IC Markets App for PC: Windows Download Guide

There is no separate "IC Markets PC app" to hunt for. On Windows you use the desktop installers of MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5 or cTrader, then log in with the same credentials you already use on the phone app. Installation takes a few minutes, and watching the terminal on a laptop changes how the charts feel compared with a 6-inch screen.

What You Install on Windows

IC Markets supports MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5 and cTrader across desktop, web and mobile. On Windows all three are full desktop terminals, not the light browser versions. The choice usually comes down to how much charting you do and which platform your account type is tied to.

The Raw Spread account is offered on MT4/MT5 and on cTrader at different commission levels, so the platform you download decides part of your cost structure. Pick the platform before you pick the account type, not the other way round.

Where the Download Comes From

Downloads come from the official IC Markets site, not from search-result ads and not from third-party mirrors. Installer files for MT4, MT5 and cTrader sit in the platform section of the site, and the same login you created on mobile opens the desktop version without a second registration. KYC is done once: national ID or passport, KRA PIN certificate, and proof of address such as a utility bill or bank statement.

The broker does not run its own branded proprietary PC app, so any "IC Markets app for PC" listing that wants payment or a login outside the official flow is worth ignoring. Windows may flag the installer as coming from an unknown publisher; that is normal for trading terminals and does not indicate a problem with the file itself.

Login and First Session

Logging in on Windows takes the same server, account number and password you already use on the phone. If the mobile app remembers your details and you never typed them, pull them from the client area before you start. Nothing about the profile, watchlists or open positions transfers automatically between mobile and desktop, so expect to rebuild your layout once.

On first open, the terminal will sync the instrument list, which on this broker runs to 61 forex pairs, 25 index CFDs, commodities, crypto CFDs and 2,500+ share CFDs across ASX, NYSE, NASDAQ, Tokyo and European exchanges. That sync is quick on a decent connection but slow on a metered mobile hotspot, which is worth knowing if your laptop is tethering to the phone.

The desktop view also exposes something the phone hides well: the full order ticket. On mobile you tap and confirm; on Windows you see order type, lot size, stop level and margin requirement on one screen before you commit. For anyone sizing positions properly, that single panel is the main reason to move to a PC at all.

Costs and Conditions on Desktop

Desktop does not change your pricing, but it makes it visible. Spreads and commissions are identical to what the phone shows, and the client area remains the place to confirm live numbers before you trade.

Indices start from 0.4 points and are commission-free, traded 24/5. Crypto CFDs carry leverage up to 1:200, and the Kenya-facing entity caps retail leverage at 1:400 on major FX pairs under CMA rules. Numbers like these move, so treat the table as a snapshot of what was published at the time of review rather than a fixed promise.

How Mobile and PC Compare

Both versions trade the same account. What differs is the workflow around the trade.

• Notifications: mobile wins, alerts reach you anywhere; desktop alerts only fire while the terminal is open.
• Position sizing: desktop wins, the full ticket shows margin and pip value before entry.
• Chart real estate: desktop wins clearly, two or three monitors remove constant tab switching.
• Fast exits: mobile wins, one tap closes a position faster than mouse-and-keyboard.
• Backtesting and EAs: desktop only, expert advisors and strategy tester do not run properly on the phone.

Mobile suits monitoring and quick exits, desktop suits analysis and entries. Running both on one account is normal and costs nothing extra.

The Local Friction

Honest limitations exist, and they matter more on desktop than on the phone, because the desktop is where you actually plan trades.

• The entity that serves Kenyan clients is IC Markets (KE) Limited, listed by the Capital Markets Authority of Kenya under licence number 199, while the wider group runs offshore and other regional entities. Which entity holds your account changes your protections, so confirm it in the client agreement rather than assuming.
• Protections under the Kenyan regime are generally lighter than under ASIC or CySEC, and entity selection matters.
• The broker does not disclose deposit bonuses, so there is no promotional padding to offset costs.
• Exact local funding options for Kenya are not documented in the public-facing materials we reviewed, so verify card, bank transfer and e-wallet availability inside the client area before you rely on a method.

Brokers that combine a tier-one licence such as FCA, CySEC or ASIC with segregated client funds, published commission schedules and a long track record are the benchmark to compare against.

Tax and Reporting Reality

Desktop trading does not change how the Kenya Revenue Authority treats your results. Forex and CFD profit is generally treated as ordinary income for retail traders rather than capital gains, added to taxable income and taxed on graduated bands running from roughly 10% up to a top marginal rate of 35%. Trading through a company attracts a 30% corporate rate.

Tax residents file an annual return declaring worldwide income, including foreign-sourced trading gains, between 1 January and 30 June, with installment tax due across 20 April, June, September and December. Deductible costs include platform fees, internet and training. Confirm the current position with KRA before you file, since bands and deadlines are reviewed periodically.

Who It Fits

The platform choice here is straightforward for some traders and awkward for others.

Fits traders who want a well-known raw-spread broker with an established terminal, a real desktop experience and a CMA-regulated local entity behind the account. Sixty-one forex pairs, 25 index CFDs and 2,500+ share CFDs give enough breadth for most retail strategies. Moving from phone-only trading to a desktop for analysis is close to frictionless.

Frustrates traders who need a proprietary mobile-and-desktop ecosystem with synced layouts and push notifications built by the broker itself, because here you are using third-party terminals that behave differently across devices. It also frustrates anyone who wants the strongest possible regulatory umbrella, since a trader prioritising ASIC or CySEC-level protection and clearly documented local funding would do well to compare a few brokers on those specific points before committing. Neither group is doing anything wrong; they are just optimising for different things.