Binary options in Austria: banned for retail traders
Retail binary options are not legally available in Austria. We don't rank or recommend any binary options broker here. Using a VPN to get around a broker's country block breaks its terms and can get your account frozen.
- Why:
- Retail binary options are prohibited under national product intervention measures adopted by the national regulator (FMA) after the EU-wide ESMA ban of 2018.
- Regulator:
- Finanzmarktaufsicht (FMA)
How CFD trading with XM works
CFDs let you speculate on price moves in currencies, indices, commodities and shares. Unlike binary options there is no fixed payout: profit and loss depend on how far the price moves, and leverage magnifies both.
- 1
Open an account and verify your identity with an ID document and proof of address.
- 2
Deposit from $5 by card, e-wallet or bank transfer, depending on your country.
- 3
Practise first on the free demo account with virtual money.
- 4
Choose an instrument – a currency pair, index, commodity or share – and click Buy if you expect the price to rise or Sell if you expect it to fall.
- 5
Set a stop-loss to cap your loss and close the position whenever you want: the result depends on how far the price moved.
- • Binary option: fixed payout or total loss of the stake at expiry.
- • CFD: open-ended result; you choose when to close, and leverage can multiply losses.
Austria: frequently asked questions
Are binary options legal in Austria?
No. Retail binary options are prohibited in Austria (FMA). Brokers that accept residents anyway are operating without authorisation.
What can I use instead of binary options in Austria?
XM accepts residents of Austria for CFD trading. CFDs are also high-risk; read the risk warning first.
Can I use a VPN to trade binary options from Austria?
No. Brokers verify your ID and address before paying out. Trading through a VPN breaks their terms and can lead to a frozen account and lost funds.