IFC Markets vs Hantec Markets

IFC Markets or Hantec Markets – which is better for UK traders 2024? Compare IFC Markets and Hantec Markets in this detailed breakdown of their platforms, features and fees.

IFC Markets vs Hantec Markets Comparison Table 2024
IFC Markets Hantec Markets
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2.9
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3.8
IFC Markets is ranked #97 among CFD brokers. Hantec Markets is ranked #71 among CFD brokers.
IFC Markets is an STP broker that was founded in 2006 and has since gained 200,000 clients and several awards. This broker has some of the most interesting and wide-ranging additional tools, elevating its clients' trading experience via portfolio quoting, personal composite instruments and extensive analytics. Hantec Markets was established in Hong Kong in 1990. Initially, the company concentrated solely on the Chinese and Taiwanese markets. In 2008, the broker rebranded and expanded its presence in the UK, Australia, Japan, and various other countries, before enhancing its footprint in Latin America in 2022. Hantec now stands as a multinational brokerage with 18 offices across Europe and Asia.
Pros
  • Users can choose from the powerful MT4, MT5 or the firm's proprietary NetTradeX platform for all assets
  • I appreciate that the broker offers beginner-friendly Micro accounts with a minimum deposit of just $1
  • The brokerage supports a unique system that allows clients to develop their own synthetic instruments
  • IFC Markets clients can trade more than 600 instruments with fixed or floating spreads from 0.4 pips
  • Clients have a wide range of payment methods and base currencies to choose from
  • Hantec Markets is a trusted broker, with a track record stretching back to 1990 and authorization from ‘green tier’ regulators, notably the FCA and ASIC.
  • Hantec Markets offers a great range of 8 account base currencies, helping global traders avoid conversion fees while delivering a hassle-free trading experience.
  • Trading Central integration provides an excellent one-stop-shop for technical, fundamental, economic, sentiment and news analysis, helping users discover short-term trading opportunities.
  • The entry barrier for trading is notably low for beginners, starting from just $100, while deposits are fee-free and can be completed smoothly from the client area.
  • High leverage up to 1:1000 is available for experienced investors in some jurisdictions, amplifying trading results (profits and losses).
Cons
  • IFC Markets is regulated by the British Virgin Islands Financial Services Commission, a weak financial regulator
  • I'm disappointed that several payment methods incur steep deposit and withdrawal fees of up to 20%
  • GBP base currency isn't supported, so UK clients will have to pay hefty currency conversion fees
  • There is no proprietary software aimed at newer traders, nor integration with the increasingly popular TradingView and cTrader platforms. Additionally MT5 is not available in certain regions, including the UK.
  • Hantec Markets needs to bolster its investment offering to match category leaders like Blackbull Markets, especially in its breadth of currency pairs and commodities.
  • Testing reveals hit-and-miss support, with 24/5 assistance but a live chat service that times out, making it unreliable for urgent trading issues.
  • The educational tools, consisting primarily of long-form articles, need revamping with interactive elements and videos to match the training materials at IG.
  • Despite reliable order execution, Hantec Markets does not permit scalping strategies, reducing its appeal compared to Pepperstone, whose Razor account is set up for scalpers.
Awards
  • Best Broker South East Asia 2020 - International Business Magazine 
  • Most Reliable Global Forex Broker - Global Forex Awards 2022
  • Best Forex Trading Experience (Latin America) - Global Forex Awards 2022
  • Most Trusted Forex Broker (Africa) - Global Forex Awards 2022
  • Best Value Broker (Asia) - Global Forex Awards 2022
  • Most Transparent Forex Broker (Middle East and Northern Africa) - Global Forex Awards 2022
  • Most Transparent Global Broker - Global Forex Awards 2021
  • Most Trusted Broker (Africa) - Global Forex Awards 2021
FCA Regulated
No

List of FCA Regulated Brokers

Yes
Instruments
Forex, CFDs, indices, shares, commodities, cryptocurrencies, ETFs, bonds Forex, CFDs, Indices, Stocks, Commodities, Cryptos
Demo Account
Yes Yes
Minimum Deposit
$1, ¥100 $100
Payment Methods
Minimum Trade
0.01 Lots 0.01 Lots
Regulator
BVI FSC, SC, Labuan Financial Services Authority FCA
Mobile Apps
Yes Yes
Trading App

Hantec Markets doesn’t offer a proprietary trading app. Instead, clients can use the MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) mobile apps, which are accessible for both Apple and Android devices and mirror the desktop version’s functionality. The lack of a bespoke app means that traders who are looking for more integrated solutions might find the mobile trading experience lacking, especially since there’s no support for TradingView or cTrader either.

iOS App Rating
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4.8
Android App Rating
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4.4
Margin Trading
No Yes
MetaTrader 4
Yes Yes
MetaTrader 5
Yes Yes
cTrader
No No
AlgoTrader
No No
OmniTrader
No No
TradingView
No No
Autochartist
No No
eSignal
No No
Trading Central
No Yes
STP Account
No No
ECN Account
No No
DMA Account
No No
MAM Account
No Yes
PAMM Account
No No
LAMM Account
No No
Demat Account
No No
AI / Machine Learning
No No
Robo Advisor
No No
Negative Balance Protection
No Yes
Market Maker
No No
P2P Trading
No No
Spot Trading
No Yes
Auto Trading
Yes (APIs) Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader
Copy Trading
Yes No
Copy Trading Platform
Follow and profit from top traders using IFC Market's copy solution.
Social Trading
Yes No
Trade Signals
Yes (Via Chartist Software)
VPS Hosting
No No
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
  • CHF
  • PLN
  • AED
Commodities
  • Gold
  • Silver
  • Copper
  • Cotton
  • Corn
  • Coffee
  • Palladium
  • Cocoa
  • Wheat
  • Soybeans
  • Orange Juice
  • Gold
  • Oil
  • Silver
CFD
IFC Markets clients can access CFDs across commodities, cryptos, indices and ETFs. I’m pleased to see that assets are all available on MT4, MT5 and NetTradeX with decent leverage rates of up to 1:400. Traders have the opportunity to engage in CFD trading across a broad spectrum of assets, including currency pairs, stocks, commodities, bullion (gold and silver), indices, and cryptocurrencies. Experienced traders can access high leverage up to 1:1000 in certain jurisdictions. However, a notable downside is the restriction of scalping strategies which may deter experienced traders.
Leverage
1:400 1:30
FTSE Spread
300 1.0
GBPUSD Spread<
3 0.5
Oil Spread
12 0.05
Stocks Spread
Variable Variable
Forex
I like that there’s a decent range of 50+ major, minor and exotic forex pairs available at IFC Markets, with just a $1 minimum deposit. That said, spreads are fixed from 1.8 pips, which isn’t the lowest I’ve seen. Hantec Markets offers a limited range of 30+ forex pairs – less than most top brands, including Pepperstone with 100+. That said, market execution is rapid based on tests, and spreads are competitive starting at just 0.2 pips. This, combined with access to the popular MT4 platform with 30+ technical indicators, ensures a relatively complete trading experience for short-term currency traders.
Assets
50 300
GBPUSD Spread
3 0.5
EURUSD Spread
1.8 0.2
EURGBP Spread
1.8 0.7
Currency Indices
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • JPY
  • CAD
Cryptocurrency
IFC Markets also boasts a good selection of 15 cryptocurrency CFD pairs and I’m particularly impressed to see Bitcoin futures on offer. The free demo account is an excellent place to start if you want to practice your crypto trading strategies. CFD trading is available across a diverse selection of cryptocurrencies. This range includes not only leading cryptos like Bitcoin and Ethereum but also extends to smaller tokens such as Polkadot. These digital assets can be traded against a variety of global currencies, including the USD, JPY, and MXN, as well as precious metals like gold and silver, marking Hantec out from the majority of brokers who only offer cryptos paired with the USD.
Spread
50 pips 0.008 - 6.4 pips
Coins
  • BTC
  • BTC
  • BCH
  • XRP
  • LTC
  • ETH
Crypto Lending
No No
Crypto Mining
No No
Crypto Staking
No No
Auto Market Maker
No No
IFC Markets Hantec Markets
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