Since the beginning of this year, IC Markets has been looking forward to launching its proprietary trading products. The new platform is currently in the testing phase, and clients are welcome to register and explore its features.

Expanding services through suggested trading plans

It is understood that the product has been operational for over a week and has garnered significant interest from existing clients. IC Markets' entry into the prop trading arena adds another name to the list of brokers venturing into this field. Joining the ranks of Axi, Oanda, Hantec Markets, as well as smaller entities like Raise FX and YaMarkets, IC Markets' move signifies an increasingly evident trend among brokers to offer funding programs for traders.

Despite growing interest in prop trading products, the industry still operates in a regulatory gray area. Most providers, including IC Markets, currently offer demo accounts, but crucially, these demo accounts fall outside the regulatory purview of various jurisdictions.

However, it's worth noting that many companies, including IC Markets, are adopting strategies to maintain a certain degree of separation from end clients or establish the funding portion of their services overseas. This approach enables them to operate within a framework that reduces regulatory concerns while providing traders with profitable opportunities.

Proposed trading industry in disarray amid MetaQuotes allegations

Reports suggest that MetaQuotes, the company behind the MetaTrader platform, is tightening control over prop trading, although this hasn't been officially confirmed yet, prop trading firms and their broker partners have swiftly reported terminations of cooperation.

The crux of the issue seems to revolve around the presence of active US clients on prop trading platforms. While MetaQuotes hasn't publicly acknowledged these measures, an unverified email purportedly from its representatives has circulated, implying that platforms using MetaTrader 5 operating in the US must comply with regulations from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) or the National Futures Association (NFA), even if it's solely for educational purposes.