IC Markets

Established in 2007, IC Markets built its reputation primarily on execution infrastructure: co-located servers in Equinix NY4 data centres, liquidity aggregated from a large panel of banks and non-bank providers, and consistently tight raw spreads on its Raw Spread and cTrader Raw accounts. That combination has made it a common choice among algorithmic and high-frequency traders who care more about fill quality and latency than any single marketing feature.

Its Standard account bundles cost into the spread with no separate commission, which suits lower-frequency discretionary traders, while the Raw Spread and cTrader Raw accounts strip the spread down close to interbank levels and charge a flat per-lot commission instead — the more common setup for traders running expert advisors or scalping strategies where every fraction of a pip affects the strategy's edge. Platform-wise, IC Markets covers the same ground as most large ECN brokers: MetaTrader 4 and 5, cTrader for its more advanced order types and market depth view, and TradingView charting integration.

Regulation is split across entities — ASIC in Australia, CySEC in Cyprus, and an FSA license in Seychelles for clients outside those two jurisdictions — with account protections and maximum leverage varying accordingly depending on which entity onboards you.