Scores, winners and data below compare these brokers as CFD/FX brokers (leveraged trading on forex, indices, commodities and crypto), using the data of IC Markets' Seychelles entity and XTB's UK entity. Scores, winners and data below compare these brokers as stock brokers (real shares and ETFs you own outright), using the data of IC Markets' Seychelles entity and XTB's UK entity.
IC Markets
Not regulated in your country IC Markets does not accept residents in the UK because it is not regulated by FCA.
72.52% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.
XTB
Regulated in your country XTB is allowed by FCA to onboard clients residing in the UK.
80% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.
Best for
What we compare A comparison of the kinds of traders IC Markets and XTB are best suited to, based on what each one actually offers in United Kingdom.IC Markets is better than XTB for high-volume traders, algo traders and crypto traders, while XTB is better for long-term investors. Professional traders, scalpers and swing traders can choose either IC Markets or XTB.
| Overall score | IC Markets 87 Best not offered | XTB 77 -10 78 |
|---|---|---|
| Day trading i | ||
| Long-term investing i | ||
| Professional traders i | ||
| High-volume traders i | ||
| Scalpers i | ||
| Swing traders i | ||
| News traders i | ||
| Algo traders i | ||
| Stock traders i | ||
| Crypto traders i | ||
| Futures traders i | ||
| Options traders i |
Regulation
What we compare A comparison between the financial authorities that supervise IC Markets and the ones that supervise XTB.Only XTB is regulated in the UK, by the FCA. IC Markets holds no licence in the UK and is regulated by CySEC and ASIC (Australia).
| Section score | IC Markets 100 not offered | XTB 100 100 |
|---|---|---|
| Tier-1 regulators | ||
| ESMA (European Union) i | ||
| FCA (United Kingdom) i | ||
| ASIC (Australia) i | ||
| CFTC (United States) i | ||
| NFA (United States) i | ||
| SEC (United States) i | ||
| CIRO (Canada) i | ||
| MAS (Singapore) i | ||
| SFC (Hong Kong) i | ||
| JFSA (Japan) i | ||
| FINMA (Switzerland) i | ||
| Tier-2 regulators | ||
| FMA (New Zealand) i | ||
| CBR (Russia) i | ||
| FSCA (South Africa) i | ||
| DFSA (Dubai) i | ||
| CSRC (China) i | ||
| ISA (Israel) i | ||
| LFSA (Malaysia) i | ||
| JSC (Jordan) i | ||
| CMA (Kenya) i | ||
| Tier-3 regulators | ||
| FSA (Seychelles) i | ||
| MMA (Maldives) i | ||
| SCB (Bahamas) i | ||
| FSC (Mauritius) i | ||
| VFSC (Vanuatu) i | ||
| FSC (Belize) i | ||
| CIMA (Cayman Islands) i | ||
| SV FSA (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) i | ||
| FSRC (St. Kitts & Nevis) i | ||
| BMA (Bermuda) i | ||
| BVI FSC (British Virgin Islands) i | ||
| EDR (External Dispute Resolution) i | ||
Safety
What we compare A comparison of the tools and services that IC Markets and XTB have in place to protect your money in United Kingdom.IC Markets and XTB both offer segregated client funds and two-factor authentication. XTB also offers an investor compensation scheme. IC Markets holds no licence in the UK and is not covered by the FSCS.
| Section score | IC Markets 65 -21 not offered | XTB 86 Best 86 |
|---|---|---|
| Company info | ||
| Is it publicly traded i | ||
| Is it a bank i | ||
| Year founded i | 2007 | 2002 |
| Parent company i | International Capital Markets Pty Ltd | XTB S.A. |
| CEO i | Andrew Budzinski | Omar Arnaout |
| Money safety | ||
| Segregated client funds i | ||
| Two-factor authentication i | ||
| Investor compensation scheme i | ||
| Additional money insurance i | ||
| Partner bank i | N/A | Barclays, JP Morgan Chase |
| Brand power | ||
| Number of customers worldwide i | 1,600,000 | |
| Annual revenue i | USD 260,000,000 | |
| Monthly website search traffic i | 2.2M monthly visits | |
Costs
What we compare A comparison of what it costs to trade with IC Markets and with XTB in United Kingdom, both on each trade and on holding the account.IC Markets is better than XTB for CFD/FX costs, given that IC Markets is cheaper on EUR/USD, at 7.55 USD per lot (against XTB's 10.6 USD), has tighter S&P 500 CFD spreads, at 0.49 points (against XTB's 0.59 points), and has tighter gold CFD spreads, at 0.09 points (against XTB's 0.89 points). Neither IC Markets nor XTB charges account maintenance fees or deposit fees.
XTB and IC Markets cannot be compared for real stock costs, because XTB is a broker offering both CFDs and stocks while IC Markets is a CFD broker.
| Section score | IC Markets 79 Best not offered | XTB 53 -26 76 |
|---|---|---|
| Broker fees | ||
| Deposit fees i | ||
| Withdrawal fees i | ||
| Overnight fees i | ||
| Inactivity fees i | ||
| Currency conversion fees i | ||
| Discounts on volume i | ||
| Real time market data fee i | ||
| Dividend withholding i | ||
| Account opening fees i | ||
| Account maintenance fee i | ||
| Portfolio management fee i | ||
| Fees on CFDs | ||
| Forex commission per lot i | USD 7 | Free |
| EUR/USD average standard spread i | ||
| EUR/USD average raw spread i | ||
| EUR/USD average fixed spread i | ||
| EUR/USD total cost per lot i | USD 7.55 | USD 10.6 |
| S&P 500 fees (CFD) i | 0.492 points | 0.59 points |
| Gold fees (CFD) i | 0.09 points | 0.89 points |
| Bitcoin fees (CFD) i | USD 12.01 | |
| US stocks fees (CFD) i | USD 0.02 | Free |
| Fees on stocks | ||
| Stock fee type i | Commission, Percentage | Free, Percentage |
| US stocks fees (real) i | Free | |
| ETF fees (real) i | Free | |
| Management costs i | ||
| Connection costs i | ||
| Fees on futures | ||
| Futures fees per contract i | Free | |
| Platform fees i | ||
| Fees on options | ||
| Options fees per contract i | Free | |
| Event fees i | ||
| Fees on savings plans | ||
| IRA opening fee i | ||
| IRA maintenance fee i | ||
| 401k opening fee i | ||
| 401k maintenance fee i | ||
Available markets
What we compare A comparison of the markets and products you can trade with IC Markets and with XTB in United Kingdom, and of how many instruments each one gives access to.IC Markets is better than XTB for CFD/FX markets, because IC Markets offers CFDs on crypto, which XTB does not. Both IC Markets and XTB offer CFDs on commodities, forex, indices and stocks.
Only XTB can be assessed for real stock markets, since IC Markets is a CFD broker and does not offer real stocks.
| Section score | IC Markets 75 Best not offered | XTB 65 -10 45 |
|---|---|---|
| Total tradable symbols i | 180 | 5,200 |
| Currency pairs i | ||
| Indices i | ||
| Commodities i | ||
| Stocks i | ||
| ETF i | ||
| Cryptocurrencies i | ||
| Bonds i | ||
| Interest rates i | ||
| Portfolios i | ||
| CFDs i | Commodities, Crypto, Forex, Indices, Stocks | Commodities, Forex, Indices, Stocks |
| Futures i | ||
| Options i | ||
| Assets you can own i | Bonds, ETF, Stocks |
Platform
What we compare A comparison of the trading platforms that IC Markets and XTB make available to their clients in United Kingdom.IC Markets is better than XTB for platforms, because IC Markets offers cTrader, MetaTrader 5 and MetaTrader 4, which XTB does not. Both IC Markets and XTB offer TradingView and Mirror Trader.
IC Markets does not offer real stocks, being a CFD broker, so XTB and IC Markets cannot be compared for platforms.
| Section score | IC Markets 89 Best not offered | XTB 86 -3 86 |
|---|---|---|
| Proprietary platform i | ||
| MetaTrader 4 i | ||
| MetaTrader 5 i | ||
| cTrader i | ||
| Social trading platform i | ||
| Copy trading platform i | ||
| ZuluTrade i | ||
| TradingView i | ||
| Duplitrade i | ||
| Mirror Trader i | ||
| NinjaTrader i | ||
| AutoChartist i | ||
| Real time pricing i | ||
| 5 digit pricing i | ||
| One-click trading i |
Mobile
What we compare A comparison of the mobile apps of IC Markets and XTB in United Kingdom, and of what each one lets you do from your phone.IC Markets is better than XTB for mobile trading, since IC Markets offers the cTrader app, the MetaTrader 5 app and the MetaTrader 4 app, which XTB does not. Both IC Markets and XTB offer a proprietary mobile app and mobile price alerts.
IC Markets does not offer real stocks, being a CFD broker, so XTB and IC Markets cannot be compared for mobile trading.
| Section score | IC Markets 93 Best not offered | XTB 67 -26 67 |
|---|---|---|
| Proprietary app i | ||
| Social trading app i | ||
| Copy trading app i | ||
| MetaTrader 4 app i | ||
| MetaTrader 5 app i | ||
| cTrader app i | ||
| Mobile trading signals i | ||
| Mobile alerts i | ||
| Mobile charting tools i | ||
| Mobile drawing tools i | ||
| Mobile watchlist i | ||
| Smartwatch app i |
Trading features
What we compare A comparison of the trading tools and strategies that IC Markets and XTB allow on their platforms in United Kingdom.IC Markets is better than XTB for CFD/FX trading features, given that IC Markets offers tier-1 liquidity providers and VPS hosting, which XTB does not, and allows for automated trading. Both IC Markets and XTB offer trailing stops and API access. The leverage shown for IC Markets is set by its Seychelles entity and exceeds the retail limit in the UK (30:1 on major currency pairs).
XTB and IC Markets cannot be compared for real stock trading features, because XTB is a broker offering both CFDs and stocks while IC Markets is a CFD broker.
| Section score | IC Markets 83 Best not offered | XTB 75 -8 74 |
|---|---|---|
| Trade execution | ||
| Broker type i | NDD | NDD |
| Average execution time i | 40 ms | 6 ms |
| Slippage occurrence i | 28.05% | |
| Requotes occurrence i | ||
| Tier-1 liquidity providers i | ||
| PFOF i | ||
| Leverage | ||
| Major FX pairs leverage i | 5000:1 | 30:1 |
| Minor/Exotic FX pairs leverage i | 5000:1 | 20:1 |
| Major indices leverage i | 200:1 | 20:1 |
| Minor indices leverage i | 200:1 | 10:1 |
| Gold leverage i | 2000:1 | 20:1 |
| Commodities leverage i | 1000:1 | 10:1 |
| Equities leverage i | 20:1 | 5:1 |
| Cryptocurrency leverage i | 500:1 | |
| Risk management | ||
| Stop losses i | ||
| Take profits i | ||
| Limit orders i | ||
| Trailing stop i | ||
| Margin call i | ||
| OCO orders i | ||
| Guaranteed stop loss i | ||
| Negative balance protection i | ||
| Minimum trade size (FX) i | 0.01 lots | 0.01 lots |
| Minimum trade size (stocks) i | USD 0 | USD 0 |
| Fractional stocks i | ||
| Trading compliance | ||
| Scalping strategies allowed i | ||
| Hedging strategies allowed i | ||
| Automated trading strategy allowed i | ||
| EAs use allowed i | ||
| HFT strategy allowed i | ||
| VPS use allowed i | ||
| API use allowed i | ||
| Price scraping allowed i | ||
| FIFO rule applies i | ||
Account types
What we compare A comparison of the kinds of account you can open at IC Markets and at XTB in United Kingdom, and of who each one is meant for.IC Markets is better than XTB for CFD/FX account types, since IC Markets offers a corporate account, a managed account and an ECN account, which XTB does not. Both IC Markets and XTB offer a demo account and a professional traders account.
Only XTB can be assessed for real stock account types, since IC Markets is a CFD broker and does not offer real stocks.
| Section score | IC Markets 92 Best not offered | XTB 50 -42 49 |
|---|---|---|
| Demo account i | ||
| Unlimited demo account i | ||
| Standard account i | ||
| Micro account i | ||
| Cent account i | ||
| Nano account i | ||
| Raw spread account i | ||
| ECN account i | ||
| Swap-free account i | ||
| Islamic account i | ||
| Professional traders account i | ||
| Fixed spread account i | ||
| Spread betting account i | ||
| Copy trading account i | ||
| Corporate account i | ||
| Managed account i | ||
| Stock investing account i | ||
| Margin investing account i | ||
| Savings account i | ||
| Retirement account i |
Account opening
What we compare A comparison of what it takes to open and fund an account with IC Markets and with XTB in United Kingdom.IC Markets is better than XTB for account opening, as IC Markets offers 10 account base currencies (against XTB's 2), supports e-wallets, which XTB does not, and pays out withdrawals faster, within 1 day (against XTB's 3 days). Neither IC Markets nor XTB requires a minimum deposit. IC Markets holds no licence in the UK.
There is no like-for-like comparison for account opening, as IC Markets is a CFD broker and does not offer real stocks. IC Markets holds no licence in the UK.
| Section score | IC Markets 95 Best not offered | XTB 65 -30 65 |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit i | USD 0 | USD 0 |
| Minimum withdrawal i | USD 0 | USD 0 |
| Wire transfers i | ||
| Credit cards i | ||
| Debit cards i | ||
| eWallets i | PayPal, Neteller, Skrill | |
| Local payment methods i | ||
| Account base currencies i | AUD, CAD, CHF, EUR, GBP, HKD, JPY, NZD, SGD, USD | EUR, USD |
| Deposit waiting time i | Instant | Instant |
| Withdrawal waiting time i | up to 1 business days | up to 3 business days |
| Bonus program i |
Customer care
What we compare A comparison of the customer support of IC Markets and XTB in United Kingdom, in how it can be reached and how fast it answers.IC Markets is better than XTB for customer care, given that IC Markets offers customer support in 17 languages (against XTB's 10), has a website in 17 languages (against XTB's 14), and offers a dedicated account manager, which XTB does not. Both IC Markets and XTB offer phone support and live chat.
XTB and IC Markets cannot be set side by side for customer care, as IC Markets is a CFD broker and does not offer real stocks, unlike XTB.
| Section score | IC Markets 87 Best not offered | XTB 62 -25 62 |
|---|---|---|
| Number of languages supported i | 17 | 14 |
| Website languages i | Arabic, Bulgarian, Czech, German, English, French, Croatian, Indonesian, Italian, Korean, Malay, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese | Arabic, Czech, German, English, French, Hungarian, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovenian, Spanish, Turkish, Chinese |
| Website available in English i | ||
| Customer support languages i | Arabic, Bulgarian, Czech, German, English, French, Croatian, Indonesian, Italian, Korean, Malay, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese | Arabic, Greek, English, French, Italian, Russian, Spanish, Thai, Turkish, Chinese |
| Customer support in English i | ||
| Call back request i | ||
| Email support i | ||
| Phone support i | ||
| Live chat i | ||
| Priority customer support i | ||
| Dedicated account manager i | ||
| Cash sweep i | ||
| Stock lending i | ||
| Distributes proceeds i | ||
| Tax withholding agent i | ||
| Tax assistance i |
Learning
What we compare A comparison of the educational material that IC Markets and XTB provide to their clients in United Kingdom.IC Markets is better than XTB for learning, because IC Markets offers professional reports, which XTB does not. IC Markets and XTB both offer education for advanced traders and webinars.
There is no like-for-like comparison for learning, as IC Markets is a CFD broker and does not offer real stocks.
| Section score | IC Markets 100 Best not offered | XTB 88 -12 88 |
|---|---|---|
| Education | ||
| Education center i | ||
| Education for beginners i | ||
| Education for advanced traders i | ||
| Webinars i | ||
| Tutorials i | ||
| Glossary i | ||
| Research | ||
| Economic calendar i | ||
| Traders' sentiment i | ||
| Daily market commentary i | ||
| Daily trading ideas i | ||
| News via social media i | ||
| Professional reports i | ||
| Watchlist i | ||
IC Markets vs XTB: which one should you choose?
IC Markets
CFD/FX Choose IC Markets if you want a CFD and forex broker with a choice of trading platforms, room for high-frequency strategies, and copy and social trading and live in a country where it is licensed to operate.
Not licensed in the UK 72.52% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.
XTB
CFD/FX Choose XTB, regulated in the UK by the FCA, if you want an online CFD broker with fast execution and micro accounts.
Stocks Choose XTB, regulated in the UK by the FCA, if you want a broker for securities investing with commission-free US stocks.
Open Account 80% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.Other popular comparisons
Below are other head-to-head comparisons that include IC Markets or XTB, each scored with the same data and method as this page.
