MT4 vs MT5 for Brokers: Which Should Your Brokerage Offer?

MetaTrader is still the default trading platform for most retail brokers, and the MT4 vs MT5 question comes up early when launching a desk. Here is a practical, broker-side view.

MT4: the established standard

MT4 remains hugely popular with traders and has a deep ecosystem of expert advisors and indicators. For a pure forex desk targeting traders who already know MT4, it lowers friction.

MT5: the multi-asset successor

MT5 supports more asset classes (stocks, futures, and more), offers more timeframes and order types, and has stronger built-in reporting. For brokers planning to offer more than spot FX, MT5 is the forward-looking choice.

What matters for the brokerage (not just the trader)

• Instruments: FX-only can run on MT4; multi-asset favours MT5.
• Reporting & compliance: MT5's reporting is richer, which helps back office and audits.
• Cost & licensing: factor platform licensing into your budget.
• Many brokers offer both and let clients choose.

The CRM angle

Whichever you choose, your forex CRM must integrate natively and in real time — creating accounts, syncing balances, and reflecting trading activity in the trader's room. Baxance connects to both MT4 and MT5, so you can offer either (or both) without manual reconciliation.

Planning your platform mix? Book a demo and we'll show the integration live. New to the category? Start with What is a forex CRM.