IG Review 2026

Founded in 1974 and based in the United Kingdom, IG is a publicly traded broker listed on the London Stock Exchange under the ticker IGG. The firm operates under tier-1 regulatory supervision across multiple regions, holding licenses with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the Japanese Financial Services Agency (JFSA), and the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA). Retail accounts in qualifying jurisdictions benefit from client fund segregation in designated trust accounts and negative balance protection to prevent account balances from falling into debt.

Trading costs rely on floating spreads starting from 0.82 pips on EUR/USD, 0.34 points on spot gold, and 0.51 points on the S&P 500 cash index CFD, alongside $0 commission on standard spread betting and CFD markets. IG charges no deposit or withdrawal fees, and wire transfers require a $0 minimum deposit, though debit and credit card funding requires at least £250. Non-base currency transactions, dividends, and cash adjustments incur a 0.7% foreign exchange conversion fee. Platform access includes IG's proprietary web and mobile applications, as well as MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, ProRealTime, and TradingView, and provides access to a broad catalog of leveraged and exchange-traded products.

Pros and Cons

Who Regulates IG?

IG Group operates under an international regulatory structure with authorized status across several tier-1 supervisory bodies. Its operating entities are authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the United Kingdom under license number 04677092, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) in the United States, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), the Japan Financial Services Agency (JFSA), the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) in South Africa, and supervisory authorities in Germany, Switzerland, and the United Arab Emirates. Holding multiple tier-1 authorizations requires the group to maintain strict capital adequacy reserves, undergo recurring audits, and adhere to comprehensive financial reporting requirements.

How Your Money Is Protected

Retail deposits at IG are held separately from company working capital in dedicated, segregated trust accounts at authorized banking institutions, including Barclays and Lloyds. This structural segregation prevents client funds from being mixed with operating capital or deployed for corporate hedging and administrative overhead. If the broker were to become insolvent, segregated client funds are ring-fenced for account holders rather than general creditors. In addition, retail traders in jurisdictions governed by UK and European frameworks receive negative balance protection on leveraged CFD and spread betting positions, ensuring balances cannot fall below $0 during extreme price dislocations. Eligible accounts also receive coverage through statutory investor compensation schemes in covered regions.

Company Background and Track Record

Founded in 1974, IG possesses five decades of operating history in derivative and financial market brokerage. The parent company, IG Group Holdings plc, is a publicly traded entity listed on the London Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol IGG and forms part of the FTSE 100 Index. Public listing obligates the group to publish audited financial statements, maintain institutional corporate governance, and make regular disclosures regarding its balance sheet and liquidity position.

Trading Costs

IG uses a floating spread model on leveraged CFD and spread betting products, embedding transaction costs directly into the bid-ask quote for currency pairs, indices, and commodities. Typical spot forex spreads average 0.82 pips on EUR/USD and 0.94 pips on GBP/USD without added per-lot commissions. Commodity CFDs such as spot gold (XAU/USD) average 0.34 points, while the S&P 500 cash index CFD carries an average spread of 0.51 points. Equities trading depends on the product: cash share dealing and ISAs feature £0 online commissions under automated currency conversion, whereas equity CFDs incur a direct transaction commission rather than a spread markup. Cryptocurrency trading carries a flat spread markup of 1.49%.

Non-Trading Fees

Deposit Fees

IG does not levy deposit fees on incoming capital, whether funds are transferred via bank wire, debit card, credit card, Apple Pay, or PayPal.

Withdrawal Fees

The broker charges $0 for outgoing withdrawals processed through standard bank transfers, Visa, or Mastercard payment rails.

Inactivity Fees

IG charges no inactivity fees on dormant accounts, allowing traders to pause trading activity without incurring regular monthly maintenance deductions.

Overnight Financing

Cash CFD and spread betting positions held past 10:00 PM UK time incur overnight financing adjustments. The fee reflects the relevant interbank benchmark rate plus an administration charge of 1% per annum for foreign exchange pairs and 3% per annum for commodities, shares, and indices. Long Bitcoin positions carry a daily financing rate of 0.0694% (equivalent to 25% annualized), while other digital assets carry a daily rate of 0.0764% (27.5% annualized). Expiring futures contracts embed financing directly into the instrument's market pricing and do not generate daily overnight charges. 

Currency Conversion Charges

Transactions involving instruments priced in a currency other than the account's base currency incur a 0.7% foreign exchange conversion fee added to the market exchange rate. This fee applies to direct share purchases, dividend distributions, and the automated realization of profits or losses on non-base currency CFDs.

Spread Betting

Tailored primarily for eligible UK and Irish residents, the Spread Betting account allows clients to speculate on price fluctuations across global markets without acquiring underlying assets. Costs are contained within the spread with $0 trading commission, and positions are traded on margin with minimum lot sizes starting at 0.01.

CFD Trading

The CFD Trading account is the core leveraged product for global international clients. It provides access to foreign exchange, indices, commodities, shares, and cryptocurrencies. Forex and index trades incur $0 commission with floating spreads, whereas equities CFDs carry a per-trade commission with direct market access capability via specialized software.

Share Dealing

A non-leveraged investment vehicle allowing clients to purchase physical shares and exchange-traded funds directly. It charges £0 commission for online trades when using instant FX conversion, though it requires clients to pay the 0.7% currency conversion fee on international assets.

ISA

The Stocks and Shares ISA account provides UK tax-advantaged investing into global shares and investment trusts. Account conditions mimic the share dealing service, providing commission-free online trading under instant FX conversion while observing statutory UK annual investment thresholds.

SIPP

The Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) account accommodates long-term retirement capital through non-leveraged equity investments. Trading characteristics follow the physical investment pricing model, allowing retirement savers to build diversified portfolios over multi-year horizons.

Professional

Available only to experienced traders meeting rigorous regulatory criteria, the Professional account exempts clients from regulatory leverage caps, permitting higher gearing. In exchange for greater leverage, professional account holders forfeit mandatory retail negative balance protection and certain statutory compensation coverages.

US Options and Futures

A specialized account designed for direct exposure to exchange-traded US options and futures contracts. This account grants direct access to listed US derivatives markets under relevant regulatory oversight for experienced derivatives traders.

Account Comparison

Proprietary Web Platform

IG's browser-based web terminal runs in HTML5 without requiring local downloads. The platform integrates responsive charting tools, direct market access controls, real-time client sentiment indicators, an economic calendar, and streaming financial news from Reuters. Traders can fully customize multi-window workspaces to match their analytical routines and order entry needs.

MetaTrader 4

The MetaTrader 4 integration supports automated trading via Expert Advisors (EAs) and custom indicators. IG enhances standard MT4 functionality by providing access to third-party technical indicators and signal integration, paired with automated trade execution capabilities.

MetaTrader 5

MetaTrader 5 expands the multi-asset scope beyond MT4, offering modernized back-testing engines, expanded timeframes, and built-in VPS hosting options tailored for multi-asset CFD strategies.

ProRealTime

ProRealTime is an advanced charting suite integrated with IG's order management infrastructure. It provides institutional-grade analytical tools, automated back-testing environments, and direct-from-chart order placement for technical chartists.

TradingView

Traders can link their IG brokerage account directly to TradingView. This setup allows users to execute trades directly from TradingView's interactive charting interface while relying on IG's underlying liquidity and market execution.

Mobile Trading

Dedicated mobile applications are provided for both iOS and Android operating systems. The mobile apps replicate core web features, offering full order control, live pricing notifications, interactive charting tools, and account administration on portable screens.

Execution and Trading Tools

IG acts as a market maker while also offering direct market access (DMA) via its L2 Dealer platform, enabling clients to interact directly with equity order books. Order fills are subject to symmetrical slippage, meaning trade prices can execute above or below the requested quote. If market price shifts exceed the broker's set tolerance band, orders are rejected rather than settled at adverse prices. Technical analysis is supported through Autochartist automated pattern recognition and trade alerts from PIA-First.

Algorithmic and Copy Trading

Algorithmic traders can access IG's liquidity pool through a REST API for automated order logic, a streaming API for tick-level pricing feeds, and an institutional FIX API. Automated strategies can be hosted continuously using virtual private servers (VPS); the MT4 VPS via BeeksFX is provided free of charge to accounts maintaining a £5,000 or $2,000 balance (otherwise priced at £50 or $50 monthly), while the MT5 VPS is free for balances above $1,000. IG does not operate a native social copy trading network. Traders wishing to replicate third-party trades must utilize external MetaTrader 4 signal copying tools or reference community sentiment discussions in the IG Community forum.

IG provides broad market coverage spanning leveraged derivative contracts and physical share ownership, serving both short-term market speculators and long-term portfolio investors across domestic and foreign exchanges.

In addition to these markets, IG offers trading in exchange-traded options, futures contracts, and weekend markets on select major currency pairs and global equity indices.

Maximum Leverage

Available leverage at IG varies by regional subsidiary and instrument class. Retail clients operating under tier-1 supervisory bodies like the FCA or ASIC are subject to regulatory leverage ceilings: 1:30 on major forex pairs, 1:20 on non-major currencies and major equity indices, 1:10 on commodities, and 1:5 on individual shares. In contrast, non-European international accounts can obtain leverage up to 1:200 on selected assets. Professional account status provides access to higher leverage ratios, which proportionately magnifies account risk during volatile market swings.

Margin Calls and Stop-Out Levels

IG initiates a formal margin call alert when an account's equity falls to 100% of the total margin requirement, notifying the client to deposit additional capital or reduce exposure. If market losses continue and equity drops to the mandatory stop-out margin level of 50%, the broker's automated risk engine closes open positions sequentially to prevent further account erosion.

Risk Management Tools

Retail spread betting and CFD clients in the UK and EU are protected by automated negative balance protection, preventing accounts from falling into a debt position regardless of market volatility. Accounts support standard stop-loss orders, take-profit instructions, and hedging functionality, which allows clients to open opposing positions simultaneously across CFDs, options, or futures. Traders can also practice execution strategies and risk management controls on a free demo account prior to trading real capital.

How to Fund Your Account

Clients can fund accounts using Visa, Mastercard, bank wire transfer, Apple Pay, and PayPal. Base account currencies include USD and GBP. Bank wire transfers have a minimum deposit requirement of $0, while funding through debit cards, credit cards, or supported electronic methods requires a minimum initial deposit of £250. Managed IG Smart Portfolio accounts require an initial investment of £500, although preliminary contributions starting from £50 are accepted. IG does not levy internal deposit fees. Card and e-wallet transfers are credited immediately to the trading account balance, whereas incoming bank wire transfers generally settle within approximately 2 hours.

How Withdrawals Work

Withdrawals must be requested through the verified original funding method in compliance with standard anti-money laundering regulations. Permitted payout methods comprise Mastercard, Visa, and direct wire transfer. IG charges no internal withdrawal fees. In terms of withdrawal processing time, outgoing bank wire transfers typically finalize within 1 to 3 business days, whereas card disbursements take between 2 and 5 business days to clear through payment card systems.

Ways to Contact IG

• Live web chat through the trading portal
• WhatsApp mobile messaging
• Telephone: +44 (0)207 896 0011
• Email: [email protected]
• Support operating hours: 24/7
• Supported languages: English, Chinese Mandarin, Cantonese, and Spanish

What Customers Say About IG Support

Client feedback reveals noticeable variation across support channels. Traders contacting representatives by phone or email frequently report prompt, professional assistance, noting swift account unlocking, courteous query handling, and clear guidance on platform tools.

Conversely, automated chatbots and offshore messaging routes via WhatsApp generate frequent user complaints. Negative reviews often cite repetitive scripted answers, long hold times by phone during periods of market volatility, and extended delays in resolving account verification or withdrawal requests that involve modified bank details.

"Fast, efficient and very trustworthy response , to a slight problem .
I have no hesitation recommending IG's customer service as 1st class"

"Very helpful
Once I got through, Devesh was very helpful"

"Long wait on customer service phone line during working hours - 25 mins and waiting."

Market Research

IG integrates professional research and real-time analytical feeds directly into its proprietary platform. Traders receive continuous financial news coverage supplied by Reuters, combined with real-time economic calendar alerts that track macroeconomic releases. The platform also provides proprietary client sentiment indicators illustrating the percentage of IG clients holding net-long or net-short positions on specific assets. In-house market commentary is complemented by automated technical setup alerts delivered through Autochartist and daily technical analysis reports provided by PIA-First.

Trading Education

Comprehensive instructional content is organized through the IG Academy, which hosts structured educational courses covering technical chart reading, risk management fundamentals, and derivative instruments. The educational offering is supplemented by live webinars, regular seminars, explanatory video libraries, and a risk-free demo trading account designed for strategy testing under real market conditions. Additionally, the broker hosts free-to-play market prediction games, such as "Beat the Street," offering leaderboard cash prizes of up to £10,000 for predicting asset price behavior.

Beginners

Beginners can learn foundational market concepts through IG Academy courses, live webinars, and the free demo account. However, the £250 minimum deposit requirement for cards and occasional delays when dealing with automated customer support can present friction for small retail accounts.

Active Traders

Frequent market participants benefit from floating spreads starting at 0.82 pips on EUR/USD, 24/5 index trading, weekend market pricing on major instruments, and $0 fees on deposits and withdrawals, which help control ongoing transaction overhead.

Scalpers

Scalping strategies are supported across IG's proprietary software, MT4, and MT5. Direct market access via the L2 Dealer platform, alongside tight spreads on liquid indices and major currency pairs, provides the necessary execution framework for rapid intraday turnover.

Algorithmic Traders

Automated trading is supported through REST APIs, streaming market data, institutional FIX API connectivity, and EA compatibility on MT4 and MT5. Free VPS hosting for accounts maintaining qualifying balances (£5,000 or $2,000 for MT4; $1,000 for MT5) offers dependable 24/7 execution.

Experienced Traders

Experienced investors gain access to physical shares, futures, options, and leveraged CFDs across charting platforms like ProRealTime and TradingView. Qualifying professional traders can also access higher leverage caps beyond standard retail limits.

We assess brokers using our methodology, which combines our own data, broker documentation, regulatory records, pricing information, platform analysis, account information, and third-party customer feedback where specifically required. We evaluate areas including safety, trading costs, platforms, market range, accounts, leverage, deposits and withdrawals, customer service, research, education, and suitability for different trading styles. Where possible, important factual claims are checked against primary sources and dated because broker conditions can change.

IG has operated for several decades and is publicly listed on the London Stock Exchange. It is regulated by authorities including the UK FCA and US CFTC. The broker offers several trading platforms, including its proprietary web platform, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, ProRealTime, and TradingView, as well as direct market access and API functionality.

Its pricing structure includes no inactivity fee, while spread betting and CFD costs vary by instrument and account. The EUR/USD spread can start from 0.82 pips under certain conditions. Other costs and requirements may apply, including a £250 minimum for card deposits and a 0.7% foreign-exchange conversion fee when trading in a currency different from the account's base currency. Customer-service response times may also vary, particularly when account queries require escalation. Users considering IG may therefore wish to assess its platform options, trading costs, funding requirements, and currency-conversion fees in relation to their individual trading activity.