Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IC Markets vs ACY Securities, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
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.
IC Markets, established in 2007, and ACY Securities, founded in 2011, are both private online brokerage firms not publicly traded nor functioning as banks. A critical aspect for potential traders is the regulatory standing of these brokers. IC Markets holds two Tier-1 licenses, which are highly trusted according to ForexBrokers.com, whereas ACY Securities maintains one such license. The Trust Score further differentiates the two: IC Markets achieves a Trust Score of 84, indicating it is considered trusted, while ACY Securities has a Trust Score of 75, placing it within the average risk category according to ForexBrokers.com ratings.
Neither IC Markets nor ACY Securities holds any Tier-2 licenses, which are also recognized for being trusted by ForexBrokers.com. Despite both brokers being well-established players in the online trading arena, prospective clients might favor IC Markets due to its higher Trust Score and a greater number of high-trust licenses. When selecting an online broker, these regulatory insights can be instrumental for making an informed decision.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
ACY Securities
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2007 | 2011 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 3 | 1 |
Comparing commissions and fees, IC Markets earns 5/5 stars and ranks #5 of 63 for Commissions & Fees (Best in Class 2024), while ACY Securities earns 4.5/5 stars and ranks #22 of 63. Both brokers offer low-deposit, spread-only accounts alongside commission-based accounts, but IC Markets generally delivers tighter effective spreads on popular pairs such as EUR/USD.
IC Markets has three account types: Standard (spread-only) and two commission-based options—Raw Spread on MetaTrader (MT4/MT5) and cTrader Raw. On EUR/USD, IC Markets lists an average spread of 0.02 pips (Aug 2022) on its Raw accounts; once you add commissions, the all-in cost is about 0.62 pips on cTrader ($3.00 per side, $6.00 round turn per 100k) or 0.72 pips on MetaTrader ($3.50 per side, $7.00 round turn). The Standard account averages 0.62 pips with no commission. Pricing can vary by platform, account type, and whether you open under the Cyprus, Australia, or Seychelles entity. High-volume traders (100+ standard lots/month) can qualify for discounts.
ACY Securities also offers three accounts. The Standard account is commission-free with a $50 minimum deposit and averaged 1.2 pips on EUR/USD (Sep 2021). Its commission-based ProZero and Bespoke accounts tightened average spreads to about 0.25 pips during the same period, with commissions of $6 round turn on ProZero (minimum $200) and $5 round turn on Bespoke (minimum $10,000). For residents of Australia, the ProZero commission drops to $3 round turn, bringing effective spreads to about 0.55 pips (Sep 2021). ACY’s 10-tier active trader program can further cut costs by 0.5 pips per lot once you trade more than 50 standard lots per month.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
ACY Securities
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $200 | $50 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.62 | 1.2 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.62 | 0.85 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
IC Markets vs ACY Securities for available investments: IC Markets lists 3,583 tradeable instruments, while ACY Securities offers 2,200. For currency traders, ACY Securities slightly leads with 66 forex pairs versus 61 at IC Markets; both support forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts. Each broker also supports copy trading and offers access to cryptocurrency derivatives, though neither lets you buy the actual coins.
Share access differs: IC Markets provides exchange-traded shares on certain international markets (not U.S. exchanges), whereas ACY Securities does not offer non-CFD share dealing. For Range of Investments, IC Markets is rated 4.5/5 stars and ranked #26 of 63 brokers, while ACY Securities is rated 4/5 stars and ranked #31. If you want the widest overall selection of symbols, IC Markets has the edge; if you care most about having more forex pairs, ACY Securities is slightly ahead.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
ACY Securities
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 3583 | 2200 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 61 | 66 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | 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). | 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.
IC Markets and ACY Securities both make it easy to get started with a free demo account and offer web and Windows desktop platforms. Each supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), plus copy trading. A key difference: ACY Securities also offers its own in-house platform, while IC Markets does not. For third-party social trading, IC Markets connects with ZuluTrade, whereas ACY Securities does not; neither broker supports DupliTrade.
On the tools side, both brokers let you trade directly from charts, include 15 drawing tools for charting, and provide watch lists with seven data fields. Both earned 4 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools, but IC Markets ranks higher at #16 versus ACY Securities at #42 according to ForexBrokers.com. Choose ACY if you want a proprietary platform option; pick IC Markets if ZuluTrade support and a higher category ranking matter more to you.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
ACY Securities
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | No | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | Yes | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) [DELETED] | 15 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
IC Markets and ACY Securities both deliver capable mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each app supports real-time watchlists, price alerts, multiple time frames (intraday to weekly), and drawing tools like trendlines. Both save chart drawings automatically, and each includes 30 built-in technical indicators. One limitation to note: neither broker syncs watchlist symbols between the mobile app and the web platform, so edits made on one won’t appear on the other.
While feature sets are closely matched, independent ratings provide a small edge for IC Markets. Both apps earn 4 out of 5 stars, but in ForexBrokers.com’s Mobile Trading Apps category, IC Markets ranks 22nd out of 63 brokers, compared with ACY Securities at 41st. If you want the same core tools—alerts, indicators, charting, and real-time quotes—either app can work, but IC Markets may offer a slightly stronger overall mobile experience.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
ACY Securities
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
IC Markets and ACY Securities both publish daily market commentary and offer an economic calendar, but IC Markets delivers a wider range of market research tools. IC Markets holds a 4-star Research rating and ranks #23 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while ACY Securities has a 3.5-star rating and ranks #46.
IC Markets provides forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones and adds extra tools such as Autochartist, Trading Central analytics, and a sentiment tool that shows long vs. short positioning—features ACY Securities does not offer. Neither broker includes research from TipRanks or tools from Acuity Trading. If you value integrated news and analysis for technical and fundamental insights, IC Markets has the edge; if you only need daily commentary and a calendar, both brokers cover the basics.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
ACY Securities
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
IC Markets and ACY Securities both offer substantial educational resources tailored for those entering the world of forex and CFDs trading. Each provides more than 10 educational pieces that include articles, videos, and archived webinars. Additionally, both platforms conduct online educational client webinars at least once a month, complemented by easy access to archives of past webinars, facilitating a comprehensive learning experience. For video content, each broker ensures at least 10 beginner-friendly videos that cover essential trading topics. However, when it comes to more advanced educational videos, IC Markets pulls ahead, offering over 10 advanced videos specifically designed for seasoned traders, whereas ACY Securities falls short in this area.
IC Markets further enhances its educational offerings with an investor dictionary containing definitions for more than 50 investing terms, a feature ACY Securities does not offer. These educational advantages contribute to IC Markets receiving a higher education rating of 4 stars compared to ACY Securities' 3.5 stars. As ranked by ForexBrokers.com, IC Markets holds the 16th position among 63 brokers in the Education category, while ACY Securities is positioned at 43rd. This comparative analysis indicates that while both platforms provide solid foundational resources for beginners, IC Markets offers a more comprehensive suite of educational tools for both novice and advanced traders.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
ACY Securities
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that IC Markets is better than ACY Securities. IC Markets finished with an overall rank of #20, while ACY Securities finished with an overall rank of #41.
IC Markets’ competitive pricing and scalable execution make it an excellent option for algorithmic traders. Though it supports an impressive range of third-party tools and plugins, IC Markets’ research and education offerings are not as impressive as those offered by industry leaders.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
ACY Securities
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
|
| Trust Score | 84 | 75 |
| Range of Investments |
|
|
| Commissions & Fees |
|
|
| Platforms & Tools |
|
|
| Research |
|
|
| Mobile Trading |
|
|
| Education |
|
|
Both IC Markets and ACY Securities do not provide the ability to purchase actual delivered cryptocurrency, but they do offer the option to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
IC Markets and ACY Securities both support Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires for deposits and withdrawals, but IC Markets allows PayPal and lacks ACH or SEPA transfers, while ACY Securities supports ACH and SEPA but does not accept PayPal.
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.
Select Brokers
↓×Compare
0 of 5| Overall Rating | IC Markets | ACY Securities | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Commissions & Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Platforms & Tools |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 84 | 75 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IC Markets Review | ACY Securities Review |
| Broker Screenshots | IC Markets | ACY Securities | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
|
|
| Regulation | IC Markets | ACY Securities | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 84 | 75 | |
| Year Founded | 2007 | 2011 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 3 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | IC Markets | ACY Securities | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | IC Markets | ACY Securities | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | IC Markets | ACY Securities | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 3583 | 2200 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 61 | 66 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | 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). | 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 | IC Markets | ACY Securities | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.62 | 1.2 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.62 | 0.85 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | No |
| Funding | IC Markets | ACY Securities | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $200 | $50 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | IC Markets | ACY Securities | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | No | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | Yes | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | Yes | No |
| Trading Tools | IC Markets | ACY Securities | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) [DELETED] | 15 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | IC Markets | ACY Securities | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | No |
| Research | IC Markets | ACY Securities | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | IC Markets | ACY Securities | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | IC Markets | ACY Securities | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| AUD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | IC Markets Review | ACY Securities Review |
| Overall | IC Markets | ACY Securities | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Commissions & Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Platforms & Tools |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 84 | 75 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IC Markets Review | ACY Securities Review |
IG
CMC Markets
FOREX.com
XTB
eToro
AvaTrade
Plus500
Pepperstone
FP Markets
Tickmill