IC Markets vs Exness: Switzerland Broker Comparison 2026
Which broker is better for Switzerland traders in 2026? Expert analysis across 12 categories.
Switzerland traders seeking a reliable forex broker often compare IC Markets and Exness, both rated 4.8/5. As a retail trader in Switzerland, you need a broker that offers low spreads, fast execution, and flexible deposit methods like Bank Transfer, Skrill, Neteller, and USDT. IC Markets is known for its institutional-grade trading conditions, with raw spreads from 0.0 pips and deep liquidity from top banks. Exness stands out with its flexible leverage up to unlimited on certain instruments and instant withdrawals. Both brokers support MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, and cTrader, and are regulated by reputable bodies like CySEC and FCA. However, neither is directly regulated by the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA), so Swiss traders should consider this when choosing. This comparison covers costs, platforms, regulation, and local payment methods to help you decide which broker fits your trading needs in Switzerland.
| 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 |
For Switzerland traders, trading costs are a key factor. IC Markets offers a Raw Spread account with spreads from 0.0 pips and a commission of $3.50 per lot per side, making it ideal for scalpers. Exness provides a Zero account with spreads from 0.1 pips and no commission, but standard accounts have slightly wider spreads. Over high trading volumes, IC Markets often results in lower total costs, especially for EUR/USD and USD/CHF pairs. Exness, however, offers fixed spreads on certain accounts, which can be beneficial during volatile Swiss market hours. Both brokers charge no deposit fees, but IC Markets has a slight edge in raw spread tightness for active traders.
| 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Switzerland (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), MetaTrader 5 (MT5), and cTrader platforms. For Switzerland traders, MT4 is widely used for its advanced charting and automated trading via Expert Advisors. IC Markets also provides a web trader and mobile apps with full functionality. Exness adds its own web platform with one-click trading and advanced risk management tools. Both support VPS hosting for low-latency trading, which is crucial for Swiss traders near major financial hubs. The choice depends on preference: IC Markets for cTrader's depth of market, Exness for its custom web interface.
| 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 offers ultra-fast execution with an average speed of 40ms, using Equinix NY4 and LD4 data centers. Exness also provides fast execution at around 50ms, with servers in London and New York. For Switzerland traders, the proximity to European servers ensures low latency. IC Markets has a slight edge in execution speed, but both are excellent for scalping and high-frequency trading. Exness offers no dealing desk execution on most accounts, reducing slippage.
| 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 the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), and the Financial Services Authority (FSA) in Seychelles. Exness holds licenses from CySEC, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the UK, and the Financial Services Commission (FSC) in BVI. Neither broker is regulated by the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA). For Switzerland traders, this means they are not protected by Swiss investor compensation schemes. However, both brokers adhere to strict international standards and offer segregated client accounts. Swiss traders should ensure they are comfortable with the regulatory jurisdiction before opening an account.
| 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 |
Switzerland traders can fund their accounts at both IC Markets and Exness using Bank Transfer, Skrill, Neteller, and USDT. IC Markets processes deposits instantly with no fees, and withdrawals are processed within 1-2 business days for bank transfers and same day for e-wallets. Exness also offers instant deposits and withdrawals, with bank transfers taking up to 24 hours. USDT deposits are supported on both platforms, allowing Swiss traders to use cryptocurrency for faster transfers. Minimum deposits are low: $200 for IC Markets and $10 for Exness, making Exness more accessible for beginners. Both brokers support CHF as a base currency, but USD is recommended for lower spreads.
| 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 provide Islamic (swap-free) accounts for Switzerland traders who follow Sharia law. IC Markets offers swap-free accounts on all account types with no additional fees, and the request can be made after account opening. Exness also offers Islamic accounts, but requires documentation to confirm the trader's Muslim faith. Exness applies a small administrative fee after a certain holding period on swap-free accounts. For Swiss Muslim traders, IC Markets may be more straightforward, while Exness offers similar benefits with a slightly more rigorous verification process.
| 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 provides 24/7 customer support via live chat, email, and phone, with multilingual agents including German. Exness also offers 24/7 support with live chat and email, but phone support is limited to certain hours. Both have extensive FAQ sections. For Switzerland traders, IC Markets' German support may be more convenient, while Exness' response times are generally fast. Both brokers offer support in English, which is widely spoken in Switzerland.
| 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...
- are a scalper or day trader needing raw spreads from 0.0 pips
- prefer cTrader for its depth of market and advanced order types
- trade high volumes and want low commissions per lot
- need German-language customer support for convenience in Switzerland
Choose Exness if you...
- want flexible leverage up to unlimited on major pairs
- prefer instant withdrawals with no fees
- are a beginner with a low minimum deposit of $10
- trade using USDT or other cryptocurrencies for deposits
For Switzerland traders, both IC Markets and Exness are excellent choices, scoring 4.8/5. IC Markets is ideal for serious scalpers focused on low spreads and raw execution, especially on MetaTrader and cTrader. Exness suits traders who value flexible leverage, instant withdrawals, and low minimum deposits. Both support local payment methods like Bank Transfer, Skrill, Neteller, and USDT. However, since neither is regulated by FINMA, Swiss traders should consider offshore regulatory risks. Ultimately, choose IC Markets for cost efficiency on high volumes, or Exness for flexibility and accessibility. Test both with a demo account to see which aligns with your trading style in Switzerland.