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Pepperstone vs IFC Markets 2026

ForexBrokers.com

Written by ForexBrokers.com

February 05, 2025

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

Pepperstone
4.5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0
  • Trust Score: 95
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 1726
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

Pepperstone, founded in 2010, and IFC Markets, established in 2006, are both online brokers with distinct regulatory standings. Neither is publicly traded or operates as a bank, but when it comes to trustworthiness, there are notable differences. According to ForexBrokers.com, Pepperstone holds three Tier-1 licenses and two Tier-2 licenses, earning a high Trust Score of 95, indicating it is highly trusted. In contrast, IFC Markets, with no Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license, has a Trust Score of 73, categorizing it as average risk.

These figures suggest that Pepperstone might be a more reassuring choice for those prioritizing security and regulatory oversight, given its excellent trust score and numerous top-tier licenses. On the other hand, IFC Markets could be suited for traders who are comfortable with a moderate level of risk, reflected in its Trust Score. This essential information offers potential investors a clear understanding of each broker's credibility and regulatory framework.

Feature Pepperstone logoPepperstone
IFC Markets logoIFC Markets
Year Founded info 2010 2006
Publicly Traded (Listed) info No No
Bank info No No
Tier-1 Licenses info 3 0
Tier-2 Licenses info 2 1
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 2 1

Fees

Pepperstone and IFC Markets both keep costs in check, but they shine in different ways. Pepperstone earns 4.5/5 stars for commissions and fees and ranks #6 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets scores 4/5 stars and ranks #32 out of 63. On EUR/USD, Pepperstone’s Razor account posts an all-in cost near 0.80 pips (0.10‑pip average spread plus a 0.70‑pip commission equivalent), which is typically cheaper than IFC Markets’ average spread of 1.44 pips and below its ECN account’s effective 1.1 pips after a 0.005% commission on both sides. Pepperstone’s Standard account averages 1.1 pips, roughly in line with IFC’s ECN but above Razor.

Pepperstone’s Razor account uses commission-based pricing across TradingView, MetaTrader (MT4/MT5), and cTrader, delivering its best pricing around 0.80 pips all-in on EUR/USD (as of July 2024). The commission-free Standard account averages 1.1 pips, making it the pricier choice versus Razor. High-volume traders can cut costs further via Pepperstone’s Active Trader program: in the U.K. and EU, Professional clients trading at least £20 million per month can get a 15% spread rebate per lot, improving to 25% above £200 million; in Australia, Professional clients can receive tiered discounts from 10% per standard lot (100 lots over three months) up to 30% for more than 3001 lots monthly.

IFC Markets’ headline EUR/USD spread averages 1.44 pips, higher than the industry average of 1.08, but its ECN account narrows effective pricing to about 1.1 pips once the 0.005% per‑side commission is factored in. The broker does not charge inactivity fees and offers active trader discounts, which can help offset costs for frequent traders. Overall, IFC Markets is competitively priced if you use the ECN account and value the no‑inactivity‑fee policy, while Pepperstone’s Razor account—especially with Active Trader rebates—tends to deliver lower all‑in costs for many forex traders.

Feature Pepperstone logoPepperstone
IFC Markets logoIFC Markets
Minimum Deposit info $0 $1
Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account info 1.1 info 1.44 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.8 info 1.1 info
Non-wire bank transfer info Yes No
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes No
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info No No
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.

Featured Offers


Range of investments

Pepperstone vs IFC Markets: Both brokers let you trade forex as CFDs or spot, support cryptocurrency CFDs (but not actual crypto), and offer copy trading. Pepperstone delivers a bigger selection with 1,726 tradeable symbols and 65 forex pairs, while IFC Markets lists 630 symbols and 49 pairs—giving Pepperstone the edge if you want more markets to choose from.

Neither broker lets you buy U.S.-listed stocks outright, but IFC Markets does provide some international exchange-traded shares (not CFDs), while Pepperstone does not. For Range of Investments, Pepperstone scores 4 out of 5 stars and ranks 23rd out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, compared with IFC Markets at 3.5 stars and 31st. Choose Pepperstone for greater instrument and forex pair variety, or IFC Markets if direct access to certain overseas shares matters to you.

Feature Pepperstone logoPepperstone
IFC Markets logoIFC Markets
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 1726 630
Forex Pairs (Total) info 65 49
U.S. Stocks (Shares) info No No
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info No 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

Pepperstone and IFC Markets both check the key boxes for trading platforms and tools. Each broker offers a free demo (paper) account, a proprietary platform, a Windows desktop platform, and a web-based platform. You’ll also find copy trading and support for MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5). Both let you place orders directly from charts, which is handy for timing entries and exits.

In independent testing by ForexBrokers.com, both brokers earned 4 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools. Pepperstone holds a higher category ranking at #21 out of 63 brokers, while IFC Markets ranks #29. In short, the feature set is very similar, but Pepperstone has a slight edge in overall platform/tools ranking, while IFC Markets delivers comparable capabilities with its own in-house platform option.

Feature Pepperstone logoPepperstone
IFC Markets logoIFC Markets
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform info Yes 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 15 30
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes

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

Forex trading apps

Pepperstone and IFC Markets both deliver capable mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each app offers price alerts, synced watchlists between mobile and your online account, and charting with 30 built-in technical studies. You can draw trendlines on charts, and your drawings auto-save so your work is there when you come back.

Both brokers earn 4 out of 5 stars for Mobile Trading Apps from ForexBrokers.com, but Pepperstone holds a higher category ranking (#19 of 63) compared with IFC Markets (#34). If you want similar tools on the go, either app fits the bill; if rankings influence your choice, Pepperstone edges ahead.

Feature Pepperstone logoPepperstone
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 Yes 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

Pepperstone and IFC Markets both cover the essentials for market research: daily market commentary and an economic calendar to track upcoming events. Each also provides a sentiment tool that shows the ratio of long versus short positions, which can help you gauge crowd behavior. That said, neither broker integrates Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading.

Pepperstone pulls ahead with forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, and it offers Autochartist tools that highlight trade ideas and technical patterns—features IFC Markets does not provide. Reflecting these differences, Pepperstone earns 4.5/5 stars for Research and ranks #12 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets holds 3.5/5 stars and ranks #30. If you want deeper news coverage and automated chart insights, Pepperstone is the stronger pick; if you just need essential commentary, a calendar, and sentiment data, IFC Markets can get the job done.

Feature Pepperstone logoPepperstone
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 No 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

Pepperstone vs IFC Markets for beginners: Pepperstone offers monthly online educational webinars and a large catalog of beginner and advanced videos (10+ in each category) that cover forex and CFDs. IFC Markets does not host monthly client webinars, but it also provides 10+ beginner videos and 10+ advanced videos on trading topics. If you prefer live sessions where you can learn in real time, Pepperstone has the advantage; for self-paced video learning, both brokers deliver plenty of content.

In independent reviews, Pepperstone earns 4.5 out of 5 stars for Education and ranks #15 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com. IFC Markets is rated 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #25 out of 63. For most new traders seeking ongoing webinars plus a deep video library, Pepperstone is likely the stronger pick, while IFC Markets remains a solid option for video-based learning.

Feature Pepperstone logoPepperstone
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 Pepperstone is better than IFC Markets. Pepperstone finished with an overall rank of #17, while IFC Markets finished with an overall rank of #33.

Pepperstone offers a growing range of tradeable markets, good-quality research, and support for multiple social copy trading platforms.

Feature Pepperstone logoPepperstone
IFC Markets logoIFC Markets
Overall Rating info 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trust Score info 95 73
Range of Investments 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Trading Fees 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trading Platforms 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4.5/5 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 Pepperstone or IFC Markets?

Pepperstone vs IFC Markets: neither broker lets you buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both support trading cryptocurrency CFDs instead.

What funding options does each broker offer?

Pepperstone vs IFC Markets: Pepperstone supports ACH/SEPA transfers, PayPal, and bank wire deposits and withdrawals, while IFC Markets supports bank wires but not ACH/SEPA or PayPal; neither broker offers Skrill, and Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either.

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Overall Rating Pepperstone IFC Markets
Overall Rating info 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trading Fees 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Range of Investments 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Trading Platforms 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Education 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trust Score info 95 73
Winner check_circle
Review Pepperstone Review
Broker Screenshots Pepperstone IFC Markets
Broker Gallery (click to expand) info
Pepperstone cTrader mobile watchlist Pepperstone TradingView platform web. Pepperstone research The Daily Fix analysis articles. Pepperstone educational learning center.
Regulation Pepperstone IFC Markets
Trust Score info 95 73
Year Founded info 2010 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 3 0
Tier-2 Licenses info 2 1
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 2 1
Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) Pepperstone 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 Yes
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) Pepperstone IFC Markets
Kenya (CMA Authorised) info Yes
Israel (ISA Authorised) info No
South Africa (FSCA Authorised) info No Yes
UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) info Yes
India (SEBI Authorised) info No
Jordan (JSC Authorised) info
Investments Pepperstone IFC Markets
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 1726 630
Forex Pairs (Total) info 65 49
U.S. Stocks (Shares) info No No
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info No 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 Pepperstone IFC Markets
Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account info 1.1 info 1.44 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.8 info 1.1 info
Inactivity Fee info No No
Order execution: Agency info Yes Yes
Order execution: Market Maker info Yes Yes
Funding Pepperstone IFC Markets
Minimum Deposit info $0 $1
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes No
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info No No
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
Non-wire bank transfer info Yes No
Trading Platforms Pepperstone IFC Markets
Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform info Yes 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 Pepperstone IFC Markets
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Price Alerts info Yes Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 15 30
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes
Charts can be saved info Yes Yes
Mobile Trading Pepperstone 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 Yes 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 Pepperstone IFC Markets
Daily Market Commentary (Articles) info Yes Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes No
Autochartist info Yes No
Trading Central info No No
TipRanks info No No
Client sentiment data info Yes Yes
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Education Pepperstone IFC Markets
Webinars info Yes No
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Major Forex Pairs Pepperstone 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 Pepperstone Review
Overall Pepperstone IFC Markets
Overall Rating info 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trading Fees 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Range of Investments 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Trading Platforms 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Education 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trust Score info 95 73
Winner check_circle
Review Pepperstone Review
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