Comparison of IC Markets and NPBFX
| Feature | IC Markets | NPBFX |
|---|---|---|
| Broker | ||
| Year Founded | 2007 | 2016 |
| Broker Type | ECN, DMA | STP |
| Dealing | A-book | A-book |
| Execution | Market | Market |
| Regulation | SFSA, ASIC, CySEC, CMA | MISA, Financial Commission (Category A) |
| Platforms | MetaTrader 4 (MT4), MetaTrader 5 (MT5), cTrader, TradingView | MetaTrader 4 (MT4) |
| Spread | ⬊ Low | ⬊ Low |
| Maximum Leverage | 1:500 | 1:1000 |
| Minimum Deposit | $200 | $10 |
| Base Currencies | USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, CHF, JPY, NZD, SGD, HKD | USD, EUR, RUB |
| Funding Methods | Bank Wire, Credit Card, Debit Card, Neteller, PayPal, Skrill, Bpay, FasaPay, Klarna, POLi, Rapidpay | Visa, MasterCard, WebMoney, Skrill, Neteller, Qiwi, YooMoney, FasaPay, Bank Transfer (SEPA/SWIFT), Local Bank Transfer, Cryptocurrencies |
| Inactivity Fee | ✖ | ✖ |
| Interest on Margin | ✖ | ✖ |
| Withdrawal Fee | ✖ | ✖ |
| Investor Protection | Investor Compensation Fund (ICF) | Financial Commission Compensation Fund |
| Protection Size | €20 000 | €20000 |
| Segregated Accounts | ✔ | ✔ |
| Negative Balance Protection | ✔ | ✔ |
| Guaranteed Stop Loss | ✔ | ✖ |
| Copy Trading | ✔ | ✔ |
| VPS | ✔ | ✔ |
| MAM/PAMM | ✖ | ✖ |
| Scalping Allowed | ✔ | ✔ |
| EAs/Robots | ✔ | ✔ |
| Depth of Market (DOM) | ✔ | ✖ |
| Tradable Assets (CFDs) | Currencies, Indices, Stocks, ETFs, Bonds, Cryptocurrencies, Metals, Energies, Soft Commodities | Forex, Metals, Energies, Indices, Shares, ETFs, Cryptocurrencies |
| Review | IC Markets Review | NPBFX Review |
About IC Markets
IC Markets is a leading forex and CFD broker, well-known for its exceptional trading conditions and advanced technology. Established in 2007 and regulated by multiple top-tier authorities, including ASIC, CySEC, and the FSA Seychelles, IC Markets has earned a solid reputation among retail and institutional traders alike. The broker is particularly favored by scalpers, day traders, and algorithmic traders for its ultra-tight spreads, fast execution speeds, and no-dealing-desk (NDD) model. With access to powerful platforms like MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, and cTrader, IC Markets offers a seamless trading experience across various asset classes, including forex, indices, commodities, and cryptocurrencies. Its focus on transparency, competitive pricing, and exceptional liquidity ensures that traders can execute strategies efficiently. However, while IC Markets excels in trading infrastructure, it offers limited educational resources, which may not fully cater to beginners.
Pros
- Regulated by top-tier authorities (ASIC, CySEC)
- Tight spreads starting from 0.0 pips on Raw Spread accounts
- No dealing desk (NDD) model ensures transparent and fast execution
- Excellent platforms: MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, and cTrader
- High liquidity and competitive pricing ideal for scalping and algorithmic trading
- Wide range of tradable assets, including cryptocurrencies
- Dedicated 24/7 customer support
Cons
- Restricted availability in some regions due to regulatory constraints
- Withdrawal fees may apply for certain methods
About NPBFX
NPBFX is a long-standing STP broker founded in 1996. Traders can access 100+ instruments - 38 FX pairs plus metals, oil, indices, equities and crypto - with leverage up to 1:1000 and spreads from 0.4 pips. The broker is a Category A member of The Financial Commission, ensuring negative-balance protection and a €20 000 compensation fund, and supports copy trading via its own NPB Invest hub and ZuluTrade.
Pros
- Low $10 entry on the Master account
- Leverage up to 1:1000 with negative‑balance protection
- Spreads from 0.4 pips, no commission on Master
- Copy trading via NPB Invest & ZuluTrade
- €20 000 compensation fund (FinCom Category A)
Cons
- No tier‑1 regulation (offshore licences only)
- High deposit for Expert & VIP accounts
- Only MetaTrader 4 platform (no MT5 or cTrader)
IC Markets & NPBFX Regulation
| Feature | IC Markets | NPBFX |
|---|---|---|
Companies | Raw Trading Ltd, International Capital Markets Pty Ltd, IC Markets (EU) Ltd, IC Markets (KE) Limited | NMarkets Limited |
Countries | Seychelles, Australia, Cyprus, Kenya | Comoros |
Regulators | SFSA, ASIC, CySEC, CMA | MISA, Financial Commission (Category A) |
Investor Protection | Investor Compensation Fund (ICF) | Financial Commission Compensation Fund |
Investor Protection Size | €20 000 | €20000 |
Publicly Traded | ||
Segregated Accounts | ||
Guaranteed Stop Loss | ||
Negative Balance Protection |
Companies
IC Markets
Raw Trading Ltd, International Capital Markets Pty Ltd, IC Markets (EU) Ltd, IC Markets (KE) Limited
NPBFX
NMarkets Limited
Countries
IC Markets
Seychelles, Australia, Cyprus, Kenya
NPBFX
Comoros
Regulators
IC Markets
SFSA, ASIC, CySEC, CMA
NPBFX
MISA, Financial Commission (Category A)
Investor Protection
IC Markets
Investor Compensation Fund (ICF)
NPBFX
Financial Commission Compensation Fund
Investor Protection Size
IC Markets
€20 000
NPBFX
€20000
Publicly Traded
IC Markets
NPBFX
Segregated Accounts
IC Markets
NPBFX
Guaranteed Stop Loss
IC Markets
NPBFX
Negative Balance Protection
IC Markets
NPBFX
Account Types
| Account | IC Markets | NPBFX |
|---|---|---|
STP Account | ||
| Account Name | — | Master |
| Min Deposit | — | $10 |
| Lot Size | — | 0.01 |
| Spread Type | — | Floating |
| Execution | — | Market |
| Min Spread | — | 0.8 |
| Fee | — | No |
| Max Leverage | — | 1:1000 |
| Stop Out | — | 20% |
| Margin Call | — | 100% |
ECN Account | ||
| Account Name | Standard | — |
| Min Deposit | $200 | — |
| Lot Size | 0.01 | — |
| Spread Type | Floating | — |
| Execution | Market | — |
| Min Spread | 0.6 | — |
| Fee | No | — |
| Max Leverage | 1:500 | — |
| Stop Out | 50% | — |
| Margin Call | 100% | — |
Zero Account | ||
| Account Name | Raw Spread | — |
| Min Deposit | $200 | — |
| Lot Size | 0.01 | — |
| Spread Type | Floating | — |
| Execution | Market | — |
| Min Spread | 0 | — |
| Fee | $7 per 1 lot | — |
| Max Leverage | 1:500 | — |
| Stop Out | 50% | — |
| Margin Call | 100% | — |
Cent Account | ||
| Account Name | — | Standard Cent |
| Min Deposit | — | $10 |
| Lot Size | — | 0.01 |
| Spread Type | — | Floating |
| Execution | — | Market |
| Min Spread | — | 0.8 |
| Fee | — | No |
| Max Leverage | — | 1:1000 |
| Stop Out | — | 20% |
| Margin Call | — | 100% |
| Additional Features | ||
| Demo Account | ||
| VIP Account | ||
| Swap-Free Account | ||
| Copy Trading | ||
| VPS | ||
| PAMM/MAM Accounts | ||
STP Account
Account Name
IC Markets
—
NPBFX
Master
Min Deposit
IC Markets
—
NPBFX
$10
Lot Size
IC Markets
—
NPBFX
0.01
Spread Type
IC Markets
—
NPBFX
Floating
Execution
IC Markets
—
NPBFX
Market
Min Spread
IC Markets
—
NPBFX
0.8
Fee
IC Markets
—
NPBFX
No
Max Leverage
IC Markets
—
NPBFX
1:1000
Stop Out
IC Markets
—
NPBFX
20%
Margin Call
IC Markets
—
NPBFX
100%
ECN Account
Account Name
IC Markets
Standard
NPBFX
—
Min Deposit
IC Markets
$200
NPBFX
—
Lot Size
IC Markets
0.01
NPBFX
—
Spread Type
IC Markets
Floating
NPBFX
—
Execution
IC Markets
Market
NPBFX
—
Min Spread
IC Markets
0.6
NPBFX
—
Fee
IC Markets
No
NPBFX
—
Max Leverage
IC Markets
1:500
NPBFX
—
Stop Out
IC Markets
50%
NPBFX
—
Margin Call
IC Markets
100%
NPBFX
—
Zero Account
Account Name
IC Markets
Raw Spread
NPBFX
—
Min Deposit
IC Markets
$200
NPBFX
—
Lot Size
IC Markets
0.01
NPBFX
—
Spread Type
IC Markets
Floating
NPBFX
—
Execution
IC Markets
Market
NPBFX
—
Min Spread
IC Markets
0
NPBFX
—
Fee
IC Markets
$7 per 1 lot
NPBFX
—
Max Leverage
IC Markets
1:500
NPBFX
—
Stop Out
IC Markets
50%
NPBFX
—
Margin Call
IC Markets
100%
NPBFX
—
Cent Account
Account Name
IC Markets
—
NPBFX
Standard Cent
Min Deposit
IC Markets
—
NPBFX
$10
Lot Size
IC Markets
—
NPBFX
0.01
Spread Type
IC Markets
—
NPBFX
Floating
Execution
IC Markets
—
NPBFX
Market
Min Spread
IC Markets
—
NPBFX
0.8
Fee
IC Markets
—
NPBFX
No
Max Leverage
IC Markets
—
NPBFX
1:1000
Stop Out
IC Markets
—
NPBFX
20%
Margin Call
IC Markets
—
NPBFX
100%
Additional Features
Demo Account
IC Markets
NPBFX
VIP Account
IC Markets
NPBFX
Swap-Free Account
IC Markets
NPBFX
Copy Trading
IC Markets
NPBFX
VPS
IC Markets
NPBFX
PAMM/MAM Accounts
IC Markets
NPBFX
Funding and Fees
| Feature | IC Markets | NPBFX |
|---|---|---|
Base currencies | USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, CHF, JPY, NZD, SGD, HKD | USD, EUR, RUB |
Deposit and withdrawal methods | Bank Wire, Credit Card, Debit Card, Neteller, PayPal, Skrill, Bpay, FasaPay, Klarna, POLi, Rapidpay | Visa, MasterCard, WebMoney, Skrill, Neteller, Qiwi, YooMoney, FasaPay, Bank Transfer (SEPA/SWIFT), Local Bank Transfer, Cryptocurrencies |
Inactivity fee | ||
Interest on margin | ||
Withdrawal fee |
Base currencies
IC Markets
USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, CHF, JPY, NZD, SGD, HKD
NPBFX
USD, EUR, RUB
Deposit and withdrawal methods
IC Markets
Bank Wire, Credit Card, Debit Card, Neteller, PayPal, Skrill, Bpay, FasaPay, Klarna, POLi, Rapidpay
NPBFX
Visa, MasterCard, WebMoney, Skrill, Neteller, Qiwi, YooMoney, FasaPay, Bank Transfer (SEPA/SWIFT), Local Bank Transfer, Cryptocurrencies
Inactivity fee
IC Markets
NPBFX
Interest on margin
IC Markets
NPBFX
Withdrawal fee
IC Markets
NPBFX
Trading Platforms and Conditions
| Feature | IC Markets | NPBFX |
|---|---|---|
Trading Platforms | MetaTrader 4 (MT4), MetaTrader 5 (MT5), cTrader, TradingView | MetaTrader 4 (MT4) |
Execution Speed | 40 ms | 100 ms |
Scalping | ||
Expert Advisors (EAs) | ||
Depth of Market (DOM) | ||
Spread | low | low |
Trading Platforms
IC Markets
MetaTrader 4 (MT4), MetaTrader 5 (MT5), cTrader, TradingView
NPBFX
MetaTrader 4 (MT4)
Execution Speed
IC Markets
40 ms
NPBFX
100 ms
Scalping
IC Markets
NPBFX
Expert Advisors (EAs)
IC Markets
NPBFX
Depth of Market (DOM)
IC Markets
NPBFX
Spread
IC Markets
low
NPBFX
low
Trading Assets
| Asset | IC Markets | NPBFX |
|---|---|---|
Currencies | 61 | 38 |
Indices | 25 | 11 |
Stocks | 2175 | 62 |
Cryptocurrencies | 21 | 5 |
Bonds | 10 | 0 |
Metals | 7 | 2 |
Energies | 5 | 3 |
Soft Commodities | 8 | 0 |
ETFs | 38 | 2 |
Currencies
IC Markets
61
NPBFX
38
Indices
IC Markets
25
NPBFX
11
Stocks
IC Markets
2175
NPBFX
62
Cryptocurrencies
IC Markets
21
NPBFX
5
Bonds
IC Markets
10
NPBFX
0
Metals
IC Markets
7
NPBFX
2
Energies
IC Markets
5
NPBFX
3
Soft Commodities
IC Markets
8
NPBFX
0
ETFs
IC Markets
38
NPBFX
2
Education and Analytics
| Feature | IC Markets | NPBFX |
|---|---|---|
Economic Calendar | ||
Indicators | ||
Robots | ||
Signals | ||
Autochartist | ||
Expert Analytics | ||
News Feed | ||
Education Articles | ||
Webinars | ||
Seminars |
Economic Calendar
IC Markets
NPBFX
Indicators
IC Markets
NPBFX
Robots
IC Markets
NPBFX
Signals
IC Markets
NPBFX
Autochartist
IC Markets
NPBFX
Expert Analytics
IC Markets
NPBFX
News Feed
IC Markets
NPBFX
Education Articles
IC Markets
NPBFX
Webinars
IC Markets
NPBFX
Seminars
IC Markets
NPBFX
Bonuses
| Bonus | IC Markets | NPBFX |
|---|---|---|
| No Deposit Bonus | ||
| Is available | ||
| Size | — | $100 |
| Details | — | Learn More |
No Deposit Bonus
Is available
IC Markets
NPBFX
Size
IC Markets
—
NPBFX
$100
Details
IC Markets
—
NPBFX
Contests
| Feature | IC Markets | NPBFX |
|---|---|---|
| Demo Contests | ||
| Is available | ||
| Contests List | — |
|
Demo Contests
Is available
IC Markets
NPBFX
Contests List
IC Markets
—
NPBFX
- Trader's BattleStart Balance: $5000 · Prize Pool: $1000 + iPhone 16 Pro · Period: MonthlyLearn More
Customer Support
| Contact | IC Markets | NPBFX |
|---|---|---|
Email | support@icmarkets.com | client.payments@nmarkets.org |
Phone | +2484671976 | +448000698470 |
Facebook | — | |
LinkedIn | — | |
Instagram | — | |
Twitter | — |
Email
IC Markets
Phone
IC Markets
NPBFX
Facebook
IC Markets
NPBFX
—
LinkedIn
IC Markets
NPBFX
—
Instagram
IC Markets
NPBFX
—
Twitter
IC Markets
NPBFX
—
Which Broker is Better?
After comparing IC Markets and NPBFX, IC Markets comes out ahead as our overall pick. It ranks higher in our internal scoring and delivers a stronger balance of pricing (spreads/fees), platform experience, and product range. That said, the runner-up may still be a better fit if you prioritize specific needs—like a particular account type, funding method, or niche instruments. This is not financial advice; always choose a broker that matches your goals and local regulatory requirements.
More Comparisons
Andriy Bondarenko
Broker Analyst
Andriy is a seasoned expert in broker reviews with over a decade of experience in finance and trading. Under his leadership, the team produces in-depth and unbiased analyses of leading trading platforms.