How important is the broker?

[Richjohns12]

I was wondering, aren’t brokers always regulated? I mean, is it really that important doing all the research on choosing one? If so, what are the main aspects to take into account?

I guess I’m not the first person to ask this, but I haven’t found a good enough answers for that and thought you guys could help me out on this one.
Thanks in advance

[Anne09]

Some of the important features include.

Spread: The most important factor to select any broker is the spread. The smaller the spread on currency pairs would be the favorable conditions for traders and investors.

Effecting platform: This means how quickly and consistently the trades are executed.

Does it have the facility of fractional trading: Some brokers allow investors to trade on a fractional basis? This facility is very helpful when you are making trades that risk a certain percentage of the balance on each trade.

Fund safety: it is the most important factor that the funds placed in a account are insured for safety.