IC Markets
IC Markets Spreads and Commissions: What a Trade Really Costs
IC's Raw Spread account averages 0.1 pip on EUR/USD plus $7 per lot round turn; the Standard account builds a markup into the spread instead. Here are IC's commissions, swaps and every other cost, with worked examples.
WriterAbir KhanWriterWrites the guides · checks every figure against primary sources View profileAbout Abir →
Co-writerJannatul FerdaushWriterRisk and broker-safety guides · Applied Statistics, University of Dhaka View profileAbout Jannatul →
Market analysisTanbir Habib RiyadCo-Founder & TraderCo-founder · forex trader · technical and fundamental analysis View profileAbout Tanbir →
Fact-checking & QCJowel RanaFact-Checker & QCFact-checks spreads, fees, leverage and tax rules · final quality check View profileAbout Jowel →
Editorial leadRanjan NiskrityChief EditorChief editor · owns the broker checks · signs off every guide View profileAbout Ranjan →
Spreads at IC Markets start at 0.0 pips on its Raw Spread accounts, and IC says its average EUR/USD spread there is 0.1 pip. On MetaTrader the Raw account adds a commission of $3.50 per lot per side, $7 per round turn. The Standard account charges no commission and starts at 0.8 pips instead, because IC marks up the raw spread it receives from its liquidity providers.
Headline spreads are only part of the bill. Swaps, currency conversion and the way commission is charged on each platform all affect what a trade costs. Every figure below comes from IC's own spreads page and Help Centre.
| Raw Spread EUR/USD average | 0.1 pip (IC) |
|---|---|
| Raw Spread commission (MT) | $3.50 per lot per side, $7 round turn |
| cTrader and TradingView commission | $3 per side per $100,000 traded |
| Standard account | No commission; spreads from 0.8 pips |
| Index CFDs | No commission |
| Inactivity, deposit, withdrawal fees | None charged by IC |
IC Markets spreads: Raw vs Standard
IC aggregates prices from more than 25 liquidity providers. On Raw Spread accounts you see those prices as they arrive; on Standard, IC adds its markup to the spread. IC's published spread table shows the Standard account's minimum spread 0.8 pips above the Raw minimum on the major pairs, and 1.0 pip above it on minor and exotic pairs.
| Raw Spread (MT4, MT5) | Raw Spread (cTrader, TradingView) | Standard (MT4, MT5) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spreads from | 0.0 pips | 0.0 pips | 0.8 pips |
| EUR/USD average | 0.1 pip | Raw pricing | Raw spread plus markup |
| Commission | $3.50 per lot per side | $3 per side per $100k | None |
| Best for | EAs, scalpers, active traders | cTrader and TradingView users | Occasional, discretionary traders |
Spreads are variable. They widen at the daily rollover, around major news and when liquidity is thin, on both account types.
Raw Spread commission in every account currency
On MetaTrader the commission is a fixed amount per lot, set in your account's base currency. Opening the account in your own currency avoids conversion and fixes the commission in money you understand.
| Account currency | Per lot, per side | Round turn | Per 0.01 lot, per side |
|---|---|---|---|
| USD | 3.50 | 7.00 | 0.035 |
| EUR | 3.25 | 6.50 | 0.0325 |
| GBP | 2.75 | 5.50 | 0.0275 |
| AUD | 4.50 | 9.00 | 0.045 |
| CAD | 4.75 | 9.50 | 0.0475 |
| SGD | 4.75 | 9.50 | 0.0475 |
| CHF | 3.30 | 6.60 | 0.033 |
| JPY | 550 | 1,100 | 5.5 |
On MT4 the full round-turn commission is charged when the trade opens. MT5 charges it per side, when you open and when you close, and rounded to two decimal places, so a micro-lot side of $0.035 shows as $0.04.
How cTrader and TradingView commission is worked out
The cTrader Raw account, which also connects to TradingView, charges $3 per side per $100,000 of US dollar value traded, converted to your account currency. IC's example: one lot of EUR/USD bought at 1.3000 is $130,000, so opening costs $3.90; closing at 1.3100 is $131,000, costing $3.93. The total is $7.83. Commission on cTrader therefore rises a little when the euro is strong.
What one trade really costs: worked examples
Using IC's stated averages and a pip value of $10 per standard lot on EUR/USD:
| Trade | Spread cost | Commission | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 lot EUR/USD, Raw Spread (0.1 pip avg) | $1.00 | $7.00 | About $8.00 |
| 0.10 lot EUR/USD, Raw Spread | $0.10 | $0.70 | About $0.80 |
| 0.01 lot EUR/USD, Raw Spread | $0.01 | $0.07 | About $0.08 |
| 1 lot EUR/USD, Standard (raw spread plus 0.8-pip markup) | About $9.00 | $0 | About $9.00 |
These are averages, not quotes; your real cost depends on the spread at the moment you trade. Our trading cost calculator runs the numbers for any pair and size.
Gold, indices and other markets
IC's Help Centre puts the average gold spread on the Raw Spread account at 1 pip, and commission applies to forex and metals only. Index CFDs carry no commission at all; IC says spreads start from 0.4 points across its 25 indices. For gold specifically, see our guide to trading gold on IC Markets.
Swaps and overnight costs
Positions held past the daily rollover, at 00:00 server time, earn or pay a swap based on the interest-rate difference between the two currencies and the direction of your trade. On Wednesday night forex and metals are charged three days' swap, because spot deals settle two days after the trade and Wednesday's rollover covers the weekend.
You can see each instrument's swap rate in MetaTrader: right-click the symbol in Market Watch and choose Specification. Swap-free accounts replace swaps with a flat holding fee; our Islamic account guide lists IC's rates. The swap calculator estimates the cost of holding a position.
Fees IC doesn't charge, and one it can
- No inactivity fee. IC's Help Centre says you won't be charged for not trading, although long-inactive trading accounts can be archived.
- No deposit or withdrawal fees from IC. Banks, card issuers and intermediary banks may charge their own.
- A possible processing fee if you withdraw deposits that were never used for trading. IC says funds are intended for trading.
- Currency conversion when you deposit, withdraw or transfer in a currency different from your account's.
Execution and slippage
IC uses market execution, not instant execution: orders fill at the next available price. Its Help Centre gives an average execution speed of about 35 milliseconds on currency pairs, with MetaTrader servers in Equinix NY4 in New York and cTrader in LD5 London. Slippage can work for or against you and grows around news. IC doesn't offer guaranteed stop-loss orders, so a stop in a fast market can fill beyond its level.
Compare the all-in cost, not the spread. A 0.0-pip headline with a $7 commission can be cheaper or dearer than a 1-pip spread with none; the maths only takes a minute, and it changes with every lot you trade.
Andrés traded about 30 lots a month on a USD Standard account. When he checked his statement he estimated the markup was costing him close to $9 a lot. He opened a Raw Spread account, ran both for a month, and found his Raw costs averaged around $8 a lot including commission. The saving of roughly $30 a month was small, but it covered his platform subscriptions.
Frequently asked
What are IC Markets' spreads?
Raw Spread accounts start at 0.0 pips, and IC says its average EUR/USD spread is 0.1 pip, plus a commission. The Standard account has no commission and spreads from 0.8 pips, because IC adds a markup to the raw spread.
What is the IC Markets commission?
On MetaTrader Raw Spread accounts, $3.50 per lot per side, or $7 per round turn, in a USD account. The cTrader and TradingView Raw account charges $3 per side per $100,000 traded. Standard accounts and index CFDs have no commission.
Which is cheaper at IC Markets, Raw or Standard?
For regular traders, Raw Spread is usually cheaper. At IC's 0.1-pip EUR/USD average, a lot costs about $8 including commission, against roughly $9 of spread on Standard. For occasional small trades the difference is small.
Does IC Markets charge an inactivity fee?
No. IC's Help Centre says it doesn't charge inactivity fees, though trading accounts left inactive for a long time can be archived. You can open a new trading account from the Client Area if that happens.
What is the IC Markets spread on gold?
IC's Help Centre puts the average gold spread on the Raw Spread account at 1 pip, with the Raw commission charged on metals. Spreads widen around news and at rollover.
When are swaps charged at IC Markets?
At rollover, 00:00 server time. Forex and metals positions held through Wednesday night are charged three days of swap. Swap-free accounts pay a flat holding fee instead, after a grace period.
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