IC Markets Review 2026

IC Markets scores 84.2 out of 100 in our audit, earning its place as one of the top-rated brokers for traders who prioritise tight spreads and fast execution. Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Sydney, IC Markets consistently delivers some of the lowest raw spreads in the industry, with EUR/USD averaging 0.10 pips on its Raw Spread accounts.

Overall Score: 84.2 / 100

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IC Markets at a Glance

| Detail | Value | |--------|-------| | Founded | 2007 | | Headquarters | Sydney, Australia | | Top Regulators | ASIC, CySEC | | Min. Deposit | $200 | | EUR/USD Avg. Spread | 0.10 pips (Raw) | | Commission (Raw) | $6-7 per lot round-turn | | Max Leverage (Retail) | 1:30 | | Max Leverage (Pro) | 1:500 | | Platforms | MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView | | Instruments | 2,250+ | | Inactivity Fee | None |

Score Breakdown

| Category | Score | Weight | |----------|-------|--------| | Regulation & Trust | 82 / 100 | 25% | | Trading Costs | 95 / 100 | 20% | | Platforms & Tools | 92 / 100 | 15% | | Account Conditions | 80 / 100 | 10% | | Deposit & Withdrawal | 85 / 100 | 10% | | Customer Support | 82 / 100 | 10% | | Education & Research | 62 / 100 | 10% | | Overall | 84.2 / 100 | |

IC Markets' highest score is Trading Costs (95), reflecting its position as one of the cheapest brokers to trade with. The weakest category is Education & Research (62), where it falls behind brokers like XM and AvaTrade that invest heavily in learning content.

Regulation & Safety

IC Markets holds licenses from five regulators across three tiers:

| Regulator | Tier | License | Entity | |-----------|------|---------|--------| | ASIC (Australia) | Tier 1 | 335692 | International Capital Markets Pty Ltd | | CySEC (Cyprus) | Tier 2 | 362/18 | IC Markets (EU) Ltd | | FSA Seychelles | Tier 3 | SD018 | IC Markets (SC) Ltd | | SCB (Bahamas) | Tier 3 | SIA-F214 | IC Markets Global Ltd | | CMA (Kenya) | Tier 2 | 343 | IC Markets (Kenya) Ltd |

The ASIC license is the strongest here. Australian regulation means segregated client funds, regular financial reporting, and leverage caps of 1:30 for retail traders. The CySEC entity brings EU MiFID II protections and access to the Investor Compensation Fund (up to EUR 20,000).

There's an important nuance, though. Many international retail clients end up trading through the Seychelles or Bahamas entities, which offer higher leverage (up to 1:500) but weaker regulatory protections. If you're based in a country where IC Markets doesn't have a local entity, check which entity your account falls under.

IC Markets provides negative balance protection and segregated client funds across all entities. It is not publicly listed.

Trading Costs

Spreads

This is where IC Markets earns its reputation. The Raw Spread accounts deliver EUR/USD spreads that regularly sit at 0.0 pips during high-liquidity sessions.

| Pair | Raw Spread Avg. | Standard Account Avg. | |------|----------------|-----------------------| | EUR/USD | 0.10 pips | 0.80 pips | | GBP/USD | 0.40 pips | 1.20 pips | | USD/JPY | 0.30 pips | 1.00 pips |

These figures are competitive with any broker on the market. Pepperstone matches them closely, and FP Markets sits in the same range, but very few brokers consistently beat IC Markets on raw spread tightness.

Commissions

The commission depends on your platform choice:

• Raw Spread (cTrader): $6 per lot round-turn
• Raw Spread (MT4/MT5): $7 per lot round-turn
• Standard Account: $0 (commission built into wider spread)

The cTrader commission of $6/lot is one of the lowest in the industry. On MT4/MT5, the $7/lot is standard among raw spread brokers.

Other Fees

• Inactivity fee: None. Your account won't be charged if you stop trading.
• Deposit fees: Free across all methods
• Withdrawal fees: One free withdrawal per month, then fees vary by method
• Swap rates: Standard overnight financing; swap-free Islamic accounts available

The lack of inactivity fee is a genuine advantage. Several competitors, including OANDA ($10/month after 12 months) and AvaTrade ($50 after 3 months), charge significant inactivity penalties.

Account Types

IC Markets offers three account types, all sharing the same $200 minimum deposit:

| Feature | Standard | Raw Spread (MT4/MT5) | Raw Spread (cTrader) | |---------|----------|---------------------|---------------------| | Min. Deposit | $200 | $200 | $200 | | Spread From | 0.80 pips | 0.00 pips | 0.00 pips | | Commission/Lot | $0 | $7.00 | $6.00 | | Max Leverage | 1:500 | 1:500 | 1:500 | | Execution | Market | ECN | ECN |

The Standard account rolls the cost into the spread, making it simpler for traders who prefer not to think about commission calculations. But for active traders, especially scalpers, the Raw Spread accounts are clearly the better deal. At 0.10 pips average spread plus $6-7 commission, the total cost per trade is significantly lower than the Standard account's 0.80 pip spread.

IC Markets also offers demo accounts, Islamic (swap-free) accounts, and micro lot trading (0.01 lots), which is useful for position sizing on smaller accounts.

Trading Platforms & Tools

Desktop Platforms

IC Markets gives you four platform options, which is more than most brokers offer:

MetaTrader 4 remains the industry standard. IC Markets' MT4 offering includes the standard package of indicators, Expert Advisors support, and one-click trading. Nothing surprising here, but it works well.

MetaTrader 5 adds more timeframes, a built-in economic calendar, and netting alongside hedging mode. If you're moving from MT4, the transition is straightforward.

cTrader is the standout for many IC Markets users. It's faster, has cleaner charting, supports cAlgo for automated strategies, and charges the lowest commission at $6/lot. For scalpers and algo traders, cTrader on IC Markets is one of the best combinations available.

TradingView integration gives access to TradingView's charting tools with direct order execution through IC Markets. This is a recent addition and a strong one.

Mobile Trading

IC Markets offers mobile apps for all major platforms. The cTrader mobile app in particular is well-designed, with Level II pricing and one-tap trading. MT4 and MT5 mobile apps follow their standard MetaQuotes implementations.

API & Algo Trading

API trading is available through cTrader's cAlgo and FIX API. VPS hosting is also offered for traders running automated strategies who need low-latency connections to IC Markets' servers. This is a meaningful advantage for algo traders who need their EAs running 24/5 without interruption.

Copy trading is available through ZuluTrade and Myfxbook integration.

Deposit & Withdrawal

| Method | Deposit Time | Withdrawal Time | Fees | |--------|-------------|-----------------|------| | Bank Transfer | 1-3 days | 1-3 days | Free | | Visa/Mastercard | Instant | 1-5 days | Free | | Skrill | Instant | Same day | Free | | Neteller | Instant | Same day | Free | | PayPal | Instant | Same day | Free |

IC Markets supports 10 base currencies (USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, JPY, CHF, NZD, SGD, CAD, HKD), which is generous and helps avoid conversion fees.

Deposits are free across all methods. Withdrawals are free for the first transaction each month; subsequent withdrawals may incur processor fees depending on the method. This is a minor limitation, but for most traders who withdraw monthly, it won't matter.

Customer Support

IC Markets offers 24/7 support through live chat, phone, and email in 18 languages. The 24/7 availability (rather than the more common 24/5) is worth noting, as it means you can reach support over weekends if there's an account issue.

In testing, live chat responses were prompt, typically within 2-3 minutes. The quality of responses was generally good for standard account queries, though more technical questions about API connectivity sometimes required escalation.

Education & Research

This is IC Markets' weakest area. The broker provides:

• Webinars (periodic, not daily)
• Market analysis articles
• Economic calendar
• Trading calculators

What's missing: there are no structured trading courses, no video tutorial library of substance, and no trading signals. If you're a beginner looking for hand-holding, IC Markets isn't built for you. Brokers like XM and AvaTrade offer significantly more educational content.

IC Markets is designed for traders who already know what they're doing and want the cheapest, fastest execution available. The education gap reflects that focus.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Ultra-tight raw spreads from 0.0 pips on EUR/USD (averaging 0.10 pips)
• Four platform options: MT4, MT5, cTrader, and TradingView
• No inactivity fees
• 24/7 customer support in 18 languages
• VPS hosting available for algo traders
• 2,250+ instruments across forex, CFDs, stocks, indices, commodities, and crypto
• $6/lot commission on cTrader, among the lowest available

Cons:

• $200 minimum deposit is higher than XM ($5), Exness ($10), or Pepperstone ($0)
• Limited educational resources, particularly for beginners
• No proprietary platform
• Many retail clients trade through the offshore Seychelles/Bahamas entity with weaker protections
• Withdrawal fees may apply after the first free monthly transaction

Final Verdict

IC Markets is built for one thing: giving active traders the lowest possible trading costs with professional-grade execution. It does this better than almost anyone. Raw spreads from 0.0 pips, four platform options including cTrader at $6/lot commission, and no inactivity fee make it the natural choice for scalpers, day traders, and anyone running automated strategies.

It's not the best broker for beginners. The education is thin, the $200 minimum deposit creates a barrier for small starters, and navigating the multi-entity structure requires some understanding of forex regulation. If you're new to trading, look at AvaTrade or XM first.

But if you know what you're trading and you want the tightest spreads and fastest fills? IC Markets is hard to beat. It earned the second-highest overall score on BrokerAudit for good reason.

Compare IC Markets with other brokers | See our scalping broker rankings | See our low spread broker rankings

Frequently Asked Questions

Is IC Markets safe to trade with? IC Markets is regulated by ASIC (Australia) and CySEC (EU), both considered strong regulators. It offers negative balance protection and segregated client funds. The main caution is that many international clients are served through offshore entities (Seychelles, Bahamas) with less regulatory coverage.

What is the minimum deposit for IC Markets? $200 across all account types (Standard, Raw Spread MT4/MT5, and Raw Spread cTrader).

Does IC Markets charge inactivity fees? No. IC Markets does not charge any inactivity fee, regardless of how long your account sits dormant.

What spreads does IC Markets offer on EUR/USD? The Raw Spread accounts average 0.10 pips on EUR/USD, with commissions of $6/lot (cTrader) or $7/lot (MT4/MT5). The Standard account averages around 0.80 pips with no commission.

Is IC Markets good for scalping? Yes. IC Markets ranks #1 in our Best Forex Brokers for Scalping category. Its raw spreads, ECN execution model, cTrader platform support, and VPS hosting make it one of the strongest choices for scalpers.

Does IC Markets offer copy trading? Yes, through third-party integrations with ZuluTrade and Myfxbook. There's no native copy trading platform.

Review by Neil C, BrokerAudit. Data verified April 2026. Read our methodology.