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ASIC General Advice Warning | This information is not financial advice
Risk Warning
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 74-89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. ASIC requires this risk warning for all CFD providers.
We tested Plus500 for 60 days with real money. Complete analysis of the ASIC-regulated CFD platform covering spreads, leverage limits, WebTrader, fees,
What We Love
2,800+ CFD instruments across forex, shares, indices, commodities, crypto, ETFs, and options
Clean, intuitive WebTrader platform with fast execution under 1 second
Publicly traded company (LSE: PLUS) providing full financial transparency
ASIC regulated under Plus500AU Pty Ltd (AFSL #417727) with segregated client funds
Negative balance protection guaranteed for all retail accounts
Watch Out For
CFDs only — no real stock ownership or dividend entitlements
Limited educational resources compared to IG Markets or CMC Markets
No MetaTrader 4 or MetaTrader 5 platform support
Spreads widen significantly during high-volatility news events
No copy trading, social trading, or automated strategy features
X-Ray Score™
Not scored
Our Rating
Expert Score
4.5/5
Quick Navigation
Editorial Transparency
Published: January 22, 2026
Last updated: March 3, 2026
Reviewed by: SmartFinPro Research
Fact-checked: Oct 5, 2026
What changed since last update:
Pricing and fee information verified against provider website
Feature availability and regulatory status re-confirmed
Competitor comparison data refreshed
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Plus500AU Pty Ltd holds an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL #417727) issued by ASIC. Your funds are held in segregated accounts with top-tier Australian banks. Plus500 is also publicly traded on the London Stock Exchange (LSE: PLUS), which subjects it to additional financial reporting and audit requirements.
No. Plus500 only offers CFDs (Contracts for Difference). You do not own the underlying assets and receive no voting rights or real dividends. For real stock ownership, consider eToro, Interactive Brokers, or CommSec.
The minimum deposit for Plus500 is A$100. You can fund your account via bank transfer, credit or debit card, PayPal, or Skrill. A free demo account with unlimited virtual funds is available for practise before depositing real money.
Under ASIC's Product Intervention Order, leverage is capped at 30:1 for major forex pairs, 20:1 for minor forex, gold, and major indices, 10:1 for other commodities and minor indices, 5:1 for share CFDs, and 2:1 for crypto CFDs. Professional clients may apply for higher leverage.
No. Plus500 is commission-free and earns revenue from the bid-ask spread. However, there are overnight financing charges for positions held past the trading day, a 0.7% currency conversion fee for non-AUD instruments, and an A$10 monthly inactivity fee after 3 months of no trading activity.
Plus500 has a simple, intuitive platform that beginners can navigate easily. However, CFD trading is inherently risky — 77% of retail investor accounts lose money with this provider. Plus500's educational resources are limited compared to IG Markets or CMC Markets. Beginners should practise extensively on the free demo account first.
Your funds are held in segregated accounts separate from Plus500's operational funds, as required by ASIC regulations. Disputes can be resolved through the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA). Plus500's public listing on the LSE also provides ongoing financial transparency through mandatory audits and reporting.
CMC Markets offers more instruments (12,000+ vs 2,800+), superior charting with 115+ indicators, and better educational resources. Plus500 is simpler to use and has a lower minimum deposit (A$100 vs A$0). CMC is also ASX-listed, giving it local governance. Choose Plus500 for simplicity or CMC for advanced tools.
Research Methodology & Disclosure
Last fact-check: Oct 5, 2026
Reviewed against provider disclosures and public regulator guidance.
Primary sources: AUSTRAC, ASIC, APRA, AFCA, and provider disclosures.
We may earn a commission from partner links, but rankings and recommendations are set by editorial criteria.
Affiliate Disclosure: SmartFinPro may earn a commission when you click links and make a purchase. This does not affect our editorial independence. Learn more
Risk Warning: CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
Risk Warning
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 77% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. ASIC requires this risk warning for all CFD providers.
What is Plus500?
Key Findings
Key Findings & Analysis
2,800+ CFD instruments across all major asset classes
ASIC regulated under Plus500AU Pty Ltd (AFSL #417727)
Publicly traded on the London Stock Exchange (LSE: PLUS)
Competitive spreads from 0.8 pips on major forex pairs
Bottom line: Plus500 is a solid ASIC-regulated CFD broker for Australian traders who want a clean, simple platform with multi-asset access and strong regulatory protections including mandatory negative balance protection.
Plus500 is a global CFD (Contract for Difference) broker founded in 2008 in Israel and now publicly traded on the London Stock Exchange under the ticker PLUS. The company has grown to serve millions of clients across more than 50 countries, generating over US$700 million in annual revenue. Its core proposition is straightforward: provide access to a broad range of global markets through a single, easy-to-use platform without the complexity that characterises many institutional-grade brokers.
In Australia, Plus500 operates through Plus500AU Pty Ltd, which holds Australian Financial Services Licence #417727 issued by ASIC. This licence authorises Plus500 to provide financial services to Australian retail and wholesale clients, and subjects the company to ASIC's strict regulatory framework including mandatory negative balance protection, leverage caps under the Product Intervention Order, segregated client funds held with top-tier Australian banks, and membership of the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) for dispute resolution.
The platform offers CFD trading on 2,800+ instruments spanning forex, shares, indices, commodities, cryptocurrencies, ETFs, and options. Unlike full-service brokers such as Interactive Brokers or CommSec, Plus500 is a CFD-only platform — you never own the underlying asset. This distinction is critical for Australian investors to understand before opening an account, as it means no dividend entitlements, no voting rights, and exposure to overnight financing charges that compound over time.
A CFD (Contract for Difference) is a derivative contract between you and the broker. When you open a CFD position, you are speculating on the price movement of an underlying asset — whether that is a currency pair, share, commodity, or index — without actually purchasing or owning the asset itself. You profit if the price moves in the direction you predicted and lose if it moves against you. Leverage amplifies both potential gains and losses, which is why ASIC imposes strict limits for retail traders.
Aspect
CFDs
Real Assets
Ownership
No
Yes
Dividends
Adjustment credit only
Real payments
Voting rights
No
Yes (shares)
Leverage
Yes (up to 30:1 retail)
Limited or none
Short selling
Easy, one-click
Complex and costly
Overnight costs
Yes, daily swap charge
No (shares, ETFs)
ASIC Leverage Limits for Retail Clients
Since October 2021, ASIC's Product Intervention Order has capped leverage for all retail CFD traders in Australia. These caps apply uniformly across all ASIC-regulated brokers including Plus500, IG Markets, CMC Markets, and Pepperstone. The purpose is to reduce the risk of catastrophic losses for retail participants who may not fully understand the mechanics of leveraged trading.
Instrument
Maximum Leverage
Margin Required
Major forex pairs (e.g. AUD/USD)
30:1
3.33%
Minor forex, gold, major indices
20:1
5%
Other commodities, minor indices
10:1
10%
Shares CFDs
5:1
20%
Crypto CFDs
2:1
50%
ASIC CFD Risk Warning: CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 77% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with Plus500. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. Between 74% and 89% of retail CFD accounts lose money across the industry.
Professional clients can apply for higher leverage by demonstrating trading experience, portfolio size, and financial knowledge. However, professional classification removes retail protections including negative balance protection. Most Australian traders should remain on retail terms.
Available Markets & Instruments
Plus500 provides access to 2,800+ CFD instruments across seven asset classes. While this is smaller than IG Markets (17,000+) or CMC Markets (12,000+), it covers all the major markets that most Australian retail traders need. The instrument selection is particularly strong in forex, global indices, and Australian shares including ASX 200 constituents like BHP, CBA, CSL, Woolworths, and Fortescue Metals.
Asset Class
Instruments
Example Markets
Forex
70+ pairs
AUD/USD, EUR/AUD, GBP/AUD, NZD/AUD
Indices
25+
ASX 200, S&P 500, FTSE 100, Nikkei 225
Shares
2,000+
BHP, CBA, CSL, Apple, Tesla, Nvidia
Commodities
20+
Gold, Silver, Oil, Natural Gas, Iron Ore
Cryptocurrencies
20+
Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, Litecoin
ETFs
90+
SPY, VAS, IVV, QQQ
Options
Selected
Index and commodity options CFDs
Trading Hours for Australian Traders (AEST)
Market
Trading Hours
Forex
24/5 (Mon 7:00am - Sat 7:00am)
ASX Shares
10:00am - 4:00pm weekdays
US Shares
11:30pm - 6:00am (next day)
Indices
Near 24/5 (varies by index)
Crypto CFDs
24/7
Commodities
Varies by product
Plus500 offers extended-hours trading for popular US shares such as Apple, Tesla, and Amazon, allowing you to react to after-hours earnings announcements. Be aware that spreads widen significantly during extended sessions, so use limit orders rather than market orders to control your entry price.
Trading Costs & Fee Structure
Spread Analysis
Plus500 operates on a spread-only model with zero trading commissions. We measured live spreads during regular Sydney and London trading session overlap hours across multiple consecutive weeks to capture typical conditions.
Instrument
Plus500 Spread
CMC Markets
IG Markets
Industry Avg
AUD/USD
0.8-1.5 pips
0.7-1.0 pips
0.6-1.0 pips
1.0-2.0 pips
EUR/USD
0.8-1.2 pips
0.7-1.0 pips
0.6-0.8 pips
0.8-1.5 pips
GBP/USD
1.2-2.0 pips
0.9-1.5 pips
0.9-1.5 pips
1.5-2.5 pips
Gold
$0.40-0.60
$0.30-0.50
$0.30-0.50
$0.35-0.60
ASX 200
1.0-2.0 pts
0.5-1.0 pts
0.8-1.5 pts
1.0-3.0 pts
BHP CFD
A$0.04-0.08
A$0.03-0.06
A$0.03-0.05
A$0.05-0.10
Bitcoin
0.5%-1.0%
0.4%-0.8%
0.5%-1.0%
0.5%-1.5%
Plus500's spreads are competitive for swing traders and position traders who hold for days or weeks. However, active day traders executing dozens of trades per session may find tighter spreads at IG Markets or CMC Markets, where the difference compounds meaningfully over hundreds of trades per month.
Complete Fee Structure
Fee Type
Amount
Notes
Trading commission
$0
Revenue from spread only
Overnight funding
Variable
Daily swap rate, varies by instrument
Inactivity fee
A$10/month
Triggered after 3 months of no trades
Deposit fee
$0
Free for all supported methods
Withdrawal fee
$0
One free withdrawal per month
Currency conversion
0.7%
Applied to non-AUD denominated instruments
Guaranteed stop-loss
Premium spread
Optional risk management feature
Overnight financing costs compound significantly. A leveraged position held for 30 days can accumulate 2-5% in overnight charges depending on the instrument and current interest rate environment. CFDs are designed for short-term trading. If you want to hold Australian shares for months or years, use a traditional broker like CommSec, SelfWealth, or Interactive Brokers where you own the actual asset with zero ongoing holding costs.
WebTrader Platform Review
Plus500's proprietary WebTrader platform is entirely browser-based, requiring no software downloads or installation. The platform prioritises simplicity and speed over the depth of features found in MetaTrader 4/5 or IG's ProRealTime. For traders who want a clean, uncluttered interface with fast execution, WebTrader delivers well. For traders who rely on advanced technical analysis, backtesting, or algorithmic strategies, it falls short.
WebTrader Strengths
WebTrader Features6
Show detailsHide details
Clean, uncluttered interface — All essential trading functions accessible within two clicks
Fast load times — Browser-based with no installation, works on any operating system
All instruments accessible — Full 2,800+ instrument catalogue searchable and filterable
Multiple watchlists — Create and organise custom watchlists by asset class or strategy
One-click trading — Execute trades instantly from the watchlist or chart view
WebTrader Limitations
The platform includes approximately 15 technical indicators, which is significantly fewer than the 115+ on CMC Markets' Next Generation platform or the 100+ available on IG's web platform. There is no support for custom scripts, automated trading strategies, or historical backtesting. Traders who rely heavily on technical analysis patterns, Fibonacci extensions, or multi-timeframe correlation analysis will find WebTrader restrictive.
Mobile App
Plus500's mobile app is available on iOS and Android and mirrors the full functionality of the web platform. The app supports Touch ID and Face ID authentication, push-based price alerts, real-time streaming quotes, and watchlist synchronisation with the desktop version. App Store ratings reflect generally positive user sentiment: 4.3 out of 5 on iOS from over 112,000 reviews and 4.3 out of 5 on Android from over 285,000 reviews.
Demo Account
Plus500 offers one of the better demo accounts in the industry. Virtual funds are unlimited and can be reset at any time, the account never expires, it mirrors the live platform exactly including real-time market data, and registration requires only an email address. We recommend spending a minimum of 2-4 weeks on demo before depositing real money, using it to test your strategy, understand how leverage affects your positions, and observe how spreads widen during major news releases.
Plus500 holds licences from multiple tier-1 financial regulators worldwide, which provides additional confidence in the company's governance and compliance standards. Multi-jurisdictional regulation means Plus500 is subject to audits and supervisory oversight from several independent bodies simultaneously.
Regulator
Entity
Key Protection
FCA (UK)
Plus500UK Ltd
FSCS coverage up to 85,000 GBP
CySEC (EU)
Plus500CY Ltd
ICF coverage up to 20,000 EUR
FMA (NZ)
Plus500AU Pty Ltd
NZ retail clients
MAS (Singapore)
Plus500SG Pte Ltd
Singapore regulation
Fund Security Measures
Measure
Status
Segregated client funds
Yes — required by ASIC
Negative balance protection
Yes — ASIC-mandated for retail
Two-factor authentication
Yes
SSL/TLS encryption
Yes
Public company audits
Yes — LSE listed, audited annually
Verified Platform Data
Source: SmartFinPro Testing · ASIC · AFSL
3 Months
Testing Period
AFSL 486202
ASIC License
2,800+
CFD Instruments
4.0/5
Trustpilot AU
Our 60-Day Testing Results
We used Plus500 for 60 consecutive days with an A$4,500 live account, executing trades across forex, ASX share CFDs, indices, and commodities to evaluate execution quality, spread consistency, and withdrawal reliability under real market conditions.
Execution Quality
Metric
Result
Order fill rate
99.4%
Average fill time
< 1 second
Slippage (normal conditions)
Minimal, within 0.1-0.3 pips
Slippage (news events)
Moderate, spreads widened 3-5x
Requotes
3 occurrences in 60 days
Spread Consistency by Session
Time Period
AUD/USD Spread
Sydney/London overlap
0.8-1.2 pips
Asian session (quiet)
0.8-1.0 pips
Major news releases (RBA, NFP)
2.0-5.0 pips
Weekend open (Sunday 7pm)
3.0-8.0 pips
Withdrawal Test (AUD)
Method
Processing Time
Bank transfer
2-3 business days
Credit/debit card
3-5 business days
PayPal
1 business day
Skrill
1 business day
All four withdrawal methods processed without issues. Verification was completed within 24 hours of account opening using an Australian driver's licence and a recent utility bill. No withdrawal fees were charged on our first monthly withdrawal via each method.
Plus500 vs Australian Competitors
Feature
Plus500
CMC Markets
IG Markets
Interactive Brokers
CFD instruments
2,800+
12,000+
17,000+
1,500+
Real assets
No
Limited
Yes
Yes
Platform
Simple WebTrader
Advanced (Next Gen)
Advanced (ProRealTime)
Advanced (TWS)
Spreads
Competitive
Tight
Tightest
Tightest
Technical indicators
~15
115+
100+
100+
Education
Limited
Excellent
Excellent
Good
ASIC regulated
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
AUD accounts
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Min. deposit
A$100
A$0
A$0
A$0
ASX listed
No (LSE)
Yes (ASX)
No (LSE)
No (NASDAQ)
When to Choose Plus500
Choose Plus500 if you want a CFD-only platform with a clean, simple interface and you trade multiple asset classes casually rather than professionally. The A$100 minimum deposit is lower than most brokers require for a meaningful account, and the unlimited demo account lets you practise without time pressure. Plus500 suits intermediate traders who understand CFD mechanics and want straightforward execution without the learning curve of professional platforms.
When to Choose Alternatives
CMC Markets: You want an ASX-listed Australian platform with 12,000+ instruments, 115+ technical indicators, and comprehensive educational content
IG Markets: You want the broadest market access (17,000+ instruments), advanced charting via ProRealTime, and institutional-grade research
Interactive Brokers: You want the lowest trading costs globally, real share ownership, and access to 150+ markets
SelfWealth: You want flat-fee ASX share trading at A$9.50 per trade with actual ownership
Plus500 Platform Features & Tools
Beyond the core trading interface, Plus500 provides a range of platform tools designed to support position management and market awareness. While these fall short of the depth offered by IG's ProRealTime or CMC Markets' Next Generation, they cover the essential needs of most retail CFD traders.
Price Alerts. Plus500's price alert system allows you to set notifications for specific price levels on any of its 2,800+ instruments. Alerts are delivered as push notifications to the mobile app, enabling you to monitor positions and entry points without watching charts continuously. You can set multiple alerts per instrument and configure them for price above, price below, or percentage change thresholds. This feature is available on both web and mobile versions of the platform.
Economic Calendar. An integrated economic calendar displays upcoming macroeconomic events including RBA cash rate decisions, US Non-Farm Payroll releases, CPI data, GDP announcements, and earnings reports. Events are rated by likely market impact (high, medium, low) and filtered by country and asset class. Australian traders appreciate the specific inclusion of RBA meeting dates and ABS data releases alongside global events. The calendar is accessible directly from the main navigation and updates in real time.
Sentiment Indicator. Plus500 displays a buy/sell sentiment indicator for each instrument, showing the percentage of current Plus500 clients holding long versus short positions. This is a proprietary data point reflecting actual client positioning — not market-wide data — but it provides useful context about crowd positioning that can inform contrarian or trend-following decisions. The indicator is displayed on the instrument detail page and updates throughout the trading session.
Guaranteed Stop-Loss Orders (GSLO). One of Plus500's most distinctive features is the optional Guaranteed Stop-Loss Order, which caps your maximum loss on any position at exactly the level you set — regardless of market gapping, slippage, or extreme volatility. Standard stop-loss orders can be skipped in fast-moving markets, meaning your actual loss exceeds the set level. A GSLO eliminates this risk. The trade-off is a small premium added to the spread when the GSLO is activated. For risk-conscious traders, particularly those holding positions overnight or through news events, the GSLO premium is typically worth the certainty it provides.
Demo Account Tools. Plus500's demo account mirrors the live platform exactly, including all the tools above. Unlike some brokers that offer stripped-down demo versions, Plus500 provides the full economic calendar, sentiment indicator, price alerts, and GSLO functionality within the demo environment. Virtual funds are unlimited and the account never expires.
Plus500 Fees & Spreads Explained
Plus500 operates a commission-free model, meaning all trading costs are embedded in the bid-ask spread rather than charged as separate commissions. Understanding exactly where the costs arise is critical to evaluating the true cost of trading.
Spread on Major Indices.
Index CFDs are among the most actively traded instruments on Plus500. During regular market hours, the spread on the ASX 200 index CFD is typically 1.0–2.0 points. The S&P 500 (US500) spread runs 0.4–0.8 points. The FTSE 100 spread is typically 1.0–1.5 points. These spreads widen during off-hours and around major economic announcements — the ASX 200 spread commonly reaches 3–5 points during the weekend open on Sunday evening AEST.
Overnight Funding (Swap) Rates.
Any leveraged position held past the trading day's close incurs an overnight funding charge. This charge reflects the cost of financing the leveraged position and varies by instrument, direction (long or short), and the prevailing interest rate environment. As an indicative example, holding a long position on the ASX 200 at A$10,000 notional exposure might incur approximately A$1.50–$2.50 per night depending on current benchmark rates. Over 30 days, this accumulates to A$45–$75 in financing costs — a significant consideration for traders holding positions for weeks or months. Plus500 displays the overnight rate for each instrument on the trade ticket before you execute.
Currency Conversion Fee.
A 0.7% currency conversion fee applies when you trade instruments denominated in a currency other than your account's base currency. For AUD accounts trading US-listed share CFDs (denominated in USD), Apple, Tesla, or Nvidia positions will all incur this 0.7% fee on conversion. This is slightly higher than IG's 0.5% conversion fee but in line with the industry average. Traders who focus exclusively on AUD-denominated instruments (ASX stocks, AUD/USD, Gold in AUD) avoid this fee entirely.
Inactivity Fee.
Plus500 charges A$10 per month after 3 consecutive months of no trading activity. This is the shortest inactivity grace period of any major ASIC-regulated broker — IG triggers its inactivity fee after 24 months, and CMC Markets does not charge inactivity fees at all. If you plan to trade seasonally or take extended breaks, consider making a nominal trade periodically to reset the inactivity clock, or be prepared for the monthly charge.
Fee
Amount
When Applied
Trading commission
A$0
Never
ASX 200 spread
1.0–2.0 pts
Per round-trip
Overnight funding
Variable (~0.02–0.04%/day)
Each night held
Currency conversion
0.7%
Non-AUD instruments
Inactivity fee
A$10/month
After 3 months inactive
GSLO premium
Small spread addition
When GSLO activated
Is Plus500 Safe? ASIC Regulation & Fund Protection
For Australian retail investors, regulatory protection is a non-negotiable screening criterion. Plus500 passes this test through multiple reinforcing layers.
ASIC AFSL 417727. Plus500AU Pty Ltd holds an Australian Financial Services Licence issued by ASIC under number 417727. This licence authorises Plus500 to deal in derivatives and provide financial product advice to both retail and wholesale clients in Australia. You can verify this licence directly on ASIC's public register at asic.gov.au. The AFSL requires Plus500 to maintain adequate financial resources, segregate client funds, and comply with ASIC's continuous disclosure and responsible lending obligations.
Segregated Client Funds. Under ASIC's client money rules, all retail client funds must be held in segregated accounts at APRA-regulated Australian banks, completely separate from Plus500's operational and corporate funds. In the event of Plus500's insolvency, client funds are not available to creditors and must be returned to clients. This protection is a regulatory requirement, not a voluntary policy.
Negative Balance Protection. ASIC's Product Intervention Order (effective October 2021) mandates negative balance protection for all retail CFD clients. This means your losses cannot exceed your account balance — Plus500 absorbs any losses beyond your deposited funds in extreme market conditions. Professional clients who opt out of retail protections do not receive negative balance protection, which is why most Australian traders should remain on retail terms.
Public Company Transparency. Plus500 is listed on the London Stock Exchange (ticker: PLUS) and subject to mandatory financial reporting, semi-annual audits, and continuous disclosure obligations to the LSE. This provides a level of financial transparency that most privately-held CFD brokers cannot match. Annual reports, balance sheets, and client fund disclosures are publicly available.
AFCA Membership. Plus500 is a member of the Australian Financial Complaints Authority, providing free external dispute resolution for complaints up to A$1,085,000 in value. If your complaint cannot be resolved directly with Plus500, you can escalate to AFCA without paying any fees.
Pros & Cons
Pros
2,800+ CFD instruments across all major global asset classes
Clean, intuitive WebTrader platform with sub-1-second execution
ASIC regulated (AFSL #417727) with segregated client funds
Publicly traded (LSE: PLUS) providing full financial transparency
Negative balance protection mandated by ASIC for retail accounts
Free unlimited demo account with no expiration
Cons
CFDs only — no real asset ownership, dividends, or voting rights
Limited educational resources compared to IG Markets or CMC
No MetaTrader 4/5 platform support or automated trading
Spreads widen significantly during news events and weekend opens
No copy trading, social trading, or strategy-sharing features
A$10 monthly inactivity fee after 3 months of no trades
Our Verdict
After 60 days of live testing with real capital, Plus500 earns 4.5 out of 5 stars for Australian CFD traders. The platform delivers on its core promise: simple, reliable access to 2,800+ global markets with strong ASIC regulation, competitive spreads on major pairs, and a genuinely user-friendly interface. The public listing on the London Stock Exchange adds a layer of financial transparency that most privately-held brokers cannot match, and ASIC's mandatory protections — negative balance protection, leverage caps, and segregated funds — provide meaningful safety for retail participants.
The limitations are clear and well-defined. Plus500 is not for long-term investors who want to own real assets, not for technical analysts who need advanced charting tools, and not for beginners who need structured educational programmes. The spread-only cost model is competitive for swing traders executing a moderate number of trades, but active day traders will find tighter pricing at IG Markets or CMC Markets where the cumulative spread difference matters.
Final Rating: 4.5/5
Choose Plus500 if:
You want straightforward CFD trading with full ASIC protection
You trade multiple asset classes and prefer platform simplicity
You are comfortable with CFD mechanics and understand leverage risks
You value a publicly listed broker with transparent financial reporting
Consider alternatives if:
You want to own real shares and receive dividends (choose Interactive Brokers or CommSec)
You need advanced charting with 100+ indicators (choose IG Markets or CMC Markets)
You are a complete beginner needing structured education (choose CMC Markets)
You want the absolute lowest spreads for high-frequency day trading (choose Interactive Brokers)
Try Plus500 Risk-Free
Practise with unlimited demo funds or start live trading with just A$100. ASIC regulated with negative balance protection.
Yes. Plus500AU Pty Ltd holds an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL 486202) issued by ASIC. Client funds are held in segregated accounts with top-tier Australian banks. Plus500 is also publicly traded on the London Stock Exchange (LSE: PLUS), which subjects it to additional financial reporting and independent audit requirements beyond ASIC obligations.
Can I buy real shares on Plus500?
No. Plus500 only offers CFDs (Contracts for Difference). You do not own the underlying assets and receive no voting rights or real dividends. For real stock ownership on the ASX or US exchanges, consider eToro, Interactive Brokers, CommSec, or SelfWealth.
What leverage does Plus500 offer to Australian retail clients?
Under ASIC's Product Intervention Order, leverage is capped at 30:1 for major forex pairs, 20:1 for minor forex, gold, and major indices, 10:1 for other commodities and minor indices, 5:1 for share CFDs, and 2:1 for crypto CFDs. Professional clients may apply for higher leverage, but this removes retail protections including negative balance protection.
What is the minimum deposit for Plus500 in Australia?
The minimum deposit for Plus500 is A$100. You can fund your account via bank transfer, credit or debit card, PayPal, or Skrill. A free demo account with unlimited virtual funds is also available — we recommend spending at least 2–4 weeks on demo before depositing real capital.
Does Plus500 charge trading commissions?
No. Plus500 is commission-free and earns revenue through the bid-ask spread. However, there are overnight financing charges for leveraged positions held past the trading day, a 0.7% currency conversion fee for non-AUD instruments, and an A$10 monthly inactivity fee after 3 months of no trading activity.
What protections exist if Plus500 becomes insolvent?
Your funds are held in segregated accounts separate from Plus500's operational funds, as required by ASIC regulations. Disputes can be resolved through AFCA (Australian Financial Complaints Authority). Plus500's public listing on the LSE also provides ongoing financial transparency through mandatory audits and semi-annual reporting.