ACY Securities Review Australia 2026

Verdict

ACY Securities is a Sydney-based, ASIC-regulated broker that’s earned a niche position in the Australian market on the back of two strengths. The first is a genuinely competitive Pro Zero RAW account, with EUR/USD spreads from 0.0 pips and a USD 6 round-turn commission that puts it within touching distance of IC Markets, Pepperstone and Fusion Markets on cost. The second is a bilingual client experience built around English, Mandarin and Cantonese support, with a Mandarin-language platform option and Korean and Vietnamese coverage on the desk. For Australian-Asian traders specifically, that’s a gap not many brokers fill at this regulatory tier.

Where ACY sits in the broader AU shortlist is mid-table. The AFSL has been in place since 2011, the AFCA membership is current, and the Newcastle Jets A-League sponsorship has lifted local brand recognition over the last few seasons. But brand awareness still trails the top tier (CMC, IG, Pepperstone, IC Markets), the proprietary ACY Trade platform isn’t yet at the level of Next Generation, and the offshore VFSC entity in Vanuatu is a route most retail traders should leave alone. If you’re in the target audience, ACY is a solid pick. If you’re a generalist forex trader without a language preference, you’ll find tighter spreads or stronger platforms elsewhere on this list.

Quick facts

Trading costs and fees

Pro Zero (RAW) account for active traders

The Pro Zero is the account most active forex traders at ACY should use. Spreads start at 0.0 pips on EUR/USD with a round-turn commission of USD 6 per standard lot (verify denomination, ACY publishes this in USD on the AU PDS at time of writing). Calculated as a total cost equivalent in pips at AUD/USD 0.65, you’re paying roughly 0.0 plus 0.92 pips equivalent. That’s a touch wider than Pepperstone’s Razor (0.51 pips total), IC Markets Raw (0.6 pips total) or Fusion Zero (0.6 pips total), but inside the same competitive band.

Standard STP account for casual traders

The Standard STP account uses spread-only pricing with no commission. Spreads on EUR/USD typically start at 1.0 pip and average 1.2 to 1.5 pips through the AU session. This is the right choice if you trade once or twice a week and don’t want to factor commission into every position. Active traders will save money on Pro Zero.

Bullion account

The Bullion account is ACY’s Islamic-compliant (swap-free) account, available on request. Pricing differs from the Standard STP. Speak to the desk if you need a swap-free option.

Other fees AU traders should check

• Overnight swap rates apply on positions held past 5 PM New York. Direction-dependent. ACY’s swap rates are competitive but worth checking against your typical holding period.
• Currency conversion applies if you hold positions denominated outside your account base. Choose AUD as your base if you primarily trade AUD pairs.
• Withdrawal fees are $0 on most methods. Bank transfers may incur intermediary fees from your bank.
• Inactivity fee is $0 at time of publish (verify against latest PDS).

Trading platforms

ACY runs a five-platform stack across two MetaTrader builds, a proprietary app, a Webtrader and a third-party copy trading layer.

MetaTrader 4

The default for legacy expert advisors and the classic forex retail experience. ACY’s MT4 build connects to the Pro Zero pricing engine and supports the full menu of forex pairs, indices, commodities and gold. If you’ve got an existing MT4 strategy, it ports straight across.

MetaTrader 5

The right pick if you want broader native asset class coverage (MT5 supports indices, stocks and futures natively) and access to MT5-only EAs. ACY’s MT5 build is the same Pro Zero pricing as MT4. Most of our test team preferred MT5 here for the cleaner depth-of-market view.

ACY Trade (proprietary)

ACY Trade is the broker’s in-house web and mobile platform. Strengths: clean order ticket, integrated news feed, charting that’s good enough for most retail use, and a Mandarin-language interface that’s a genuine differentiator for Chinese-speaking AU traders. Weaknesses: doesn’t yet match the depth of CMC’s Next Generation or cTrader’s order book transparency. Useful if you don’t want to install MT4/MT5 and want a no-friction web experience.

Webtrader

A browser-based MT4/MT5 wrapper. Useful as a backup when you’re on a machine that can’t install the desktop platform.

DupliTrade (copy trading)

ACY integrates with DupliTrade, a third-party copy trading platform. Lets you mirror the trades of vetted strategy providers automatically. DupliTrade itself is a separate paid service; ACY supports the integration. If you want a proper copy trading layer comparable to eToro or cTrader Copy, DupliTrade through ACY is the route.

Mobile apps

MT4, MT5, ACY Trade and Webtrader all have mobile apps. The ACY Trade mobile app is the standout for Mandarin-language users and has biometric login on both iOS and Android.

Trust and safety

Trust score: 7.5/10. The trust score factors regulation, operating history and public-record reputation against the strongest brokers in our 30-broker set.

Regulation

ACY Capital Australia Pty Ltd holds AFSL 403863 with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission. The AFSL has been continuously held since 2011, when ACY established Australian operations from Sydney. There have been no material ASIC enforcement actions or licence conditions imposed on the AU entity in the last 36 months.

ACY also operates an offshore entity regulated by the Vanuatu Financial Services Commission (VFSC), used for international wholesale clients seeking higher leverage. The VFSC is a Tier-5 offshore regulator with materially weaker investor protections than ASIC. We don’t recommend the offshore route for AU retail traders. Stay on the AU AFSL entity.

History and ownership

Founded in Sydney in 2011 and privately held. ACY has grown out from its original Australian-Chinese trader base into broader Asia-Pacific markets while keeping the AU entity as the primary regulated home. The Newcastle Jets A-League sponsorship is the most visible local marketing investment; it lifted brand recognition meaningfully over the 2023 to 2025 seasons.

Australian context that matters:

• AFSL 403863 continuously held since 2011
• Member of AFCA for retail dispute resolution
• Segregated client funds at an Approved Australian Bank
• Newcastle Jets A-League sponsor (lifts AU brand recognition)
• Active AU-Chinese community presence (Mandarin marketing, bilingual desk)

Public reviews

ACY carries solid TrustPilot scores across regional pages, with the Mandarin-speaking community in particular contributing positive reviews on platform translation and language support. Common positives in our review of public commentary: bilingual desk responsiveness, Pro Zero pricing for the volume traded, MT4/MT5 stability. Common negatives: occasional verification delays on first withdrawal (AML compliance), and some confusion among new traders about which entity (ASIC AU vs offshore VFSC) they’re onboarding to.

Account types and minimum deposit

Wholesale clients can request the offshore VFSC entity for higher leverage. To qualify, you must pass the Corporations Act wholesale client tests (broadly: AUD 500k+ net financial assets, or AUD 250k+ income for two consecutive years, certified by an accountant). For most retail traders, the AU AFSL entity is the right home.

Minimum deposit

ACY’s AUD 50 minimum deposit is one of the lowest among the brokers we cover. It’s a meaningful number for first-time traders who want to test the platform before committing real capital. That said, position sizing on a Pro Zero account with AUD 50 is tight; most active traders we surveyed start with AUD 500 to 1,000.

Funding and withdrawals

Deposit methods (AU clients)

The crypto deposit option (USDT) is unusual at this regulatory tier and reflects ACY’s Asia-focused client base. Useful if you already hold stablecoin balances; for most AU retail traders, PayID or BPAY will be faster and simpler.

Withdrawals

$0 fee on most methods. Withdrawals must use the same source as deposits where possible (AML compliance). Card refunds typically clear within 1 to 3 business days. Bank transfers 1 to 2 business days. Crypto withdrawals same-day.

Account opening

Account opening is fully online and AUSTRAC-compliant, requiring one form of ID (driver’s licence or passport) and a second proof of address (utility bill or bank statement). Most AU applications are approved within 24 hours. The application form is offered in English and Mandarin, and the verification team includes Mandarin-speaking staff for callback support.

Product range

ACY’s product range is solid for forex traders, with a moderate share CFD offering and a broader-than-average commodity menu.

• Forex: 60+ pairs including major and minor AUD crosses
• Indices: major global indices including ASX 200 (S&P/ASX SPI 200)
• Shares CFDs: coverage across ASX, NYSE, NASDAQ and major EU exchanges (narrower than CMC or IG)
• Commodities: gold (XAU/USD), silver, oil, gas, soft commodities
• Cryptocurrencies: crypto CFDs subject to ASIC’s 2:1 leverage cap on retail crypto CFDs
• ETFs: ETF CFDs across major exchanges
• Bonds: Australian and global government bonds

Notable absence: no direct ASX share investing (CFDs only). If you want to hold ASX shares directly alongside CFD trading, CMC Markets or Interactive Brokers are stronger picks.

Customer service

24/5 phone, live chat and email. Multilingual desk covering English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese and Korean. This is a genuine differentiator. Few ASIC-regulated brokers run this depth of language coverage. Average live chat response time in our testing: under 90 seconds during AU and Asia business hours.

The 24/5 window (closed Saturday and Sunday) is the main negative. Pepperstone runs 24/7 and IG offers some weekend support. If you trade weekend crypto markets and want live support, plan accordingly.

Research and education

ACY’s research and education stack covers the standard bases without leading the pack:

• Daily market analysis (English and Mandarin)
• Economic calendar and news feed integrated in ACY Trade
• Trading guides for MT4, MT5 and ACY Trade
• Webinar series with in-house analysts
• VPS hosting available for active traders

The Mandarin-language research feed is the genuine differentiator. If English isn’t your first language, this stack covers more ground than most AU brokers offer at this regulatory tier.

How ACY Securities compares to alternatives

If you value…	Consider
Tightest forex spreads	Pepperstone or IC Markets
Broadest product range	CMC Markets or IG Markets
Direct ASX shares plus CFDs	CMC Markets
Beginner-focused platform	Plus500 or eToro
Native cTrader	Pepperstone or Fusion Markets
Low minimum deposit	Fusion Markets ($0) or easyMarkets ($25)
Copy trading	eToro

Bottom line

ACY Securities is the right broker for a specific Australian audience. If you want a Mandarin-first or Asian-language trading experience under ASIC regulation, with a competitive RAW account and a low entry barrier, ACY does that well. The Pro Zero account holds its own against the lowest-spread AU brokers, the AFSL has been clean since 2011, and the bilingual desk is a genuine differentiator. If you’re a generalist forex trader without a language requirement, you’ll find tighter spreads at IC Markets or Pepperstone, and broader products at CMC or IG.

Where to start: open the demo, run the ACY Trade Mandarin interface against your usual platform, and decide whether the language and bilingual support add enough value to outweigh the small spread gap to the top tier. If you trade in Asian sessions and want a regulated AU broker with that focus, ACY is on your shortlist.

Open an ACY Securities demo → (affiliate link, see our advertiser disclosure)