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

Head to head

IFC Markets vs Saxo

IFC Markets is licensed by Labuan FSA in Labuan, Malaysia, and also has an offshore registration. Saxo is licensed by Danish FSA (Finanstilsynet) in Denmark / European Union, FCA in the United Kingdom, FINMA in Switzerland, MAS in Singapore, CONSOB in Italy and JFSA in Japan. 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 Saxo. Both offer negative balance protection. Only Saxo offers segregated client money.

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

IFC Markets profileSaxo 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
SaxoStrictly regulatedRead the profile
Comparing
IFC MarketsClassic Standard (fixed spread) account · British Virgin Islands
SaxoDenmark / European Union

Overview

Founded
2006
Not yet checked
Headquarters
Not yet checked
Hellerup, Denmark
Official websites
  • ifcmarkets.com
  • ifcmarkets.co.in
  • ifcmarkets.ae
  • ifcmarkets.hk
  • home.saxo
  • www.home.saxo
  • bgsaxo.it
Facts last checked
20 October 2026
20 October 2026

Regulation and protection

Company you would contract with
IFCMARKETS. CORP.
Saxo Bank A/S
Regulator
BVI FSC
British Virgin Islands
Danish FSA (Finanstilsynet)
Denmark / European Union
Regulation level
Offshore registration only
Strictly regulated
Licence number
SIBA/L/14/1073
Check the register
Bank licence 1149
Check the register
Clients this company serves
International clients (not residents of the US, Russia or the BVI)
Clients in Denmark and other countries not served by a local Saxo subsidiary, including those served through its French, Dutch, Belgian and Czech branches
All licences held
  • BVI FSC (British Virgin Islands)
  • Labuan FSA (Labuan, Malaysia)
  • Danish FSA (Finanstilsynet) (Denmark / European Union)
  • FCA (United Kingdom)
  • FINMA (Switzerland)
  • MAS (Singapore)
  • CONSOB (Italy)
  • JFSA (Japan)
Segregated client money
No
Yes
Negative balance protection
Yes
Yes
Compensation scheme
None
Danish Guarantee Fund: cash deposits up to €100,000 and investor cover up to €20,000 (Saxo Bank A/S); FSCS up to £85,000 (UK); local schemes for other subsidiaries

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 pairs (UK, EU)
Retail leverage by asset class
  • All instruments, Standard accounts: Up to 1:200
  • All instruments, Micro and Nano accounts: Up to 1:400
  • EUR/USD (3.33% initial margin, UK): 1:30
  • GBP/USD and USD/JPY (4% initial margin, UK): 1:25
Margin call level
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Stop-out level
10%
50% (UK and EU retail close-out rule)

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
  • SaxoTraderGO
  • SaxoTraderPRO
  • SaxoInvestor
  • Mobile app
  • TradingView
Markets
650+ CFDs on forex, metals, indices, stocks, commodities, ETFs and cryptocurrencies, plus self-built synthetic instruments
185+ FX pairs, FX options, CFDs, 23,000+ stocks, 7,400+ ETFs, bonds, futures and listed options
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
  • Bank transfer
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)
Not yet checked
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-hour support while markets are open; relationship managers for larger clients

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
  • Parent company is a Danish bank classed as systemically important, with bank licences in Denmark and Switzerland
  • Every listed company is authorised by a strict regulator
  • No minimum funding in the UK, and negative balance protection for retail clients
  • Forex, stocks, bonds, futures and options in one account
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
  • Saxo publishes minimum spreads, not typical spreads, and prices vary by account tier and country
  • No MetaTrader; trading runs on Saxo's own platforms or TradingView
  • BG SAXO SIM was checked on CONSOB's published list of registered SIMs (February 2025 edition); the live CONSOB register blocked our access on 2026-10-20

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.
  • Saxo: CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 61% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

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