Apart from being Australian-based brokers, both IC Markets and FP Markets provide standard accounts. Which is the better one for you?

IC Markets and FP Markets are two of the popular brokers in the world offering CFD and forex services. FP Markets is majorly an Australian broker and is therefore regulated by the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC), while IC Markets is a global broker that is regulated by a host of financial authorities around the world including ASIC.

The two brokers are quite similar in their services and fees. Opening a trading account is quite straightforward with the two brokers while withdrawals and deposits are both seamless. But, the quality of customer service at FP Markets is slightly better than that of IC Markets, while the fees at the former are slightly higher than the fees at the latter.

The purpose of this article is not just to compare these two brokers but rather their standard accounts.

IC Markets Vs FP Markets

IC Markets offers three types of accounts namely the Standard Spread account (MT4/MT5), the Raw Spread account which is further split into the MT4/MT5 version, and the cTrader version. On the other hand, FP Markets only offers two account types namely the Standard Spread account (MT4/MT5) and the Raw Spread account (MT4/MT5). Let us now examine the features of the standard account for each broker.

 

IC Markets Standard Account

The standard account offered by IC Markets provides a top-notch speed of execution. This is combined with an all-inclusive spread starting from 1.0 pip as well as access to 25 liquidity providers, giving traders an unparalleled trading experience overall. The minimum deposit to open a standard account at IC Markets is $200. Some of the major features of the IC Markets standard account include the following:

  • High speed of order execution
    The standard account is available on the MT4 and MT5 trading platforms. The servers of these platforms are located in the Equinix NY4 data center in New York which is then cross-connected to the main network of IC Markets. This ensures low latency and fast execution of trades.

  • No restrictions on trading
    Traders can use any kind of strategy that suits them on this account type from IC Markets including scalping as the broker provides some of the best conditions that favor high-frequency trading. Hedging is also allowed where traders do not have to worry about paying margin on hedged trades so they can benefit from margin netting.

  • Market depth
    Market depth displays the complete range of executable prices that come directly from liquidity providers. It also provides full transparency of the liquidity for each currency pair by displaying the available volumes for each price level at any particular time. This high liquidity combined with low latency and asynchronous spot prices ensures that traders get the tightest spreads possible. 

IC Markets' standard account offers leverage as high as 1:500 which traders can utilize to get the best out of their trading strategies. The account also supports all major account currencies ranging from USD, EUR, and AUD, to JPY. The range of financial instruments includes forex (60 pairs) and CFDs on Commodities and Global Indices.

Website
Established
2007
Leverage
1:1000
Min Deposit
$200
Regulation
ASIC, CySEC, SCB, The Financial Commission, FSA (Seychelles)
Interest rate on funds
Free education
PAMM
MAM
Segregated accounts
Managed accounts
Islamic accounts available
Compensation scheme
Swap
Low spread eur/usd
VPS
Copy trading
FasaPay
Neteller
PayPal
Skrill
Wire transfer

IC Markets is an online forex broker operating under the company of International Capital Markets Pty Ltd. Traders under the Australian jurisdiction are provided with the trading service of IC Markets AU that is headquartered in Australia and licensed by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).

On the other hand, non-Australian traders who open an account in this broker are registered under IC Markets SEY that is based in Seychelles, and regulated under the Seychelles Financial Services Authority (SFSA). The dual operation is a result of the relatively new rules from ASIC that prohibit their regulated broker to offer trading services outside Australia.

Classified as an ECN broker, IC Markets provide clients with MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, cTrader as platform trading options. This broker also follows market trends to include Cryptocurrencies as one of its products, enriching its already wide selection of trading assets that include Currencies, Indices, Metals, Energies, Softs, Stocks, as well as Bonds.

The minimum deposit in IC Markets is in the middle range compared to other ASIC-regulated brokers, as it reaches $200 for every client. Market analysis materials are also prepared regularly for trading insights on IC Markets's official website, proving their competence to serve their traders with important contents created by market experts that work specifically for them.

For payment methods, IC Markets allows funding and withdrawal via wire transfer, credit card, PayPal, Skrill, Neteller, FasaPay, UnionPay, as well as Bitcoin via BitPay. The more interesting aspect from this broker is its multi-base currencies that include USD, AUD, EUR, GBP, SGD, NZD, JPY, CHF, HKD, and CAD.

As the trading technology in IC Markets is highly equipped with co-located servers and extremely low latency (especially on cTrader), the broker is widely known for its capability in hosting traders with the special needs for high-frequency trading as well as scalping.

To sum up, IC Markets is a fitting destination for active traders looking for a well-regulated broker. IC Markets is also flexible in terms of base currency and payment methods, signaling their commitment to welcome traders beyond their home country. As of late 2019, IC Markets provided their website in 18 international languages including English, Korean, Indonesian, French, Spanish, Italian, Malay, German, and Chinese.

 

FP Markets Standard Account

The FP Markets standard account is similar to that offered by IC Markets as the maximum leverage is 1:500 and the spread starts from 1.0 pip. Trades are commission-free while the order execution is ECN-based in which traders get the prices directly as quoted by the liquidity providers without any adjustment by the broker.

The financial instruments available for trading include metals, indices, commodities, and over 60 currency pairs. Traders are free to use any trading style that suits them including tools that help in automated trading such as expert advisors. The minimum deposit is AUD100 or its equivalent in any of the base currencies of the account.

Flexible lot sizing is available as trades as small as one micro lot (0.01) can be placed. This gives traders the opportunity to test the platform with little risk while allowing optimal trade management according to the trader's account balance.

Website
Established
2005
Leverage
1:500
Min Deposit
$100
Regulation
ASIC, CySEC, FSCA, FSA (Seychelles)
Free education
Personal manager
Trading by telephone
PAMM
MAM
Segregated accounts
Affiliate program
Islamic accounts available
Hedging
Negative balance protection
Low spread eur/usd
VPS
Copy trading
FasaPay
Neteller
Skrill
Wire transfer

Keeping positions open overnight won't result in the overnight/rollover fee reducing your earnings, so you don't have to worry about it. FP Markets offers the most competitive swap rates in the industry by introducing Swaps Points in the form of a live swap rates list on the MT4 and MT5 platforms. Here are some examples:

  • ACWI: -5.00 for long positions and -2.50 for short positions.
  • ADAUSD: -20.00 for long positions and -20.00 for short positions.
  • AGG: -5.00 for long positions and -2.50 for short positions.

Overall, the standard account offered by both brokers is quite similar. There are only slight differences between them which is not surprising considering the services of both brokers are comparatively reliable. Since the account is available on both MT4 and MT5 trading platforms for the two brokers, choosing between the two will most likely come down to the trader's personal preference.

For more account comparisons to broaden your scope, see also FP Markets Vs XM Standard Account.