Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Spreadex 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.
Spreadex (founded 1999) and IFC Markets (founded 2006) are online brokers that are privately held and not banks. Each holds one Tier-1 regulatory license—considered highly trusted by ForexBrokers.com—and zero Tier-2 licenses. Neither company is publicly traded.
ForexBrokers.com assigns Spreadex a Trust Score of 70/99 and IFC Markets 73/99. On that scale, 70–79 denotes average risk. Both brokers meet the mark for top-tier regulation with one Tier-1 license, while IFC Markets edges Spreadex slightly on the Trust Score.
| Feature |
Spreadex
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1999 | 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 | 0 | 5 |
Spreadex comes out ahead of IFC Markets on commissions and fees, mainly because of its tighter pricing on EUR/USD. In January 2024, Spreadex showed average spreads of 0.81 pips, with a low of 0.6 pips available 60% of the time during the month. It earns 4 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees and is ranked #27 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com.
IFC Markets is a bit more expensive on standard pricing, with an average EUR/USD spread of 1.44 pips, which is above the industry average of 1.08. That said, active traders may find better value with its ECN account, where the effective spread is about 1.1 pips after the 0.005% commission on both sides of the trade. IFC Markets also does not charge inactivity fees and offers active trader discounts. It also receives 4 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees, but ranks lower at #34 out of 36 brokers.
Overall, Spreadex looks more competitive for everyday forex trading costs, while IFC Markets may appeal more to traders who can benefit from its ECN pricing and fee discounts. If low spreads are your main priority, Spreadex has the edge; if you trade often and want extra cost-saving features, IFC Markets still has some appeal.
| Feature |
Spreadex
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $1 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 0.81 | 1.44 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | N/A | 1.1 |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When it comes to range of investments, Spreadex offers a wider selection than IFC Markets. Spreadex lists 10,000 tradeable symbols and 52 forex pairs, compared with 630 symbols and 49 forex pairs at IFC Markets. Both brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, and both offer cryptocurrency CFDs, but neither lets clients buy actual cryptocurrency. Spreadex also does not offer exchange-traded shares on U.S. or international exchanges, while IFC Markets does provide access to exchange-traded securities on international markets.
IFC Markets does have a few features Spreadex does not, including copy trading and international exchange-traded shares. Even so, Spreadex scores better for overall range of investments, with a 5-star rating and a #13 ranking out of 36 brokers, versus IFC Markets’ 3.5 stars and #33 ranking. For traders focused on choice, Spreadex is the stronger pick, while IFC Markets may appeal more to those who want copy trading and access to international listed shares.
| Feature |
Spreadex
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 10000 | 630 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 52 | 49 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | 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.
Spreadex and IFC Markets both give traders a free demo account, a web-based platform, and a built-in platform developed by the broker. Each also lets you place trades directly from a stock chart, which can make trading feel more straightforward. In ForexBrokers.com’s Trading Platforms and Tools review, both brokers earned 4 out of 5 stars, showing that each offers a good set of platform features for everyday traders.
The main difference is in platform choice. IFC Markets offers more options overall, including a Windows desktop download, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, and copy trading, while Spreadex does not provide these. That extra variety helped IFC Markets rank higher in this category, coming in at #32 out of 36 brokers, compared with Spreadex at #37 out of 36.
| Feature |
Spreadex
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 58 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Spreadex and IFC Markets both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, and each includes stock or forex price alerts plus the ability to draw trendlines on charts. Both brokers are also tied on user rating in the Mobile Trading Apps category, with 4 out of 5 stars. In terms of overall ranking, Spreadex is placed #36 out of 36 brokers, while IFC Markets sits just behind at #37.
The main difference is in charting and syncing features. IFC Markets lets users sync watchlists between the mobile app and online account, and it also supports auto-saving chart drawings, which can be helpful if you switch between devices. It also offers 30 technical studies in its app. Spreadex, on the other hand, does not offer watchlist syncing or auto-save for chart drawings, and its mobile app chart study count is listed as N/A.
| Feature |
Spreadex
|
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 | N/A | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When it comes to market research, Spreadex has a slight edge over IFC Markets. Both brokers provide daily market commentary, a sentiment tool showing long and short positions, and an economic calendar with upcoming global events. However, Spreadex goes further by offering forex news from major sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, plus Autochartist tools for technical and fundamental analysis. IFC Markets does not offer those extra news or Autochartist features.
That difference is reflected in their research scores and rankings. Spreadex is rated 4 out of 5 stars for Research and is ranked #29 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets is rated 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranked #33. Neither broker offers Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading research tools.
| Feature |
Spreadex
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | 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 for learning support, both Spreadex and IFC Markets offer a useful starting point. Each broker provides at least 10 beginner-focused trading videos, and both also appear to have enough forex or CFD learning material to meet the basic education threshold. Neither one offers online educational client webinars on a monthly basis, so if live teaching is important, neither stands out in that area.
Where they differ is in the depth of their content. Spreadex does not offer at least 10 advanced trading videos, while IFC Markets does, which may make IFC Markets a better fit for traders who want to keep learning after the basics. That said, Spreadex earns a higher Education rating from ForexBrokers.com, with 4 out of 5 stars compared with IFC Markets’ 3.5 stars. Even so, IFC Markets places higher in the category overall, ranking #26 out of 36 brokers versus Spreadex at #36, suggesting a stronger mix of educational resources for many users.
| Feature |
Spreadex
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | No | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Spreadex is better than IFC Markets. Spreadex finished with an overall rank of #33, while IFC Markets finished with an overall rank of #36.
Spreadex is a U.K.-based broker best known for its multi-asset offering, including forex, CFDs, spread betting, and options, alongside access to the TradingView platform and solid research content.
| Feature |
Spreadex
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IFC Markets
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| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 70 | 73 |
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Spreadex vs IFC Markets: neither broker lets you buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both offer cryptocurrency trading via CFDs.
In a Spreadex vs IFC Markets comparison of deposit and withdrawal methods, both brokers do not support ACH/SEPA, PayPal, or Skrill, both allow bank wire transfers, and Visa/Mastercard availability is 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 | Spreadex | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 70 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Spreadex Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Spreadex | IFC Markets | |
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| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Regulation | Spreadex | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 70 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 1999 | 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 | 0 | 5 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Spreadex | 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) | Yes | ||
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | ||
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Spreadex | 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 | Spreadex | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 10000 | 630 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 52 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | 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 | Spreadex | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 0.81 | 1.44 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | N/A | 1.1 | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Spreadex | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $1 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | Spreadex | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Spreadex | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 58 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Spreadex | 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 | N/A | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Spreadex | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Spreadex | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | No | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | No | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Spreadex | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | Spreadex Review |
| Overall | Spreadex | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| Range of Investments |
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| Trust Score | 70 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Spreadex Review |
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