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Head to head

eToro vs IC Markets

eToro is licensed by CySEC in the European Union; FCA in the United Kingdom; ASIC in Australia and FSRA (ADGM) in Abu Dhabi (ADGM), UAE, and also has an offshore registration. 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 eToro and $0 at IC Markets. Only eToro offers negative balance protection. Both offer segregated client money.

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

eToro 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
eToroStrictly regulatedRead the profile
IC MarketsStrictly regulatedRead the profile
Comparing
eToroEuropean Union
IC MarketsRaw Spread (MetaTrader) account · Australia

Overview

Founded
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Headquarters
Not yet checked
Sydney, Australia
Official websites
  • etoro.com
  • icmarkets.com
  • icmarkets.sc
  • icmarkets.eu
  • icmarkets.com.au
  • icmarkets.bs
  • ic.com
Facts last checked
20 October 2026
20 October 2026

Regulation and protection

Company you would contract with
eToro (Europe) Ltd
International Capital Markets Pty Ltd
Regulator
CySEC
European Union
ASIC
Australia
Regulation level
Strictly regulated
Strictly regulated
Licence number
109/10
Check the register
AFSL 335692
Check the register
Clients this company serves
Residents of EU and EEA countries
Australian residents
All licences held
  • CySEC (European Union)
  • FCA (United Kingdom)
  • ASIC (Australia)
  • FSRA (ADGM) (Abu Dhabi (ADGM), UAE)
  • FSA Seychelles (Seychelles)
  • ASIC (Australia)
  • CySEC (European Union)
  • SCB (The Bahamas)
  • FSA Seychelles (Seychelles)
Segregated client money
Yes
Yes
Negative balance protection
Yes
No
Compensation scheme
FSCS up to £85,000 (UK); ICF up to €20,000 (Cyprus); none we know of for the Abu Dhabi or Seychelles companies
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
1:30 on major pairs (UK, EU, Australia)
1:30 (EU, Australia); up to 1:5000 at the Seychelles company
Retail leverage by asset class
  • Major currency pairs (UK: 1:30
  • Non-major currency pairs: 1:20
  • 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
Not yet checked
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
  • eToro web platform
  • eToro mobile app
  • MetaTrader 4
  • MetaTrader 5
  • cTrader
  • TradingView
  • Web platform
Markets
Currency, index and commodity CFDs alongside stocks, ETFs and crypto (this profile covers CFDs only)
Forex, commodities, indices, metals, bonds, share CFDs and crypto CFDs (2,250 instruments on MetaTrader)
Demo account
Yes
Yes
Copy trading
Yes
Not yet checked
Expert advisors (automated trading)
No
Yes
News trading allowed
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Guaranteed stops
Not yet checked
Not yet checked

Deposits and withdrawals

Deposit methods
Not yet checked
  • Credit card
  • Debit card
  • PayPal
  • Neteller
  • Skrill
  • Bank transfer
  • Cryptocurrency
  • UnionPay
  • Broker to broker transfer
Withdrawal fee
$5 on withdrawals from a USD account; none from GBP, EUR or DKK local-currency accounts
Not yet checked
Inactivity fee
None since 28 May 2026, according to eToro's help centre
Not yet checked

Support

Customer support
Not yet checked
24 hours a day, Monday to Sunday

Our notes

Strengths
  • Licensed by CySEC, the FCA and ASIC, with retail negative balance protection in those regions
  • Copy trading built into the platform, with the same account used for CFDs, stocks and crypto
  • Low first deposit in some countries ($10 in the UK)
  • 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
  • eToro's website could not be loaded during our check on 2026-10-20; the cost details on this page come from eToro's own fee and help pages read through a search tool, so confirm them on etoro.com before you trade.
  • eToro now prices CFDs as the market spread plus an opening and closing spread fee charged as a percentage (0.005% per trade on EUR/USD), which is harder to compare with pip-based spreads.
  • Deposits and withdrawals that need a currency conversion carry a conversion fee, and USD withdrawals cost $5
  • MetaTrader is not offered; you can only trade on eToro's own platform
  • 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:

  • 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.

Open this comparison in the full tool to share a link with your own accounts and companies chosen.

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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