I’ve been looking at IC Markets lately because I keep hearing about their ECN setup and tight spreads, but I want to know what it actually feels like to trade there before I fund an account.
I’m mainly interested in scalping EUR/USD and GBP/USD during London open. The reviews I’ve found online are all over the place - some say execution is buttery smooth, others complain about slippage during news. I’ve also seen people mention their withdrawal times can be sketchy.
I’m specifically curious about a few things: Do their spreads actually stay tight during news events, or do they blow out like everywhere else? How’s the platform stability when volatility spikes? And honestly, has anyone here actually withdrawn money from them without drama?
Also trying to figure out if the rebates through GlobeGain would actually make a real dent in my trading costs or if it’s just marketing noise.
What’s been your actual experience? Pros and cons?
Spreads tight until news hits then they widen fast.
Withdrawals work fine took about three days usually.
IC Markets uses real ECN execution which is solid for scalping. Spreads average 0.1 to 0.3 pips on major pairs during normal conditions. During news the spreads can double or triple like any ECN broker - that’s normal market behavior not their fault.
Execution quality is what matters for scalping. I tested them for three months and got consistent fills with minimal slippage. Platform is stable on MT4 and MT5.
Withdrawals are processed within 2-3 business days. No issues there. The rebates from GlobeGain help offset the ECN commission structure. Worth testing with a small account first.
Before you fund make sure you understand their commission model. ECN accounts charge commission per lot which adds up if you’re scalping high volume. Calculate your real cost per trade: spread plus commission minus rebate.
For scalping that commission matters more than you think. Some traders find regular STP accounts cheaper if they’re doing light scalping. Test both account types with small positions.
I’ve been with IC Markets for about eight months now and they’re pretty solid for what I do. The execution is reliable and withdrawals have always been smooth for me.
What I like is that they’re transparent about their pricing and they actually have decent customer support when you need help.
The spreads are competitive but as with any ECN broker they can get wider during volatile periods. That’s just how markets work though.
If you’re mainly scalping you’ll want to compare their commission costs against other ECN brokers. Some traders find they save money with non-ECN brokers depending on their trading volume and strategy.
Definitely start with a demo account and test it during different market conditions before committing real money.
Most people I know use them without major issues. Spreads are normal for an ECN broker.
Haven’t had withdrawal problems but I don’t trade there much anymore.
Used IC Markets for about two years when I was doing more scalping. The execution quality was genuinely good - fewer slippage issues compared to some other ECN brokers I’d tried.
Their spreads during normal hours were competitive but yeah they widen during news. That’s expected. The real advantage for me was consistent execution which matters when you’re entering and exiting positions multiple times per day.
Withdrawals were reliable. Only took about three days usually. The rebates from GlobeGain added a small buffer to my monthly trading costs.
Honestly if scalping is your plan IC Markets isn’t a bad option. Just make sure the commission structure fits with how much volume you trade.
One thing I noticed over time was that IC Markets’ customer support was actually helpful when I had platform questions. That might not sound like much but it matters when something goes wrong during trading hours.
The platform is stable on both MT4 and MT5. I preferred MT4 for the indicator library but both worked fine.
If you’re comparing them to other brokers just run the numbers on total cost including commission and rebates. Don’t just look at spreads alone.