B

Boston Merchant Financial

6.1/10

IC Markets

8/10
7/10RegulationWinner9/10
10/10WinnerFees6/10
7/10PlatformsWinner9/10
0/10Education & ResearchWinner10/10
4/10Deposits & WithdrawalsWinner10/10
10/10SupportTied10/10

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Overview

Boston Merchant Financial was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in Dubai, while IC Markets was established in 2007 and is based in Australia. Both brokers are regulated by Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC), among other authorities. Boston Merchant Financial serves 10,000+ clients worldwide; IC Markets has 60,000+. The minimum deposit is $50 at Boston Merchant Financial and $200 at IC Markets.

IC Markets wins this category
FeatureBoston Merchant FinancialIC Markets
Min. Deposit$50$200
RegulationAustralian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC)Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC), Financial Services Authority (FSA), Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC)
Founded19882007
CountryDubaiAustralia
Clients10,000+60,000+

Fees

Fees are a critical factor when choosing between Boston Merchant Financial and IC Markets, directly affecting your bottom line as a trader. IC Markets has a lower barrier to entry with a minimum deposit of $200 (vs $50 at Boston Merchant Financial). Neither broker charges withdrawal fees. IC Markets charges deposit fees; Boston Merchant Financial does not. Overall, Boston Merchant Financial scores higher on fees in our assessment.

Boston Merchant Financial wins this category
FeatureBoston Merchant FinancialIC Markets
Min. Deposit$50$200
Withdrawal FeesNoNo
Inactivity FeesNoNo
Deposit FeesNoYes
CFD FeesNoYes

Platforms

Boston Merchant Financial offers MT5, cTrader, while IC Markets supports MT4, MT5, cTrader. Both brokers provide mobile trading apps for iOS and Android. Both brokers support copy or social trading, catering to less hands-on investors. IC Markets edges ahead on platform breadth and functionality in our scoring.

IC Markets wins this category
FeatureBoston Merchant FinancialIC Markets
MT4NoYes
MT5YesYes
cTraderYesYes
Windows AppYesYes
iOS AppYesYes
Android AppYesYes
Trading PlatformsMT4, Web Trader, Tablet & Mobile appsMT4, MT5, Mirror Trader, ZuluTrade, Web Trader, cTrader, Mac

Education & Research

Education and research tools help traders at every level make more informed decisions, and here's how Boston Merchant Financial and IC Markets compare. IC Markets runs regular live webinars; Boston Merchant Financial does not. IC Markets has a video library; Boston Merchant Financial does not. IC Markets publishes daily market commentary; Boston Merchant Financial does not. IC Markets integrates third-party research tools (Trading Central, Autochartist); Boston Merchant Financial does not. IC Markets maintains an archive of past webinars for on-demand viewing. IC Markets scores higher overall in education and research.

IC Markets wins this category
FeatureBoston Merchant FinancialIC Markets
Forex EducationNoYes
CFD EducationNoYes
Weekly WebinarsNoYes
Daily CommentaryNoYes
Trading CentralNoYes
AutochartistNoYes

Deposits & Withdrawals

Convenient deposit and withdrawal options reduce friction for traders, especially important when managing positions across time zones. Boston Merchant Financial accepts 2 of the tracked payment methods (bank transfer, credit/debit card), while IC Markets supports 5 (bank transfer, credit/debit card, PayPal, Skrill, Neteller). IC Markets uniquely supports PayPal and Skrill and Neteller among the two brokers. IC Markets scores higher on deposit and withdrawal flexibility.

IC Markets wins this category
FeatureBoston Merchant FinancialIC Markets
Bank TransferYesYes
Credit CardYesYes
PayPalNoYes
SkrillNoYes
NetellerNoYes

Support

Responsive customer support matters most when you're locked out of your account or need urgent help with a trade. Both Boston Merchant Financial and IC Markets offer live chat support. Both provide phone support. Email support is available at both brokers. Boston Merchant Financial supports 2 languages and IC Markets supports 8, giving IC Markets broader global reach. Both brokers are comparable on support quality.

Tied
FeatureBoston Merchant FinancialIC Markets
Live ChatYesYes
Phone SupportYesYes
Email SupportYesYes
LanguagesEnglish, and ChineseEnglish, Japanese, Chinese, Polish, Afrikans, Danish, Dutch, German and more