Two days, one booth, and hundreds of conversations with visitors from around the globe. That was Forex Expo Dubai 2026 for the Arabian Markets team, and it ended with something we didn't expect in our first year: the Best Newcomer Broker Award.
But the award isn't what we took home. What stayed with us were the questions. Traders in Dubai are experienced, sceptical and direct. They've seen brokers come and go, and they ask the questions that matter. So instead of writing a recap of the stand and the lights, we've written down the seven questions we were asked most, and the answers we gave, unedited.
1. "Who regulates you, and can I check it myself?"
This was the first question in almost every conversation, and it should be. A regulated forex broker is the minimum, not a feature.
Arabian Markets Ltd is licensed by the Financial Services Commission of Mauritius as an Investment Dealer (Full Service Dealer, excluding Underwriting), licence number GB26206439. You can verify this directly on the FSC Mauritius public register. You don't need to take our word for it.
We were also asked whether we're "UAE regulated". Our answer was honest: our broker licence is issued in Mauritius. We'll always be clear about which company you are dealing with at each step, and any broker that blurs that line is one to walk away from.
2. "ECN, STP, market maker: what are you, and why should I care?"
Arabian Markets runs a hybrid execution model, and we told every trader who asked exactly that, rather than picking whichever label sounded best.
In plain terms: your orders are either passed through to our liquidity providers or matched internally, depending on the instrument, the order size and market conditions at that moment. The aim is the same in both cases, which is to fill you at the best available price with minimal slippage. Pure pass-through routing sounds cleaner, but in thin or fast markets it can mean worse fills; internal matching sounds risky, but done properly it gives you tighter, more stable pricing. A hybrid model uses each where it works best.
Why we're upfront about it: the execution model isn't what makes a broker trustworthy. What matters is whether the pricing is transparent, whether the fills are consistent, and whether the broker is regulated by someone who can hold it to account. We meet all three, and we'd rather you judge us on the fills you actually get than on a word in a brochure.
One honest note we gave at the booth: spreads on any model can widen around major news, because that reflects real liquidity. Any broker promising fixed, ultra-tight spreads at all times is hiding the cost somewhere else.
3. "Why MT5 only? Everyone has MT4."
We heard this a lot, mostly from traders who've used MT4 for years and have an EA or two they love.
We chose to be an MT5 forex broker from day one for three reasons: MT5 handles more asset classes natively, so forex, metals, indices and energies sit in one account; it has a proper depth-of-market view for transparent pricing; and MetaQuotes has effectively stopped developing MT4. Building a new broker on a platform that's being retired didn't make sense.
If you're moving from MT4, the learning curve is small. The charts, order types and indicators are familiar, and most popular EAs now have MT5 versions. Our support team will help you make the switch.
4. "How much leverage should I use?"
Less than you think. High leverage lets you open a large position with a small margin, but it also means a small move against you can wipe out a large share of your account. The traders at our booth who'd been in the market longest were the ones asking about lower leverage, not higher. That tells you something.
Forex leverage explained in one line: it multiplies your outcomes in both directions. Use it as a tool for capital efficiency, not as a way to bet bigger than your plan allows. The leverage available on your account depends on the instrument and account type, and our team will walk you through the options when you open one.
5. "How fast are withdrawals, really?"
The word "really" came up every time, because everyone has a story about a broker that was quick to take deposits and slow to return them.
Our commitment is simple: withdrawal requests are processed promptly once they pass our verification checks, and we'll keep you informed at every step. Bank processing times vary by bank and country and are outside our control, and we'll tell you that upfront rather than pretend otherwise.
One rule we follow without exception: funds go back the way they came in, to an account in the same name. That's an anti-money-laundering requirement, and it protects you as much as it protects us.
6. "Is forex trading in the UAE legal, and how do I start?"
Yes, forex trading in the UAE is legal for individuals. What matters is who you trade with. Choose a regulated forex broker, understand which entity is providing the service, and make sure you can verify the licence yourself.
Starting is straightforward: open an account, complete identity verification with a valid ID and proof of address, fund the account, and begin on a demo if you're new. We recommend everyone spends time on a demo account first, not because it's a marketing step, but because you should never discover how a platform behaves during a live trade.
7. "What's the catch? What makes you different?"
The most honest answer we gave all weekend: there's no catch, and we're not going to claim we've reinvented forex trading.
What we offer is a clean version of what a broker should be: consistent execution, a single modern platform, a verifiable licence, transparent fees, and a support team based in the region that answers in your time zone and your language. Being a newcomer means we don't carry old systems or old habits, and it means we have to earn every client. We're fine with that.
And then, the award
On the final evening, Arabian Markets was named Best Newcomer Broker at Forex Expo Dubai 2026. We didn't come to the expo expecting it, and we're grateful to the organisers for the recognition.
What it means to us is simple. Awards don't make a broker trustworthy; regulation, execution and how you treat clients do. But being recognised in our first year, by an industry that has seen plenty of newcomers arrive and disappear, tells us we're building the right way. We'd rather earn the next one than talk about this one for too long.
What we're taking forward
The expo confirmed something we believed before we launched: traders don't want hype, they want clarity. So over the coming months you'll see more content like this from us, covering how to choose a forex broker, how execution models really work, and how to trade responsibly on MT5.
If we didn't get to your question at the booth, send it to support@arabianmarkets.com and we'll answer it here.
