AB TRADES Deposit & Withdrawal

When we sat down to examine AB Trades' deposit and withdrawal setup, we expected to find the usual mix of payment options and processing times. What we actually found was a pattern that should make any trader pause before sending a single dirham. The broker, operating under the legal name Alpha Star Marketing Management from an office on Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai, presents itself as a CFD and forex provider. But the way it handles client money — at least according to the users who have tried to get their funds back — tells a very different story.

Our review of the user record shows a recurring theme: deposits are easy, withdrawals are not. This is the classic hallmark of a high-risk operation, and it is precisely why we have assigned AB Trades a Scam Risk Score of 75 out of 100, which we classify as 'Severe'. In this deep-dive, we focus exclusively on the funding side of the broker — how you can put money in, what happens when you try to take it out, and what the evidence from real users suggests about the reliability of the entire process.

AB Trades does not publish a clear list of deposit methods on its website. Our research team could not find any official documentation detailing whether the broker accepts bank transfers, credit cards, e-wallets, or cryptocurrencies. This lack of transparency is itself a warning sign. A legitimate broker typically makes its funding options easy to find, along with any fees and processing times.

What we do know from user complaints is that at least one client was directed to deposit into a third-party site called expressmarkets.net. This is a significant red flag. When a broker routes deposits through an external domain that is not clearly part of its own operation, it raises serious questions about where the money actually goes and who controls it. In our assessment, this is not standard industry practice for a regulated broker.

Just as with deposits, AB Trades does not disclose its withdrawal methods, fees, or processing times. There is no published policy on minimum withdrawal amounts or how long a request should take to be fulfilled. This opacity makes it impossible for a trader to know what to expect before they commit funds.

In practice, users report that withdrawal requests are not honoured. One reviewer described depositing money, seeing a profit on screen, and then being told they could not withdraw anything unless they deposited more. Another user said they were asked to pay an additional $1,000 to 'activate' their account before they could withdraw their own $300. These are not isolated incidents; they form a pattern that suggests the broker may be using withdrawal requests as a lever to extract more money from clients.

The most detailed complaint we found involves a user who deposited $300 after being directed to expressmarkets.net. They were then told their account could not be activated unless they deposited a further $1,000. When they tried to withdraw their original $300, the request was blocked. This is a textbook example of the 'activation fee' scam, where a fraudulent broker invents a bogus charge to prevent a withdrawal.

In our analysis, this tactic serves two purposes. First, it extracts more money from the victim. Second, it creates a delay during which the victim may become increasingly desperate, making them more likely to comply with further demands. The fact that this complaint is echoed by other users — who describe being asked to deposit more money to unlock withdrawals — suggests this is not a one-off error but a deliberate strategy.

Some users report seeing profits on their AB Trades accounts. One five-star reviewer mentioned making 'good profit' with the amount they started with, and praised the support team for their assistance. However, this positive experience stands in stark contrast to the majority of complaints, which focus on the inability to actually access those profits.

We cross-checked the user reviews and found that the positive comments tend to be vague about the withdrawal process. The negative reviews, on the other hand, are very specific: they name amounts, describe the exact steps they took, and explain how the broker blocked their requests. In our assessment, the weight of evidence suggests that any on-screen profits may be illusory — a lure to encourage further deposits, rather than a genuine return on investment.

AB Trades' customer support receives mixed reviews. Two users gave five-star ratings, describing their experience as 'good' and praising the service. However, these positive reviews do not mention any successful withdrawals. In contrast, the negative reviews describe support agents who push for additional deposits and become unhelpful when the topic turns to withdrawing funds.

One user specifically named an individual who allegedly pressured them into paying 1,000 AED for a 'trainer' before they could start using the application. This kind of high-pressure upselling is another red flag. Legitimate brokers do not require clients to pay for trainers to access their own funds. The pattern that emerges is one where support is friendly and helpful as long as you are depositing money, but turns hostile or evasive when you ask for a payout.

AB Trades is registered in the United Arab Emirates under the name Alpha Star Marketing Management. However, our checks found no verified financial services license from any regulator. The company has zero employees on record, which is unusual for a broker that claims to offer a full range of CFD products.

This lack of regulation means that if a client's funds are withheld, there is no independent ombudsman or financial authority to appeal to. In regulated jurisdictions, brokers are required to segregate client funds and adhere to strict conduct rules. AB Trades is not subject to any such oversight. This is a critical factor in our risk assessment, and it directly impacts the safety of any deposits you might make.

Given the severe risk profile we have identified, our advice is straightforward: do not deposit any money with AB Trades. If you have already deposited funds and are facing difficulties withdrawing, we recommend you stop making any further payments immediately. Do not pay any 'activation fees' or 'taxes' or any other charge that the broker demands before releasing your money — these are almost certainly scams.

If you have lost money, consider reporting the incident to your local financial regulator and to the UAE authorities, as the broker is based in Dubai. You may also want to contact your bank or payment provider to see if a chargeback is possible. For future trading, we strongly advise choosing a broker that is regulated by a reputable authority, such as the FCA, ASIC, or CySEC, and that clearly discloses its deposit and withdrawal policies. A legitimate broker will never block your withdrawals or demand additional payments to release your own funds.

Our deep-dive into AB Trades' deposit and withdrawal processes has uncovered a consistent and disturbing pattern. Deposits are accepted readily, but withdrawals are routinely blocked, often with demands for additional payments. The lack of regulatory oversight, the absence of transparent policies, and the specific complaints from users all point to a high likelihood of fraudulent activity.

We cannot recommend AB Trades to any trader, and we urge anyone considering this broker to look elsewhere. The risk of losing your entire deposit is simply too high. If you have already been affected, we hope the information in this review helps you understand what has happened and guides you towards the appropriate steps to seek recourse. Remember: if a broker makes it easy to deposit but impossible to withdraw, that is not a technical glitch — it is a design flaw, and you are the intended victim.