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IC Markets vs XTB

IC Markets or XTB – which is better for UK traders 2026? Compare IC Markets and XTB in this detailed breakdown of their platforms, features and fees.

IC Markets vs XTB Comparison Table 2026
IC Markets	XTB

Not Rated	4.8
IC Markets is ranked # among .	XTB is ranked #2 among CFD brokers.
	Review
IC Markets has closed or no longer accepts UK clients.	Established in Poland in 2002, XTB caters to over a million clients worldwide. This forex and CFD broker offers a robust regulatory framework, a diverse range of assets, and prioritises trader satisfaction. It provides an intuitive proprietary platform equipped with excellent tools to support aspiring traders.
	CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 70% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money
Pros
	XTB offers a diverse array of instruments, including CFDs on shares, indices, ETFs, commodities, forex, crypto, real shares, real ETFs, and share dealing, along with newly introduced Investment Plans. This allows XTB to serve both short-term traders and long-term investors efficiently. The xStation platform stands out with its user-friendly design and intuitive tools, such as adaptable news feeds, sentiment heatmaps, and a trader calculator. These features streamline the learning process for new traders. XTB offers a superb array of educational resources, such as training videos and articles, embedded within the platform to assist traders of all experience levels. XTB has raised interest rates on uninvested funds and introduced zero-fee ISAs (for ETFs and real shares, or 0.2% on trades over €100k) for UK clients, offering access to a wide array of markets. Setting up an XTB account is straightforward and fully online, requiring only a few minutes. This simplicity eases new traders into the world of trading. Top-notch customer support, available 24/5, includes a welcoming live chat with response times under two minutes during tests. XTB processes withdrawals swiftly, paying within 3 business days, subject to the method and amount.
Cons
	XTB lacks a raw spread account, a feature increasingly offered by competitors such as Pepperstone. This omission might not satisfy traders seeking the most competitive spreads. The demo account lasts only four weeks, posing a challenge for traders wanting to fully explore the xStation platform and refine short-term strategies before investing actual money. XTB has stopped supporting MT4, restricting traders to its own platform, xStation. This decision may discourage experienced traders accustomed to using the MetaTrader suite. Trading fees are competitive, with average EUR/USD spreads of about 1 pip. However, they are not as low as the most affordable brokers, such as IC Markets. Additionally, an inactivity fee applies after a year. The research tools at XTB are commendable but have the potential to excel further. Enhancing them with access to top-tier third-party services like Autochartist, Trading Central, and TipRanks would significantly elevate their offering. It is frustrating that XTB products do not allow traders to modify the default leverage level. Manually adjusting leverage can greatly reduce risk in forex and CFD trading.
Awards
	Best Forex Broker for Beginners 2022 Best Customer Service 2021 Best Forex Broker for Low Costs 2021 Best Mobile App for Investing 2020 #1 EMEA Bloomberg spot for FX accuracy in Q2 of 2020 and Q3 of 2018 Best Polish Forex Broker 2019 Best Execution Broker 2019
FCA Regulated
	Yes
Instruments
	CFDs on shares, Indices, ETFs, Raw Materials, Forex currencies, cryptocurrencies, Real shares, Real ETFs
Demo Account
	Yes
Minimum Deposit
	$0
Payment Methods
	Credit Card Debit Card Maestro Mastercard Neteller PayPal Paysafecard Skrill Visa Wire Transfer
Minimum Trade
	0.01 Lots
Regulator
	FCA, CySEC, KNF, DFSA, FSC
Mobile Apps
	iOS & Android
Trading App
	Each year, XTB's app impresses with its sleek design and clear interface. It's fast, responsive, and full of practical features like integrated sentiment data, market news, economic calendars, and educational content. The intuitive order panel below the chart simplifies trade execution, including take profit and stop loss settings.
iOS App Rating
	4.7
Android App Rating
	4.1
Margin Trading
	Yes
Margin Rate
	4.5%
MetaTrader 4
	No
MetaTrader 5
	No
cTrader
	No
AlgoTrader
	No
OmniTrader
	No
TradingView
	No
Autochartist
	No
eSignal
	No
Trading Central
	No
STP Account
	Yes
ECN Account
	No
DMA Account
	No
MAM Account
	No
PAMM Account
	No
LAMM Account
	No
Demat Account
	No
AI / Machine Learning
	No
Robo Advisor
	No
Negative Balance Protection
	Yes
Market Maker
	Yes
P2P Trading
	No
Spot Trading
	Yes
Copy Trading
	No
Social Trading
	No
Trade Signals
	No
VPS Hosting
	No
Tournaments
	No
Demo Competitions
	No
Ethical Investing
	Yes
Custodial Account
	No
Guaranteed Stop Loss
	Yes
Inactivity Fee
	€10 per 365 days
Islamic Account
	Yes
Account Currencies
	USD EUR GBP
Commodities
	Gold Oil Silver Copper Cotton Sugar Precious Metals Gasoline Cocoa Coffee Natural Gas Nickel Soybeans Aluminium Livestock Corn Palladium Platinum Wheat Zinc Lean Hogs Cattle
CFD
	XTB provides an extensive range of CFDs, including forex, indices, commodities, stocks, ETFs, and cryptocurrencies, subject to location. EU and UK clients have leverage up to 1:30, whereas global users and pro traders can obtain up to 1:500. XTB excels in offering valuable resources and tutorials for short-term CFD trading strategies.
Leverage
	1:30
FTSE Spread
	1.8
GBPUSD Spread<
	1.4
Oil Spread
	0.03
Stocks Spread
	0.2%
Forex
	XTB offers over 60 currency pairs with competitive spreads, averaging 1 pip on major pairs. The xStation platform is user-friendly, featuring over 30 indicators in its charting package and a variety of order types, supporting diverse trading strategies and risk management.
Assets
	70+
GBPUSD Spread
	1.4
EURUSD Spread
	1.0
EURGBP Spread
	1.4
Cryptocurrency
	XTB provides a robust array of over 50 cryptocurrencies, featuring competitive spreads beginning at 0.22% on Bitcoin and leverage up to 1:5. The xStation platform facilitates trading with pairs like ETH/BTC and DSH/BTC. Traders can operate round-the-clock in a secure and transparent cryptocurrency trading environment.
Spread
	0.22%
Coins
	ADA BTC BCH DSH EOS ETH IOTA LTC NEO XRP XLM TRX XEM XLM XMR DOGE BNB LINK UNI DOT XTZ
Crypto Lending
	No
Crypto Mining
	No
Crypto Staking
	No
Auto Market Maker
	No

IC Markets	XTB
	Review
	CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 70% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money
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