Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Saxo vs IFC Markets, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
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Saxo and IFC Markets are both online brokers. Saxo was founded in 1992 and is also a bank, while IFC Markets began in 2006 and is not a bank. Neither firm is publicly traded.
On regulation, there’s a clear difference. According to ForexBrokers.com, Saxo holds 7 Tier-1 licenses (considered highly trusted) and 1 Tier-2 license (trusted). IFC Markets holds 1 Tier-1 license and no Tier-2 licenses. ForexBrokers.com’s Trust Score rates Saxo at 99 (highly trusted; 90–99) and IFC Markets at 73 (average risk; 70–79).
| Feature |
Saxo
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1992 | 2006 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 5 |
Saxo comes out ahead on commissions and fees, especially for active traders and larger account holders. It is rated 5 stars and ranked #8 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees by ForexBrokers.com. Saxo’s forex trading is commission-free in most cases, with costs built into the spread, and its EUR/USD spreads were 1.1 pips for Classic, 1.0 pips for Platinum, and 0.9 pips for VIP as of November 2023. The Classic account now has a $0 minimum deposit, while Platinum starts at $200,000 and VIP at $1,000,000, though loyal traders may qualify for upgrades through Saxo’s rewards program.
IFC Markets is more mixed on pricing. It is rated 4 stars and ranked #33 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees. Its average EUR/USD spread is 1.44 pips, which is above the industry average of 1.08 pips, though its ECN account can bring effective costs down to about 1.1 pips after commission. On the plus side, IFC Markets does not charge inactivity fees and offers active trader discounts, which may help lower overall trading costs for some users.
Overall, Saxo has the stronger fee structure, with better pricing for high-volume and premium clients and a higher star rating and ranking. IFC Markets can still be a practical choice for traders who want no inactivity fee and the option of ECN pricing, but Saxo is the better pick if low trading costs are the main priority.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $1 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.0 | 1.44 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | 1.1 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
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Saxo offers a much wider range of investments than IFC Markets. Saxo provides access to about 71,000 tradeable symbols, including 190 forex pairs, while IFC Markets lists about 630 symbols and 49 forex pairs. Both brokers support forex trading as a CFD or spot contract, and both offer cryptocurrency CFDs, but neither lets clients buy actual delivered crypto.
When it comes to shares and other exchange traded securities, Saxo lets clients buy real stocks on both U.S. and international exchanges, while IFC Markets only offers exchange traded securities on international markets, not U.S. exchanges. IFC Markets does have copy trading, which Saxo does not. Overall, Saxo is rated 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranks #3 out of 36 brokers, while IFC Markets is rated 3.5 stars and ranks #32.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 71000 | 630 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 190 | 49 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | 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.
Saxo and IFC Markets both give traders a useful mix of platform choices, including a free demo account, a proprietary platform, a Windows desktop app, a web-based platform, and the ability to trade directly from charts. This means either broker can work well for people who want to test strategies first and then move between devices with ease. In this area, Saxo stands out with a top-tier 5-star rating and a #3 ranking out of 36 brokers from ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets is rated 4 stars and ranked #30.
The main difference is that IFC Markets offers more extra trading tools for those who want added flexibility: it supports copy trading plus both MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, which can be helpful for traders who prefer popular third-party software. Saxo does not offer copy trading, MT4, or MT5, so its platform setup is more focused on its own in-house technology. For traders who want a broker with strong platform quality and a cleaner, more built-in experience, Saxo has the edge; for those who want MetaTrader and copy trading, IFC Markets may be the better fit.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 61 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Saxo and IFC Markets both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, along with price alerts, watchlist syncing, trendline drawing, and auto-saving chart drawings. That means traders can manage watchlists and follow markets easily from a phone, with changes kept in sync between the app and their online account.
The main difference is in charting and overall app quality. Saxo provides 64 technical studies in its mobile app, compared with 30 at IFC Markets. Saxo is also rated 5 stars for Mobile Trading Apps and ranked #3 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets is rated 4 stars and ranked #35. For traders who want more chart tools and a higher-rated mobile experience, Saxo has the edge.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 64 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Saxo has the edge in market research compared with IFC Markets. Both brokers provide daily market commentary, a sentiment tool, and an economic calendar that tracks key global events. However, Saxo goes further by offering forex news from leading sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, plus research tools from Autochartist. That wider mix of news and analysis helps traders stay on top of market moves with more detail.
This difference shows up in independent ratings too. Saxo earns 5 out of 5 stars for Research and is ranked #1 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets is rated 3.5 out of 5 stars and placed #31. In simple terms, both brokers cover the basics, but Saxo gives traders a much broader and more useful research package.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | Yes | 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 trading education, Saxo stands out with a wider and more active learning library than IFC Markets. Saxo offers forex and CFD education with at least 10 dedicated learning pieces, plus monthly educational webinars and plenty of beginner-friendly videos, along with advanced content for traders who want to keep learning. It is also rated 5 out of 5 stars for Education and ranks #12 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, which points to a stronger overall learning experience.
IFC Markets also gives new traders useful material, including at least 10 beginner videos and 10 advanced videos, but it falls behind Saxo in a few key areas. It does not offer monthly educational webinars, and its Education rating is 3.5 out of 5 stars with a #25 ranking out of 36. For beginners who want more frequent teaching support and a broader range of forex and CFD learning, Saxo is the stronger choice.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
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 Saxo is better than IFC Markets. Saxo finished with an overall rank of #3, while IFC Markets finished with an overall rank of #34.
Saxo is a multi-asset broker with brilliant research and a superb trading platform experience – as well as a stunning selection of over 40,000 securities.
| Feature |
Saxo
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IFC Markets
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| Trust Score | 99 | 73 |
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Saxo vs IFC Markets: neither broker lets you buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both provide cryptocurrency CFD trading.
Comparing Saxo vs IFC Markets: both brokers support bank wire transfers for account deposits and withdrawals, do not offer ACH/SEPA, PayPal, or Skrill, and provide no specified information on Visa or Mastercard availability.
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 | Saxo | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Saxo Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Saxo | IFC Markets | |
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| Regulation | Saxo | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 1992 | 2006 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | ||
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 5 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Saxo | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | ||
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| 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). | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Saxo | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | ||
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | ||
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Saxo | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 71000 | 630 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 190 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | 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 | Saxo | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.0 | 1.44 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | 1.1 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Saxo | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $1 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | Saxo | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Saxo | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 61 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Saxo | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 64 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Saxo | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Saxo | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Saxo | 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 | Saxo Review |
| Overall | Saxo | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Saxo Review |
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