As someone who’s been trading forex for close to a decade now – across different strategies, brokers, and platforms – I’ve come to appreciate the details that separate a decent broker from a great one. A while back, I decided to open a live account with Vantage (formerly Vantage FX), and in this review, I want to share what that experience has actually been like.
Why I Chose Vantage
To be honest, I wasn’t actively looking to switch brokers. But a mate of mine – who trades full-time – mentioned he was using Vantage for his scalping account. The raw spreads and fast execution caught my attention.
A few things made me curious enough to give it a go:
- Access to RAW ECN accounts with tight spreads.
- Regulated by ASIC and CIMA – this is a must for me to even consider a broker!
- Integration with MT4, MT5, and even TradingView.
- Leverage up to 500:1 (though I personally don’t go near that for live trades)
So I set up an account, funded it and started trading.
Account Setup & Funding
The sign-up process was straightforward. Identity verification didn’t take long – maybe an hour or two – and the client portal is clean and easy to navigate.
Funding options for NZ traders are a bit limited compared to what you might expect from a local broker. I ended up using a debit card the first time, but later switched to a bank wire for larger amounts. Withdrawals took around 1–2 business days to land in my NZ account, so no real complaints there.
Trading Conditions: Where Vantage Really Delivers
This is where Vantage actually impressed me.
I opened a RAW ECN account, which charges a commission but gives you access to raw spreads. And I have to say – the spreads were consistently tight, especially on major pairs.
Here’s what I noticed in real-time:
- EUR/USD often hovered around 0.1–0.3 pips.
- GBP/USD around 0.5 pips.
- Even AUD/NZD, which I trade regularly, came in tighter than I expected for a cross pair.
Slippage was minimal during normal hours. News events were, of course, more volatile – but that’s par for the course. Execution speed was fast, especially compared to some offshore brokers I’ve used in the past. I measured about 20-40ms using a VPS based in Sydney.
Vantage also supports trading via TradingView, which is a huge plus if you prefer cleaner charting tools over the cluttered feel of MT4.
Platforms & Tools: Solid But Not Groundbreaking
I tested both MT4 and MT5, and while they were standard setups, everything worked without issue. No freezing. No weird pricing delays. The platform stability felt solid.
The one standout was copy trading and social tools – Vantage partners with ZuluTrade and Myfxbook Autotrade, which I didn’t personally use, but I can see the appeal for new traders or those with limited time.
There’s also a smart trader tools package, but it only works with MT4 and requires a bit of manual setup.
Overall, the tools are there, but Vantage doesn’t overwhelm you with gimmicks, which I actually appreciate.
Customer Support: Responsive, But Not Always Deep
I contacted support a few times – once for a withdrawal query and once about commission calculations.
Both times I used the live chat, and each time I was connected within 1-2 minutes. The responses were polite and professional, but occasionally felt a bit scripted. For basic questions, they were fine. For more technical issues (like order execution), you’d probably be better off requesting a call-back or email escalation.
No major issues to report here, just don’t expect deep trading advice or strategic help – that’s on you.
Regulation & Trustworthiness
Vantage is regulated by ASIC (Australia) and CIMA (Cayman Islands). For me, ASIC was the key point of confidence. While I’d still prefer a broker with an FMA license in NZ for ease of banking, ASIC regulation is enough to consider them credible and safe for moderate-size accounts.
Segregated client funds and negative balance protection are in place, though only for certain jurisdictions. So as always – read the fine print.
Final Verdict: Is Vantage Worth It for Kiwi Traders?
Here’s my bottom line after six months:
- If you’re looking for raw spreads and fast execution, Vantage is a solid choice.
- If you’re based in New Zealand and want reliable access to AUD/NZD, NZD/USD, or even metals and indices, their pricing is very competitive.
- If you want to be treated the same way as a large client would be, then Vantage is for you.
For me, Vantage has become my go-to, and primary, broker. I cannot recommend them enough!