Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Swissquote 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.
Swissquote and IFC Markets present distinct profiles within the online brokerage landscape. Swissquote, founded in 1996, is a publicly traded bank, which is a unique advantage as it adds an additional layer of financial security for its users. It holds an exceptional Trust Score of 99 out of 99 from ForexBrokers.com, reflecting its significant reliability. Swissquote's strong reputation is bolstered by its possession of five Tier-1 licenses, which are regarded as highly trusted by industry standards, along with one Tier-2 license.
On the other hand, IFC Markets was established in 2006 and is not publicly traded or a banking institution. Its ForexBrokers.com Trust Score stands at 73, indicative of an average risk level according to their rating scale. IFC Markets does not hold any Tier-1 licenses but carries one Tier-2 license, suggesting a more moderate level of trust compared to Swissquote. While both brokers offer trading services, Swissquote's higher trust scores and regulatory standing might offer greater peace of mind to traders looking for enhanced security features in a broker.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1996 | 2006 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 0 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
Swissquote and IFC Markets provide diverse trading experiences, especially when it comes to their commissions and fees. Swissquote, known for its reputable Swiss banking affiliation, tends to have higher trading costs compared to some of the more affordable forex brokers. Swissquote offers different account types across its U.K., Luxembourg, and Swiss branches, each with varying costs and deposit requirements. The U.K. branch, Swissquote Ltd, tends to have lower fees and deposit needs, making it the better option among its entities. However, even the Elite account, which charges $5 per round-turn trade, is primarily appealing to active traders depositing at least $10,000. Swissquote's ranking in the Commissions and Fees category is #52 out of 62 brokers, with a 3.5-star rating.
In contrast, IFC Markets seems less expensive overall, though specific average spread data isn't readily available. Still, its ranking is more favorable, coming in at #39 for Commissions and Fees with an impressive 4-star rating out of five. This suggests that while IFC Markets may not furnish detailed spread statistics, its fee structure tends to be more competitive for a broader range of traders. The higher rating and ranking point to IFC Markets possibly being the more cost-effective choice for traders prioritizing low fees.
Ultimately, choosing between Swissquote and IFC Markets may depend on the trader's priorities, be it the prestige of Swiss banking or more economical trading costs. While Swissquote can offer security and a wider brand reputation, IFC Markets appeals particularly to those focused on affordability and cost-efficiency in their trading journey.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $1000 | $1 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | N/A | 1.44 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When comparing Swissquote and IFC Markets in terms of investment offerings, both brokers allow forex trading through CFDs or spot contracts. While IFC Markets provides a larger array of 630 tradeable symbols compared to Swissquote's 472, Swissquote stands out with more forex pairs, offering 80 against IFC Markets' 49. One of Swissquote's significant advantages is its access to exchange-traded securities on U.S. exchanges, enabling clients to purchase shares like Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), an option not available with IFC Markets. Both brokers allow investment in international exchange-traded securities, such as Vodafone (VOD-GB) on the London Stock Exchange.
Swissquote also provides the unique ability to buy actual cryptocurrency in addition to cryptocurrency derivatives, whereas IFC Markets only offers cryptocurrency derivatives. Each platform supports copy trading features. Industry ratings reflect these distinctions: Swissquote boasts a 5-star rating for its range of investments and ranks #2 out of 62 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com. In contrast, IFC Markets earns a 3.5-star rating and holds the #43 spot in the same category. These differences highlight Swissquote's comprehensive investment options and higher ranking in the industry.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 472 | 630 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 49 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | Yes | 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.
Swissquote and IFC Markets both offer traders a comprehensive suite of trading platforms and tools, catering to a wide range of preferences and experience levels. Each broker provides a virtual demo account, allowing users to practice their strategies risk-free. Both brokers have developed their own proprietary platforms, offer Windows-based desktop downloads, and provide web-based browser platforms for ultimate flexibility. Additionally, both Swissquote and IFC Markets support popular MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 platforms, and offer copy trading capabilities. However, neither broker supports DupliTrade or ZuluTrade. In terms of charting, Swissquote excels with 75 drawing tools, while IFC Markets offers 15. Both allow trading directly from stock charts, but Swissquote provides a more extensive watch list experience with 11 columns, compared to IFC Markets’ 7.
When considering the overall user ratings and rankings, Swissquote stands out with a 4.5-star rating for Trading Platforms and Tools compared to IFC Markets’ 4 stars. Additionally, Swissquote is ranked #11 out of 62 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, suggesting a higher level of satisfaction and performance, while IFC Markets is positioned at #36. For traders seeking an extensive and well-rated platform with a variety of trading tools, Swissquote emerges as a formidable choice, whereas IFC Markets offers a solid alternative for those prioritizing simplicity and essential functionalities. Each broker has tailored its offerings to address different trader needs, making them both viable options in the market.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| 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) | 86 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 75 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When comparing the mobile trading offerings of Swissquote and IFC Markets, both brokers provide apps for iPhone and Android devices, ensuring accessibility for traders on the go. In terms of functionality, both apps support stock and forex price alerts, charting capabilities with 30 technical studies, and the ability to draw trendlines and view various time frames. They also feature auto-saving for drawings and allow users to create watchlists with real-time quotes. However, a notable difference lies in their watchlist synchronization; IFC Markets offers syncing between the mobile app and online account, enabling seamless updating across platforms, while Swissquote lacks this feature.
In terms of user satisfaction and rankings, Swissquote edges out IFC Markets with a rating of 4.5 stars compared to IFC Markets' 4 stars for their mobile trading apps. Furthermore, Swissquote is ranked 10th out of 62 brokers in the Mobile Trading Apps category by ForexBrokers.com, significantly higher than IFC Markets’ position at 52. These distinctions highlight Swissquote as a more favorable choice for traders seeking a well-regarded mobile trading experience, despite the lack of watchlist synchronization.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 |
| 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.
Swissquote and IFC Markets both provide daily market commentary and maintain an economic calendar to keep traders informed about global news events. However, Swissquote has an edge when it comes to offering forex news from top sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, whereas IFC Markets does not provide such updates. Additionally, Swissquote enhances its research offerings with technical analysis tools from Autochartist, a feature not available at IFC Markets.
While neither broker uses Trading Central or market research from TipRanks, IFC Markets differentiates itself by offering a sentiment-based tool that displays the ratio of long or short positions across various instruments. This specific tool is absent from Swissquote's platform. Despite this, Swissquote outperforms IFC Markets in overall research ratings, securing a 4-star rating and a rank of 16 out of 62 brokers, compared to IFC Markets' 3.5-star rating and position at rank 40.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | No | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When comparing the educational resources for beginners provided by Swissquote and IFC Markets, both brokers offer a solid selection of materials including articles, videos, and archived webinars specifically focused on forex and CFDs. This ensures that beginners have access to at least 10 informative pieces to aid their learning journey. Swissquote shines by hosting monthly educational webinars for clients, a feature not available with IFC Markets. Moreover, Swissquote provides a searchable archive for past webinars, making it easier for learners to revisit valuable information, while IFC Markets lacks this feature.
Both Swissquote and IFC Markets cater to beginners by offering at least 10 educational videos that explain trading topics, and they also extend their resources to advanced traders with a similar number of expert-level videos. Additionally, each broker supplies an investor dictionary with over 50 defined investing terms. In terms of education ratings, Swissquote scores slightly higher with 4 stars compared to IFC Markets' 3.5 stars. According to ForexBrokers.com rankings, Swissquote holds a more favorable position at #21 out of 62 brokers, while IFC Markets stands at #30, reflecting Swissquote's slightly better performance in the educational category.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| 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 Swissquote is better than IFC Markets. Swissquote finished with an overall rank of #11, while IFC Markets finished with an overall rank of #44.
Traders choose Swissquote for its quality research and vast multi-asset offering – as long as they are willing to pay a premium to have their brokerage account held with a Swiss bank.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 73 |
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Swissquote stands out by allowing users to purchase actual delivered cryptocurrency in addition to cryptocurrency derivatives, while IFC Markets only provides options for buying cryptocurrency derivatives, not the actual digital currency itself.
When comparing the online brokers Swissquote and IFC Markets, Swissquote outshines by offering multiple funding options including ACH or SEPA transfers, PayPal, and Skrill, alongside Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires, whereas IFC Markets provides more limited deposit and withdrawal methods, supporting only Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires.
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 | Swissquote | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Swissquote Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Swissquote | IFC Markets | |
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| Regulation | Swissquote | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 1996 | 2006 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 0 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Swissquote | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Swissquote | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | Swissquote | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 472 | 630 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | Yes | 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 | Swissquote | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | N/A | 1.44 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Swissquote | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $1000 | $1 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Swissquote | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | Swissquote | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 86 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 75 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Swissquote | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 | |
| 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 | Swissquote | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | No | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Swissquote | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Swissquote | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Swissquote Review |
| Overall | Swissquote | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Swissquote Review |
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