BlackBull Markets is a financial derivatives broker that impresses with its well-rounded services. Established in 2014 and headquartered in New Zealand, BlackBull Markets offers over 26,000 tradable instruments at generally competitive fees.
The broker’s greatest perk is its diverse range of platforms and tools. In addition to the proprietary BlackBull Invest and BlackBull Copy Trader, it supports MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, cTrader, ZuluTrade, and TradingView.
Additionally, the broker incorporates content from Myfxbook specifically geared for currency traders and provides free Virtual Private Server (VPS) hosting and FIX API solutions. This is complemented by robust educational and research content.
In my estimation, BlackBull Markets provides great conditions for day traders, chart artists, copy traders, and algorithmic traders.
Recommended in 7 best broker guides: |
Crypto | ECN | TradingView | Bitcoin | Metals | Lowest Spreads | Fast Execution |
Pros | Cons |
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Casual traders with BlackBull Markets can choose from a wide selection of trading platforms and diverse accounts. The broker has no minimum deposit requirement on its ECN Standard account, making it quite affordable. Furthermore, beginner traders can benefit from its extensive educational and research materials.
The broker offers two platforms for social and copy trading – its proprietary BlackBull CopyTrade and the renowned ZuluTrade. Both allow signal providers and signal followers to interact and benefit from each other’s goals and needs.
BlackBull Markets is one of the best brokers for scalping. It offers a wide array of highly customizable trading platforms, free VPS hosting and FIX API solutions. The latter two help scalpers achieve ultra-fast order execution speeds averaging several milliseconds.
The cTrader platform is ideal for automated trading, as it accommodates the execution of trading bots and algorithms. It also features a comprehensive coding environment for trade automation. Moreover, traders with BlackBull Markets can utilize its free VPS hosting and FIX API solutions to achieve ultra-fast order execution speeds.
The broker offers more than 26,000 shares, options, bonds, and ETFs for value investing on its proprietary BlackBull Invest platform.
BlackBull Markets offers 26,000+ shares, options, bonds, and ETFs via its BlackBull Invest platform—all ideal for longer-term trading. However, its overnight fees were elevated during my test.
BlackBull averages execution speeds of below 100 milliseconds, which is satisfactory for day trading. Moreover, I discovered that the spreads on its ECN Standard account largely align with the industry average, while more favorable fees are available with the other account types.
The broker incorporates market research from Myfxbook and develops excellent research content in-house. However, I would have appreciated the inclusion of content by Trading Central or Autochartist for additional nuance and depth.
BlackBull Markets stands head and shoulders above most other brokers for its selection of trading platforms and tools. The broker provides two proprietary platforms—BlackBull Invest and BlackBull CopyTrade—and incorporates MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView, and ZuluTrade. Moreover, it offers free VPS hosting and FIX API solutions. Another standout feature of BlackBull Markets is its better-than-average crypto spreads.
I opened an ECN Standard account with the BBG Limited entity and performed my tests on the desktop and mobile app versions of the cTrader platform. Some features and services may vary depending on where you reside.
☑️ Regulations | FMA (New Zealand), FSA(SC) (Seychelles) |
🗺 Supported Languages | Chinese, English, Spanish |
💰 Products | Futures, Options, Bonds, Currencies, ETFs, Indices, Commodities, Stocks |
💵 Min Deposit | $200 |
💹 Max Leverage | 1:500 (FMA), 1:500 (FSA(SC)) |
🖥 Trading Desk Type | ECN, No dealing desk, STP |
📊 Trading Platforms | MT4, MT5, WebTrader |
💳 Deposit Options | Credit Card, Neteller, QIWI, Skrill, Webmoney, Wire Transfer |
💳 Withdrawal Options | Credit Card, Neteller, QIWI, Skrill, Webmoney |
🤴 Demo Account | Yes |
🗓 Foundation Year | 2014 |
🌎 Headquarters Country | New Zealand |
“BlackBull Markets is registered with the Financial Services Providers Register (FSPR) and authorized and regulated by the New Zealand Financial Services Authority (FMA) and Financial Services Authority (FSA) of Seychelles.”
BlackBull Markets is registered with the Financial Services Providers Register (FSPR) and is authorized and regulated by the New Zealand Financial Services Authority (FMA) and Financial Services Authority (FSA) of Seychelles.
The below screenshot confirms registration and authorization of BlackBull Markets by the FSPR and FMA, which can also be found on their respective websites.
BlackBull Markets also provides further protection of client funds by following the below requirements:
Clients from the below countries will not be accepted:
Afghanistan, Belarus, Burundi, Central African Republic, Cuba, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gaza Strip, Guinea Bissau, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Mali, Myanmar, Nicaragua, North Korea, Pakistan, Panama, Russia, Somalia, South Sudan, Spain, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, United States, Venezuela, West Bank, Yemen, Zimbabwe.
“BlackBull Market offers clients access to trade on more than 350+ financial instruments covering Forex, Indices and Commodities including Precious Metals and Energy.”
BlackBull Market offers clients access to trade on more than 350+ financial CFD instruments covering Forex, Indices and Commodities including Precious Metals and Energy. Below is a small selection of products clients can choose from:
FX | Indices | Energy |
NZD/USD | S&P 500 | Crude Oil |
GBPUSD | NASDAQ | Natural Gas |
EUR/USD | FTSE 100 | Metals |
AUD/USD | Germany 30 | Gold |
EUR/JPY | Australian 200 | Silver |
* Details regarding the available assets are taken from the BlackBull Markets website and trading platform and are correct at the time of writing. You can view the full list of assets here.
Trading costs such as spreads, commissions and overnight funding (swap) rates vary depending on the account type opened and instrument being traded and are covered further down this review.
“BlackBull Markets offers clients an option of 4 accounts – Standard, Prime, Institutional and a 30-day Demo account. Other variants such as Islamic and Active Trader accounts can also be opened provided the minimum requirements are met.”
BlackBull Markets offers clients an option of 4 accounts – Standard, Prime, Institutional and a 30-day Demo account. Other variants such as Islamic and Active Trader accounts can also be opened provided the minimum requirements are met. A breakdown of the benefits and features of each account is shown below:
The main differences between accounts are the minimum funding requirements, average spreads, and commission rates. Typically, the larger the account the size the cheaper it is for clients to execute trades and the more features they have access to.
For example, Institutional clients have access to Virtual Private Servers (VPS), 24/6 Direct Technical Support, and MAM (Multi-Account Manager)/PAMM (Percentage Allocation Management Module) accounts.
Other variants such as Islamic and Active Trader accounts are also available. Both are summarised below:
Islamic Account | Active Trader |
No Interest is paid or received on positions held overnight (swap-free account). | High volume traders may be eligible for BlackBull Market rebates. |
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Users can open new accounts by clicking ‘Live Account’ from the homepage and then following 4 simple steps:
As a regulated broker, users will need to provide standard verification documents and fill out the application form as shown above. The documents include bank statement or utility bills that are not older than three months and identify verification from documents such as passport or driving licence.
“BlackBull Markets offers multiple deposit and withdrawal methods which include debit/credit card, bank wire transfer and e-wallets such as Skrill, Neteller, China Union Pay and Fasa Pay.”
BlackBull Markets’ initial deposits vary by the account type opened. Standard accounts have a minimum of $200 whilst Prime has a minimum of $2,000 and Institutional a minimum of $20,000. Multiple payment options are available by debit/credit card, bank wire transfer and e-wallets such as Skrill (Non-EU clients), Neteller, China Union Pay and Fasa Pay.
Clients can make a deposit by logging into the client portal and then clicking on “MAKE A DEPOSIT” or by clicking “Deposit Funds” as shown below:
Deposits are charged at 3% via debit/credit cards whilst bank wire transfer and Skrill/Neteller are free. All payments methods are instant except bank wire which can typically take between 1-3 days.
Similarly, withdrawing funds can also be accessed through the client portal by clicking on “Withdraw Funds” below “Funding”. Withdrawal requests are usually processed within 24-hours however depending on the method chosen it can take between 3-5 days for funds to reach your account.
Withdrawal fees do apply at 5.00 units in the base account currency for Credit Card, Neteller and Skrill whilst 20.00 unites in the base account currency for international transfers.
“BlackBull Markets offers clients access to the popular MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 web and desktop platforms available on both Windows and Mac computers.”
BlackBull Markets offers clients access to the popular MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 web and desktop platforms available on both Windows and Mac computers.
BlackBull WebTrader (MetaTrader 4)
BlackBull MetaTrader 4 (PC and Mac)
BlackBull MetaTrader 5
A screenshot of the MetaTrader 4 desktop platform is shown below and is covered in more detail in the video review.
“BlackBull Markets offers users the ability to access mobile trading on the go from the MetaTrader 4 app on iPhone, Android and iPad/Tablet.”
BlackBull Markets offers users the ability to access mobile trading on the go from the MetaTrader 4 app on iPhone, Android and iPad/Tablet. The app download links can be found through the Apple AppStore or Google PlayStore.
Key Features on the MetaTrader 4 mobile apps include:
The mobile trading app provided by BlackBull Markets is covered in more detail in the video review.
“BlackBull Markets offers select clients (depending on account type) access to additional trading features such as Virtual Private Servers (VPS) and FIX API trading. Users can also access other social trading venues such as ZuluTrade and MyFXbook, as well as the MetaTrader Market place.”
BlackBull Markets offers select clients (depending on account type) access to additional trading features such as VPS (Virtual Private Servers) and FIX API trading. A summary of each is shown below:
Virtual Private Servers | FIX API Trading |
Designed to reduce latency and run a computer. Servers are located in New York, London and Japan. | Allows institutional accounts to bypass the MetaTrader 4 application and directly connect to BlackBull Markets ECN grid. |
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Clients who would like to follow and copy other traders can do that through BlackBull Markets’ social trading system. Copy-trading can be done after registering for a ZuluTrade account on the BlackBull Markets website. Additionally, users can sign-up for a Myfxbook account to share, analyse, track and compare their trading activities with their friends.
“BlackBull Markets’ commissions, swaps, and spreads are largely dependent on the account type opened and the financial instrument being traded.”
BlackBull Markets’ commissions, swaps, and spreads are largely dependent on the account type opened and the financial instrument being traded.
Similarly, average spreads are smaller with Prime and Institutional accounts when compared to Standard ECN accounts, but all are very competitive with Standard account spreads starting from 0.8 pips.
Swaps charges also vary, clients who do not have an Islamic account will receive/pay interest on any positions that are held overnight. BlackBull Markets does not charge a fee for inactive accounts.
“At the time of writing BlackBull Markets does not offer any bonuses or promotions.’’
At the time of writing BlackBull Markets does not offer any bonuses or promotions.
“BlackBull Markets offers multilingual customer support 24 hours a day, 5 days a week via email, telephone and live chat.”
BlackBull Markets offers multilingual customer support 24 hours a day, 5 days a week via email, telephone and live chat. A dedicated FAQ & Help Centre can also be found on the client support section of the website.
After logging into the live chat, an agent was assigned to the chat within 1 minute who answered our question promptly:
Contact Information:
“BlackBull Markets offers a selection of material from market analysis several times a month to trading tools such as an economic calendar.”
BlackBull Markets offers a selection of material from market analysis several times a month to trading tools such as an economic calendar. Uses can access these resources by clicking on “Client Support” followed by “Trading Resources” from the homepage.
“BlackBull Markets offers a range of education resources including trading videos, trading guides, and a trading glossary.”
BlackBull Markets offers a range of education resources including trading videos, trading guides, and a trading glossary. Users can access these resources by clicking on “Client Support” followed by “Education” from the homepage. The videos are of high quality and suitable for both beginner and advanced traders as they cover a variety of different trading topics.
“BlackBull Markets offers several trading accounts for those who are new to trading and those who would like access to more advanced features with low-cost trade fees and ultra-fast execution speeds via ECN trading.”
Overall, BlackBull Markets offers competitive services for beginners to advanced traders as well as access to these unique through globally recognised platforms such as MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. Clients have multiple payment options with the majority of deposits processed in real-time so there is no delay in your funds being available to trade right away.
With over 350+ markets to choose from and a good selection of educational and research resources available the services on offer will meet most trader’s needs. The broker provides users access to ECN Trading with a very competitive commission and spread structure.
Is BlackBull regulated?
Yes, by the New Zealand Financial Services Authority (FMA) and Financial Services Authority (FSA) of Seychelles.
Where is BlackBull based?
BlackBull Markets, Level 22, 120 Albert Street, Auckland, 1010
How does BlackBull make money?
BlackBull makes money mainly through commissions, spreads and swaps.
How do I deposit in BlackBull account?
Funds can be deposited into a trading account through the client portal via credit/debit cards, bank wire, and e-wallets such as Neteller, Skrill, China Union Pay, and Fasa Pay.
What is the min. deposit for BlackBull?
The minimum deposit depends on the account type opened. The lowest amount is $200 to open a Standard ECN account.
How do I withdraw money from BlackBull?
Withdrawals can be made through the client portal via credit/debit cards, bank transfer and e-wallets.
What is the max leverage in BlackBull?
The maximum leverage offered by BlackBull is 500:1.
How do I open an account with BlackBull?
An account can be opened at the click of a button on the BlackBull website and can be done in just a few steps.
Does BlackBull use MetaTrader?
Yes, MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5.
“BlackBull Markets is an FMA (New Zealand) and FSA (Seychelles) regulated broker offering to trade on more than 350+ markets across Forex, Indices and Commodities including Precious Metals and Energy, all through the popular web and desktop platforms MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5.”
BlackBull Markets was founded in 2014, Auckland, New Zealand. It is registered with the Financial Services Providers Register (FSPR) and is authorized and regulated by the New Zealand Financial Services Authority (FMA) and Financial Services Authority (FSA) of Seychelles.
The broker is an award-winning broker and has been recognised in the Deloitte Fast 50 growing companies in 2019. With over 350+ markets to choose from, BlackBull Markets’ aim is to offer institutional-level resources to retail clients. Users can choose from several different account types – Standard ECN, Prime ECN, Institutional ECN and a 30-day Demo account. The differences are discussed in the account opening section below.
With commission-free trading for Standard ECN accounts and a good selection of educational videos, guides and a trading glossary, BlackBull Markets is suitable for those who are new to trading and advanced traders. More advanced features are also available to clients with Prime ECN and Institutional ECN accounts who can access virtual private servers (VPS) for ultra-fast execution speeds.
Headquarters Country | New Zealand |
Foundation Year | 2014 |
Regulations | FMA (New Zealand), FSA(SC) (Seychelles) |
Publicly Traded | No |
Number Of Employees | 0-50 |
Trading Desk Type | ECN, No dealing desk, STP |
Trading Platforms | MT4, MT5, WebTrader |
Restricted Countries | Afghanistan, Belarus, Burundi, Central African Republic, Congo, Cuba, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Mali, Myanmar, Nicaragua, North Korea, Pakistan, Panama, Russian Federation, Somalia, South Sudan, Spain, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, United States, Venezuela, Yemen, Zimbabwe |
Supported Languages | Chinese, English, Spanish |
Min Deposit | $200 |
Max Leverage | 1:500 (FMA), 1:500 (FSA(SC)) |
Deposit Options | Credit Card, Neteller, QIWI, Skrill, Webmoney, Wire Transfer |
Withdrawal Options | Credit Card, Neteller, QIWI, Skrill, Webmoney |
Products | Futures, Options, Bonds, Currencies, ETFs, Indices, Commodities, Stocks |
Demo Account | Yes |
OCO Orders | Yes |
Offers Hedging | Yes |
Automated Trading | Yes |
API Trading | Yes |
Guaranteed Stop Loss | Yes |
Guaranteed Limit Orders | Yes |
Guaranteed Fills / Liquidity | Yes |
Economic calendar | Yes |
Trading From Chart | Yes |
One-Click Trading | Yes |
Expert Advisor | Yes |
Social Trading | Yes |
Autochartist | No |
Trading Signals | Yes |
Platform Languages | Chinese, English, French, German, Spanish |
24 Hours Support | Yes |
Support During Weekends | Yes |
Live Chat | Yes |
Daily Market Commentary | Yes |
News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes |
Webinars | No |
Deposit Fee | No |
Withdrawal Fee | No |
Inactivity Fee | No |
Hassan is a Nigerian-based financial Journalist and cryptocurrency investor. He is passionate about cryptocurrencies and the general financial markets. He holds investments in several crypto projects including Bitcoin, Ether, Cardano, Polkadot and Solana.
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