MetaQuotes Compliance Wave Forces 12+ Firms to Drop MT4/MT5

The latest MetaQuotes compliance enforcement has sent shockwaves through the proprietary trading industry, with at least 12 firms receiving cease-and-desist notices or having their white-label licenses revoked in Q1 2026.

The Regulatory Background

MetaQuotes, the developer behind MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, has been tightening its grip on how its platforms are used in the prop trading space. The core issue: prop firms use "simulated" or "demo" trading environments to evaluate traders, but MetaQuotes argues this falls outside the intended use of their platform licensing. Since late 2023, MetaQuotes has been systematically revoking access, starting with US-focused firms and expanding globally.

Which Firms Are Affected?

While not all firms have publicly disclosed their platform changes, our tracking shows:

• 12 firms have removed MT4/MT5 entirely in 2026
• 8 firms are running dual-platform transitions (offering both MT and alternatives)
• 3 firms have retained MetaTrader by restructuring their broker relationships

The DXtrade & MatchTrader Surge

The primary beneficiaries of this migration are Devexperts (DXtrade) and Match-Trade Technologies (MatchTrader). Both platforms were purpose-built for the prop firm use case and don't carry the regulatory baggage of MetaQuotes licensing.

Our Take

The MetaTrader era for prop trading is ending. While MT5 remains the most feature-rich platform for retail trading, the licensing uncertainty makes it a risky bet for any firm building long-term infrastructure. We recommend traders familiarize themselves with DXtrade and MatchTrader, as these will likely become the industry standard within the next 12-18 months.