IC's share CFDs in four numbers, October 2026.

IC's share CFDs in four numbers, October 2026.

You can trade stocks at IC Markets, but as CFDs rather than real shares, and only on MetaTrader 5. IC lists more than 2,100 share CFDs from the Australian Securities Exchange, the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq, including names such as Nvidia, Apple, Microsoft, Meta and BHP. Leverage on stocks goes up to 1:20 at IC's global company, and more than 100 leading US stocks can now be traded around the clock.

A share CFD tracks the price of a company without giving you the share itself. You can go long or short, you trade with margin, and you never own voting rights. That suits short-term traders. It suits long-term investors much less, because leverage and overnight financing work against positions held for months.

Number of stock CFDs2,100+ (IC product page)
ExchangesASX, NYSE, Nasdaq
PlatformMetaTrader 5 only
Max leverage1:20 (global company)
24-hour US stocks100+ symbols ending in .24
DividendsCash adjustments on ex-dividend dates

How to get stocks in your IC platform

Stock CFDs don't appear on MetaTrader 4 or cTrader at IC, and they aren't switched on automatically in MetaTrader 5 either. IC's Help Centre explains the process: open a MetaTrader 5 account, fund it, then email [email protected] and ask for stocks to be added. The request only goes through on a funded MT5 account.

  1. Open an MT5 trading account from the Client Area. Standard or Raw Spread both work; our account types guide compares them.
  2. Deposit into that MT5 account.
  3. Email IC's support team from your registered address and ask for stock CFDs to be enabled.
  4. Once they are added, find the shares in Market Watch; ASX names end in .ASX and 24-hour US names in .24.

How a stock CFD trade works

Each stock CFD contract moves one dollar for each dollar the share price moves, according to IC's own worked example. Buy 100 Apple contracts at $152 and sell at $170, and the gross profit is $1,800: the same as owning 100 shares, before costs. Lose the same 18 points and you lose $1,800.

The difference is how much money you need. At 1:20, a $15,200 position ties up about $760 of margin. That frees capital but multiplies the effect of every move on your balance: an 8% fall in the share wipes out the margin behind the whole position.

PositionValueMargin at 1:20Profit or loss per $1 move
10 Apple contracts at $152$1,520About $76$10
100 Apple contracts at $152$15,200About $760$100
500 Apple contracts at $152$76,000About $3,800$500

Our margin calculator works out the margin for any position size and leverage.

24-hour US stock trading

IC has added more than 100 leading US stocks that trade beyond regular Wall Street hours, marked with a .24 suffix on your platform. That lets you react to earnings released after the close, or to news during Asian and European hours, without waiting for the New York open.

Leverage on these symbols changes through the day. IC's Help Centre gives the schedule in server time: 1:20 during normal market hours from 16:30 to 21:55, 1:10 in a pre-close window until 22:40, and 1:5 in pre-market and after-hours trading. Unlike most of IC's temporary margin changes, the margin on existing 24-hour stock positions is recalculated when leverage steps down, so a position that fits comfortably at 1:20 can need four times the margin overnight.

Extended-hours liquidity is thin. Spreads are wider outside the regular session, and prices can gap on news. Size overnight stock positions for the 1:5 margin, not the 1:20 you see at midday.

Dividends, financing and other costs

Holding a share CFD over an ex-dividend date triggers a cash adjustment: long positions are credited and short positions debited, broadly matching the dividend. IC applies the same idea to index CFDs, adjusting for the dividends of the shares inside the index.

Positions held overnight also pay or receive financing, shown in the platform's Specification window for each symbol. Look at it before holding a stock CFD for weeks; on a long position the daily charge adds up. Check each share's spread and any commission in IC's product details and in the platform before you trade; costs differ from forex.

Right-click a stock in MT5's Market Watch and open Specification. It shows the contract size, trading hours, margin rate and swap for that share in one place.

Stock CFDs or real shares?

IC stock CFDOwning the share
Ownership and votesNoYes
Go shortYesUsually not for retail investors
LeverageUp to 1:20 at IC's global companyNone, unless you borrow
DividendsCash adjustmentPaid to you
Holding costOvernight financingNone beyond account fees
Best forShort-term trades, hedgingLong-term investing

If your plan is to buy good companies and hold them for years, a share-dealing account is usually cheaper and safer than a leveraged CFD. IC's stock CFDs make more sense for trading earnings, news and short swings, or for hedging shares you already own elsewhere.

Risks specific to share CFDs

  • Earnings gaps: a share can open far from the previous close after results, straight through your stop loss.
  • Weekend and holiday gaps: most stock CFDs don't trade when their exchange is shut.
  • Leverage changes: 24-hour stocks move from 1:20 to 1:5 outside regular hours, recalculating existing margin.
  • Concentration: one company is far riskier than an index. Our guide to IC's index CFDs covers the broader alternative.

See our IC Markets indices guide if you would rather trade the whole market than one company.

Share CFDs are a trading tool, not an investment account. Use them for trades measured in days or weeks, keep leverage well below the maximum, and always know when the company reports its next results.
Ranjan NiskrityChief Editor, FX Recap
Illustrative case: Ignacio, 34, Valparaíso

Ignacio bought 200 Nvidia 24-hour contracts on IC's MT5 account during the regular session, using most of his free margin. After the close, leverage on the symbol stepped down to 1:5 and his margin requirement jumped, pushing his margin level close to the stop-out. He added funds just in time, and since then he sizes any stock CFD he plans to hold overnight for the 1:5 rate and keeps at least half his balance free.

Frequently asked

Can I trade stocks on IC Markets?

Yes, as CFDs. IC offers more than 2,100 share CFDs from the ASX, NYSE and Nasdaq, available only on MetaTrader 5. You speculate on the price without owning the shares.

Why can't I see stocks in my IC Markets platform?

Stocks are only on IC's MetaTrader 5 platform and must be enabled. Fund an MT5 account and email [email protected] to have them added; the request only succeeds on a funded MT5 account.

What leverage does IC Markets offer on stocks?

Up to 1:20 at IC's global company. On 24-hour US stock CFDs leverage falls to 1:10 in the pre-close window and 1:5 in pre-market and after-hours trading, and margin on existing positions is recalculated.

Does IC Markets pay dividends on stock CFDs?

Not as dividends, but as cash adjustments. On the ex-dividend date long positions are credited and short positions debited by an amount linked to the dividend.

Can I trade US stocks 24 hours at IC Markets?

More than 100 leading US stocks can be traded beyond regular market hours. They carry a .24 suffix on the platform and have lower leverage outside the regular session.

Is trading stock CFDs the same as investing in shares?

No. CFDs give you price exposure with leverage and short selling, but no ownership, and overnight financing makes long holds expensive. For long-term investing, owning the shares is usually the better choice.