Disclosure: Tailo Research is an affiliate partner of Vantage and may earn a commission if you open an account through our Vantage links. We have no commercial relationship with IC Markets. See our Affiliate Disclosure.
Vantage and IC Markets are both well-established CFD brokers offering forex, indices, commodities and crypto trading through MetaTrader and other platforms. This comparison looks at regulation, costs, minimum deposit and platform support to help you decide which fits your trading style. Figures reflect September 2026 and should be confirmed on each broker’s own site before you deposit.
At a glance
| Vantage | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2009 | 2007 |
| Key regulators | ASIC, FCA, FSCA, CIMA, VFSC | ASIC, CySEC, FSA Seychelles, CMA Kenya, SCB Bahamas |
| Minimum deposit | $50 (Standard/Raw) | $200 (all account types) |
| Raw account spreads | From 0.0 pips | From 0.0 pips |
| Raw account commission | $3/lot/side ($6 round turn) | $3.50/lot/side ($7 round turn) |
| Max leverage (offshore entity) | Up to 1:1000 | Up to 1:1000 |
| Max leverage (ASIC/CySEC/FCA) | 1:30 | 1:30 |
| Platforms | MT4, MT5, ProTrader (TradingView charting) | MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView |
| US clients accepted | No | No |
Regulation: where each broker is stronger
Both brokers operate through multiple entities, and your actual protections depend on which one holds your account, not the brand name. Vantage holds an FCA-regulated UK entity, and clients onboarded there may qualify for Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) protection, a stronger safety net than most offshore regulators offer. IC Markets does not currently hold FCA authorization; its UK passporting rights were cancelled in December 2023, according to the FCA register. IC Markets instead offers a CySEC-regulated European entity, which gives EU residents access to structured dispute resolution and compensation schemes under EU rules — coverage Vantage’s published entity list does not include.
- Vantage advantage: the FCA-regulated entity and its FSCS-linked protections for eligible UK clients
- IC Markets advantage: a CySEC-regulated entity for EU clients, where Vantage has no equivalent listed
- Shared ground: both hold a Tier-1 ASIC license and an offshore entity (Vantage: VFSC/CIMA; IC Markets: FSA Seychelles) offering leverage up to 1:1000 for clients onboarded there
Cost: close, with a slight edge to Vantage
On Raw/ECN-style accounts, both brokers advertise spreads from 0.0 pips on major pairs. Vantage’s commission runs $3 per lot per side ($6 round turn), a touch below IC Markets’ $3.50 per lot per side ($7 round turn) on its Raw Spread MT4/MT5 account (IC Markets’ cTrader account commission is slightly lower, at $3 per side). For a trader doing significant volume, that $1 per round-turn difference compounds, though execution quality and real-world spreads matter as much as the quoted commission.
Minimum deposit: Vantage is more accessible
Vantage’s $50 minimum on its Standard and Raw ECN accounts is a meaningfully lower bar to entry than IC Markets’ $200 minimum, which applies across all of its account types. For a beginner who wants to start small and scale up, that gap matters.
Platforms
Both brokers support MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. IC Markets adds cTrader, popular with algorithmic and high-frequency traders for its native support of automated strategies and fast execution. Vantage instead offers ProTrader, its own platform built around TradingView-style charting. If you already trade off TradingView charts, Vantage’s integration is a more direct fit; if you specifically want cTrader, IC Markets is the only one of the two that offers it.
Who each broker suits
- New traders starting with a small deposit: Vantage’s $50 minimum is the lower bar
- UK residents who want FSCS-eligible protection: Vantage’s FCA entity
- EU residents who want CySEC oversight: IC Markets’ CySEC entity
- Algorithmic or high-frequency traders who want cTrader: IC Markets
- Traders who live on TradingView charts: Vantage’s ProTrader integration
Key takeaways
- Vantage has a lower $50 minimum deposit and a slightly cheaper Raw account commission than IC Markets’ $200 minimum and $3.50/lot/side.
- Vantage holds an FCA entity with FSCS-linked protection; IC Markets holds a CySEC entity for EU clients that Vantage does not offer.
- Both cap leverage at 1:30 under Tier-1/EU regulation and allow up to 1:1000 under their respective offshore entities.
- Platform choice comes down to cTrader (IC Markets) versus TradingView-native ProTrader (Vantage).
Ready to open an account? Open a Vantage account. This is an affiliate link: we may earn a commission at no extra charge from us. CFDs are complex instruments and carry a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage; most retail accounts lose money.
Educational content only, not investment advice. Trading and investing involve risk, including the loss of your capital. Read our Risk Disclaimer and Affiliate Disclosure.
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