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Head to head

Exness vs IC Markets

Exness is licensed by FSCA in South Africa, CMA (Kenya) in Kenya, CMA (UAE) in the United Arab Emirates, FCA in the United Kingdom and CySEC in the European Union, 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 Exness and $0 at IC Markets. Only Exness offers negative balance protection. Both offer segregated client money.

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

Exness 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
ExnessOffshore registration onlyRead the profile
IC MarketsStrictly regulatedRead the profile
Comparing
ExnessSeychelles
IC MarketsRaw Spread (MetaTrader) account · Australia

Overview

Founded
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Headquarters
Not yet checked
Sydney, Australia
Official websites
  • exness.com
  • exness.eu
  • exness.uk
  • exness.ke
  • 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
Exness (SC) Ltd
International Capital Markets Pty Ltd
Regulator
FSA Seychelles
Seychelles
ASIC
Australia
Regulation level
Offshore registration only
Strictly regulated
Licence number
SD025 (Securities Dealer)
Check the register
AFSL 335692
Check the register
Clients this company serves
Clients who sign up through exness.com (Exness assigns the company by country; it names it in the client agreement)
Australian residents
All licences held
  • FSA Seychelles (Seychelles)
  • FSC (BVI) (British Virgin Islands)
  • FSCA (South Africa)
  • CMA (Kenya) (Kenya)
  • CMA (UAE) (United Arab Emirates)
  • FCA (United Kingdom)
  • CySEC (European Union)
  • 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
Yes
Yes

Leverage and margin

Maximum retail leverage
Up to 1:Unlimited on some accounts (offshore companies)
1:30 (EU, Australia); up to 1:5000 at the Seychelles company
Retail leverage by asset class
Not yet checked
  • Major currency pairs (EU and Australian retail): 1:30
  • All account types (Seychelles company): Up to 1:5000
Margin call level
60% (Standard); 30% (Pro, Zero, Raw Spread)
Not yet checked
Stop-out level
0% (stocks differ)
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 4
  • MetaTrader 5
  • Exness Terminal
  • Exness Trade app
  • MetaTrader 4
  • MetaTrader 5
  • cTrader
  • TradingView
  • Web platform
Markets
Currency pairs, metals, cryptocurrencies, energies, stocks and indices as CFDs
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
Not yet checked
  • Credit card
  • Debit card
  • PayPal
  • Neteller
  • Skrill
  • Bank transfer
  • Cryptocurrency
  • UnionPay
  • Broker to broker transfer
Withdrawal fee
No withdrawal fees from Exness; third-party fees may apply depending on the payment method
Not yet checked
Inactivity fee
Not yet checked
Not yet checked

Support

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

Our notes

Strengths
  • Licences confirmed with the FSCA in South Africa, the CMA in Kenya and the UAE's Capital Market Authority
  • Low $10 minimum deposit on the Standard account and no withdrawal fees from Exness
  • Exness says client money is held in segregated accounts and retail accounts have negative balance protection
  • 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
  • Most retail clients join offshore companies (FSA Seychelles or BVI FSC), and the strictly regulated UK and Cyprus companies do not accept retail clients
  • Exness also says it holds licences from the Central Bank of Curaçao and Sint Maarten (Exness B.V., 0003LSI), the FSC of Belize (Forexite Ltd., 9110312), the FSC of Mauritius (Exness (MU) Ltd, GB20025294), the Jordan Securities Commission (Exness Limited Jordan) and an FSCA ODP authorisation for Exness (SC) Ltd. We could not confirm these on the regulators' registers on 2026-10-20.
  • Leverage up to 1:Unlimited and a 0% stop-out mean a position can be closed only when your margin is gone
  • 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:

  • Exness: Risk Warning: Our services relate to complex derivative instruments requiring appropriate knowledge and understanding. Their prices may fluctuate rapidly and may become valueless. Trading involves a high risk of loss, with traders likely to incur losses exceeding the potential for profits. Losses may extend up to the full amount of funds in the trading account. Under no circumstances shall Exness have any liability to any person or entity for any loss or damage in whole or part caused by, resulting from, or relating to any investing activity.
  • 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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