IC Markets
IC Markets is a globally recognized ECN broker founded in 2007 and headquartered in Sydney, Australia. Renowned for its institutional-grade liquidity and ultra-low spreads starting from 0.0 pips, it caters heavily to high-frequency traders, scalpers, and algorithmic traders. Regulated by Tier 1 authorities like ASIC (Australia) and CySEC (Europe), as well as the SCB and FSA for global clients, IC Markets offers over 2,250 tradable instruments including forex, stocks, crypto, commodities, and bonds across MT4, MT5, and cTrader platforms.
Editor Rating
Calculated from 7+ safety & service metrics
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive compensation when you click on links. This does not affect our ratings or reviews.
$200
0.1 pips (Raw) / 0.6–0.8 pips (Standard)
pips1:1000
2250+
Pros
- Industry-leading raw spreads starting from 0.0 pips
- Deep liquidity supporting ultra-fast, no-requote execution
- Regulated by ASIC and CySEC with fully segregated funds
- No inactivity fees and free VPS for active traders
- Support for cTrader, MT4, MT5, and TradingView platforms
Cons
- No proprietary desktop charting platform — relies on third-party platforms (MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView)
- Offshore/global entity international wire withdrawals cost a $20 fee
- Educational content is good but dwarfed by larger multi-asset competitors
Who is it for?
A dominant force in the ECN brokerage space, offering true raw spreads from 0.0 pips. It is the definitive choice for EA traders, scalpers, and institutional-level fast execution.
Is IC Markets Safe?
Regulator
FSA Seychelles
License Holder
Raw Trading Ltd
Safety Score
High ConfidenceEditorial Summary
Client Fund Protection
Protection Snapshot
Limitations
Regulatory Oversight
Regulatory Coverage
Editorial Summary
—
2007
Company Facts
Headquarters
Australia
Founded
2007
Publicly Listed
No
Bank-backed
No
License Summary
| Regulator | Legal Entity | License |
|---|---|---|
| ASIC | International Capital Markets Pty Ltd | Authorized 335692 |
| CySEC | IC Markets (EU) Ltd | Authorized 362/18 |
| SCB | IC Markets Ltd | Authorized SIA-F214 |
| FSA Seychelles | Raw Trading Ltd | Authorized SD018 |
IC Markets Fees and Spreads
Compare brokersCosts at a glance
A highly transparent fee model heavily favoring active traders. The Raw Spread account is industry-leading with $3.50 commissions and 0.1 average EUR/USD spreads. No inactivity fees.
EUR/USD typical spread
0.1 pips (Raw) / 0.6–0.8 pips (Standard)
Crypto costs
Average
Commissions
Disclosed
Varies by instrument
Non-trading fees
Low
Real trading costs may vary depending on liquidity, volatility, and account structure.
Fee breakdown
| Fee type | Details |
|---|---|
| Trading | |
| Spreads | Known for market-leading spreads sourced from 25+ liquidity providers. Raw Spread accounts frequently see 0.0 pips on major pairs during liquid times (averaging 0.1 on EUR/USD). Standard accounts average 0.6 to 0.8 pips. |
| Commissions | Standard account is commission-free. Raw Spread on MT4/MT5 charges $3.50 per lot per side ($7 RT). cTrader Raw account charges $3.00 per 100k traded per side. |
| Execution notes | Deep liquidity allows for ultrafast execution capabilities (under 40ms) with no dealing desk intervention or requotes. Perfect for High-Frequency Trading (HFT). |
| Non-trading | |
| Withdrawal fees | Most local transfers, credit cards, and e-wallets are totally free. Note that international bank wire withdrawals often incur a ~20 AUD processing fee deducted by IC Markets' banking partners. |
| Inactivity fee | No inactivity fees—ever. |
| Currency conversion | Deposits in non-base currencies will be converted at standard spot rates. IC Markets supports 10 base currencies to help mitigate these fees. |
How we assess fees
Average spreads confirmed via IC Markets real-time spread reporting. Commissions and non-trading fees cross-referenced with public pricing schedules.
Fees & Cost Assessment
Is this broker cheap, average, or expensive? Our editorial assessment normalizes costs across account types to give you a clear answer.
Cost Score
High ConfidenceEditorial Summary
Trading Cost Implications
Cost Snapshot
Editorial Explanation
Limitations
Non-Trading Cost Considerations
Cost Snapshot
Editorial Explanation
Limitations
IC Markets
Ready to get started?
IC Markets Platforms and Tools
Available Platforms
Platform Quality Assessment
MetaTrader 4
IC Markets offers an enhanced version of MT4 with Advanced Trading Tools (smart order lines, correlation matrix) optimized for low-latency EA execution.
Limitations
Dated UX compared to modern web platforms.
Quality Snapshot
MetaTrader 5
Provides access to the extensive list of 2100+ stock CFDs natively, backed by IC Markets' deep liquidity pools.
Limitations
Slight learning curve for new traders.
Quality Snapshot
cTrader
A premium, modern alternative to MT4 with exceptional Level II pricing depth, one-click execution, and clean charting.
Limitations
Smaller community for custom bots compared to MQL.
Quality Snapshot
Markets & Instruments
2250+ instruments available across all markets
How to Deposit and Withdraw at IC Markets
Payment methods
No payment method data available.
Withdrawal processing
Actual processing times may vary by payment method and jurisdiction.
Customer support
Live Chat
AvailablePhone
AvailableCallback
AvailableAvailability & languages
Support hours
24/7
Languages
English, Chinese, Thai, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, German, Arabic
IC Markets Account Types
| Account | Execution | Min Deposit | Spread from | Commission |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Account | STP | $200 | 0.6 | No commission ($0) |
| Raw Spread (MetaTrader) | ECN | $200 | — | $3.50 per lot per side |
| Raw Spread (cTrader) | ECN | $200 | — | $3.00 per $100k traded per side |
Standard Account
Execution
STP
Min Deposit
$200
Spread from
0.6
Commission
No commission ($0)
Instruments: All instruments
Raw Spread (MetaTrader)
Execution
ECN
Min Deposit
$200
Spread from
—
Commission
$3.50 per lot per side
Instruments: All instruments
Raw Spread (cTrader)
Execution
ECN
Min Deposit
$200
Spread from
—
Commission
$3.00 per $100k traded per side
Instruments: All instruments
Trading conditions may vary based on account selection and regulatory jurisdiction.
Education & Research
Education
Offers an Information Hub with daily market analysis, a WebTV service with Trading Central, and regular educational webinars.
Limitations
The educational academy is solid but lacks the massive, interactive structured courses of competitors like IG.
Quality Snapshot
Research & Market Insights
Prioritizes actionable research and operational tooling over pure news. Free VPS for traders doing >15 lots/month.
Limitations
Fundamental equity research is lacking.
Quality Snapshot
IC Markets Review
Editor Rating Breakdown
Verdict
Excellent
IC Markets
Ready to get started?
Frequently Asked Questions
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive compensation when you click on links. This does not affect our ratings or reviews.
$200
0.1 pips (Raw) / 0.6–0.8 pips (Standard)
pips1:1000
2250+
Pros
- Industry-leading raw spreads starting from 0.0 pips
- Deep liquidity supporting ultra-fast, no-requote execution
- Regulated by ASIC and CySEC with fully segregated funds
- No inactivity fees and free VPS for active traders
- Support for cTrader, MT4, MT5, and TradingView platforms
Cons
- No proprietary desktop charting platform — relies on third-party platforms (MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView)
- Offshore/global entity international wire withdrawals cost a $20 fee
- Educational content is good but dwarfed by larger multi-asset competitors
Who is it for?
A dominant force in the ECN brokerage space, offering true raw spreads from 0.0 pips. It is the definitive choice for EA traders, scalpers, and institutional-level fast execution.
Is IC Markets Safe?
Regulator
FSA Seychelles
License Holder
Raw Trading Ltd
Safety Score
High ConfidenceEditorial Summary
Client Fund Protection
Protection Snapshot
Limitations
Regulatory Oversight
Regulatory Coverage
Editorial Summary
—
2007
Company Facts
Headquarters
Australia
Founded
2007
Publicly Listed
No
Bank-backed
No
License Summary
| Regulator | Legal Entity | License |
|---|---|---|
| ASIC | International Capital Markets Pty Ltd | Authorized 335692 |
| CySEC | IC Markets (EU) Ltd | Authorized 362/18 |
| SCB | IC Markets Ltd | Authorized SIA-F214 |
| FSA Seychelles | Raw Trading Ltd | Authorized SD018 |
IC Markets Fees and Spreads
Compare brokersCosts at a glance
A highly transparent fee model heavily favoring active traders. The Raw Spread account is industry-leading with $3.50 commissions and 0.1 average EUR/USD spreads. No inactivity fees.
EUR/USD typical spread
0.1 pips (Raw) / 0.6–0.8 pips (Standard)
Crypto costs
Average
Commissions
Disclosed
Varies by instrument
Non-trading fees
Low
Real trading costs may vary depending on liquidity, volatility, and account structure.
Fee breakdown
| Fee type | Details |
|---|---|
| Trading | |
| Spreads | Known for market-leading spreads sourced from 25+ liquidity providers. Raw Spread accounts frequently see 0.0 pips on major pairs during liquid times (averaging 0.1 on EUR/USD). Standard accounts average 0.6 to 0.8 pips. |
| Commissions | Standard account is commission-free. Raw Spread on MT4/MT5 charges $3.50 per lot per side ($7 RT). cTrader Raw account charges $3.00 per 100k traded per side. |
| Execution notes | Deep liquidity allows for ultrafast execution capabilities (under 40ms) with no dealing desk intervention or requotes. Perfect for High-Frequency Trading (HFT). |
| Non-trading | |
| Withdrawal fees | Most local transfers, credit cards, and e-wallets are totally free. Note that international bank wire withdrawals often incur a ~20 AUD processing fee deducted by IC Markets' banking partners. |
| Inactivity fee | No inactivity fees—ever. |
| Currency conversion | Deposits in non-base currencies will be converted at standard spot rates. IC Markets supports 10 base currencies to help mitigate these fees. |
How we assess fees
Average spreads confirmed via IC Markets real-time spread reporting. Commissions and non-trading fees cross-referenced with public pricing schedules.
Fees & Cost Assessment
Is this broker cheap, average, or expensive? Our editorial assessment normalizes costs across account types to give you a clear answer.
Cost Score
High ConfidenceEditorial Summary
Trading Cost Implications
Cost Snapshot
Editorial Explanation
Limitations
Non-Trading Cost Considerations
Cost Snapshot
Editorial Explanation
Limitations
IC Markets
Ready to get started?
IC Markets Platforms and Tools
Available Platforms
Platform Quality Assessment
MetaTrader 4
IC Markets offers an enhanced version of MT4 with Advanced Trading Tools (smart order lines, correlation matrix) optimized for low-latency EA execution.
Limitations
Dated UX compared to modern web platforms.
Quality Snapshot
MetaTrader 5
Provides access to the extensive list of 2100+ stock CFDs natively, backed by IC Markets' deep liquidity pools.
Limitations
Slight learning curve for new traders.
Quality Snapshot
cTrader
A premium, modern alternative to MT4 with exceptional Level II pricing depth, one-click execution, and clean charting.
Limitations
Smaller community for custom bots compared to MQL.
Quality Snapshot
Markets & Instruments
2250+ instruments available across all markets
How to Deposit and Withdraw at IC Markets
Payment methods
No payment method data available.
Withdrawal processing
Actual processing times may vary by payment method and jurisdiction.
Customer support
Live Chat
AvailablePhone
AvailableCallback
AvailableAvailability & languages
Support hours
24/7
Languages
English, Chinese, Thai, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, German, Arabic
IC Markets Account Types
| Account | Execution | Min Deposit | Spread from | Commission |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Account | STP | $200 | 0.6 | No commission ($0) |
| Raw Spread (MetaTrader) | ECN | $200 | — | $3.50 per lot per side |
| Raw Spread (cTrader) | ECN | $200 | — | $3.00 per $100k traded per side |
Standard Account
Execution
STP
Min Deposit
$200
Spread from
0.6
Commission
No commission ($0)
Instruments: All instruments
Raw Spread (MetaTrader)
Execution
ECN
Min Deposit
$200
Spread from
—
Commission
$3.50 per lot per side
Instruments: All instruments
Raw Spread (cTrader)
Execution
ECN
Min Deposit
$200
Spread from
—
Commission
$3.00 per $100k traded per side
Instruments: All instruments
Trading conditions may vary based on account selection and regulatory jurisdiction.
Education & Research
Education
Offers an Information Hub with daily market analysis, a WebTV service with Trading Central, and regular educational webinars.
Limitations
The educational academy is solid but lacks the massive, interactive structured courses of competitors like IG.
Quality Snapshot
Research & Market Insights
Prioritizes actionable research and operational tooling over pure news. Free VPS for traders doing >15 lots/month.
Limitations
Fundamental equity research is lacking.
Quality Snapshot
IC Markets Review
Editor Rating Breakdown
Verdict
Excellent
IC Markets
Ready to get started?
Frequently Asked Questions
Risk Warning
CFDs are complex instruments. 74-89% of retail investor accounts lose money.