Written by ForexBrokers.com
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.
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.
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
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1996 | 2006 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 5 |
Swissquote is a well-known Swiss broker, but its commissions and fees are generally higher than many low-cost forex firms. Pricing depends on which Swissquote entity you use: the U.K. accounts tend to offer the best value, while Switzerland and Luxembourg are usually pricier. For active traders, the U.K. Elite account can be the most appealing option, with lower spreads and a $5 round-turn commission, but the Standard and Prime accounts still come with spreads that are not especially tight. Swissquote is rated 3.5 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees and is ranked #36 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com in this category.
IFC Markets is somewhat more competitive on pricing overall, especially for traders who use its ECN account. Its average EUR/USD spread is 1.44, which is above the industry average, but the ECN account can bring effective costs down to about 1.1 pips once commission is included. The broker also stands out for having no inactivity fee and for offering active trader discounts, which may help lower overall trading costs. IFC Markets is rated 4 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees and is ranked #33 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com.
In a direct comparison, IFC Markets has the edge on commissions and fees, mainly because it offers a better mix of trading discounts and lower effective costs for active traders. Swissquote may still appeal to traders who value the backing of a Swiss banking group, but that convenience comes at a higher price. If keeping costs down is the main goal, IFC Markets is the more budget-friendly choice of the two.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $1000 | $1 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | N/A | 1.44 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 1.1 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When it comes to range of investments, Swissquote gives traders a wider mix overall than IFC Markets. Both brokers offer forex trading, international exchange-traded securities, copy trading, and cryptocurrency CFDs. Swissquote also stands out by offering U.S.-listed shares as real stocks, not just CFDs, and by letting clients buy actual cryptocurrency. It lists 472 tradeable symbols and 80 forex pairs, compared with IFC Markets’ 630 tradeable symbols and 49 forex pairs.
Despite IFC Markets offering more total tradeable symbols, Swissquote still has the stronger investment lineup in the areas many investors care about most. Swissquote’s 5-star Range of Investments rating and #2 ranking out of 36 brokers reflect that advantage, while IFC Markets is rated 3.5 stars and ranked #32. In short, IFC Markets has a broad selection on paper, but Swissquote offers the more complete choice of markets and asset types.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 472 | 630 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 49 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | 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.
Swissquote and IFC Markets both give traders a wide range of platform choices, including a free demo account for paper trading, their own in-house platform, Windows desktop software, and a browser-based web platform. Each broker also supports MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, plus copy trading, so beginners and more active traders can test ideas or follow other traders with ease. Both also let users trade directly from charts, which can make order entry simpler when watching price moves.
Where they differ is in overall platform ratings and market standing. Swissquote scores 4.5 out of 5 for Trading Platforms and Tools and ranks #12 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets scores 4 out of 5 and ranks #30. In plain terms, both are well-equipped, but Swissquote is viewed a bit more favorably for its trading tools and platform experience.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
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) | 86 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Swissquote and IFC Markets both make it easy to trade on the go with iPhone and Android apps, plus price alerts for stocks and forex. Each app also includes 30 technical studies, trendline drawing tools, and auto-saving for chart drawings, so users can analyze markets and keep their work for later. The main difference is watchlist syncing: IFC Markets lets watchlists stay in sync between the mobile app and online account, while Swissquote does not.
When it comes to overall mobile trading app quality, Swissquote has the edge with a 4.5-star rating and a #12 ranking out of 36 brokers from ForexBrokers.com. IFC Markets is still a solid option, but it trails behind with a 4-star rating and a #35 ranking. For traders who want stronger mobile app feedback and a higher industry ranking, Swissquote appears to have the better mobile trading experience, while IFC Markets stands out for watchlist syncing.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
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 | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Swissquote and IFC Markets both give traders daily market commentary and an economic calendar, so each offers basic tools for keeping up with news and key global events. Swissquote, however, goes further with forex news from top-tier sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, plus Autochartist tools for technical and fundamental analysis. It also earns a stronger Research rating of 4.5 out of 5 and is ranked #15 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, which points to a broader and more useful research setup overall.
IFC Markets also provides daily commentary and an economic calendar, and it stands out in one area that Swissquote does not: a sentiment tool that shows the share of long and short positions across instruments. That said, IFC Markets does not include top-tier forex news or Autochartist tools, and it has a lower Research rating of 3.5 out of 5, with a ranking of #31 out of 36. For traders who want more market news and analysis options, Swissquote has the edge, while IFC Markets offers a simpler research package with sentiment data added in.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
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 | No | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginners looking to learn forex and CFD trading, Swissquote has the edge over IFC Markets in education. Swissquote offers forex and CFD learning materials, runs online educational webinars at least once a month, and provides 10 or more beginner videos as well as 10 or more advanced videos. It is also rated 4.5 out of 5 stars for Education and ranks #19 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, which points to a stronger overall learning experience for new traders.
IFC Markets also gives beginners a useful set of learning tools, including at least 10 beginner videos and at least 10 advanced videos, but it does not offer monthly educational webinars. While it is rated 3.5 out of 5 stars for Education and ranks #25 out of 36 brokers, its education offering is not as complete as Swissquote’s. For a beginner who wants more live learning support and a wider range of forex and CFD education, Swissquote is the better choice.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
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 Swissquote is better than IFC Markets. Swissquote finished with an overall rank of #11, while IFC Markets finished with an overall rank of #34.
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
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IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 99 | 73 |
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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.
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.
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 | Swissquote | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Swissquote Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Swissquote | IFC Markets | |
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| Regulation | Swissquote | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 1996 | 2006 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | ||
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 5 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Swissquote | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | ||
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | ||
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | ||
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| 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). | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Swissquote | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | ||
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | ||
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Swissquote | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 472 | 630 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | 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 | Swissquote | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | N/A | 1.44 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 1.1 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Swissquote | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $1000 | $1 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Swissquote | 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 | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Swissquote | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 86 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Swissquote | 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 | 30 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Swissquote | 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 | No | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Swissquote | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Swissquote | 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 | Swissquote Review |
| Overall | Swissquote | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Swissquote Review |
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