Is IC Markets good for beginners?

Yes, but beginners should stick to the Demo account first. The professional 'Raw Spread' environment is fast-paced and unforgiving of mistakes.

Raw Spread vs. Standard: Which is better?

Always choose Raw Spread. You pay a small commission ($3.50/lot), but you get spreads from 0.0 pips. The Standard account has no commission but spreads start at 0.6-1.0 pips, which costs more in the long run.

Do they manipulate price?

No. IC Markets is an ECN (Electronic Communication Network) broker. They pass your orders directly to liquidity providers (banks) and do not trade against you.

🏆 IC Markets Review 2024: The Scalper’s Paradise

If you are trading with RelicusRoad Pro strategies—especially Scalp Pivots or Action Levels—your broker matters more than you think. I have learned this the hard way: A perfect setup on the chart is useless if your broker’s spread eats 2 pips of profit or if they slip your entry by 5 points.

We have tested IC Markets extensively to answer one question: Is this still the best broker for technical traders?

Performance Verification: My 2024 latency audit verified sub-40ms execution speeds via Equinix NY4/LD5 data centers. For my algorithms, this <1ms internal processing time is the difference between a winner and a break-even trade.

IC Markets consistently offers the tightest spreads during the London-NY overlap.

The “Raw Spread” Advantage

Most brokers are “Market Makers.” They take the other side of your trade. If you win, they lose. This creates a conflict of interest.

IC Markets is a True ECN broker.

No Conflict: They match your order with a bank (Liquidity Provider).
Spreads: They pass the raw interbank spread to you. On EURUSD, I consistently log 0.0 pips during the London session.
Cost: You pay a flat commission ($3.50 per lot per side).

Why this matters for RelicusRoad: If I am scalping for 10 pips, a 1-pip spread eats 10% of my profit. With 0.0 spreads, I keep the edge.

Execution Speed: The Need for Speed

I stress-tested execution times during the London Open (high volatility).

Average Speed: ~35ms.
Slippage: Minimal. I actually recorded positive slippage (getting a better price than requested) on 12% of my limit orders.

This low latency is critical for Fractal Arrow breakouts. When the arrow prints, I need to be in now.

RelicusRoad Pro

Have you been trading for a while but have never made consistent profits or are you new to FOREX trading and want to get a head start? Try RelicusRoad and you'll never look back.

Get RelicusRoad Pro

Regulation & Safety (The Boring but Critical Part)

I never trade with an unregulated broker. Ever. IC Markets holds licenses with:

ASIC (Australia): Tier-1. Extremely strict.
CySEC (Europe): Tier-1. Protects EU clients.
FSA (Seychelles): For global clients desiring higher leverage (up to 1:500).

Verdict: Your funds are held in segregated accounts at top-tier banks (like NAB). They are safe.

Platforms & Tools

IC Markets supports the “Big 3”:

MetaTrader 4 (MT4): The king of custom indicators (Perfect for RelicusRoad Pro).
MetaTrader 5 (MT5): Faster, more timeframes.
cTrader: A slicker, more modern interface for pure price action traders.

The Verdict: 4.8/5 Stars

Pros:

✅ Industry-leading spreads (0.0 pips).
✅ Lightning-fast ECN execution.
✅ Safe, Tier-1 regulation.
✅ No restrictions on Scalping or EAs.

Cons:

❌ Account opening can be strict (KYC).
❌ Customer support can be slow during peak times.

Final Word: If you are a serious technical trader using precise tools like RelicusRoad, IC Markets is the gold standard.

Open an IC Markets Demo Account and test the spreads yourself.

Is your current broker fighting fast execution, or facilitating it?

Question for the Scalper

If your broker is slower than your strategy, who is actually taking the risk?