Plain-English forex education. No hype, no signals.فارسی
BrokerCutForex Academy

Head to head

IFC Markets vs Plus500

IFC Markets is licensed by Labuan FSA in Labuan, Malaysia, and also has an offshore registration. Plus500 is licensed by FCA in the United Kingdom, CySEC in the European Union, EFSA (Estonia) in the European Union, ASIC in Australia, FMA (New Zealand) in New Zealand, FSCA in South Africa, MAS in Singapore, JFSA in Japan, CFTC / NFA in the United States, DFSA in the United Arab Emirates (DIFC), CMA (UAE) in the United Arab Emirates 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 $15 at IFC Markets (the Classic Standard (fixed spread) account needs $1,000) and $0 at Plus500. Both offer negative balance protection. Only Plus500 offers segregated client money.

Facts last checked: IFC Markets on 20 October 2026, Plus500 on 20 October 2026.

IFC Markets profilePlus500 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
Plus500Strictly regulatedRead the profile
Comparing
IFC MarketsClassic Standard (fixed spread) account · British Virgin Islands
Plus500United Kingdom

Overview

Founded
2006
Not yet checked
Headquarters
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Official websites
  • ifcmarkets.com
  • ifcmarkets.co.in
  • ifcmarkets.ae
  • ifcmarkets.hk
  • plus500.com
  • plus500.com.cy
  • plus500.com.sg
  • plus500.com.sc
Facts last checked
20 October 2026
20 October 2026

Regulation and protection

Company you would contract with
IFCMARKETS. CORP.
Plus500UK Ltd
Regulator
BVI FSC
British Virgin Islands
FCA
United Kingdom
Regulation level
Offshore registration only
Strictly regulated
Licence number
SIBA/L/14/1073
Check the register
509909
Check the register
Clients this company serves
International clients (not residents of the US, Russia or the BVI)
UK residents
All licences held
  • BVI FSC (British Virgin Islands)
  • Labuan FSA (Labuan, Malaysia)
  • FCA (United Kingdom)
  • CySEC (European Union)
  • EFSA (Estonia) (European Union)
  • ASIC (Australia)
  • FMA (New Zealand) (New Zealand)
  • FSCA (South Africa)
  • MAS (Singapore)
  • JFSA (Japan)
  • CFTC / NFA (United States)
  • DFSA (United Arab Emirates (DIFC))
  • CMA (UAE) (United Arab Emirates)
  • SCB (Bahamas)
  • FSA Seychelles (Seychelles)
Segregated client money
No
Yes
Negative balance protection
Yes
Yes
Compensation scheme
None
FSCS (UK, Plus500UK Ltd clients); other countries differ

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
Not yet checked

Leverage and margin

Maximum retail leverage
1:400 on Micro and Nano accounts; 1:200 on Standard accounts
1:30 on major currency pairs (UK, EU and Australian retail clients)
Retail leverage by asset class
  • All instruments, Standard accounts: Up to 1:200
  • All instruments, Micro and Nano accounts: Up to 1:400
  • Major currency pairs: 1:30
  • Other currency pairs: 1:20
  • Other commodities and non-major indices: 1:10
  • Share CFDs: 1:5
Margin call level
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Stop-out level
10%
Not yet checked

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
  • Plus500 web platform
  • Plus500 mobile app
Markets
650+ CFDs on forex, metals, indices, stocks, commodities, ETFs and cryptocurrencies, plus self-built synthetic instruments
CFDs on currency pairs, indices, commodities, shares and ETFs; futures in the US
Demo account
Yes
Yes
Copy trading
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Expert advisors (automated trading)
Yes
Not yet checked
News trading allowed
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
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
Not yet checked
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)
No deposit or withdrawal fees from Plus500 (UK site)
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
Not yet checked

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
  • Licensed by strict regulators in the UK, EU, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Japan and the US
  • UK client money is held in segregated accounts under FCA client money rules
  • No deposit or withdrawal fees and no fees for opening or closing trades on the UK site; costs are in the spread
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
  • Plus500 says Plus500CA Ltd is a CIRO investment dealer and Plus500IL is regulated by Israel's ISA. We could not find Plus500CA on CIRO's dealer list or reach the ISA register on 2026-10-20.
  • Only Plus500's own platform; no MetaTrader or TradingView accounts
  • The FCA has warned about clone sites using Plus500's name, including plus500un.com, plus500v.com, p500.io and p500.online
  • No minimum deposit we could confirm on the current UK site; check it in the app before you fund

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.

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.

BrokerCut on Telegram

Get the latest forex news and market analysis.

Join the channel