B

Boston Merchant Financial

6.1/10

IKON Finance

7.5/10
7/10RegulationWinner8/10
10/10WinnerFees6/10
7/10PlatformsWinner9/10
0/10Education & ResearchWinner10/10
4/10Deposits & WithdrawalsTied4/10
10/10SupportTied10/10

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Overview

Boston Merchant Financial was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in Dubai, while IKON Finance was established in 2011 and is based in London. Boston Merchant Financial holds licences including Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC), while IKON Finance is regulated by Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) among others. Boston Merchant Financial serves 10,000+ clients worldwide; IKON Finance has 10,000+. The minimum deposit is $50 at Boston Merchant Financial and $200 at IKON Finance.

IKON Finance wins this category
FeatureBoston Merchant FinancialIKON Finance
Min. Deposit$50$200
RegulationAustralian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC)Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
Founded19882011
CountryDubaiLondon
Clients10,000+10,000+

Fees

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

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

Platforms

Boston Merchant Financial offers MT5, cTrader, while IKON Finance supports MT4, MT5, cTrader. Both brokers provide mobile trading apps for iOS and Android. Boston Merchant Financial supports social and copy trading features, which IKON Finance does not offer. IKON Finance edges ahead on platform breadth and functionality in our scoring.

IKON Finance wins this category
FeatureBoston Merchant FinancialIKON Finance
MT4NoYes
MT5YesYes
cTraderYesYes
Windows AppYesYes
iOS AppYesYes
Android AppYesYes
Trading PlatformsMT4, Web Trader, Tablet & Mobile appsMT4, ZuluTrade, Tablet & Mobile apps

Education & Research

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

IKON Finance wins this category
FeatureBoston Merchant FinancialIKON Finance
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 IKON Finance supports 2 (bank transfer, credit/debit card). Both brokers support the same set of payment methods.

Tied
FeatureBoston Merchant FinancialIKON Finance
Bank TransferYesYes
Credit CardYesYes
PayPalNoNo
SkrillNoNo
NetellerNoNo

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 IKON Finance offer live chat support. Both provide phone support. Email support is available at both brokers. Both brokers offer support in 2 languages. Both brokers are comparable on support quality.

Tied
FeatureBoston Merchant FinancialIKON Finance
Live ChatYesYes
Phone SupportYesYes
Email SupportYesYes
LanguagesEnglish, and ChineseEnglish, and Chinese