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IC Markets vs IFC Markets 2025

ForexBrokers.com

Written by ForexBrokers.com

February 05, 2025

In this head to head comparison of IC Markets vs IFC Markets, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.

IC Markets
4.5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $200
  • Trust Score: 84
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 3583
IFC Markets
4/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $1
  • Trust Score: 73
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 630

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.

Regulation

Founded in 2007, IC Markets stands out in the online brokerage landscape with a solid Trust Score of 84, affirming a 'trusted' status from ForexBrokers.com. This ensures clients have a reliable trading partner. While not publicly traded or a bank, IC Markets' credibility is strengthened by its possession of two Tier-1 licenses, which are highly trusted by industry standards. This positions it as a go-to choice for those seeking assurance in their trading activities.

In contrast, IFC Markets, established a year earlier in 2006, holds a Trust Score of 73, which lands it in the 'average risk' category. This broker, also not publicly traded or a bank, offers one Tier-2 license, indicating a level of trust but slightly lower than that of Tier-1. While both brokers present viable online trading solutions, IC Markets may appeal more to those prioritizing licensing authority and trust scores.

Feature IC Markets logoIC Markets
IFC Markets logoIFC Markets
Year Founded info 2007 2006
Publicly Traded (Listed) info No No
Bank info No No
Tier-1 Licenses info 2 0
Tier-2 Licenses info 0 1
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 3 1

Fees

If you’re comparing commissions and fees, IC Markets generally comes out cheaper than IFC Markets. IC Markets earns 5 stars for Commissions & Fees and ranks #5 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets holds 4 stars and ranks #40. IC Markets also picked up Best in Class honors in the 2024 Annual Awards for its low effective spreads and low minimum deposit on commission-based accounts.

IC Markets offers three account types: Standard (spread-only), Raw Spread on MT4/MT5, and cTrader Raw Spread. Commissions are $3.0 per side per 100k on cTrader ($6 round turn) and $3.5 per side on MT4/MT5 ($7 round turn). Its average raw EUR/USD spread is listed at 0.02 pips, putting all-in costs around 0.62 pips on cTrader and 0.72 pips on MetaTrader; the Standard account averages about 0.62 pips with no commission. Spreads vary by platform, account, and entity (Cyprus, Australia, Seychelles), and active traders get discounts for 100+ lots per month.

IFC Markets’ average EUR/USD spread is 1.44 pips, above the industry average of 1.08 pips. More active traders can lower costs with the ECN account, which has an effective spread near 1.1 pips after the 0.005% commission on both sides of a trade. There are no inactivity fees and active trader discounts are available, but even with these perks, IFC Markets’ pricing is generally higher than IC Markets for most trading styles.

Feature IC Markets logoIC Markets
IFC Markets logoIFC Markets
Minimum Deposit info $200 $1
Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account info 0.62 info 1.44 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.62 info 1.1 info
Non-wire bank transfer info No No
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes No
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes No
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.

Featured Offers


Range of investments

IC Markets vs IFC Markets: For range of investments, IC Markets lists 3,583 tradeable symbols versus IFC Markets’ 630. In forex, IC Markets offers 61 currency pairs compared with 49 at IFC Markets. That wider lineup helps IC Markets earn 4.5/5 stars and rank 26th out of 63 brokers for Range of Investments on ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets holds 3.5/5 stars and ranks 44th.

Both brokers let you trade forex as CFDs or spot, support copy trading, and provide cryptocurrency trading via CFDs (but not the actual coins). Neither offers exchange-traded securities on U.S. exchanges, yet both allow access to real shares on certain international exchanges. If you want the broadest selection, IC Markets has the edge; if you only need the essentials, IFC Markets covers the key markets.

Feature IC Markets logoIC Markets
IFC Markets logoIFC Markets
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 3583 630
Forex Pairs (Total) info 61 49
U.S. Stocks (Shares) info No No
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info Yes Yes
Copy Trading info Yes Yes
Cryptocurrency (Underlying) info No No
Cryptocurrency (CFDs) info 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.

Trading platforms and tools

IC Markets and IFC Markets both make it easy to get started with a free demo account for paper trading. Each broker offers Windows desktop and web-based platforms, supports copy trading, and includes popular third-party choices like MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5). You can place trades directly from charts with either broker. The exact number of built-in technical indicators and watch list fields isn’t specified for either.

The main difference is that IFC Markets also offers a proprietary platform, while IC Markets focuses on third-party platforms. For Trading Platforms and Tools, both earn 4 stars, but IC Markets is ranked higher (#16 of 63) than IFC Markets (#37 of 63) by ForexBrokers.com, which may matter if platform quality and toolset ranking are priorities for you.

Feature IC Markets logoIC Markets
IFC Markets logoIFC Markets
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform info No Yes
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes Yes
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Copy Trading info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info Yes Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 30 30
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.

Forex trading apps

IC Markets and IFC Markets both offer iPhone and Android trading apps with price alerts and solid charting tools. Each mobile platform includes 30 technical studies, supports drawing trendlines, and auto-saves your chart annotations so your analysis stays in place.

The key difference is watchlists: IFC Markets syncs your symbols between the mobile app and your online account, while IC Markets does not. Both earn 4 stars for Mobile Trading Apps, yet IC Markets is ranked higher overall (#22 of 63) than IFC Markets (#53 of 63) by ForexBrokers.com. Pick IC Markets if overall app standing matters most, or choose IFC Markets if synced watchlists across devices are a priority.

Feature IC Markets logoIC Markets
IFC Markets logoIFC Markets
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Price Alerts info Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlists - Syncing info No Yes
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info 30 30
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.

Market research

IC Markets and IFC Markets both cover the basics for market research, including daily market commentary, an economic calendar, and a sentiment tool that shows long/short positioning. The key differences show up in news and third‑party analytics: IC Markets delivers forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, while IFC Markets does not. IC Markets also offers popular technical analysis tools from Autochartist and Trading Central; IFC Markets lacks both. Neither broker provides research from TipRanks or Acuity Trading (Signal Centre).

These features are reflected in independent ratings: IC Markets earns 4 stars for Research and ranks #23 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets scores 3.5 stars and ranks #41. In short, traders who want integrated news and advanced third‑party analysis may prefer IC Markets, whereas IFC Markets covers core research needs with commentary, sentiment, and an economic calendar.

Feature IC Markets logoIC Markets
IFC Markets logoIFC Markets
Daily Market Commentary (Articles) info Yes Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes No
Autochartist info Yes No
Trading Central info Yes No
Client sentiment data info Yes Yes
TipRanks info No No
Acuity Trading info No No
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.

Beginners and education

For beginners comparing forex and CFD education, both IC Markets and IFC Markets deliver a sizable catalog of learning resources. Each broker offers at least 10 beginner videos and at least 10 advanced videos that explain trading topics in plain terms. IC Markets adds monthly live educational webinars, giving newcomers a chance to ask questions in real time, while IFC Markets does not run monthly webinars. If you prefer live sessions alongside on-demand videos, IC Markets has the edge; if you mainly want a video library you can watch anytime, IFC Markets also fits.

Independent ratings back this up: IC Markets earns 4 stars for Education and ranks #16 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets scores 3.5 stars and ranks #30. In short, both brokers provide ample forex and CFD education, but IC Markets offers more ongoing live learning and a higher overall education score.

Feature IC Markets logoIC Markets
IFC Markets logoIFC Markets
Webinars info Yes No
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.

Winner

After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that IC Markets is better than IFC Markets. IC Markets finished with an overall rank of #20, while IFC Markets finished with an overall rank of #45.

IC Markets’ competitive pricing and scalable execution make it an excellent option for algorithmic traders. Though it supports an impressive range of third-party tools and plugins, IC Markets’ research and education offerings are not as impressive as those offered by industry leaders.

Feature IC Markets logoIC Markets
IFC Markets logoIFC Markets
Overall Rating info 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trust Score info 84 73
Range of Investments 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with IC Markets or IFC Markets?

IC Markets vs IFC Markets: neither broker lets you buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both offer cryptocurrency CFDs for trading.

What funding options does each broker offer?

IC Markets vs IFC Markets: both online brokers do not support ACH or SEPA and both accept bank wire transfers, but IC Markets additionally supports PayPal and Skrill while IFC Markets does not; availability of Visa or Mastercard funding/withdrawals is not specified for either.

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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.

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Overall Rating IC Markets IFC Markets
Overall Rating info 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Range of Investments 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Education 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trust Score info 84 73
Winner check_circle
Review IC Markets Review
Broker Screenshots IC Markets IFC Markets
Broker Gallery (click to expand) info
IC Markets cTrader mobile app charting IC Markets EU cTrader desktop trading platform layout IC Markets webinar IC Your Trade YouTube video series. IC Markets Educational content blog articles.
Regulation IC Markets IFC Markets
Trust Score info 84 73
Year Founded info 2007 2006
Publicly Traded (Listed) info No No
Bank info No No
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info Yes info
Tier-1 Licenses info 2 0
Tier-2 Licenses info 0 1
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 3 1
Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) IC Markets IFC Markets
Australia (ASIC Authorised) info Yes
Canada (CIRO Authorised) info No
Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) info No
Japan (FSA Authorised) info No
Singapore (MAS Authorised) info No
Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) info
United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) info No
USA (CFTC Authorized) info No
New Zealand (FMA Authorised) info No
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info Yes info
Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) IC Markets IFC Markets
Kenya (CMA Authorised) info
Israel (ISA Authorised) info No
South Africa (FSCA Authorised) info No Yes
UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) info No
India (SEBI Authorised) info No
Jordan (JSC Authorised) info
Investments IC Markets IFC Markets
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 3583 630
Forex Pairs (Total) info 61 49
U.S. Stocks (Shares) info No No
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info Yes Yes
Copy Trading info Yes Yes
Cryptocurrency (Underlying) info No No
Cryptocurrency (CFDs) info 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 IC Markets IFC Markets
Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account info 0.62 info 1.44 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.62 info 1.1 info
Inactivity Fee info No No
Order execution: Agency info Yes Yes
Order execution: Market Maker info Yes Yes
Funding IC Markets IFC Markets
Minimum Deposit info $200 $1
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes No
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes No
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
Non-wire bank transfer info No No
Trading Platforms IC Markets IFC Markets
Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform info No Yes
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes Yes
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Copy Trading info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info Yes Yes
cTrader info Yes No
Trading Tools IC Markets IFC Markets
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Price Alerts info Yes Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 30 30
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes
Charts can be saved info Yes Yes
Mobile Trading IC Markets IFC Markets
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Price Alerts info Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] info
Mobile Watchlists - Syncing info No Yes
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info 30 30
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave info Yes Yes
Mobile Research - Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Research IC Markets IFC Markets
Daily Market Commentary (Articles) info Yes Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes No
Autochartist info Yes No
Trading Central info Yes No
TipRanks info No No
Client sentiment data info Yes Yes
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Education IC Markets IFC Markets
Webinars info Yes No
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Major Forex Pairs IC Markets IFC Markets
GBP/USD [DELETED] info
USD/JPY [DELETED] info
EUR/USD info Yes Yes
USD/CHF [DELETED] info
USD/CAD [DELETED] info
NZD/USD [DELETED] info
AUD/USD [DELETED] info
Review IC Markets Review
Overall IC Markets IFC Markets
Overall Rating info 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Range of Investments 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Education 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trust Score info 84 73
Winner check_circle
Review IC Markets Review
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