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Research desk

The Marketpedia blog

200 articles on the parts of trading that quietly decide your results: what a broker really charges, what regulation actually protects, how execution behaves when the market moves, and how to size a position so a bad week stays a bad week.

Everything is written from accounts we fund and trade ourselves. Where we quote a spread, a fee or a fill time, it came off a statement.

Every page on this site is written by the research desk, checked against the regulator's public register before publication and dated so you can see how current it is. Where we quote a cost, a spread or a protection limit, it comes from documentation the firm publishes itself rather than from marketing copy. Use the buttons below to jump straight to the comparison tools, the full review library or the method we follow.
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Editor's pick, #1 of 2026★★★★★4.9
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IG, Best Broker 2026

FCA regulated, FSCS £85K, since 1974

Rated 4.9 out of 5 after live-account testing by the desk.

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0.6 pips

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£0

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FCA

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Deepest UK market coverage

  • ✓FCA authorised and on the public register
  • ✓Client money segregated, FSCS cover to £85,000
  • ✓Web, MT4, ProRealTime
  • ✓Retail leverage capped at 1:30
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30 articles

Broker intelligence

Pricing changes, licence updates and desk findings from the firms we test.

How to read a broker's pricing page without being misled2026-08-01What a funded live account reveals that a review page cannot2026-07-29Why two brokers quoting the same spread can cost very different amounts2026-07-26The withdrawal test: what happens when you ask for your money back2026-07-23How broker rankings are built, and where they quietly go wrong2026-07-20How to read a broker's pricing page without being misled in 20262026-04-18What a funded live account reveals that a review page cannot in 20262026-04-15Why two brokers quoting the same spread can cost very different amounts in 20262026-04-12The withdrawal test: what happens when you ask for your money back in 20262026-04-09How broker rankings are built, and where they quietly go wrong in 20262026-04-06How to read a broker's pricing page without being misled for UK traders2026-01-03What a funded live account reveals that a review page cannot for UK traders2025-12-31Why two brokers quoting the same spread can cost very different amounts for UK traders2025-12-28The withdrawal test: what happens when you ask for your money back for UK traders2025-12-25How broker rankings are built, and where they quietly go wrong for UK traders2025-12-22How to read a broker's pricing page without being misled: a worked example2025-09-20What a funded live account reveals that a review page cannot: a worked example2025-09-17Why two brokers quoting the same spread can cost very different amounts: a worked example2025-09-14The withdrawal test: what happens when you ask for your money back: a worked example2025-09-11How broker rankings are built, and where they quietly go wrong: a worked example2025-09-08How to read a broker's pricing page without being misled: what our desk found2025-06-07What a funded live account reveals that a review page cannot: what our desk found2025-06-04Why two brokers quoting the same spread can cost very different amounts: what our desk found2025-06-01The withdrawal test: what happens when you ask for your money back: what our desk found2025-05-29How broker rankings are built, and where they quietly go wrong: what our desk found2025-05-26How to read a broker's pricing page without being misled for beginners2025-02-22What a funded live account reveals that a review page cannot for beginners2025-02-19Why two brokers quoting the same spread can cost very different amounts for beginners2025-02-16The withdrawal test: what happens when you ask for your money back for beginners2025-02-13How broker rankings are built, and where they quietly go wrong for beginners2025-02-10

30 articles

Regulation and protection

FCA rules, client-money handling and what protection actually covers.

What FCA authorisation actually guarantees a retail trader2026-07-17Segregated client money explained in plain English2026-07-14FSCS cover: the £85,000 limit and what falls outside it2026-07-11Retail versus professional accounts: the protections you give up2026-07-08How to check a broker on the FCA register in two minutes2026-07-05What FCA authorisation actually guarantees a retail trader in 20262026-04-03Segregated client money explained in plain English in 20262026-03-31FSCS cover: the £85,000 limit and what falls outside it in 20262026-03-28Retail versus professional accounts: the protections you give up in 20262026-03-25How to check a broker on the FCA register in two minutes in 20262026-03-22What FCA authorisation actually guarantees a retail trader for UK traders2025-12-19Segregated client money explained in plain English for UK traders2025-12-16FSCS cover: the £85,000 limit and what falls outside it for UK traders2025-12-13Retail versus professional accounts: the protections you give up for UK traders2025-12-10How to check a broker on the FCA register in two minutes for UK traders2025-12-07What FCA authorisation actually guarantees a retail trader: a worked example2025-09-05Segregated client money explained in plain English: a worked example2025-09-02FSCS cover: the £85,000 limit and what falls outside it: a worked example2025-08-30Retail versus professional accounts: the protections you give up: a worked example2025-08-27How to check a broker on the FCA register in two minutes: a worked example2025-08-24What FCA authorisation actually guarantees a retail trader: what our desk found2025-05-23Segregated client money explained in plain English: what our desk found2025-05-20FSCS cover: the £85,000 limit and what falls outside it: what our desk found2025-05-17Retail versus professional accounts: the protections you give up: what our desk found2025-05-14How to check a broker on the FCA register in two minutes: what our desk found2025-05-11What FCA authorisation actually guarantees a retail trader for beginners2025-02-07Segregated client money explained in plain English for beginners2025-02-04FSCS cover: the £85,000 limit and what falls outside it for beginners2025-02-01Retail versus professional accounts: the protections you give up for beginners2025-01-29How to check a broker on the FCA register in two minutes for beginners2025-01-26

30 articles

Costs and execution

Spreads, commission, swap, slippage and the arithmetic behind them.

Spread, commission and swap: the three charges that decide your year2026-07-02Raw spread versus bundled pricing: where the break-even really sits2026-06-29Overnight financing, explained with a worked example2026-06-26Slippage is not always bad: how to read your fill data2026-06-23Currency conversion charges and how to avoid paying them twice2026-06-20Spread, commission and swap: the three charges that decide your year in 20262026-03-19Raw spread versus bundled pricing: where the break-even really sits in 20262026-03-16Overnight financing, explained with a worked example in 20262026-03-13Slippage is not always bad: how to read your fill data in 20262026-03-10Currency conversion charges and how to avoid paying them twice in 20262026-03-07Spread, commission and swap: the three charges that decide your year for UK traders2025-12-04Raw spread versus bundled pricing: where the break-even really sits for UK traders2025-12-01Overnight financing, explained with a worked example for UK traders2025-11-28Slippage is not always bad: how to read your fill data for UK traders2025-11-25Currency conversion charges and how to avoid paying them twice for UK traders2025-11-22Spread, commission and swap: the three charges that decide your year: a worked example2025-08-21Raw spread versus bundled pricing: where the break-even really sits: a worked example2025-08-18Overnight financing, explained with a worked example: a worked example2025-08-15Slippage is not always bad: how to read your fill data: a worked example2025-08-12Currency conversion charges and how to avoid paying them twice: a worked example2025-08-09Spread, commission and swap: the three charges that decide your year: what our desk found2025-05-08Raw spread versus bundled pricing: where the break-even really sits: what our desk found2025-05-05Overnight financing, explained with a worked example: what our desk found2025-05-02Slippage is not always bad: how to read your fill data: what our desk found2025-04-29Currency conversion charges and how to avoid paying them twice: what our desk found2025-04-26Spread, commission and swap: the three charges that decide your year for beginners2025-01-23Raw spread versus bundled pricing: where the break-even really sits for beginners2025-01-20Overnight financing, explained with a worked example for beginners2025-01-17Slippage is not always bad: how to read your fill data for beginners2025-01-14Currency conversion charges and how to avoid paying them twice for beginners2025-01-11

30 articles

Platforms and tools

MetaTrader, proprietary terminals, mobile apps and automation.

MetaTrader 4 versus MetaTrader 5 for a UK retail trader2026-06-17What a good order ticket shows you before you press send2026-06-14Mobile trading apps: the three features that actually matter2026-06-11Expert advisors: a realistic look at automated trading2026-06-08TradingView charts with a broker execution layer2026-06-05MetaTrader 4 versus MetaTrader 5 for a UK retail trader in 20262026-03-04What a good order ticket shows you before you press send in 20262026-03-01Mobile trading apps: the three features that actually matter in 20262026-02-26Expert advisors: a realistic look at automated trading in 20262026-02-23TradingView charts with a broker execution layer in 20262026-02-20MetaTrader 4 versus MetaTrader 5 for a UK retail trader for UK traders2025-11-19What a good order ticket shows you before you press send for UK traders2025-11-16Mobile trading apps: the three features that actually matter for UK traders2025-11-13Expert advisors: a realistic look at automated trading for UK traders2025-11-10TradingView charts with a broker execution layer for UK traders2025-11-07MetaTrader 4 versus MetaTrader 5 for a UK retail trader: a worked example2025-08-06What a good order ticket shows you before you press send: a worked example2025-08-03Mobile trading apps: the three features that actually matter: a worked example2025-07-31Expert advisors: a realistic look at automated trading: a worked example2025-07-28TradingView charts with a broker execution layer: a worked example2025-07-25MetaTrader 4 versus MetaTrader 5 for a UK retail trader: what our desk found2025-04-23What a good order ticket shows you before you press send: what our desk found2025-04-20Mobile trading apps: the three features that actually matter: what our desk found2025-04-17Expert advisors: a realistic look at automated trading: what our desk found2025-04-14TradingView charts with a broker execution layer: what our desk found2025-04-11MetaTrader 4 versus MetaTrader 5 for a UK retail trader for beginners2025-01-08What a good order ticket shows you before you press send for beginners2025-01-05Mobile trading apps: the three features that actually matter for beginners2025-01-02Expert advisors: a realistic look at automated trading for beginners2024-12-30TradingView charts with a broker execution layer for beginners2024-12-27

30 articles

Strategy and risk

Position sizing, session timing, journalling and trade management.

Position sizing from your stop distance, not your confidence2026-06-02Why correlated positions need to be sized as a group2026-05-30Building a trading journal that actually changes your behaviour2026-05-27Session timing: when the market pays you to be awake2026-05-24Drawdown, recovery maths and why small losses matter2026-05-21Position sizing from your stop distance, not your confidence in 20262026-02-17Why correlated positions need to be sized as a group in 20262026-02-14Building a trading journal that actually changes your behaviour in 20262026-02-11Session timing: when the market pays you to be awake in 20262026-02-08Drawdown, recovery maths and why small losses matter in 20262026-02-05Position sizing from your stop distance, not your confidence for UK traders2025-11-04Why correlated positions need to be sized as a group for UK traders2025-11-01Building a trading journal that actually changes your behaviour for UK traders2025-10-29Session timing: when the market pays you to be awake for UK traders2025-10-26Drawdown, recovery maths and why small losses matter for UK traders2025-10-23Position sizing from your stop distance, not your confidence: a worked example2025-07-22Why correlated positions need to be sized as a group: a worked example2025-07-19Building a trading journal that actually changes your behaviour: a worked example2025-07-16Session timing: when the market pays you to be awake: a worked example2025-07-13Drawdown, recovery maths and why small losses matter: a worked example2025-07-10Position sizing from your stop distance, not your confidence: what our desk found2025-04-08Why correlated positions need to be sized as a group: what our desk found2025-04-05Building a trading journal that actually changes your behaviour: what our desk found2025-04-02Session timing: when the market pays you to be awake: what our desk found2025-03-30Drawdown, recovery maths and why small losses matter: what our desk found2025-03-27Position sizing from your stop distance, not your confidence for beginners2024-12-24Why correlated positions need to be sized as a group for beginners2024-12-21Building a trading journal that actually changes your behaviour for beginners2024-12-18Session timing: when the market pays you to be awake for beginners2024-12-15Drawdown, recovery maths and why small losses matter for beginners2024-12-12

25 articles

Markets and macro

Rate decisions, currency pairs, commodities and market structure.

How a central bank rate decision moves a currency pair2026-05-18Major, minor and exotic pairs: liquidity and cost compared2026-05-15Gold as a currency trade rather than a commodity2026-05-12Reading the economic calendar without over-trading it2026-05-09Liquidity gaps at the weekly open and how to survive them2026-05-06How a central bank rate decision moves a currency pair in 20262026-02-02Major, minor and exotic pairs: liquidity and cost compared in 20262026-01-30Gold as a currency trade rather than a commodity in 20262026-01-27Reading the economic calendar without over-trading it in 20262026-01-24Liquidity gaps at the weekly open and how to survive them in 20262026-01-21How a central bank rate decision moves a currency pair for UK traders2025-10-20Major, minor and exotic pairs: liquidity and cost compared for UK traders2025-10-17Gold as a currency trade rather than a commodity for UK traders2025-10-14Reading the economic calendar without over-trading it for UK traders2025-10-11Liquidity gaps at the weekly open and how to survive them for UK traders2025-10-08How a central bank rate decision moves a currency pair: a worked example2025-07-07Major, minor and exotic pairs: liquidity and cost compared: a worked example2025-07-04Gold as a currency trade rather than a commodity: a worked example2025-07-01Reading the economic calendar without over-trading it: a worked example2025-06-28Liquidity gaps at the weekly open and how to survive them: a worked example2025-06-25How a central bank rate decision moves a currency pair: what our desk found2025-03-24Major, minor and exotic pairs: liquidity and cost compared: what our desk found2025-03-21Gold as a currency trade rather than a commodity: what our desk found2025-03-18Reading the economic calendar without over-trading it: what our desk found2025-03-15Liquidity gaps at the weekly open and how to survive them: what our desk found2025-03-12

25 articles

Getting started

First accounts, demo use, funding and the mistakes that cost most.

Your first funded account: a sensible thirty-day plan2026-05-03Demo accounts lie about one thing — and it is the important one2026-04-30How much money you actually need to start trading2026-04-27Five beginner mistakes that show up in every statement we read2026-04-24Choosing your first broker: a checklist you can finish today2026-04-21Your first funded account: a sensible thirty-day plan in 20262026-01-18Demo accounts lie about one thing — and it is the important one in 20262026-01-15How much money you actually need to start trading in 20262026-01-12Five beginner mistakes that show up in every statement we read in 20262026-01-09Choosing your first broker: a checklist you can finish today in 20262026-01-06Your first funded account: a sensible thirty-day plan for UK traders2025-10-05Demo accounts lie about one thing — and it is the important one for UK traders2025-10-02How much money you actually need to start trading for UK traders2025-09-29Five beginner mistakes that show up in every statement we read for UK traders2025-09-26Choosing your first broker: a checklist you can finish today for UK traders2025-09-23Your first funded account: a sensible thirty-day plan: a worked example2025-06-22Demo accounts lie about one thing — and it is the important one: a worked example2025-06-19How much money you actually need to start trading: a worked example2025-06-16Five beginner mistakes that show up in every statement we read: a worked example2025-06-13Choosing your first broker: a checklist you can finish today: a worked example2025-06-10Your first funded account: a sensible thirty-day plan: what our desk found2025-03-09Demo accounts lie about one thing — and it is the important one: what our desk found2025-03-06How much money you actually need to start trading: what our desk found2025-03-03Five beginner mistakes that show up in every statement we read: what our desk found2025-02-28Choosing your first broker: a checklist you can finish today: what our desk found2025-02-25