Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of FP 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.
FP Markets, established in 2005, and IFC Markets, founded a year later, are both prominent online brokers, although neither is publicly traded or operates as a bank. When evaluating their trust levels, FP Markets takes the lead with a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 89, categorizing it as a trusted broker. This higher score is backed by FP Markets' possession of two Tier-1 licenses, recognized as highly trusted, along with one Tier-2 license, which is regarded as trusted.
In comparison, IFC Markets holds a Trust Score of 73, which places it in the average risk category according to ForexBrokers.com. IFC Markets lacks any Tier-1 licenses but does have one Tier-2 license, indicating a measure of trust. For traders prioritizing regulatory standing, FP Markets offers a stronger position due to its higher trust score and licensing credentials.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2005 | 2006 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
FP Markets and IFC Markets both keep an eye on costs, but they take different routes. FP Markets shines for low-cost trading on its commission-based ECN setup, while IFC Markets is more middle-of-the-pack on spread-only pricing and adds value with no inactivity fees. Ratings and rankings reflect this split: FP Markets earns 5/5 stars and ranks #6 of 63 for Commissions and Fees at ForexBrokers.com; IFC Markets holds 4/5 stars and ranks #40 of 63.
FP Markets’ Raw ECN account averages 0.1 pips on EUR/USD (about 0.8 pips all-in after commission), with a $6 per round-turn per standard lot on MetaTrader and cTrader. Its Standard account is spread-only and averages 1.1 pips. FP Markets also won Best in Class for Commissions and Fees in 2024. For share CFDs, the Iress suite offers Direct Market Access with full depth of book, but the ViewPoint tiers (Standard AUD 1,000; Platinum AUD 25,000; Premier AUD 50,000) can add platform and data fees unless you qualify for Premier or generate at least AUD 150 in monthly commissions. The lower-cost Iress Investor plan waives monthly fees but limits live data and charting.
IFC Markets’ typical EUR/USD spread is 1.44 pips on its standard setup, higher than the industry average of 1.08. Its ECN account narrows costs to about 1.1 pips effective after a 0.005% commission charged on both sides of the trade. It also avoids inactivity fees and offers active trader discounts. Bottom line: FP Markets generally delivers cheaper all-in costs for active forex traders using a Raw/ECN model, while IFC Markets’ ECN pricing helps close the gap and its fee policies may appeal to cost-conscious, less active clients.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 AUD | $1 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.2 | 1.44 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.7 | 1.1 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
FP Markets vs IFC Markets: When it comes to range of investments, FP Markets lists about 10,000 tradeable symbols compared with 630 at IFC Markets. Forex traders get 71 currency pairs at FP Markets versus 49 at IFC Markets. Both brokers offer forex trading and copy trading. Crypto exposure is available at both through cryptocurrency CFDs; neither lets you buy actual (delivered) crypto.
For real exchange-traded shares, FP Markets does not offer U.S. or international stocks, while IFC Markets provides access to some international exchange-traded securities (but not U.S. stocks). Reflecting this lineup, ForexBrokers.com rates FP Markets 4.5/5 for Range of Investments (ranked 19th of 63), and IFC Markets 3.5/5 (ranked 44th). Choose FP Markets if sheer instrument count and more forex pairs matter most; pick IFC Markets if you want the option to trade certain international stocks directly.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 10000 | 630 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 71 | 49 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | 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.
Comparing online brokers FP Markets and IFC Markets on trading platforms and tools, both check the key boxes for most traders. Each offers a free demo (paper) account, a proprietary in-house platform, and popular MetaTrader options (MT4 and MT5). You can trade in a Windows desktop app or through a web browser, use copy trading, and place orders directly from charts—handy for timing entries and exits without switching screens.
For quality at a glance, both brokers earn 4 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools. If third-party rankings matter, FP Markets is placed higher at #23 out of 63 brokers, while IFC Markets sits at #37, according to ForexBrokers.com. In short, both cover the essentials; FP Markets gets the edge in category ranking, while IFC Markets matches it feature-for-feature for everyday platform needs.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | 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) | 30 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
FP Markets and IFC Markets both offer iPhone and Android trading apps with price alerts. Each earns 4 stars for Mobile Trading Apps from ForexBrokers.com, but FP Markets is ranked #18 out of 63 brokers, while IFC Markets is #53, which indicates FP Markets is more highly regarded for mobile trading overall.
For charting, FP Markets’ app uses MetaTrader’s default indicator set, while IFC Markets lists 30 technical studies. Both let you draw trendlines and automatically save your chart drawings. The key difference is watchlists: FP Markets does not sync symbols between the mobile app and your online account, whereas IFC Markets does. If synced watchlists are important, IFC Markets has the edge; if you prefer a higher-ranked app and the MetaTrader environment, FP Markets is appealing.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | MetaTrader (Default) | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
FP Markets vs IFC Markets: both brokers deliver daily market commentary, a global economic calendar, and a sentiment tool showing long/short positioning. The key split is depth. FP Markets adds forex news from top-tier sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, and integrates popular third‑party research suites Trading Central and Autochartist for trade ideas and technical setups. IFC Markets does not offer those premium news feeds or tools. Neither broker includes TipRanks or Acuity Trading.
Ratings back up the difference: FP Markets scores 4/5 stars for Research and ranks #25 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets earns 3.5/5 stars and ranks #41. Choose FP Markets if you want integrated premium news and advanced idea-generation tools; pick IFC Markets if you’re fine with the essentials like commentary, sentiment, and an economic calendar.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central | Yes | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
FP Markets vs IFC Markets for beginner education: both brokers give new traders a strong video starting point, with at least 10 beginner-focused videos and another 10+ advanced videos to grow into. The key difference is live training. FP Markets runs client webinars at least once a month, while IFC Markets does not. For many beginners in forex and CFDs, recurring webinars make it easier to ask questions, see examples, and turn ideas into practice.
Independent ratings reflect this gap. FP Markets earns 4 stars for Education and ranks #23 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets holds 3.5 stars and ranks #30. If live classes and a slightly stronger overall program matter to you, FP Markets edges ahead. If you mainly want on‑demand videos to learn forex and CFD basics at your own pace, IFC Markets still delivers.
| Feature |
FP 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 FP Markets is better than IFC Markets. FP Markets finished with an overall rank of #19, while IFC Markets finished with an overall rank of #45.
FP Markets shines as a low-cost broker for trading forex and CFDs – as long as you use the MetaTrader platform. The Iress platform suite offers well over 9,000 tradeable symbols, but it’s mostly a share trading platform – and is generally a much pricier option.
| Feature |
FP Markets
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IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 89 | 73 |
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In the FP Markets vs IFC Markets comparison for cryptocurrency trading, neither broker supports purchasing actual delivered cryptocurrencies, but both provide access to trade cryptocurrency CFDs.
FP Markets vs IFC Markets: for deposits and withdrawals, both lack ACH or SEPA but support bank wires; FP Markets additionally supports PayPal and 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 | FP Markets | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 89 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FP Markets Review |
| Broker Screenshots | FP Markets | IFC Markets | |
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| Regulation | FP Markets | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 89 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 2005 | 2006 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | ||
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 0 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | FP Markets | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | ||
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | ||
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | ||
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | ||
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | No | ||
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | ||
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | FP Markets | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | ||
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | No | ||
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | ||
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | FP Markets | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 10000 | 630 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 71 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | 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 | FP Markets | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.2 | 1.44 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.7 | 1.1 | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | FP Markets | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 AUD | $1 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | FP Markets | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | 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 | FP Markets | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | FP Markets | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | MetaTrader (Default) | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | FP Markets | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | FP Markets | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | FP 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 | FP Markets Review |
| Overall | FP Markets | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 89 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FP Markets Review |
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