physiotherapy and a bachelor’s in psychology. However, her interest in forex trading and her love for writing led her to switch careers. She has a passion for Forex trading and over a decade of editorial experience researching Forex and the financial services industry, producing high-quality content. She hosts a weekly podcast, “Let’s Talk Forex,” alongside her colleague, Chris, and has produced over 100 Forex educational videos for the FXScouts YouTube channel. She also writes weekly technical analyses and has tested and reviewed over 100 Forex brokers.

 

Ida Hermansen
Financial Writer

Ida joined our team as a financial writer in 2023. She has a degree in Digital Marketing and a background in content writing and SEO. In addition to her marketing and writing skills, Ida also has an interest in cryptocurrencies and blockchain networks. Her interest in crypto trading led to a wider fascination with Forex technical analysis and price movement. She continues to develop her skills and knowledge in Forex trading and keeps a close eye on which Forex brokers offer the best trading environments for new traders.