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Head to head

IC Markets vs LiteFinance (LiteForex)

IC Markets is licensed by ASIC in Australia, CySEC in the European Union and SCB in The Bahamas, and also has an offshore registration. LiteFinance (LiteForex) is licensed by CySEC in the European Union. 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 $0 at IC Markets and $50 at LiteFinance (LiteForex). Only LiteFinance (LiteForex) offers negative balance protection. Both offer segregated client money.

Facts last checked: IC Markets on 20 October 2026, LiteFinance (LiteForex) on 20 October 2026.

IC Markets profileLiteFinance (LiteForex) 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
IC MarketsStrictly regulatedRead the profile
LiteFinance (LiteForex)Strictly regulatedRead the profile
Comparing
IC MarketsRaw Spread (MetaTrader) account · Australia
LiteFinance (LiteForex)European Union

Overview

Founded
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Headquarters
Sydney, Australia
Limassol, Cyprus (EU company)
Official websites
  • icmarkets.com
  • icmarkets.sc
  • icmarkets.eu
  • icmarkets.com.au
  • icmarkets.bs
  • ic.com
  • litefinance.org
  • liteforex.eu
  • liteforex.pl
Facts last checked
20 October 2026
20 October 2026

Regulation and protection

Company you would contract with
International Capital Markets Pty Ltd
Liteforex (Europe) Ltd
Regulator
ASIC
Australia
CySEC
European Union
Regulation level
Strictly regulated
Strictly regulated
Licence number
AFSL 335692
Check the register
093/08
Check the register
Clients this company serves
Australian residents
Residents of the EEA (the EU site also lists the UAE and the Marshall Islands)
All licences held
  • ASIC (Australia)
  • CySEC (European Union)
  • SCB (The Bahamas)
  • FSA Seychelles (Seychelles)
  • CySEC (European Union)
Segregated client money
Yes
Yes
Negative balance protection
No
Yes
Compensation scheme
ICF up to €20,000 (IC Markets EU only); none for the Seychelles or Bahamas companies
Investor Compensation Fund (Cyprus) for eligible retail clients of Liteforex (Europe) Ltd

Costs

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

Leverage and margin

Maximum retail leverage
1:30 (EU, Australia); up to 1:5000 at the Seychelles company
1:30 on major pairs for EU retail clients (ESMA rules); global leverage not checked
Retail leverage by asset class
  • Major currency pairs (EU and Australian retail): 1:30
  • All account types (Seychelles company): Up to 1:5000
  • Major currency pairs: 1:30 (EU company)
  • Other currency pairs, gold and major indices: 1:20 (EU company)
Margin call level
Not yet checked
100% (EU company)
Stop-out level
50%
50% (EU company)

Account

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

Platforms and features

Platforms
  • MetaTrader 4
  • MetaTrader 5
  • cTrader
  • TradingView
  • Web platform
  • MetaTrader 4
  • MetaTrader 5
Markets
Forex, commodities, indices, metals, bonds, share CFDs and crypto CFDs (2,250 instruments on MetaTrader)
Currency pairs, stock indices, commodities and share CFDs (NYSE and Nasdaq)
Demo account
Yes
Yes
Copy trading
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Expert advisors (automated trading)
Yes
Yes
News trading allowed
Not yet checked
Yes
Guaranteed stops
Not yet checked
Not yet checked

Deposits and withdrawals

Deposit methods
  • Credit card
  • Debit card
  • PayPal
  • Neteller
  • Skrill
  • Bank transfer
  • Cryptocurrency
  • UnionPay
  • Broker to broker transfer
  • Visa and Mastercard cards
  • Bank transfer
  • E-payment systems
Withdrawal fee
Not yet checked
Card payments are processed with 0% commission and LiteForex says it refunds deposit fees on all methods (EU company)
Inactivity fee
Not yet checked
€3 a month on dormant accounts (EU company)

Support

Customer support
24 hours a day, Monday to Sunday
24-hour support by live chat

Our notes

Strengths
  • 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
  • EU company licensed by CySEC since 2008, with Cyprus Investor Compensation Fund cover
  • Negative balance protection on both EU account types
  • $50 minimum deposit and a choice of MT4 or MT5
Watch out for
  • 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
  • Says LiteFinance Investment Limited holds Mauritius FSC licence GB20025921; we could not confirm it on the FSC Mauritius register on 2026-10-20, because the register blocked our access
  • Clients outside the EEA deal with LiteFinance Global LLC, a St Vincent and the Grenadines company with no financial licence
  • litefinance.org could not be reached from our network on 2026-10-20, so we have not checked the global company's accounts, leverage or fees
  • Dormant EU accounts are charged €3 a month

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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