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ActivTrades vs IFC Markets 2026

ForexBrokers.com

Written by ForexBrokers.com

February 05, 2025
  Fact Checked

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.

ActivTrades
4/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0
  • Trust Score: 80
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 1267
IFC Markets
4/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $1
  • Trust Score: 73
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 630

CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 51% and 89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Regulation

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 logoActivTrades
IFC Markets logoIFC Markets
Year Founded info 2001 2006
Publicly Traded (Listed) info No No
Bank info No No
Tier-1 Licenses info 2 1
Tier-2 Licenses info 1 0
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 2 5

Fees

When comparing commissions and fees, ActivTrades comes out a little stronger than IFC Markets for most everyday forex traders. ActivTrades’ spreads are slightly better than the industry average, and its EUR/USD spread was 0.98 pips in May 2024. It offers an Individual Account, plus Professional and Islamic account options, but it does not have a special low-cost account for high-volume traders. ActivTrades is rated 4 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees and is ranked #21 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com.

IFC Markets is also rated 4 out of 5 stars, but its pricing is a bit less competitive overall. Its average EUR/USD spread is 1.44 pips, which is above the industry average of 1.08. For active traders, IFC Markets’ new ECN account can work out better at about 1.1 pips after commission, and the broker also stands out for having no inactivity fees and offering active trader discounts. Still, IFC Markets is ranked #32 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees, placing it behind ActivTrades in this category.

In simple terms, ActivTrades is the better choice if you want slightly lower everyday trading costs, while IFC Markets may appeal more if you plan to use its ECN pricing or value the lack of inactivity fees. Both brokers earn the same star rating, but ActivTrades has the better rank and the more competitive standard spread.

Feature ActivTrades logoActivTrades
IFC Markets logoIFC Markets
Minimum Deposit info $0 $1
Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account info 1.08 info 1.44 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.92 info 1.1 info
Non-wire bank transfer info No No
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info No No
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes No
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.

Featured Offers


Range of investments

ActivTrades and IFC Markets both give traders access to forex as CFDs or spot contracts, and each offers 49 forex pairs. They also both support copy trading, let clients trade cryptocurrency CFDs, and offer exchange-traded securities on international exchanges. Neither broker offers exchange-traded U.S. shares or the option to buy delivered crypto, so if you want to own actual Bitcoin or buy Apple shares outright, neither platform fits that need.

Where ActivTrades pulls ahead is in overall variety, with 1,267 tradeable symbols compared with IFC Markets’ 630. That wider list helps ActivTrades earn a higher Range of Investments score, at 4 out of 5 stars versus IFC Markets’ 3.5 stars. In ForexBrokers.com’s ranking for this category, ActivTrades also places better, coming in at #25 out of 36 brokers, while IFC Markets sits at #31.

Feature ActivTrades logoActivTrades
IFC Markets logoIFC Markets
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 1267 630
Forex Pairs (Total) info 49 49
U.S. Stocks (Shares) info No No
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info Yes Yes
Copy Trading info Yes Yes
Cryptocurrency (Underlying) info No No
Cryptocurrency (CFDs) info 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.

Trading platforms and tools

ActivTrades and IFC Markets both give traders a wide range of platform choices and useful tools. Each broker offers a free demo account for practice, its own in-house platform, Windows desktop software, a web-based trading platform, copy trading, and support for both MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. Both also let users place trades directly from charts, which can make it easier to act quickly when market conditions change.

In ForexBrokers.com’s Trading Platforms and Tools category, both brokers are rated 4 out of 5 stars, showing a similar level of quality overall. ActivTrades is ranked #26 out of 36 brokers, while IFC Markets sits at #29, giving ActivTrades a slight edge in this area. For traders who want a flexible platform setup with familiar tools and chart-based trading, both brokers are solid options.

Feature ActivTrades logoActivTrades
IFC Markets logoIFC Markets
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform info Yes Yes
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes Yes
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Copy Trading info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info Yes Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 30 30
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.

Forex trading apps

ActivTrades and IFC Markets both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, along with stock and forex price alerts. Each app includes 30 technical studies, lets users draw trendlines, and automatically saves chart drawings, making either choice useful for traders who want to follow the markets on the go. Both brokers are rated 4 out of 5 stars for mobile trading apps.

The main difference is watchlist syncing. IFC Markets lets watchlists sync between the mobile app and the online account, so changes update in both places, while ActivTrades does not offer that feature. In ForexBrokers.com’s ranking for mobile trading apps, ActivTrades places higher at #21 out of 36 brokers, compared with IFC Markets at #34 out of 36.

Feature ActivTrades logoActivTrades
IFC Markets logoIFC Markets
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Price Alerts info Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlists - Syncing info No Yes
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info 30 30
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.

Market research

When it comes to market research, ActivTrades and IFC Markets both give traders daily market commentary, a sentiment tool showing long and short positions, and an economic calendar with key global events. Neither broker includes research from Autochartist, Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading, so traders looking for those third-party tools will not find them at either firm.

The main difference is that ActivTrades also offers forex news from major sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, while IFC Markets does not. That extra news access helps ActivTrades edge ahead in research, which is reflected in its higher Research rating of 4 stars and a ForexBrokers.com ranking of #26 out of 36, compared with IFC Markets at 3.5 stars and #30 out of 36.

Feature ActivTrades logoActivTrades
IFC Markets logoIFC Markets
Daily Market Commentary (Articles) info Yes Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes No
Autochartist info No No
Trading Central info No No
Client sentiment data info Yes Yes
TipRanks info No No
Acuity Trading info No No
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.

Beginners and education

For beginners looking for learning materials, ActivTrades and IFC Markets both offer a range of trading videos, including at least 10 beginner-focused and 10 advanced lessons that cover trading topics. That said, ActivTrades has the edge in forex and CFDs education overall, since it offers at least 10 educational pieces centered on forex or CFDs and also provides online educational client webinars at least once a month. IFC Markets does offer forex or CFDs education as well, but it does not appear to provide monthly educational webinars for clients.

In terms of education quality, ActivTrades is rated 4 out of 5 stars and is ranked #30 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets is rated 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranked #25 out of 36. For a beginner who wants more frequent live learning opportunities, ActivTrades may be the better fit, while IFC Markets still gives access to helpful video lessons but with fewer live teaching sessions.

Feature ActivTrades logoActivTrades
IFC Markets logoIFC Markets
Webinars info Yes No
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.

Winner

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 #33.

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 logoActivTrades
IFC Markets logoIFC Markets
Overall Rating info 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trust Score info 80 73
Range of Investments 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Trading Fees 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trading Platforms 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 3.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with ActivTrades or IFC Markets?

ActivTrades vs IFC Markets: neither online broker offers buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both allow trading cryptocurrency CFDs.

What funding options does each broker offer?

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.

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Overall Rating ActivTrades IFC Markets
Overall Rating info 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trading Fees 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Range of Investments 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Trading Platforms 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Education 3.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trust Score info 80 73
Winner check_circle
Review ActivTrades Review
Broker Screenshots ActivTrades IFC Markets
Broker Gallery (click to expand) info
ActivTrades ActivTrader mobile app watchlist light mode. ActivTrader platform web. ActivTrader research weekly outlook articles. ActivTrades educational articles macro analysis.
Regulation ActivTrades IFC Markets
Trust Score info 80 73
Year Founded info 2001 2006
Publicly Traded (Listed) info No No
Bank info No No
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info
Tier-1 Licenses info 2 1
Tier-2 Licenses info 1 0
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 2 5
Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) ActivTrades IFC Markets
Australia (ASIC Authorised) info No
Canada (CIRO Authorised) info No
Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) info No
Japan (FSA Authorised) info No
Singapore (MAS Authorised) info No
Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) info No
United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) info Yes
USA (CFTC Authorized) info No
New Zealand (FMA Authorised) info No
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info
Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) ActivTrades IFC Markets
Kenya (CMA Authorised) info No
Israel (ISA Authorised) info No
South Africa (FSCA Authorised) info No Yes
UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) info No
India (SEBI Authorised) info No
Jordan (JSC Authorised) info No
Investments ActivTrades IFC Markets
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 1267 630
Forex Pairs (Total) info 49 49
U.S. Stocks (Shares) info No No
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info Yes Yes
Copy Trading info Yes Yes
Cryptocurrency (Underlying) info No No
Cryptocurrency (CFDs) info 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) - Standard account info 1.08 info 1.44 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.92 info 1.1 info
Inactivity Fee info Yes No
Order execution: Agency info No Yes
Order execution: Market Maker info Yes Yes
Funding ActivTrades IFC Markets
Minimum Deposit info $0 $1
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info No No
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes No
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
Non-wire bank transfer info No No
Trading Platforms ActivTrades IFC Markets
Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform info Yes Yes
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes Yes
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Copy Trading info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info Yes Yes
cTrader info No No
Trading Tools ActivTrades IFC Markets
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Price Alerts info Yes Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 30 30
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes
Charts can be saved info Yes Yes
Mobile Trading ActivTrades IFC Markets
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Price Alerts info Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] info
Mobile Watchlists - Syncing info No Yes
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info 30 30
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave info Yes Yes
Mobile Research - Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Research ActivTrades IFC Markets
Daily Market Commentary (Articles) info Yes Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes No
Autochartist info No No
Trading Central info No No
TipRanks info No No
Client sentiment data info Yes Yes
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Education ActivTrades IFC Markets
Webinars info Yes No
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Major Forex Pairs ActivTrades IFC Markets
GBP/USD [DELETED] info
USD/JPY [DELETED] info
EUR/USD info Yes Yes
USD/CHF [DELETED] info
USD/CAD [DELETED] info
NZD/USD [DELETED] info
AUD/USD [DELETED] info
Review ActivTrades Review
Overall ActivTrades IFC Markets
Overall Rating info 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trading Fees 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Range of Investments 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Trading Platforms 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Education 3.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trust Score info 80 73
Winner check_circle
Review ActivTrades Review
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