In short
- Scalping is legal, but check each broker's terms.
- Costs dominate: use raw-spread accounts and liquid pairs.
- Fast, stable execution matters more than any other feature.
Why broker terms matter
Some brokers restrict trades held for only a few seconds, latency arbitrage, or certain high-frequency Expert Advisors. Read the terms of business and order execution policy, or ask support directly: "Do you allow scalping and EAs on this account?"
How costs add up
A scalper placing 20 round trips a day on one standard lot of EUR/USD pays the spread 20 times. At 0.9 pips that's 18 pips a day — about $180. On a raw account at 0.1 pips plus $6 commission, it's about $140. Over a month the difference can be hundreds of dollars.
What scalpers should look for
- Raw spreads with transparent commission
- Fast execution with fair slippage handling
- No minimum holding time
- Platform support for one-click trading and hotkeys
- Stable connections during news (or a VPS for EAs)
Raw-spread options among brokers we list
- Hantec Markets — Pro ECN, from 0.1 pips + commission, MT4
- Pepperstone — Razor, from 0.0 pips + commission, MT4/MT5/cTrader
- CMC Markets — FX Active, 0.0 on six majors + 0.0025% commission
Confirm each broker's scalping policy for your account before trading.
Frequently asked questions
Is scalping allowed in the UK?
Scalping is legal. Whether a particular broker allows it depends on its terms of business — some restrict very short holding times or certain automated strategies.
What's the best account type for scalping?
Usually a raw-spread (ECN-style) account, because spreads are the biggest cost when you trade many times a day.
CFDs and spread bets are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Most retail investor accounts lose money when trading these products. You should consider whether you understand how they work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.