XTB platform overview
XTB is a broker group whose parent is regulated in Poland. In the UAE it offers real shares and ETFs, including UAE-listed shares quoted in dirhams, plus CFDs on its own xStation 5 platform.
Check which XTB you sign up with. Through XTB's UAE registration you contract with XTB Financial Services L.L.C, a Dubai company that the CMA register lists as Active for dealing in securities and OTC derivatives. A separate DIFC company, XTB MENA Limited, regulated by the DFSA, sits behind a different 'UAE' website.
We tested it with our own money. We opened an AED account, sent AED 400 from a UAE bank, which arrived in full within about a day, traded one small EUR/USD CFD and withdrew the balance the same evening.
On 23 and 24 September we used the app for a gold CFD round trip, 0.01 of an Apple share and a second withdrawal of AED 398.74, credited the next evening.
Not tested: MetaTrader 4, the swap-free account and support.
Category scores
Our expert verdict
What we could test, XTB did well. The account was active in under two hours, the Dubai company was named on the first screen, identity was checked by video and two-factor login was on by default. The account can be held in dirhams, with dirham bank details for a client money account at a UAE bank.
On paper the UAE setup is one of the stronger ones we have seen: a CMA dealing licence, UAE law and courts in the contract, and segregated client money under the CMA's rules.
The weakness is XTB's paperwork. Its documents disagree on maximum leverage (1:30 or 1:500; our live ticket used 1:500), on how long the swap-free account lasts (90, 60 or 30 days), on whether you can lose more than you deposit, and on which XTB company is your counterparty. Read your agreement and keep leverage low.
Our AED 400 deposit arrived in full within about a day. Our first CFD filled at the ticket price, with every cost shown in dirhams first. Both withdrawals were free and came back in full, one the same evening and one the next. Not tested: MetaTrader 4, the swap-free account and support.
What to watch out for
- XTB runs two companies behind two 'UAE' websites. Accounts opened through XTB's UAE registration are with XTB Financial Services L.L.C, a CMA-licensed Dubai company. www.xtb.com/ae belongs to XTB MENA Limited, a separate DFSA-regulated company in the DIFC, which the DFSA register showed as licensed under F006316 when we read it on 18 September 2026. On 25 September 2026 the DFSA warned that scammers are impersonating it on Telegram and at xtbmenalimited.cloud, and confirmed that XTB MENA Limited itself is genuine and has no connection to them. Check the domain and the company in your agreement.
- Leverage is far higher than advertised. XTB's UAE fees page says 'Maximum leverage 1:30', but our retail EUR/USD ticket asked for 0.2% margin, which is 1:500, matching XTB's margin table. Size positions for the risk you want, not the platform's maximum.
- Stop-losses are not guaranteed. After our order, XTB showed that on our account 'stop loss (SL) orders are executed at the current market price, which may be worse than the price set in the order'.
- XTB's appropriateness result at signup named only 'shares, ETFs, ETC and ETN' as adequate for us, yet it let us buy a leveraged CFD with no warning on any order screen we saw.
- The swap-free account is only swap-free for a while, and XTB's documents disagree on how long: 90 days on some instruments (fee table), 60 days (specification table of 19 September 2026) or 30 days (risk disclosure, para. 54).
- Negative balance protection is promised in the client agreement (GTC 3.25), but XTB's investment risk disclosure says 'in some cases, you may lose more than you deposited' (para. 40), and so does the account-activation email.
- When you open a leveraged position, XTB's agreement lets it take ownership of the margin, which then becomes 'our debt due to you and not as Client Money' (GTC 9.11). XTB also keeps the interest earned on client cash (GTC 7.27).
- Withdrawals under USD 50 cost USD 30 (XTB's account-and-fees page; its fee table states the charge for USD bank transfers). Above that XTB shows no fee on bank withdrawals, though its fee table leaves beneficiary and intermediary bank charges to you.
- Fractional shares are a trust right, not a share: 'you are not the co-owner of a share, ETF or other instruments', and the formal owner is XTB (investment risk disclosure, para. 30).
Key data at a glance
| Minimum deposit | No minimum, per XTB's UAE account-and-fees page |
|---|---|
| UAE minimum deposit | No minimum, per XTB's UAE account-and-fees page |
| US stock fee | No commission up to EUR 100,000 of monthly turnover, then 0.2% (minimum EUR 10), plus 0.5% currency conversion, per XTB's fee table. We bought and closed 0.01 of Apple in the app |
| EUR/USD spread | 1.1 to 1.2 pips on seven bid/ask readings in xStation 5 (18 Sep 2026); XTB's specification table gives only 'variable' |
| Deposit fee | None on our AED 400 bank transfer: our bank showed a total debit of AED 400.00, and 400.00 AED was credited |
| Withdrawal fee | No fee shown on either of our withdrawals; XTB's pages charge USD 30 below USD 50, and its fee table leaves beneficiary and intermediary bank charges to the client. Both arrived in full with intermediary fees shown as FREE: AED 399.34 the same day, and AED 398.74 the next |
| Account opening time | Active just under 2 hours after we started (measured, 15 Sep 2026) |
| Base currencies | AED, USD |
| Regulated by | CMA (UAE): dealing in securities and OTC derivatives |
| Investor protection (UAE clients) | No investor compensation scheme stated for UAE clients of XTB Financial Services LLC |
| Demo account | Yes |
| Islamic account | Not verified: swap-free account offered, but swaps apply after 30 to 90 days on some instruments and from day 1 on others. Not tested or certified |
Pros
- UAE accounts are with a Dubai company whose CMA register entry lists dealing in securities and OTC derivatives, Active
- A true AED base currency, with AED bank details for a client money account at Emirates NBD
- Account active just under two hours after we started, with video ID and two-factor login on by default
- No commission on real shares and ETFs up to EUR 100,000 of monthly turnover
- More than 50 UAE-listed shares and ETFs quoted in AED, alongside global shares and CFDs
- Our EUR/USD CFD filled at the ticket price, with spread, zero commission, swap and margin shown in AED before we confirmed
- UAE law and UAE courts govern the client agreement
Cons
- XTB's own documents contradict each other on leverage, the swap-free grace period, negative balance protection and who the counterparty is
- We found no investor compensation scheme covering UAE clients
- Margin on open positions can become XTB's debt to you rather than client money, and XTB keeps the interest on client cash
- The swap-free account charges swaps after a grace period, and from day 1 on most instruments
- Spreads appear only as 'variable' in XTB's specification tables, and we could not find the average-spread page they point to
- USD 30 fee on withdrawals under USD 50
- Real shares sit in an omnibus account in XTB's name, and fractional shares are a trust right
- Our retail account was offered 1:500 on EUR/USD, against the 1:30 XTB advertises
- Stop-losses fill at market and may fill worse than the price you set
- An appropriateness result naming only shares, ETFs, ETCs and ETNs did not stop a CFD trade, and no warning appeared
How we tested XTB
We opened an XTB account on the web on Tuesday 15 September 2026, as a UAE resident. We chose a Standard account in AED, went through activation in xStation 5, the appropriateness questions and video identity check, and timed each step. We then filled in the tax-residence form and registered a UAE bank account in AED for withdrawals. On Thursday 17 September we sent AED 400 from a UAE bank, and it showed as 400.00 AED on Friday 18 September. That day we bought 0.01 lot of EUR/USD as a CFD on the web with a stop-loss, recorded the ticket's costs and the fill, and closed it about a minute later. We then withdrew the full AED 399.34, which reached our bank that evening. On 23 and 24 September we used the iPhone app to trade gold as a CFD in both directions, buy and close 0.01 of an Apple share, and withdraw the full AED 398.74. It was credited on the evening of 25 September. Both withdrawals showed intermediary fees as FREE. On 17 September we read XTB Financial Services LLC's client agreement, fee table, risk disclosure, execution and conflicts policies, specification and margin tables and the EMAAR offer terms, all from its UAE site, and checked its CMA register entry. We took the overnight swap from the order ticket rather than holding a position. Not done: the swap-free account, MetaTrader 4 and support. We did not take up the EMAAR free-share offer, and we have not yet matched the Apple trade against an account statement.
Safety, regulation & UAE legal entity
Your contract is with XTB Financial Services L.L.C, a Dubai mainland company. The CMA register lists it as Active under code CP-0001283, established 24 July 2024, with five active activities: trading broker in international markets, trading broker of OTC derivatives and spot currencies, portfolio management, introduction, and financial consultations.
That is a dealing licence. Several brokers marketed in the UAE hold only a promotion or introduction licence here and book clients offshore. XTB also quotes licence numbers for its three categories that the register does not publish, so those numbers are XTB's own.
The agreement is under UAE law and courts, and you may be able to complain to the CMA (GTC 31.3). Client money is held in segregated accounts under the CMA's rules (GTC 9.2). Our deposit went to 'XTB FINANCIAL SERVICES LLC-Client Money' at Emirates NBD.
Now the caveats, all from XTB's own documents. Once you open a leveraged position, XTB may take the margin, which becomes 'our debt due to you and not as Client Money' (GTC 9.11). The agreement promises negative balance protection (GTC 3.25), but the risk disclosure says 'in some cases, you may lose more than you deposited' (para. 40).
The agreement names XTB Financial Services as counterparty to every transaction (GTC 3.10), but makes the Polish parent, XTB S.A., counterparty for fractional shares and some share trades (GTC 3.11; GTC 3.26 names the UAE company for fractional rights).
The execution policy says every order is executed with XTB S.A. on a matched-principal basis, and XTB's conflicts policy says it 'stands to profit if the Client loses'.
Our retail EUR/USD ticket asked for 0.2% margin, which is 1:500, not the 1:30 XTB advertises. Stop-losses on our account are executed at market and can fill worse than the level set. We found no investor compensation scheme covering UAE clients.
XTB's UAE documents still link to its DIFC sister company's pages in places, which looks like unfinished drafting but should be fixed. That DIFC company, XTB MENA Limited, is a DFSA-regulated firm: the DFSA register showed it licensed under F006316 when we read it on 18 September 2026, and the DFSA's alert of 25 September 2026 says so too. It is not the company our signup contracted with.
| Entity | Regulator | Tier | Protection | UAE clients |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| XTB Financial Services L.L.C CMA · United Arab Emirates | Capital Market Authority (the renamed SCA) (#CP-0001283 (register company code). XTB quotes 20200000405 (Category One), 20200000404 (Category Two) and 20200000231 (Category Five), which the register does not publish) | Tier-2 | None stated for UAE clients in XTB Financial Services LLC's documents | Yes |
| XTB MENA Limited DFSA · United Arab Emirates (DIFC) | Dubai Financial Services Authority (#F006316 (licensed 8 Jul 2021)) | Tier-1 | — | No |
| XTB S.A. KNF · Poland | Komisja Nadzoru Finansowego (#LEI 259400AVUPSABLEXNT19 (ESMA register); KNF licence number not verified) | Tier-1 | — | Yes |
| XTB International Limited FSC · Belize | Financial Services Commission (#6442514 (FSC register number)) | Tier-3 | — | No |
What you actually sign
- General Client Agreement, Terms and Conditions (GTC)
The contract a UAE client accepts. It names XTB Financial Services LLC as counterparty, sets out client money, negative balance protection, the 50% stop-out and withdrawals, and is governed by UAE law.
“We will be your counterparty in respect of every Transaction.” (3.10)
- Table of Fees and Commissions
Share and ETF commission, conversion mark-ups, withdrawal and inactivity fees, and the swap-free grace periods.
“Withdrawals of less than $50 will be charged an additional commission of $30” (Sec. 1, USD bank transfers)
- Investment Risk Disclosure (Declaration of Investment Risk)
Accepted at signup. It contradicts the client agreement on negative balance protection, and explains that fractional shares are a trust right.
“You are personally responsible for all losses resulting from these positions and in some cases, you may lose more than you deposited.” (40)
- Order Execution Policy
How and where orders are executed: CFD orders with XTB S.A. (though chapter I 3.1 names XTB Financial Services LLC as the place of execution), stock and ETF CFDs through Saxo Bank A/S, and real shares via XTB S.A., including as systematic internaliser, or for EEA, Swiss, UK and US listings through KBC Bank or DriveWealth. It names no venue for UAE-listed shares.
“A potential conflict of interest is that the Firm executes all of its clients' orders with XTB S.A., under a matched principal execution model.” (Introduction)
- Conflict of Interest Policy
Lists the conflicts XTB says can arise between it and its clients.
“The Company is the counterparty to its Clients positions (i.e., act as Principal on a Match Principal Basis) and therefore stands to profit if the Client loses.” (2.3(h))
- "Free Share" Promotional Offer Terms & Conditions (EMAAR)
Ten Emaar Properties shares for the first 4,000 eligible new clients who accept the terms in the app and deposit within 7 days of opening their first account. The Arabic version names XTB International Limited as account holder; the English version, which XTB says prevails (cl. 9.4), names XTB Financial Services LLC.
“Making any deposit to the Account within 7 days (168 hours) of opening the first Account.” (3.2.3)
Safety signals
Account opening
Measured once, on our own signup. It took just under two hours from first visiting XTB's site to the 'account is now active' email, mostly waiting for approval.
With the UAE selected, the first screen names XTB Financial Services LLC and its CMA licences, and marketing consent is a separate box. You choose a Standard or Swap-free account, in AED or USD.
About five minutes in, XTB says 'We opened your account', but that is a shell: you land in xStation 5 on an account marked 'REAL (INACTIVE)' and activate it there.
Activation took us about ten minutes: a mobile number (two-factor login switches on automatically), personal details, then questions on income, wealth, employment, trading experience and PEP status. XTB's appropriateness result named only 'shares, ETFs, ETC and ETN' as suitable for us. Yet no warning appeared when we later bought a CFD.
Identity is checked by video on your phone, with an ID or passport from your country of residence, then proof of address. Our bank letter was accepted about 19 minutes after we reached that screen, and the account was active 1 hour 16 minutes later.
The Client Office then asked for our tax residence under the CRS, with an option for UAE residents who have no tax number.
One slip: the email confirming our document showed an unfilled template field, '${CorrectedDataReason}'.
- 1 Create the account
Email and password with the UAE selected, then a Standard or Swap-free account in AED or US dollars. XTB Financial Services LLC and its CMA licences are named under the form.
- 2 Activate in xStation 5
Mobile number (two-factor login is on by default, with e-mail codes unless you change it), personal details, address, nationality and country of funds.
- 3 Answer the questionnaire
Income, savings and investment bands, source of wealth, employment, FX and CFD trading history, experience or qualifications, investment purpose and PEP status.
- 4 Accept the agreements
XTB's appropriateness result, then the client agreement, investment risk declaration, execution policy, fee table and privacy policy, with an acknowledgement that XTB Financial Services is your provider.
- 5 Verify by video, then address
An ID or passport issued by your country of residence, on your phone, then proof of address. Ours was accepted on a bank letter.
- 6 Fund the account
Once the 'account is now active' email arrives, deposit through the Client Office by bank transfer or card.
Opening an account, step by step
Account types
| Account | Min. deposit | Swap-free | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard account | No minimum | — | Offered at signup as 'Trade with $0 commissions, tight spreads and no minimum deposit', in AED or US dollars. XTB's UAE account-and-fees page gives 'Maximum leverage 1:30' and 'Negative balance protection – Available'; its margin table for standard accounts, however, sets margin as low as 0.2% (1:500) on EUR/USD and gold and 0.5% (1:200) on the US500 index. On our account the EUR/USD ticket asked for AED 8.44 of margin on a EUR 1,000 position, which is 0.2%, so 1:500 is what the platform applied. Positions are closed automatically when equity falls to 50% of the margin in use (GTC 17.3). We opened this account, in AED. |
| Swap-free account | USD 1, per XTB's swap-free page | — | Offered at signup as 'Simplify your trading with no swap charges and admin fees'. XTB's own terms narrow that: its fee table gives a 90-day grace period on gold, silver, platinum, palladium, oil, indices and most currency pairs, with swaps from day 1 on everything else; its newer specification table gives 60 days on a shorter list with no indices or oil; and XTB's investment risk disclosure says the grace period 'is limited to 30 days' (para. 54). The swap-free page states a USD 1 minimum deposit and 'Maximum leverage 1:500'. Not opened or tested. |
| MetaTrader 4 account | — | — | Linked from the signup page as a separate account, with its own margin table from XTB's UAE site. Not opened or tested. |
Deposit and withdrawal
Both directions measured: one deposit and two withdrawals, all in full. The account itself can be in AED, and the Client Office gives dirham bank details for 'XTB FINANCIAL SERVICES LLC-Client Money' at Emirates NBD, with your account number as the reference.
The other deposit option on our account was Visa or Mastercard through VaultsPay ('Quick payment'), although XTB's agreement says retail clients cannot pay by credit card (GTC 8.2). Money must come from an account or card in your name. A third-party transfer is sent back, which XTB says can take up to seven working days.
We sent AED 400 from a UAE bank on Thursday 17 September. The next day, about 21 hours later, the account showed 400.00 AED, with nothing deducted and no conversion. That beat XTB's own 'Can take a few days' label.
To withdraw, you first register a bank account in your name, with IBAN, BIC and a statement or bill confirmation. Ours was registered in about 12 minutes.
On 18 September we withdrew the full AED 399.34. The screen said 'No fee' and warned that your bank or an intermediary may charge. It reached our bank that evening at 20:30:51, with intermediary fees shown as FREE.
On 24 September we withdrew the whole AED 398.74 in the app, and it was credited the next evening, 25 September, also in full and free. XTB's agreement promises execution by the next business day (GTC 7.25), and both withdrawals met it.
Bank withdrawals are free above USD 50 and cost USD 30 below it (XTB's account-and-fees page). The fee table also lists 1.5% on withdrawals to credit cards, for residents of certain countries only. One slip: where the screen should have shown an arrival estimate, it showed an unfilled template field, 'paymentsDeposit.'.
| Deposit fee | None on our AED 400 bank transfer: our bank showed a total debit of AED 400.00, and 400.00 AED was credited |
|---|---|
| Withdrawal fee | No fee shown on either of our withdrawals; XTB's pages charge USD 30 below USD 50, and its fee table leaves beneficiary and intermediary bank charges to the client. Both arrived in full with intermediary fees shown as FREE: AED 399.34 the same day, and AED 398.74 the next |
| Min. withdrawal | No minimum ('You can withdraw any amount', account-and-fees page); withdrawals under USD 50 cost USD 30 |
| Deposit time | Within about 21 hours on our AED 400 bank transfer (sent 17 Sep 2026, showing as 400.00 AED on 18 Sep); the exact credit time is not on our capture. XTB labels bank transfers 'Can take a few days' |
| Withdrawal time | Same day to next day across two withdrawals, both paid in full. AED 399.34 requested on 18 Sep 2026 and credited at 20:30:51 the same evening; AED 398.74 requested in the app on the evening of 24 Sep 2026 and credited at 21:08:07 on 25 Sep, both on our bank's clock. XTB's summary showed no estimate (an unfilled 'paymentsDeposit.' field); its client agreement says executed no later than the next business day (GTC 7.25) |
| AED supported | Yes: AED is available as a base currency |
Funding methods
Funding XTB, step by step
Product selection & tradable assets
Scored on XTB's UAE specification tables, one EUR/USD CFD and a 0.01 Apple share trade. The range mixes real shares and ETFs with CFDs, and they are held very differently.
Real shares and ETFs are bought on a market or from XTB S.A. as systematic internaliser (GTC 18.1) and held in an omnibus account in XTB's name, with your rights recorded individually.
Fractional shares are a trust right: XTB's risk disclosure says 'you are not the co-owner' and XTB is the formal owner. CFDs on FX, indices, commodities, stocks and ETFs give no ownership (GTC 4.16).
The stand-out for UAE investors is local shares: more than 50 UAE-listed shares and ETFs quoted in AED, EMAAR.AE among them, with a 100 AED minimum trade. XTB's documents don't name the exchange, and we haven't bought one. The homepage claims '7000+ financial instruments', which we haven't counted.
Fees and spreads
Scored on XTB's fee table and what our account was charged on a EUR/USD CFD, a gold CFD round trip and a 0.01 Apple share trade.
Shares: no commission on real shares and ETFs until monthly turnover passes EUR 100,000, then 0.2% per trade with a EUR 10 minimum. XTB's EMAAR page gives that threshold in dollars, so its own pages disagree on the currency.
Conversion is the cost to watch. A US share bought from an AED account is converted at a 0.5% mark-up, and again when you sell. UAE-listed shares are quoted in AED, so they should need no conversion from an AED account; we have not confirmed that on a trade.
CFDs carry no commission. The cost is the spread, which XTB's tables give only as 'variable', and stock and ETF CFDs carry a 0.30% mark-up in it.
Our EUR/USD ticket showed a spread of 1.1 to 1.2 pips (AED 0.40 to 0.44 on 0.01 lot) and a swap of AED 0.35 a night on a buy (AED 0.01 on a sell), matching XTB's swap table. The round trip cost AED 0.66.
The swap table linked from the UAE site names no company and sits under XTB International's web path, which is not a clean source for a UAE client.
Deposits are free; our AED 400 arrived as 400.00 AED. Bank withdrawals cost USD 30 below USD 50. The inactivity fee, EUR 10 a month, applies only after a year without a trade and 90 days without a deposit.
Two costs are easy to miss: XTB keeps the interest on your cash (GTC 7.27), and a custody fee of 0.2% a year (minimum EUR 10 a month) applies to average daily portfolio value above EUR 250,000.
| Fee type | Cost |
|---|---|
| US stock fee | No commission up to EUR 100,000 of monthly turnover, then 0.2% (minimum EUR 10), plus 0.5% currency conversion from an AED account, per XTB's fee table. We bought and closed 0.01 of Apple in the app |
| ETF fee | Same as shares: no commission up to EUR 100,000 of monthly turnover, then 0.2% (minimum EUR 10). Not yet traded |
| EUR/USD spread | 1.1 to 1.2 pips (AED 0.40 to 0.44 on 0.01 lot) on seven bid/ask readings in xStation 5, 18 Sep 2026; XTB's specification table gives only 'variable' |
| FX commission | None on FX CFDs (fee table), and 0.00 on our EUR/USD trade; the cost is in the spread |
| Deposit fee | None on our AED 400 bank transfer (our bank showed a total debit of AED 400.00; 400.00 AED was credited); XTB says payment providers may charge on other methods |
| Withdrawal fee | No fee shown on either of our withdrawals; XTB's pages charge USD 30 below USD 50, and its fee table leaves beneficiary and intermediary bank charges to the client. Both arrived in full with intermediary fees shown as FREE: AED 399.34 the same day, and AED 398.74 the next |
| Inactivity fee | EUR 10 a month, only if there has been no trade for 365 days and no deposit for 90 days (fee table) |
| Currency conversion | 0.5% on share trades and CFD results in another currency; 0.5% between cash accounts, 0.8% at weekends and on holidays (fee table) |
Web & desktop platform
Scored on one CFD round trip on the web. xStation 5 is XTB's own platform and also where you activate your account. We bought 0.01 lot of EUR/USD with a stop-loss and closed it about a minute later. It filled at the ticket's buy price.
The order ticket is one of the clearest we have used. Before you confirm, it shows the spread, zero commission, pip value, the daily swap both ways and the margin, all in dirhams. A confirmation step repeats them and notes that 'A 0,5% FX fee applies to any profit or loss when the position is closed'.
Two things to know: stop-losses on our account fill at market and can fill worse than the level set, and no warning appeared before the CFD trade despite our appropriateness result.
Account history covers closed positions, cash and orders, with an export option. A demo account with 100,000 in virtual funds is one 'Switch to REAL' click away. XTB also offers MetaTrader 4, which we did not test.
Mobile app
Used on the live account on 23 and 24 September 2026, across 37 captures. In the app we opened and closed a gold CFD in both directions, bought and closed 0.01 of an Apple share, and withdrew the whole balance.
XTB's emails link the app on the App Store and Google Play, and the EMAAR free-share offer can only be accepted in the app.
XTB app
UAE-specific features
On what matters most to a UAE resident, XTB scores well. Your contract is with a Dubai company holding a CMA dealing licence, under UAE law and courts. The account can be in AED, with dirham bank details at Emirates NBD.
There is an Arabic site and signup, a Dubai number and a toll-free UAE number, and more than 50 UAE-listed shares and ETFs quoted in AED.
The current offer is ten free Emaar Properties shares, for the first 4,000 eligible new clients who accept in the app and deposit within seven days of opening. The Arabic terms name a different company, XTB International Limited in Belize. XTB says the English version, which names the Dubai company, prevails.
The score stays at 4.0 because we found no UAE compensation scheme that applies, and XTB's two UAE companies and two UAE websites make it easy to read the wrong documents. Our AED deposit and both AED withdrawals came back in full.
Customer support
XTB lists xtbsupport@xtb.ae, +971 4 490 5000 and a toll-free number, 800 XTB UAE (800 982 823), and advertises '24/5 Support' with a chat button on its site.
In xStation 5, the support widget offers chat, a help search and a Messages tab that keeps the thread. The Help center lets you chat, send an error report (300 characters, with diagnostic data attached), file a complaint or track one you have filed.
An in-platform complaint route with a status tracker is more than most brokers on this site offer. XTB says complaints are usually answered within 30 days, longer for complex cases, which is a long wait if your money is the issue. Both figures are XTB's own. We have not contacted support, so it is not scored.
Research & education
XTB's Knowledge Base sorts articles by topic: forex, commodities, indices, technical and fundamental analysis, stocks, CFDs, ETFs, the platform, a glossary, guides and a Become a Trader track. The app has a separate course and an economic calendar.
The Knowledge Base page we captured carries a Brazil exclusion notice, so it sits on XTB's international site, not the xtb.ae site UAE clients sign up through. We have not checked whether the .ae site has the same library or worked through the articles, so education is not scored.
Best alternatives to XTB in the UAE
| Broker | Best for | Overall score | UAE regulator | Minimum deposit | Swap-free account |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| eToroOnboards UAE clients through an ADGM entity regulated by the FSRA, buys the underlying share on unleveraged long positions and lists ADX and DFM shares. | Best for real shares under an ADGM licence | 4.4 | FSRA | $100 (≈ AED 367) | Yes |
| Capital.comUAE clients are onboarded by a CMA Category One dealing entity in Dubai, with AED as a base currency. It is CFDs only, so there are no real shares. | Best for CFDs only under a CMA licence | 4.2 | CMA | $20 (20 USD/EUR/GBP) or AED 80 | Yes |
| SarwaAn FSRA-regulated Abu Dhabi app with real US share ownership and no fee line on AED transfers in (we measured about 0.27% in conversion), but no leverage or CFDs, and the greater of $1 or 0.25% per trade. | Best UAE-regulated app for US shares only | 3.9 | FSRA, DFSA | $0.27 (≈ AED 1) on the bank rail; Invest from $500 | — |
Verdict
XTB's UAE account got the fundamentals right. It was active in under two hours and is held in dirhams with a Dubai company that has a CMA dealing licence, under UAE law. Dirhams go to a named client money account at a UAE bank. For a UAE investor who wants real shares without converting every dirham, that is a strong setup.
What holds the score back is XTB's paperwork. Its documents disagree on leverage (our retail account got 1:500, not the advertised 1:30), the swap-free period, negative balance protection and the counterparty, and we found no compensation scheme for UAE clients.
If you use it, open the account in AED, check which company your agreement names, keep leverage low, and don't rely on the swap-free account past its grace period.
In our test the AED 400 deposit arrived in full within a day, the CFD filled at the ticket price, and both withdrawals came back free, one the same evening and one the next. Not tested: MetaTrader 4, the swap-free account and support.
Recent news
DFSA warns of a clone of XTB's DIFC company
The DFSA issued an alert that XTB MENA Limited, XTB's DIFC company, is being impersonated. This is exactly the confusion our review warns about: XTB runs two UAE companies behind two "UAE" websites, and a clone adds a third. Check the domain and the company named in your agreement.
DFSA alertRecord first half: profit up 149%, nearly 3 million clients
XTB Group reported H1 2026 net profit above EUR 240 million, up 148.7%, on revenue of EUR 490.7 million, with more than 703,000 new clients and a total base above 2.9 million. XTB is listed in Warsaw and publishes audited results, a transparency point in its favour; the figures are group-wide.
ACTmediaUAE dealing licences added
XTB's Dubai company received CMA Category 1 and 2 licences, upgrading from Category 5, which lets it onboard clients and execute trades locally. That matches what we found on the CMA register: dealing activities listed as Active, and our account opened with the Dubai company.
Quartr, XTB Q1 2026 summary
Frequently asked questions
Is XTB regulated in the UAE?
Which XTB company holds my account in the UAE?
Can I open an XTB account in AED?
Does XTB charge commission on shares?
How much leverage does XTB offer in the UAE?
Does XTB have an Islamic account?
Is my money protected with XTB?
How long do XTB deposits and withdrawals take?
What spread does XTB charge on EUR/USD?
Giles Thomas
Giles is Executive Director at FOE Global, a UAE family office and private equity advisory firm. He conducts the funded account testing and regulatory verification behind onlinebroker.ae.