IC Markets' rules for scalpers and expert advisors.

IC Markets' rules for scalpers and expert advisors.

Yes, IC Markets allows scalping, hedging and expert advisors. Its Help Centre states plainly: "we allow both hedging and scalping trading strategies", and IC's account table lists every trading style as allowed with no order distance restriction. The Raw Spread account, which IC describes as built "for day traders, scalpers and expert advisors", is where most short-term traders end up.

Permission is the easy part. For a scalper, the details that matter are commission per trade, execution speed, the 200-order limit on MetaTrader, how IC handles leverage around news, and a little-known rule about server messages that trips up busy EAs.

ScalpingAllowed
HedgingAllowed
Expert advisorsAllowed on MT4, MT5; cTrader Algo in C#
Order distance restrictionNone
Average executionAbout 35 ms on currency pairs (IC)
Open or pending orders200 on MetaTrader, 2,000 on cTrader

IC Markets rules for scalpers and EA traders

RuleWhat IC saysWhy it matters
Scalping and hedgingBoth allowedNo minimum holding time to plan around
Order distanceNo restrictionStops and limits can sit close to price
Order limit200 open or pending orders per MetaTrader accountGrid EAs can hit it; cTrader allows 2,000
Execution typeMarket execution, no instant executionFills at the next available price; slippage possible
Hyperactive accountsWarning above 3,000 server requests a dayBadly coded EAs can trigger it
Hedged marginFully hedged MT positions need no margin; cTrader margins the larger sideHedging strategies behave differently by platform

Costs: why scalpers use Raw Spread

A scalper pays the spread and commission on every trade, many times a day, so small differences compound. On the Raw Spread account IC's average EUR/USD spread is 0.1 pip plus $7 per lot round turn, about $8 all in. With Standard, the 0.8-pip markup alone is $8 per lot before the raw spread is added.

For heavy volume, IC's Raw Pro account (early access, $5,000 minimum) cuts commission to $3 per round turn and Raw Pro+ ($100,000) to $2. At 100 lots a month, Raw Pro saves about $400 compared with Raw Spread. Our IC Markets spreads guide works through the numbers.

Monthly volumeRaw Spread ($7 RT)Raw Pro ($3 RT)Raw Pro+ ($2 RT)
20 lots$140$60$40
100 lots$700$300$200
500 lots$3,500$1,500$1,000

Commission only; spreads are the same raw pricing on all three. Raw Pro and Raw Pro+ need $5,000 and $100,000 minimum deposits.

Execution speed and servers

IC's Help Centre gives an average execution time of about 35 milliseconds on currency pairs; its trading conditions page says under 40 ms. MetaTrader servers sit in the Equinix NY4 data centre in New York, and cTrader in LD5 in London, with cross-connects to liquidity providers.

Your own connection often matters more than the broker's. IC suggests hosting the platform on a VPS in or near the data centre to cut latency and platform freezes at news time, and its VPS page offers free hosting to clients trading from 15 lots a month. Our IC Markets free VPS guide explains the tiers.

News, HMR and slippage

Scalping around news is where most surprises happen. IC applies Higher Margin Requirements around central bank decisions, non-farm payrolls, CPI and similar events, lowering leverage for new positions. Market orders fill at the next price, and stop-losses become market orders when triggered, so fast moves can fill them beyond their level. IC offers no guaranteed stops.

An EA that opens many small trades during news can hit the 200-order limit, face reduced leverage and suffer slippage all at once. Test it on a demo through several releases before running it live.

Running expert advisors at IC

  • Install on desktop. EAs can't be installed on MetaTrader's mobile apps. Put the file in the platform's Experts folder and enable algorithmic trading with the Expert Advisors button, or it won't trade.
  • Watch the message count. IC flags accounts sending more than 3,000 server requests a day, usually an EA looping on open, close, pending-order or "no money" messages. Fix the code if you get the email.
  • MQL4 or MQL5 on MetaTrader, C# on cTrader. Robots don't carry across platforms.
  • Keep it running. A VPS keeps an EA online when your computer sleeps.

MetaTrader or cTrader for scalping?

Both work, but they suit different styles. MetaTrader 4 and 5 run from New York with a 200-order cap and a flat $3.50 commission per lot per side, and take MQL4 or MQL5 robots. cTrader runs from London, allows 2,000 orders, charges $3 per side per $100,000 traded, uses C# for automation and is IC's only platform with a FIX API connection. Netting accounts are available on MT5 and cTrader on request.

Hedging also behaves differently. On MetaTrader, a perfectly hedged position needs no margin, so it stays open. cTrader, by contrast, charges margin on whichever side has the larger volume, even when the account is fully hedged. If your system hedges, test it on the platform you plan to use.

Rebates for high-volume traders

Scalpers who trade heavily can join IC's Raw Trader Plus programme, which refunds part of the commission daily once volume targets are met. IC lists three tiers for forex and metals: $1.50 per lot from 100 closed lots a month, $2.25 above 1,000 lots and $2.50 at 2,000 lots. You have to keep meeting the volume over a 3-month period to stay in, and you join by emailing IC's client relations team. See our Raw Trader Plus guide for the full terms.

For scalpers, the cost that matters is per trade multiplied by trades per month. Put a month of your real trade count into the commission maths before you decide between Raw, Raw Pro and another broker.
Jowel RanaFact-Checker & QC, FX Recap
Illustrative case: Felipe, 35, San José

Felipe ran a grid EA on an IC Raw MT4 account. During a US CPI release it opened positions until it reached the 200-order limit, while leverage for new trades was reduced. His drawdown doubled in an hour. He rewrote the EA to cap itself at 60 orders, pause for 15 minutes around high-impact news, and moved it to a VPS in New York.

Frequently asked

Does IC Markets allow scalping?

Yes. IC's Help Centre says it allows both scalping and hedging, and its account table lists all trading styles as allowed with no order distance restriction. The Raw Spread account is IC's recommended account for scalpers and EAs.

Can I use expert advisors at IC Markets?

Yes, on MetaTrader 4 and 5 desktop and on a VPS, and through cTrader Algo in C#. EAs can't be installed on MetaTrader's mobile apps.

Is there a limit on open trades at IC Markets?

MetaTrader accounts have an automatic limit of 200 open or pending orders. cTrader accounts allow up to 2,000.

What is a hyperactive account at IC Markets?

IC may email you if your account sends more than 3,000 server requests a day, usually because an EA is repeatedly sending open, close or pending-order messages. It asks you to change the EA to reduce the load.

How fast is IC Markets execution?

IC's Help Centre gives an average of about 35 milliseconds on currency pairs, with MetaTrader servers in Equinix NY4, New York, and cTrader in LD5, London. IC uses market execution, so slippage can occur.

Which IC account is best for scalping?

Raw Spread, for its 0.0-pip raw pricing and $7 round-turn commission. Traders with $5,000 or more and high volume can cut commission to $3 with Raw Pro while it is in early access.