IC Markets, founded in 2007 in Sydney, Australia, is a leading broker providing its clients with access to over-the-counter markets worldwide. The company operates through several legal structures, which allows it to legally serve traders from almost any jurisdiction. IC Markets has the following licenses: Raw Trading Ltd is licensed by the Seychelles Financial Services Commission (SFSA), International Capital Markets Pty Ltd is regulated by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), and IC Markets (EU) Ltd is licensed by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC). The company is also a member of The Financial Commission, which confirms its commitment to high standards of service and protection of customer interests. Thanks to membership in this organization, IC Markets provides an insurance fund with a maximum payout of up to 20,000 EUR per trader.

One of the key advantages of IC Markets is their focus on the speed and quality of order execution. The company's trading servers are located in NY4 (New York) and LD5 (London) data centers, which ensures minimal delays due to the use of high-quality equipment and fiber-optic lines. This makes the IC Markets order execution speed one of the best in the world, which is especially valuable for scalpers and other traders who appreciate intraday trading and quick reactions to changes in the market situation.

Technological innovations also play an important role in providing a comfortable environment for IC Markets traders. Clients have access to modern tools that allow them to analyze the depth of the market, receive instant spread data and close trades using pre-configured templates. The ability to trade from mobile devices also makes the platform more accessible and convenient to use anytime and anywhere.

In general, IC Markets provides its clients not only with high-quality trading conditions, but also a wide range of tools and technologies that contribute to effective work in international financial markets.

Trading conditions

IC Markets is a brokerage company that provides traders with access to a wide range of trading instruments and platforms. Among the key characteristics and advantages of IC Markets, several main areas stand out. 

Firstly, the company offers a variety of trading platforms, including MetaTrader 4 (MT4), MetaTrader 5 (MT5), cTrader, as well as mobile versions of all these platforms, which ensures the convenience of trading from any device. Secondly, IC Markets provides a wide range of trading instruments: more than 60 currency pairs, CFDs for futures, indices, commodities, metals, more than 2,100 stocks, bonds and cryptocurrencies.

The types of accounts offered by the broker are also diverse. Customers can choose a demo account for training, a Raw Spread account for minimum spreads, a cTrader account for trading through the cTrader platform, a standard account for classical trading and an Islamic account that complies with Sharia law.

Trading conditions in IC Markets include a minimum deposit of $200, spreads from 0.0 points for Raw Spread accounts (an average of 0.02 points for EUR/USD) and from 0.6 points for standard accounts (an average of 0.62 points for EUR/USD). The minimum order is 0.01 lots (up to 200 lots, up to 2000 lots for cTrader), and the leverage varies from 1:1 to 1:500. Margin call conditions at the level of 100% and stop-out conditions at the level of 50% are also provided.

Financial transactions in IC Markets include various methods of depositing and withdrawing funds, such as bank cards, bank transfers, e-wallets (PayPal, Neteller, Skrill, Union Pay, BPay, POLI, Rapidpay, Klarna, Vietnamese Internet Banking). Account currencies can be selected from USD, AUD, GBP, CHF, JPY, NZD, SGD, CAD, HKD and EUR.

Additional features include an affiliate program, a free VPS for trading over 15 lots, as well as permission for automatic trading. Clients highly appreciate the fast execution of orders and low spreads, as well as the availability of trading for traders of any level due to the minimum order of 0.01 lots.

IC Markets is one of the leading brokers providing traders with access to a variety of trading tools and platforms. Compared to other popular brokers such as RoboForex, Exness, TeleTrade and Pocket Option, IC Markets offers competitive conditions that can be attractive to traders of all levels.  IC Markets offers the MT4, MT5 and cTrader platforms, as well as their mobile versions, providing a wide choice for its users. RoboForex also supports MT4 and MT5, but additionally provides its own platforms R WebTrader, R StocksTrader and R MobileTrader, which can be a plus for those who are looking for unique solutions. Exness provides Exness Trade Terminal, mobile platforms, MT4 and MT5, offering a similar set. TeleTrade and Pocket Option also support MT4 and MT5, with Pocket Option offering its own platform. 

IC Markets requires a minimum deposit of $200, which is a relatively standard requirement for large brokers. RoboForex offers a minimum deposit of only $10, which may be attractive for beginners. Exness and TeleTrade require only $1, which makes them more affordable for novice traders. Pocket Option sets the minimum deposit at $50, which is also an affordable level for most traders.

IC Markets stands out due to its robust infrastructure and competitive environment, including low spreads and high leverage. However, depending on specific needs and preferences, other brokers, such as RoboForex with a low minimum deposit and cent accounts, or Exness with high leverage, may offer more attractive conditions for certain groups of traders. The choice of a broker should be based on individual requirements and trading strategy.

Commissions and fees

IC Markets provides traders with the opportunity to open an ECN account through cTrader and Raw Spread accounts, which ensures low spreads and high liquidity. The advantages of an ECN account include access to interbank spreads from 0.0 points, high liquidity due to connection to a variety of suppliers, no requotes, which is important for scalpers, and pricing transparency. However, such accounts assume a commission for each completed lot: $6 on cTrader and $7 on Raw Spread. The minimum deposit is $200, which may be higher than some competitors, and the platform interface may seem difficult for beginners.

IC Markets offers three types of accounts with different commission conditions. On cTrader, spreads start at 0.0 points, the commission is $6 per lot, and there is no withdrawal fee, except for international bank transfers (20 AUD). There are also spreads of 0.0 points on the Raw Spread, but the commission is slightly higher — $7 per lot. The standard account has spreads of 0.6 points and does not involve commissions per lot, with the same withdrawal conditions.

Comparing IC Markets with competitors such as RoboForex and Pocket Option, it can be highlighted that IC Markets has an average level of trading fees — about $2 per lot. RoboForex offers the lowest commissions — $1 per lot, which is attractive for traders with small capital. At the same time, Pocket Option has higher commissions — $2.5 per lot, which makes it less profitable in this aspect.

Thus, IC Markets stands out for its competitive trading conditions and high-quality order execution. Commissions on cTrader and Raw Spread accounts are at an average level, while ensuring low spreads and high liquidity. RoboForex may be more attractive for traders looking for minimal commissions, whereas Pocket Option is less profitable in terms of commission levels. The choice of a broker should be based on individual needs and trading strategy, taking into account all aspects, including withdrawal fees and trading conditions.

Safety

IC Markets is a brokerage company that provides a high level of security and reliability for its clients. They operate under licenses from several major regulators: Raw Trading Ltd is licensed by SFSA (Seychelles), International Capital Markets Pty Ltd is licensed by ASIC (Australia), and IC Markets (EU) Ltd is licensed by CySEC (Cyprus). These licenses allow the company to operate in more than 100 countries, complying with local financial standards and under the constant supervision of external auditors.

Additional security measures include the availability of an insurance fund that compensates for the loss of up to 20 thousand customers. EUR through the Financial Commission, and account segregation, which means that client funds are held separately from the broker's operating funds in reliable banks such as Barclays Bank (UK), Westpac and National Australia Bank (Australia).

The advantages of working with IC Markets include clear regulations that protect the interests of clients, the availability of insurance for a brokerage company and accessibility for traders from around the world. However, the need for careful examination of documents and the inability to accept claims from small investors may be disadvantages for some clients. In general, IC Markets provides stable and safe conditions for trading in international financial markets.

Support Service

IC Markets Broker's customer support service provides a wide range of opportunities for communication and solving traders' issues, however, there are both pros and cons that should be considered.

An important aspect is the availability of a help center where clients can find information about various aspects of working with a broker. This allows you to quickly find answers to frequently asked questions without having to contact support. The convenient search function helps users to quickly find the information they need. This is especially useful for traders who want to find answers to specific questions about trading, account conditions and other aspects.

Support is provided in several languages, which provides easy communication for international customers. This allows traders from different countries to receive high-quality support in their native language. The availability of the callback feature allows customers to request feedback without having to wait in line on the phone line. This is convenient for solving more complex issues or consultations.

One significant disadvantage is that the main communication channels, such as the telephone line and e—mail, do not work on weekends. This can create inconvenience for customers who have urgent questions or problems over the weekend. The support chat is available around the clock, including weekends, which makes it the only communication channel these days. However, not all issues can be resolved via chat, which limits the availability of full-fledged support on non-business days.

In general, the IC Markets support service provides customers with convenient tools to communicate and get help, especially on business days. However, it is important to take into account the restrictions on working hours on weekends and look for alternative ways of communication if urgent support is needed.