Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of ActivTrades vs IFC Markets, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
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ActivTrades (founded 2001) and IFC Markets (founded 2006) are both privately held and not banks. On ForexBrokers.com’s 0–99 Trust Score scale (90–99 highly trusted; 80–89 trusted; 70–79 average risk; 60–69 high risk; below 59 not trusted), ActivTrades scores 80, placing it in the “trusted” range, while IFC Markets scores 73, which the site classifies as “average risk.”
In terms of oversight, ActivTrades holds two Tier-1 licenses (the highest level, viewed as highly trusted by ForexBrokers.com) and one Tier-2 license (trusted), compared with IFC Markets’ one Tier-1 license and no Tier-2 licenses. In plain terms, ActivTrades has a broader mix of top-tier and mid-tier regulatory approvals than IFC Markets.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2006 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 5 |
When comparing ActivTrades vs. IFC Markets for commissions and fees, ActivTrades comes out a bit ahead on everyday pricing. ActivTrades’ spreads are slightly better than the industry average, and its EUR/USD average spread was 0.98 pips in May 2024. It offers an Individual Account, plus Professional and Islamic Account options, but there is no special pricing for high-volume traders and no active trader discount plan. ActivTrades is rated 4 stars for commissions and fees and is ranked #23 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com.
IFC Markets is also rated 4 stars, but its pricing is a little less competitive overall. Its average EUR/USD spread is 1.44 pips, which is above the industry average of 1.08. That said, traders who use the new ECN account may see better effective pricing, with spreads around 1.1 pips after the 0.005% commission on both sides of a trade. IFC Markets does stand out for having no inactivity fees and for offering active trader discounts.
In simple terms, ActivTrades is the lower-cost choice for many forex traders, while IFC Markets may appeal more to active traders who can benefit from its ECN pricing and discounts. Even though both brokers earn the same star rating, ActivTrades has the stronger rank for commissions and fees, coming in at #23 versus IFC Markets at #34.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $1 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 1.08 | 1.44 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.92 | 1.1 |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
ActivTrades and IFC Markets both give traders access to forex trading, and each offers 49 currency pairs. They also both support copy trading, international exchange-traded securities, and cryptocurrency CFDs. Neither broker offers actual, delivered crypto or U.S.-listed exchange-traded shares, so if you want to buy stocks like Apple directly, neither platform provides that option.
Where ActivTrades stands out is in overall choice. It offers 1,267 tradeable symbols, compared with 630 at IFC Markets, giving it a much wider selection across markets. This broader lineup is reflected in its stronger Range of Investments score, with ActivTrades rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranked #26 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets is rated 3.5 stars and ranked #33.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1267 | 630 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 49 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
ActivTrades and IFC Markets are closely matched when it comes to trading platforms and tools, since both brokers offer a free demo account, a web-based platform, a Windows desktop download, and support for both MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. Each also provides a proprietary platform built in-house, plus copy trading and the ability to place trades directly from a chart. For traders who want flexibility across devices and platform styles, either broker gives you several solid ways to trade.
Where they start to differ is in overall platform recognition. ActivTrades is rated 4 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools and ranks #28 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets also holds a 4-star rating but ranks #32. That means both brokers deliver a similar set of tools, but ActivTrades has a slightly stronger position in the category. Details such as the number of chart indicators and watchlist columns were not provided for either broker.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
ActivTrades and IFC Markets both give mobile traders a solid set of tools, with iPhone and Android apps available, price alerts for stocks or forex, 30 technical studies for charting, trendline drawing, and automatic saving of chart drawings. Both brokers are also rated 4 out of 5 stars for mobile trading apps, so in day-to-day use they look fairly similar at first glance.
The biggest difference is watchlist syncing. IFC Markets lets watchlists sync between the mobile app and the online account, so updates carry over in both places, while ActivTrades does not offer this feature. That edge may matter for traders who switch often between phone and desktop. Still, ActivTrades ranks higher overall in ForexBrokers.com’s mobile apps category, coming in at #21 out of 36 brokers, compared with IFC Markets at #37.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
ActivTrades and IFC Markets both provide helpful market research basics, including daily market commentary, a sentiment tool that shows whether traders are more often long or short, and an economic calendar with major global events. Neither broker includes research from Autochartist, Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading, so the research offering is similar in some key areas.
The main difference is that ActivTrades adds forex news from major sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, while IFC Markets does not. That extra news access helps ActivTrades stand out, which is reflected in its stronger research score of 4 out of 5 stars and a ForexBrokers.com ranking of #28 out of 36, compared with IFC Markets at 3.5 stars and #33 out of 36.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginners looking for learning support, ActivTrades and IFC Markets both offer a useful range of video content, including at least 10 beginner videos and at least 10 advanced videos for more experienced traders. ActivTrades also stands out for having forex and CFD education that meets the mark of at least 10 learning pieces, plus it offers online educational webinars every month, which can be helpful for new traders who want regular guidance. IFC Markets, on the other hand, does not appear to offer monthly educational webinars, and it does not meet the same forex or CFD education threshold in the information provided.
When it comes to overall education quality, ActivTrades is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #32 out of 36 brokers for Education, while IFC Markets is rated 3.5 stars and ranks #26. In simple terms, IFC Markets may have a slightly better rank, but ActivTrades offers more complete beginner-focused learning support, especially through monthly webinars and a stronger forex and CFD education library.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that ActivTrades is better than IFC Markets. ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #28, while IFC Markets finished with an overall rank of #36.
ActivTrades is a long-standing brand that offers a proprietary trading platform, ActivTrader, and support for the award-winning TradingView and MetaTrader (MT4 and MT5) platforms. ActivTrades also delivers a selection of custom add-ons, indicators, and trading tools for traders who prefer to use MetaTrader. Drawbacks for trading with ActivTrades include a smaller selection of tradeable symbols and fewer educational resources than what’s available from the best forex brokers.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
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IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 80 | 73 |
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ActivTrades vs IFC Markets: neither online broker offers buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both allow trading cryptocurrency CFDs.
ActivTrades vs IFC Markets: for deposit and withdrawal methods, neither broker supports ACH/SEPA or PayPal, both allow bank wire transfers, ActivTrades offers Skrill while IFC Markets does not, and Visa/Mastercard availability is unspecified.
Please note:
We review each broker’s overall global offering – a “Yes” checkmark in our Compare Tool does not guarantee the availability of any specific features in your country of residence. To verify the availability of any features within your country of residence, please contact the broker directly.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | ActivTrades | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 80 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Broker Screenshots | ActivTrades | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Regulation | ActivTrades | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 80 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2006 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | |||
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 5 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | ActivTrades | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | ||
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | ||
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | ||
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | ||
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | ||
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | ||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | ||
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | ActivTrades | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | ||
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | No | ||
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | ||
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | ActivTrades | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1267 | 630 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
| Cost | ActivTrades | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 1.08 | 1.44 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.92 | 1.1 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | ActivTrades | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $1 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | ActivTrades | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | ActivTrades | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | ActivTrades | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | ActivTrades | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | ActivTrades | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | ActivTrades | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Overall | ActivTrades | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| Range of Investments |
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| Research |
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| Trust Score | 80 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | ActivTrades Review |
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