Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IFC Markets vs ATFX, 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.
IFC Markets and ATFX are two online brokers that cater to diverse trading needs, but they differ significantly when it comes to regulatory trustworthiness. Founded in 2006, IFC Markets is not publicly traded and does not operate as a bank. With no Tier-1 licenses, IFC Markets holds a single Tier-2 license, which contributes to its ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 73. This score places it in the average risk category, indicating a moderate level of trustworthiness for potential investors.
On the other hand, ATFX, established in 2017, also lacks a public trading status and banking operations. However, it stands out with four Tier-1 licenses and two Tier-2 licenses, which reflect a firmer regulatory backing. With a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 85, ATFX falls into the trusted category, offering greater assurance to traders concerning the firm's reliability and adherence to regulatory standards.
| Feature |
IFC Markets
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2006 | 2017 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 0 | 4 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
When comparing the commissions and fees of IFC Markets and ATFX, IFC Markets stands out with a strong performance. It earns a 4-star rating for its competitive fee structure, although no specific average spread data is available. In terms of ranking, IFC Markets holds the 39th position out of 62 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com, reflecting its favorable cost of trading for clients.
In contrast, ATFX receives a 3-star rating for its commissions and fees, suggesting there is room for improvement. Like IFC Markets, ATFX does not provide specific average spread data, making a direct comparison challenging. Despite this, ATFX ranks lower, at the 59th position among 62 brokers. This indicates that its fees and commissions may be less appealing to traders compared to some of its competitors.
Overall, IFC Markets appears to offer more attractive commissions and fees when compared to ATFX, based on both its higher star rating and better ranking against other brokers in the industry. These factors make IFC Markets a potentially more cost-effective choice for traders concerned about trading expenses.
| Feature |
IFC Markets
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $1 | $500 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.44 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
IFC Markets and ATFX both provide a platform for forex trading through CFDs or spot contracts, capitalizing on a significant component of their trading repertoire. When it comes to the diversity of tradeable symbols, IFC Markets offers a substantial array with 630 options compared to ATFX's 150 symbols, which may appeal to traders looking for broader market exposure. In terms of forex pairs, IFC Markets and ATFX present a relatively similar selection, featuring 49 and 44 pairs respectively. However, IFC Markets has a distinct advantage with its offerings on international exchanges, enabling clients to purchase shares like Vodafone without CFDs, unlike ATFX which does not offer this service.
While both IFC Markets and ATFX do not deal with actual cryptocurrencies, they offer derivatives in the market, appealing to cryptocurrency traders interested in speculating on price movements without owning the currency. Additionally, both platforms support copy trading, providing an avenue for traders to mirror successful strategies. Rated equally at 3.5 stars for their range of investments, IFC Markets and ATFX offer reliable albeit not overly extensive options. Despite their identical ratings, IFC Markets ranks higher at 43rd, compared to ATFX's 57th position out of 62 brokers, indicating a slight edge in the investment range department according to ForexBrokers.com.
| Feature |
IFC Markets
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 630 | 150 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 44 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | 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.
When comparing the trading platforms and tools of IFC Markets and ATFX, both brokers offer key trading features to enhance user experience. Both brokers provide free virtual demo accounts, enabling traders to practice and refine their skills without putting real money at risk. While ATFX does not have a proprietary platform, IFC Markets provides an in-house developed platform, offering traders a unique toolset. Both platforms are compatible with Windows-based desktop downloads and web browsers. Also, IFC Markets and ATFX support popular trading platforms MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), as well as offering copy trading services.
When it comes to charting, both IFC Markets and ATFX provide 15 drawing tools and allow traders to execute trades directly from stock charts. They also offer up to seven fields for watch lists, aiding in efficient monitoring of market activities. Despite these similarities, IFC Markets edges out ATFX with a trading platform and tools rating of four stars compared to ATFX's 3.5 stars. According to ForexBrokers.com, IFC Markets ranks 36th out of 62 brokers, boasting a considerably higher position than ATFX, which stands at 61st.
| Feature |
IFC Markets
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 15 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When comparing the mobile trading apps of IFC Markets and ATFX, both brokers provide options for iPhone and Android users, supporting essential features like stock and forex price alerts. With their apps, users can create watchlists with real-time quotes and have the capability to draw trendlines on charts while viewing multiple time frames such as daily, weekly, or intraday. However, IFC Markets takes the lead with watchlist symbol syncing, ensuring that any changes made on the mobile app or the online account are automatically synchronized. This feature is absent in ATFX's offerings.
Chart enthusiasts might find IFC Markets more appealing, as it offers 30 technical studies for its mobile charting tools compared to ATFX's seven. Additionally, users of both apps can have their chart drawings auto-saved, allowing for seamless transitions in their trading strategies. IFC Markets receives a higher rating overall, earning a 4-star rating for its mobile app experience, while ATFX is slightly lower with 3.5 stars. Furthermore, in a ranking of 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, IFC Markets is positioned at #52, outpacing ATFX, which sits at the bottom of the list at #62.
| Feature |
IFC Markets
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 7 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing IFC Markets and ATFX for market research, both online brokers provide daily market commentary and maintain economic calendars showcasing global news events. However, they diverge in their offerings of technical analysis tools. ATFX has a clear edge, furnishing innovative tools from Autochartist and Trading Central, whereas IFC Markets lacks these features. IFC Markets, on the other hand, provides a sentiment-based trading tool that ATFX does not, giving users insights into long or short positions across various instruments.
Regarding forex news from top-tier sources, neither platform delivers updates from leading names like Bloomberg or Reuters. Also, neither utilizes tools from TipRanks or Acuity Trading. Overall, IFC Markets garners a higher research rating of 3.5 stars, placing it at 40th among 62 brokers, compared to ATFX's 3-star rating and 54th position. This difference underscores IFC Markets' slight advantage in research capabilities, despite the strengths that ATFX holds in analysis tools.
| Feature |
IFC Markets
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | No |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to educational resources for beginners, both IFC Markets and ATFX offer a wide range of materials to get started with forex or CFDs trading. IFC Markets provides more than ten educational pieces, including articles and videos, specifically tailored for newcomers. They also offer a set of beginner-friendly videos to ease novices into trading. Additionally, IFC Markets has advanced content for seasoned traders and an investor dictionary with over 50 terms, making it a comprehensive choice for ongoing learning. However, they lack live or archived webinars, which may limit interactive learning opportunities.
ATFX also furnishes beginners with a suite of more than ten educational articles and videos, bringing its own set of beginner-focused video content. Unlike IFC Markets, ATFX offers a searchable archive of recorded webinars, which can be beneficial for those who prefer learning from past sessions. However, ATFX doesn't have advanced educational videos for experienced traders. Both brokers include a well-rounded investor dictionary, but they differ slightly in their ratings and ranks. IFC Markets edges out with a 3.5-star rating compared to ATFX's 3-star rating in education, though ATFX is ranked slightly higher at #28 compared to IFC Markets' #30 in the ForexBrokers.com rankings.
| Feature |
IFC Markets
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 62 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that IFC Markets is better than ATFX. IFC Markets finished with an overall rank of #44, while ATFX finished with an overall rank of #51.
IFC Markets is a well-established broker that has been in operation for 17 years. Forex traders at IFC Markets gain access to multiple trading platforms, a growing range of tradeable markets, and a balanced offering of research and educational content. However, IFC Markets’ Trust Score suffers due to the broker’s limited range of regulatory licenses.
| Feature |
IFC Markets
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 73 | 85 |
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Both IFC Markets and ATFX do not provide the option to purchase actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but they do offer the ability to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
Both IFC Markets and ATFX do not support ACH, SEPA, or PayPal for fund transactions, while IFC Markets lacks Skrill support that ATFX provides; both brokers, however, accept Visa/Mastercard and bank wires for depositing and withdrawing funds.
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 | IFC Markets | ATFX | |
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| Trust Score | 73 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
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| Broker Screenshots | IFC Markets | ATFX | |
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| Regulation | IFC Markets | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 73 | 85 | |
| Year Founded | 2006 | 2017 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 0 | 4 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 2 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | IFC Markets | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | IFC Markets | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | IFC Markets | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 630 | 150 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 44 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | 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 | IFC Markets | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.44 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | IFC Markets | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $1 | $500 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | IFC Markets | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | IFC Markets | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 15 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | IFC Markets | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 7 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | IFC Markets | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | No | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | IFC Markets | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | IFC Markets | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| AUD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review |
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| Trust Score | 73 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review |
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