Quick verdict: gold CFD brokers in Australia
A gold CFD quote carries its dealing cost in one of two places, and working out which model fits your rhythm matters before any number gets compared. Spread-only pricing bundles the charge straight into the price, which I would call the cleaner setup for a handful of trades a week. A raw spread plus a per-lot commission looks tighter at the point of execution, and it really comes into its own once your volume climbs, because the commission is fixed while the spread is not. I would not measure a spread-only quote against a raw-plus-commission quote side by side until I knew which side of that line I sat on.
- Capital.com: best overall on no-commission XAU/USD pricing.
- Pepperstone: tightest typical spreads for gold scalping.
- IC Markets: raw gold pricing tuned for EAs.
- Fusion Markets: low-cost commission stack on gold.
- FP Markets: gold plus ASX gold miners through IRESS.
- CMC Markets: best proprietary platform for gold.
- easyMarkets: fixed gold spread through news events.
- AvaTrade: optional downside protection with AvaProtect.
- Vantage: raw gold pricing with native TradingView.
- ACY Securities: raw gold on Pro Zero.
The pricing model decides most of this list. If you trade occasionally, no-commission works; once volume picks up, raw plus commission wins.
Traders comparing the whole market can start with our leading Australian forex brokers guide.
Comparison table: gold trading brokers in Australia 2026
| # | Broker | XAU/USD typical spread | Commission per round-turn | Contract size | Platforms | Visit broker | More details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | #1 Top gold CFD pick Capital.com | ~30 cents (Standard) | $0 | 100 oz | Capital.com WebTrader MT4 MT5 TradingView | Visit Capital.com | |
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| 2 |  Pepperstone | 8 cents (Razor) | AUD 7 per 100 oz (Razor, A$3.50 per side, same as FX) | 100 oz | MT4MT5 cTraderTradingView (Razor only) | Visit Pepperstone | |
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| 3 |  IC Markets | 7 cents (Raw Spread) | AUD 9 per 100 oz (Raw MetaTrader, A$4.50 per side); cTrader/TradingView USD 3 per USD 100k | 100 oz | MT4MT5cTrader | Visit IC Markets | |
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| 4 |  Fusion Markets | 12 cents (Zero) | AUD 4.50 per 100 oz (Zero, A$2.25 per side, same as FX) | 100 oz | MT4MT5cTraderTradingView | Visit Fusion Markets | |
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| 5 |  FP Markets | 9 cents (Raw) | AUD 7 per 100 oz (Raw, A$3.50 per side, forex and metals) | 100 oz | MT4MT5cTraderTradingView+1 more platforms, listed in this broker's detailsMT4, MT5, cTrader, IRESS, TradingView | Visit FP Markets | |
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| 6 |  CMC Markets | 30 cents (Standard) / 18 cents (FX Active) | $0 (gold is spread-only; FX Active commission applies to FX pairs only) | 100 oz | Next GenerationMT4 | Visit CMC Markets | |
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| 7 |  easyMarkets | 25 centsfixed | $0 | 100 oz / mini | easyMarketsMT4MT5TradingView | Visit easyMarkets | |
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| 8 |  AvaTrade | 35 cents (Standard) | $0 | 100 oz | MT4MT5AvaTradeGOWebTrader | Visit AvaTrade | |
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| 9 |  Vantage | 12 cents (Raw) | $0 (gold is spread-only; RAW commission is forex only) | 100 oz | MT4MT5TradingView | Visit Vantage | |
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| 10 |  ACY Securities | Not published (Pro Zero raw) | A$1.50 per side (A$3.00 round turn), forex and metals (Pro Zero) | 100 oz | MT4MT5ACY Trading Platform | Visit ACY Securities | |
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| 11 |  TMGM | Not published (Edge raw) | USD 5 per 100 oz (Edge metals, USD 2.50 per side) | 100 oz | MT4MT5TMGM App | Visit TMGM | |
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| 12 |  GO Markets | Not published (GO Plus+ raw) | AUD 6 per 100 oz (GO Plus+) | 100 oz | MT4MT5cTraderTradingView+1 more platforms, listed in this broker's detailsMT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView, GO TradeX | Visit GO Markets | |
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| 13 |  MultiBank Group | Not published (ECN raw) | Per-lot on ECN (rate in PDS) | 100 oz | MT4MT4 Web Terminal | Visit MultiBank Group | |
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Spread captures from each broker’s current AU disclosure, captured June 2026. “Not published” marks brokers that do not disclose a headline XAU/USD cent spread; gold trades on the noted raw or ECN account.
Watch: Best gold CFD brokers in Australia.
All thirteen hold an ASIC AFSL and are AFCA members, and all apply ASIC’s 20:1 retail leverage cap on gold per the Product Intervention Order. On the original nine cards the displayed score is a Gold Fit Score out of 100 weighted for the XAU/USD use case: it is, in my view, our ranking metric, not the broker’s overall site score. The four newest entries (ACY Securities, TMGM, GO Markets, MultiBank Group) instead display the broker’s overall 2026 site score, as a gold-specific fit score has not yet been assigned.
My one rule here is that you read this before you go any further. CFDs are leveraged products and carry a high risk of loss. Most retail CFD accounts lose money. You need to review the broker's PDS and TMD before you trade, because your capital is genuinely at stake.
1. Capital.com: best overall gold platform on no-commission XAU/USD
I'd put Capital.com first on price structure: XAU/USD quoted at around 30 cents with no commission at all, the only no-commission pricing in our top five. Gold is available among a 30+ commodity range on WebTrader, MT4, MT5 or native TradingView, and guaranteed stop-loss orders are available on selected instruments through its own platform, priced only if triggered. The minimum deposit is A$20, there is no inactivity fee, and support runs 24/7. ASIC issued Capital Com Australia AFSL 513393 in 2021.
Average spread
XAU/USD ~30 cents (Standard, spread-only)
Trading platforms
Capital.com WebTrader, MT4, MT5, native TradingView
Minimum deposit
A$20
Regulation
ASIC AFSL 513393
Why higher here? Gold Fit weights XAU/USD pricing and gold platform coverage, which lifts Capital.com above its #7 sitewide position. See the ranking method ↓
Pros & Cons
- ASIC AFSL 513393 plus FCA (UK) and CySEC (Cyprus), Tier-1 regulatory stack
- Spread-only no-commission XAU/USD pricing, the simplest cost stack for AU gold traders
- Capital.com WebTrader plus native TradingView execution, one of the better proprietary stacks
- Standard markup spread on XAU/USD wider than Pepperstone Razor or IC Markets Raw Spread for active scalpers
- No cTrader (WebTrader, MT4, MT5 and TradingView make up the platform stack)
- AU operating history shorter than Pepperstone, IC Markets, CMC or IG
Broker's Detail
Capital.com was London-founded in 2016 and has been ASIC-regulated since 2021 under AFSL 513393. It is, in my view, one of the fastest-growing mid-market CFD brokers in Australia, and the group also holds FCA (UK), CySEC (Cyprus) and SCB (Bahamas) licences.
Capital.com quotes gold (XAU/USD) with no commission on the Standard account. You get the Capital.com WebTrader, MT4, MT5 and native TradingView execution. ASIC's 20:1 retail leverage cap on gold applies.
The minimum deposit is A$20, and AU funding is fee-free via PayID, card, PayPal and Apple Pay. AFCA dispute coverage and negative balance protection come standard. Customer support runs 24/5 by live chat (no phone support for retail).
2. Pepperstone: best for active XAU/USD scalping and day trading
Pepperstone is my Razor scalper's gold pick, running close behind IC Markets on raw pricing, with the platform spread to match: MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView and its own web platform on one login. Gold trades alongside silver, oil and gas within its commodity set, expert advisors are fully supported, and qualifying active traders get free VPS hosting. There is no minimum deposit. Pepperstone has held AFSL 414530 since 2013 and remains our top-rated broker overall.
Pepperstone's gold CFD appears first in TradingView's symbol search, labelled "Featured", observed 22 September 2026. That placement is promotional, not a ranking: when you search XAUUSD in TradingView, Pepperstone's price feed is the first chart you see, so check which broker's symbol your chart runs on before comparing gold quotes. TradingView's 2025 Broker Awards named Pepperstone "Best in Forex and CFD" for Australia, a popularity signal.
Average spread
EUR/USD = 0.1
GBP/USD = 0.2
AUD/USD = 0.1
Trading platforms
MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView, Pepperstone Trading App
Minimum deposit
A$0
Regulation
ASIC AFSL 414530
Pros & Cons
- ASIC AFSL 414530 since 2013; founded in Melbourne in 2010 with continuing Australian operations
- Razor RAW account with EUR/USD spreads from 0.0 pips and AUD 7 round-turn per lot
- Five trading platform options (MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView, Pepperstone Platform)
- Share CFD range narrower than CMC, IG, IBKR (around 1,200 vs 10,000+ at CMC)
- No native ASX share investing (CFD only)
- Standard account spreads less competitive than the Razor account; choose Razor if you trade actively
Broker's Detail
Pepperstone was founded in Melbourne in 2010 and is, in my view, one of Australia's largest forex brokers, holding ASIC AFSL 414530 since 2013. It also holds Tier-1 licences with the FCA (UK), BaFin (Germany), CySEC (Cyprus), CMA (Kenya) and DFSA (Dubai).
Pepperstone structures its offering around two main account types. The Razor (RAW) account pairs EUR/USD spreads from 0.0 pips with AUD 7 round-turn commission per standard lot. The Standard account is commission-free with EUR/USD from roughly 1.1 pips. Five trading platforms are supported: MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView and the Pepperstone Trading Platform, though TradingView is available on the Razor account only, not on Standard.
Funding is fee-free via PayID, BPAY, card and PayPal, and AUD-denominated accounts are available. Retail leverage follows ASIC's 30:1 cap on major FX pairs, one tier above gold. Negative balance protection and AFCA dispute coverage are standard. Customer support runs 24/7 by live chat.
Pepperstone spread table (averaged over our May to June 2026 test cycle):
| Pair | Razor avg spread (pips) | + commission equivalent | Total cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | 0.10 | 0.45 | 0.55 |
| AUD/USD | 0.10 | 0.45 | 0.55 |
| GBP/USD | 0.20 | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| USD/JPY | 0.10 | 0.45 | 0.55 |
| EUR/GBP | 0.30 | 0.45 | 0.75 |
3. IC Markets: comparable raw pricing, slightly tighter on some sessions
The narrowest raw gold spread we captured from IC Markets landed at 7 cents on XAU/USD, recorded on the same Raw Spread account that carries its forex pricing. You can trade gold on MT4, MT5 or cTrader, and execution consistently ranks among the fastest we track. Free VPS is available for clients holding A$5,000 and trading 15 or more lots a month. The minimum deposit is US$200 and support runs 24/7 on live chat. International Capital Markets has operated under AFSL 335692 since 2009.
Average spread
EUR/USD = 0.0
GBP/USD = 0.2
AUD/USD = 0.1
Trading platforms
MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView
Minimum deposit
A$200
Regulation
ASIC AFSL 335692
Pros & Cons
- ASIC AFSL 335692 since 2009; founded in Sydney
- Raw Spread account with EUR/USD spreads from 0.0 pips and AUD 9.00 round-turn per lot
- True ECN/cTrader connectivity with deep liquidity from 25+ Tier-1 banks and dark pools
- $200 minimum deposit (vs $0 at Pepperstone, CMC, IG, Fusion)
- No native TradingView integration on the AU entity
- Share CFD range narrower than CMC, IG, IBKR
Broker's Detail
IC Markets was founded in Sydney in 2007 and is one of Australia's longest-running ECN brokers, holding AFSL 335692 since 2009. The Raw Spread account delivers EUR/USD spreads from 0.0 pips with AUD 9 round-turn commission (A$4.50 per side), while the cTrader RAW account bills USD 3.00 per USD 100,000 traded per side, converted to your account currency. The Standard account is commission-free with spreads from 1.0 pips.
Liquidity is sourced from 25+ Tier-1 banks and dark pools, delivering true ECN execution that suits scalpers and EA traders. You get MT4, MT5 and cTrader, and over 2,250 tradeable instruments spanning forex, indices, commodities, bonds, shares and crypto CFDs.
The minimum deposit is $200, higher than the $0 brokers in this list. You can fund in AUD via PayID, BPAY and card with no fees. Retail leverage follows ASIC's standard caps, with AFCA dispute coverage and negative balance protection.
IC Markets spread table (averaged over our September 2026 test cycle):
| Pair | Raw Spread avg (pips) | + commission equivalent | Total cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | 0.11 | 0.64 | 0.75 |
| AUD/USD | 0.09 | 0.64 | 0.73 |
| GBP/USD | 0.24 | 0.64 | 0.88 |
| USD/JPY | 0.15 | 1.01 | 1.16 |
| AUD/JPY | 0.41 | 1.01 | 1.42 |
4. Fusion Markets: low-cost commission stack on gold
Fusion Markets is a low-cost pick for gold on the strength of its Zero account, whose AUD 4.50 round-turn forex commission is second only to ACY Securities' A$3.00 in the table above. Fusion does not separately publish a gold-specific per-lot commission, so we mark the gold rate as not disclosed. You can trade gold with MT4, MT5, cTrader and TradingView on a single account with no formal minimum deposit. Silver, oil, natural gas and the softs round out the commodity range, and funding spans PayID, BPAY, PayPal and even crypto deposits with no fees on most methods. Melbourne-founded Fusion has traded under AFSL 385620 since its 2017 launch; the FMGP Trading Group licence dates to 2011.
Average spread
EUR/USD = 0.0
GBP/USD = 0.2
AUD/USD = 0.1
Trading platforms
MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView
Minimum deposit
A$0
Regulation
ASIC AFSL 385620
Pros & Cons
- ASIC AFSL 385620 since founding; Melbourne head office; founder Phil Horner is ex-Pepperstone
- Zero account commission of AUD 4.50 round-turn is joint second-lowest with Axi among the ASIC brokers we cover, behind ACY Securities at AUD 3.00
- EUR/USD spreads from 0.0 pips on the Zero account
- Smaller broker by trading volume and brand profile than IC Markets, Pepperstone, CMC and IG
- Research and education library thinner than the larger brokers
- Share CFD range narrower than CMC, IG or Interactive Brokers
Broker's Detail
Melbourne-founded in 2017 (AFSL 385620), Fusion Markets holds the second-lowest commission on our shortlist, behind ACY Securities, and I would call that its main draw. Its Zero account pairs EUR/USD spreads from 0.0 pips with AUD 4.50 round-turn per standard lot.
MT4, MT5, cTrader and TradingView are available. The product range is narrower than the multi-asset brokers (forex-focused with selective indices and commodities), which is why active forex traders cluster here.
There's a $0 minimum deposit, and you can fund fee-free via PayID, BPAY, card and bank transfer. Retail leverage follows ASIC's standard caps, with AFCA dispute coverage and negative balance protection standard. Customer support runs 24/5.
5. FP Markets: strong on gold and ASX-listed gold miners through IRESS
FP Markets trades gold on its raw-pricing Raw account alongside silver, WTI and Brent crude, natural gas and the softs, across MT4, MT5, cTrader and TradingView, and an Islamic swap-free account extends to metals. There is no inactivity fee; in our testing, live chat answered in under 90 seconds. The minimum deposit is A$100. A free 30-day renewable demo covers MT4, MT5, cTrader and TradingView. First Prudential Markets has held AFSL 286354 since 2005, one of the longest continuous ASIC records on this page, and I would put a lot of weight on that.
Average spread
EUR/USD = 0.1
GBP/USD = 0.2
AUD/USD = 0.1
Trading platforms
MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView, IRESS
Minimum deposit
A$100
Regulation
ASIC AFSL 286354
Pros & Cons
- ASIC AFSL 286354 since 2005; founded and headquartered in Sydney
- Raw account with EUR/USD spreads from 0.0 pips and AUD 7 round-turn per lot
- IRESS account offers DMA access to ASX equities and international shares (AU-unique among RAW brokers)
- Standard (no commission) spreads less competitive than the Raw account; choose Raw if you trade actively
- IRESS account requires a separate application and higher minimum balance
- Education library is solid but lighter than CMC's or IG's
Broker's Detail
FP Markets was founded in Sydney in 2005, holds AFSL 286354, and is, in my view, one of the longest-running Australian-headquartered RAW-style brokers. The group also holds CySEC (Cyprus), FSCA (South Africa), FSC (Mauritius) and CMA (Kenya) licences.
The Raw account pairs EUR/USD spreads from 0.0 pips with AUD 7 round-turn commission per standard lot. The Standard account is commission-free with wider spreads. What sets FP Markets apart on this list is the IRESS account, which gives you DMA access to ASX equities and international shares.
The Raw and Standard accounts require a $100 minimum deposit; the IRESS account requires a separate application and higher balance. Funding is fee-free via PayID, BPAY, card and PayPal. Retail leverage sits at ASIC's standard caps, with AFCA dispute coverage and negative balance protection standard.
FP Markets spread table (averaged over our September 2026 test cycle):
| Pair | Raw avg spread (pips) | + commission equivalent | Total cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | 0.30 | 0.50 | 0.80 |
| AUD/USD | 0.57 | 0.50 | 1.07 |
| GBP/USD | 0.58 | 0.50 | 1.08 |
| USD/JPY | 0.82 | 0.78 | 1.60 |
| EUR/GBP | 0.27 | 0.37 | 0.64 |
| EUR/JPY | 1.04 | 0.78 | 1.82 |
6. CMC Markets: best proprietary platform for gold
CMC Markets includes gold among its 100+ commodity CFDs, and it's one of the few instruments carried on both Next Generation and its reduced MT4 build, so gold traders on MetaTrader are not locked out. The Standard account is spread only with no commission and no minimum deposit, and Next Generation adds pattern recognition scanning and 115+ indicators for chart-led metals trading. Retail gold leverage is capped at 20:1 under ASIC rules, as it is across this page. CMC Markets Asia Pacific has held AFSL 238054 since 2004.
Average spread
EUR/USD = 0.7
GBP/USD = 0.9
AUD/USD = 0.6
Trading platforms
Next Generation, MT4, CMC Stockbroking, TradingView
Minimum deposit
A$0
Regulation
ASIC AFSL 238054
Why higher here? Gold Fit weights XAU/USD pricing and gold platform coverage, which lifts CMC Markets above its #21 sitewide position. See the ranking method ↓
Pros & Cons
- ASIC AFSL 238054 since 2004, plus FCA, BaFin, MAS, CIRO regulation globally, top-tier trust profile
- Next Generation platform is the strongest proprietary CFD platform in Australia
- 12,000+ CFD instruments plus integrated CMC Stockbroking for ASX equities
- Standard account spreads on EUR/USD and AUD/USD wider than top-tier RAW brokers
- Share CFD overnight financing rates above average for the AU market
- Customer support hours 24/5 only (closed weekends)
Broker's Detail
CMC Markets was founded in London in 1989 and has been operating in Australia since 2002, making it, in my view, one of the longest-tenured CFD brokers in the AU market. The AU entity holds AFSL 238054. The group is LSE-listed and also holds FCA (UK), BaFin (Germany), MAS (Singapore) and CIRO (Canada) licences.
Standard account spreads start from 0.5 pips on EUR/USD with no commission; FX Active pairs tighter spreads with a commission. CMC also runs a separate stockbroking service for direct ASX share investing. You get the Next Generation platform paired with MT4 (no MT5 or cTrader on the AU entity).
There's a $0 minimum deposit, and you can fund fee-free via bank transfer, PayID and PayPal. Retail leverage follows ASIC's standard caps. Negative balance protection and AFCA dispute coverage are standard. Customer support runs 24/5 by live chat, email and phone.
CMC Markets spread table (CMC Markets column: indicative standard-account pricing, not from our measured capture):
| Pair | CMC Standard (typical pips) | Avg of 8 measured standard accounts (September 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | 0.5 | 0.83 |
| AUD/USD | 0.6 | 0.87 |
| GBP/USD | 0.9 | 1.20 |
| USD/JPY | 0.7 | 1.14 |
| EUR/GBP | 0.7 | 1.44 |
| EUR/JPY | 1.2 | 2.07 |
| AUD/JPY | 1.2 | 2.09 |
7. easyMarkets: fixed gold spread for predictable news trading
easyMarkets brings fixed pricing to gold: spreads on its Web and App platform and TradingView hold steady rather than floating, and guaranteed stop-loss orders on the Web and App platform hold your exit price through a gap, which matters on a metal that can move sharply. You trade gold as XAU/USD within a 200+ instrument range; MT4 and MT5 are available on floating spreads instead. The minimum deposit is A$200, and easyMarkets Pty Ltd has held its ASIC AFSL 246566 continuously since 26 March 2004.
Average spread
EUR/USD = 0.7
GBP/USD = 1.0
AUD/USD = 0.9
Trading platforms
easyMarkets web/app, MT4, MT5, TradingView
Minimum deposit
A$200
Regulation
ASIC AFSL 246566
Why higher here? Gold Fit weights XAU/USD pricing and gold platform coverage, which lifts easyMarkets above its #32 sitewide position. See the ranking method ↓
Pros & Cons
- ASIC AFSL 246566 since 26 March 2004, plus CySEC, BVI FSC and FSA Seychelles regulation globally
- Fixed spreads on all majors (rare in the AU market, only Trade Nation also offers true fixed pricing)
- Guaranteed stop-loss orders on the Web and App platform, protecting trades when gold gaps
- Base spreads wider than RAW accounts at IC Markets, Pepperstone, Fusion Markets
- USD 25 per quarter inactivity fee after three months, aggressive by AU standards
- Standard account is the only retail option; no commission-based RAW tier for active traders
Broker's Detail
easyMarkets was founded in 2001 (originally as easy-forex), is ASIC-regulated under AFSL 246566, and is, in my view, one of the few brokers offering genuine fixed spreads to AU clients alongside variable Raw pricing.
The Fixed account quotes EUR/USD at 0.6 pips with no commission, never widening through news events. The Variable account follows a more standard Raw model. You get the proprietary easyMarkets web and app, plus MT4, MT5 and native TradingView trading.
The minimum deposit is A$200, with fee-free AU funding via PayID, BPAY, card and crypto. Retail leverage sits at ASIC's standard caps, with AFCA dispute coverage and negative balance protection standard.
The fixed quotes from easyMarkets’ published schedule on 17 July 2026 sit beside our variable-account test averages in the easyMarkets spread table I work from. The ASIC entity publishes no per-pair table of its own, so this is the comparison I rely on.
| Pair | easyMarkets fixed spread | Avg of 8 measured standard accounts (September 2026) | Pepperstone Razor incl. comm. (May to June 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | 0.6 pips | 0.83 pips | 0.55 pips |
| AUD/USD | 1.2 pips | 0.87 pips | 0.55 pips |
| GBP/USD | 1.0 pips | 1.20 pips | 0.65 pips |
| USD/JPY | 1.0 pips | 1.14 pips | 0.55 pips |
| EUR/GBP | 1.0 pips | 1.44 pips | 0.75 pips |
| EUR/JPY | 1.5 pips | 2.07 pips | 0.85 pips |
| AUD/JPY | 1.5 pips | 2.09 pips | 0.90 pips |
8. AvaTrade: strong global brand, broad platform coverage
AvaTrade earns its slot on gold pricing rather than breadth: a typical XAU/USD spread of 0.30 sits under the stated AU industry average of 0.35, one of the few lines where AvaTrade beats the market, and the account is spread only with no commission to add back. You can trade gold on MT4, MT5 or the AvaTradeGO app with a A$100 minimum deposit. Watch the fee schedule, as dormancy charges begin after three months. Ava Capital Markets Australia has operated under AFSL 406684 since 2011.
Average spread
EUR/USD = 0.9
GBP/USD = 1.5
AUD/USD = 1.0
Trading platforms
MT4, MT5, AvaOptions, AvaSocial, AvaTradeGO, WebTrader
Minimum deposit
A$100
Regulation
ASIC AFSL 406684
Why higher here? Gold Fit weights XAU/USD pricing and gold platform coverage, which lifts AvaTrade above its #27 sitewide position. See the ranking method ↓
Pros & Cons
- ASIC AFSL 406684 since 2011; Tier-1 regulators on three other continents
- AvaOptions platform offers real vanilla forex options, rare in Australia
- AvaSocial proprietary copy trading plus DupliTrade integration
- USD 50 inactivity fee after only three months, among the most aggressive in our coverage
- USD 100 administration fee after 12 months on top of the inactivity charge
- Standard account spreads (0.9 pips EUR/USD) wider than RAW brokers like Pepperstone and IC Markets
Broker's Detail
AvaTrade, Dublin-headquartered, has been ASIC-regulated under Ava Capital Markets Australia (AFSL 406684) since 2011. The group also holds licences with the FFAJ (Japan), CySEC (Cyprus), BVIFSC (BVI), FSCA (South Africa) and ADGM (UAE), a stack I would call genuinely broad.
AvaTrade runs a Standard-only account model with no Raw/ECN tier. EUR/USD spreads sat at 0.86 pips in our September 2026 capture, with no commission. You get the broadest platform stack of any broker in our shortlist: MT4, MT5, AvaOptions, AvaSocial, DupliTrade, AvaTradeGO and WebTrader.
AvaTrade opens the door from $100, and the card form held us to exactly that when we funded an account in September 2026, with the full A$200 credited and no deposit fee taken. Its deposit menu ran to card, Google Pay, Skrill and Apple Pay on the day we looked, so confirm your preferred method is offered before you commit. What I cannot get past is the fee schedule for an account you let sit idle: USD 50 kicks in after three months, and a USD 100 administration fee follows at twelve months. Retail leverage follows ASIC's standard caps.
AvaTrade spread table (FX rows: September 2026 measured standard account; gold: indicative published pricing):
| Pair | AvaTrade Standard (measured avg pips) | Avg of 8 measured standard accounts |
|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | 0.86 | 0.83 |
| AUD/USD | 0.98 | 0.87 |
| GBP/USD | 1.28 | 1.20 |
| USD/JPY | 1.36 | 1.14 |
| EUR/GBP | 1.31 | 1.44 |
| EUR/JPY | 1.86 | 2.07 |
| Gold (XAU/USD) | 0.30 | Not in capture |
9. Vantage: competitive Raw pricing with native TradingView
Vantage gives you gold as XAU/USD within its commodity set, and you access it through either the spread-only Standard STP account or the commission-based RAW account, with the rate set by account tier in the PDS. A free demo runs for 30 days and can be renewed before you go live. The platform roster covers MT4, MT5 and native TradingView plus the Vantage App, the minimum deposit is A$50, and funding is fee-free across PayID, BPAY, PayPal, Apple Pay and Google Pay. Vantage Global Prime has operated under AFSL 428901 since 2012.
Average spread
EUR/USD = 0.0
GBP/USD = 0.3
AUD/USD = 0.2
Trading platforms
MT4, MT5, TradingView
Minimum deposit
A$50
Regulation
ASIC AFSL 428901
Why higher here? Gold Fit weights XAU/USD pricing and gold platform coverage, which lifts Vantage above its #24 sitewide position. See the ranking method ↓
Pros & Cons
- ASIC AFSL 428901 since 2012, plus FCA (UK), FSCA (South Africa) and CIMA regulation across the group
- Genuinely broad platform offering: MT4, MT5, TradingView native and the Vantage App
- RAW account spreads from 0.0 pips on EUR/USD with AUD 2.50 per side commission (AUD 5.00 round turn)
- Inactivity fee of USD 25 per month after just 90 days dormant, aggressive by AU standards
- Share CFD range narrower than CMC, IG and IBKR
- Customer support is 24/5 only (closes weekends), unlike Pepperstone or Plus500
Broker's Detail
Vantage is a mid-sized ECN broker, Sydney-founded in 2009 and ASIC-regulated under AFSL 428901, with a broader product range than the forex-pure brokers (more share CFDs, ETFs, indices), and I see that breadth as a genuine draw if your trading extends beyond spot gold.
The RAW account pairs EUR/USD spreads from 0.0 pips with AUD 5.00 round-turn commission (A$2.50 per side). If you prefer a single bundled cost, the Standard account is commission-free with wider spreads. Platforms supported are MT4, MT5 and TradingView.
$50 minimum deposit with fee-free AU funding via PayID, BPAY, card and bank transfer. Retail leverage sits at ASIC's standard caps, so your margin obligation is the same here as at any other ASIC broker. AFCA dispute coverage and negative balance protection standard.
Vantage spread table (averaged over our May to June 2026 test cycle):
| Pair | Vantage RAW avg spread (pips) | + commission equivalent | Total cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | 0.18 | 0.32 | 0.50 |
| AUD/USD | 0.2 | 0.6 | 0.8 |
| GBP/USD | 0.3 | 0.6 | 0.9 |
| USD/JPY | 0.1 | 0.6 | 0.7 |
| EUR/JPY | 0.4 | 0.6 | 1.0 |
10. ACY Securities: raw gold on Pro Zero
What I like about ACY Securities closing the ten is how clearly it separates the costs. Gold runs on its Pro Zero raw account, and the gold commission is A$1.50 per side (A$3.00 round turn), the same schedule it charges across forex and metals. Its proprietary ACY Trading Platform carries a built-in guaranteed stop-loss order that MT4 and MT5 lack, plus a Mandarin-language interface backed by a bilingual support desk. Entry is US$200 on Pro Zero, the only account the Australian licence offers, and the cheaper Basic tier you may see quoted sits with an offshore entity that is closed to you. ASIC issued Sydney-based ACY AFSL 403863 in 2011.
ACY Securities: Best For Raw-Account Gold
XAU/USD pricing
Pro Zero raw account (A$1.50 per side on forex and metals)
Trading Platforms
MT4, MT5, ACY Trading Platform (with WebTrader)
Minimum Deposit
US$200 (Pro Zero)
Pros & Cons
- ASIC AFSL 403863 since 2011, with continuous Australian operations and AFCA membership
- Pro Zero raw account charges A$1.50 per side (A$3.00 round turn) on forex and metals, so gold trades on raw pricing plus that commission
- Built-in guaranteed stop-loss order on the ACY Trading Platform (not on MT4 or MT5)
- No published XAU/USD headline spread to compare against the raw leaders
- ACY Trading Platform not yet at the depth of Next Generation or cTrader
- Customer support runs 24/5, not 24/7
Broker's Detail
ACY Securities Pty Ltd holds ASIC AFSL 403863, continuously since it established Australian operations from Sydney in 2011. Gold (XAU/USD) sits in the commodity range alongside silver, oil, gas and soft commodities, and trades on the Pro Zero RAW account, where a round-turn commission per standard lot applies to forex and metals only (indices and crypto CFDs trade commission-free on Pro Zero). ASIC's 20:1 retail leverage cap on gold applies to every position you open.
The platform stack is MT4, MT5 and the proprietary ACY Trading Platform, each with WebTrader browser access; the ACY Trading Platform carries a built-in guaranteed stop-loss order. Minimum deposit on Pro Zero is USD 200, with fee-free AU funding via PayID, card, bank transfer (EFT) and Skrill/Neteller. AFCA dispute coverage and negative balance protection are standard, and the multilingual desk covers English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese and Korean, 24/5, which I would call a genuine edge if you need support in a language other than English.
How gold CFD trading works in Australia
Spot gold CFDs are quoted as XAU/USD, where one ounce of gold is priced in US dollars. A typical contract size is 100 ounces, so one full lot carries a notional value of 100 times the XAU/USD price, converted into your account currency. The calculator at the end of this section works that out at the most recent close rather than at an assumed price, so you are working from a real number.
ASIC caps retail leverage on gold at 20:1 under its product intervention order, the same as minor forex pairs and major indices. What that means for your trade is margin on a full XAU/USD lot is 5% of that notional value. Mini and micro lots let you size to a fraction of a standard lot, and the forex margin calculator covers the same sum for any lot size and account currency.
Physical delivery is not part of the deal here. The position settles in cash, with overnight financing applied each night the position is held. Long positions usually pay financing; short positions usually receive (or pay less, depending on the prevailing rate). Financing rates vary by broker, even between the best CFD brokers in Australia, so I always check the specific rate before holding a gold position past the close. Before financing, the CFD profit calculator shows the AUD gain or loss on a XAU/USD move for any lot size.
Gold is priced two ways in Australia, and the table above splits on it. Spread-only accounts bundle the broker’s cost into a wider XAU/USD quote and charge no commission. Raw accounts show you a tighter spread and bill the cost separately as a commission. Neither is automatically cheaper; what changes is whether you can see the two halves. Pepperstone has put a name on that split for gold specifically, Razor Gold, which applies the raw-plus-commission model its Razor forex account uses to XAU/USD, while leaving gold on its Standard account spread-only. Worth knowing if you go that way: on an AUD account Pepperstone’s gold commission is not its forex commission, and the two MetaTraders do not match each other either, at AUD 9.00 round turn on MT5 against AUD 7.00 on MT4 for the same lot. If you trade gold rarely, the bundled quote is one number to track. If you scalp it, the split is what lets you see what you are actually paying.
One newer wrinkle sits outside both models. A perpetual gold CFD has no expiry date, so instead of the interest-based overnight financing described above it carries a funding rate, and Pepperstone publishes its GOLD-PERP rate weekly in advance and applies it once a day. That is a different cost mechanic rather than a cheaper one, and it is worth understanding before you hold gold across weeks. The ASIC 20:1 retail cap applies to a perpetual exactly as it does to a dated contract.
The XAU/USD market is active around the clock during the working week, with peak liquidity during the London/New York overlap (around 8pm to 1am AEDT). The Sydney session sees thinner liquidity. Your spreads can widen between the New York close and the Asian open, so factor that into any stop or limit you place outside peak hours. Fortrade’s published night spread window runs 20:55 to 06:00 GMT, and inside it our real Australian dollar account read gold at US$1.10 at 09:52 AEST on 13 August 2026, against its advertised US$0.80.
Margin is only the capital the position ties up. Overnight financing accrues every night the trade stays open, and a perpetual contract carries a funding rate in its place. Neither cost appears in the figures below, so treat the calculator output as your pre-financing baseline.
What drives the gold price
Five factors drive XAU/USD over most timeframes.
US dollar strength. Gold is priced in USD, so a weaker dollar mechanically lifts the gold price (and a stronger dollar pushes it down). The DXY is the single indicator I would watch first over multi-month windows.
Real US yields. Gold pays no yield. When real US 10-year Treasury yields rise (nominal yields minus inflation expectations), holding gold gets more expensive in opportunity-cost terms and the price typically falls. The relationship is strong enough that real-yield charts are, in my view, a standard input for gold traders.
Inflation expectations. I keep this driver in view because it can override the yield signal when the two diverge, and because gold’s traditional appeal as an inflation hedge means rising inflation expectations (measured by breakeven rates or 5y5y forward rates) tend to support the price.
Geopolitical risk and safe-haven demand. Major conflicts, banking stress, and political instability tend to drive flows into gold. The 2022 to 2025 period saw multiple step-changes in gold demand tied to geopolitical events, and I watch for these shifts because they can override the yield and dollar signals for weeks at a time.
Central bank buying. Central banks (notably China, Russia, Turkey and India over the last decade) have been net buyers of physical gold for reserves diversification. Reserve flows show up in monthly World Gold Council data and have, in my view, been a meaningful tailwind.
For Australian traders, AUD/USD adds a second variable. A position long XAU/USD with an AUD account base benefits from a falling AUD against USD (gold goes up in AUD terms even if USD-denominated gold is flat). Many AU traders track gold in AUD rather than USD; both views are valid, and your choice determines which price feed you watch most.
The Australian gold context
Australia is the world’s second-largest gold producer behind China and ahead of Russia. The country has a deep gold sector beyond CFD trading, and that domestic industry shapes, in my view, how a lot of Australian traders think about the metal.
ASX-listed gold miners. Newmont (NEM), Northern Star (NST), Evolution Mining (EVN), Regis Resources (RRL) and dozens of smaller producers are listed on the ASX. Gold equities tend to be leveraged plays on the gold price (they rise faster in a rising-gold environment and fall faster in a falling one) but they carry idiosyncratic operational risk that pure gold doesn’t. I would not treat them as a direct substitute for the metal itself.
ASX-listed gold ETFs. GOLD (Global X Physical Gold) and PMGOLD (Perth Mint Gold) are the two largest physical-backed gold ETFs on the ASX. Both track the spot gold price closely. Cost-effective for long-term gold exposure inside a brokerage or super account. No leverage, no overnight financing, capital gains tax treatment on disposal.
RBA gold reserves. The RBA holds approximately 80 tonnes of gold as part of its foreign reserves, the bulk stored at the Bank of England. The RBA’s gold position rarely moves but is, in my view, a useful reference point in the global gold reserve table.
Perth Mint. State-government-owned and one of the world’s most established refiners, Perth Mint produces Australian Kangaroo gold coins and bars and runs an unallocated gold investment program for retail investors. Direct physical and pool allocations are an alternative to CFD or ETF exposure, and for some investors, in my view, that custody structure matters more than the spread.
Gold CFD vs ASX gold ETF vs physical
A short comparison table for the three main retail routes to gold exposure in Australia. I suggest you scan it before choosing which path fits your intent, because the cost profiles are genuinely different.
| Feature | Gold CFD (XAU/USD) | ASX gold ETF (GOLD, PMGOLD) | Physical gold |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leverage | Up to 20:1 (retail) | None | None |
| Direction | Long or short | Long only | Long only |
| Holding cost | Daily financing | Annual ETF fee (~0.40%) | Storage and insurance |
| Tax treatment | Income (TR 2005/15) | CGT on disposal | CGT on disposal |
| Counterparty risk | Broker | ETF issuer / custodian | Storage facility |
| Best for | Short-to-medium-term traders | Long-term portfolio allocation | Long-term store of value, hands-on holders |
For pure trading exposure on a leveraged basis, CFDs are the standard route. For long-term gold allocation inside a super or self-directed brokerage account, ASX-listed ETFs are typically more cost-effective. Physical gold suits buyers who specifically want allocated metal in their name. Totality carries gold through both CFDs and futures, a further route beside the three in the table.
Tax treatment of gold trading profits
The ATO generally treats CFD trading profits, including gold, as assessable income under TR 2005/15. Profits are taxed at your marginal rate. Losses are generally deductible against other assessable income.
ASX-listed gold ETFs are different. As a direct security held in your name, gains on disposal are subject to capital gains tax. Holding for more than 12 months may qualify for the 50% CGT discount.
Physical gold held as an investment is also CGT-treated on disposal. Personal-use gold (jewellery worn personally) is generally exempt up to a threshold but that’s rarely material to an investor.
We are not licensed to provide tax advice. Speak to a registered tax agent about your circumstances.
How to choose a gold trading platform
A short framework based on what you want.
If you want the cleanest overall platform plus no-commission XAU/USD pricing: Capital.com.
If you want the lowest total cost on active XAU/USD scalping: Pepperstone Razor or IC Markets Raw Spread. Fusion Markets if commission per lot matters most.
If you want pricing certainty around news: easyMarkets’s fixed gold spread.
If you want platform analytics rather than the cheapest spread: CMC Markets Next Generation.
If you trade gold equities alongside spot: FP Markets with IRESS.
If you want TradingView native: Capital.com, Pepperstone, FP Markets, or Vantage.
If you want long-term allocation rather than CFD trading: ASX-listed GOLD or PMGOLD through a stockbroking account.
Compare brokers by the factor that decides it
Each shortlist below re-ranks the market for one decision factor, and I have tested every one of them the same way this page was tested. My aim is to let you slice what we captured by what matters most to your own trading.
Start with the overall ranking
I build every shortlist below off the one baseline I trust: our tested, ASIC-only ranking of the best forex brokers in Australia. It is the foundation I re-rank from, so you can move between the full list and these focused slices without the criteria shifting under your feet.
The platform decides it
Rankings change once the trading software is fixed. Pick yours first, then compare.
Cost decides it
Account types price the same trade differently. These shortlists rank by total cost.
You're starting out
Simpler platforms, stronger education, and demo accounts with no time pressure.
Your strategy decides it
Execution speed, copy functionality and EA support separate these shortlists.
FAQs
What is the best gold trading platform in Australia?
What's the maximum leverage on gold for Australian retail clients?
How is gold priced in CFD form?
Is gold trading taxed as income or capital gains in Australia?
What's the difference between trading XAU/USD and buying GOLD on the ASX?
Can I trade gold during the Sydney session?
How do I trade gold CFDs in Australia?
Related pages
About the author
Justin co-founded CompareForexBrokers in 2014 and has traded forex since 1998. Based in Melbourne, he has tested every ASIC-regulated broker on this site personally and has written for Forbes, Kiplinger, Finance Magnates, the Australian Financial Review and The Age. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) and a Master of Marketing from Monash University. Justin is the co-founder and CEO of CompareForexBrokers.