IC Markets vs Exness 2026 — Detailed Broker Comparison

Two high-volume forex brokers compared on what matters: spreads, fees, execution, and safety. Based on 10+ years as an IC Markets IB serving 761 clients with $2.5 billion in collective volume.

Quick Verdict — IC Markets vs Exness

IC Markets and Exness are both high-volume brokers favored by active traders. Exness has grown rapidly with aggressive marketing and unlimited leverage options. IC Markets has built its reputation on consistent execution quality and institutional-grade infrastructure over 17+ years.

On raw spread accounts, both brokers offer competitive pricing. However, with TradersFXPartner's commission discount (up to 21% off), IC Markets becomes significantly cheaper — $5.50/lot compared to Exness's standard $7.00/lot on Raw Spread. This permanent saving is not available through Exness with any IB.

Exness wins on withdrawal speed and leverage flexibility. IC Markets wins on regulatory reputation (longer track record), instrument range, and — with our discount — trading costs.

Side-by-Side Comparison

The instrument count difference is notable — IC Markets offers over 10x more instruments than Exness, including 1,600+ stock CFDs, bonds, and a wider range of indices. For traders who want to diversify beyond forex, IC Markets provides far more options.

Trading Costs — The Real Difference

Exness offers competitive raw spreads, but their standard Raw Spread commission of $7.00/lot is identical to IC Markets standard pricing. The difference is that through TradersFXPartner, IC Markets clients pay only $5.50/lot — a discount (up to 21% off) that Exness cannot match through any IB arrangement.

For a trader executing 100 lots per month, this means saving $150/month or $1,800/year compared to Exness Raw Spread at full price. Even compared to Exness's commission-free Standard account (spreads from ~1.0 pip), the IC Markets Raw Spread + our discount delivers lower all-in costs on major pairs.

See our account types comparison for a detailed breakdown of costs across all IC Markets accounts.

Leverage — Unlimited vs 1:500

Exness's headline feature is "unlimited leverage" for qualifying accounts with balances under $1,000. This sounds impressive but carries extreme risk. With unlimited leverage, a small adverse price movement can wipe out your entire account in seconds. Most professional traders use leverage between 1:10 and 1:100 regardless of what is available.

IC Markets offers leverage up to 1:500 for global clients and 1:30 for EU clients (per ESMA regulations). This is more than sufficient for virtually all trading strategies while providing a degree of built-in risk protection. The difference in maximum leverage should not be a primary factor in broker selection.

Regulation & Track Record

Both brokers hold strong regulatory licenses. Exness has FCA and CySEC oversight, and IC Markets has ASIC and CySEC. However, IC Markets has a longer track record — founded in 2007 vs Exness in 2008. IC Markets has operated under ASIC regulation since 2009, maintaining a clean record for over 16 years.

Client funds at IC Markets are held with National Australia Bank and Westpac in segregated accounts. Both brokers offer negative balance protection. EU clients at both benefit from the Investor Compensation Fund up to €20,000.

Our 761 clients have traded $2.5 billion through IC Markets since 2016. We have never encountered fund security issues or withdrawal problems. Read our comprehensive IC Markets review for more details on regulation and safety.

Our Recommendation

Choose IC Markets with TradersFXPartner if: you want the lowest possible trading costs (lower commissions than standard), need access to 2,200+ instruments, prefer cTrader or TradingView as your platform, or value a broker with a 17+ year regulatory track record.

Choose Exness if: you need unlimited leverage for micro-account strategies, require instant withdrawals as your top priority, or want to start with less than $200.

For serious forex traders focused on long-term profitability, IC Markets with our $100 bonus or commission discount delivers superior value. The cost savings compound over time, and IC Markets' institutional-grade infrastructure ensures your trading strategy is executed optimally.

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IC Markets vs Exness — FAQ