Head-to-Head Overview
| Feature | Pepperstone | IC Markets |
|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 96/100 | 93/100 |
| Regulators | FCA, ASIC, CySEC, BaFin, DFSA, CMA, SCB | ASIC, CySEC, FSA |
| EUR/USD Spread | From 0.0 pips | From 0.0 pips |
| Commission | $3.50/lot | $3.50/lot |
| Min Deposit | $10 | $200 |
| Platforms | MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView | MT4, MT5, cTrader |
| Instruments | 1,200+ | 2,250+ |
| Execution | Low-latency ECN | Low-latency ECN |
Regulation — Pepperstone Wins
This is the clearest difference. Pepperstone holds seven regulatory licences — FCA, ASIC, CySEC, BaFin, DFSA, Kenya's CMA and the SCB — including the FCA (UK), which brings FSCS eligibility of up to £85,000 for eligible UK clients of its FCA-authorised entity.
IC Markets has 3 licences. ASIC regulation is strong, but CySEC (Cyprus) and FSA (Seychelles) offer significantly less protection than FCA.
If you're trading meaningful capital, FCA regulation matters.
Execution — Both Fast, Pepperstone Marginally Ahead
Both brokers run ECN execution on co-located infrastructure built for low-latency order flow, and neither is prone to meaningful slippage on orders under 10 lots. Pepperstone's multi-server setup and TradingView routing give it a marginal edge for latency-sensitive strategies, though in practice both are excellent for retail order sizes.
Platform Variety — Pepperstone Wins
Pepperstone's TradingView integration is a genuine advantage. Being able to execute trades directly from TradingView charts — with Pepperstone's ECN conditions — is something IC Markets doesn't yet offer retail clients.
Instrument Range — IC Markets Wins
With 2,250+ instruments vs Pepperstone's 1,200, IC Markets offers significantly more variety — particularly for commodity and crypto CFD traders.
Our Verdict
Choose Pepperstone if: You're in the UK (FCA/FSCS), want TradingView, or prioritise regulatory depth.
Choose IC Markets if: You want maximum instrument range, are a high-volume EA trader, or $200 minimum deposit isn't a barrier.
Both are genuine tier-1 ECN brokers. You won't go wrong with either. Both also run no-dealing-desk execution, which matters more than most beginners realise — see our explainer on ECN vs market maker brokers for why the execution model changes your spreads and removes the broker's conflict of interest.
Past performance is not indicative of future results. CFDs are complex instruments. Always verify current spreads directly with the broker.
