Our verdict
A naming note before anything else: the global entity, Raw Trading Ltd (Seychelles FSA), now trades as "IC" and its site has moved from icmarkets.com to ic.com. The EU entity, IC Markets (EU) Ltd (CySEC), still trades as IC Markets EU on icmarkets.eu. So which brand you see depends on which entity onboards you — the offering itself is unchanged, and we keep calling it IC Markets because that is what EU/EEA clients deal with.
IC Markets is built around one proposition: raw spreads with commission, aimed at traders for whom execution costs compound — scalpers, high-frequency manual traders and EAs. The platform set of MT4, MT5, cTrader and TradingView serves exactly that audience.
The raw model's honesty cuts both ways, and the EU account table makes the trade-off easy to see: Raw Spread starts at 0.0 pips but adds $7.00 per lot round turn, while the commission-free Standard account starts at 0.8 pips. Below roughly a pip of round-turn cost the commission model wins; above it, it does not. Run your own volume through both.
As with every multi-entity broker, your country decides the regulatory entity, protections and product list. The brand-level review can only flag this — the entity-level check is yours to make before funding.
EU entity (IC Markets (EU) Ltd), checked 2026-08-06: Raw Spread from 0.0 pips at $3.50 per lot per side ($7.00 round turn) on MetaTrader, or $3.00 per USD 100k on cTrader; the commission-free Standard account starts at 0.8 pips instead. Retail leverage is capped at 1:30 and the stop-out level is 50%.
Multi-entity — IC Markets EU Ltd (CySEC, serving EU/EEA clients including Germany), Raw Trading Ltd (Seychelles FSA, global) and an ASIC-regulated Australian entity; client funds are segregated, though protections are lighter on the global entity than on the EU one.
MT4, MT5, cTrader and TradingView; EAs and scalping are permitted with no order-distance restriction, and the EU entity runs MetaTrader from New York and cTrader from London. There is still no proprietary in-house platform.
Multiple deposit and withdrawal methods, but availability and timelines are region- and entity-dependent — confirm yours before funding.
Established 24/7 support; solid for an execution-focused broker.
Dimensions are weighted as set out in our editorial policy. Sub-scores are editorial judgments, not measurements; the overall score is the weighted average of these dimensions.
- Raw-spread account model often favoured by active traders
- Common platform support including MT4/MT5
- cTrader and TradingView available alongside the MetaTrader platforms
- Regional entity and protections vary — confirm yours
- Raw-spread plus commission means cost depends on volume and instrument
Spread model and trading costs
The raw-spread account is the product: market-tight pricing with a fixed commission per lot. On the EU entity that means Raw Spread from 0.0 pips plus $3.50 per lot per side — $7.00 round turn — on MetaTrader, or $3.00 per USD 100k on cTrader, against a commission-free Standard account starting at 0.8 pips. For high-frequency and automated strategies the commission model is usually cheaper than a padded spread; for occasional traders it often is not. The deciding factor is your own volume, so do the round-turn arithmetic before assuming raw wins. Spreads are variable and widen around news and thin liquidity — the "from" figures are floors, not averages.
Platforms and execution
MT4 and MT5 carry the automation workflows, cTrader offers an alternative execution-focused front end, and TradingView is now part of the lineup for chart-first traders. The EU entity documents no order-distance restriction and allows all trading styles, which is what makes scalping and EA strategies viable here rather than merely tolerated. Execution quality is still best judged on your own connection and session times; whatever a review says, a small live test under your real conditions beats any third-party claim.
Entities and regional availability
IC Markets serves different regions through different regulated entities: IC Markets EU Ltd (CySEC-regulated) onboards EU/EEA clients — including Germany — while Raw Trading Ltd (Seychelles FSA) serves global clients and an ASIC-regulated entity covers Australia. Protections, leverage caps and the product list follow the entity, not the brand. Availability and onboarding depend on your country and the entity accepting the application, so confirm eligibility directly before relying on the account offering.
- 1Which regulatory entity serves your country and what protections it provides.
- 2The all-in round-turn cost (spread plus commission) on your instruments.
- 3Execution conditions during the sessions and news windows you trade.
- 4Whether your EA or strategy style runs without restrictions on your account type.
- 5Deposit and withdrawal methods and timelines for your region.
- 6Which entity would onboard you and whether your country is eligible.
- Published:
- Last reviewed:
- 6 August 2026 · Review — Full re-check against the EU entity's published account tables. Corrected: the commission-free Standard account starts at 0.8 pips (previously stated as a ~0.08 pip mark-up); TradingView is now part of the platform lineup (previously listed as unavailable). Added: 1:30 retail leverage cap, 50% stop-out and server locations. Removed the claim that there is no minimum-deposit requirement — IC does not publish a figure on the EU pages, so it is not asserted. Minimum deposit and inactivity fees remain unverified and are deliberately not stated. Scores unchanged; see the platform note for why the added platform did not move the rating.
- 6 August 2026 · Review — Brand update: the global entity (Raw Trading Ltd) now trades as IC on ic.com — icmarkets.com redirects there permanently. The EU entity is unchanged and still trades as IC Markets EU on icmarkets.eu. Sources re-cited to the current URLs; scores and terms were not changed.
- 16 June 2026 · Review — Regulatory entities, account types and pricing were reviewed, and regional availability was clarified — EU/EEA clients including Germany onboard via the CySEC entity.
Conditions change — confirm current terms with the provider. Educational content, not financial advice; trading involves significant risk of loss.
A raw-spread model built for active, execution-focused trading — with the entity question deciding what you actually get in your region.
Frequently asked questions
Which platforms does IC Markets support?
MT4, MT5 and cTrader. The MetaTrader pair covers EA workflows; cTrader appeals to discretionary traders who want its depth-of-market and execution interface.
Is the raw-spread account worth it?
Only if your volume amortises the commission. Compare the all-in round-turn cost against a standard account on your real instruments and frequency — the answer differs per trader.
Which regulatory entity applies to me?
Your country of residence determines the entity, and with it the protections and product range. Identify it explicitly before funding — it is the most consequential fine print in any multi-entity brokerage.
Is EA trading possible?
Yes — full MT4/MT5 support makes automated strategies a core use case, and the raw-spread cost profile generally suits them. Confirm any conditions for your specific account type.
What are the main alternatives?
FP Markets for a similar raw-spread profile with TradingView added, Tickmill for simpler account structures. Both are reviewed on this site.
Better if you also want TradingView in the platform lineup alongside raw spreads.
Best for: Cost-sensitive traders who want raw-spread accounts and full MT4/MT5 support.
Read reviewBetter if you prefer simpler account structures over maximum platform choice.
Best for: Traders comparing regulated broker options and simple account structures.
Read review