Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IC Markets vs ATFX, 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.
When comparing online brokers IC Markets and ATFX, both are privately held companies that are not registered as banks, but they differ in their regulatory standing and trust scores. IC Markets was established in 2007 and holds two Tier-1 licenses, signifying a high level of trust. However, it holds no Tier-2 licenses, meaning it relies solely on its primary licenses for credibility. Its ForexBrokers.com Trust Score stands at 84, placing it in the trusted category.
On the other hand, ATFX, founded in 2017, boasts a stronger regulatory position with four Tier-1 licenses, which indicates a high degree of trust, as well as two Tier-2 licenses. This gives ATFX a slight edge regarding regulatory oversight. Their ForexBrokers.com Trust Score is 85, also marking them as a trusted broker. Both brokers offer high trust levels, but ATFX has a more diverse range of regulatory credentials.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2007 | 2017 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 4 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 3 | 1 |
IC Markets vs ATFX: when it comes to commissions and fees, IC Markets clearly leads. IC Markets earns 5 out of 5 stars and ranks #5 out of 63 brokers in ForexBrokers.com’s Commissions & Fees category, taking Best in Class honors for 2024. ATFX, by contrast, scores 3 out of 5 stars and ranks #61 out of 63.
IC Markets offers three account types: a commission-free Standard account (spread-only) and two commission-based options—Raw Spread on MT4/MT5 and cTrader Raw Spread. On cTrader, the commission is $3.00 per side per 100,000 units ($6 round turn); on MT4/MT5 it’s $3.50 per side ($7 round turn). IC Markets lists an average EUR/USD spread of 0.02 pips (Aug 2022); once you add commission, the all‑in cost is about 0.62 pips on cTrader and 0.72 pips on MT4/MT5. The commission-free Standard account averages about 0.62 pips. Pricing can vary by platform, account type, and which IC Markets entity you use (Cyprus, Australia, or Seychelles). High‑volume traders (100+ standard lots/month) can qualify for discounts.
ATFX does not publish average spread data, which makes direct cost comparisons difficult. Based on our ratings, ATFX’s 3/5 stars and #61/63 ranking in Commissions & Fees trail IC Markets’ stronger pricing profile. If transparent, low all‑in costs matter to you, IC Markets looks more competitive across its commission-based and commission-free setups.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $200 | $500 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.62 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.62 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
In the IC Markets vs ATFX comparison for range of investments, IC Markets offers far more to choose from: 3,583 tradeable symbols and 61 forex pairs, versus ATFX’s 150 symbols and 44 pairs. Both brokers support forex trading via CFDs/spot, offer crypto derivatives, and do not provide access to actual (delivered) crypto. Copy trading is available at both. Neither broker lets you buy U.S.-listed shares outright, but IC Markets does offer access to international exchange-traded shares, while ATFX does not.
These gaps are reflected in independent ratings: ForexBrokers.com scores IC Markets 4.5/5 for Range of Investments and ranks it 26th of 63 brokers, while ATFX earns 3.5/5 and ranks 58th. If you want the widest market coverage and the ability to own international shares directly, IC Markets is the stronger pick; if you only need a slimmer lineup focused on core forex and CFDs, ATFX can fit the bill.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 3583 | 150 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 61 | 44 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| 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). | 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 ATFX both make it easy to get started with a free demo account for paper trading. Neither broker has a proprietary platform; instead, both support MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), available on Windows desktop and in a web-based browser version. Each broker offers copy trading and lets you place trades directly from charts, which helps streamline order entry. Details about DupliTrade, ZuluTrade, and the number of built-in indicators, drawing tools, or watch list fields were not specified.
For trading platforms and tools, IC Markets earns 4 stars and ranks #16 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while ATFX earns 3.5 stars and ranks #63. If you want a higher-rated platform lineup and still use familiar choices like MT4 and MT5, IC Markets has the edge. If you’re comparing on shared basics—demo accounts, web and desktop access, copy trading, and chart trading—both brokers check the same boxes.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | No |
| 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.
IC Markets and ATFX both deliver mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, letting you trade on the go. Each app supports price alerts, drawing trendlines on charts, and auto-saving your annotations so your work isn’t lost. One notable limitation is that neither broker syncs watchlist symbols between the mobile app and your online account.
For charting tools, IC Markets offers 30 technical studies, while ATFX provides 7, making IC Markets the stronger pick if you rely on indicators. According to ForexBrokers.com, IC Markets earns 4 stars and ranks 22nd for Mobile Trading Apps, whereas ATFX is rated 3.5 stars and ranks 64th. If you want deeper in-app chart analysis, IC Markets has the edge; if you prefer a simpler setup, ATFX may suffice.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 7 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
IC Markets and ATFX both cover the basics well with daily market commentary and an economic calendar. IC Markets goes further by streaming forex news from top-tier providers like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, while ATFX does not include this feature. Both brokers offer technical analysis tools from Autochartist and Trading Central. IC Markets also adds a sentiment tool that shows long vs. short positioning across instruments; ATFX does not. IC Markets does not include TipRanks or Acuity Trading (Signal Centre). For ATFX, support for TipRanks and Acuity Trading was not specified.
In independent testing, IC Markets earned 4 out of 5 stars for research and ranked 23rd out of 63 brokers, whereas ATFX received 3 stars and ranked 55th. If premium news feeds and sentiment data matter to your strategy, IC Markets is the stronger fit. If you mainly need daily commentary, an economic calendar, and popular analysis tools, ATFX covers those essentials.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Central | Yes | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | |
| Acuity Trading | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Comparing IC Markets vs ATFX for beginner education: both brokers provide at least 10 beginner-friendly videos that cover the basics of forex and CFD trading. IC Markets goes further with live client webinars held monthly, while ATFX does not currently offer monthly webinars. Details about searchable webinar archives and investor dictionaries were not specified for either broker.
If you plan to grow beyond the basics, IC Markets also supplies 10+ advanced videos, whereas ATFX does not meet that mark. This shows up in independent ratings: IC Markets earns 4/5 stars for Education and ranks #16 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while ATFX scores 3/5 stars and ranks #28. For beginners who want ongoing lessons and a clear path to more advanced topics, IC Markets has the edge; if you only need starter videos, both can get you underway.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | 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 ATFX. IC Markets finished with an overall rank of #20, while ATFX finished with an overall rank of #51.
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
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ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 84 | 85 |
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Both IC Markets and ATFX do not offer the ability to purchase actual delivered cryptocurrency, but they do provide options to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
IC Markets vs ATFX: for deposits and withdrawals, both do not support ACH or SEPA, both support Skrill and bank wire transfers, only IC Markets supports PayPal, and Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either broker.
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 | IC Markets | ATFX | |
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| Trust Score | 84 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IC Markets Review |
| Broker Screenshots | IC Markets | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Regulation | IC Markets | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 84 | 85 | |
| Year Founded | 2007 | 2017 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 4 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 2 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 3 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | IC Markets | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | IC Markets | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | IC Markets | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 3583 | 150 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 61 | 44 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No | |
| 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). | 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 | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.62 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.62 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | IC Markets | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $200 | $500 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | IC Markets | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | Yes | No |
| Trading Tools | IC Markets | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | IC Markets | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 7 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | IC Markets | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading Central | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | ||
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | IC Markets | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | IC Markets | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | IC Markets Review |
| Overall | IC Markets | ATFX | |
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| Trust Score | 84 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IC Markets Review |
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