Charles Schwab vs IFC Markets Comparison
We’ve made it easy to compare the best forex brokers, side-by-side. Our editorial team has collected thousands of data points, written hundreds of thousands of words of research, and tested over 60 brokers to help you find the best forex brokers in the industry. Our research is unbiased and independent; learn more about how we test. That same research and data powers our broker comparisons. Let's compare Charles Schwab vs IFC Markets.
Can I trust Charles Schwab?
Charles Schwab is publicly-traded, does operate a bank, and is authorised by five Tier-1 regulators (Highly Trusted), zero Tier-2 regulators (Trusted), zero Tier-3 regulators (Average Risk), and zero Tier-4 regulators (High Risk). Schwab is authorised by the following Tier-1 regulators: Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO), Securities Futures Commission (SFC), Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
Can I trust IFC Markets?
IFC Markets is not publicly traded and does not operate a bank. IFC Markets is authorised by zero Tier-1 regulators (Highly Trusted), zero Tier-2 regulators (Trusted), zero Tier-3 regulators (Average Risk), and one Tier-4 regulator (High Risk). IFC Markets is authorised by the following tier-1 regulators: BVI Financial Services Commission (FSC).
Is Charles Schwab good?
Charles Schwab is a highly trusted financial institution and multi-asset broker catering to U.S.-based and international forex traders. Schwab's award-winning thinkorswim platform offers over 70 tradeable currency pairs alongside impressive tools, research, and education. That said, the broker’s forex offering is still largely limited to what is available on thinkorswim.
Is IFC Markets good?
IFC Markets is a well-established broker that has been in operation for 17 years. Forex traders at ICF 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.
What is the minimum deposit requirement for opening an account with Charles Schwab?
To open a trading account with Charles Schwab, you'll need to make an initial minimum deposit of $0.
What is the minimum deposit requirement for opening an account with IFC Markets?
IFC Markets requires a minimum deposit of $1 before you can open an account and start trading.
What funding options does each broker offer?
It's important to make sure that your forex broker accepts the funding options and deposit methods that work best for you. Charles Schwab offers Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) for banking, whereas IFC Markets provides Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) and Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw). Neither have PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw), Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) and Neteller (Deposit/Withdraw).
Does Charles Schwab or IFC Markets offer lower pricing?
Comparing the trading costs of forex and CFDs is not easy. Not every broker publishes average spread data, and pricing structures vary. Based on our thorough, data-driven testing of each broker's commissions and fees, we found that Charles Schwab offers better pricing overall for traders.
Methodology: When testing each broker's commissions, fees, and pricing, we analyze multiple trade scenarios and award points based on the expansiveness (or inexpensiveness) of the broker's spreads. We then run multiple scenarios for different investor types, incorporating any miscellaneous fees, to determine an "all-in" cost per trade. Learn more about how we test.
Is Charles Schwab or IFC Markets safer for forex and CFDs trading?
At ForexBrokers.com, we track over 110 international regulatory agencies and sort them by tiers (Tier-1, Tier-2, Tier-3, Tier-4, and Tier-5) to help you choose well-regulated, highly trusted forex brokers. Learn more about our proprietary Trust Score rating system. Based on our research on the regulatory status of over 60 brokers, we've found that Charles Schwab holds 5 global Tier-1 licenses, while IFC Markets holds 0. IFC Markets holds 1 global Tier-2 licenses, while Charles Schwab holds 0.
After evaluating each broker based on their number of held licenses, years in business, and a range of other data-driven variables, we've determined that Charles Schwab (99) earned a higher Trust Score than IFC Markets (73).
Which trading platform is better: Charles Schwab or IFC Markets?
To compare the trading platforms of both Charles Schwab and IFC Markets, we tested each broker's trading tools, research capabilities, and mobile apps. For trading tools, Charles Schwab offers a better experience. With research, Charles Schwab offers superior market research. Finally, we found Charles Schwab to provide better mobile trading apps.
Here’s what trading platforms are available at Charles Schwab:
- Proprietary Platform - Yes
- Web Platform - Yes
- cTrader - No
- DupliTrade - No
- MT4 - No
- MT5 - No
- ZuluTrade - No
- TradingView - No
Here’s what trading platforms are available at IFC Markets:
- Proprietary Platform - Yes
- Web Platform - Yes
- cTrader - No
- DupliTrade - No
- MT4 - Yes
- MT5 - Yes
- ZuluTrade - No
- TradingView - No
What about MetaTrader? How about copy trading?
The MetaTrader trading platform suite is wildly popular among forex and CFD traders across the globe. IFC Markets offers MetaTrader 4 (MT4), while Charles Schwab does not. Forex traders also appreciate the ability to engage in social copy trading. While IFC Markets offers copy trading, Charles Schwab does not.
What can I trade with each broker?
Charles Schwab provides traders 73 currency pairs (e.g., EUR/USD) compared to IFC Markets's 49 available pairs. If you are interested in trading a full range of securities, Charles Schwab offers traders access to 40000 tradeable symbols, while IFC Markets offers access to 630 tradeable symbols; so Charles Schwab offers 39370 more tradeable symbols than IFC Markets.
We found in our testing that Charles Schwab offers a more diverse selection of investment options than IFC Markets, allowing you to trade Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs), Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) and Cryptocurrency (Derivative). Neither have Cryptocurrency (Physical) and Spread Betting.
Overall winner: Charles Schwab
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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.