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AYA Markets vs IC Markets

AYA Markets has no licence we could confirm on a regulator's register. IC Markets is licensed by ASIC in Australia, CySEC in the European Union and SCB in The Bahamas, and also has an offshore registration. The licence that applies to you depends on where you live, so check which company you would contract with before comparing anything else.

Minimum deposits start at $10 at AYA Markets and $0 at IC Markets. Only AYA Markets offers negative balance protection. Both offer segregated client money.

Facts last checked: AYA Markets on 29 October 2026, IC Markets on 20 October 2026.

AYA Markets profileIC Markets profile
Broker 1
Broker 2
Broker 3

Monthly cost uses the account chosen in each slot: cost per lot × your lots. Swap and other fees are extra. The lowest monthly cost is highlighted only as a fact about cost, not as a recommendation.

Broker
AYA MarketsRead the profile
IC MarketsStrictly regulatedRead the profile
Comparing
AYA Markets
IC MarketsRaw Spread (MetaTrader) account · Australia

Overview

Founded
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Headquarters
Fomboni, Mwali (Comoros)
Sydney, Australia
Official websites
  • ayamarkets.com
  • my.ayamarkets.com
  • icmarkets.com
  • icmarkets.sc
  • icmarkets.eu
  • icmarkets.com.au
  • icmarkets.bs
  • ic.com
Facts last checked
29 October 2026
20 October 2026

Regulation and protection

Company you would contract with
No licence listed
International Capital Markets Pty Ltd
Regulator
No licence listed
ASIC
Australia
Regulation level
No licence listed
Strictly regulated
Licence number
No licence listed
AFSL 335692
Check the register
Clients this company serves
No licence listed
Australian residents
All licences held
None listed
  • ASIC (Australia)
  • CySEC (European Union)
  • SCB (The Bahamas)
  • FSA Seychelles (Seychelles)
Segregated client money
Yes
Yes
Negative balance protection
Yes
No
Compensation scheme
None
ICF up to €20,000 (IC Markets EU only); none for the Seychelles or Bahamas companies

Costs

Your monthly cost
No accounts listed
$80$8 per lot × 10 lots
Cost per lot (EUR/USD)
No accounts listed
$8
Spread from
No accounts listed
0.0 pips
Typical EUR/USD spread
No accounts listed
0.1 pips
Commission per lot (round turn)
No accounts listed
$7
Typical GBP/USD spread
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Typical USD/JPY spread
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Typical XAU/USD spread
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Swap-free account
Not yet checked
Yes

Leverage and margin

Maximum retail leverage
Up to 1:1000 on MT5 (forex and gold, for equity under $1,000; lower as equity grows)
1:30 (EU, Australia); up to 1:5000 at the Seychelles company
Retail leverage by asset class
  • Forex and gold (MT5): 1:1000 under $1,000 equity, stepping down to 1:100 above $40,000
  • Silver: 1:100
  • Other metals: 1:20
  • S&P 500, Dow Jones 30, Nasdaq 100 and DAX 40: 1:200
  • Other indices: 1:50
  • Energies: 1:20
  • Major cryptocurrencies: 1:10
  • Other cryptocurrencies: 1:5
  • Shares and ETFs: 1:5
  • Major currency pairs (EU and Australian retail): 1:30
  • All account types (Seychelles company): Up to 1:5000
Margin call level
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Stop-out level
80%
50%

Account

Minimum deposit (this account)
No accounts listed
$0
Base currencies
No accounts listed
AUD, USD, EUR, GBP, SGD, JPY, CHF, NZD, CAD, HKD
Execution
No accounts listed
Raw spread plus $3.50 per lot per side

Platforms and features

Platforms
  • MetaTrader 5
  • cTrader
  • MetaTrader 4
  • MetaTrader 5
  • cTrader
  • TradingView
  • Web platform
Markets
230+ CFDs on 45 forex pairs, 12 indices, 13 metals, 3 energies, 33 cryptocurrencies, 120 shares and 7 ETFs
Forex, commodities, indices, metals, bonds, share CFDs and crypto CFDs (2,250 instruments on MetaTrader)
Demo account
Yes
Yes
Copy trading
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Expert advisors (automated trading)
Yes
Yes
News trading allowed
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Guaranteed stops
Not yet checked
Not yet checked

Deposits and withdrawals

Deposit methods
  • USDT (TRC-20 and ERC-20)
  • Bitcoin
  • Litecoin
  • Ethereum
  • TopChange (TC Pay)
  • Visa and Mastercard
  • Apple Pay
  • Credit card
  • Debit card
  • PayPal
  • Neteller
  • Skrill
  • Bank transfer
  • Cryptocurrency
  • UnionPay
  • Broker to broker transfer
Withdrawal fee
No fee from AYA Markets; the agreement allows a 3% charge if you withdraw without trading since your last deposit
Not yet checked
Inactivity fee
$5 a month after six months with no trading (accounts with a positive balance)
Not yet checked

Support

Customer support
Email, support ticket and Telegram, Monday to Friday 06:00 to 16:00 GMT
24 hours a day, Monday to Sunday

Our notes

Strengths
  • The customer agreement says client funds are held in segregated accounts, separate from the company's own money
  • No deposit or withdrawal fees from AYA Markets, with deposits from $10
  • MetaTrader 5 and cTrader, on desktop, web and mobile
  • On MT5, maximum leverage falls in steps as your equity grows, from 1:1000 down to 1:100
  • Australian and EU companies licensed by strict regulators (ASIC and CySEC)
  • Published average EUR/USD spread of 0.1 pips on the Raw Spread account, with commission set out per currency
  • Client money held in segregated accounts, according to each IC company
  • Wide platform choice, including cTrader and TradingView
Watch out for
  • Says AYA Markets (Comoros) Ltd holds MISA licence T2023263; we could not confirm it on MISA's register on 2026-10-29 (the register blocked automated access with a bot check).
  • The account page lists negative balance protection, but we did not find it in the customer agreement, and the risk disclosure says you could lose more than your initial investment
  • Commission on the Pro and Raw accounts is charged per side ($4 and $8 per lot each way, so $8 and $16 per round lot), and a 3% withdrawal charge can apply if you withdraw without trading
  • The 25% welcome bonus is trading credit that cannot be withdrawn and disappears with any withdrawal; dormant accounts pay $5 a month after six months
  • International clients join Raw Trading Ltd, regulated only in Seychelles (offshore), where leverage goes up to 1:5000
  • The Seychelles company's risk warning says losses may exceed the amount you deposit
  • The Standard account's typical spread is not published (it quotes "from 0.8 pips")
  • Brand changing from IC Markets to IC, with several regional domains; check you are on one listed here

Risk warnings

The buttons to a broker’s website above the table are partner links: we may earn a commission if you open an account through them. That never changes the facts shown here. Trading leveraged products such as forex and CFDs carries a high risk of losing money rapidly, and most retail accounts lose money. Each broker’s own warning:

  • AYA Markets: Trading financial instruments carries a high level of risk and may not be suitable for all investors. CFDs and Forex are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage (trading on margin). Before deciding to trade any financial instrument or making any other decision with financial impact you should carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience and risk appetite. Only invest with money you can afford to lose. If necessary you should seek independent advice.
  • IC Markets: Risk Warning: Trading in securities involves significant risk. Prices may fluctuate and securities can become entirely valueless. You may incur losses that exceed your potential profits, and in some cases, losses may exceed the amount you have deposited. Securities, futures, options, and contracts for differences are complex financial instruments and are not suitable for all investors. Engaging in such transactions requires a sound understanding of the associated risks. Please read and ensure you fully understand our Risk Disclosure.

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Other head-to-head pages

Cost per lot is the typical EUR/USD spread in busy hours × $10, plus any round-turn commission, for one standard lot. “Not yet checked” means we have not confirmed that fact yet. This page compares facts; it does not rank the brokers or recommend either. Confirm costs and licences on each broker’s site and the regulator’s public register before opening an account: see how we review brokers and check a broker yourself.

Nothing on this page is financial advice. Read the full disclaimer.

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