IC Markets vs Switch Markets

IC Markets or Switch Markets – which is better for UK traders 2025? Compare IC Markets and Switch Markets in this detailed breakdown of their platforms, features and fees.

IC Markets vs Switch Markets Comparison Table 2025
IC Markets Switch Markets
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4.8
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3.8
IC Markets is ranked #5 among CFD brokers. Switch Markets is ranked #51 among CFD brokers.
IC Markets is an internationally acclaimed forex and CFD broker, admired for its competitive pricing, diverse trading instruments, and superior technology. Established in 2007 and based in Australia, the firm is under the regulation of ASIC, CySEC, and FSA. It has successfully drawn over 180,000 clients from more than 200 nations. Switch Markets is a multi-asset CFD brokerage regulated by ASIC and SVGFSA. The brand provides trading services on MT4 and MT5 platforms with leverage up to 1:500. It offers more than 2000 instruments and includes features like copy trading services and free VPS hosting.
Pros
  • IC Markets provides some of the industry's narrowest spreads, offering 0.0-pip spreads on major currency pairs. This makes it an extremely cost-effective choice for traders.
  • As a well-regulated and reputable broker, IC Markets focuses on client safety and transparency to provide a dependable global trading experience.
  • In 2025, IC Markets earned DayTrading.com's accolade for 'Best MT4/MT5 Broker' due to its top-tier MetaTrader integration. This achievement highlights the broker's continuous refinement over the years to enhance the platform experience.
  • IC Markets provides reliable 24/5 support, especially for account and funding queries, drawing from direct experience.
  • Access over 2,250 CFDs across diverse markets like forex, commodities, indices, shares, bonds, and cryptocurrencies. This variety enables traders to employ diversified strategies.
  • Switch Markets provides a good selection of trading tools, such as a market sentiment heatmap, an economic calendar, and VPS access. I value the variety of forex calculators available.
  • I discovered 14 easy deposit methods and 5 base currencies. With average processing times of just 1 minute and 2 seconds, traders will find this particularly appealing.
  • I am impressed by the free access to HowToTrade's educational resources, community forum, and market analysis, all without requiring a deposit.
  • Traders can utilise the MetaTrader Trading Signals to mirror the actions of seasoned traders instantly.
  • The £50 minimum initial deposit for both account types is quite competitive relative to other brands.
Cons
  • IC Markets provides metals and cryptocurrencies for trading through CFDs, though the selection is narrower compared to brokers such as eToro. This limits opportunities for traders focused on these asset classes.
  • The tutorials, webinars, and educational resources require enhancement, lagging behind competitors such as CMC Markets, which diminishes their appeal to novice traders.
  • Certain withdrawal methods incur fees, including a $20 charge for wire transfers. These costs can reduce profits, particularly with frequent withdrawals.
  • Although there are four top-tier third-party platforms available, the absence of in-house software or a trading app tailored for novice traders is notable.
  • Interest is not paid on idle cash, a feature gaining popularity with alternatives such as Interactive Brokers.
  • I am somewhat worried that the international firm is governed by the SVGFSA, an offshore regulator known for offering minimal financial security to clients.
  • In my view, Standard account holders face relatively high spreads, averaging 1.5 pips for EUR/USD, which are not particularly competitive.
Awards
  • Best MT4/MT5 Broker 2025 - DayTrading.com
  • Best MT4/MT5 Broker 2023 - DayTrading.com
  • Best Forex Broker 2022 - DayTrading.com
  • Best Overall Broker 2020 - DayTrading.com
  • Best Trading App 2020 - DayTrading.com
FCA Regulated
No

List of FCA Regulated Brokers

No

List of FCA Regulated Brokers

Instruments
CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, Bonds, Futures, Crypto CFDs, Forex, Stocks, ETFs, Cryptos, Futures, Commodities
Demo Account
Yes Yes
Minimum Deposit
$200 $50
Payment Methods
Minimum Trade
0.01 Lots 0.01 Lots
Regulator
ASIC, CySEC, FSA, CMA ASIC
Mobile Apps
iOS & Android iOS & Android
Trading App
IC Markets provide mobile apps for their cTrader, MT4, MT5, and TradingView platforms. Developed separately for Android and iOS, these apps leverage each system's unique capabilities. Featuring raw pricing and spreads from 0.0, they offer superb tools for every trader level. What truly distinguishes them is maintaining IC Markets’ renowned rapid execution speed within the apps. This ensures a professional and highly responsive trading experience.
iOS App Rating
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3.1
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4.8
Android App Rating
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4.2
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4.6
Margin Trading
Yes Yes
MetaTrader 4
Yes Yes
MetaTrader 5
Yes No
cTrader
Yes No
AlgoTrader
No No
OmniTrader
No No
TradingView
Yes No
Autochartist
No No
eSignal
No No
Trading Central
Yes No
STP Account
No No
ECN Account
Yes No
DMA Account
Yes No
MAM Account
Yes Yes
PAMM Account
Yes Yes
LAMM Account
No No
Demat Account
No No
AI / Machine Learning
No No
Robo Advisor
No No
Negative Balance Protection
Yes Yes
Market Maker
No Yes
P2P Trading
No No
Spot Trading
Yes Yes
Auto Trading
Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader, cBots on cTrader, Myfxbook AutoTrade Yes - Equinix
Copy Trading
Yes Yes
Copy Trading Platform
Introduced in February 2023, the IC Social app provides an easy platform for learning, sharing, and replicating the trades of other traders with minimal effort. The app also includes risk management features and supports specialised trading groups. Alternatively, IC Markets offers access to Signal Start and popular third-party copy trading platforms like ZuluTrade and cTrader Copy. Switch Markets provides low-cost trading services through the MetaTrader 4 platform, allowing traders to copy strategies efficiently.
Social Trading
Yes Yes
Trade Signals
Signal Start MT4
VPS Hosting
Yes Yes
Tournaments
No No
Demo Competitions
No No
Ethical Investing
No No
Custodial Account
No No
Guaranteed Stop Loss
No No
Inactivity Fee
$0
Islamic Account
Yes Yes
Account Currencies
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • CAD
  • AUD
  • NZD
  • JPY
  • CHF
  • HKD
  • SGD
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • CAD
  • AUD
  • NZD
  • CHF
  • SGD
Commodities
  • Gold
  • Oil
  • Silver
  • Orange Juice
  • Cocoa
  • Coffee
  • Corn
  • Soybeans
  • Sugar
  • Wheat
  • Natural Gas
  • Gold
  • Silver
  • Oil
  • Natural Gas
CFD
Trade over 2,250 CFDs anytime from Monday to Friday across key markets, including forex, commodities, indices, stocks, and bonds. IC Markets leverages deep liquidity and cutting-edge bridge technology to offer ideal trading conditions for scalpers, hedgers, and algorithmic traders. Switch Markets provides over 180 CFD instruments, offering leverage up to 1:500 and swift order execution in under 76 milliseconds. Commissions are competitive, at $7 per round turn for Pro account holders.
Leverage
1:30 (ASIC & CySEC), 1:500 (FSA), 1:1000 (Global) 1:500
FTSE Spread
1.0 1.2
GBPUSD Spread<
0.23 0.5
Oil Spread
0.03 2.0
Stocks Spread
0.02 Variable
Forex
IC Markets remains dedicated to offering tight 0.0-pip spreads on major currency pairs like EUR/USD, ensuring outstanding execution with an average speed of 35 milliseconds. Ideal for traders seeking high performance, those dealing in large volumes can also enjoy rebates of up to $2.50 per forex lot. The offering of over 60 major, minor, and exotic currency pairs is competitive, particularly with Pro account spreads starting at 0 pips. Seasoned traders can utilise leverage up to 1:500 on the widely-used MT4 platform.
Assets
75 60+
GBPUSD Spread
0.23 0.5
EURUSD Spread
0.02 0.1
EURGBP Spread
0.27 0.6
Cryptocurrency
IC Markets provides a range of over 20 cryptocurrencies for trading through CFDs, featuring less common tokens like Avalanche, Kusama, and Uniswap. Traders can enjoy commission-free transactions and experienced individuals can utilise high leverage up to 1:200 via the MetaTrader platforms. Switch Markets offers just six crypto CFDs, but the available leverage of 1:3 is appealing. Additionally, deposit options include BTC, ETH, XRP, USDT, and USDTRC20, which is advantageous for traders.
Spread
BTC 42.036 Variable
Coins
  • BTC
  • BCH
  • DOT
  • DSH
  • EMC
  • EOS
  • ETH
  • LNK
  • LTC
  • NMC
  • PPC
  • XLM
  • XRP
  • ADA
  • BNB
  • DOG
  • UNI
  • XTZ
  • BTC
  • ETH
  • LTC
  • XRP
Crypto Lending
No No
Crypto Mining
No No
Crypto Staking
No No
Auto Market Maker
No No
IC Markets Switch Markets
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