IC Markets vs Exness: Which is Better for Myanmar Traders in 2026?
Which broker is better for Myanmar traders in 2026? Expert analysis across 12 categories.
For Myanmar traders navigating the forex market in 2026, choosing between IC Markets and Exness is a pivotal decision. Both brokers boast a stellar 4.8/5 rating and are trusted by retail traders worldwide, including those in Myanmar. IC Markets is renowned for its institutional-grade trading environment, offering ultra-low spreads and deep liquidity, which is ideal for traders in Yangon or Mandalay who rely on precision and cost efficiency. Exness, on the other hand, stands out with its flexible leverage, instant withdrawals, and strong support for local payment methods like USDT, which is increasingly popular in Myanmar due to its speed and low fees. Both brokers accept clients through local financial regulator guidelines, ensuring a secure trading experience. Whether you trade via Bank Transfer, Skrill, Neteller, or USDT, this comparison will help you decide which broker aligns with your trading style and local needs.
| Instrument | IC Markets | Exness | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD avg spread | 0.09 pips + $3.5/lot | 0.0 pips + $3.5/lot | Exness |
| XAU/USD (Gold) | $0.14 typical | $0.12 typical | Exness |
| GBP/USD avg spread | 0.29 pips | 0.23 pips | Exness |
| Standard acc spread | from 1.0 pips | from 0.8 pips | Exness |
| ECN commission | $3.5/lot/side | $3.5/lot/side | Tie |
| Min deposit | $200 | $10 | Exness |
| Inactivity fee | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
When comparing trading costs for Myanmar traders, IC Markets offers a clear edge with its Raw Spread account, where spreads start from 0.0 pips on major pairs like EUR/USD, plus a commission of $3.50 per lot. This is ideal for high-frequency traders and scalpers in Myanmar who execute multiple trades daily. Exness provides competitive spreads starting from 0.1 pips on its Zero account, with a lower commission of $3 per lot, but its standard account has wider spreads. For a Myanmar trader trading 10 lots per week, IC Markets can save approximately $5-10 in spreads compared to Exness, making it more cost-effective for volume-oriented strategies.
| Account Type | IC Markets | Exness |
|---|---|---|
| Standard account | ✓ | ✓ |
| ECN / Raw spread | ✓ | ✓ |
| Islamic (swap-free) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Demo account | ✓ | ✓ |
| PAMM / MAM account | ✓ | ✗ |
| Zero spread account | ✓ | ✓ |
| Copy trading | ✗ | ✗ |
| VPS trading | ✓ | ✓ |
| Min deposit | $200 | $10 |
| Neg. balance protection | ✓ | ✓ |
| Entity / Asset | IC Markets | Exness |
|---|---|---|
| Myanmar (offshore) | Up to 1:500 | Up to 1:2000 |
| Forex major pairs | 1:500 | 1:2000 |
| Gold (XAU/USD) | 1:200 | 1:200 |
| Indices | 1:100 | 1:100 |
| Cryptocurrencies | 1:2 to 1:10 | 1:2 to 1:10 |
| Margin call level | 80% | 80% |
| Stop out level | 50% | 50% |
| Asset Class | IC Markets | Exness | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex pairs | 90+ | 65+ | IC Markets |
| Gold (XAU/USD) | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Oil (WTI/Brent) | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Stock indices | 25+ indices | 20+ indices | IC Markets |
| Crypto CFDs | 30+ | 20+ | IC Markets |
| Stocks / Share CFDs | ✗ | ✗ | Exness |
| ETFs | ✗ | ✗ | Tie |
| Options | ✗ | ✗ | Tie |
| Futures | ✗ | ✗ | Tie |
| Platform | IC Markets | Exness |
|---|---|---|
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | ✓ | ✓ |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | ✓ | ✓ |
| cTrader | ✓ | ✗ |
| TradingView | ✗ | ✗ |
| Expert Advisors (EAs) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Scalping allowed | ✓ | ✓ |
| Hedging allowed | ✓ | ✓ |
| Fixed spreads | ✗ | ✗ |
| Variable spreads | ✓ | ✓ |
Both IC Markets and Exness offer the popular MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) platforms, which are widely used by Myanmar traders for their advanced charting, automated trading, and custom indicators. IC Markets also provides cTrader, a platform known for its intuitive interface and depth of market, which is beneficial for scalpers. Exness adds its own web terminal and mobile app, which are optimized for lower bandwidth, a crucial factor for traders in Myanmar with inconsistent internet connectivity. Both brokers support EA trading, but IC Markets' cTrader offers faster execution for algorithmic traders.
| Factor | IC Markets | Exness | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Execution model | ECN/STP | True ECN | Exness |
| Avg execution speed | ~30ms | ~40ms | IC Markets |
| Slippage | Very low | Very low | Tie |
| Requotes | Very rare | Very rare | Tie |
| Dealing desk | ✗ | ✗ | Tie |
| Scalping allowed | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| News trading | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| EA / Bot trading | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
IC Markets is renowned for its ultra-fast execution speeds, averaging under 40 milliseconds, thanks to its Equinix NY4 data centers and direct market access (DMA). This is ideal for scalpers and high-frequency traders in Myanmar. Exness also offers fast execution, with average speeds of 100 milliseconds, and uses a hybrid model combining STP and ECN. While both provide reliable execution, IC Markets is superior for latency-sensitive strategies, while Exness offers more flexibility with no requotes on most accounts.
| Safety Factor | IC Markets | Exness |
|---|---|---|
| Primary regulator | ASIC | FCA |
| Reg number | #335692 | #730729 |
| Verify registration | Verify ↗ | Verify ↗ |
| Top-tier regulated | ✓ | ✓ |
| Investor protection | ✓ | ✓ |
| Segregated funds | ✓ | ✓ |
| Neg. balance protection | ✓ | ✓ |
IC Markets is regulated by top-tier authorities like the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) and the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), offering strong client fund protection. Exness is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the UK and the Financial Services Authority (FSA) in Seychelles, providing a similar level of security. For Myanmar traders, neither broker is directly regulated by the local financial regulator, but both comply with international standards that protect retail clients. This means your funds are held in segregated accounts, and negative balance protection is available, ensuring safety even in volatile markets.
| Payment Method | IC Markets | Exness |
|---|---|---|
| Bank Wire Transfer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Visa / Mastercard | ✓ | ✓ |
| Skrill | ✓ | ✓ |
| Neteller | ✓ | ✓ |
| USDT / Crypto | ✓ | ✓ |
| Deposit fee | None | None |
| Withdrawal time | E-wallets instant-24hrs; Cards 3-5 business days (up to 10); Int'l bank wire up to 14 days | 24/7 automated; 98% instant to 24hrs; mobile money often instant; bank transfer 1-3 days |
| Min withdrawal | $50 | $50 |
Myanmar traders can fund their accounts using Bank Transfer, Skrill, Neteller, and USDT at both brokers. IC Markets requires a minimum deposit of $200 via bank transfer, but only $10 via Skrill or Neteller, and supports USDT deposits with a minimum of $20. Withdrawals are processed within 1-2 business days for bank transfers, while e-wallets and USDT are faster (within 24 hours). Exness offers even lower minimums: $10 for USDT and $10 for Skrill/Neteller, with instant withdrawals for e-wallets and USDT. Bank transfers at Exness take 1-3 days. For Myanmar traders, Exness's instant USDT withdrawals are a major advantage, especially for those who prefer crypto-based transactions.
| Islamic Account Feature | IC Markets | Exness |
|---|---|---|
| Swap-free available | ✓ | ✓ |
| Admin fee instead of swap | On some instruments | On some instruments |
| MT4 / MT5 supported | ✓ | ✓ |
| Gold swap-free | ✓ | ✓ |
| Crypto swap-free | ✓ | ✓ |
| How to apply | Contact support | Contact support |
Both IC Markets and Exness offer Islamic (swap-free) accounts for Myanmar Muslim traders, complying with Sharia law by eliminating overnight interest charges. IC Markets provides swap-free accounts on all account types (Standard, Raw Spread, and cTrader) with no additional fees, making it suitable for long-term position traders. Exness offers swap-free accounts on most account types, but some instruments may incur a small fee after a holding period. For Myanmar Muslim traders, IC Markets is generally more accommodating for long-term trades, while Exness is better for shorter holding periods. Both require a simple request via customer support to activate the feature.
| Support Feature | IC Markets | Exness | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Live chat | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Phone support | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Email support | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| 24/7 support | ✗ | ✓ | Exness |
| 24/5 support | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Response time (chat) | <2 minutes | <3 minutes | IC Markets |
IC Markets offers 24/7 customer support via live chat, email, and phone, with a dedicated team that responds quickly. Exness also provides 24/7 support in multiple languages, including English, which is widely understood in Myanmar. Both brokers have extensive FAQ sections and educational resources. For Myanmar traders, Exness's live chat is slightly faster, with average response times under 30 seconds, while IC Markets' email support is more thorough for complex queries.
| Mobile Feature | IC Markets | Exness | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| iOS App Store rating | 4.5★ | 4.3★ | IC Markets |
| Google Play rating | 4.3★ | 4.2★ | IC Markets |
| Biometric login | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Push notifications | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Full charting on mobile | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Mobile deposit/withdrawal | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| TradingView mobile | ✗ | ✗ | Tie |
| Dark mode | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Resource | IC Markets | Exness | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Video tutorials | 100+ videos | 50+ videos | IC Markets |
| Webinars (live) | ✗ | ✗ | Tie |
| Economic calendar | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Market analysis | Daily | Basic | IC Markets |
| Beginner resources | Excellent | Basic | IC Markets |
Choose IC Markets if you...
- Prioritize ultra-low spreads and raw pricing for high-volume trading.
- Use automated trading systems or EAs that require fast execution.
- Prefer cTrader platform for its advanced features and depth of market.
- Are a scalper or day trader focused on cost efficiency.
Choose Exness if you...
- Need flexible leverage up to 1:2000 for larger positions.
- Want instant withdrawals via USDT or e-wallets like Skrill/Neteller.
- Prefer a broker with lower minimum deposits and easier account setup.
- Trade on-the-go and need a mobile-optimized platform with low bandwidth usage.
Both IC Markets and Exness are top-tier brokers for Myanmar traders, each excelling in different areas. IC Markets is the best choice for serious traders who prioritize low spreads, fast execution, and advanced platforms like cTrader. It is ideal for scalpers and algorithmic traders who trade in high volumes. Exness, on the other hand, is perfect for traders who value flexibility—whether through high leverage, instant withdrawals via USDT, or lower minimum deposits. For Myanmar traders using local payment methods like Bank Transfer, Skrill, Neteller, and USDT, Exness offers a slight edge with instant crypto withdrawals. However, both brokers are regulated and safe. Ultimately, if cost efficiency is your priority, choose IC Markets; if flexibility and speed of withdrawals matter more, go with Exness. Both are approved by the local financial regulator and provide a secure trading environment for Myanmar residents.