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 |
BlackBull Markets has lower trading costs than IFC Markets overall, especially if you choose the Prime account. On that account, the average EUR/USD spread was 0.16 in March 2024, with an all-in cost of 0.76 after commission. BlackBull’s Standard account is commission-free but usually has wider spreads, while the Prime account charges $3 per side and needs a $2,000 minimum deposit. Its ECN Institutional account is aimed at more active traders with at least $20,000 to deposit, and it offers lower commissions of $2 per side.
IFC Markets is a bit more expensive for spread-based trading. Its average EUR/USD spread is 1.44, which is above the industry average of 1.08. For active traders, the newer ECN account is better priced at about 1.1 pips after commission, and IFC Markets also stands out for having no inactivity fee and offering active trader discounts. Even so, its overall pricing is not as competitive as BlackBull Markets for most traders.
In ForexBrokers.com’s Commissions and Fees category, BlackBull Markets is rated 4.5 stars and ranked #9 out of 36 brokers, while IFC Markets is rated 4 stars and ranked #33 out of 36 brokers.
| 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 | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When it comes to range of investments, BlackBull Markets offers a much wider selection than IFC Markets. BlackBull Markets supports forex trading as both CFDs and spot contracts, with 72 forex pairs and about 26,000 tradeable symbols overall. It also gives clients access to exchange-traded U.S. shares and international shares, plus copy trading and cryptocurrency CFDs. By comparison, IFC Markets also offers forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, along with 49 forex pairs and around 630 tradeable symbols. It supports international exchange-traded shares, copy trading, and crypto CFDs, but it does not offer U.S. exchange-traded shares.
These differences are reflected in their ratings and rankings for range of investments. BlackBull Markets earns 5 out of 5 stars and is ranked #7 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com in this category. IFC Markets is rated 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranked #32 out of 36, making BlackBull Markets the stronger choice for traders looking for a broader set of markets and products.
| 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 give traders a wide range of platform choices, including free demo accounts, web-based trading, Windows desktop downloads, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, and copy trading. Each broker also lets users trade directly from charts, which is helpful for quick order entry. In ForexBrokers.com’s Trading Platforms and Tools category, both brokers are rated 4 out of 5 stars, showing that each offers a solid mix of trading features for beginners and active traders alike.
The main difference is that IFC Markets offers its own in-house trading platform, while BlackBull Markets does not. This may matter to traders who want a broker-built platform instead of relying only on third-party software like MT4 and MT5. BlackBull Markets is ranked #25 out of 36 brokers for Trading Platforms and Tools, while IFC Markets is ranked #30, giving BlackBull Markets a slight edge overall in this category.
| 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 both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, making it easy to trade from a phone or tablet. Each app also includes stock and forex price alerts, watchlist syncing with the online account, and chart tools such as 30 technical studies, trendline drawing, and auto-saving drawings. In other words, both brokers give mobile traders the same main features for monitoring markets and managing charts on the go.
Where they differ is in overall ranking. BlackBull Markets is rated 4 out of 5 stars for Mobile Trading Apps and is ranked #28 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets also earns 4 out of 5 stars but is ranked #35 out of 36. For mobile trading, the two brokers are very similar in features, but BlackBull Markets has the stronger overall ranking.
| 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.
BlackBull Markets and IFC Markets both give traders useful market research basics, including daily market commentary, a sentiment tool that shows long and short positioning, and an economic calendar with upcoming global news events. Neither broker offers forex news from major outlets like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, and neither includes research from Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading.
Where BlackBull Markets stands out is its extra research support through Autochartist, which IFC Markets does not provide. That added tool helps traders spot possible chart patterns and market opportunities more easily. As a result, BlackBull Markets earns a higher research score at 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #17 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets scores 3.5 stars and ranks #31.
| 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 beginners looking to learn forex and CFD trading, BlackBull Markets comes out ahead of IFC Markets in overall education support. BlackBull Markets offers forex and CFD education with at least 10 learning pieces, holds online educational webinars at least once a month, and provides more than 10 beginner videos as well as more than 10 advanced videos. It is also rated 4.5 out of 5 stars for Education and is ranked #24 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com in this category.
IFC Markets also gives beginners useful learning material, including at least 10 beginner videos and at least 10 advanced videos, and it offers forex and CFD education with at least 10 learning pieces. However, it does not provide monthly educational webinars, which may matter to new traders who want live guidance. Its Education rating is 3.5 out of 5 stars, and it is ranked #25 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, placing it just behind BlackBull Markets overall.
| 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 #34.
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 funding options, BlackBull Markets supports ACH/SEPA, Skrill, and bank wire transfers (no PayPal; Visa/Mastercard not specified), while IFC Markets offers bank wire only (no ACH/SEPA, Skrill, or PayPal; Visa/Mastercard not specified).
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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 CMA 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 | Yes | 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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