Question 1

How do I choose between IC Markets, Exness and Fusion Markets?

Accepted Answer

IC Markets is best for ECN/scalping (0.0 pips, $3.50 commission, MT4/5 + cTrader). Exness leads on instant withdrawals and unlimited leverage. Fusion Markets has the lowest commission at $2.25 per side and supports copy trading.

Question 2

Are these brokers regulated?

Accepted Answer

IC Markets: ASIC, CySEC, FSA. Exness: FCA, CySEC, FSCA, CMA, FSA. Fusion Markets: ASIC, VFSC.

Question 3

What is the minimum deposit?

Accepted Answer

IC Markets requires $200 minimum to open a live Raw Spread or Standard account. Exness has no fixed minimum — Standard accounts can be opened from $1, while Raw Spread and Zero need $200. Fusion Markets has no minimum deposit on any account, though $100+ is recommended for proper risk management.

Question 4

What leverage do they offer?

Accepted Answer

IC Markets offers up to 1:500 (global entities, retail). Exness offers unlimited leverage on standard accounts for clients who pass an experience check (subject to equity tiers and excluded jurisdictions). Fusion Markets offers up to 1:500 globally and 1:30 under ASIC for retail Australian clients. EU/UK retail clients are always capped at 1:30 by regulation, regardless of broker.

Question 5

Which trading platforms are supported?

Accepted Answer

All three support MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. IC Markets and Fusion Markets also offer cTrader (preferred by scalpers for Level II depth-of-market and superior order execution). IC Markets additionally supports TradingView integration and Match-Trader. Exness has its own Exness Terminal and Trade app alongside MT4/MT5.

Question 6

How fast are withdrawals?

Accepted Answer

Exness is famous for instant automatic withdrawals on most payment methods, 24/7. IC Markets processes withdrawal requests in under 24 business hours; cards and e-wallets usually settle same day. Fusion Markets processes most withdrawals same business day with no internal fees. Bank transfers always take longer (1–5 business days) regardless of broker.

Question 7

What are the spreads and commissions?

Accepted Answer

On EUR/USD during liquid hours: IC Markets Raw Spread averages 0.1 pips + $7 round-turn commission per lot. Exness Raw Spread averages 0.0–0.3 pips + $7 round-turn. Fusion Markets Zero averages 0.0 pips + $4.50 round-turn — the cheapest of the three for active traders. Commission-free Standard accounts add the cost into the spread (typically 0.6–1.0 pips on EUR/USD).

Question 8

Can I use Expert Advisors (EAs) and scalping strategies?

Accepted Answer

Yes — all three explicitly allow EAs, scalping, hedging and high-frequency strategies. IC Markets provides free VPS hosting once your account meets the minimum monthly volume; Exness and Fusion Markets partner with third-party VPS providers (Beeks, NYC Servers) with discounted hosting.

Question 9

Are negative balance protection and segregated funds in place?

Accepted Answer

Yes. All three brokers segregate client funds in tier-1 banks separate from operational capital, and provide negative balance protection so you can never lose more than your account balance. Under ASIC and CySEC, this protection is mandatory; under offshore entities (FSA Seychelles, VFSC), brokers offer it voluntarily.

Question 10

What instruments can I trade?

Accepted Answer

Forex (60+ pairs), indices, commodities (gold, silver, oil), shares CFDs, cryptocurrencies, ETFs and bonds. IC Markets has the broadest catalogue at 2,250+ instruments. Exness offers 100+ currency pairs plus stocks and crypto. Fusion Markets focuses on 80+ FX pairs, metals, indices, commodities and crypto.

Question 11

Do you earn a commission if I sign up?

Accepted Answer

Yes — NestPro Trade is an Introducing Broker for the listed brokers. When you open an account through our partner links we may receive a referral commission, paid by the broker. Your spreads, commissions and trading conditions are not affected.

Question 12

How do I open an account?

Accepted Answer

Click the Open account button on the broker card, register with your email and phone, complete KYC (passport or national ID plus a proof of address less than 90 days old), then fund via card, bank transfer or e-wallet. Onboarding typically takes 10–30 minutes; approval can be near-instant or up to 24 hours depending on the regulator.

Top regulated brokers

IC Markets

Exness

Fusion Markets

Switch Markets

Everything to know before opening an account