IC Markets
Out of every 100 retail CFD accounts, about 70 lose money
UK and EU rules make every CFD provider publish the share of its own retail accounts that lose money. We read that warning on 16 providers' websites and put the figures in one place, with sources, so they can be quoted and checked.
Figures read on 20 October 2026 · updated quarterly · free to use with credit
Where each provider sits
Lowest to highest, on one scale from 55% to 80%. The dashed line is the average of 70.1%. Each figure links to the page where the provider publishes it.
Figures as published by each provider on 20 October 2026. Providers update them over time; always check the provider's current warning before quoting an individual figure.
Ready to quote
Each line copies with its source in one click.
On average, 70.1% of retail CFD accounts lose money across the 16 UK- and EU-regulated providers we checked (median 69.5%).
Every provider reports that most of its retail CFD accounts lose money: the lowest figure is 61% (Spreadex) and the highest is 76.6% (OANDA).
8 of the 16 providers say 70% or more of their retail accounts lose money.
13 of the providers are regulated by the UK's Financial Conduct Authority and 3 by Cyprus's CySEC; every figure is the provider's own mandatory risk warning.
What the figure does and does not say
✓What it measures
Under rules introduced by the European Securities and Markets Authority in 2018 and kept by the UK's Financial Conduct Authority, a CFD provider must warn retail clients what share of its own retail accounts lost money. The figure is recalculated regularly and covers a recent 12-month period.
It counts accounts, not money: an account that lost a little and one that lost everything count the same.
✕What it does not tell you
A lower figure does not make a provider safer or better. It depends on the provider's clients, products and marketing as much as on anything the provider does. Treat the range as a picture of how hard leveraged trading is, not as a ranking.
Read more in our guides to risk management and leverage.
How we collected the data
- Open the UK or EU site
On 20 October 2026 (UK time) we opened each provider's UK or EU website in a standard browser.
- Read the warning
We recorded the percentage in the mandatory risk warning exactly as published.
- Match the company
We noted the legal entity and regulator named on the same page, and kept a provider only when both could be matched.
Some well-known providers are not yet listed, because their EU or UK site redirected our connection to an international website without the warning, or because one page named several entities without saying which the figure belonged to. We would rather leave a provider out than guess. The tracker is re-read every quarter.
FX Recap reviews some of these providers and earns affiliate commission from some of them. That has no influence on this data, which is copied from the providers' own warnings.
Use this data in your story
Free to use, including commercially, with a credit to FX Recap and a link to this page (CC BY 4.0).
Comment, data and charts on request for journalists and researchers.
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CFD loss rates: common questions
What percentage of CFD traders lose money?
Across the 16 UK- and EU-regulated providers in this tracker, 61% to 76.6% of retail CFD accounts lose money, with an average of 70.1% (figures read 20 October 2026).
Where does the percentage come from?
UK and EU rules require CFD providers to show the share of their own retail accounts that lost money, in a standard risk warning on their website. We read that warning on each provider's UK or EU site.
Does a lower percentage mean a better broker?
No. The figure depends heavily on which clients a provider attracts and what they trade. Use it as a reminder of how risky CFDs are, not as a ranking.
How often is this tracker updated?
Providers recalculate their figure regularly, so we re-read every warning each quarter and note the date at the top of the page.
Risk warning. CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. This page is information, not financial advice.