IC Markets vs IFC Markets

IC Markets vs IFC Markets Comparison Table 2024
IC Markets IFC Markets
4.8
2.9
United States Flag Traders from US not accepted
United States Flag Traders from US not accepted

IC Markets is a globally recognized forex and CFD broker known for its excellent pricing, comprehensive range of trading instruments, and premium trading technology. Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Australia, the brokerage is regulated by the ASIC, CySEC and FSA, and has attracted more than 180,000 clients from over 200 countries.

IFC Markets is an STP broker that was founded in 2006 and has since gained 200,000 clients and several awards. This broker has some of the most interesting and wide-ranging additional tools, elevating its clients' trading experience via portfolio quoting, personal composite instruments and extensive analytics.

Customer Reviews
4
Bonus Offer
30% welcome bonus + 30% activity bonus
Comment by Reviewer
"IC Markets offers superior pricing, exceptionally fast execution and seamless deposits. The introduction of advanced charting platforms, notably TradingView, and the Raw Trader Plus account, ensures it remains a top choice for intermediate to advanced day traders." "I recommend this firm to users looking for new speculative opportunities and strategies not available at most brokers, including a blockchain-based proprietary platform and a bespoke synthetic instrument development tool. That said, it's a shame that the firm is not regulated by a more reputable authority."
Pros
  • IC Markets offers among the tightest spreads in the industry, with 0.0-pip spreads on major currency pairs, making it especially cost-effective for day traders.
  • As a tightly regulated and widely respected broker, IC Markets prioritizes client security and transparency, helping to ensure a reliable trading experience globally.
  • With ultra-fast execution speeds averaging 35 milliseconds and deep liquidity, IC Markets provides an optimal trading environment for scalpers, hedgers, and algorithmic traders.
  • IC Markets offers fast and dependable 24/5 support based on firsthand experience, particularly when it comes to accounts and funding issues.
  • You have access to over 2,250 CFDs across various markets, including forex, commodities, indices, stocks, bonds, and cryptocurrencies, allowing for diversified trading strategies.
  • Users can choose from the powerful MT4, MT5 or the firm's proprietary NetTradeX platform for all assets
  • I appreciate that the broker offers beginner-friendly Micro accounts with a minimum deposit of just $1
  • The brokerage supports a unique system that allows clients to develop their own synthetic instruments
  • IFC Markets clients can trade more than 600 instruments with fixed or floating spreads from 0.4 pips
  • Clients have a wide range of payment methods and base currencies to choose from
Cons
  • While IC Markets offers a selection of metals and cryptos for trading via CFDs, the range is not as extensive as brokers like eToro, limiting opportunities for traders interested in these asset classes.
  • The breadth and depth of tutorials, webinars and educational resources still need work, trailing alternatives like CMC Markets and reducing its suitability for beginners.
  • There are fees for certain withdrawal methods, including a $20 wire charge, which can eat into profits, especially for frequent withdrawals.
  • Despite four industry-leading third-party platforms, there is no proprietary software or trading app built with new traders in mind.
  • Interest isn't paid on unused cash, an increasingly popular feature found at alternatives like Interactive Brokers.
  • IFC Markets is regulated by the British Virgin Islands Financial Services Commission, a weak financial regulator
  • I'm disappointed that several payment methods incur steep deposit and withdrawal fees of up to 20%
  • GBP base currency isn't supported, so UK clients will have to pay hefty currency conversion fees
Awards
  • Best MT4/MT5 Broker 2023 - DayTrading.com
  • Best Forex Broker 2022 - DayTrading.com
  • Best Overall Broker 2020 - DayTrading.com
  • Best Trading App 2020 - DayTrading.com
  • Best Broker South East Asia 2020 - International Business Magazine 
Instruments
CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, Bonds, Futures, Crypto Forex, CFDs, indices, shares, commodities, cryptocurrencies, ETFs, bonds
Demo Account
Yes Yes
Minimum Deposit
$200 $1, ¥100
Trading Platforms
  • MT4
  • MT5
  • cTrader
  • TradingView
  • TradingCentral
  • DupliTrade
  • MT4
  • MT5
Payment Methods
Minimum Trade
0.01 Lots 0.01 Lots
Regulator
ASIC, CySEC, FSA BVI FSC, SC, Labuan Financial Services Authority
Margin Trading
Yes No
STP Account
No No
ECN Account
Yes No
DMA Account
Yes No
MAM Account
Yes No
PAMM Account
Yes No
LAMM Account
No No
Demat Account
No No
AI / Machine Learning
No No
Robo Advisor
No No
Negative Balance Protection
Yes No
Market Maker
No No
P2P Trading
No No
Spot Trading
Yes No
Mobile Apps
iOS & Android Yes
App Review

IC Markets deliver mobile apps for their cTrader, MT4, MT5 and TradingView  platforms. They have been developed on Android and iOS separately, taking full advantage of the functionality available on each. With raw pricing, and spreads from 0.0, the apps deliver an excellent trading tool for all levels of trader. Yet what really stands out is how they’ve managed to maintain the lightning-fast execution speed IC Markets is known for, right within the apps. It’s a seamless trading experience that feels both professional and highly responsive.

Android App Rating
4.2
iOS App Rating
3.1
Auto Trading
Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader, cBots on cTrader, Myfxbook AutoTrade Yes (APIs)
Copy Trading
Yes Yes
Copy Trading Platform
Launched in February 2023, the IC Social app offers an intuitive way to learn, share, and mirror the positions of other traders with just a few clicks. Additionally, the app features risk management tools and supports dedicated trading groups. Alternatively, IC Markets grants access to Signal Start, along with well-known third-party copy trading platforms including ZuluTrade and cTrader Copy. Follow and profit from top traders using IFC Market's copy solution.
Social Trading
Yes Yes
Trade Signals
Signal Start Yes (Via Chartist Software)
VPS Hosting
Yes No
Tournaments
No No
Demo Competitions
No No
Ethical Investing
No No
Custodial Account
No No
Guaranteed Stop Loss
No No
Inactivity Fee
$0
Islamic Account
Yes Yes
Account Currencies
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • CAD
  • AUD
  • NZD
  • JPY
  • CHF
  • HKD
  • SGD
Stock Exchanges
Commodities
CFD Trading
You gain access to over 2,250 CFDs, available for trading 24/5 across popular markets such as forex, commodities, indices, stocks, and bonds. Utilizing deep liquidity and advanced bridge technology, IC Markets ensures optimal conditions for scalpers, hedgers, and algo traders alike. IFC Markets clients can access CFDs across commodities, cryptos, indices and ETFs. I’m pleased to see that assets are all available on MT4, MT5 and NetTradeX with decent leverage rates of up to 1:400.
Leverage
1:30 (ASIC & CySEC), 1:500 (FSA), 1:1000 (Global) 1:400
FTSE Spread
1.0 300
GBPUSD Spread
0.23 3
Oil Spread
0.03 12
Stocks Spread
0.02 Variable
Forex Trading
IC Markets maintains its commitment to providing exceptionally tight 0.0-pip forex spreads on major currency pairs such as EUR/USD. This makes it an excellent option if you are seeking superior execution, with an average of 35 milliseconds. Additionally, if you are a high-volume trader, you can benefit from rebates of up to $2.50 per forex lot. I like that there’s a decent range of 50+ major, minor and exotic forex pairs available at IFC Markets, with just a $1 minimum deposit. That said, spreads are fixed from 1.8 pips, which isn’t the lowest I’ve seen.
Forex App

IC Markets deliver mobile apps for both their cTrader and MT5 platforms. Both have been developed on android and iOS separately, taking full advantage of the functionality available on each. With raw pricing, and spreads from 0.0, the apps deliver an excellent trading tool for all levels of trader. The speed of execution synonymous with IC Markets is retained across their apps.

GBPUSD Spread
0.23 3
EURUSD Spread
0.02 1.8
EURGBP Spread
0.27 1.8
Assets
75 50
Currency Indices
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • JPY
  • CAD
Cryptocurrency
IC Markets offers 20+ cryptocurrencies which are tradable via CFDs, including lesser-known tokens such as Avalanche, Kusama and Uniswap. Commission-free trading is available, and experienced crypto traders can access high leverage up to 1:200 in the MetaTrader platforms. IFC Markets also boasts a good selection of 15 cryptocurrency CFD pairs and I’m particularly impressed to see Bitcoin futures on offer. The free demo account is an excellent place to start if you want to practice your crypto trading strategies.
Spread
BTC 42.036 50 pips
Coins
  • BTC
  • BCH
  • DOT
  • DSH
  • EMC
  • EOS
  • ETH
  • LNK
  • LTC
  • NMC
  • PPC
  • XLM
  • XRP
  • ADA
  • BNB
  • DOG
  • UNI
  • XTZ
  • BTC
Crypto Lending
No No
Crypto Mining
No No
Crypto Staking
No No
Auto Market Maker
No No
More Comparisons
IC Markets
vs
IFC Markets
vs