China Blocks MT4/MT5 Forex Trading Platform

At NetShop ISP, our deep involvement in the Forex industry as a trusted hosting solutions provider drives us to stay informed and responsive to key developments affecting brokers and traders worldwide.

In late May 2025, MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) platforms became inaccessible to new users in China, marking the second major disruption in recent months. According to industry sources (FinanceMagnates, PropInsider, TradingView) the outage lasted over a week and primarily affected new retail traders attempting to register through the MetaTrader mobile apps. Existing users remained unaffected, continuing their trading activities as usual.

The disruption is believed to be linked to China’s intensified use of anti-fraud surveillance tools. Many citizens are now required to install the National Anti-Fraud Center app, which may flag foreign trading applications such as MT4/MT5 as potentially malicious or fraudulent. This classification could have triggered automatic restrictions or connectivity blocks by local ISPs.

In response, MetaQuotes issued emergency platform updates — MT4 Android build 1445 and MT5 Android build 4981 — aimed specifically at restoring access for Chinese users. These builds were distributed through direct .apk installations due to limited access to the Google Play Store in mainland China.

One of the affected brokers, Hong Kong-based GFM, confirmed the issue via a post on X (formerly Twitter), offering a workaround:

“Newly registered users in mainland China are currently unable to search for forex broker names to log in. Please use the desktop version of MT5 and input the server IP directly.”

The current situation, at the time of this article's publication (5th June 2025), the situation has been resolved and forex traders can normally access MT4 and MT5 trading platforms.

What We’ve Learned and Why XConnect Still Matters

It’s true – even some of our Forex brokers using the XConnect service were affected by the recent MetaTrader outage in China. This shows just how unpredictable and complex the internet landscape can be, especially when government restrictions come into play.

But it also highlights why having strong, region-specific infrastructure like XConnect is still incredibly important. While it may not be able to bypass every sudden block or disruption, it gives brokers a much more stable and direct route to China – which makes a real difference in day-to-day performance and reliability.

At NetShop ISP, we’re working closely with our clients to improve routes, adapt quickly, and find ways to stay ahead of these challenges. If you’re operating a Forex business and accepting clients from mainland China, having the right infrastructure in place isn’t just a technical detail; it’s a competitive advantage.

For more information on how NetShop ISP’s XConnect solution can support your trading operations in China, please visit our website or contact our Infrastructure Solutions team.