Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of ActivTrades vs IFC Markets, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 51% and 89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
ActivTrades (founded 2001) and IFC Markets (founded 2006) are both privately held and not banks. On ForexBrokers.com’s 0–99 Trust Score scale (90–99 highly trusted; 80–89 trusted; 70–79 average risk; 60–69 high risk; below 59 not trusted), ActivTrades scores 80, placing it in the “trusted” range, while IFC Markets scores 73, which the site classifies as “average risk.”
In terms of oversight, ActivTrades holds two Tier-1 licenses (the highest level, viewed as highly trusted by ForexBrokers.com) and one Tier-2 license (trusted), compared with IFC Markets’ one Tier-1 license and no Tier-2 licenses. In plain terms, ActivTrades has a broader mix of top-tier and mid-tier regulatory approvals than IFC Markets.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2006 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 5 |
When comparing commissions and fees, ActivTrades comes out a bit stronger than IFC Markets for most everyday forex traders. ActivTrades’ spreads are slightly better than the industry average, and its average EUR/USD spread was 0.98 pips in May 2024. It offers an Individual Account, plus Professional and Islamic Account options, but it does not have a special pricing plan for high-volume traders. ActivTrades is rated 4 stars for commissions and fees and ranks #22 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com.
IFC Markets is also rated 4 stars for commissions and fees, but it ranks lower at #33 out of 36 brokers. Its average EUR/USD spread is 1.44 pips, which is above the industry average of 1.08. For more active traders, the broker’s ECN account can be more cost-friendly, with effective spreads around 1.1 pips after the 0.005% commission on both sides of a trade. IFC Markets also stands out for having no inactivity fee and offering active trader discounts.
In simple terms, ActivTrades is the better pick if you want slightly lower typical forex trading costs, while IFC Markets may appeal more if you plan to trade often enough to benefit from its ECN pricing or active trader discounts. Both brokers earn the same star rating, but ActivTrades places higher in the rankings and has the edge on average spread pricing.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $1 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.08 | 1.44 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.92 | 1.1 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
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ActivTrades and IFC Markets both give traders access to forex as CFDs or spot contracts, along with copy trading and cryptocurrency CFDs. Neither broker lets clients buy actual delivered crypto, and neither offers exchange-traded U.S. shares such as Apple on U.S. exchanges. Both do, however, support exchange-traded securities on international markets, so investors can buy shares listed on exchanges outside the U.S.
Where they differ most is in the overall size of their product lists. ActivTrades offers 1,267 tradeable symbols, compared with 630 at IFC Markets, while both brokers provide 49 forex pairs. This wider selection helps explain why ActivTrades is rated 4 out of 5 stars for range of investments and ranked #26 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets is rated 3.5 stars and ranked #32.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1267 | 630 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 49 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
ActivTrades and IFC Markets are both well-equipped when it comes to trading platforms and tools. Each broker offers a free demo account for simulated trading, its own in-house platform, a Windows desktop app, a web-based platform, copy trading, MetaTrader 4, and MetaTrader 5. Both also let traders place trades directly from a chart, which can make it easier to act quickly when market conditions change.
For platform quality, both brokers are rated 4 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools, but ActivTrades has the edge in ForexBrokers.com’s ranking, placing #27 out of 36 brokers compared with IFC Markets at #30. While neither broker’s listed technical indicator count or watch list field count is provided here, the overall setup at both firms should suit traders looking for a mix of beginner-friendly access and familiar third-party software.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
ActivTrades and IFC Markets both make it easy to trade on the go, with iPhone and Android apps, price alerts, 30 technical studies, trendline drawing, and auto-saving chart drawings. Both mobile platforms also earn a 4-star rating for mobile trading apps, so each broker gives traders a solid set of tools in a simple, easy-to-use package.
The main difference is watchlist syncing. IFC Markets lets you sync watchlists between the mobile app and your online account, which helps keep everything up to date across devices, while ActivTrades does not offer this feature. That extra convenience helps IFC Markets stand out, even though ActivTrades scores better overall in ForexBrokers.com’s Mobile Trading Apps category, ranking #21 out of 36 brokers compared with IFC Markets at #35.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When it comes to market research, ActivTrades and IFC Markets both give traders the basics that matter most. Each broker offers daily market commentary, a sentiment tool that shows whether traders are leaning long or short, and an economic calendar to track upcoming global events. Neither broker includes research tools from Autochartist, Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading.
The main difference is that ActivTrades goes a step further by offering forex news from major sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, while IFC Markets does not. That extra news coverage helps ActivTrades edge ahead overall, which is reflected in its higher research score of 4 out of 5 stars and its better ForexBrokers.com ranking at #27 out of 36, compared with IFC Markets’ 3.5 stars and #31 ranking.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginners looking for learning materials, ActivTrades and IFC Markets both offer a range of trading videos, including at least 10 beginner-focused and 10 advanced lessons that cover trading topics. That said, ActivTrades has the edge in forex and CFDs education overall, since it offers at least 10 educational pieces centered on forex or CFDs and also provides online educational client webinars at least once a month. IFC Markets does offer forex or CFDs education as well, but it does not appear to provide monthly educational webinars for clients.
In terms of education quality, ActivTrades is rated 4 out of 5 stars and is ranked #30 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets is rated 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranked #25 out of 36. For a beginner who wants more frequent live learning opportunities, ActivTrades may be the better fit, while IFC Markets still gives access to helpful video lessons but with fewer live teaching sessions.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that ActivTrades is better than IFC Markets. ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #28, while IFC Markets finished with an overall rank of #34.
ActivTrades is a long-standing brand that offers a proprietary trading platform, ActivTrader, and support for the award-winning TradingView and MetaTrader (MT4 and MT5) platforms. ActivTrades also delivers a selection of custom add-ons, indicators, and trading tools for traders who prefer to use MetaTrader. Drawbacks for trading with ActivTrades include a smaller selection of tradeable symbols and fewer educational resources than what’s available from the best forex brokers.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
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IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 80 | 73 |
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ActivTrades vs IFC Markets: neither online broker offers buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both allow trading cryptocurrency CFDs.
ActivTrades vs IFC Markets: for deposit and withdrawal methods, neither broker supports ACH/SEPA or PayPal, both allow bank wire transfers, ActivTrades offers Skrill while IFC Markets does not, and Visa/Mastercard availability is unspecified.
Please note:
We review each broker’s overall global offering – a “Yes” checkmark in our Compare Tool does not guarantee the availability of any specific features in your country of residence. To verify the availability of any features within your country of residence, please contact the broker directly.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | ActivTrades | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 80 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Broker Screenshots | ActivTrades | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Regulation | ActivTrades | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 80 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2006 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | |||
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 5 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | ActivTrades | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | ||
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | ||
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | ||
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | ||
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | ||
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | ||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | ||
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | ActivTrades | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | ||
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | No | ||
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | ||
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | ActivTrades | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1267 | 630 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
| Cost | ActivTrades | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.08 | 1.44 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.92 | 1.1 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | ActivTrades | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $1 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | ActivTrades | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | ActivTrades | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | ActivTrades | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | ActivTrades | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | ActivTrades | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | ActivTrades | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Overall | ActivTrades | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 80 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | ActivTrades Review |
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