They motivate the spread with low liquidity, but it`s not true, because the liquidity was standard all around the world! See the image with volumes by an ECN broker.
I have 2 ECN accounts, no one of them rised the spread more than 50 pips on GBP/JPY I`ve 2 Market maker accounts, and no one of them rises the spread more than 200 Pips on GBP/JPY. Go Markets rise the spread more than 300 Pips, When the fast (fast) ...