Research involving 1,707 UAE-based respondents highlights hidden fees, withdrawal delays and regulatory transparency as key concerns among retail traders.
Newszy: Dubai, UAE – Transparency around trading costs, withdrawal procedures and regulatory status plays an important role in broker selection among retail traders in the United Arab Emirates, according to research conducted by UAE-based financial brokerage company Definite.
The findings are based on three quantitative online surveys conducted between May and December 2025, involving a total of 1,707 responses from UAE-based retail investors and traders.
The research examined investment behaviour, broker selection criteria, customer frustrations and the factors influencing trust in online trading platforms. Results indicate that fees, access to funds, platform security and regulatory compliance are recurring considerations among respondents.
Hidden fees and withdrawal delays among leading concerns
In the most recent survey, 42% of respondents identified hidden fees as a reason for discontinuing their relationship with a broker. A lack of trust was cited by 31%, while 29% pointed to high spreads or fees.
Other factors influencing decisions to leave a broker included inadequate customer support, slow withdrawals and inconvenient payment methods.
Similar concerns emerged in an earlier survey. When asked about their main frustrations with existing brokers, 41% of respondents identified slow withdrawals, followed by a lack of transparency (38%) and unclear fees (34%).
When considering switching brokers, 32% of respondents cited high spreads, commissions or hidden fees, while 31% identified insufficient transparency or unclear regulatory status.
The findings suggest that trading-related costs and the accessibility of funds are important factors affecting customer satisfaction and broker retention among the surveyed groups.
Security and regulatory compliance influence broker selection
Beyond pricing and withdrawal procedures, the research identified several factors influencing how UAE retail traders evaluate financial brokerage platforms.
When asked about their most important broker selection criteria, 33% of respondents selected a safe and secure trading platform, followed by easy withdrawals (27%), licensing and regulatory oversight (26%) and fast withdrawals (25%).
A separate survey conducted in May 2025 examined the factors contributing to trust in financial brokers. Strong security measures were selected by 48% of respondents, while positive customer reviews and clear communication about investment risks were each cited by 47%.
Fast and responsive customer support followed at 46%, transparent pricing without hidden fees at 45%, and regulatory compliance and licensing at 37%.
Taken together, the results indicate that respondents consider several operational and regulatory factors alongside access to financial instruments when evaluating trading platforms.
“Trading will always involve uncertainty. That is the nature of markets,” said Husein Al Koofee, Head of Category 1 at Definite. “But our research shows that traders do not want additional uncertainty from the broker itself. They want to understand who stands behind the platform, how it is regulated, how money moves and whether the product is built for the market they actually trade from.”
Research highlights the importance of clear brokerage processes
The findings also provide insight into the expectations of retail traders regarding communication, account management and financial transactions.
Respondents placed importance on understanding trading costs, verifying regulatory information and accessing their funds through clearly defined withdrawal processes.
According to Definite, the findings are relevant to how brokerage providers develop their services and communicate with customers in the UAE.
“The next phase of broker competition in the UAE will not be won by louder promises,” added Al Koofee. “It will be shaped by clear proof, clear processes and infrastructure that reflects how UAE traders actually fund, verify, trade and withdraw.”
The research was conducted ahead of Definite’s planned entry into the UAE trading platform market.
About the research
The findings are drawn from three quantitative online surveys designed and analysed by Definite’s in-house research team. The surveys were conducted between May and December 2025 and collected 1,707 responses in total from UAE-based retail investors and traders.
The research covered investment behaviour, awareness and perceptions of trading platforms, broker selection criteria, reasons for leaving a broker, customer frustrations and factors contributing to trust.
In the most recent study, respondents reported using more than three investment methods on average during the preceding 12 months. Nearly all respondents had traded forex or contracts for difference (CFDs) at some point, while more than one-third included forex or CFDs among their investments during the previous 12 months.
The results are descriptive and reflect the proportion of respondents selecting each answer among those who passed the relevant survey’s data-quality checks. Sample sizes vary by study and question.
The surveys were not conducted using probability samples representative of the entire UAE retail trading population. The findings should therefore be interpreted as indicative of the surveyed respondents rather than as representative estimates of the broader market.
About Definite
Definitecom Financial Brokerage Services LLC (Definite) is a UAE-based financial brokerage company preparing to launch a trading platform. The company is developing services focused on the UAE market, including account management processes, trading-related decision-support tools and customer assistance in Arabic and English.
Definitecom Financial Brokerage Services LLC is regulated by the Capital Market Authority (CMA), holding Category 1 Licence No. 20200000462 and Category 5 Licence No. 20200000460.
Risk warning
Trading CFDs and leveraged products carries a high level of risk and may not be suitable for all investors. Investors may lose their invested capital. Definite does not provide investment advice, portfolio management or discretionary management services.