OANDA Review 2026
The full OANDA write-up for United States traders: the kitchen inspection, the ingredient costs, the bill, and our straight verdict.
Regulation in United States
| Regulator | CFTC, Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) |
| Licence Number | 0325821 |
| Regulated Entity | OANDA Corporation |
| Max Leverage (Forex) | 1:50 |
| Minimum Deposit | $0 |
| EUR/USD Spread | From 1.2 pips |
| Instruments | 300+ |
| Platforms | OANDA Trade, MT4, MT5, TradingView |
| Copy Trading | ✗ |
| Real Stocks | ✗ |
| Inactivity fee | Inactivity fee: USD10/month after 12 months |
Verdict
Cooks under CFTC (licence 0325821). Cover charge $0. In United States, forex leverage is capped at 1:50.
About OANDA
OANDA opened its doors in 1996 out of a kitchen in New York, USA. Its menu runs to 300 tradeable instruments, forex pairs alongside CFDs on stocks, indices and commodities. It holds licences across several jurisdictions, with the head licence carried by OANDA Corporation under CFTC.
In United States, OANDA serves as OANDA Corporation, cleared by CFTC under licence number 0325821. Under CFTC house rules, United States traders are poured no more than 1:50 leverage on forex pairs.
Trading Platforms
Pros
- CFTC regulated, licence 0325821
- 300+ instruments to trade
- Negative balance protection in United States
- Platforms: OANDA Trade, MT4, MT5, TradingView
- Founded in 1996 (30 years operating)
- Licences in 6 jurisdictions
Cons
- Inactivity fee: USD10/month after 12 months
- 67.4% of retail clients burn their fingers
- CFDs only, you trade the price, you never own the dish
- No real stock ownership
Key Facts, OANDA
- One of first retail forex brokers, founded 1996, operates in 8 global markets
- Proprietary currency data powering OANDA FXConverter used by thousands of businesses
- No minimum deposit, one of few major regulated brokers with no minimum
Known Limitations
- Does not accept clients from many emerging market countries
- MT4 available but OANDA's proprietary platform has limited advanced charting vs competitors
- Spreads during off-peak hours can widen significantly
Frequently Asked Questions
Is OANDA regulated?
Yes. OANDA is authorised by CFTC, issued to the entity OANDA Corporation, an authorisation you can look up for yourself on the official CFTC public register.
What is the minimum deposit for OANDA in United States?
The cover charge is $0, the smallest amount United States traders need to open a live account with OANDA under CFTC rules.
What leverage does OANDA offer in United States?
In United States, CFTC rules cap OANDA at 1:50 on forex pairs. A larger pour is sometimes available through offshore-regulated entities, with thinner protection to match.
Is OANDA safe to trade with?
The kitchen passes inspection: OANDA cooks under CFTC. A tier-1 regulator insists on segregated client money, negative balance protection and independent audits, while lighter offshore regimes offer weaker cover and often no compensation scheme. That does not make trading risk-free, so check which entity holds your account and what protections actually apply before you deposit.
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