IG

In this IG review, we analyze the broker's regulatory safety, trading costs, and platform usability to help you make an informed choice. By examining its features objectively, we address the core question: is IG a good broker for your financial goals?

H2: Is IG Legit and Safe?

IG is regulated by multiple tier-1 financial authorities globally, although the exact level of investor protection depends on which regional entity you register under.

What Is IG? Company Background

Established in 1974 by Stuart Wheeler as the world’s first financial spread betting provider under the name IG Index, IG has grown into a dominant global brokerage group. Headquartered in London, its parent company, IG Group Holdings plc, is a publicly-traded corporation listed on the London Stock Exchange under the ticker "IGG" and is a constituent of the prestigious FTSE 250 index. The group employs over 2,400 people globally and serves hundreds of thousands of active traders across more than 19,000 financial markets. Because of its public listing, IG is subjected to stringent financial disclosure rules and regular external audits, providing a level of transparency that few privately-held brokerages can match.

IG Regulation

IG is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), the Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht (BaFin), the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA), the Kanto Local Finance Bureau (JFSA), the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA), and the Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA). The vast majority of these supervisory bodies are recognized as top-tier regulators that enforce strict capital adequacy and operational standards. You can visit the Financial Conduct Authority FCA official website to independently verify the status of IG's primary license. To verify this license, you can search the FCA's Financial Services Register using IG's firm reference number 195355.

Which IG Entity Serves Your Region?

The specific legal entity you are onboarded to depends entirely on your country of residence, which dictates your leverage limits, dispute resolution avenues, and statutory protection schemes. For example, UK residents register under the FCA-regulated IG Markets Limited, while European Union residents are onboarded through the Germany-based IG Europe GmbH, regulated by BaFin. Clients from Australia are protected by ASIC standards, and Singaporean traders fall under the oversight of MAS.

For international traders in jurisdictions without a dedicated local branch (such as parts of Asia, Africa, and Latin America), IG onboards clients through IG International Limited, which is licensed by the Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA).

The primary differences between regulated onshore entities and offshore onboarding concern investor safety nets and leverage:

• Leverage Limits: FCA, BaFin, and ASIC enforce a strict retail leverage cap of 1:30 on major currency pairs, whereas the BMA entity allows leverage up to 1:200.
• Investor Compensation: UK and EU entities offer government-backed compensation schemes that safeguard client assets up to specific limits, while ASIC, MAS, and the offshore BMA entities do not provide any such compensation funds.
• Negative Balance Protection: This safeguard is legally mandated for retail traders under FCA and BaFin rules, preventing clients from losing more than their deposited capital, but it is not universally guaranteed under offshore or institutional terms.

The table below outlines the specific regulatory entities of IG, their licensing details, and the level of investor protection provided across different jurisdictions.

While European and UK clients benefit from robust statutory compensation schemes and mandatory negative balance protection, international traders registered under the Bermudan offshore entity gain access to higher leverage but forfeit these specific safety nets.

Restricted Countries

Due to strict international financial laws and local licensing limitations, IG does not offer its services to residents of certain countries. Most notably, contract for difference (CFD) trading is completely restricted for residents of the United States, as local laws prohibit retail CFD trading (though US clients can access exchange-traded options and futures through IG's subsidiary, tastytrade). Additionally, residents of Canada, Belgium, North Korea, Iran, Syria, and several other sanctioned or highly restrictive jurisdictions are not accepted. Traders must pass regional residence checks and prove they do not reside in an unsupported territory before their account can be approved.

Client Fund Protection

IG implements stringent procedures to ensure that client assets remain secure under all market conditions:

• Fully Segregated Bank Accounts: Retail client funds are held in trust at top-tier, ring-fenced financial institutions — including Barclays and Lloyds — completely isolated from the broker's operational cash.
• No Proprietary Counterparty Risk: IG does not use client money to hedge its own market exposures or fund its corporate activities, ensuring your capital is shielded from the broker's business debts.
• Credit Risk Management: The broker monitors its banking counterparties daily to ensure client funds are only held with highly stable, credit-worthy institutions.

IG User Reviews and Trustpilot Rating

IG holds a Trustpilot rating of 3.8 out of 5 stars based on approximately 10,000 reviews, reflecting a generally positive but slightly mixed user sentiment. You can See IG reviews on Trustpilot to read detailed accounts of client experiences firsthand, as of June 2026.

Among those who rate the platform highly, several positive themes consistently emerge:

• Advanced Charting and Platform Stability: Users frequently praise the proprietary web-based platform for its smooth performance, stability under heavy traffic, and highly customizable technical indicators.
• Educational Resources and Research: Newer traders often commend the high-quality training modules, webinars, and daily market insights provided by the IG Academy.
• Customer Support Quality: Many reviewers report having helpful and polite interactions with customer service agents when troubleshooting complex account queries.

Conversely, the negative feedback on the platform generally focuses on three main pain points:

• Inactivity and Holding Fees: Long-term investors and casual traders complain about the broker's inactivity fee, which charges $18 per month after two years of complete dormancy, alongside high overnight holding costs on stock CFDs.
• Rigid Account Verification: A portion of negative reviews stem from users frustrated by the broker's strict compliance and anti-money laundering (AML) checks, which can lead to delayed account approvals or sudden documentation requests.
• Volatile Market Liquidations: Some active traders express dissatisfaction with how quickly the automated system triggers margin-call liquidations during sudden, high-volatility market gaps.

H2: IG Account Types

IG provides a highly versatile range of account types with a low entry barrier of $0 for bank transfers, but its most competitive pricing tiers require substantial trading volume or professional classification.

IG Account Types and Minimum Deposit Requirements

While the entry barrier for bank wire transfers is $0, utilizing a credit card, debit card, or PayPal requires a minimum deposit of $250. This low barrier makes IG highly accessible to beginners, though retail traders must remember that trading complex CFDs with minimal capital increases the risk of rapid margin liquidation. Maximum leverage limits are heavily restricted by jurisdiction; retail traders in the UK, EU, and Australia are capped at a conservative 1:30 leverage on major currency pairs, while international clients onboarded via the Bermudan entity can access up to 1:200 leverage.

IG categorizes its trading accounts to suit distinct trading strategies, tax situations, and volume levels:

• Retail CFD accounts offer standard market access with no minimum bank deposit, making them highly accessible for everyday traders who prioritize mandatory negative balance protection. Spreads on these accounts are variable, starting at a minimum of 0.6 pips on major forex pairs, with zero commissions charged on forex and index trades.
• Professional CFD accounts unlock maximum leverage of up to 1:200, though they require traders to forfeit standard retail regulatory protections and prove a high-volume trading history. To qualify, clients must meet strict regulatory criteria, such as holding a financial portfolio exceeding €500,000, possessing professional industry experience, or executing at least 10 high-volume trades per quarter over the past year.
• Spread Betting accounts are highly tax-efficient options restricted to UK and Irish residents, allowing tax-free speculation with zero commission fees. Under local tax laws, all profits derived from spread betting are entirely exempt from Capital Gains Tax and stamp duty, making this the most cost-effective account type for UK-based retail traders.
• Direct Market Access (DMA) accounts connect high-volume traders directly to exchange liquidity books via the specialized L2 Dealer platform, shifting costs from spreads to volume-based commissions. These accounts are built for seasoned professionals trading shares or forex who want to bypass the standard market-maker execution model, though they demand advanced charting platform fees if minimum trading activity is not maintained.
• Share Dealing accounts allow direct, unleveraged investing in global physical stocks and ETFs, appealing to long-term investors rather than short-term speculators. These accounts carry no leverage, meaning there is zero risk of margin calls, and commission fees can drop to $0 on US stocks if the trader executes at least three trades in the preceding month.

Does IG Offer an Islamic Account?

IG does not currently offer Sharia-compliant, swap-free Islamic accounts for retail traders, having discontinued this account option in recent years. As a result, Muslim traders who must strictly avoid overnight rollover interest (riba) cannot use IG's services and will need to look to alternative brokerages that support swap-free environments.

H2: IG Fees and Trading Costs

IG offers competitive spreads on major currency pairs, but its share CFD commissions and overnight financing rates can elevate costs for long-term position traders.

IG Trading Fees (Spreads / Commission Fees / Swap and Overnight Fees)

Trading costs on IG are primarily determined by the asset class and whether the instrument is a forex pair, commodity, index, or share.

• Spreads: On standard retail CFD accounts, IG operates on a commission-free model for forex, indices, and commodities, embedding its operational fee directly into the spread. Spreads on major currency pairs are variable, starting at a minimum of 0.6 pips for EUR/USD, with an average spread sitting between 0.8 and 1.1 pips during active market sessions. While these spreads are competitive compared to other market-maker brokers, they can widen noticeably during periods of low liquidity or high macroeconomic volatility.
• Commission Fees: While forex and indices are commission-free, equity CFDs carry regional commission charges that can make trading small volumes costly. For instance, UK share CFDs incur a flat commission of 0.10% of the trade value with a high minimum fee of £10, whereas US share CFDs carry a commission of $0.02 per share with a minimum fee of $15. Because of these minimum transactional fees, casual traders moving small position sizes are hit with higher relative costs than high-volume players.
• Swap and Overnight Fees: Positions held past the daily regional cut-off time (typically 10 PM UK time or 5 PM New York time) are subject to overnight holding or financing charges. For forex pairs, this swap rate is calculated using the standard interbank Tom-Next rate plus a small annualized administrative fee markup of 0.80%. For share CFDs, the overnight fee is calculated using the regional interbank benchmark (such as SOFR for US shares or ESTR for Eurozone shares) plus a 2.5% annualized administrative levy. This daily compounding fee can quickly erode profit margins on leveraged trades held for weeks or months.

IG Non-Trading Fees (Inactivity Fees / Currency Conversion Fees)

Beyond actual trading commissions and spreads, IG charges specific non-trading fees that occasional or passive investors must factor in:

• Inactivity Fees: If no trading activity occurs on a retail account for a consecutive period of 24 months, IG applies an inactivity charge of $18 (or regional equivalent, such as £12, €14, or AU$18) on the first day of every subsequent month. This fee is only deducted from accounts with a positive balance, and it will never drive an account into a negative or deficit state.
• Currency Conversion Fees: When trading assets denominated in a currency different from the account's base currency, IG applies a standard currency conversion fee of 0.5% (rising to 0.8% in certain international jurisdictions). For example, if a trader with a GBP-denominated account buys a US share CFD priced in USD, the transaction is subject to this 0.5% exchange rate markup, which is factored into the final profit-and-loss calculation.

IG Deposits & Withdrawals

IG provides a fee-free deposit and withdrawal system across major payment channels, with swift internal processing despite strict compliance-related holding times on new accounts.

Traders can fund their accounts using bank wire transfers, debit cards, credit cards (Visa and Mastercard), and e-wallets like PayPal. Bank wire deposits are completely free of charge and carry no minimum deposit requirements. Conversely, depositing funds via debit cards, credit cards, or PayPal requires a minimum deposit of $250 (or regional equivalent, such as £150, €150, or S$50). While IG charges zero internal deposit fees, card payments in specific regions may incur a processing fee of up to 2.3% levied directly by the card processor.

Withdrawals must always be returned to the original funding source to comply with strict international Anti-Money Laundering (AML) regulations. IG does not charge any internal fees for standard withdrawals, whether sent via bank transfer, card, or PayPal.

The minimum withdrawal limit is $150 (or £100, €150, or S$200) per transaction, unless the remaining account balance is lower than this threshold, in which case the user can withdraw their exact remaining balance. Daily maximum card withdrawals are capped at $25,000 (or £20,000), whereas bank transfers have no maximum limit.

Internal processing times at IG are efficient; card and PayPal withdrawal requests submitted before midday are often processed on the same business day, taking 2 to 5 working days to clear onto cards, and less than 24 hours for PayPal. Bank transfers are typically completed within 1 to 3 business days.

An analysis of client feedback indicates that withdrawal complaints are rare. The limited number of payment issues reported online are almost exclusively linked to compliance holds. These situations occur when a client requests a withdrawal to a third-party account under a different name, or when their account requires secondary identity verification to clear regulatory anti-fraud thresholds.

H2: IG Trading Platforms, Conditions & Experience

IG delivers a premier trading experience through its highly customizable proprietary web platform and advanced tools, though some technical charting features may feel overwhelming to complete beginners.

Does IG Support MT4, MT5 & Mobile Trading?

IG supports MT4 and its award-winning proprietary mobile app across all regions, but native MT5 integration remains restricted to specific geographic entities like IG Bank in Switzerland or IG International under Bermudan regulation.

• Proprietary Web Platform: The broker's flagship browser-based platform is exceptionally stable and responsive, requiring no downloads. It features 33 technical indicators, 19 drawing tools, and 17 timeframes (ranging down to tick and 1-second charts), with direct "drag-to-modify" risk management tools.
• MetaTrader 4 (MT4): Traders looking for algorithmic automation can connect their IG account to MT4. The package includes 18 free customized add-ons and indicators, alongside access to free virtual private server (VPS) hosting for qualifying high-volume accounts. However, the tradable instrument list on MT4 is significantly smaller than what is available on IG's native platforms.
• MetaTrader 5 (MT5): MT5 support is not universally available across all IG subsidiaries. While Swiss clients of IG Bank and international traders registered under the BMA offshore branch can access MT5, European, Australian, and UK retail clients must rely on MT4 or the proprietary platform.
• ProRealTime (PRT): For highly advanced technical analysts, IG integrates ProRealTime, a premium charting terminal featuring automated trading capabilities and backtesting tools. This platform is free if you place at least four trades a month; otherwise, a flat fee of £30 (or regional equivalent) is charged monthly.
• TradingView Integration: In specific regions, including Singapore and the UK, IG supports direct integration with TradingView. This allows users to conduct chart analysis on TradingView and execute trades seamlessly through their linked IG account.
• IG Trading Mobile App: Available on both iOS and Android, IG's native trading app is highly regarded for its seamless design. It replicates nearly all desktop functionalities, providing live Reuters news, real-time alerts, customizable watchlists, and secure 256-bit SSL encryption.

What Can You Trade on IG? (markets and instruments)

IG provides an industry-leading selection of over 19,500 tradeable financial instruments globally, though exact product availability varies based on local regulatory restrictions.

• Forex: Access to over 90 currency pairs, ranging from high-liquidity majors (such as EUR/USD and GBP/USD) to exotic regional pairs.
• Indices: Speculate on more than 80 global indices, featuring unique 24-hour trading windows on major benchmarks like the FTSE 100, Wall Street, and the Germany 40.
• Shares / Stock CFDs: One of the largest equity CFD libraries globally, offering over 13,000 corporate stock CFDs. In select regions like the UK, Australia, and Germany, IG also operates direct share-dealing accounts for non-leveraged physical stock investing.
• Commodities: Trade 27 major commodities, including energies (Brent and WTI crude oil, natural gas) and metals (gold, silver, copper, and platinum).
• Cryptocurrencies: Trade major crypto CFDs including Bitcoin, Ether, and Litecoin. Note that cryptocurrency derivative trading is completely banned for retail traders under the UK's FCA regulation, meaning it is only available to international clients or verified professionals.
• Options and Futures: Advanced traders can engage with exchange-traded derivatives, barrier options, vanilla options, and Turbo24 warrants (the latter is specifically designed for European Union jurisdictions).

IG Leverage, Margin & Order Execution

IG executes orders with institutional-grade speed averaging 0.014 seconds, but leverages are strictly capped at 1:30 for retail accounts in highly regulated tier-1 jurisdictions.

The leverage limits applied to your trading account depend entirely on your legal regulatory classification:

• Retail Jurisdiction Limits: Under FCA (UK), BaFin (EU), and ASIC (AU) rules, retail leverage is capped at 1:30 on major forex, 1:20 on minor FX and gold, 1:10 on other commodities, 1:5 on individual share CFDs, and 1:2 on cryptocurrencies.
• Professional & Offshore Limits: Verified professional clients and international retail traders under Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA) oversight can trade with leverage up to 1:200 on major currency pairs.

To manage risk when trading on high leverage, IG utilizes a tiered margin system, requiring higher margin percentages for larger positions. Additionally, traders can utilize Guaranteed Stop-Loss Orders (GSLOs). Unlike standard stops, GSLOs eliminate slippage risk by guaranteeing execution at your exact requested price. This service is free to set up, but a small premium charge is applied if the stop-loss is actually triggered by the market.

For order execution, IG functions as a hybrid broker. For most retail clients, it operates as a high-speed market maker, executing trades internally at an average speed of 0.014 seconds. However, professional and Direct Market Access (DMA) accounts use an ECN/STP execution model, routing trades directly to interbank liquidity pools (via Forex Direct) or central exchange order books (for share CFDs).

IG Research Tools & Educational Resources

IG hosts some of the most comprehensive market analysis and trading educational programs in the industry through the IG Academy, although the platform lacks a native social copy-trading network.

The broker’s research suite includes an integrated real-time Reuters news feed, market sentiment bars indicating client positioning, and automatic trading signals powered by third-party technical analysis firms Autochartist and PIAFirst.

For learning, the IG Academy represents an industry gold standard, offering:

• Interactive step-by-step courses complete with high-quality videos, infographics, and review quizzes to test understanding.
• Regular live webinars and online seminars hosted by seasoned in-house market strategists.
• A fully functional demo account loaded with $10,000 (or equivalent virtual currency) allowing risk-free practice in real market conditions.

The only major omission in this department is the lack of a native copy-trading network. While IG provides trade signals, it does not offer a social platform for automatically mirroring other traders' portfolios, meaning automated traders must rely on third-party integrations like MT4 Expert Advisors.

How Good Is IG Customer Support?

IG offers 24-hour phone, email, and live chat support five days a week, but the quality of help can range from basic script-based responses to highly technical expert support.

You can contact IG’s support agents via phone, email, web-based live chat, or through their official social media channels. Support is operational 24 hours a day, from 8:00 AM on Saturday to 10:00 PM on Friday (UK time).

For general administrative requests (such as account onboarding, card deposit failures, or address changes), first-line agents are highly polite, efficient, and responsive. However, experienced traders note that first-line support can sometimes struggle with highly specialized technical issues, such as MT4 connectivity bugs or complex DMA order routing anomalies. For these issues, clients may need to request an escalation to the broker’s second-level technical desk, which can result in longer resolution times, though the technical staff is highly competent. IG also hosts the "IG Community" forum, allowing users to troubleshoot platform features and share custom trading indicators directly with other traders.

H2: Who Is IG Best For?

IG is best suited for experienced day traders and regulation-focused investors who value extensive market access and robust charting tools over the absolute lowest raw spreads.

Is IG Good for Beginners?

IG is a highly supportive broker for beginners who want to learn through structured education, though its advanced platforms and complex CFD products present a steep learning curve. While the $0 minimum deposit for bank transfers makes starting accessible, the reality of trading high-risk CFDs requires deep discipline. IG addresses this entry barrier by offering the IG Academy, which stands out as one of the most comprehensive, easy-to-digest educational portals in the industry. Furthermore, beginners can utilize Guaranteed Stop-Loss Orders (GSLOs) to eliminate slippage risk, providing a crucial safety net that most other brokers do not offer. However, novices may find the sheer volume of technical data, complex order types, and advanced platform layouts somewhat overwhelming at first.

Is IG Good for Day Trading?

IG is an exceptional platform for day traders due to its highly customizable proprietary charting, Reuters news feed, and vast selection of over 19,500 tradeable markets. Day traders require platform stability, and IG’s proprietary web trading interface is highly regarded for its uptime and execution speeds under heavy market volume. The inclusion of 24-hour index trading allows day traders to speculate on major indices overnight, capturing moves in offshore markets that other brokers miss. Additionally, the availability of integrations with TradingView and ProRealTime ensures that technical analysts have access to professional-grade charting tools, backtesting suites, and indicators to execute intraday strategies smoothly.

Is IG Good for Scalpers?

IG is not the absolute best choice for high-frequency retail scalpers because its standard variable spreads are slightly wider than dedicated raw-spread brokers, and its Direct Market Access (DMA) account demands high trading volumes to be cost-effective. Standard retail accounts utilize a commission-free model where EUR/USD spreads average around 1.0 pip, which is too wide for scalpers relying on tiny, rapid price ticks. While IG does offer raw ECN-style spreads through its Direct Market Access (DMA) "Forex Direct" accounts, this tier is tailored strictly for professional or high-volume institutional traders. For retail scalpers operating with smaller balances, specialized raw-spread brokers with flat commissions and average spreads closer to 0.1 pips remain a more economical choice.

Best for: Day traders, technical analysts, risk-averse investors seeking tier-1 security, and UK tax-conscious spread betters.
Less ideal for: High-frequency retail scalpers, traders looking for automated social copy-trading, and investors with small balances trading equity CFDs.

H2: Compare IG with Other Popular Brokers

IG stands as a market leader in safety and product variety, but competitors like Interactive Brokers offer cheaper direct exchange execution while CMC Markets provides comparable market depth at similar price points.

IG vs interactive-brokers

IG is a superior option for retail traders who focus on CFD and spread betting execution, whereas interactive-brokers is far better suited for institutional-grade investors purchasing direct, non-leveraged global equities and futures.

While both brokers hold top-tier regulatory licenses worldwide, their core pricing structures are highly distinct. IG operates primarily as a CFD market maker with variable spreads and zero forex commissions; by contrast, Interactive Brokers utilizes a raw exchange-pricing model with low commissions starting at 0.08% on shares and spot FX spreads from 0.0 pips. Furthermore, IG requires a $250 credit card minimum deposit, while Interactive Brokers has a $0 minimum entry requirement. IG's proprietary platforms are vastly more user-friendly for average retail traders, whereas Interactive Brokers' Trader Workstation (TWS) is notoriously complex and tailored for professional portfolio managers.

Takeaway: IG is the better choice for user-friendly CFD and forex trading; interactive-brokers suits professional equity investors more.

IG vs cmc-markets

IG offers a broader range of educational material and superior order execution speed, while cmc-markets provides a slightly larger catalog of over 330 forex pairs and highly competitive minimum spreads.

Both UK-headquartered giants are listed on the London Stock Exchange and are heavily regulated by the FCA and ASIC, ensuring an identical level of safety. However, CMC Markets offers spreads starting from a tight 0.5 pips on EUR/USD, slightly lower than IG’s typical 0.6 pips. While both brokers feature excellent proprietary charting platforms, CMC Markets’ Next Generation platform is packed with sophisticated client sentiment features, whereas IG’s web platform prioritizes structural simplicity and direct integration with TradingView. Additionally, CMC Markets offers a complete $0 minimum deposit across all payment options, by contrast to IG's $250 minimum limit for card and PayPal transactions.

Takeaway: IG is the better choice for educational resources and overall platform speed; cmc-markets suits cost-conscious forex traders more.

IG vs forex-com

IG stands out with its massive selection of more than 19,500 tradeable instruments, whereas forex-com focuses deeply on currency trading with more competitive raw-spread account tiers for retail clients.

While both brokers serve the highly restricted US retail market, their underlying asset lists differ immensely. IG provides an almost unrivaled portfolio of global equities, commodities, and options; on the other hand, FOREX.com centers its offering tightly around roughly 80 currency pairs and select CFDs. Furthermore, FOREX.com provides a dedicated Raw Pricing account with spreads from 0.0 pips and a $7 round-turn commission per lot, whereas IG retail clients are mostly restricted to standard spread-only structures with no raw-spread alternative. IG's proprietary trading software is more streamlined for multi-asset traders, whereas FOREX.com’s platforms are built specifically to optimize high-volume currency execution.

Takeaway: IG is the better choice for multi-asset and equity CFD trading; forex-com suits active currency-only traders more.

H2: IG Broker Quick Verdict

Ultimately, this IG review concludes that the broker is a premier choice for day traders and risk-averse investors who prioritize absolute regulatory security and unparalleled market depth, although retail scalpers may find its standard variable spreads less competitive. Its combination of public-listing transparency, excellent proprietary charting, and extensive educational resources easily offsets the lack of raw-spread retail accounts.

Editorial Transparency: This IG review is based on information from the official IG website, current regulatory filings, and independent third-party sources such as Trustpilot. We cross-checked the broker's regulation and license details, account types, trading and non-trading fees, deposit and withdrawal terms, platforms, and real user feedback to ensure accuracy and objectivity. This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice; trading CFDs carries a high risk of losing money. Last updated: June 2026.