CFI Review

Active traders and MENA region clients

FCA CySEC CMA FSCA FSC FSA JSC FRA BDL VFSC

Founded 2015 · United Arab Emirates · Credit Financier Invest SAL

Why investors choose this broker

Regulated by FCA, CySEC, and CMA among 10+ entities
15,000+ tradable instruments
No minimum deposit requirement
No deposit or withdrawal fees

Review summary

CFI is a multi-asset broker offering 15,000+ instruments across forex, CFDs, equities, ETFs, crypto, and futures through MT5, TradingView, and a proprietary platform.

Pros

Regulated by FCA, CySEC, and CMA among 10+ entities
15,000+ tradable instruments
No minimum deposit requirement
No deposit or withdrawal fees
MetaTrader 5, TradingView, and proprietary platform all available
Unlimited demo account with no time limit
Negative balance protection on regulated entities
AI-powered trading assistant (Kaiana) and Capitalise.ai algo trading

Cons

Inactivity fee of $10/month when commissions fall below threshold
Forex spreads on the Zero Commission account are average to above average (1.4-1.5 pips EUR/USD at peak hours)
Conditions and protections vary significantly by entity - offshore entities offer less protection
Crypto trading not available to UK clients
Limited payment processor options in some regions
No investor compensation fund coverage across all entities

Company background

CFI (Credit Financier Invest) is a multi-asset broker formally established as CFI Financial Group in 2015, with origins tracing back to Credit Financier Invest SAL, a Lebanon-based financial institution founded in 1998. The group unified its regional entities under the CFI brand in 2018 and relocated its headquarters to Dubai, UAE. CFI reports over $6.4 trillion in 2025 trading volume and operates through more than 13 regulated entities across multiple jurisdictions. The broker offers access to over 15,000 instruments including forex, CFDs on shares, indices, commodities and crypto, plus ETFs, bonds, futures, and options.

Fees and pricing

CFI offers two main account types. The Zero Commission account embeds costs in spreads from 0.4 pips on EUR/USD, though live testing showed 1.4-1.5 pips during London and New York hours. The Dynamic Trader account offers raw spreads from 0.0 pips plus a per-lot commission. Deposits and withdrawals carry no internal CFI fees; third-party processing charges may apply. An inactivity charge of $10 per month applies when commissions paid in a calendar month fall below $10. EU entity clients may face a $100 fee after eleven consecutive months of dormancy. Overnight financing charges apply to all leveraged positions held past the daily cut-off.

Regulation and safety

CFI holds regulatory authorisations from the FCA (UK), CySEC (Cyprus), CMA (UAE), FSCA (South Africa), FSC (Mauritius), FSA (Seychelles), JSC (Jordan), FRA (Egypt), BDL (Lebanon), and VFSC (Vanuatu). Account conditions, leverage limits, and investor protections vary by entity. Client funds are held in segregated accounts at top-tier banks, and negative balance protection applies across regulated entities. UK and EU retail clients have the highest level of protection under FCA and CySEC supervision respectively.

Platform experience

CFI provides MetaTrader 5 with support for thousands of custom indicators and expert advisors, TradingView integration, the proprietary CFI Multi-Asset Platform, and Capitalise.ai for code-free algorithmic trading. Mobile trading is available via dedicated iOS and Android apps. Platform features include the AI trading assistant Kaiana, Trading Central and TipRanks research, and an Islamic (swap-free) account option. Demo accounts have no time limit. Maximum leverage is 1:500 for international clients and 1:30 for EU and UK retail clients.

Pros and cons

CFI's main strengths are its multi-regulatory framework spanning Tier-1 bodies, its 15,000+ instrument selection, no deposit or withdrawal fees, no minimum deposit requirement, and a broad platform ecosystem including MT5, TradingView, and a proprietary multi-asset platform. The no-time-limit demo account and Capitalise.ai algo trading tool add further appeal for active traders. The main limitations are average-to-above-average forex spreads on the standard account during peak hours, the $10/month inactivity charge, variation in protections across entities, no crypto trading for UK clients, and the absence of investor compensation fund coverage across all entities.

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Trading fees & commissions

CFI charges no deposit or withdrawal fees. The Zero Commission account embeds costs in spreads from 0.4 pips on EUR/USD, while the Dynamic Trader account offers raw spreads from 0.0 pips with a per-lot commission. An inactivity charge of $10 per month applies when commissions fall below $10 in a calendar month.

Fees

Item	Fee
Cfds	Spread-based; stock CFDs from 0.15-0.21 points; commodities and indices vary
Crypto	Spread-based; specific rates vary by instrument
Margin	Overnight financing charges apply to leveraged positions held after market close
Account	No account opening fee
Custody	No custody fee disclosed
Deposit	Free
Inactivity	$10/month when commissions fall below $10 in that calendar month
Withdrawal	Free; third-party processing fees may apply

Trading platform & features

Platforms

MetaTrader 5
TradingView
CFI Multi-Asset Platform
Capitalise.ai
iOS app
Android app

Regulation and investor protection

CFI operates through regulated entities authorised by the FCA (UK), CySEC (Cyprus), CMA (UAE), FSCA (South Africa), FSC (Mauritius), FSA (Seychelles), JSC (Jordan), FRA (Egypt), BDL (Lebanon), and additional regulators. Client funds are held in segregated accounts at top-tier banks, and negative balance protection applies across regulated entities.

Broker FAQs

Is CFI safe?

CFI operates through entities regulated by the FCA, CySEC, CMA (UAE), FSCA, and other bodies. Client funds are held in segregated accounts at top-tier banks, and negative balance protection applies on regulated entities.

Is CFI a scam?

No. CFI is regulated by multiple Tier-1 and Tier-2 authorities including the FCA (UK) and CySEC (Cyprus) and has been operating since 2015 under those licences.

Is CFI regulated and by whom?

Yes. CFI entities are regulated by the FCA (UK), CySEC (Cyprus), CMA (UAE), FSCA (South Africa), FSC (Mauritius), FSA (Seychelles), JSC (Jordan), FRA (Egypt), BDL (Lebanon), and VFSC (Vanuatu).

Does CFI keep client funds in segregated accounts?

CFI states that client funds are held in segregated accounts at top-tier banks, separate from the company's own funds.

What happens to my money if CFI goes bankrupt?

Client funds are held in segregated accounts at top-tier banks. UK clients regulated under the FCA may have access to FSCS protections. Not all entities offer investor compensation fund coverage, so the protection available depends on which entity services the account.

What products does CFI offer?

CFI offers forex, CFDs on shares, indices, commodities, and crypto, as well as ETFs, bonds, futures, options, and equities. The total instrument count exceeds 15,000.

Does CFI offer forex trading?

Yes. CFI offers over 80 forex pairs with spreads starting from 0.4 pips on the Zero Commission account and from 0.0 pips on the Dynamic Trader account.

Does CFI offer crypto trading?

Yes, CFI offers over 100 cryptocurrency instruments as CFDs. Crypto trading is not available to clients serviced by the UK entity.

Does CFI offer ETF trading?

Yes. CFI lists over 670 ETFs as tradable instruments, accessed as CFDs.

Does CFI offer stock trading?

Yes. CFI offers over 3,000 share CFDs. Some entities also provide access to unleveraged equity positions. Beirut Stock Exchange trades carry a 1.5% commission per side with a $100 minimum.

What does CFI charge for forex trades?

The Zero Commission account charges no separate commission; spreads start from 0.4 pips on EUR/USD but averaged 1.4-1.5 pips during London and New York hours in testing. The Dynamic Trader account offers raw spreads from 0.0 pips plus a volume-based commission.

Is there an inactivity fee at CFI?

Yes. A $10 monthly inactivity charge applies when the total commissions paid in a calendar month fall below $10. EU entity clients may also face a $100 fee after eleven consecutive months of account dormancy.

Is there a withdrawal fee at CFI?

CFI does not charge internal withdrawal fees. Third-party processing fees may apply depending on the payment method and region.

Does CFI charge a deposit fee?

No. CFI does not charge deposit fees. Third-party payment processor costs may apply in some cases.

Does CFI have a demo account?

Yes. CFI provides demo accounts with no time limit, allowing traders to practise on MT5 and other platforms before trading live.

Does CFI have a mobile app?

Yes. CFI provides dedicated iOS and Android apps, and the CFI Multi-Asset Platform is also accessible via mobile browser.

Is CFI good for beginners?

CFI offers a no-time-limit demo account, educational resources, and no minimum deposit requirement, which can suit beginners. However, the range of platforms and account types may initially feel complex, and the inactivity fee could affect users who trade infrequently.

Is CFI good for long-term investing?

CFI is primarily positioned for active and leveraged trading rather than passive long-term investing. It offers unleveraged equity positions and ETF CFDs, but long-term investors should note that leveraged positions incur overnight financing charges that compound over time.

Bottom line

CFI suits users who want a multi-regulated, multi-asset broker with a large instrument selection, no minimum deposit, multiple platforms including MT5 and TradingView, and strong coverage of MENA region markets. It may not suit users who prioritise the lowest possible forex spreads, want full investor compensation fund coverage across all entities, or are looking for a low-cost platform focused on long-term equity investing without leveraged products.

CFI

Active traders and MENA region clients

Open Account

Your capital is at risk. Other fees apply.