IC Markets review

EU/EEA licence Australia Forex / CFD Founded 2007 Reviewed 30 September 2026
66
Good protectionProtection Score out of 100. See breakdown

Sydney-founded raw-spread broker popular with algorithmic traders; the EU entity IC Markets (EU) Ltd is licensed in Cyprus.

Headquarters
Australia
Founded
2007
Type
Forex & CFD brokers
Licences on record
3 (1 European)
EU client entity
IC Markets (EU) Ltd (CySEC)
Platforms
MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, cTrader, TradingView
Products
Forex, CFDs
Website
icmarkets.com

Strengths

  • Raw-spread pricing aimed at scalpers and EA users
  • MT4, MT5, cTrader and TradingView
  • EU entity licensed in Cyprus

Watch-outs

  • Group's global entity is offshore – EU residents must use the EU company
  • Few products beyond CFDs
  • Limited proprietary tools and research

Overview

IC Markets was founded in Sydney in 2007 and became one of the largest retail forex brokers by traded volume, popular with algorithmic traders for its raw-spread accounts.

Which entity serves you

European residents should be onboarded by IC Markets (EU) Ltd, licensed by CySEC, which applies ESMA leverage limits and negative balance protection. The group's global business runs through an entity licensed in the Seychelles; EU residents should not be moved to it. Check the company named in your client agreement.

Platforms and products

MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, cTrader and TradingView, with raw-spread and standard accounts. Products are CFDs on forex, indices, commodities, bonds, shares and crypto (crypto at 2:1 for EU retail).

Our view

A strong execution-focused broker for active traders, provided you are with the EU entity. Compare commission and swap rates carefully if you hold positions overnight.

Licences on record

Brands often operate several companies. The one that onboards you depends on where you live, and that company's regulator decides your protection. Confirm the entity on the official register before you deposit.

RegulatorJurisdictionTypeCheck it
CySEC Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission Cyprus EU/EEA – passportable Official register
ASIC Australian Securities and Investments Commission Australia Non-European Regulator website
FSA Seychelles Financial Services Authority (Seychelles) Seychelles Offshore Regulator website

What protection would you get?

If you are a retail client of IC Markets's European entity, these safeguards apply by law. Which one applies to you depends on the entity you sign with.

Via a CySEC-licensed entity
Cyprus · EU member state

Verify IC Markets yourself

  1. Find the exact company name in the footer of the website and in the client agreement you are asked to sign.
  2. Search that name on the register of the regulator listed for your country (links above). Make sure the register shows the same website domain.
  3. Check warning lists for look-alike names: IOSCO I-SCAN covers alerts from regulators worldwide.
  4. Never download remote-access software or move money because someone "from the broker" phoned you. How clone-firm scams work.

Protection Score breakdown

FactorPoints
Holds at least one European licence (EU/EEA, UK or Swiss)+40
ESMA/FCA retail protections available (leverage caps, negative balance protection, compensation scheme)+15
Supervised in 2 strong jurisdictions+4
Operating for 19 years+7
Total66/100

The score measures structural protection from licences and corporate facts, not costs, service or platform quality. A high score does not mean a firm is right for you. Methodology.

Trader experiences

No verified experiences yet. Have you used IC Markets? Share what happened with deposits, withdrawals, execution and support.

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About this data

Profile type: reviewed profile. Licence data is from our research and has not yet been re-checked against every register; confirm it on the official register before relying on it. Last updated 30 September 2026.

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