Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of BlackBull Markets vs IFC Markets, 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.
BlackBull Markets (founded 2014) and IFC Markets (founded 2006) are online brokers that are not publicly traded and are not banks. Both can be compared on regulation and overall safety for traders.
Each broker holds one Tier-1 regulatory license (considered highly trusted by ForexBrokers.com) and no Tier-2 licenses. BlackBull Markets has a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 77/99, while IFC Markets scores 73/99; on that scale, 70–79 is viewed as average risk (80–89 trusted, 90–99 highly trusted).
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2014 | 2006 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 5 |
Comparing commissions and fees, BlackBull Markets generally delivers lower all-in trading costs than IFC Markets on popular pairs like EUR/USD. BlackBull Markets earns 4.5/5 stars for commissions and fees and ranks #9 of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets earns 4/5 stars and ranks #32 of 63.
At BlackBull Markets, pricing depends on the account you choose. The Standard account is commission-free with no minimum deposit, but spreads are wider. The Prime account requires a $2,000 minimum and pairs tight raw spreads with a commission of $3 per side ($6 round turn) per standard lot; in March 2024, the average EUR/USD spread was 0.16 pips, for an all-in cost of about 0.76 pips, making Prime the better value for most active traders. BlackBull’s ECN Institutional account targets high-volume traders with a $20,000 minimum and lower commissions of $2 per side ($4 round turn). Overall, BlackBull’s trading costs are about average across the industry but can be very competitive on its Prime and Institutional tiers.
IFC Markets’ average spread for EUR/USD is 1.44 pips on its standard pricing, which is higher than the industry average of 1.08 pips. Its new ECN account improves value for active traders, with an effective EUR/USD cost around 1.1 pips after a 0.005% commission is applied to both sides of the trade. IFC also avoids inactivity fees and offers active-trader discounts, which can help lower your overall costs if you trade regularly.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $1 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.16 | 1.44 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.76 | 1.1 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
BlackBull Markets delivers a far wider range of investments than IFC Markets. BlackBull lists about 26,000 tradable symbols and 72 forex pairs, while IFC Markets offers roughly 630 symbols and 49 pairs. Both brokers let you trade forex as CFDs/spot, support copy trading, and provide cryptocurrency CFDs; neither allows buying actual (delivered) crypto. A key difference is stock access: BlackBull Markets offers exchange-traded U.S. shares as well as international shares, whereas IFC Markets offers international shares but not U.S.-listed stocks.
For Range of Investments, BlackBull Markets is rated 5 stars and ranks #7 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, compared with IFC Markets at 3.5 stars and #31. In short, choose BlackBull Markets if you want a very large selection and access to U.S. and global shares; pick IFC Markets if you’re comfortable with a smaller lineup that still covers forex, international shares, copy trading, and crypto CFDs.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 26000 | 630 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 72 | 49 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| 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). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
BlackBull Markets and IFC Markets both check the key boxes for platform access and tools. Each broker offers a free demo account, Windows desktop and web platforms, copy trading, and support for MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. You can also trade directly from charts with either broker. The main difference is platform variety: IFC Markets adds its own proprietary platform, while BlackBull Markets focuses on third-party options like MetaTrader.
Both brokers earn 4 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools. According to ForexBrokers.com, BlackBull Markets ranks #25 out of 63 brokers in this category, while IFC Markets ranks #29. Pick IFC Markets if you want an extra in-house platform to try alongside MT4/MT5; choose BlackBull Markets if you’re comfortable in the MetaTrader ecosystem and want similar tools with a slightly higher category ranking.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | Yes |
| 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) | 109 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
BlackBull Markets and IFC Markets go feature-for-feature with their mobile trading apps. Both offer iPhone and Android apps with price alerts, synced watchlists across devices, and charting that includes 30 technical indicators. You can draw trendlines on charts in each app, and your drawings auto-save so you can pick up where you left off.
In terms of quality scores, both apps earn 4 out of 5 stars. However, ForexBrokers.com ranks BlackBull Markets slightly higher at #27 versus IFC Markets at #34 out of 63 brokers. If you want a small edge in third-party rankings, BlackBull Markets may appeal; otherwise, the feature sets are nearly identical, so your choice may come down to which app design you prefer.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Comparing market research at BlackBull Markets and IFC Markets, both brokers deliver daily market commentary and an economic calendar to track key events. Each also provides a sentiment tool showing the balance of long and short positions. Neither broker streams forex news from top-tier outlets like Bloomberg or Reuters, and both lack Trading Central, TipRanks, and Acuity Trading integrations. The main difference is tools: BlackBull Markets includes Autochartist for technical and fundamental insights, while IFC Markets does not.
These features are reflected in their scores: BlackBull Markets earns 4.5 out of 5 stars for Research and ranks #16 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets holds 3.5 stars and ranks #30. If you want strong built-in chart setups and scanning via Autochartist, BlackBull Markets has the edge; if you only need daily commentary, sentiment, and an economic calendar, IFC Markets covers the basics.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | No |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginner trading education, both BlackBull Markets and IFC Markets offer plenty of on-demand videos: each provides at least 10 beginner-friendly lessons, plus a library of advanced topics you can grow into. The key difference is live training—BlackBull Markets hosts client webinars at least once a month, giving newcomers a chance to ask questions in real time, while IFC Markets does not offer regular educational webinars.
Independent ratings back up this gap. BlackBull Markets earns 4.5 out of 5 stars for Education and ranks 24th out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets scores 3.5 stars and ranks 25th. If you want live webinars alongside strong video lessons for forex and CFD education, BlackBull Markets has the edge; if you prefer mainly on-demand videos, both brokers can get you started.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that BlackBull Markets is better than IFC Markets. BlackBull Markets finished with an overall rank of #22, while IFC Markets finished with an overall rank of #33.
BlackBull Markets is a growing broker best known for its broad platform support, including MetaTrader, cTrader, TradingView, and copy trading tools, along with a large range of tradeable instruments.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
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IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 77 | 73 |
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Online brokers BlackBull Markets and IFC Markets do not allow buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but both offer cryptocurrency CFD trading.
Comparing BlackBull Markets vs IFC Markets: neither supports ACH/SEPA or PayPal, both support bank wire transfers, BlackBull Markets additionally supports Skrill while IFC Markets does not, 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 | BlackBull Markets | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 77 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | BlackBull Markets Review |
| Broker Screenshots | BlackBull Markets | IFC Markets | |
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| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Regulation | BlackBull Markets | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 77 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 2014 | 2006 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | ||
| Tier-1 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 5 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | BlackBull Markets | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | ||
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | ||
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | ||
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | ||
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | ||
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | No | ||
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | ||
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | BlackBull Markets | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | ||
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | No | ||
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | ||
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | BlackBull Markets | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 26000 | 630 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 72 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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). |
| Cost | BlackBull Markets | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.16 | 1.44 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.76 | 1.1 | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | BlackBull Markets | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $1 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | BlackBull Markets | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | Yes | |
| 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 | BlackBull Markets | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 109 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | BlackBull Markets | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | BlackBull Markets | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | No | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | BlackBull Markets | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | BlackBull Markets | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | BlackBull Markets Review |
| Overall | BlackBull Markets | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 77 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | BlackBull Markets Review |
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