XTB vs Orca: Fees, Security, Features & Which to Choose (2025)

Trying to choose between XTB and Orca This side-by-side comparison reveals total cost (fees + spreads), security & licenses, coins/derivatives, deposits/withdrawals, and app quality. In 2 minutes you’ll see who wins for beginners, active traders, and long-term holders. Clear pros/cons, a quick verdict, and safe links to get started.

Last updated on August 18, 2025

XTB

Orca

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Available Countries

United States

Europe

Yes

Latin America

Yes

India

China

Yes

Canada

United Kingdom

Yes

United States

Yes

Europe

Yes

Latin America

Yes

India

China

Yes

Canada

Yes

United Kingdom

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XTB is ideal if:

Beginners and hands-on learners will find XTB well-suited, thanks to its intuitive xStation platform and extensive educational tools designed to build confidence and trading skills.
Traders seeking a secure, transparent broker will appreciate that XTB is exchange-listed with strong regulation across multiple jurisdictions, ensuring accountability and trust.
Active traders looking for diverse assets can benefit from access to thousands of CFDs plus real stocks and ETFs, all within a modern, customizable environment built for efficiency.

Orca is ideal if:

Builds on Solana’s fast, low-fee network, making it a great fit if you want quick, cost-effective token swaps.
User-friendly interface and tools like “Magic Bar” and Fair Price Indicator simplify DeFi for both beginners and seasoned users.
Concentrated liquidity (Whirlpools) offers efficient yield-earning potential—ideal if you seek to provide liquidity with precision.

XTB isn’t ideal if:

You prefer passive investing or long-term mutual funds, as XTB focuses on active CFD and Forex trading—not traditional mutual funds or bonds.
You want to automate or mirror trades, since XTB lacks features like copy trading or social trading capabilities.
Advanced pro traders needing extreme platform customization (e.g. strategy backtesting or Level II data) might find xStation’s tooling a bit limited.

Orca isn’t ideal if:

Limited solely to Solana’s ecosystem—which may not suit users looking to trade assets across other blockchains.
Lacks advanced trading tools and detailed charting, making it less appealing for those who rely on technical analysis.
Concentrated liquidity (Whirlpools) introduces increased risk of impermanent loss for liquidity providers.

Fees & Total Costs

Spot Maker/Take

XTB doesn’t use a traditional maker/taker pricing model or native token discounts—instead, typical spot instruments are offered as CFDs, with costs embedded in floating spreads and without separate maker/taker fees or token-based rebates.

Orca doesn’t use traditional maker/taker models—spot trading occurs through liquidity pools structured via Automated Market Maker (AMM) mechanics, where pool creators set fixed or adaptive fee tiers (ranging roughly from 0.01% to 2%) that apply to all trades, and those fees are shared between liquidity providers, the protocol treasury, and a climate fund.

Futures/Derivatives

Futures or derivatives—like CFDs on commodities, indices, or crypto—don’t follow a maker/taker structure

Orca is strictly a decentralized AMM-based spot platform on Solana and does not offer any futures or derivatives trading, meaning there are no maker/taker or funding fees to consider.

Average Spreads on Liquid Pairs

On crypto CFDs like Bitcoin and Ethereum, spreads are competitive—starting around 0.22% of the market price on liquid pairs such as BTC/USDT and ETH/USDT—and vary dynamically with market liquidity.

Because Orca routes trades through concentrated liquidity pools (Whirlpools) via its smart router, traders usually benefit from highly efficient execution and minimized slippage; though exact spreads fluctuate dynamically, these liquid pairs consistently enjoy tight pricing thanks to deep, targeted liquidity.

Fiat Deposits & Withdrawals

Deposits via bank transfer, cards, and e-wallets (e.g. PayU, PayPal, Skrill) are generally free from XTB’s side; withdrawals above a certain amount are also free and processed quickly, while smaller withdrawals may incur a nominal fee.

Orca operates entirely on-chain without direct fiat support—it doesn’t accept or process fiat deposits or withdrawals, meaning no time delays or fees, but you’ll need to convert external fiat to crypto before interacting with the platform.

On-chain Withdrawals

XTB doesn’t support direct on-chain cryptocurrency withdrawals—since trading is conducted via CFDs, there are no network-based crypto withdrawal fees (neither fixed nor variable).

Orca doesn’t handle withdrawals across multiple blockchains—it functions solely on Solana, so on-chain fees consist only of Solana network transaction costs (typically a tiny, fixed amount of SOL), rather than dynamic variable fees across different networks.

Hidden Costs

A modest currency conversion spread (around 0.5%) applies when trading in non-base currencies, and an inactivity fee may apply after prolonged dormancy, but there are no extra express KYC charges; overall, XTB emphasizes transparency in these miscellaneous costs.

Orca avoids most hidden fees—there are no inactivity penalties or express KYC charges, and currency conversion only incurs standard swap route costs; the main ongoing cost is network transaction fees and whichever pool fees apply when trading.

Real-World Cost Example: “€500 BTC

For a €500 crypto-CFD purchase, you’d pay the spread embedded in the execution price (around 0.22%), and if you subsequently withdraw below the threshold, you might pay a small withdrawal fee—but there’s no separate trading commission or network fee, making it straightforward and relatively transparent.

Since Orca doesn’t support fiat on-ramps or BTC trading directly, a real-world purchase of €500 worth of BTC would involve using a separate service to convert euros to a Solana-compatible asset (e.g., USDC), then swapping via Orca to your target token—so total cost includes external fiat conversion spread, Orca’s pool fee tier (deducted from the input token), and the minimal Solana transaction fee.

Crypto Offering & Trading Features

Number of Coins & Pairs

XTB offers just over 40 crypto CFDs—including 9 major coins like BTC, ETH, XRP, LTC, BCH, and additional crosses—though only a handful (such as BTC/USD, ETH/USD) comprise the top-liquid 20 by trading volume.

Orca supports approximately 490 tradable coins and over 1,300 trading pairs, with the most active including SOL/USDC, SOL/STSOL, and SOL/MSOL based on volume.

Product Range

XTB specializes in CFD-based crypto trading with spot-like long/short positions and modest leverage; it does not offer real crypto spot, perpetuals, options, ETFs, staking, lending, copy trading, bot strategies, or automated DCA features.

Orca focuses on spot swapping and liquidity provision—there’s no margin, derivatives, options, ETFs, loans, copy-trading, grid bots, or automatic DCA. It does reward LPs and enables staking of liquidity positions.

Liquidity

While specific figures aren’t published, XTB provides competitive liquidity on its BTC and ETH CFDs—figures implied by tight, dynamic spreads and real-time execution suggest good 24-hour volume and depth, comparable with leading CFD brokers.

Orca handles hundreds of millions in daily volume—CoinGecko reports about $440–$540 million 24h across the platform, with deep liquidity especially in major pairs like SOL/USDC.

Tools

XTB’s xStation platform includes limit, stop-loss, OCO, and take-profit automation; custom alerts; rich charting with technical indicators; but no public API or native TradingView integration, in line with its updated platform focus.

Orca offers core AMM functionality—no limit, stop, OCO orders or alerts—though it includes handy UI features like the “Magic Bar” and Fair Price Indicator, and there’s SDK, developer APIs (TypeScript), and native Solana wallet integration.

Geographic Restrictions by Product

Depending on jurisdiction, some instrument types (like crypto CFDs or leveraged products) may be restricted—for instance, XTB may disable crypto trading in regions where regulations don’t permit such derivatives.

Orca does not officially restrict any regions—however, users are advised not to access the platform if local laws deem it prohibited.

Innovation

XTB does not feature crypto-native innovations like launchpads or launchpools, nor does it offer staking or earn products of any kind—its crypto offerings remain purely CFD-based with no yield-generating or token launch services.

Orca enables permissionless pool launches (via token-creation tools), supports concentrated liquidity with Whirlpools, and offers Double-Dip pools (earning dual rewards)—but it doesn’t include launchpads, launchpools, or separate flexible vs locked earn options.

Security, Regulation & Custody

Operating Entity & Jurisdiction

XTB is operated by XTB S.A., a publicly listed Polish joint-stock company founded in 2002 and headquartered in Warsaw, serving global clients across multiple licensed subsidiaries.

Orca is a decentralized, non-custodial protocol built on Solana with no central operating company handling custody; governance and UI are supported by an autonomous protocol structure, not a traditional corporate entity.

Licenses/Registration

It holds regulatory licenses from key authorities including Poland’s KNF, the UK’s FCA, and Cyprus’s CySEC, ensuring compliance across Europe, though it is not registered as a crypto-specific VASP (virtual asset service provider).

Orca does not hold industry-standard exchange licenses like VASP or MiCA, given its decentralized architecture—there is no regulatory registration as it doesn’t engage in fiat transactions or centralized trading.

Custody

As a CFD broker, XTB does not hold or custody real cryptocurrencies—instead, all client trading is synthetic, so there’s no need for cold storage, external custodian, or proof-of-reserves protocols.

The platform is fully non-custodial—users always retain control of their assets in their own wallets. Orca does not hold user funds, nor does it provide formal proof-of-reserves or cold storage backing, since liquidity is deposited by users in smart contracts.

Insurance & Protection Funds

Client funds are safeguarded through strict segregation and, in certain regions like the UK, fall under compensation schemes, but there’s no direct insurance policy specifically for crypto assets.

Orca does not currently offer formal insurance or compensation funds for user losses; instead, it relies on strong security design and audit practices to safeguard the protocol and users’ liquidity.

Incident History

XTB has experienced regulatory scrutiny (e.g., fines for pricing practices) but no major hack or crypto breach; a recent allegation of unauthorized client trading prompted immediate tightening of security controls.

Orca has maintained a clean security record over its history—no hacks, fund losses, or regulatory sanctions have been recorded since its launch, and the team celebrates its continuous uptime and safety focus.

Risk Controls

The platform supports robust risk measures including encrypted connections, mandatory two-factor authentication (2FA), multi-contact verification, and cybersecurity monitoring—though API whitelists or sub-accounts aren’t broadly offered.

Access is secured via users’ wallets; there are no built-in features like two-factor authentication, whitelists, or sub-account structures. Orca promotes a zero-trust design and encourages secure wallet use without centralized API permission controls.

Transparency

As a publicly traded entity, XTB publishes regular financial updates and reports; while there’s no public crypto wallet tracking or service-level-agreement metrics, overall operational transparency is solid.

The protocol publishes regular security audits and adheres to standards like ISO 27001 and ISO 9001 for information security and quality management, offering clear documentation—but it does not offer monthly financial reports, formal SLAs, or public on-chain dashboards beyond smart contract visibility.

Deposits, Withdrawals, KYC & Support

Fiat Deposit Methods

XTB supports deposits via bank transfer, credit/debit cards, PayPal, Skrill, and Neteller (depending on your region); there’s no fixed minimum deposit set by the broker, card and e-wallet deposits are usually instant, while bank transfers can take from same day up to 2–5 business days depending on origin.

Orca is fully on-chain and does not accept direct fiat deposits via bank transfer, cards, or e-wallets—users must first convert fiat to crypto outside the platform, typically via a centralized exchange or on-ramp service.

Supported Fiat Currencies & Conversion

KYC (Verification Levels)

XTB requires full KYC completion—identity and bank verification—for live accounts; there’s no tiered “basic” or “advanced” structure openly published—all clients must verify identity to deposit or withdraw, with no anonymous access.

Orca is a decentralized, non-custodial platform with no institutional KYC structure—there are no defined user levels (basic or advanced), identity checks, or trading limits based on KYC.

Withdrawals

Withdrawals go only to your verified bank account, and are free above thresholds like €50–100 depending on the entity; requests before local cut-off (~1 pm) are usually processed same-day (or next-day depending on entity), with processing time typically within 1 business day.

Limits, Durations & Networks

Customer Support

XTB offers 24/5 live chat, email support, and an extensive self-service help center via its Client Office; response times are typically efficient, backed by a well-organized knowledge base for common queries.

Users can open support tickets directly in the Orca UI, and also reach out via Discord or Telegram; requests are verified via wallet signature, and responses appear in the UI live ticket chat.

Languages & Localization

The platform is fully localized in Spanish, with fees and balances shown in Europe-centric currencies (€, £, $) depending on your region, and adheres to local regulatory frameworks across its European branches.

Orca’s documentation and FAQs are available in multiple languages (including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese) though the platform UI doesn’t show fiat prices or localized fees in currencies like EUR; regulatory localization is up to the user.

App Quality & Stability

The xStation mobile app is stable and regularly updated across Android and iOS, offering dark mode, push alerts, Apple Watch support, and smooth performance with rare crashes—designed for reliable trading on the go.

Orca is known for its smooth, highly responsive performance on Solana—it delivers a seamless experience, with low incidence of crashes and consistent updates, drawing praise for reliability in its V2 build.

Experience, Performance & Ecosystem

UX/UI

The xStation platform is praised for its intuitive design and fully customizable layout, enabling users to quickly personalize their workspace with different chart layouts and toolbars—though there’s no explicit “Lite” or “Pro” mode toggle; instead, functionality scales naturally as you explore deeper features.

Orca’s interface is clean and intuitive for beginners, featuring playful visuals and straightforward navigation; it doesn’t currently provide separate “Lite” or “Pro” modes, so both newcomers and experienced users share the same streamlined experience.

Performance

Execution is generally fast and stable, with xStation optimized for smooth performance even during active market conditions—though, as with any platform, extreme volumes may slow onboarding slightly, but no widespread order delays or KYC bottlenecks have been reported recently.

Built on Solana, Orca delivers rapid execution with minimal latency, and gracefully handles market surges—its decentralized design avoids KYC queues and centralized congestion even during intense volatility.

Education

XTB excels in educational offerings with a robust Trading Academy featuring video courses and tiered modules (beginner/intermediate/advanced), a fully functional unlimited demo environment to practice with virtual funds, and frequent webinars; while much is available in English, key materials are also localized in Spanish.

Orca offers multilingual FAQs and guided documentation—including Spanish resources—but does not yet include a dedicated academy, demo environment, or simulator for hands-on learning or live practice.

Community

XTB does not appear to host official Discord or Telegram communities, and while it maintains a trading referral program, its community engagement centers more on its webinars, market articles, and internal support channels rather than external forums or social chat groups.

Orca maintains active, developer-friendly channels on Discord and Telegram, fostering a collaborative community; while referral programs aren’t a featured part of its offering, users benefit from strong ecosystem engagement.

Integrations

The platform does not natively integrate with TradingView or external bots, nor does it offer built-in tax or accounting tools—traders must rely on external services if they need direct charting or bookkeeping support.

Orca provides robust integration via its high-level SDKs, enabling automated trading and infrastructure use, though it doesn’t yet offer built-in links to TradingView charts, external trading bots, or tax/accounting platforms.

Who Each One Is Best For

XTB works best for traders who value a sleek, beginner-friendly interface with strong educational backing, want a self-guided experience without external bots or social trading distractions, and prefer a platform where everything—from analytics to execution—is centralized and streamlined.

Orca is ideal for on-chain DeFi users rooted in Solana, developers seeking modular liquidity functionality, and traders who value fast, transparent swapping—while those needing advanced charting, fiat tools, or demo environments may find it less suitable.