Exness vs IC Markets 2026: Which Broker Should You Choose?

Choosing between Exness and IC Markets is a decision that thousands of traders face each year. Both brokers are globally recognized, well-regulated, and offer competitive trading conditions — but they appeal to different types of traders.

This comprehensive comparison covers regulation, spreads, leverage, platforms, deposit and withdrawal options, and more. By the end, you will have a clear picture of which broker better fits your needs.

Source note: Broker specifications sourced from each broker's official website; verify current terms before opening an account.

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Quick Overview: Exness vs IC Markets

Feature	Exness	IC Markets
Founded	2008	2007
Regulation	FCA, CySEC, FSCA, FSA, CBCS	ASIC, CySEC, FSA (Seychelles)
Minimum Deposit	$10	$200
EUR/USD Spread (Raw)	From 0.0 pips	From 0.0 pips
Commission (Raw account)	$7 per lot (round turn)	$7 per lot (round turn)
Max Leverage	Up to 1:Unlimited (select accounts)	Up to 1:500
Platforms	MT4, MT5, Exness Terminal	MT4, MT5, cTrader
Copy Trading	Yes (Exness Social Trading)	Yes (third-party)
Withdrawal Speed	Instant (most methods)	1–5 business days
Crypto Deposits	Yes	No

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Regulation and Safety

Exness Regulation

Exness holds licenses from several top-tier and mid-tier regulators:

• FCA (UK Financial Conduct Authority) — Tier 1
• CySEC (Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission) — Tier 1
• FSCA (South Africa Financial Sector Conduct Authority)
• FSA (Seychelles Financial Services Authority)
• CBCS (Central Bank of Curaçao and Sint Maarten)

Exness operates under a segregated client funds model and provides negative balance protection across all retail accounts.

IC Markets Regulation

IC Markets is regulated by:

• ASIC (Australian Securities and Investments Commission) — Tier 1
• CySEC (Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission) — Tier 1
• FSA (Seychelles Financial Services Authority)

IC Markets also segregates client funds and offers negative balance protection for retail clients under ASIC and CySEC.

Verdict

Both brokers maintain strong regulatory profiles. Exness has broader global coverage, which matters if you trade from regions like Africa or Southeast Asia. IC Markets carries ASIC regulation, which some traders consider the gold standard for ECN brokers.

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Trading Costs: Spreads and Commissions

Trading costs are one of the most critical factors for active traders. Here is how the two brokers compare.

Exness Raw Spread Account

The Exness Raw Spread account offers:

• EUR/USD spread: from 0.0 pips
• Commission: $3.50 per side ($7 round turn) per standard lot
• No requotes policy

The Exness Raw Spread account is purpose-built for scalpers and high-frequency traders who prioritize execution quality.

IC Markets Raw Spread Account

IC Markets cTrader Raw account:

• EUR/USD spread: from 0.0 pips
• Commission: $3.50 per side ($7 round turn) per standard lot on cTrader; $3.50 per side on MT4/MT5

For most major pairs, the effective cost is nearly identical between the two brokers on their raw-spread accounts.

Standard Account Comparison

Pair	Exness Standard	IC Markets Standard
EUR/USD	~0.9 pips	~0.62 pips
GBP/USD	~1.4 pips	~0.83 pips
USD/JPY	~0.9 pips	~0.67 pips
XAU/USD	~25 pips	~20 pips

Note: Spreads are variable and will differ during high-volatility periods. Values above are approximate averages based on publicly listed broker data.

Overnight Fees (Swap)

Exness offers swap-free options across more countries, and its Islamic account does not charge additional admin fees in most regions. IC Markets swap-free accounts are available but availability depends on your country of residence.

Verdict

Costs are near-equivalent on raw-spread accounts. IC Markets tends to offer slightly tighter standard spreads, while Exness wins on swap-free availability and flexibility.

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Leverage

Account Type	Exness	IC Markets
Retail Forex	Up to 1:2000 (varies by asset)	Up to 1:500
Professional Forex	Up to 1:Unlimited (select accounts)	Up to 1:500
Gold	Up to 1:2000	Up to 1:500
Indices	Up to 1:200	Up to 1:200
Crypto	Up to 1:10	Up to 1:5 (IC Markets does not offer crypto CFDs broadly)

Exness is notable for offering unlimited leverage on select account types for professional traders who meet qualification criteria. This is rare in the industry.

IC Markets caps retail leverage at 1:500, which is already high by global standards.

Risk warning: High leverage amplifies both gains and losses. Use leverage carefully and only with a clear risk management plan. See our risk management guide for more detail.

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Trading Platforms

Exness Platforms

• MetaTrader 4 (MT4): Desktop, web, mobile
• MetaTrader 5 (MT5): Desktop, web, mobile
• Exness Terminal: Proprietary web-based platform with built-in analytics
• Exness Trade App: Mobile trading app

IC Markets Platforms

• MetaTrader 4 (MT4): Desktop, web, mobile
• MetaTrader 5 (MT5): Desktop, web, mobile
• cTrader: Advanced charting, algorithmic trading, and depth-of-market view

IC Markets is widely respected for its cTrader integration, which provides Level 2 pricing and superior charting for experienced traders. Exness does not offer cTrader.

Exness counters with its proprietary Exness Terminal, which includes unique features like one-click trading, built-in economic calendars, and social trading integration.

Verdict

If cTrader is essential to your strategy, IC Markets is the clear choice. For traders comfortable with MT4/MT5, both brokers offer comparable execution quality.

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Account Types

Exness Account Types

1. Standard: No commission, spreads from 0.9 pips. Minimum deposit $10.
2. Standard Cent: Micro-lot trading for beginners. Minimum deposit $10.
3. Pro: Lower spreads, from 0.1 pips. Minimum deposit $200.
4. Raw Spread: From 0.0 pips, $3.50/side commission. Minimum deposit $200.
5. Zero: Near-zero spreads on top 30 instruments. Minimum deposit $200.

Explore all Exness account types in detail.

IC Markets Account Types

1. Standard: Spreads from 0.62 pips, no commission. Minimum deposit $200.
2. Raw Spread (MT4/MT5): From 0.0 pips, $3.50/side. Minimum deposit $200.
3. Raw Spread (cTrader): From 0.0 pips, $3.50/side. Minimum deposit $200.

Verdict

Exness offers more variety, particularly for beginner traders. The Standard Cent account and $10 minimum deposit make Exness accessible to a wider audience. IC Markets requires $200 across all accounts.

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Deposits and Withdrawals

Exness Deposits and Withdrawals

Exness is well known for its instant withdrawals on most payment methods, available 24/7. Supported methods include:

• Bank transfer
• Credit/debit cards (Visa, Mastercard)
• E-wallets (Skrill, Neteller, Perfect Money, WebMoney)
• Cryptocurrency (Bitcoin, Tether USDT)
• Local bank transfers in 75+ currencies

There are no deposit fees from Exness. Withdrawal fees vary by payment method.

View the full Exness deposit and withdrawal guide.

IC Markets Deposits and Withdrawals

IC Markets supports:

• Bank transfer (1–5 business days)
• Credit/debit cards
• PayPal, Skrill, Neteller
• BPAY (Australia)
• Broker-to-broker transfer

No deposit fees from IC Markets. Withdrawal processing takes 1–5 business days for bank transfers.

Verdict

Exness wins decisively on withdrawal speed and payment method variety. If instant access to funds matters to you — especially in emerging markets — Exness has a clear advantage.

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Copy Trading and Social Features

Exness Social Trading

Exness offers its own copy trading ecosystem directly within the platform. Traders can:

• Browse strategy providers by performance metrics
• Set maximum drawdown limits
• Copy trades automatically with customizable lot sizing

Learn more about Exness Copy Trading.

IC Markets Copy Trading

IC Markets does not have a native copy trading solution. Traders can use third-party services like Myfxbook AutoTrade or Zulu Trade, but this requires additional setup and account linking.

Verdict

Exness has a significant advantage for copy traders with its integrated social trading platform.

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Educational Resources

Exness Education

• Exness Academy: video tutorials, webinars, and articles
• Economic calendar built into the trading terminal
• Demo account with unlimited virtual funds

IC Markets Education

• Trading guides and video tutorials
• Webinars and market analysis
• IC Markets Academy (primarily technical and strategy-focused)

Both brokers offer demo accounts. IC Markets places more emphasis on market analysis for active traders, while Exness content caters more to beginners and intermediate traders.

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Who Should Choose Exness?

Exness is the better choice if you:

• Are a beginner and want a low minimum deposit ($10)
• Trade from Africa, Southeast Asia, or Latin America where local payment methods and currency support matter
• Need instant withdrawals around the clock
• Want integrated copy trading without third-party apps
• Prefer unlimited leverage (for qualifying professional accounts)
• Trade on MT4 or MT5 and do not require cTrader

Start trading with Exness: Open your Exness account here

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Who Should Choose IC Markets?

IC Markets may be a better fit if you:

• Are an experienced trader who demands cTrader with depth-of-market data
• Are based in Australia and value ASIC regulation above all else
• Prefer the IC Markets institutional-grade ECN infrastructure
• Trade algorithmic strategies that benefit from cTrader's native scripting language (C#)

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Final Verdict: Exness vs IC Markets

Both Exness and IC Markets are legitimate, well-regulated brokers with genuinely competitive trading conditions. Neither is objectively "better" — the right choice depends on your priorities.

Criterion	Winner
Minimum Deposit	Exness
Withdrawal Speed	Exness
Payment Methods	Exness
Leverage Options	Exness
Platform Variety	IC Markets (cTrader)
Copy Trading	Exness
ASIC Regulation	IC Markets
Standard Spreads	IC Markets (slight edge)

For most retail traders — especially those in emerging markets — Exness delivers superior accessibility, instant withdrawals, and integrated social trading at a low entry cost.

For experienced traders who prioritize cTrader or ASIC oversight, IC Markets remains an excellent option.

Open an Exness account | Read the full Exness review

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Risk Disclaimer

Trading forex and CFDs involves significant risk of loss and may not be suitable for all investors. Leverage can work against you as well as for you. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Ensure you understand the risks before trading.

Data sources: Broker official websites (2026-03-25). Spread and commission data are subject to change.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Exness and IC Markets raw spread commissions the same?

Both Exness Raw Spread and IC Markets Raw Spread (MT4/MT5) charge $3.50 per side per standard lot, making the round-trip commission identical at $7.00 per lot on EUR/USD. The key differences lie in minimum deposit ($10 for Exness vs $200 for IC Markets on standard accounts), withdrawal speed (instant for Exness vs 1–5 business days for IC Markets), and platform options (Exness offers MT4/MT5; IC Markets adds cTrader).

Does Exness support cTrader?

No. Exness supports MT4, MT5, and its proprietary Exness Terminal, but does not offer cTrader. IC Markets offers cTrader as a third platform alongside MT4 and MT5. cTrader provides features such as depth-of-market (Level 2) data, native C# scripting (cAlgo), and advanced charting that MT4/MT5 do not replicate natively. Traders who require cTrader functionality should choose IC Markets.

Which broker is better for emerging market traders — Exness or IC Markets?

Exness has a stronger emerging market infrastructure. It accepts local payment methods in 40+ countries (M-Pesa, UPI, regional bank transfers), supports 75+ deposit currencies, and processes withdrawals instantly. IC Markets focuses primarily on bank wire, credit/debit cards, and a smaller selection of e-wallets without the same local payment depth. For traders in Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia, Exness is generally more accessible.

Does IC Markets offer copy trading?

IC Markets does not have a native copy trading system. Traders can integrate third-party services such as Myfxbook AutoTrade or MetaTrader signals, but this requires additional setup. Exness has a fully integrated Social Trading system that allows copying verified strategy providers with automated trade replication and customizable risk limits.

Which broker offers higher leverage — Exness or IC Markets?

Exness offers significantly higher maximum leverage. Under its offshore entities, Exness provides leverage up to 1:2000 for standard retail accounts and up to 1:Unlimited for qualifying professional accounts with equity under $1,000. IC Markets caps retail leverage at 1:500. EU and UK traders at both brokers are capped at 1:30 under ESMA/FCA rules regardless of platform availability.