IG provides multi-asset CFD trading across 17,000 markets with competitive spreads and global regulation.
Spreads from
0.6 pips
Commission
$0 (spread-only)
Min deposit
$0
Established
1974
Regulated by
FCA · ASIC · BaFin · MAS (Singapore) · JFSA (Japan) · FMA (New Zealand) · DFSA (Dubai) · FSCA (South Africa) · BMA (Bermuda)
Written byLaverlane Team·Updated4 Oct 2026
Researched with AI assistance and verified by our editors
Regulation
IG Group holds licences across multiple tier 1 regulatory jurisdictions.
IG Markets Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), while international accounts are contracted under IG International Limited in Bermuda. The parent firm IG Group Holdings plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange, providing public financial reporting and corporate transparency. In June 2018, France's AMF fined IG Markets Limited €500,000 over how its French branch marketed CFDs and binary options.
IG's group entities also hold licences from regulators including ASIC in Australia, BaFin in Germany, MAS in Singapore, JFSA in Japan and the BMA in Bermuda.
Key facts
IG operates as an established financial services provider founded in 1974.
Client-facing entity
IG Markets Ltd
Regulators
FCA, ASIC, BaFin, MAS (Singapore), JFSA (Japan), FMA (New Zealand), DFSA (Dubai), FSCA (South Africa), BMA (Bermuda)
Restricted countries
US, BE
Negative-balance protection
jurisdiction-only
Minimum deposit
$0
Max leverage (UK/EU retail)
1:30
Max leverage (Australia)
1:200
Max leverage (offshore entity)
1:200
Max leverage (professional)
1:200
Typical EUR/USD spread
0.6 pips
Platforms
MT4, MT5, Proprietary, TradingView, ProRealTime
Account currencies
USD, EUR, GBP, AUD
The company started as the first financial spread betting firm before expanding into international CFD trading. With more than 50 years of operating history (founded in 1974), IG serves active retail and institutional clients across major global financial hubs.
CFDs let you speculate on price movements without owning the underlying asset, so you can lose money as well as make it. Higher potential returns come with higher risk, including the chance of losing your whole deposit. Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you open an account through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Best for
Pros & cons
Fund safety
Client capital is ring-fenced in segregated tier 1 bank accounts.
Client balances with IG Markets Ltd are held in segregated bank accounts and covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), whereas IG International Limited accounts carry no statutory compensation scheme. Segregation keeps your money separate from IG's own business liabilities.
The 5.0 score reflects protections for clients of IG Markets Ltd and IG Europe GmbH. Clients of IG International Limited get no statutory compensation, so which entity you contract with matters.
Account terms
Trading policies disclose market maker execution and margin terms.
IG acts as a market maker and hedges its own risk in the wider market. Its account agreements set out the negative balance rules for retail clients and how margin close-outs work.
Costs
Pricing uses spread-only structures on standard CFD products.
IG's published average spread on EUR/USD is 0.6 pips, though it varies with market conditions. Crypto CFDs such as BTC/USD aren't available to retail clients of IG's UK office, so the BTC/USD figure in the table below doesn't apply to UK retail accounts. An inactivity fee of $18 monthly applies after 2 years idle, so a dormant account with $200 in it would be emptied about 11 months after the fee starts.
| Instrument | Asset class | Typical spread | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | Forex CFD | 0.6 | pips |
| GBP/USD | Forex CFD | 0.9 | pips |
| USD/JPY | Forex CFD | 0.7 | pips |
| US 100 (Nasdaq) | Index CFD | 1 | points |
| US 500 (S&P 500) | Index CFD | 0.4 | points |
| XAU/USD (Gold) | Commodity CFD | 0.3 | $ / oz |
| US Crude Oil | Commodity CFD | 2.8 | $ / bbl |
Spreads shown are typical, not guaranteed, and widen during volatile sessions or outside main market hours. Figures reflect the broker's standard retail account.
Markets
You can trade over 17,000 global markets with IG, including shares, major indices, forex pairs, and commodities. Crypto CFDs aren't available to retail clients of IG's UK office, only to clients classified as professional, so availability depends on which entity you contract with.
Forex CFD
80 pairs
Index CFD
80 indices
Commodity CFD
Metals, energies, softs
Single-Stock CFD
13000 shares
Crypto CFD
Available ✓ · Weekend trading ✓
Real ownership: Stocks / ETFs
Stocks, ETFs
Traders access global equities, major indices, forex pairs and commodities. Crypto CFDs aren't available to retail clients of IG's UK office, only to clients classified as professional, so availability depends on which entity you contract with. Extended-hours trading is supported on major US shares alongside 24-hour weekend market access.
Platforms
IG's proprietary web software operates alongside MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, TradingView, and ProRealTime.
IG's own web platform has built-in HTML5 charting, technical indicators, and market news. If you want to automate your strategies, you can run them through MT4, MT5, or a direct REST/FIX API connection.
Execution
Orders process through automated routing infrastructure.
IG reports average execution speeds of under 0.015 seconds in its own published fill statistics (as at our 4 October 2026 review), though speeds vary with market conditions and your connection. You can see how IG handles slippage and price improvement in its order execution policy.
Leverage
Margin limits match local regulatory caps across jurisdictions.
Retail leverage at IG is restricted to 1:30 in the UK, EU, and Australia in line with ESMA and ASIC rules. IG's offshore entities offer leverage of up to 1:200 for international traders. Leverage magnifies losses as well as gains, so a small market move can quickly wipe out your margin. Professional accounts also allow higher leverage but waive regulatory compensation protection, which makes them riskier.
Account types
Accounts provide access to all asset classes under a single balance.
| Account | Min deposit | Commission | Swap | Spread | Demo | Islamic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CFD Account | $0 | Spread-only | Variable overnight financing | From 0.6 pips · Variable | Yes | Not stated |
The standard CFD account requires no initial minimum deposit via bank wire transfer. High-volume traders can get tiered volume rebates through the IG Select programme.
Funding
Deposits and withdrawals process via cards and bank transfers.
At IG, the $0 minimum deposit applies to bank wire transfers only; card deposits require at least $50. IG card withdrawals typically take two to five bank working days, while bank transfer withdrawals take one to three working days. Our stated withdrawal time reflects the slower card route. Credit card deposits carry a 1% charge on Visa and 0.5% on MasterCard.
Support
IG's customer service is available 24 hours a day from Monday to Friday, with limited hours on Saturday from 6am to 4pm (UTC+8).
IG support is available 24 hours a day from Monday to Friday, plus Saturday from 6am to 4pm (UTC+8), via phone, live chat, WhatsApp, and email with dedicated account managers for premium account tiers. Educational content includes webinars, interactive courses, and daily market analysis.
Availability
Global onboarding is routed according to regional client residency.
IG's regional entities serve clients across Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa, and the Americas. Residents of the United States and Belgium are restricted from opening margin CFD accounts due to local laws.
Verdict
IG remains a market benchmark due to its structural scale, multi-tier regulation, and deep product selection.
IG suits position and swing traders who value a stable counterparty and wide market access more than high leverage. Our scores reflect IG's published terms at the time of review, and past performance doesn't guarantee future results. This isn't personal advice, so weigh your own circumstances and risk tolerance before opening an account.
IG suits professional and active retail traders needing robust charting tools and reliable order routing.
FAQ
IG Markets Ltd operates as the primary CFD trading arm of IG Group Holdings plc. The broker provides access to over 17,000 financial markets for retail and professional accounts. Operations are regulated under the Financial Conduct Authority in the UK.
IG Markets sets no minimum deposit requirement for clients funding via bank wire transfer. Card payments require a minimum deposit of $50 or local currency equivalent. Account setup involves no ongoing maintenance fee.
IG Index Ltd is the dedicated spread betting entity of IG Group within the United Kingdom. The entity is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under Firm Reference Number (FRN) 114059. Under current UK tax rules, profits from financial spread betting are generally free of capital gains tax, but tax treatment depends on your circumstances and may change in future.
IG was founded in 1974 by Stuart Wheeler as the world's first financial spread betting business. The firm originally started as Stuart Wheeler's Investors Gold Index spread betting business. It has since expanded globally into online CFD trading, share dealing, and forex.
IG Group's head office is at 88 Wood Street, London. International clients contract with IG International Limited located in Hamilton, Bermuda. Regional subsidiaries maintain local head offices in Melbourne, Frankfurt, Singapore, and Tokyo.
IG Index is a wholly owned subsidiary of IG Group Holdings plc. IG Group Holdings plc is publicly listed on the London Stock Exchange under the ticker IGG. The FTSE 100 parent firm operates regulated entities globally.
Alternatives
Eightcap offers CFDs on 850+ markets through TradingView, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5 and TradeLocker, with a Raw account that starts from 0.0 pips. Clients outside the regulated regions contract with Eightcap Global Limited in The Bahamas, which carries no statutory compensation scheme.
Octa offers swap-free forex and CFD trading on OctaTrader, MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, with no trading commission and a $25 minimum deposit. Accounts on octabroker.com are with Versustrategy Inc, registered in Saint Lucia, and the legal documents page lists no financial regulator.
JustMarkets offers leverage of up to 1:3000, swap-free trading and MT4, MT5 and its own app, but international clients contract with an offshore Seychelles entity without a statutory compensation scheme.
FXCM offers forex and CFD trading on Trading Station, MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and TradingView. Accounts on the international website are with Stratos Global LLC, an offshore entity in St Vincent and the Grenadines that sits outside the group’s regulated companies.
ThinkMarkets offers ThinkTrader, TradingView, MT4 and MT5 with 4,000+ instruments and leverage of up to 1:500 on Standard and ThinkZero accounts. International clients contract with a Seychelles-licensed entity.
IronFX operates as a retail CFD broker providing high leverage up to 1:1000 on MetaTrader 4, but international clients contract through an offshore entity without statutory compensation protection.
CFI Financial offers MT5, TradingView and its own app with no minimum deposit and leverage of up to 1:500. International clients trade with CFI International Ltd, licensed in Mauritius.
EC Markets offers MT4, MT5 and its own app with a $10 minimum deposit on STD and ECN accounts and leverage of up to 1:1000. International clients trade with the Mauritius-licensed entity.
General CFD risk warning
CFDs are complex leveraged products and carry a high risk of rapid losses. They do not give you ownership of the underlying asset. Depending on your jurisdiction, broker entity and client classification, protections such as leverage limits and negative-balance protection may differ or may not apply. Where negative-balance protection is not provided, losses may exceed the funds you deposit. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford the high risk of losing your money.
Disclaimer
This page is provided for general information only. Nothing on this page constitutes investment, tax or trading advice, or a recommendation to open an account or trade with a particular broker. Laverlane does not provide personalised investment advice. We are not a broker or financial institution, we do not arrange or execute trades, and we do not hold client funds.
Broker availability, spreads, fees, leverage, products and legal protections, including compensation schemes and negative-balance protection, vary by the broker’s legal entity, your country of residence and your client classification, and may change over time. Where a broker is required to publish its retail CFD loss rate, that figure is shown on its review page. Spreads shown are typical figures as at our verification date; they are not guaranteed and may widen, particularly during volatile market conditions.
Laverlane Scores reflect the information available at our most recent review. They are editorial assessments, not guarantees of a broker’s financial strength, reliability or future performance. Where we report a regulator warning or enforcement notice, it reflects the official public information available at the time of our review.
Links to brokers take you outside Laverlane. We are not responsible for a third-party website’s content, privacy practices, security or handling of any data you provide. Our research may be compiled with AI assistance and is checked by our editorial team against available sources before publication.
Always verify the broker’s current terms, regulatory status, product availability and eligibility directly with the broker before opening an account or depositing funds.