Get A Better Understanding Of ICM Capital Through This Detailed ICM Capital Review
ICM Capital is a Forex company that became popular for all the wrong reasons due to its 0% margin policy. Forex trading is a market that involves trading on margin, which witnesses a staggering amount of leverage than the conventional leverage provided for traditional markets. The higher than normal leverage paved the way for significant losses for investors, which has also created a conflict of interest between brokers and their clients. Nevertheless, we will learn more about the broker’s margin policy and other aspects of trading using this ICM Capital broker review.
ICM Capital has its brokerage situated in London and is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Apart from its London office, the broker also has its representative offices in China, Dubai, and Mauritius, which clearly indicates the broker’s strategy to cater to some of the high-net-worth clients in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. It is great to see a broker committed enough to set up their base in London, which not only grants it an FCA regulated status but also induces trust and confidence among traders while trading with ICM Capital.
- Open to traders from around the globe
- Up to 1:500 leverage
Contact Info
- Website: icmcapital.co.uk
- Support: +44 207 634 9770
- Headquarters: Dauntsey House, 4B Frederick’s Place, London, EC2R 8AB, UK
ICM Capital does not have a representative office in the US and is not regulated by the CFTC or the NFA. Therefore, even though the broker states that it is open to traders from around the globe, US traders are naturally barred from opening an account or trading with overseas brokers. It is normal for brokers to stay away from the US market due to the harsh regulatory conditions, but it might have offered more reassurance for traders if ICM Capital had taken the necessary steps to be regulated by the CFTC and the NFA. FCA regulation should provide plenty of support for investors, especially since the FCA has one of the most rigorous regulatory guidelines in the entire financial market. FCA has several regulatory responsibilities that include protecting trader funds under the FSCS guidelines against broker insolvencies, performing routine auditing of financial firms to ensure transparency of financial operations, and resolving consumer complaints through Financial Ombudsman or higher authorities such as the court. In effect, Forex brokers in the UK are considered to be highly reliable and trustworthy than a majority of the brokers in the retail trading market.
What Is The Intended Trading Audience For An ICM Capital Account?
The broker is particularly interested in serving clients that are endowed with deeper pockets, and it does promote itself extensively among both retail and institutional traders in several affluent parts of the world. Therefore, you wouldn’t be surprised that there are some serious restrictions for smaller traders. Nevertheless, you can open an account for $200, which is the absolute minimum deposit option for opening either the ICM Standard account or the ICM Direct account. The ICM Standard account is the regular STP option, while the ICM Direct connects traders directly to an ECN liquidity provider.
The broker is particularly interested in serving clients that are endowed with deeper pockets, and it does promote itself extensively among both retail and institutional traders in several affluent parts of the world. Therefore, you wouldn’t be surprised that there are some serious restrictions for smaller traders. Nevertheless, you can open an account for $200, which is the absolute minimum deposit option for opening either the ICM Standard account or the ICM Direct account. The ICM Standard account is the regular STP option, while the ICM Direct connects traders directly to an ECN liquidity provider. Both accounts offer a maximum ICM Capital leverage of 1:200, with traders being able to start trading from a minimum lot size of 0.01 standard lot. The broker had only recently changed its margin and leverage conditions, having provided a maximum leverage of 1:500 along with a 0% margin call policy during the initial days. Margin calls are vital in Forex trading to prevent negative balances, which is in turn designed to protect both the broker and the trader from the high volatility in the market. Being a margined product, using high leverage will often result in margin calls with just a slight movement in price, thereby wiping out entire account balances within a matter of seconds. To compensate for its past failures, the broker has changed its margin policies, and present rules and trading conditions are more in line with the industry standards set forward by regulated brokers. ICM Capital spreads are dependent on the type of account, with the Standard account quoting around 2 to 4 pips as the standard for major currency pairs. The ECN Direct account, on the other hand, does provide tighter spreads and better market access that guarantees fast execution speeds and virtually zero requotes. Both accounts grant access to Forex, metals, futures, and shares, and the trading specifications are different for both accounts. The ICM Standard account gets rid of SWAP, which is a hugely beneficial aspect of trading for Islamic traders, while the ICM Direct account does not provide a zero SWAP feature. The ICM Standard account is only offered for traders outside Europe and China, which is strange, considering that most other brokers offer the same conditions for European traders. The EU does not have any significant trading restrictions, unlike the US markets, and it is a mystery as to why the broker wouldn’t provide this account for one of the most investment-oriented markets in the world. The ICM Direct account, however, is offered for all traders across the globe without any restrictions. Regarding the ICM Capital Platform, the broker offers the famous and time-tested MT4 terminal in its various guises. ICM Capital mobile Forex traders and traders on the move can access the MT4 apps that can be downloaded from the apps store, but regular desktop traders will find the MT4 to be more than suitable for their trading needs. If you are planning on opening an ICM Capital trading account, you should be able to take advantage of the 10% ICM Capital bonus that is available for the initial deposit. The maximum bonus is limited to $1000, but it is indeed a great way of increasing your account equity without actually investing in the markets. Be aware that there are several bonus terms and conditions that may prevent you from using your trading balance freely. Always read through the terms carefully before accepting them. You can contact ICM Capital any time of the day and can seek help from their live chat 24 hours a day for five days a week. The customer service department will be able to provide more information regarding their brokerage services, should you have any additional questions. However, as far as the efficiency of the products is concerned, you should be able to find a better Forex broker that provides better trading conditions than those set out by ICM Capital.
