B

Boston Merchant Financial

6.1/10

Virtual Brokers

6.4/10
7/10RegulationTied7/10
10/10WinnerFees0/10
7/10PlatformsWinner9/10
0/10Education & ResearchWinner10/10
4/10Deposits & WithdrawalsTied4/10
10/10SupportTied10/10

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Overview

Boston Merchant Financial was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in Dubai, while Virtual Brokers was established in 2008 and is based in Canada. Boston Merchant Financial holds licences including Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC), while Virtual Brokers is regulated by The Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC) among others. Boston Merchant Financial serves 10,000+ clients worldwide; Virtual Brokers has 10,000+. The minimum deposit is $50 at Boston Merchant Financial and $1000 at Virtual Brokers.

Virtual Brokers wins this category
FeatureBoston Merchant FinancialVirtual Brokers
Min. Deposit$50$1000
RegulationAustralian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC)The Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC), Canadian Investor Protection Fund (CIPF)
Founded19882008
CountryDubaiCanada
Clients10,000+10,000+

Fees

Fees are a critical factor when choosing between Boston Merchant Financial and Virtual Brokers, directly affecting your bottom line as a trader. Virtual Brokers has a lower barrier to entry with a minimum deposit of $1000 (vs $50 at Boston Merchant Financial). Virtual Brokers charges withdrawal fees while Boston Merchant Financial does not, giving Boston Merchant Financial an edge for frequent withdrawers. Virtual Brokers charges deposit fees; Boston Merchant Financial does not. Overall, Boston Merchant Financial scores higher on fees in our assessment.

Boston Merchant Financial wins this category
FeatureBoston Merchant FinancialVirtual Brokers
Min. Deposit$50$1000
Withdrawal FeesNoYes
Inactivity FeesNoNo
Deposit FeesNoYes
CFD FeesNoNo

Platforms

Boston Merchant Financial offers MT5, cTrader, while Virtual Brokers supports MT4, MT5, cTrader. Both brokers provide mobile trading apps for iOS and Android. Both brokers support copy or social trading, catering to less hands-on investors. Virtual Brokers edges ahead on platform breadth and functionality in our scoring.

Virtual Brokers wins this category
FeatureBoston Merchant FinancialVirtual Brokers
MT4NoYes
MT5YesYes
cTraderYesYes
Windows AppYesYes
iOS AppYesYes
Android AppYesYes
Trading PlatformsMT4, Web Trader, Tablet & Mobile appsMT4,Desktop,iPhone/iOS

Education & Research

Education and research tools help traders at every level make more informed decisions, and here's how Boston Merchant Financial and Virtual Brokers compare. Virtual Brokers runs regular live webinars; Boston Merchant Financial does not. Virtual Brokers has a video library; Boston Merchant Financial does not. Virtual Brokers publishes daily market commentary; Boston Merchant Financial does not. Virtual Brokers integrates third-party research tools (Trading Central, Autochartist); Boston Merchant Financial does not. Virtual Brokers maintains an archive of past webinars for on-demand viewing. Virtual Brokers scores higher overall in education and research.

Virtual Brokers wins this category
FeatureBoston Merchant FinancialVirtual Brokers
Forex EducationNoYes
CFD EducationNoYes
Weekly WebinarsNoYes
Daily CommentaryNoYes
Trading CentralNoYes
AutochartistNoYes

Deposits & Withdrawals

Convenient deposit and withdrawal options reduce friction for traders, especially important when managing positions across time zones. Boston Merchant Financial accepts 2 of the tracked payment methods (bank transfer, credit/debit card), while Virtual Brokers supports 2 (bank transfer, credit/debit card). Both brokers support the same set of payment methods.

Tied
FeatureBoston Merchant FinancialVirtual Brokers
Bank TransferYesYes
Credit CardYesYes
PayPalNoNo
SkrillNoNo
NetellerNoNo

Support

Responsive customer support matters most when you're locked out of your account or need urgent help with a trade. Both Boston Merchant Financial and Virtual Brokers offer live chat support. Both provide phone support. Email support is available at both brokers. Both brokers offer support in 2 languages. Both brokers are comparable on support quality.

Tied
FeatureBoston Merchant FinancialVirtual Brokers
Live ChatYesYes
Phone SupportYesYes
Email SupportYesYes
LanguagesEnglish, and ChineseEnglish, and Chinese