Broker partners
The brokers I hold accounts with, and what to check before you open one.
An algorithm is only as good as the account it executes on. These are the brokers I use or have used for XAU/USD. Read the points, then do your own checks — the right choice depends on where you live and which entity you are onboarded to.
The links on this page are partner links. If you open an account through one of them I may receive a commission from the broker. It costs you nothing extra and it does not change the terms you get. It also does not make any broker on this page right for you — that is your decision to make, and these are not recommendations or investment advice.
Exness
The account I run my own algo on- MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 both supported, so an EA setup moves across without rebuilding it
- XAU/USD available alongside the major FX pairs
- Several account types, including raw-spread style accounts
- This is the broker my own gold algorithm runs on — that is my experience, not a recommendation
- Demo account first: test the setup before any money goes in
EC Markets
Multi-entity broker, MT4 and MT5- MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 platform access
- Gold and the major currency pairs on the same platform
- Operates through several regional entities — check which one applies to you before funding
- Demo account available to test execution first
Vantage
Platform choice beyond MetaTrader- MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, plus its own web and mobile apps
- XAU/USD, FX, indices and commodities on one login
- Copy-trading and analysis tools available on top of the platform
- Regional entity and product availability vary — confirm yours at sign-up
XM
Long-established, heavy on education- MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 across desktop, web and mobile
- Gold, FX, indices, and a wide instrument list
- Large library of free webinars and platform tutorials
- Operating entity depends on your country — read which one you are signing with
Before you open anything
Three things worth more than the spread.
Most people compare brokers on cost alone and find out about the rest at the worst possible moment. These are the checks that actually matter for running an algorithm on gold.
Check 01
Which entity you are signing with
Large brokers operate through several companies in different jurisdictions. The one you are onboarded to decides your protections, your leverage and your dispute process. It is written on the client agreement — read that page rather than the marketing one.
Check 02
How gold behaves on their feed
XAU/USD is where spreads widen most around news. Open a demo, leave it running through a CPI or NFP release, and watch what happens to the spread and the fills. That single test tells you more than any review site.
Check 03
Whether withdrawals actually work
Fund a small amount, trade it, then withdraw it before you commit properly. A broker's deposit process is always smooth. The withdrawal is the one worth testing while the stakes are low.
Risk warning and disclaimer
Trading foreign exchange, gold and other leveraged products carries a high level of risk and is not suitable for everyone. You can lose more than you deposit. A significant proportion of retail investor accounts lose money trading these products. Past performance is never a reliable indicator of future results.
Nothing on this page is investment advice, a recommendation, or an offer to buy or sell anything. It is a list of brokers I hold or have held accounts with, together with points I think are worth checking. Products, leverage, account types and protections differ by country and by the entity you contract with, and may not be available where you live. Read the client agreement and the risk disclosure on the broker's own site, and take independent advice if you need it.
Links marked as partner links earn me a commission if you open an account through them, at no additional cost to you. I have no control over, and take no responsibility for, the content, terms or conduct of any third-party site.