Most published 'cost to start a brokerage' numbers are either a platform reseller's price list or a law firm's licence quote. Neither is a budget. A budget is twelve months of cash — setup plus running costs plus the reserve that keeps you alive while clients arrive. These are the lines we plan with founders in 2026, in ranges, because every provider negotiates.
·Setup lines
- Incorporation, corporate file, bank/EMI opening: USD 6,500–15,000 depending on jurisdiction
- Trading platform: Match-Trader or cTrader white label from the low thousands per month; MT5 white label higher, MT5 full server licence materially higher
- Liquidity: provider deposit typically USD 10,000–50,000 (negotiable), plus bridge/aggregator setup
- CRM and back office: setup plus monthly; integrate payments and KYC from day one
- Payments: crypto gateway low/free setup; card acquiring later with rolling reserves
- Website, terms, risk warnings, KYC/AML policy, compliance calendar
- Advisory and project management (our brokerage launch starts from USD 35,000; incorporation-only work from USD 6,500)
·Running lines people forget
- Platform and CRM monthly fees from month one, whether or not you have clients
- Data feeds, hosting, VPS and bridge fees
- Compliance officer or outsourced compliance, annual filings, registered office
- Support staff or outsourced desk once clients arrive
- Marketing: the cheapest client acquisition is a community or IB you already have — budget it honestly
·Where founders overspend before the first client
- A licence application before the company is bank-ready (capital locked, no revenue)
- An MT5 full server licence when a white label would carry the first year
- A premium CRM contract with modules nobody will use for twelve months
- Paid advertising before the payment stack can actually accept a deposit
·The reserve rule
Keep six months of running costs untouched at go-live. Launches rarely fail on features; they fail when the reserve is gone and the client base is still growing. If the budget cannot hold the reserve, change the sequence — white label instead of server licence, incorporation-first instead of licence-first — not the reserve.
·Get your budget in writing
In the $250 Founder Strategy Call we build this budget for your markets and your model, with each third-party cost itemised and the fee credited toward your engagement if you proceed.