Compare exchanges, brokers and prop firms for 2027

Your guide to trading platforms in 2027

Every trade you place passes through a company. A crypto exchange holds your coins, a forex broker executes your orders, and a prop firm decides whether your results earn a payout. Choosing that company well is one of the few decisions in trading that is fully under your control. This directory brings together 135 of the most widely used names across three categories and gives each one the same treatment: a fact sheet, live market context and an independent written review.

Three directories, one method

Crypto exchanges. We cover 40 exchanges that together handle most of the world's digital asset trading. The list includes the global giants, the main regulated venues in the United States, Europe and Japan, and the leading local exchanges in markets such as South Korea, Turkey, India and Latin America. Each profile shows live 24-hour volume and a trust score alongside the review.

Forex brokers. The 60 brokers range from listed, bank-regulated institutions to low-cost ECN specialists and high-leverage international firms. For each one we set out the regulators behind the brand, the minimum deposit, maximum leverage, platforms and ownership.

Prop trading firms. The 35 funded-trader firms include the long-established leaders, newer broker-backed entrants, futures specialists and a crypto-only firm. Profiles compare evaluation models, profit split, scaling limits and platforms.

How to use this directory

1. Start with the category page. Each one has a sortable, searchable list and a comparison chart, so you can narrow 40 or 60 names to a handful in a minute.
2. Open the reviews. Every review follows a clear structure: what the company is, how it is regulated, what it costs, where it is strong and where it is weak, and who it suits.
3. Check the fact sheet. Key figures sit in one panel near the top of each page, with the date they were last reviewed.
4. Read the guide at the foot of each category page. These longer articles explain how to compare providers and what warning signs to look for.

What we look at

Different products call for different tests, but four questions run through every review.

• Is your money safe? We look at regulation, the legal entity that actually holds client accounts, security history and, for exchanges, proof of reserves.
• What does it really cost? Headline fees rarely tell the full story. We consider spreads, commissions, funding charges, withdrawal fees and inactivity costs together.
• Does it work in practice? Liquidity, execution, platform quality and payout reliability matter more than marketing claims.
• Who is it for? A platform that is ideal for a professional scalper can be a poor choice for a beginner, and the reverse is also true.

Why the legal entity matters

One theme appears again and again in these reviews. Large trading brands usually operate several companies under one name. A broker may be authorised in London and Sydney while serving most international clients from a Seychelles or Mauritius entity. An exchange may hold a European licence and still register global users offshore. The protection you receive depends on the specific company named in your account agreement, not on the logo. We point this out in each review so that you can check before you deposit.

Live market data

Markets move while you read. Every page carries a live ticker for major currency pairs, gold and leading cryptocurrencies, and a market panel with current prices. Review pages add an interactive chart with RSI and MACD and a technical summary. Exchange pages show live trading volume. These tools provide context, and they are not trading signals.

Honest about risk

Trading leveraged products is risky. Regulators that publish figures report that most retail accounts trading CFDs lose money. Crypto prices can fall sharply in hours, and exchanges have failed. Most prop firm evaluations are not passed. None of the companies listed here can change those facts, and a good review does not pretend otherwise. Our aim is to help you avoid the avoidable problems: unregulated counterparties, hidden costs and rules you did not know about.

How we keep it current

Fees, licences and rules change often. Each fact sheet shows when it was last checked, and reviews are revised when a company changes ownership, gains or loses a licence, suffers a security incident or rewrites its terms. Even so, treat any figure here as a starting point and confirm it on the provider's official website before you commit money.

Where to begin

If you are new, read the guide on the category page that interests you first, then compare three or four providers side by side. If you are experienced, use the tables to filter by the feature that matters most to you, whether that is a specific regulator, a platform or a payout model. Start small, test deposits and withdrawals, and only scale up once a provider has earned your trust.