Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of XTB 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.
Comparing XTB and IFC Markets offers insights into their trustworthiness and regulatory landscapes. XTB, established in 2002, stands out with a high trust score of 96 out of 99 according to ForexBrokers.com. As a publicly traded company, XTB boasts two Tier-1 licenses, which are considered highly trusted, and two Tier-2 licenses, adding layers of credibility to its operations. Furthermore, while not a bank, its public trading status underscores transparency and strong investor confidence.
In contrast, IFC Markets, founded in 2006, holds a trust score of 73, marking it as an average risk broker. Unlike XTB, IFC Markets is not publicly traded and does not hold any Tier-1 licenses, positioning it differently in terms of regulatory strength. Despite holding only one Tier-2 license, IFC Markets continues to serve its clients while navigating its own regulatory pathway. The differences in licensing and public transparency between XTB and IFC Markets highlight distinct choices based on user trust preferences.
| Feature |
XTB
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2002 | 2006 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
When comparing XTB to IFC Markets in terms of commissions and fees, XTB stands out with its tailored account options designed to cater to different trading needs. XTB offers two types of accounts: the Standard account, which is spread-only, and the Professional account, which is commission-based but limited to select professional traders in the U.K. and Europe. For forex trading, XTB's average spread on the popular EUR/USD currency pair is 1 pip, aligning closely with industry standards. Meanwhile, IFC Markets does not provide specific average spread data, making direct comparisons challenging.
For traders at higher volumes, XTB's accounts exhibit similar pricing, with a minimum deposit requirement set at 250 in the account's base currency. The Standard account emerges as a more favorable option for retail traders due to XTB phasing out the Pro account in many regions. In contrast, information on IFC Markets’ structure for different account types or minimum deposits is minimal. XTB also offers an attractive rebate system through their Lower Spread Group, providing active traders with discounts ranging from 5% to 30% on the spread, thus enhancing its appeal compared to competitors.
In terms of ratings, XTB scores an impressive 4.5 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees, ranking at #11 out of 62 brokers reviewed by ForexBrokers.com. Conversely, IFC Markets earns a solid 4-star rating but falls to a #39 ranking, indicating that while it is competitive, it trails XTB in this aspect. This makes XTB a stronger contender for traders seeking cost-effectiveness and tailored fee structures.
| Feature |
XTB
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $1 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.00 | 1.44 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.00 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | 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 the range of investments offered by XTB and IFC Markets, several differences stand out. XTB provides a more extensive selection with 7,184 tradeable symbols, significantly outnumbering IFC Markets' 630 symbols. Both brokers offer forex trading either as CFDs or spot contracts, but XTB leads with 71 tradeable forex pairs compared to IFC Markets' 49 pairs. Regarding exchange-traded securities, XTB offers the ability to buy shares on both U.S. and international exchanges, enabling clients to purchase companies like Apple and Vodafone. In contrast, IFC Markets only offers international share trading, leaving out U.S. exchanges.
Exploring additional features, XTB does not support copy trading, whereas IFC Markets does, adding a social trading dimension to their offerings. Neither broker allows the purchase of actual cryptocurrencies, but both offer cryptocurrency derivatives, allowing traders to speculate on crypto price movements. According to ForexBrokers.com, XTB scores a 5-star rating and ranks 14th out of 62 brokers for the range of investments, highlighting its broad offerings. In comparison, IFC Markets receives a 3.5-star rating and ranks 43rd, indicating a more limited range of investment opportunities.
| Feature |
XTB
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 7184 | 630 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 71 | 49 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | 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 XTB and IFC Markets, both offer free virtual demo accounts to help traders practice their strategies without financial risk. Each broker provides a proprietary platform along with a web-based trading option and a Windows-based desktop platform for flexible trading experiences. However, IFC Markets stands out by offering MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), popular choices among traders for their comprehensive features, whereas XTB does not support these platforms. Despite this, XTB has earned a higher rating of 4.5 stars for its trading platforms and tools, compared to IFC Markets' 4 stars.
One of the notable differences lies in the availability of copy trading — a feature offered by IFC Markets but absent in XTB's offerings. XTB offers a more extensive selection of drawing tools for charting, with 32 options compared to IFC Markets' 15. Both brokers allow trading directly from stock charts, providing a seamless trading experience. Additionally, XTB presents eight columns for watch lists to organize trades, slightly ahead of IFC Markets which offers seven. In terms of rankings by ForexBrokers.com, XTB is ranked 9th among 62 brokers for its trading platforms and tools, outperforming IFC Markets, which is ranked 36th.
| Feature |
XTB
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 39 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 32 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 8 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When it comes to mobile trading apps, both XTB and IFC Markets offer seamless experiences for iPhone and Android users, ensuring accessibility for all traders. Both platforms provide crucial features like stock or forex price alerts, the ability to draw trendlines, and view multiple time frames on charts. Additionally, you can create watchlists with real-time quotes. However, a distinguishing factor is that IFC Markets offers watchlist symbol syncing, which allows your watchlists to sync with your online account, a feature that XTB lacks.
For those who prioritize charting capabilities, XTB offers a slight edge with 39 technical studies compared to 30 from IFC Markets. Furthermore, XTB's mobile app is rated higher, receiving 4.5 stars, while IFC Markets has a 4-star rating. This is reflected in their rankings, with XTB placing 8th in ForexBrokers.com's ratings out of 62 brokers, significantly ahead of IFC Markets, which ranks at 52nd. Overall, XTB and IFC Markets both cater to traders' needs, but XTB provides a more comprehensive mobile trading experience.
| Feature |
XTB
|
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 | 39 | 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.
When comparing market research offerings between online brokers XTB and IFC Markets, both provide daily market commentary and offer sentiment-based trading tools that show the ratio of long or short positions across various instruments. However, XTB stands out by delivering forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, while IFC Markets does not provide such services. Both brokers fall short in offering technical analysis tools from notable companies such as Autochartist and Trading Central, and neither features market research from TipRanks or Acuity Trading. Each platform boasts an economic calendar illustrating global news events, aiding traders in making informed decisions.
Considering overall research capabilities, XTB earns a higher rating of 5 stars and is ranked 7th among 62 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, reflecting its robust market insights and reliable news sources. In contrast, IFC Markets receives a modest 3.5-star rating and ranks 40th, indicating a need for improvement in their research tools and resources. Thus, for traders prioritizing comprehensive market research and high-quality news, XTB emerges as the superior choice between the two.
| Feature |
XTB
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to providing educational resources for beginners, XTB stands out with a strong focus on comprehensive learning through a variety of formats. XTB offers over ten pieces of educational content such as articles, videos, and archived webinars to guide newcomers through the world of forex and CFDs. The broker also provides online educational webinars at least once a month, supplemented by a searchable archive for those who wish to revisit past sessions. Furthermore, XTB includes over ten beginner-friendly videos alongside an equal number of advanced ones, catering to various skill levels. Although it doesn't feature an investor dictionary, the overall education experience earns XTB a 5-star rating and an impressive 11th rank out of 62 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com.
IFC Markets also caters to beginners with a minimum of ten educational pieces focusing on forex and CFDs, including videos. Despite this, the range of offerings does not extend to monthly webinars or a searchable archive of past seminars, which might hinder those who prefer a more interactive learning experience. However, the broker compensates with an investor dictionary featuring over 50 investing terms, which can be a handy tool for beginners familiarizing themselves with trading jargon. Education at IFC Markets earns a 3.5-star rating and a 30th-place ranking, indicating room for growth in comparison to its peers like XTB.
| Feature |
XTB
|
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) | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 62 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that XTB is better than IFC Markets. XTB finished with an overall rank of #7, while IFC Markets finished with an overall rank of #44.
As a trusted multi-asset broker, XTB offers outstanding customer service, a wide variety of forex and CFDs, and an excellent overall trading experience. Its xStation 5 trading platform is well-designed and packed with innovative features, and XTB’s offers comprehensive educational content and market research.
| Feature |
XTB
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IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 96 | 73 |
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XTB and IFC Markets both do not provide the option to buy actual delivered cryptocurrency, but they each offer the ability to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
When comparing online brokers, XTB provides more diverse deposit and withdrawal options than IFC Markets, as XTB supports PayPal, Skrill, Visa/Mastercard, and bank wires, while IFC Markets supports Visa/Mastercard and bank wires only, with neither broker offering ACH or SEPA transfers.
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 | XTB | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 96 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | XTB Review |
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| Regulation | XTB | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 96 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 2002 | 2006 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 0 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | XTB | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | 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) | XTB | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | XTB | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 7184 | 630 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 71 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | 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 | XTB | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.00 | 1.44 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.00 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | XTB | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $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 | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | XTB | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | XTB | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 8 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 39 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 32 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | XTB | 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 | 39 | 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 | XTB | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | XTB | 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) | No | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | XTB | 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 | XTB Review |
| Overall | XTB | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 96 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | XTB Review |
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