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IFC Markets vs Orbex

IFC Markets is licensed by Labuan FSA in Labuan, Malaysia, and also has an offshore registration. Orbex is licensed by FSC Mauritius in Mauritius (international clients), 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 $15 at IFC Markets (the Classic Standard (fixed spread) account needs $1,000) and $100 at Orbex. Both offer negative balance protection. Only Orbex offers segregated client money.

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

IFC Markets profileOrbex 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
IFC MarketsOffshore registration onlyRead the profile
OrbexRegulatedRead the profile
Comparing
IFC MarketsClassic Standard (fixed spread) account · British Virgin Islands
OrbexMauritius (international clients)

Overview

Founded
2006
2011
Headquarters
Not yet checked
Ebène, Mauritius
Official websites
  • ifcmarkets.com
  • ifcmarkets.co.in
  • ifcmarkets.ae
  • ifcmarkets.hk
  • orbex.com
Facts last checked
20 October 2026
20 October 2026

Regulation and protection

Company you would contract with
IFCMARKETS. CORP.
Orbex Global Ltd
Regulator
BVI FSC
British Virgin Islands
FSC Mauritius
Mauritius (international clients)
Regulation level
Offshore registration only
Regulated
Licence number
SIBA/L/14/1073
Check the register
C118023330 (SEC-2.1B Investment Dealer)
Check the register
Clients this company serves
International clients (not residents of the US, Russia or the BVI)
International clients; Orbex's trading terms name Orbex Global Limited as the counterparty
All licences held
  • BVI FSC (British Virgin Islands)
  • Labuan FSA (Labuan, Malaysia)
  • FSC Mauritius (Mauritius (international clients))
  • FSA Seychelles (Seychelles (international clients))
Segregated client money
No
Yes
Negative balance protection
Yes
Yes
Compensation scheme
None
None

Costs

Your monthly cost
$180$18 per lot × 10 lots
No accounts listed
Cost per lot (EUR/USD)
$18
No accounts listed
Spread from
1.8 pips
No accounts listed
Typical EUR/USD spread
1.8 pips
No accounts listed
Commission per lot (round turn)
None
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
Yes

Leverage and margin

Maximum retail leverage
1:400 on Micro and Nano accounts; 1:200 on Standard accounts
Up to 1:500 (1:30 by default when the account is opened)
Retail leverage by asset class
  • All instruments, Standard accounts: Up to 1:200
  • All instruments, Micro and Nano accounts: Up to 1:400
  • All CFDs, up to 19.99 lots open: Up to 1:500
  • All CFDs, 20 to 39.99 lots open: 1:300
  • All CFDs, 40 lots or more open: 1:100
Margin call level
Not yet checked
100%
Stop-out level
10%
20%

Account

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

Platforms and features

Platforms
  • NetTradeX
  • MetaTrader 4
  • MetaTrader 5
  • Web terminal
  • Mobile apps
  • MetaTrader 4
  • MetaTrader 5
  • MT4 and MT5 web terminals
  • Orbex mobile app
  • FIX API
Markets
650+ CFDs on forex, metals, indices, stocks, commodities, ETFs and cryptocurrencies, plus self-built synthetic instruments
400+ CFDs on forex, stocks, metals, indices, energies and futures
Demo account
Yes
Yes
Copy trading
Not yet checked
Yes
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
  • Bank transfer
  • Bank card
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Open Banking
  • Local bank (Africa)
  • Mobile money
  • WebMoney
  • Visa
  • Mastercard
  • Skrill
  • Neteller
  • Perfect Money
  • UnionPay
  • Bank wire
  • Local payment methods
Withdrawal fee
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)
0% from Orbex on cards and e-wallets listed on its funding page
Inactivity fee
Up to $10 a month after 12 months without trading, only while the balance is positive
Not yet checked

Support

Customer support
24/7 online support
24/5 live chat, email and phone, plus call-back requests

Our notes

Strengths
  • 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
  • Orbex Global Ltd is on the FSC Mauritius register as an investment dealer (SEC-2.1B), licensed since 7 January 2019
  • Says client money is held separately from company money and offers negative balance protection on all accounts
  • Commission-free Starter account from $100, and raw-spread accounts with a published per-lot commission
  • MetaTrader 4 and 5, a FIX API and PAMM accounts
Watch out for
  • 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
  • Its CySEC licence (124/10, ORBEX Ltd) is shown on the CySEC register as under examination for voluntary renunciation, so new clients are not covered by EU rules or the Cyprus compensation fund, even though the website still mentions the ICF
  • The website names several operating companies (Orbex Global Ltd in Mauritius, Orbex Limited in Seychelles, an Orbex Limited registered in Saint Lucia and Orbex LLC in St Vincent); check which one is named in your agreement
  • Leverage up to 1:500, far above the 1:30 cap that applies in the UK and EU
  • The spreads it publishes are minimums ("as low as"); typical spreads are not published

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:

  • IFC Markets: Your capital is at risk. Leveraged products may not be suitable for everyone.
  • Orbex: Trading foreign exchange on margin carries a high level of risk, and may not be suitable for all investors. Before deciding to trade foreign exchange, you should carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite. There is a possibility that you may sustain a loss of some or all of your investment and therefore you should not invest money that you cannot afford to lose. You should be aware of all the risks associated with foreign exchange trading, and seek advice from an independent financial advisor if you have any doubts.

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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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