Item: IC Markets
Rating: 7.7
Author: Nam Hiệp Thành

IC Markets Review 2025: Is This Forex Broker Still Worth It?

In a market flooded with forex brokers, one question continues to surface: Is IC Markets still a safe, regulated, and reliable choice in 2025?

While new platforms emerge every year, IC Markets remains one of the most respected names in the industry. Established in 2007, this ECN broker has built its reputation on ultra-low spreads, lightning-fast execution, and institutional-grade liquidity — and it hasn’t slowed down. But does it still hold up in today’s trading environment?

In this comprehensive IC Markets review, we’ll take a close look at what the broker offers in 2025 — what’s improved, what’s stayed consistent, and whether it still delivers real value for serious traders. From spreads and execution speed to platform stability, regulation, and real-world performance, this review is built to help you make an informed decision.

No hype. No fluff. Just straight facts backed by data and trader feedback.

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🛡️ Is IC Markets Safe?

Let’s start with the big question every trader asks: Can I trust IC Markets with my money?

The answer is mostly yes. IC Markets is regulated by three major authorities: ASIC in Australia, CySEC in Cyprus, and the FSA in Seychelles. These regulatory bodies don’t just hand out licenses easily — they require brokers to follow strict standards around fund segregation, transparency, and capital requirements.

This means your money is held in separate bank accounts, not mixed with company funds. And that’s a big deal in the world of online trading.

However, there’s one catch: IC Markets does not offer automatic negative balance protection. If a trade goes terribly wrong and your account balance dips below zero, they might cover it… or they might not. It depends on the case. That uncertainty could be a concern, especially for beginner traders or those dealing with volatile assets like crypto.

💸 How Competitive Are IC Markets’ Trading Fees?

One of the main reasons traders flock to IC Markets is cost. In a world where every pip matters, this broker is known for its raw spreads — and it lives up to the reputation.

On a Raw Spread account, spreads for major pairs like EUR/USD can drop as low as 0.0 pips. Of course, you’ll pay a commission (around $3.50 per side), but all-in, it’s still one of the cheapest deals you’ll find. If you prefer no commission, the Standard account offers spreads starting around 1 pip.

There are no hidden fees for deposits or withdrawals, which is a breath of fresh air. Just note that your payment provider or bank may still apply their own charges.

But it’s not all perfect. The minimum deposit is $200, which isn’t ideal for brand-new traders. And leverage on crypto trades is limited to 1:5 on cTrader, which could feel restrictive compared to other brokers.

📊 IC Markets Review 2025: Is This Forex Broker Still Worth It?What Can You Trade with IC Markets?

Now, let’s talk about something traders often overlook until it’s too late: product diversity. One of the things that really sets IC Markets apart from many brokers is the sheer range of assets you can trade.

We’re not just talking about the usual forex pairs — although with more than 60 currency pairs on offer, they’ve got that covered too. IC Markets also gives you access to indices, commodities, stocks, bonds, futures, and even cryptocurrencies.

That’s seven asset classes in total.

And no, this isn’t just marketing talk. You can log in right now and verify that they offer CFD trading on over 25 global indices, 2,100+ stocks from the NASDAQ and NYSE, dozens of commodities like gold and oil, and even government-issued bonds — something most brokers don’t bother with.

They also allow 24/5 forex trading with leverage up to 1:500, and 24/7 crypto trading — although, as we mentioned earlier, crypto leverage is lower on cTrader (1:5). That’s one of the few weak spots in their offering, but it’s consistent with regulatory expectations.

This kind of diversity makes IC Markets a solid option not just for forex enthusiasts, but for those looking to build broader CFD portfolios.

And yes — this is all verifiable. The information comes directly from IC Markets’ official trading conditions and product specs available on their platform. We double-checked each claim.

🧾 What Types of Accounts Does IC Markets Offer?

IC Markets doesn’t try to overwhelm you with dozens of account options. Instead, they focus on doing three things well:

The Standard Account — zero commission, spreads from ~1 pip
The Raw Spread Account (MetaTrader) — spreads from 0.0 pips, small commission
The Raw Spread Account (cTrader) — same as above, but through a different platform

Each account requires a minimum deposit of $200, and each offers full access to the broker’s suite of trading instruments. You also get a demo account, which you can use indefinitely — no tricks, no time limits.

What’s important to note here is that the Raw Spread accounts are true ECN-style accounts. This means your trades go directly to market liquidity providers. There’s no conflict of interest — IC Markets doesn’t take the other side of your trade, which is exactly what serious traders want.

They also offer Islamic (swap-free) accounts for traders who follow Sharia law, and the process to apply is clearly explained on their website.

We’ve tested the process ourselves and reviewed dozens of public trader testimonials: everything about these accounts is transparent. What they promise — they deliver.

🧑‍💼 How Good Is IC Markets’ Customer Support?

Let’s get honest here — many brokers say they have 24/7 support, but what does that really mean?

With IC Markets, we actually tested it. We reached out via Live Chat on a Sunday evening, and someone responded within 90 seconds. That’s rare. They were polite, knowledgeable, and although the initial rep used English, they were able to route us to a local Vietnamese-speaking IB when we requested help in our native language.

You can also contact them by email or phone, but fair warning: the phone number is based overseas, so international calling charges may apply unless you’re using VoIP.

The support team covers basic questions well, from account setup to funding methods. But when it comes to more complex issues — like regulatory nuances or platform errors — the answers tend to be more scripted. That’s not ideal, but it’s a reality across most large brokers.

Again, we don’t just guess this. We tested it ourselves and reviewed live chat transcripts, client reviews, and email response times. This is the real experience.

📝 Opening an Account with IC Markets: What to Expect

The process to open an account is refreshingly simple, but there are still a few steps you should know in advance.

First, you fill out the online form — it takes about 5 minutes. You’ll need to provide your full name, country of residence, email, phone number, and preferred platform (MT4, MT5, or cTrader).

Next comes the verification stage. This is where you upload your ID (passport or national ID card) and proof of address (utility bill or bank statement). It’s standard KYC stuff — and again, it’s required by law for any regulated broker.

If your documents are clear, you’ll usually get approved within 24 hours. In our test, the account was approved in less than 6 hours — and that included a weekend. Once verified, you’ll receive an email with your login credentials and can start trading immediately.

Remember, you’ll need to fund your account before you can place trades. More on that in the next section.

💳 Deposits and Withdrawals: Are They Smooth?

Here’s the good news: IC Markets doesn’t charge fees for deposits or withdrawals. Not even hidden ones. We tested this with PayPal, Skrill, and local bank transfer — all went through smoothly with no deductions from the broker’s side.

They support more than 14 payment methods, including:

Credit/Debit cards
PayPal
Skrill, Neteller
UnionPay
Bank transfer
POLi, Klarna, BPay, and more

One thing you need to know — they don’t allow third-party payments. That means you can only fund your account using payment methods in your own name. This is actually a good thing — it prevents fraud and complies with AML (anti-money laundering) laws.

Withdrawals are processed every business day before 12:00 AEST. If you request after that, it’ll be handled the next day. We ran several withdrawal tests and, on average, funds landed in our PayPal account in under 3 hours, and in our bank within 2 working days.

Again, all verifiable through our own usage — not hearsay.