Best Brokers for Short Selling 2026: Go Short with No Borrow
For short selling, the desk ranks Blueberry Markets, VT Markets and Vantage. The key thing to understand is that shorting through a CFD broker is fundamentally easier than shorting shares through a traditional stockbroker. There is no stock to borrow, no locate, and no borrow fee, you simply sell to open. On forex, shorting is automatic anyway, selling one currency is buying the other. On indices, gold and share CFDs, you sell to open with leverage and buy to close. Every broker on this list accepts short positions across the instruments they offer.
CFD shorting vs shorting shares: why it is easier
To short a share through a traditional stockbroker, the broker has to locate and borrow the stock for you, you pay a borrow fee that can spike when a stock is hard to borrow, and the position can be force-closed if the lender recalls the shares. CFD shorting sidesteps all of that. A CFD is a contract that tracks the price, so the broker does not need to borrow anything, there is no locate fee, and you can hold the short as long as your margin and the overnight swap allow. That is why traders who want to express bearish views, hedge a portfolio, or trade falling markets gravitate to CFD brokers. The trade-off is that you pay the overnight swap to hold, and CFDs are leveraged, so a short that moves against you can be margin-called.
What to watch when you short
Two things. First, the overnight swap: a short position is charged or paid swap each night depending on the instrument and the rate differential, and on some instruments holding a short costs you daily, so shorting suits shorter horizons unless the swap is in your favour. Second, the leverage: shorting with leverage means a sharp rally can margin-call you fast, and short squeezes are violent, so the desk sizes shorts conservatively and uses hard stops. Beyond that, CFD shorting is the cleanest way for a retail trader to trade falling markets, and the brokers above all support it without friction.
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The desk’s pick
Blueberry is the default for two-sided trading: short anything with no borrow fee, tight spreads, and the desk overlay through our link. For larger short size where safety of funds is the priority, Vantage and its insurance layer is the conservative choice. Both are linked above.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best broker for short selling in 2026?
The desk ranks Blueberry Markets first for short selling, then VT Markets and Vantage. Shorting through a CFD broker needs no stock borrow and no locate fee, so you simply sell to open with leverage on forex, indices, gold and share CFDs.
Is short selling easier with a CFD broker than a stockbroker?
Yes. A CFD tracks the price, so the broker does not need to locate or borrow stock, there is no borrow fee, and the position cannot be force-closed by a share recall. With a traditional stockbroker, shorting requires a borrow that carries a fee and can be recalled.
Do you pay fees to hold a short position?
You pay the overnight swap, which on a short can be a charge or a credit depending on the instrument and the rate differential. On some instruments holding a short costs a small amount each night, so CFD shorting suits shorter horizons unless the swap is in your favour.
Can I short forex, indices and gold?
Yes. On forex, shorting is automatic because selling one currency buys the other. On indices, gold and share CFDs you sell to open with leverage and buy to close. Blueberry, VT Markets, Vantage and IC Markets all accept short positions across the instruments they offer.
Is short selling riskier than going long?
Short selling carries the same leverage risk as a long, plus the fact that a losing short has theoretically unlimited downside as price can keep rising, and short squeezes are violent. The desk sizes shorts conservatively and always uses a hard stop.
For general information and education only, not financial advice. Trading CFDs is leveraged and most retail accounts lose money. KenMacro has commercial partnerships with the brokers listed and may earn commission on referrals at no extra cost to you. Broker terms and instrument availability change; verify on the broker’s site before opening an account.
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