Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IFC 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.
IFC Markets and ATFX are two online brokers that cater to diverse trading needs, but they differ significantly when it comes to regulatory trustworthiness. Founded in 2006, IFC Markets is not publicly traded and does not operate as a bank. With no Tier-1 licenses, IFC Markets holds a single Tier-2 license, which contributes to its ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 73. This score places it in the average risk category, indicating a moderate level of trustworthiness for potential investors.
On the other hand, ATFX, established in 2017, also lacks a public trading status and banking operations. However, it stands out with four Tier-1 licenses and two Tier-2 licenses, which reflect a firmer regulatory backing. With a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 85, ATFX falls into the trusted category, offering greater assurance to traders concerning the firm's reliability and adherence to regulatory standards.
| Feature |
IFC Markets
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2006 | 2017 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 0 | 4 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
IFC Markets is fairly transparent on pricing. Its average EUR/USD spread is 1.44 pips, which is higher than the industry average of 1.08 pips, so standard pricing is a bit less competitive. Cost-conscious, active traders can find better value on the new ECN account, where the effective spread comes out to about 1.1 pips after a 0.005% commission on both sides of a trade. There’s no inactivity fee, and active trader discounts can further lower costs. Overall, IFC Markets earns 4 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees and is ranked #40 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com.
ATFX provides fewer public details about pricing. Average spread data is not available, making direct spread comparisons harder. Based on ForexBrokers.com’s assessment, ATFX receives 3 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees and is ranked #61 out of 63 brokers.
In a head-to-head look at commissions and fees, IFC Markets offers clearer pricing and potential savings for higher-volume traders through its ECN account and active trader discounts, plus the perk of no inactivity fees. ATFX’s lack of published average spread figures limits apples-to-apples comparisons, and its lower ranking suggests less competitive overall pricing. Traders should confirm current spreads and commissions on their chosen account type before deciding.
| Feature |
IFC Markets
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $1 | $500 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.44 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.1 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
IFC Markets and ATFX both support forex trading via CFDs or spot contracts, but the size of their product catalogs differs. IFC Markets lists about 630 tradeable symbols and 49 forex pairs, compared with ATFX’s roughly 150 symbols and 44 pairs. Each broker offers copy trading and access to cryptocurrency derivatives, while neither lets you buy actual crypto.
When it comes to exchange-traded securities, neither broker offers access to U.S.-listed shares, but IFC Markets does provide trading in certain international shares, which ATFX does not. For Range of Investments, both earn 3.5 stars from ForexBrokers.com; however, IFC Markets ranks #44 out of 63 brokers, while ATFX ranks #58—signaling that IFC Markets offers a broader selection overall.
| Feature |
IFC Markets
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 630 | 150 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 44 |
| 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). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
IFC Markets and ATFX both offer free demo (paper) accounts, plus desktop and web platforms that include MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5). IFC Markets also provides an in‑house proprietary platform, while ATFX sticks to third‑party options. Both brokers support copy trading and let you place trades directly from charts. Neither integrates DupliTrade or ZuluTrade.
For charting, each broker lists 15 drawing tools and seven watchlist columns; the exact number of built‑in indicators wasn’t specified. In independent testing by ForexBrokers.com, IFC Markets earned 4 stars and ranked #37 out of 63 for Trading Platforms and Tools, while ATFX scored 3.5 stars and ranked #63. In short, both cover the essentials, but IFC Markets edges ahead on platform breadth thanks to its proprietary option and stronger category rating.
| Feature |
IFC Markets
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No |
| 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 | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 15 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
IFC Markets and ATFX both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, with core features traders expect: price alerts, real-time quote watchlists, trendline drawing, multiple time frames, and auto-saved chart drawings. These tools make it easy to monitor forex and other markets and act quickly from your phone.
Key differences come down to charting depth and convenience. IFC Markets provides 30 technical studies versus 7 at ATFX, and it syncs watchlists between the mobile app and your online account, while ATFX does not. In our ratings, IFC Markets earned 4 out of 5 stars for Mobile Trading Apps (ranked #53 by ForexBrokers.com), compared with ATFX at 3.5 stars (ranked #64). If you want more indicators and synced watchlists, IFC Markets is the stronger fit; if you just need the essentials, ATFX covers the basics.
| Feature |
IFC Markets
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 7 |
| 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.
Comparing IFC Markets and ATFX for market research: both publish daily market commentary and provide an economic calendar. Neither streams forex news from premium wires like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones. The key difference is in tools: ATFX integrates Autochartist and Trading Central for chart- and signal-driven insights, while IFC Markets lacks those integrations but does offer a sentiment tool showing long/short positioning; ATFX does not have a sentiment gauge. IFC Markets does not include TipRanks or Acuity Trading; ATFX’s support for TipRanks or Acuity Trading wasn’t specified.
If you prefer built-in technical analysis add-ons, ATFX has the advantage. If you want sentiment data alongside basics like daily commentary and a calendar, IFC Markets fits better. Independent ratings from ForexBrokers.com place IFC Markets at 3.5/5 stars (ranked 41 of 63 for Research) and ATFX at 3/5 stars (ranked 55 of 63).
| Feature |
IFC Markets
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | No |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When comparing educational resources for beginners at IFC Markets and ATFX, both online brokers offer a solid foundation for newcomers in the forex and CFD markets. Each provides more than ten educational materials like articles, videos, and archived webinars focused on these subjects, equipping beginners with essential knowledge to start their trading journey. Both also feature a dictionary with key investing terms, helping to demystify complex concepts. However, while both brokers offer ample beginner videos, IFC Markets distinguishes itself by also providing over ten advanced educational videos for experienced traders, an option that ATFX does not offer. Furthermore, IFC Markets and ATFX do not conduct regular online educational webinars, although ATFX does host a searchable archive of past webinars for client reference, unlike IFC Markets.
Despite these differences, both brokers are competitive in the educational space, with minor variations reflected in their ratings—IFC Markets holds a 3.5-star rating, while ATFX is rated slightly lower at 3 stars for education. Interestingly, ATFX is ranked slightly higher at #28 compared to IFC Markets ranked at #30 by ForexBrokers.com among 63 brokers in the education category. This highlights their close competition in offering educational resources to traders. Ultimately, while both brokers are well-equipped for beginner education, IFC Markets offers more videos suited for advanced traders, potentially catering to a wider range of learning needs.
| Feature |
IFC Markets
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that IFC Markets is better than ATFX. IFC Markets finished with an overall rank of #45, while ATFX finished with an overall rank of #51.
IFC Markets is a well-established broker that has been in operation for 17 years. Forex traders at IFC Markets gain access to multiple trading platforms, a growing range of tradeable markets, and a balanced offering of research and educational content. However, IFC Markets’ Trust Score suffers due to the broker’s limited range of regulatory licenses.
| Feature |
IFC Markets
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ATFX
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|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 73 | 85 |
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Both IFC Markets and ATFX do not provide the option to purchase actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but they do offer the ability to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
Both IFC Markets and ATFX do not support ACH, SEPA, or PayPal for fund transactions, while IFC Markets lacks Skrill support that ATFX provides; both brokers, however, accept Visa/Mastercard and bank wires for depositing and withdrawing funds.
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 | IFC Markets | ATFX | |
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| Trust Score | 73 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
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| Broker Screenshots | IFC Markets | ATFX | |
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| Regulation | IFC Markets | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 73 | 85 | |
| Year Founded | 2006 | 2017 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | ||
| Tier-1 Licenses | 0 | 4 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 2 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | IFC Markets | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | ||
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | ||
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | ||
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| 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). | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | IFC Markets | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | ||
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | No | ||
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | ||
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | IFC Markets | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 630 | 150 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 44 | |
| 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). |
| Cost | IFC Markets | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.44 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.1 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | IFC Markets | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $1 | $500 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | IFC Markets | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No | |
| 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 | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | IFC Markets | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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) | 15 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | IFC Markets | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 7 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | IFC Markets | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | No | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | ||
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | IFC Markets | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | IFC Markets | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
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| Trust Score | 73 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review |
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