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Swissquote vs IFC Markets 2026

ForexBrokers.com

Written by ForexBrokers.com

February 05, 2025

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

Swissquote
4.5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $1000
  • Trust Score: 99
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 472
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

Swissquote and IFC Markets are online brokers with very different trust profiles. Swissquote, founded in 1996, is publicly traded and operates as a bank. It holds a 99/99 Trust Score from ForexBrokers.com, which falls in the highly trusted range (90–99). IFC Markets, founded in 2006, is not publicly traded and is not a bank. Its 73/99 Trust Score places it in the average risk range (70–79).

On regulation and licensing, Swissquote has 5 Tier-1 licenses (considered highly trusted by ForexBrokers.com) and 2 Tier-2 licenses (trusted). IFC Markets holds 1 Tier-1 license and no Tier-2 licenses. For most traders, this means Swissquote offers wider top-tier regulatory oversight and a stronger safety profile, while IFC Markets has a more limited regulatory footprint.

Feature Swissquote logoSwissquote
IFC Markets logoIFC Markets
Year Founded info 1996 2006
Publicly Traded (Listed) info Yes No
Bank info Yes No
Tier-1 Licenses info 5 1
Tier-2 Licenses info 2 0
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 0 5

Fees

Comparing commissions and fees, IFC Markets is generally the cheaper choice on average spreads, while Swissquote often carries a small premium tied to its Swiss banking brand. In our ratings, Swissquote earns 3.5/5 stars and ranks 35th out of 63 brokers for Commissions and Fees, whereas IFC Markets earns 4/5 stars and ranks 32nd out of 63. Your actual costs at Swissquote will depend on which entity and account type you use, while IFC Markets’ pricing is more streamlined.

Swissquote’s costs vary by region. In the U.K., active traders who deposit at least $10,000 can consider the Elite account with tighter spreads plus a $5 commission per round turn; the Standard account starts at 1.3 pips on EUR/USD, and the Prime account advertises a 0.6-pip minimum (note: that’s a minimum, not an average). In Luxembourg, minimum spreads range from 1.5 pips (Standard, $1,000 minimum) to 0.8 pips (Prime, $50,000 minimum). In Switzerland, forex accounts start at 1.7 pips on EUR/USD for Standard ($1,000 minimum), 1.4 pips for Premium ($10,000), and 1.1 pips for Prime ($50,000), with custom pricing negotiable for high-volume traders.

IFC Markets lists an average EUR/USD spread of 1.44 pips, which is higher than the 1.08-pip industry average, but its ECN account can lower effective costs to about 1.1 pips after a 0.005% commission on each side. There’s no inactivity fee, and active trader discounts are available. Taken together, IFC Markets’ fee profile slightly edges out Swissquote’s, reflected in its 4/5 star rating and #32 ranking versus Swissquote’s 3.5/5 stars and #35.

Feature Swissquote logoSwissquote
IFC Markets logoIFC Markets
Minimum Deposit info $1000 $1
Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account info N/A info 1.44 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info N/A info 1.1 info
Non-wire bank transfer info Yes 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

Swissquote vs IFC Markets: both brokers support forex trading as CFDs and spot contracts and offer copy trading. IFC Markets lists about 630 tradeable symbols, more than Swissquote’s 472, but Swissquote provides more forex pairs (80 vs 49). Both brokers also let you trade cryptocurrency via CFDs.

For buying actual assets, Swissquote stands out. It lets clients purchase exchange-traded securities on U.S. and international exchanges and buy actual cryptocurrency, while IFC Markets offers international shares only (no U.S. share dealing) and no delivered crypto. In ForexBrokers.com’s ratings for Range of Investments, Swissquote scored 5 stars and ranked #2 of 63, whereas IFC Markets earned 3.5 stars and ranked #31. Pick Swissquote if you want share dealing or to own crypto; consider IFC Markets if you prefer a larger overall list of symbols and plan to trade via CFDs.

Feature Swissquote logoSwissquote
IFC Markets logoIFC Markets
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 472 630
Forex Pairs (Total) info 80 49
U.S. Stocks (Shares) info Yes No
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info Yes Yes
Copy Trading info Yes Yes
Cryptocurrency (Underlying) info Yes 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

Comparing trading platforms and tools, Swissquote and IFC Markets both check key boxes for most traders. Each broker offers a free simulated paper trading demo, proprietary in-house platforms, and popular third‑party choices with MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5). You can trade on Windows desktop downloads or in a web browser with either broker, use copy trading, and place orders directly from a chart.

Where they differ is overall strength in this category: Swissquote earns 4.5 stars and ranks #12 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com for Trading Platforms and Tools, while IFC Markets scores 4 stars and ranks #29. If you want broader platform options and higher-rated tools, Swissquote has the edge, whereas IFC Markets still delivers a solid, feature-rich experience with MT4/MT5, web and desktop access, and a free demo to practice.

Feature Swissquote logoSwissquote
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 86 30
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes

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

Forex trading apps

Swissquote and IFC Markets both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each app supports price alerts for stocks and forex, includes 30 technical studies, lets you draw trendlines, and auto-saves your chart drawings so your annotations stay in place.

The key difference is watchlist syncing: IFC Markets syncs watchlist symbols between the mobile app and your online account, while Swissquote does not. ForexBrokers.com rates Swissquote 4.5/5 stars and ranks it 12th out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps, while IFC Markets earns 4/5 stars and ranks 34th. Consider Swissquote for a higher-rated overall mobile experience, or IFC Markets if synced watchlists across devices are essential.

Feature Swissquote logoSwissquote
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

Both Swissquote and IFC Markets provide daily market commentary and an easy-to-use economic calendar. Swissquote goes further with forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, and it includes Autochartist for technical and fundamental insights. IFC Markets doesn’t offer those extras, but it does include a sentiment tool that shows the ratio of long and short positions across instruments. Neither broker offers Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading tools.

For market research quality, Swissquote earns 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks 15th out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets scores 3.5 stars and ranks 30th. Choose Swissquote if premium news and Autochartist signals matter most; pick IFC Markets if a built-in sentiment gauge is a key part of your strategy.

Feature Swissquote logoSwissquote
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 No 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

Swissquote vs IFC Markets for beginner education: both brokers offer at least 10 beginner-friendly trading videos to help you learn the basics of forex and CFDs, plus 10+ advanced videos for when you’re ready to go deeper. A key difference is live learning. Swissquote runs client webinars at least once a month, giving newcomers a chance to ask questions and see concepts explained in real time, while IFC Markets does not offer regular educational webinars.

Independent ratings back up this gap. Swissquote earns 4.5 out of 5 stars for Education and ranks 19th out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, whereas IFC Markets scores 3.5 stars and ranks 25th. If you want live, ongoing guidance alongside a solid video library, Swissquote is the stronger pick. If you prefer self-paced video lessons without live sessions, IFC Markets can still meet your needs.

Feature Swissquote logoSwissquote
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 Swissquote is better than IFC Markets. Swissquote finished with an overall rank of #11, while IFC Markets finished with an overall rank of #33.

Traders choose Swissquote for its quality research and vast multi-asset offering – as long as they are willing to pay a premium to have their brokerage account held with a Swiss bank.

Feature Swissquote logoSwissquote
IFC Markets logoIFC Markets
Overall Rating info 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 73
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Trading Fees 3.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trading Platforms 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with Swissquote or IFC Markets?

Online brokers Swissquote and IFC Markets both offer cryptocurrency CFDs, but only Swissquote also lets you buy actual delivered cryptocurrency, whereas IFC Markets does not.

What funding options does each broker offer?

Swissquote vs IFC Markets: for deposit and withdrawal methods, Swissquote supports ACH/SEPA, PayPal, Skrill, and bank wire transfers, while IFC Markets offers bank wires only and does not support ACH/SEPA, PayPal, or Skrill; Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either broker.

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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 Swissquote IFC Markets
Overall Rating info 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trading Fees 3.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Trading Platforms 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Education 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 73
Winner check_circle
Review Swissquote Review
Broker Screenshots Swissquote IFC Markets
Broker Gallery (click to expand) info
Swissquote CFXD mobile app watchlist light mode. Swissquote CFXD web platform dark mode. Swissquote YouTube videos market analysis research. Swissquote educational course learning center
Regulation Swissquote IFC Markets
Trust Score info 99 73
Year Founded info 1996 2006
Publicly Traded (Listed) info Yes No
Bank info Yes No
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info Yes info
Tier-1 Licenses info 5 1
Tier-2 Licenses info 2 0
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 0 5
Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) Swissquote IFC Markets
Australia (ASIC Authorised) info No
Canada (CIRO Authorised) info No
Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) info Yes
Japan (FSA Authorised) info No
Singapore (MAS Authorised) info Yes
Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) info Yes
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) Swissquote IFC Markets
Kenya (CMA Authorised) info
Israel (ISA Authorised) info No
South Africa (FSCA Authorised) info Yes Yes
UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) info Yes
India (SEBI Authorised) info No
Jordan (JSC Authorised) info
Investments Swissquote IFC Markets
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 472 630
Forex Pairs (Total) info 80 49
U.S. Stocks (Shares) info Yes No
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info Yes Yes
Copy Trading info Yes Yes
Cryptocurrency (Underlying) info Yes 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 Swissquote IFC Markets
Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account info N/A info 1.44 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info N/A info 1.1 info
Inactivity Fee info Yes No
Order execution: Agency info Yes Yes
Order execution: Market Maker info Yes Yes
Funding Swissquote IFC Markets
Minimum Deposit info $1000 $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 Yes No
Trading Platforms Swissquote 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 No No
Trading Tools Swissquote IFC Markets
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Price Alerts info Yes Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 86 30
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes
Charts can be saved info Yes Yes
Mobile Trading Swissquote 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 Swissquote 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 No Yes
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Education Swissquote IFC Markets
Webinars info Yes No
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Major Forex Pairs Swissquote 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 Swissquote Review
Overall Swissquote IFC Markets
Overall Rating info 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trading Fees 3.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Trading Platforms 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Education 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 73
Winner check_circle
Review Swissquote Review
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