IC Markets

Overview of IC Markets

IC Markets scored 72/100 in our review, placing it in the stronger end of the CFD brokers we test for crypto trading. Unlike a traditional crypto exchange, IC Markets lets you trade cryptocurrency CFDs, which means you speculate on price movements without owning the underlying coins.

Because IC Markets is a regulated CFD broker, the trading experience is different from using an exchange or a prop firm platform. You don't deal with wallets, blockchain transfers, or on-chain fees. Instead, everything runs through a trading account where crypto, forex, indices, commodities, and shares sit side by side.

Crypto Trading Fees

IC Markets makes cryptocurrency pricing easy to follow because all crypto CFDs are commission-free on every account type and every platform.

Your crypto trading costs come from spreads and overnight swaps. For forex and metals, the pricing model changes depending on whether you use the Standard or Raw Spread account:

Standard Account: spread-only pricing, no commissions on any asset, and forex spreads starting around 1.0 pip. Raw Spread Account: tightest spreads, commission only on forex and metals ($3.50 per side on MT4/MT5 or $3.00 per side on cTrader/TradingView), and crypto remains spread-only.

The spreads are competitive for the crypto markets IC Markets offers. Major pairs like Bitcoin and Ethereum sit in a reasonable range for a traditional CFD broker, while altcoins often show very tight minimums thanks to smaller pip values.

Crypto Pair	Min Spread (USD)	Commission
Bitcoin (BTC/USD)	$12.0	$0
Ethereum (ETH/USD)	$2.89	$0
Litecoin (LTC/USD)	$1.05	$0
BCH (BCH/USD)	$1.56	$0
Cardano (ADA/USD)	$0.001	$0
Ripple (XRP/USD)	$0.008	$0

Other trading fees include swap fees charged at rollover when holding crypto positions overnight. There are no admin or inactivity fees, and no blockchain or withdrawal fees since CFD trading avoids exchange-style on-chain costs.

IC Markets scored 9/10 for fees because spreads on major pairs are consistently low, especially on Raw accounts. Commission rates are fair, and there are no internal fees for deposits or withdrawals. Costs can rise on some niche markets, but overall IC Markets remains one of the cheaper brokers to trade with.

Crypto Markets

IC Markets only offers 22 cryptocurrency CFDs covering the main majors and a handful of well known altcoins. The smaller list gives you a simple selection without hundreds of fringe tokens, which helps if you want consistent pricing and clear spreads.

BTC

ETH

LTC

XRP

SOL

ADA

AVAX

DOGE

+ 14 more

IC Markets also supports a wide range of traditional CFD markets including forex, indices, commodities, metals, bonds, and more than 1,600 share CFDs depending on your region. Trading hours for crypto run 7 days a week.

IC Markets scored 4/10 for markets because, although forex, indices and commodities coverage is solid, the crypto range is very limited compared to brokers offering hundreds of crypto CFDs. If you are looking for a wide market choice you'll find IC Markets more restrictive than many other crypto providers.

Trading Platforms and Tools

You can trade crypto CFDs on MT4, MT5, cTrader, and TradingView, so you aren't locked into a single platform. Each option works slightly differently, especially with automation, charting tools, and order types.

MetaTrader 4

MetaTrader 5

cTrader

TradingView

MT4 is the simplest platform in the set and suits traders who only need basic charting and automated strategies. You can use Expert Advisors (EAs) for crypto trading, and most bots designed for forex will run the same way on crypto charts.

MT5 is the strongest MetaTrader option for crypto because it has faster order processing, more indicators, more timeframes, and better depth-of-market data. EAs run more efficiently here, and many traders prefer MT5 for crypto scalping. All 22 crypto CFDs are available on MT5.

cTrader gives you advanced charting, custom indicators, and a detailed depth-of-market window. You can automate crypto trading using cBots built in C#. The layout is cleaner than MT4 and MT5, making it easier to manage multiple charts.

TradingView has the strongest charting tools of the four platforms, with hundreds of indicators, drawing tools, and access to Pine Script for custom strategies. It also gives you community-built indicators and alerts that work well for tracking fast-moving crypto markets.

IC Markets also supports copy trading via MT4/MT5, VPS hosting for running bots 24/7, market scanners, and depth of market tools on MT5 and cTrader.

IC Markets scored 9/10 for its trading platforms because it supports MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, cTrader and TradingView. Each platform runs smoothly, offers fast execution and supports both manual and automated trading.

Safety and Availability

IC Markets is regulated across several major jurisdictions, and each licence sets out the protections you receive depending on where you open your account.

The broker is authorised by ASIC (Australia), CySEC (Cyprus), FSA (Seychelles), and SCB (Bahamas). These entities cover Australia, Europe, and offshore regions, giving most traders a regulated pathway to onboard.

The broker keeps client money in segregated trust accounts, offers negative balance protection in regions where it is required, and operates as a CFD provider rather than a crypto exchange. This means you trade price movements only and never hold real crypto assets.

The broker follows an ECN-style pricing model with multiple liquidity providers, which helps keep spreads stable across forex, indices, and crypto markets.

Some regions cannot be onboarded due to regulatory restrictions. IC Markets does not accept clients from the United States, Canada, Israel, New Zealand, Iran, North Korea, and Brazil.

IC Markets scored 9/10 for trust and safety because it is regulated by top tier financial authorities like ASIC and CySEC, uses segregated client accounts and has a long operating history. Traders under these regulators also get negative balance protection.

Funding and Withdrawals

You can fund your account using cards, bank transfers, and several online payment systems. Deposits normally arrive quickly, and most methods do not incur added costs. Withdrawals are processed during business hours, and processing times depend on the payment method.

The minimum deposit for IC Markets is $200, and you can fund in multiple base currencies. Because these are CFDs rather than actual crypto assets, there are no blockchain fees or network confirmations to deal with.

IC Markets scored 5/10 for funding because the $200 minimum deposit is high compared to low cost alternatives. While the broker supports common funding methods, availability varies by region. The process works fine overall, but it isn't as flexible or accessible as the top brokers.

Risk and Trading Rules

IC Markets keeps its trading rules consistent across platforms, but your leverage changes based on regulation. If you're in Europe or Australia, crypto CFDs are capped at 2:1, and major forex pairs at 30:1.

If you open your account under IC Markets Global, you'll see much higher leverage. On MT4 and MT5, smaller BTC and ETH trades can reach 1:500, with leverage tapering down to 1:300 as net exposure increases. BCH and LTC generally sit around 1:200.

cTrader and TradingView are more conservative, typically offering lower crypto leverage than MT4 and MT5 with their own internal exposure controls.

Margin rules are the same on every platform. IC Markets issues a margin call at 100%, and positions start to close if your margin level drops to 50%. Most trading strategies are allowed including scalping, hedging, and automation across all platforms.

IC Markets scored 7/10 for trading rules because conditions differ by region. The Global entity allows high leverage and fewer restrictions, while regulated entities have tighter limits. This mix means some traders enjoy flexible rules while others face more controls.

Final Thoughts on IC Markets

IC Markets received an overall score of 72/100 based on testing across fees, platforms, funding, markets, safety, and trading rules. The broker performs very well on pricing and platforms, with low spreads, fast execution, and support for MT4, MT5, cTrader, and TradingView. Safety is also strong thanks to regulation in several major regions.

The lower scores come from areas where traders may feel more restricted, such as the limited crypto market list, the higher $200 minimum deposit, and differences in leverage depending on which IC Markets entity you register under.

The mix of strong trading conditions and a few practical limitations results in a balanced score that reflects what traders can expect day to day.