Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of XM Group 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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XM Group and IFC Markets differ in overall trust and oversight. XM Group holds a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 93, which is considered highly trusted (90–99), while IFC Markets scores 73, placing it in the average-risk range (70–79).
On regulation, XM Group has 4 Tier-1 licenses and 3 Tier-2 licenses, indicating wider supervision by leading authorities. IFC Markets holds 1 Tier-1 license and no Tier-2 licenses. XM Group was founded in 2009 and IFC Markets in 2006; neither broker is publicly traded or a bank.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2009 | 2006 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 5 |
When comparing commissions and fees, XM Group is rated 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #35 out of 36 brokers in the ForexBrokers.com Commissions and Fees category. Its standard account spreads are considered expensive, and average spreads are not published for the commission-based XM Zero account, which makes it harder to judge overall pricing at a glance.
IFC Markets comes out a bit better in this category, with a 4 out of 5 star rating and a #33 ranking out of 36 brokers. Its average EUR/USD spread is 1.44, which is above the industry average of 1.08, so it is still slightly less competitive on standard pricing. However, active traders may find better value with the new ECN account, where the effective spread is about 1.1 pips after the 0.005% commission on both sides of a trade.
Overall, IFC Markets offers more ways to keep costs down, thanks to no inactivity fee and active trader discounts, while XM Group has less transparent pricing on its commission-based account and a lower rating for fees. If low trading costs are a priority, IFC Markets appears to have the edge, though neither broker is a clear leader in this area.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $5 | $1 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 2 | 1.44 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 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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XM Group offers a wider range of investments than IFC Markets, making it the stronger choice for traders who want more market access. Both brokers support forex trading as a CFD or spot contract, and both offer copy trading, international exchange-traded shares, and cryptocurrency CFDs. However, XM Group lists 1,429 tradeable symbols and 55 forex pairs, compared with 630 symbols and 49 forex pairs at IFC Markets.
One major difference is that XM Group also lets clients buy actual U.S.-listed exchange traded securities, such as Apple shares, while IFC Markets does not. IFC Markets does offer international exchange traded securities, but XM Group still has the edge overall in breadth and variety. That is reflected in its higher Range of Investments score of 4.5 out of 5, versus 3.5 out of 5 for IFC Markets, as well as its better ForexBrokers.com ranking of #19 out of 36 brokers, compared with #32 for IFC Markets.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1429 | 630 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 55 | 49 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | 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.
XM Group and IFC Markets both give traders a wide set of platform choices, including free demo accounts, desktop software for Windows, browser-based trading, copy trading, and support for both MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. Each broker also lets users place trades directly from charts, which can make it easier to react quickly while analyzing price moves. On Trading Platforms and Tools, both brokers are rated 4 out of 5 stars, showing a similar overall level of platform support for everyday traders.
The main difference is that IFC Markets offers its own in-house platform, while XM Group does not. That may matter for traders who want a broker-built experience with custom features. In ForexBrokers.com’s Trading Platforms and Tools rankings, XM Group places at #28 out of 36 brokers, ahead of IFC Markets at #30, so XM Group has a slight edge in this category overall.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | 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.
XM Group and IFC Markets both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, and each includes price alerts, watchlist syncing, and 30 technical studies for charting. Both apps also let users draw trendlines on charts, making it easy to follow market moves and manage trades on the go. In terms of overall Mobile Trading Apps ratings, both brokers earn 4 out of 5 stars.
The main difference is that IFC Markets’ mobile app automatically saves chart drawings, while XM Group’s does not. That said, XM Group has the stronger standing in ForexBrokers.com’s Mobile Trading Apps ranking, placing #26 out of 36 brokers, compared with IFC Markets at #35. For traders who want similar core mobile features, both are solid choices, but XM Group has the better ranking overall.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
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 | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
XM Group comes out ahead of IFC Markets for market research, thanks to a wider mix of tools and stronger overall ratings. Both brokers provide daily market commentary, a sentiment tool that shows long versus short positions, and an economic calendar with global events. Neither broker includes Autochartist, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading tools, and both are missing some of the extra third-party research add-ons that active traders may look for.
Where XM Group stands apart is in its access to forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, plus Trading Central research tools such as Technical Analytics. IFC Markets does not offer those features. That difference helps explain XM Group’s 5-star Research rating and #8 ranking out of 36 brokers from ForexBrokers.com, compared with IFC Markets’ 3.5-star rating and #31 ranking.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | Yes | 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 to learn the basics, XM Group has a clear edge over IFC Markets in education. XM Group offers forex and CFD learning material, runs online educational client webinars at least once a month, and provides a wide set of beginner and advanced videos. That helps new traders build knowledge step by step, with more chances to learn through live sessions and video lessons. XM Group’s education is also rated 5 out of 5 stars and ranks #5 out of 36 brokers for education at ForexBrokers.com.
IFC Markets also gives beginners useful video lessons, including at least 10 beginner videos and at least 10 advanced videos, but it does not offer monthly educational webinars. It also falls behind XM Group in overall education quality, with a 3.5-star rating and a #25 ranking out of 36 brokers. For learners who want more regular guidance and a wider learning setup, XM Group appears to be the stronger choice.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
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 XM Group is better than IFC Markets. XM Group finished with an overall rank of #16, while IFC Markets finished with an overall rank of #34.
XM Group is a MetaTrader-only broker that offers a strong selection of high-quality educational content and market research.
| Feature |
XM Group
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IFC Markets
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|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 73 |
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XM Group and IFC Markets do not support purchasing actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but both brokers offer cryptocurrency CFD trading for investors seeking crypto price exposure without owning the underlying asset.
XM Group vs IFC Markets: both do not support ACH/SEPA or PayPal; XM Group supports Skrill while IFC Markets does not; both allow bank wire transfers; Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either.
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 | XM Group | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | XM Group Review |
| Broker Screenshots | XM Group | IFC Markets | |
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| Regulation | XM Group | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 93 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 2009 | 2006 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | ||
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 5 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | XM Group | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | ||
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | ||
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | ||
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | ||
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | No | ||
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | ||
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | XM Group | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | ||
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | ||
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | XM Group | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1429 | 630 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 55 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | 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 | XM Group | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 2 | 1.44 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 1.1 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | XM Group | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $5 | $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 | XM Group | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | 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 | XM Group | 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 | XM Group | 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 | 30 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | XM Group | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | XM Group | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | XM Group | 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 | XM Group Review |
| Overall | XM Group | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | XM Group Review |
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