B

IC Markets

8/10

XM

7.6/10
9/10RegulationTied9/10
6/10FeesWinner10/10
9/10PlatformsTied9/10
10/10WinnerEducation & Research6/10
10/10WinnerDeposits & Withdrawals6/10
10/10SupportTied10/10

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Overview

IC Markets was founded in 2007 and is headquartered in Australia, while XM was established in 2009 and is based in Cyprus. IC Markets holds licences including Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC), while XM is regulated by International Financial Services Commission(IFSC) among others. IC Markets serves 60,000+ clients worldwide; XM has 3,500,000+. The minimum deposit is $200 at IC Markets and $5 at XM.

IC Markets wins this category
FeatureIC MarketsXM
Min. Deposit$200$5
RegulationAustralian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC), Financial Services Authority (FSA), Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC)International Financial Services Commission(IFSC), Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC)
Founded20072009
CountryAustraliaCyprus
Clients60,000+3,500,000+

Fees

Fees are a critical factor when choosing between IC Markets and XM, directly affecting your bottom line as a trader. IC Markets has a lower barrier to entry with a minimum deposit of $200 (vs $5 at XM). Neither broker charges withdrawal fees. XM applies inactivity fees on dormant accounts; IC Markets does not. IC Markets charges deposit fees; XM does not. Overall, XM scores higher on fees in our assessment.

XM wins this category
FeatureIC MarketsXM
Min. Deposit$200$5
Withdrawal FeesNoNo
Inactivity FeesNoYes
Deposit FeesYesNo
CFD FeesYesNo

Platforms

IC Markets offers MT4, MT5, cTrader, while XM 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. The two brokers are closely matched on platform offering.

Tied
FeatureIC MarketsXM
MT4YesYes
MT5YesYes
cTraderYesYes
Windows AppYesYes
iOS AppYesYes
Android AppYesYes
Trading PlatformsMT4, MT5, Mirror Trader, ZuluTrade, Web Trader, cTrader, MacMT4, MT5, Mac, Web Trader, Tablet & Mobile apps

Education & Research

Education and research tools help traders at every level make more informed decisions, and here's how IC Markets and XM compare. Both brokers run regular live webinars. Both provide video tutorials, including advanced content. Daily market commentary is available from both brokers. Both integrate third-party research tools including Trading Central. Archived webinars are available at both brokers for self-paced learning. IC Markets scores higher overall in education and research.

IC Markets wins this category
FeatureIC MarketsXM
Forex EducationYesNo
CFD EducationYesYes
Weekly WebinarsYesYes
Daily CommentaryYesYes
Trading CentralYesYes
AutochartistYesNo

Deposits & Withdrawals

Convenient deposit and withdrawal options reduce friction for traders, especially important when managing positions across time zones. IC Markets accepts 5 of the tracked payment methods (bank transfer, credit/debit card, PayPal, Skrill, Neteller), while XM supports 3 (bank transfer, credit/debit card, Neteller). IC Markets uniquely supports PayPal and Skrill among the two brokers. IC Markets scores higher on deposit and withdrawal flexibility.

IC Markets wins this category
FeatureIC MarketsXM
Bank TransferYesYes
Credit CardYesYes
PayPalYesNo
SkrillYesNo
NetellerYesYes

Support

Responsive customer support matters most when you're locked out of your account or need urgent help with a trade. Both IC Markets and XM offer live chat support. Both provide phone support. Email support is available at both brokers. IC Markets supports 8 languages and XM supports 20, giving XM broader global reach. Both brokers are comparable on support quality.

Tied
FeatureIC MarketsXM
Live ChatYesYes
Phone SupportYesYes
Email SupportYesYes
LanguagesEnglish, Japanese, Chinese, Polish, Afrikans, Danish, Dutch, German and moreArabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Greek, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, and Turkish