IC Markets
Published: Updated:
- Trust score
- 3/10
- Legal simplicity
- 3/10
- Min. deposit
- 200
- Trading platforms
- Instruments
- Forex, Indices, Commodities, Metals, Energies, Stocks, Bonds, Futures, Cryptocurrencies
- Legal entity
- International Capital Markets Pty Ltd
- Jurisdiction
- Australia
- Fees
- Standard accounts price the cost into the spread with no commission; Raw Spread accounts on MetaTrader and cTrader quote spreads from 0.0 pips with a per-lot commission. Overnight swaps apply, and swap-free accounts are available on request.
- Withdrawals
- Withdrawals return to the funding method and are normally processed the same business day when requested before the daily cut-off, with no broker withdrawal fee on most methods.
- Available in
Features
- Seminars and trader training
- Daily market analysis
- PAMM service
- Copy trading
- MAM terminal
IC Markets was founded in 2007 in Sydney, Australia, to connect retail traders with institutional-grade trading conditions. The broker has since expanded internationally, adding a European subsidiary and a support center in China. It operates as an ECN broker, sourcing spreads from more than 50 liquidity providers, and is regulated by ASIC in Australia and CySEC in Cyprus.
IC Markets is an ASIC- and CySEC-regulated ECN broker offering PAMM and copy-trading services, a MAM terminal, seminars, and daily market analysis.
IC Markets is an ECN forex and CFD broker founded in 2007 in Sydney, Australia, built to connect retail traders with institutional-grade trading conditions. The broker has since expanded internationally, adding a European subsidiary and a dedicated support center in China.
Trading Model
IC Markets operates as an ECN (Electronic Communication Network) broker, sourcing spreads from more than 50 banks, with spreads starting from 0 pips. This model suits large traders, scalpers, and algorithmic traders running expert advisors.
Regulation and Fund Safety
IC Markets is licensed by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) and, through a Cyprus subsidiary, by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) for European clients. Client funds are held segregated from company funds, and IC Markets is a member of the Australian Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) for external dispute resolution.
Leverage
Leverage reaches up to 1:500 for eligible clients. European traders are capped at 1:30 under ESMA rules.
Account Types
- Standard Account: trades on MT4, with spreads from 1 point — suited to beginners.
- Raw Spread Account: ECN spreads from 0 pips plus a $3.5-per-lot commission, aimed at experienced traders.
- cTrader Account: spreads from 0 pips on the cTrader platform, with a $3-per-lot commission.
A swap-free Islamic account is available, along with demo accounts on both MT4 and cTrader.
Tradable Instruments
- Forex currency pairs
- Commodities
- Futures
- CFDs on shares, bonds, and indexes
- Cryptocurrency pairs — including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dash, Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ripple, and EOS — with leverage up to 1:5 and a minimum lot size of 0.01
Minimum Deposit and Account Currencies
Accounts can be opened in 10 base currencies, including AUD, GBP, JPY, HKD, SGD, NZD, CHF, CAD, EUR, and USD. The minimum deposit is $200.
Trading conditions
IC Markets is one of the largest retail forex brokers by traded volume and built its position on raw-spread pricing and execution rather than on features. The Raw Spread accounts quote from 0.0 pips with a per-lot commission across MetaTrader 4 and 5 and cTrader.
Free VPS is available above a volume threshold and there are no restrictions on scalping, hedging, news trading or automated strategies — the combination that makes it a default choice for many algorithmic traders.
Terms follow the entity: ASIC and CySEC clients face 30:1 on major currency pairs with negative balance protection; clients under the Seychelles or Bahamas entities see far higher leverage and neither.
Verification
Verification requires photo ID and proof of address, with an appropriateness assessment on the regulated entities. Onboarding is largely electronic and often same-day.
Confirm which entity your client agreement names. The execution and pricing are broadly consistent across the group; the protections are not, and most non-European clients are routed offshore.
