Internationally regulated brokers ASIC · FCA · FSCA · FSA · FSC oversight Trade responsibly — leverage magnifies losses
Compare Brokers
AXST
Head-to-head comparison · 2026 rankings

Axi vs StarTrader: Which Is Better in 2026?

By the Best Forex Canada research team · Reviewed under our methodology · Last updated: 20 August 2026

Axi and StarTrader are the two most heavily regulated brokers on our list, which makes this matchup less about safety and more about style. Axi is the veteran — founded 2007, FCA-licensed, deliberately focused on a tighter CFD menu. StarTrader is the fast-growing challenger with six licences, 1:1000 leverage, copy trading and a wider market range.

Both brokers accept Canadian residents. Neither is CIRO-regulated, so there is no CIPF coverage — see each full review for the entity-level details before funding an account.

Axi vs StarTrader at a glance

AxiStarTrader
Our 2026 score8.8/10 (#4)9.1/10 (#2)
Founded2007 · Sydney, Australia2019 · Mauritius (UK, Australia & UAE entities)
RegulationFCA (UK), ASIC, DFSA (Dubai), FMA (New Zealand)ASIC, FCA, FSCA, FSA, FSC, CMA/SCA — six licences
Minimum deposit$0 on Standard and Pro accounts$50 (Standard, Pro/ECN and Islamic)
SpreadsFrom 0.0 pips on Pro (+ ~$3.50–7/lot commission); markup-only on StandardFrom 0.0 pips on Pro/ECN (~$3–7/lot commission); from ~1.3 pips on Standard
Max leverageUp to 1:500 (international) · 1:30 UK/EU retailUp to 1:1000 on FX
PlatformsMT4, MT5, Axi platform with TradingViewMT4, MT5, STARTRADER Web & Mobile, STAR Copy
Markets220+ CFDs700–1,000+ instruments
Best forBest for regulatory strength and longevityBest for copy trading and regulatory breadth

Strengths compared

Where Axi wins

  • Longest operating history in this comparison (2007 vs 2019) with a clean regulatory record
  • FCA plus ASIC, DFSA and FMA — every licence is from a recognised, established regulator
  • No minimum deposit on Standard and Pro accounts
  • Axi Select funded-trader program offers a capital-allocation path no other broker here matches

Where StarTrader wins

  • Six licences to Axi's four, and negative balance protection across all account types
  • Much higher leverage ceiling (1:1000 vs 1:500) for international clients
  • Wider instrument range (700–1,000+ vs 220+) including more FX pairs and crypto CFDs
  • STAR Copy gives casual traders a copy-trading path Axi doesn't offer

Verdict: which should you choose?

Traders who value institutional pedigree, plan to trade a focused menu of majors and indices, or want to work toward funded capital via Axi Select should choose Axi. Traders who want leverage headroom, copy trading, or a broader market list — while still keeping strong multi-jurisdiction oversight — are better served by StarTrader.

In our 2026 rankings StarTrader scores slightly higher (9.1 vs 8.8), mostly on breadth. But Axi is the kind of broker you pick when you've decided that boring and established is exactly what you want — and that's a perfectly good reason.

For the full breakdown of each broker — regulation entity by entity, current promotions, funding methods and our detailed scoring — read our complete Axi review and StarTrader review.

Ready to open an account?Axi 8.8/10 · StarTrader 9.1/10 — both accept Canadians from low minimum deposits
Open Axi AccountOpen StarTrader AccountSee all 6 brokers

Compare all six brokers

Spreads, platforms, funding and safety — side by side in our comparison matrix.

Compare all brokers