UK CFD traders are leading the way globally in financial discipline, profitability, and risk management, according to new research from global trading platform Capital.com.
The analysis, which examined client activity between May 2023 and May 2025, shows UK retail CFD traders have the highest share of profitable accounts worldwide, larger deposits than peers, and far lower rates of margin calls compared with Europe and the Middle East North Africa (MENA).
Nearly 29 % of UK accounts closed with a positive profit and loss, compared with 27 % in Europe and just 15 % in MENA. UK traders were also almost three times less likely to face a margin call, with only 1.7 % of trades forcibly closed, versus 5.4 % in MENA. Average UK deposits topped $18,900, with a median of $1,526, far above Europe ($559) and MENA ($550).
Risk management tools are another defining factor. One in four UK trades is protected with a stop loss, rising to two-thirds among older investors. Education also plays a role: traders who engaged with Capital.com’s news and insights achieved 60 % profitable positions, compared with 45 % for non-readers.
Regional differences persist, with London home to 34 % of UK clients, though activity is spreading across the South East, North West, and West Midlands. Older clients, particularly boomers, remain the most disciplined cohort, with 63 % of their trades ending profitably and 83 % trading across multiple markets.
Rupert Osborne, CEO of Capital.com UK, said: “Our data shows UK traders are striking an excellent balance between risk and discipline. Education and diversification, combined with consistent use of risk controls, underpin the UK’s reputation as one of the world’s most sophisticated trading communities.”
Yet while UK traders compare favourably, broader industry data underscores how challenging trading remains for many. According to our CFD loss percentage statistic research, between 68 % and 89 % of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs and spread bets.
This stark statistic serves as a cautionary counterpoint: even in markets where a particularly disciplined cohort excels, most retail participants still face significant downside risk.
I’d say, the UK probably has the best retail CFD traders because CFDs have been around here for much longer in the UK, and we have a much more active equity market where news flow makes traders more informed about local stocks.
The UK, however, doesn’t have the biggest traders. The data also highlights the presence of “whale” traders in the UK, with 0.16 % of clients depositing $1 million or more, a much higher share than Europe’s 0.03 %. But, MENA still leads the league table with 0.31 % of clients making a single $1 million deposit, reflecting the region’s growing status as the epicentre of high-stakes CFD trading, particularly in Dubai.
Richard is the founder of the Good Money Guide (formerly Good Broker Guide), one of the original investment comparison sites established in 2015. With a career spanning two decades as a broker, he brings extensive expertise and knowledge to the financial landscape.
Having worked as a broker at Investors Intelligence and a multi-asset derivatives broker at MF Global (Man Financial), Richard has acquired substantial experience in the industry. His career began as a private client stockbroker at Walker Crips and Phillip Securities (now King and Shaxson), following internships on the NYMEX oil trading floor in New York and London IPE in 2001 and 2000.
Richard’s contributions and expertise have been recognized by respected publications such as The Sunday Times, BusinessInsider, Yahoo Finance, BusinessNews.org.uk, Master Investor, Wealth Briefing, iNews, and The FT, among many others.
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