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Head to head

HYCM vs IFC Markets

HYCM is licensed by FCA in the United Kingdom and DFSA in the United Arab Emirates (DIFC). IFC Markets is licensed by Labuan FSA in Labuan, Malaysia, 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 $20 at HYCM and $15 at IFC Markets (the Classic Standard (fixed spread) account needs $1,000). Both offer negative balance protection. Only HYCM offers segregated client money.

Facts last checked: HYCM on 20 October 2026, IFC Markets on 20 October 2026.

HYCM profileIFC 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
HYCMStrictly regulatedRead the profile
IFC MarketsOffshore registration onlyRead the profile
Comparing
HYCMUnited Kingdom
IFC MarketsClassic Standard (fixed spread) account · British Virgin Islands

Overview

Founded
Not yet checked
2006
Headquarters
London, United Kingdom
Not yet checked
Official websites
  • hycm.com
  • hycm.co.uk
  • ifcmarkets.com
  • ifcmarkets.co.in
  • ifcmarkets.ae
  • ifcmarkets.hk
Facts last checked
20 October 2026
20 October 2026

Regulation and protection

Company you would contract with
HYCM Capital Markets (UK) Limited
IFCMARKETS. CORP.
Regulator
FCA
United Kingdom
BVI FSC
British Virgin Islands
Regulation level
Strictly regulated
Offshore registration only
Licence number
186171
Check the register
SIBA/L/14/1073
Check the register
Clients this company serves
UK residents
International clients (not residents of the US, Russia or the BVI)
All licences held
  • FCA (United Kingdom)
  • DFSA (United Arab Emirates (DIFC))
  • BVI FSC (British Virgin Islands)
  • Labuan FSA (Labuan, Malaysia)
Segregated client money
Yes
No
Negative balance protection
Yes
Yes
Compensation scheme
FSCS for eligible clients of HYCM Capital Markets (UK) Limited only
None

Costs

Your monthly cost
No accounts listed
$180$18 per lot × 10 lots
Cost per lot (EUR/USD)
No accounts listed
$18
Spread from
No accounts listed
1.8 pips
Typical EUR/USD spread
No accounts listed
1.8 pips
Commission per lot (round turn)
No accounts listed
None
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
1:30 on major pairs for FCA retail clients; up to 1:500 at the Costa Rica company
1:400 on Micro and Nano accounts; 1:200 on Standard accounts
Retail leverage by asset class
  • Major currency pairs: 1:30 (FCA); up to 1:500 (Costa Rica)
  • Bitcoin CFDs: 1:5 (Costa Rica company only)
  • All instruments, Standard accounts: Up to 1:200
  • All instruments, Micro and Nano accounts: Up to 1:400
Margin call level
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Stop-out level
50% (HYCM may start closing positions from 55%)
10%

Account

Minimum deposit (this account)
No accounts listed
$1,000
Base currencies
No accounts listed
USD, EUR, JPY
Execution
No accounts listed
Instant execution, fixed spread, no commission (MT4 and NetTradeX)

Platforms and features

Platforms
  • MetaTrader 4
  • MetaTrader 5
  • HYCM Trader app
  • Web Trader
  • NetTradeX
  • MetaTrader 4
  • MetaTrader 5
  • Web terminal
  • Mobile apps
Markets
300+ CFDs on forex, metals, indices, commodities, shares and cryptocurrencies, plus US stocks
650+ CFDs on forex, metals, indices, stocks, commodities, ETFs and cryptocurrencies, plus self-built synthetic instruments
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
  • Bank wire
  • Visa card
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Bank transfer
  • Bank card
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Open Banking
  • Local bank (Africa)
  • Mobile money
  • WebMoney
Withdrawal fee
No HYCM fee; your bank may charge. Profits are withdrawn by wire transfer only
Bank wire at your bank's fee; card, crypto and e-wallet withdrawals carry fees that vary by method (for example 3% for Open Banking)
Inactivity fee
Not yet checked
Up to $10 a month after 12 months without trading, only while the balance is positive

Support

Customer support
Live chat and online help centre
24/7 online support

Our notes

Strengths
  • UK company authorised by the FCA since 2001 and allowed to hold client money
  • Client money kept in segregated accounts, with negative balance protection
  • Low $20 minimum deposit on every account type
  • Fixed 1.8-pip EUR/USD spread on Classic accounts, so costs are known in advance
  • Micro and Nano accounts from $15
  • Choice of NetTradeX, MT4 and MT5, with hedging or netting on MT5 and NetTradeX
Watch out for
  • The international website (hycm.com) signs clients up with HYCM Capital Markets S.R.L., a Costa Rica company with no financial licence
  • Leverage of up to 1:500 at the Costa Rica company, against 1:30 for FCA retail clients
  • The FCA has warned about many clone firms using HYCM's name, including hycmarkets.net and hycmarket.com
  • Spreads are published only as "from" figures, so typical costs are hard to compare
  • Licensed only in the BVI (offshore) and Labuan; no FCA, ASIC, CySEC or similar licence
  • Stop-out level of only 10%, so positions are closed late and losses can run far
  • Monthly inactivity fee of up to $10 after 12 months without trading
  • Standard accounts need a $1,000 first deposit

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:

  • HYCM: Contracts for Difference (‘CFDs’) are complex financial products that are traded on margin. Trading CFDs carries a high degree of risk. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent expert advice if necessary and speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Please think carefully whether such trading suits you, taking into consideration all the relevant circumstances as well as your personal resources. We do not recommend clients posting their entire account balance to meet margin requirements. Clients can minimise their level of exposure by requesting a change in leverage limit. For more information please refer to HYCM’s Risk Disclosure.
  • IFC Markets: Your capital is at risk. Leveraged products may not be suitable for everyone.

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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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