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Head to head

IFC Markets vs ThinkMarkets

IFC Markets is licensed by Labuan FSA in Labuan, Malaysia, and also has an offshore registration. ThinkMarkets is licensed by FCA in the United Kingdom; CySEC in the European Union; ASIC in Australia; DFSA in Dubai (DIFC), UAE and FSCA in South Africa, 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.

On its cheapest account per lot, IFC Markets costs about $18 per standard lot on EUR/USD (Classic Standard (fixed spread) account: 1.8 pips, no commission); ThinkMarkets costs about $11 (Standard account: 1.1 pips, no commission). On these typical figures ThinkMarkets is $7 cheaper per lot, or $70 a month at 10 lots. Swap and other fees are extra.

Minimum deposits start at $15 at IFC Markets (the Classic Standard (fixed spread) account needs $1,000) and $10 at ThinkMarkets (the Standard account needs $50). Only IFC Markets offers negative balance protection. Only ThinkMarkets offers segregated client money.

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

IFC Markets profileThinkMarkets 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
ThinkMarketsStrictly regulatedRead the profile
Comparing
IFC MarketsClassic Standard (fixed spread) account · British Virgin Islands
ThinkMarketsStandard account · United Kingdom

Overview

Founded
2006
2010
Headquarters
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Official websites
  • ifcmarkets.com
  • ifcmarkets.co.in
  • ifcmarkets.ae
  • ifcmarkets.hk
  • thinkmarkets.com
Facts last checked
20 October 2026
20 October 2026

Regulation and protection

Company you would contract with
IFCMARKETS. CORP.
TF Global Markets (UK) Limited
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
629628
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)
  • ASIC (Australia)
  • DFSA (Dubai (DIFC), UAE)
  • FSCA (South Africa)
  • FSA Seychelles (Seychelles)
Segregated client money
No
Yes
Negative balance protection
Yes
No
Compensation scheme
None
FSCS up to £85,000 (UK); ICF up to €20,000 (Cyprus); none for the Seychelles company

Costs

Your monthly cost
$180$18 per lot × 10 lots
$110$11 per lot × 10 lots
Cost per lot (EUR/USD)
$18
$11
Spread from
1.8 pips
0.4 pips
Typical EUR/USD spread
1.8 pips
1.1 pips
Commission per lot (round turn)
None
None
Typical GBP/USD spread
Not yet checked
1.3 pips
Typical USD/JPY spread
Not yet checked
1.4 pips
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
1:30 on major pairs (UK, EU, Australia); up to 500:1 (2500:1 on ThinkTrader) at the Seychelles company
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 (UK: 1:30
  • Currency pairs: up to 500:1
  • ThinkTrader account (Seychelles company): up to 2500:1
Margin call level
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Stop-out level
10%
50% (forced liquidation level)

Account

Minimum deposit (this account)
$1,000
$50
Base currencies
USD, EUR, JPY
USD, USDt, AUD, GBP, EUR, SGD, CHF
Execution
Instant execution, fixed spread, no commission (MT4 and NetTradeX)
Spread only, no commission (MT4, MT5)

Platforms and features

Platforms
  • NetTradeX
  • MetaTrader 4
  • MetaTrader 5
  • Web terminal
  • Mobile apps
  • ThinkTrader
  • MetaTrader 4
  • MetaTrader 5
  • TradingView
Markets
650+ CFDs on forex, metals, indices, stocks, commodities, ETFs and cryptocurrencies, plus self-built synthetic instruments
Forex, commodities, indices, crypto, stocks, ETFs and futures CFDs (up to 4,000 instruments on ThinkTrader)
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 transfer
  • Bank card
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Open Banking
  • Local bank (Africa)
  • Mobile money
  • WebMoney
  • Bank wire
  • Visa
  • Mastercard
  • Apple Pay
  • Google Pay
  • Neteller
  • Crypto
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 fee on any funding method (international 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 the FCA, CySEC and ASIC, with client money in segregated accounts
  • Publishes target (typical) spreads for the Standard account, such as 1.1 pips on EUR/USD
  • No deposit or withdrawal fees on the international site's funding methods
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
  • International clients join TF Global Markets Int Limited in the Seychelles (offshore tier), where leverage goes up to 2500:1 on ThinkTrader and losses can exceed deposits
  • ThinkMarkets also says it is licensed by CIMA, an FSC, an FMA and (on its South African company) FSCA FSP 49835, without naming every company; we could not confirm these on 2026-10-20. Its FSCA OTC derivative provider approval is confirmed.
  • The ThinkZero minimum deposit is shown as $100 on the account types page and $500 on the ThinkZero page; ask 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.
  • ThinkMarkets: Derivative products are leveraged products and can result in losses that exceed initial deposits. Please ensure you fully understand the risks and take care to manage your exposure and seek independent advice if necessary.

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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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