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Alberta · AB

Forex and trading in Alberta

Alberta is the province where Canadian forex traders most often hit a wall. CFDs and many OTC forex contracts are treated as securities in Alberta, and dealers generally distribute them under prospectus exemptions — so some CIRO dealers accept Albertans for CFDs only if they're accredited investors, and OANDA doesn't accept Alberta residents at all.

By ForexCanada Editorial Team · Updated

Your securities regulator

Alberta Securities Commission (ASC)

What's specific to Alberta

  • Interactive Brokers Canada and Questrade serve Alberta residents; FOREX.com, CMC Markets and others may require accredited-investor status for CFDs.
  • The ASC maintains an Investment Caution List of firms and websites it has concerns about — check it before sending money anywhere.
  • Calgary-based NDAX is one of the CSA-authorized crypto platforms.

Broker restrictions affecting Alberta

  • OANDA Canada: Does not currently accept residents of Alberta.
  • CMC Markets Canada: Alberta residents generally must qualify as accredited investors to trade CFDs.
  • FOREX.com Canada: Alberta residents generally must qualify under a prospectus exemption (e.g. accredited investor) to trade CFDs.
  • Plus500 Canada: Not available in Québec. Alberta residents may face additional eligibility requirements.

Registered forex brokers for Alberta residents

CIRO dealer members offering forex or CFDs that didn't exclude Alberta at our last check, ranked by our score.

  1. #1

    Interactive Brokers Canada

    CIRO-registered

    Best for: Experienced, cost-sensitive traders who want forex, futures, options and global stocks in one account

    Platforms
    TradingView
    FX pairs
    100+
    Min. deposit
    $0
    CIPF
    Yes
    9.5/ 10
    Visit siteFull review
  2. #2

    Questrade

    CIRO-registered

    Best for: Canadians who want TFSA/RRSP investing and forex/CFD trading with one Canadian firm

    Platforms
    Proprietary
    FX pairs
    100+
    Min. deposit
    $0
    CIPF
    Yes
    9.4/ 10
    Visit siteFull review
  3. #3

    CMC Markets Canada

    CIRO-registered

    Best for: Traders who want the widest CFD and currency-pair range from a Canadian dealer

    Platforms
    MT4, TradingView
    FX pairs
    150+
    Min. deposit
    $0
    CIPF
    Yes

    ⚠ Alberta residents generally must qualify as accredited investors to trade CFDs.

    8.9/ 10
    Visit siteFull review
  4. #4

    FOREX.com Canada

    CIRO-registered

    Best for: Active forex traders who want MT5, TradingView and commission-based pricing

    Platforms
    MT4, MT5, TradingView
    FX pairs
    80+
    Min. deposit
    $100
    CIPF
    Yes

    ⚠ Alberta residents generally must qualify under a prospectus exemption (e.g. accredited investor) to trade CFDs.

    8.7/ 10
    Visit siteFull review
  5. #5

    AvaTrade Canada (Friedberg Direct)

    CIRO-registered

    Best for: Beginners who want MetaTrader 4/5 with a Canadian-regulated dealer

    Platforms
    MT4, MT5
    FX pairs
    50+
    Min. deposit
    About C$300 / US$250 (check current terms)
    CIPF
    Yes
    8.4/ 10
    Visit siteFull review
  6. #6

    FXCM Canada (Friedberg Direct)

    CIRO-registered

    Best for: Algorithmic and API traders who want a Canadian-regulated account

    Platforms
    MT4, TradingView
    FX pairs
    40+
    Min. deposit
    See site
    CIPF
    Yes
    8.3/ 10
    Visit siteFull review
  7. #7

    Plus500 Canada

    CIRO-registered

    Best for: Casual CFD traders who want a very simple app from a listed company

    Platforms
    Proprietary
    FX pairs
    60+
    Min. deposit
    C$100
    CIPF
    Yes

    ⚠ Not available in Québec. Alberta residents may face additional eligibility requirements.

    8.2/ 10
    Visit siteFull review

Looking for stocks, ETFs or a TFSA? See the best online brokerages. For crypto, see registered crypto platforms.

Forex market hours in Mountain Time

Alberta: common questions

Is forex trading legal in Alberta?

Yes. Residents of Alberta can trade forex through investment dealers that are CIRO members and registered in Alberta. The Alberta Securities Commission (ASC) enforces securities law in the province.

Which forex brokers accept Alberta residents?

At our last check, CIRO dealers offering forex to Alberta residents included Interactive Brokers Canada, Questrade, CMC Markets Canada, FOREX.com Canada, AvaTrade Canada (Friedberg Direct), FXCM Canada (Friedberg Direct). Some (CMC Markets Canada, FOREX.com Canada, Plus500 Canada) apply extra eligibility conditions.

How do I report an investment scam in Alberta?

Contact the Alberta Securities Commission (ASC) and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (1-888-495-8501). If you sent money, contact your bank immediately.

When does the forex market open in Alberta?

The global forex week runs from Sunday 5 p.m. to Friday 5 p.m. Eastern Time. See the live clock on this page for Mountain Time.