TL;DR:
MetaQuotes (the creators of MT4/MT5) dramatically changed their licensing rules in 2024–2025—jacking prices and tightening up “white label” access. Brokers that couldn’t adapt got cut off and switched platforms or went fully regulated. Let’s break it down.
🔺 1. MetaQuotes raised licensing fees sharply
In December 2024, MetaQuotes announced a 20–25% price hike in monthly fees for MT4 and MT5 licenses, effective Jan 1, 2025.
Estimates put total costs in the ballpark of $15k–$20k monthly for brokers running both desktop and mobile versions—with extra $3k–$5k/month tacked on for white-label access .
Offshore and smaller brokers, especially those using third-party white label licenses, suddenly found it unaffordable.
🔒 2. White label licensing got locked down hard
MetaQuotes also overhauled its white-label policy, requiring deep compliance documentation:
- Fully regulated entity with KYC/KYB
- Certificate of Incorporation, directors/shareholders lists
- Physical address, certified utility bills
- Corporate-owned bank account (no e‑wallets)
- Certified passport and even video submissions
They no longer issued new white-labels to unregulated brokers—and even revoked some existing licenses .
🌍 3. Offshore and prop‑trading firms got hit
Several well-known entities lost access:
- Prop‑firm True Forex Funds (SVG) had its MT5 license terminated in early 2024.
- Brokers like Hugo’s Way, Kot4x, and others also lost their licenses.
- Pushback even spread to US‑facing platforms.
Some firms—like Wall Street Funded—responded by setting up fully regulated brokerages (e.g., obtaining a license in St. Lucia) to regain access to MT5.
🧠 4. What this means for traders
- Need to use regulated brokers or
- Be ready to switch platform.
MT4 remains usable at many brokers—but mostly under legitimate, license-compliant operations. If your MT4/5 signals came from offshore brokers, there’s a good chance that service has changed or gone.
✅ Why you should care
- Reliability: White-label access can be revoked with little warning, disrupting your workflow.
- Execution Quality: Licensed brokers often offer better spreads, infrastructure, and capital security.
- Continuity: Switching to cTrader or other platforms mid-challenge or in-flight analysis adds stress.
✅ Real‑world names & contrast
| Broker / Firm | What happened |
|---|---|
| True Forex Funds | Lost MT5 license in early 2024 financemagnates.com+9liquidity-provider.com+9wikifx.com+9 |
| Wall Street Funded | Became regulated broker (St. Lucia) to re‑enable MT5 |
| Hugo’s Way, Kot4x | Lost access due to compliance failures |
| EightCap | Suspended prop‑firm (MT4/5) accounts in Feb 2024 |
🧾 What is KYC/KYB?
- KYC = “Know Your Customer”: Brokers verify individual traders via ID/passport, address, source of funds.
- KYB = “Know Your Business”: Corporate entities must provide incorporation docs, directors’ registers, bank statements, and proof of physical offices—certified and verified.
MetaQuotes demanded all this to prevent fraud, money laundering, and regulatory exposure — effectively shutting out shadow‑chain hatchet‑operation brokers.
🔚 Final takeaway:
MetaQuotes combined a huge fee hike with strict licensing reforms, effectively drawing a line in the sand:
- If you want MT4/5, you now need to be a legitimate, regulated broker
- No more easy white‑labels, no more sliding incentives for offshore “regulation‑light” platforms
📝 Pro Tips for Traders:
- Verify your broker’s regulatory status before using their MT platform.
- Ask how they obtain MT4/5—white label or full license?
- If they use white‑label, ask: Who is the primary license holder?
- Always be ready to evaluate alternatives like cTrader or TradeLocker.
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