IC Markets versus ActivTrades
ActivTrades offers clients its cutting-edge proprietary trading platform, ActivTrader. It also upgrades MT4/MT5 with seven plugins, creating a competitive environment. Beginner traders can schedule one-on-one training sessions and supplement their education via interactive webinars and videos. Its superb technology infrastructure makes ActivTrades an ideal choice for demanding, algorithmic traders.
Traders at IC Markets, the leader among algorithmic traders based on daily trading volume, get the 20-plugin Advanced Trading Tools MT4 upgrade, creating one of the most competitive MT4 environments industry-wide. MT5 and cTrader are also available, fully supporting algorithmic and copy trading. IC Markets also features third-party services by Myfxbook AutoTrade and ZuluTrade.
We have conducted an in-depth review of ActivTrades and IC Markets to determine which presents the better overall choice and which traders will benefit the most at either broker.
- Features and Platforms
- Available Markets
- Typical Spreads and Fees
- Security and Trust
- IC Markets versus ActivTrades - Verdict
Features and Platforms
| Features & Platforms | ActivTrades (visit site) | IC Markets (visit site) |
 |  | |
| Headquarter: | UK | Australia |
Established : | 2001 | 2010 |
Retail Loss Rate: | 81.00% | 75.93% |
Regulation: | ||
Minimum Deposit: | $10 | $200 |
Demo Account: | ||
Managed Account: | ||
Islamic Account: | ||
Inactivity Fee | £10 monthly after one year | |
Deposit Fee: | Yes + Third-Party | Third-Party |
Withdrawal Fee | Yes + Third-Party | Third-Party |
Funding Methods: | 6 | 15 |
MT4: | ||
MT5: | ||
cTrader: | ||
Proprietary Platform: | ||
Automated Trading: | ||
Social / Copy Trading: | ||
MT4/MT5 Add-ons: | ||
Guaranteed Stop Loss: | ||
Negative Balance Protection: | ||
Bonuses and Promotions: | ||
Unique Feature One: | Superb technology infrastructure | Superior trade execution |
Unique Feature Two: | Excellent education | Excellent MT4 trading tools |
Broker Offers: |
Noteworthy:
ActivTrades offers API trading for advanced algorithmic trading solutions and maintains a dedicated institutional division. IC Markets supports demanding algorithmic traders via three third-party VPS hostings.
Available Markets
| Available Markets | ActivTrades | IC Markets |
| Currency Pairs: | ||
Cryptocurrency Pairs: | ||
Commodities and Metals: | ||
Indices: | ||
Equities: | ||
Bonds: | ||
ETFs: | ||
Options, Futures, and Synthetics: | ||
Maximum Retail Leverage: | 1:200 | 1:500 |
Maximum Pro Leverage: | 1:400 | 1:500 |
Both brokers maintain a balanced asset selection, where ActivTrades lists 1,000+ assets versus 2,000+ at IC Markets, where the depth of the equity selection remains the primary difference. Forex traders get a selection of 48 currency pairs and nine cryptocurrency CFDs at ActivTrades, trailing the 61 and 23 at IC Markets, which presents more overall quantity.
Typical Spreads and Fees
| Typical Spreads & Fees | ActivTrades | IC Markets |
Minimum Raw Spreads: | Not applicable | 0.0 pips |
Minimum Standard Spreads: | 0.5 pips | 0.6 pips |
Minimum Commission for Forex: | Commission-free | $6.00 per round lot |
Commission for CFDs/DMA: | 0.10% / $0.04 per share | $7.00 / $0.04 per round lot |
Commission Rebates: | Yes | No |
Execution Type: | Market Maker | Market Maker/ECN |
Minimum Forex trading costs at ActivTrades are lower than IC Markets, but average fees are higher, even with the volume-based rebate program at ActivTrades. Unleveraged equity trading at ActivTrades is commission-free. Otherwise, industry-average costs apply, where IC Markets maintains an edge.
Security and Trust
ActivTrades
| Country of the Regulator | Name of the Regulator | License Number |
UK | Financial Conduct Authority | 434413 |
Bahamas | Securities Commission of The Bahamas | 199667 B |
Luxembourg | Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier | B232167 |
Italy | Commissione Nazionale per le Società e la Borsa | 198 |
Bulgaria | Financial Supervision Commission | Undisclosed |
IC Markets
| Country of the Regulator | Name of the Regulator | License Number |
Seychelles | Seychelles Financial Services Authority | SD018 |
Australia | Australian Securities & Investments Commission | 335692 |
Bahamas | Securities Commission of The Bahamas | SIA-F214 |
Cyprus | Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission | 362/18 |
ActivTrades and IC Markets both offer negative balance protection, segregate client deposits from corporate funds, comply with numerous regulators and maintain spotless track records. ActivTrades additionally offers all clients $1,000,000 in third-party liability insurance protection. From a trust and security perspective, both rank equally, while ActivTrades maintains better overall protection than IC Markets.
IC Markets vs ActivTrades – Verdict
ActivTrades
| Pros | Cons |
| Upgraded MT4/MT5 trading platforms and a cutting-edge proprietary alternative | No choice of account types |
| Excellent order execution due to superior technology infrastructure | |
| Outstanding educational resources for beginners | |
| Interest payments on free margin and volume-based cash rebate program |
IC Markets
| Pros | Cons |
| Excellent choice of trading platforms consisting of MT4/MT5, and cTrader | Minimum deposit slightly higher but within a reasonable range |
| Market-leading MT4 upgrade package, MAM/PAMM accounts, and VPS hosting | |
| Social trading support via Myfxbook, MetaTrader Signals, and ZuluTrade | |
| Leverage of up to 1:500, deep liquidity, and superb trade execution |
An excellent trading infrastructure, superior order execution, and a balanced asset selection exist at ActivTrades and IC Markets. Both upgrade their MT4/MT5 platforms. While IC Markets remains the market leader for algorithmic traders with low trading costs, ActivTrades remains a better overall choice for beginners due to its excellent educational resources, including one-on-one sessions.
FAQs
Is IC Markets a good broker?
IC Markets established itself as an industry-leading broker offering one of the most competitive MT4 environments. It also maintains competitive commission-based costs, excellent order execution, deep liquidity, high leverage, and quality education and research for beginners.
Is IC Markets allowed in the US?
IC Markets does not accept US-based traders, has no physical presence, and is not under US regulation. Therefore, IC Markets and its industry-leading trading infrastructure is not allowed in the US.
Is ActivTrades an ECN?
ActivTrades is not an ECN broker but deploys the market maker model, meaning it profits directly from client losses where it acts as the counterparty.