Company name: International Capital Markets Pty Ltd (IC Markets)
Founded: 2007
Headquarters: Australia
Regulatators: ASIC
Minimum deposit: $200
Note: Open an IC Markets True ECN account and get up to 21.5% direct live commissions discount!
IMPORTANT: IC Markets is not able to accept clients from Afghanistan, Burma/Myanmar, Canada, Central African Republic, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea), Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FFRY), Iran, Iraq, Japan, Liberia, Libya, New Zealand, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Yemen, Zimbabwe, United States of America (USA)
IC Markets Review – Best Forex Broker For High Volume Traders, Scalpers, EA’s
Table of Contents
IC Markets is one of the world’s best True ECN forex brokers 2022 providing trading solutions for active day traders and scalpers as well as traders that are new to the Forex market or using FX Expert Advisors. The brokerage offers its clients cutting edge trading platforms, low latency connectivity and superior liquidity.
This IC Markets broker is really revolutionizing online forex trading. All retail traders are now able to gain access to pricing and liquidity previously only available to investment banks and high net worth individuals.
International Capital Markets (IC Markets) was incorporated in Sydney, Australia in 2007 by a team of professionals in the financial services industry who were instrumental in the success of one of Australia’s largest CFD and Forex providers. The firms mission is to create the best and most transparent trading environment for retail and institutional clients alike allowing traders to focus more on their trading.
Built by traders for traders IC Markets is dedicated to offering superior spreads, execution and service!
IC Markets – Regulation
IC Markets is authorised and regulated by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). Trade with a peace of mind knowing IC Markets is monitored by one of the strictest financial regulatory bodies in the world.
ASIC is the financial services regulator in Australia responsible for ensuring that financial markets in Australia are fair and transparent, supported by confident and informed investors and consumers. ASIC is an independent Commonwealth Government body established under the Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act (ASIC Act), carrying out most of its work under the Corporations Act.
IC Markets has in place an external independent auditor to ensure compliance with the regulatory obligations and operational processes.
In accordance with the Australian Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Terrorism Financial Act 2006 IC Markets has in place policies and procedures to ensure compliance with the law. These policies and procedures are designed to prevent money laundering activities from occurring. The Anti-Money Laundering policy outlines the documents that you must provide us before opening an account.
International Capital Markets holds an Australian financial services licence (AFSL) No. 335692 and is authorised to carry on a financial services business in Australia, limited to the financial services covered by AFSL.
Trading Platforms
IC Markets offers its clients the opportunity to trade on 3 different trading platforms. From these platforms, traders are sure to find one that meets all their needs and trading style.
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Metatrader 4 (MT4) Platform:
IC Markets offers clients the opportunity to trade on the award-winning Metatrader 4 (MT4) platform. It is undoubtedly the world’s most popular trading platform for forex traders. Because it is easy to use, with feature rich environment and automated trading ability.
It has grown from a trading platform to a global community where trader’s demands are met by technology provider’s innovations. IC Markets has partnerships with many of these technology providers. And is proud to offer you the next generation Metatrader 4 platform, designed to take your trading to the next level.
Both IC Markets Standard and True ECN accounts are available on the Metatrader 4 trading platform.
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Metatrader 5 (MT5) Platform:
The new Metatrader 5 (MT5) platform is an updated and improved version of its predecessor which has long been the industry standard for traders around the world. IC Markets is proud to present the next generation Metatrader 5 platform, designed to offer everything you need to trade the markets.
Metatrader 5’s advanced charting technology coupled with sophisticated order management tools help you to monitor and control your positions quickly and efficiently. It is a powerful platform packed with brand new features aimed at improving your trading experience. It is available on both of the account types: True ECN and Standard.
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cTrader Platform:
cTrader platform combines the speed of an ECN trading platform with the multi-bank liquidity of IC Markets True ECN environment, providing clients with the ultimate trading solution. It utilises proven technology that will enable you to take your trading to the next level.
The IC Markets cTrader platform gives you access to an deep liquidity in 64 currency pairs plus 16 major equity indices. Active traders worldwide appreciate trading in an ECN environment, which combined with the superior functionality of cTrader and streaming prices from multiple global banks, gives you the ultimate in trading solutions.
In addition, IC Markets offers Metatrader 4, Metatrader 5 and cTrader as applications for Android, iPhone and iPad. These applications give traders easy access to their accounts wherever they are.
Tradeable Instruments
IC Markets’ carefully selected range of products gives you access to the most popular and liquid markets across the world for the best trading opportunities 24/7.
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Forex:
The Forex market provides traders the opportunity to trade 24 hours a day, 5 days a week in the world’s most liquid financial market. Traders can take advantage of the tightest spreads, superior execution, up to 1:500 leverage, and deep interbank liquidity across 60 currency pairs.
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Indices:
Gain exposure to the world’s largest equity markets through IC Markets’ offering of global Indices CFDs. With spreads from 0.5 points on 16 Indices, traders can take a wider view of equities markets whilst enjoying commission free and 24/5 trading across major markets.
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Commodities:
Trade Energy, Agriculture and Metals products like a currency pair against the USD or as a Futures CFD. The company has combined tight pricing and flexible lot sizes from 10c per point to give you one powerful product.
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Stocks:
Access over 120+ large-cap Stocks CFDs across the ASX, NYSE and NASDAQ stock exchanges. IC has selected a range of the world’s most popular companies to give you the best trading opportunities.
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Bonds:
6 Bonds offer traders the opportunity to speculate on interest rates and global risk on/off sentiment, hedging equities exposure and to diversify their strategy. Choose from a range of Bonds issued by governments around the world including Japan, Europe, the U.K, and the U.S.
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Cryptos:
Go long or short across the range of the world’s largest and most popular Cryptocurrencies. Trade against other retail traders 24/5 where price movements are driven primarily by fear and greed, news and prevailing sentiment. Enjoy trading with leverage up to 1:20 and eliminate Cryptocurrency Exchange risk by trading with an ASIC-regulated broker.
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Futures:
Futures are one of the most popular form of CFDs. IC Markets offers a range of 4 different Futures from around the world, including ICE Dollar Index and CBOE VIX Index. Online Futures based CFDs are offered exclusively on IC Markets’ Metatrader 4 Platform.
Account Types
IC Markets True ECN offering and large product range are included across all account types. Suited for both new and experienced traders, simply choose your preferred trading platform and pricing model to get started.
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cTrader ECN Account:
IC Markets cTrader is a market leading ECN trading platform designed from the ground up with forex trading in mind. IC Markets boasts some of the tightest spreads of all Forex brokers globally. There is no minimum spread on the cTrader platform and spreads on the EURUSD can often be seen at 0.0 pips during the European and North American trading sessions. The average spread on EURUSD is 0.1 pips 24/5. This is currently the tightest average EURUSD spread out of any broker globally. The account is most suitable for day traders and scalpers.
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True ECN Account:
IC Markets True ECN account offers some of the lowest possible spreads available. The average EURUSD spread is 0.1 pips, with only a small commission of $3.50 per lot payable per side. With liquidity from over 50 different banks and dark pool liquidity sources IC Markets True ECN account was built for day traders, scalpers and expert advisors.
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Standard Account:
IC Markets Metatrader Standard account offers you unrivalled lightning fast execution speeds combined with spreads from as low as 1 pip. IC Markets servers are housed in one of the world’s most reliable data centers, Equinix NY4 in New York. With connections to over 50 different banks and liquidity providers you will have a superior trading experience all day, every day.
IC Markets Account Types Comparison
True ECN Account with cTrader | True ECN Account with Metatrader | Standard Account | |
Fees | Commission and tight spread | Commission and tight spread | No commission, but wider spreads |
Trading platform | cTrader | Metatrader 4 (MT4) and Metatrader 5 (MT5) | Metatrader 4 (MT4) and Metatrader 5 (MT5) |
Available accounts by ownership | Individual, corporate, joint | Individual, joint, corporate | Corporate, individual, joint |
Islamic account offered | Yes | Sure | Of course |
Recommended for | Frequent traders, scalping and hedging | Frequent traders, scalping, hedging and Expert Advisor | Scalping, hedging allowed |
IC Markets Metatrader 4 and 5 platforms have no restrictions on trading!
They have some of the best trading conditions for scalping and high frequency trading and Forex Expert Advisor trading globally, allowing traders to place orders between the spread as there is no minimum order distance and a freeze level of 0. This means orders including stop loss orders can be placed as close to the market price as you like.
Traders can also hedge positions as there is no first in first out (FIFO) rule with IC Markets. Traders do not pay margin on hedged trades and enjoy the benefits of margin netting.
Trading Conditions
The IC Markets True ECN environment offers the most aggressive pricing and flexible trading conditions globally. They are ideal for traders who demand the best execution quality and lowest spreads.
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Currency Pairs:
IC Markets streams prices on 60 different currency pairs and 4 metals on all 3 trading platforms. The company is able to offer some of the best pricing in the industry by aggregating quotes from over 50 different banks and dark pool liquidity sources. This low pricing combined with unrivalled execution speeds makes IC Markets the favoured destination for day traders, scalpers and those using FX Expert Advisors (Forex EA’s).
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Margin and Leverage:
By offering leverage up to 1:500 this broker opens the path to the forex market for Retail traders. Using leverage means only a small initial outlay (margin) is required. The use of leverage can magnify gains but losses can also exceed your initial deposit.
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Spreads:
IC Markets spreads are market leading with prices streaming from over 50 different banks and dark pool liquidity sources. Low latency servers in an enterprise grade True ECN trading environment means you will always be trading on the best available price. Spreads can go as low as 0.0 pips on our Metatrader 4, Metatrader 5, and cTrader True ECN platforms.
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Commissions:
There are no commissions charged using the standard account but the spread is marked up by 1 pip above the interbank rates. On True ECN and cTrader accounts, there is a commission of around $7 per standard lot round turn and spreads are variable and start from 0.0 pips.
How To Install The FX Expert Advisor (Forex EA) In Metatrader 4 (MT4)
Learn how to install Expert Advisors on your Metatrader 4 terminal. The video will guide you step by step with the MT4 EA’s installation.
Account Funding
IC Markets offers over 15 flexible funding options in 10 different base currencies. Deposit instantly and for free using a range of methods.
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Funding methods:
Bank Wire, BPAY, Broker to Broker, China Union Pay, Credit/debit Card, Credit Card, Neteller, Skrill (Moneybookers), Webmoney, Paypal
When funding your trading account client money is held in Segregated Client Trust Accounts at National Australia Bank (NAB) and Westpac Banking Corporation (Westpac), both are AA rated Australian Banks. Electronic payments are processed using SSL (Secure Socket Layer) technology and are encrypted to ensure security. All payment information is confidential and used only for the purpose of funding your trading account.
For faster processing we recommend that all account holders deposit funds into their trading account from inside their Secure Client Area. From your Secure Client Area you will be able to fund your account in real time using Credit Card and Skrill.
IC Markets does not charge any additional fees for deposits. You should however be aware that you may incur fees on payments to and from some international banking institutions. The company accepts no responsibility for any such bank fees.
Funds Withdrawal
For faster processing all account holders are now required to submit withdrawal requests from inside their Secure Client Area.
Withdrawal requests cut off time is 12:00 AEST/AEDT. If your withdrawal is submitted before this time it will be processed on the day of receipt. If your withdrawal is submitted after this time it will be processed on the following business day.
IC Markets does not charge any additional fees for withdrawals. You should however be aware that you may incur fees on payments to and from some international banking institutions.
For International Bank Wire withdrawals, the transfer fees charged by the banking institution are approximately AUD 20. This fee is deducted from the amount of your withdrawal. International Telegraphic Wire Transfers will usually take 3-5 business days to reach your bank account.
Promotions & Bonuses
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Free VPS Service:
A minimum volume of 15 round turn (FX) lots per calendar month is required to qualify for a sponsored VPS.
Customer Support
International Capital Markets has clients all over the world and offers great customer support 24/5 through live chat, online help, a comprehensive FAQ section, phone hotline and email.
Conclusion
IC Markets is one of Australia’s leading Forex brokers for High Volume Traders, Scalpers and Expert Advisors. This company is providing an exclusive ECN trading environment, top-notch technology features and excellent trading conditions. The broker offers a great selection of tradable instruments, including 6 cryptocurrencies, and a strong customer support service.
Visit the Official IC Markets website
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
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Who is IC Markets?
IC Markets is the leading True ECN forex broker in Australia. The company was founded in 2007 with the vision of providing fair and transparent forex trading to active traders. The broker is dedicated to bring retail investors and traders in Australia and abroad solutions previously only available to professionals and large global investment banks.
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Who owns IC Markets?
IC Markets is a privately owned Australian based company with headquarters in Sydney. The management team is comprised of individuals with over 20 years experience in derivate products. The founders were instrumental in the success of Australia’s largest CFD and Forex provider.
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Is IC Markets regulated?
IC Markets is regulated by ASIC in Australia and holds a financial services licence 335692. It complies with ASIC capital adequacy requirements and conducts ongoing compliance audits of internal procedures and risk management.
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What is the difference between a Standard and True ECN account?
IC Markets has two Metatrader 4 account types, a standard account and the market leader, True ECN account. The FX broker does not charge a commission on standard accounts but instead marks up the spread by 1 pip above the Interbank rate received from the liquidity providers. The True ECN account shows the raw interbank spread received from the liquidity providers, on this account the commission is $7 per standard lot round turn.
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What is the minimum amount needed to open a trading account?
IC Markets allows clients to open an account with as little as USD $200 or currency equivalent.
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How to fund a trading account?
IC Markets offers clients several ways of depositing funds. These are: Bank Wire, BPAY, Broker to Broker, China Union Pay, Credit/debit Card, Credit Card, Neteller, Skrill (Moneybookers), Webmoney, Paypal
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How to withdraw money from the trading account?
Please submit your withdrawal request via your Client Area. All withdrawals received before 12:00 Midday AEST / AEDT will be processed the same business day.
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Is IC Markets a True ECN broker?
Of course, IC Markets is a True ECN Forex broker.
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Is Scalping and Hedging allowed?
Sure, IC Markets fully allows both hedging and scalping strategies. Spreads and trading conditions are the preferred choice of many day traders and scalpers globally.
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Does IC Markets accept US clients?
IC Markets does not accept US clients. US CTFC regulation prevents US clients from trading with brokers outside the US. It complies with International and Australian regulations.