IC Markets, renowned as one of the world’s top forex brokers, offers unparalleled access to a broad range of markets. With its innovative trading platform, competitive spreads, and commitment to transparency, this Sydney-based broker has established a strong reputation in the financial trading industry. This review aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of IC Markets’ offerings, performance, and customer service to help potential investors make an informed decision.
Company Background
IC Markets was founded in Sydney, Australia, in 2007 with the vision of bridging the gap between retail and institutional clients by offering trading solutions previously only available to investment banks and high-net-worth individuals. Over the years, it has grown to become one of the largest forex brokers in the world, servicing clients from over 160 countries. IC Markets is regulated by ASIC (Australian Securities and Investments Commission), ensuring a high level of security and trust for its clients. The company provides access to forex markets, as well as CFDs on stocks, indices, commodities, futures, bonds, and cryptocurrencies, offering a diversified portfolio for traders.
Features
IC Markets offers a range of features that appeal to both novice and experienced traders. Here are some key features of IC Markets:
- Multiple Trading Platforms: IC Markets provides access to popular trading platforms such as MetaTrader 4 (MT4), MetaTrader 5 (MT5), and cTrader. These platforms offer advanced charting tools, customizable layouts, and a variety of technical indicators to facilitate efficient trading.
- Competitive Spreads: IC Markets offers competitive spreads across various asset classes, including forex, cryptocurrencies, commodities, and indices. The broker aims to provide traders with tight spreads to minimize trading costs.
- Fast Execution: IC Markets boasts ultra-low latency and fast execution speeds, thanks to its robust technology infrastructure. The broker utilizes Equinix servers located in New York (NY4) and London (LD5) data centers, enabling traders to execute trades quickly.
- Range of Trading Instruments: IC Markets offers a wide range of trading instruments, including over 60 currency pairs, major global indices, commodities like gold and oil, cryptocurrencies, and more. This diverse selection allows traders to access various markets and diversify their trading strategies.
- Flexible Account Options: Traders can choose from different account types based on their trading preferences and strategies. IC Markets offers standard accounts and Raw Spread accounts, allowing traders to select the pricing structure that suits their needs.
- Deep Liquidity: IC Markets maintains relationships with multiple liquidity providers, ensuring deep liquidity and competitive pricing. This helps to minimize slippage and enhance trade execution quality.
- Regulated Broker: IC Markets is regulated by reputable financial authorities, including the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) and the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC). This regulatory oversight provides traders with an added layer of security and ensures adherence to industry standards.
- Customer Support: IC Markets offers customer support services that are available 24/7. Traders can reach out to the support team via live chat, email, or phone for assistance with account-related queries, technical issues, or general inquiries.
- Educational Resources: IC Markets provides educational resources, including trading guides, video tutorials, and webinars, to help traders enhance their knowledge and trading skills. These resources cater to traders of all levels, from beginners to advanced professionals.
- Advanced Trading Tools: IC Markets offers advanced trading tools such as the Economic Calendar, Market Sentiment Indicator, and Autochartist. These tools assist traders in making informed decisions by providing real-time market insights and analyzing price patterns.
Trading Platforms
IC Markets boasts three main trading platforms, each with its unique features catering to varying trading needs:
- MetaTrader 4 (MT4): This is one of the most popular forex trading platforms globally, known for its advanced technical analysis tools, automated trading capabilities, and customizable interface. IC Markets’ MT4 platform boasts superior order execution with no dealing desk, real-time price quotes, and zero restrictions on trading.
- MetaTrader 5 (MT5): A more advanced version of MT4, MT5, offers additional features like an integrated economic calendar, more technical indicators, and an extended range of order types. The platform also provides access to a larger number of markets, including shares and commodities.
- cTrader: This platform is widely favored by intermediate and advanced level traders for its intuitive interface, advanced charting, automated trading via cAlgo, and Level II Pricing. It also offers superior order execution speeds and advanced risk management tools.
All these platforms are available in desktop, web, and mobile versions, allowing for seamless and flexible trading from anywhere. Additionally, IC Markets also provides free demo accounts on these platforms, allowing novice traders to practice and hone their trading skills before transitioning to live trading.
Account Types and Spreads
IC Markets offers two main types of accounts: the Standard Account and the Raw Spread Account.
- Standard Account: This account type is suitable for novice to intermediate traders, offering no commission on trades. The spreads start from 1.0 pips, and the account provides access to all the trading instruments available on IC Markets.
- Raw Spread Account: This account type is designed for advanced and professional traders. It offers ultra-tight spreads starting from 0.0 pips, but a small commission is charged on trades. The Raw Spread account allows for more aggressive trading strategies, such as scalping and high-frequency trading.
Each account type offers flexible leverage up to 1:500, allowing traders to maximize their trading potential. IC Markets allows account holders to trade in micro lots, ensuring more precise risk management. The broker also offers Islamic swap-free accounts for traders following the Islamic faith, adhering to the principles of Sharia law.
Trading Instruments
IC Markets provides an impressive range of trading instruments, designed to meet the diverse needs of traders. These include:
- Forex: Traders can access over 60 currency pairs, including major, minor, and exotic pairs. The forex market is available 24 hours a day, providing ample opportunities for traders to profit from price movements.
- Commodities: IC Markets offers a variety of commodities for trading, including precious metals like gold and silver, energy commodities such as crude oil and natural gas, and agricultural products like wheat and coffee.
- Indices: Traders can speculate on the price movements of major global indices, including the S&P 500, FTSE 100, DAX 30, and more.
- Cryptocurrencies: IC Markets provides the opportunity to trade popular cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and Ripple, offering the potential for substantial returns in a volatile market.
- Bonds: Traders can also trade in a selection of global bonds, which is ideal for risk-averse traders looking for stable returns and portfolio diversification.
- Stocks: IC Markets offers a wide range of global stocks from the world’s leading companies, enabling traders to buy and sell shares based on their market predictions.
Each of these trading instruments carries its unique set of risks and rewards, providing traders with numerous avenues to explore according to their risk appetite and investment goals.
Customer Support
IC Markets places a high priority on maintaining excellent customer service. They provide 24/7 support to ensure that their clients’ needs and inquiries are met promptly and accurately. Clients can reach out to the support team through various channels including live chat, email, and phone. The live chat feature, available right on their website, offers immediate resolution for urgent matters while email support guarantees a response within 24 hours. For clients who prefer a more personal approach, phone support is readily available. This commitment to customer satisfaction sets IC Markets apart, making it a reliable and trustworthy trading platform choice for many traders globally.
Advantages
- Access to over 220 trading instruments
- Competitive spreads and leverages up to 1:500
- Advanced features on all platforms
- 24/7 customer support
Disadvantages
- Limited range of educational resources and tools for beginner traders
- A small commission is charged for Raw Spread accounts
