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 |
When comparing IFC Markets and ATFX in terms of commissions and fees, IFC Markets offers a slightly more competitive edge. With an average spread for EUR/USD at 1.44, which is higher than the industry average of 1.08, IFC Markets is not the most competitive option. However, their new ECN account provides more favorable effective spreads for active traders at 1.1 pips, with a 0.005% commission on both sides of a trade. Importantly, the absence of inactivity fees and the inclusion of active trader discounts add financial appeal to IFC Markets' offerings. Overall, the broker earns a solid 4-star rating for commissions and fees and ranks #39 out of 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com.
In contrast, ATFX's commissions and fees structure is less clearly defined, with average spread data not readily available. This lack of transparency could make it challenging for traders to ascertain the cost-effectiveness of trading with ATFX. As a result, ATFX garners a 3-star rating for commissions and fees, placing it at a lower #60 ranking out of 63 brokers, as per ForexBrokers.com assessments.
| 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.
When it comes to the variety of tradeable investments, both IFC Markets and ATFX offer forex trading as a CFD or spot contract, providing opportunities to access the forex market. However, IFC Markets edges ahead with a broader selection, offering 630 tradeable symbols compared to ATFX's 150. Forex enthusiasts will find IFC Markets slightly more accommodating with 49 tradeable forex pairs against ATFX’s 44. For investors looking to trade international exchange-traded securities, IFC Markets has the upper hand, offering options like Vodafone shares on international exchanges, whereas ATFX does not provide this feature.
Both brokers support copy trading, catering to those who prefer to mirror the strategies of successful traders. While neither broker allows for the purchase of actual cryptocurrencies, they both provide the option to trade cryptocurrency derivatives. Despite these offerings, their range of investments is rated similarly with both receiving 3.5 stars. Despite this, IFC Markets ranks higher in the Range of Investments category, placed at #43 compared to ATFX, which ranks at #57 out of 63 brokers, indicating a generally wider scope of investment opportunities at IFC Markets.
| 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.
When comparing IFC Markets and ATFX, both brokers offer a comprehensive range of trading platforms and tools that cater to the needs of traders. Each offers a demo account for paper trading, allowing users to practice without the risk of losing real money. However, a key distinction is that IFC Markets provides its own proprietary platform developed in-house, while ATFX does not. Both brokers support MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, which are popular choices among traders, and offer platforms that are accessible on both desktop and web-based browsers. Furthermore, IFC Markets and ATFX facilitate copy trading, although neither supports DupliTrade or ZuluTrade.
In terms of technical tools, each broker is equipped with an equal number of drawing tools for charting, totaling 15. Both platforms allow traders the convenience of executing trades directly from stock charts. When it comes to watch lists, traders can enjoy the same number of columns, with both brokers offering seven fields. Despite these similarities, IFC Markets holds a slight advantage in terms of overall satisfaction with its trading platforms and tools, receiving a four-star rating compared to ATFX's 3.5 stars. This is further reflected in their rankings by ForexBrokers.com, where IFC Markets stands at #36 out of 63 brokers, significantly higher than ATFX's position at #62.
| 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.
When it comes to mobile trading apps, both IFC Markets and ATFX offer options for iPhone and Android users. They each provide stock and forex price alerts, as well as the ability to draw trendlines and view multiple time frames on charts. However, IFC Markets stands out with its advanced features, offering 30 technical studies for charting compared to just 7 from ATFX. Additionally, IFC Markets ensures your watchlist is always up to date by syncing it with your online account, a feature ATFX lacks.
Both brokers allow users to create watchlists with real-time quotes and auto-save chart drawings. Despite their similarities, IFC Markets slightly outshines ATFX with a 4-star rating compared to ATFX's 3.5 stars. In rankings by ForexBrokers.com, IFC Markets is positioned at #52, whereas ATFX sits at #63 out of 63 brokers for mobile trading apps. Therefore, for traders seeking a more comprehensive and integrated mobile trading experience, IFC Markets could be the better choice.
| 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.
In the quest for comprehensive market research, IFC Markets and ATFX both provide daily market commentary, helping traders stay informed with relevant insights. However, only ATFX offers advanced technical analysis tools from renowned companies like Autochartist and Trading Central, aiding investors with detailed analytical capabilities. Though neither firm incorporates top-tier forex news from sources like Bloomberg or Reuters, they both ensure traders are aware of global economic events through well-maintained economic calendars.
For investors interested in sentiment tools, IFC Markets stands out with its sentiment-based trading feature that provides a clear view of market positions. Despite lacking support from companies like TipRanks and Acuity Trading for research tools, both brokers maintain a stable offering. When evaluating market research quality, IFC Markets has a slight edge, rated at 3.5 stars and ranking at 40 out of 63 brokers, compared to ATFX's 3-star rating and 54th place ranking. This reflects IFC Markets' focus and advantage in delivering essential trading information.
| 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 | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | 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
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| 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). | No | 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) | No | 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) | No | No | |
| 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). | No | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | IFC Markets | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | 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 | 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 | |
| Review |
| Overall | IFC Markets | ATFX | |
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| Trust Score | 73 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review |
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