IG Review 2026

The basic trading model

IG combines leveraged trading with non-leveraged investing. Clients can use CFDs or spread bets for leveraged exposure; these routes do not confer ownership of the underlying shares. UK clients can also buy and own shares through share dealing, an ISA or a SIPP. Futures and options are separate product routes, with their own margin or contract terms.

Market access depends on the product and account. For example, forex, indices and commodities are mainly offered through leveraged products, while the investment account can be used to buy shares and certain commodity-linked shares or ETCs. Crypto exposure may be spot, custody-based or derivative-based depending on account and country; leveraged crypto positions do not give wallet ownership.

Important regional differences

IG’s maximum leverage depends on jurisdiction, client classification and asset. UK and EU retail clients typically face a 1:30 cap on major currency pairs, while certain products in international jurisdictions may reach 1:200. Product access and protections also vary by entity. Retail negative balance protection applies to spread betting and CFD accounts in regulated regions such as the UK and EU, but international rules may differ.

IG supports copy trading indirectly through third-party tools, particularly MT4, rather than offering a native, fully automated social-copying service. Its community forum, client sentiment tools and signal-provider integrations offer market discussion or ideas, not automatic one-click copying.

Trading costs

IG uses floating spreads. The figures below are average spreads, not minimum advertised spreads; spreads can vary with the market. CFDs and spread bets are generally charged through the spread, while share CFDs carry commission.

Online share dealing and ISA trades in global shares and ETFs can have £0 commission when instant FX conversion is used. Share CFD trades carry commission, and phone dealing fees apply. Cryptocurrency trades carry a 1.49% spread fee.

Non-trading costs

IG charges a 0.7% currency conversion fee when trading or holding account activity in a currency different from the account’s base currency. It can apply to international share purchases and to foreign-currency profits, losses, funding charges and dividends in CFD or spread-betting accounts. No conversion fee applies when the trade is in the same currency as the account denomination.

Overnight funding may apply to cash CFD positions held at 10 pm UK time. The charge generally includes an interest-rate component and an IG administration fee; the fee component is 1% for FX pairs and 3% for other asset classes. Cryptocurrency funding is charged daily on leveraged positions held at that time: 0.0694% for long Bitcoin positions and 0.0764% for other cryptocurrencies. Futures do not incur this overnight charge because funding is built into the spread. Closing a position before the 10 pm cutoff avoids that day’s funding fee.

IG charges no broker deposit or withdrawal fee in the UK entity. Other entities, banks or intermediaries may impose charges, and currency conversion can add a cost. IG does not charge an inactivity fee.

Cost takeaway

The quoted averages help frame spread costs, but active traders should also account for any share-CFD commission, overnight funding and currency conversion. Short-term trades closed before the overnight cutoff avoid that day’s CFD funding charge; holding leveraged positions longer can make funding a material part of the cost.

Account options

IG’s account choice spans leveraged trading, investment wrappers and specialist products. The table distinguishes what each route is for; a dash mark indicates that a specific value is not set out for that account below.

Choose between leveraged accounts and investment accounts first: CFDs and spread bets provide derivative exposure, while share dealing, ISA and SIPP accounts support non-leveraged investing. Professional status is a separate eligibility route and reduces retail protections. Futures and US options have product-specific margin or contract requirements.

Platform choices

Base currency and account configuration

IG lists USD and GBP as base account currencies. A 0.7% conversion fee may apply when account activity is in another currency. IG offers a demo account. A standard swap-free Islamic account is generally not available to retail traders in most regions, although availability may be limited to IG’s Dubai entity.

IG combines leveraged derivatives with investment products. The market count is not a guarantee that every product is available in every jurisdiction or account.

Order execution

IG says fills can move in either direction from the requested price. If the market moves beyond IG’s tolerance, an order may be rejected rather than filled at a worse level. This means a requested price is not guaranteed in fast-moving markets.

Leverage, margin and stop-out

Leverage depends on region and asset. For UK and EU retail clients, major currency pairs are typically capped at 1:30; certain products in international jurisdictions may reach 1:200. Equities generally have lower leverage, typically 1:5 or up to 1:20, while commodities are often capped around 1:10 or 1:20. These are not universal limits across all accounts or regions.

IG’s margin-call level is 100% and its stop-out margin level is 50%. Retail clients in regulated regions such as the UK and EU receive negative balance protection on spread betting and CFD accounts. Professional clients do not receive that protection under the stated account terms, and protections can differ for international accounts.

Trading restrictions

IG allows scalping, hedging and news trading. MT4 supports automated trade copying through third-party signal providers, while IG’s API offering includes REST and streaming APIs for pricing, historical data and order execution; FIX API access is for institutional clients. Building a custom API application requires coding experience.

IG does not offer a native, fully automated social-copying platform. ProRealTime supports custom algorithms, backtesting and automated execution, while MT4 and MT5 automation is centered on desktop or VPS use. Platform and product conditions depend on the account and jurisdiction.

Day-to-day usability

IG has its own web and mobile platform and also supports third-party platforms including MT4, MT5, ProRealTime and TradingView. Clients can use a demo account to practise before trading live. Overnight financing is relevant to leveraged cash CFDs held at 10 pm UK time, so holding periods affect the cost as well as the trading result.

1. Eligibility

IG does not accept clients from a range of restricted countries, including the United States, Russia, Cuba and Iran. Product and entity eligibility varies by jurisdiction, so check the account terms applicable to your residence.

2. Registration

Choose the relevant account route, such as spread betting, CFD trading, share dealing, ISA or SIPP. Professional status requires qualification; it is not the default retail account classification.

3. Verification

IG requires identity and address checks. Applicants may need a government-issued ID and a recent utility bill, bank statement or credit-card statement. IG may also request proof of funds, particularly for large deposits or business accounts, and requires clients to update KYC details at least annually.

4. Initial funding

For leveraged trading, card funding has a £250 minimum, while bank transfer has no minimum. Share dealing and ISA accounts also have no bank-transfer minimum and a £250 card minimum. IG Smart Portfolio requires £500 to start investing; deposits can begin at £50, but investment starts only once the balance reaches £500.

5. Getting ready to trade

Select a platform and review the product’s margin, commission, spread and funding terms. A demo account is available. Automated trading through IG’s APIs requires development or coding experience, while MT4 and MT5 Expert Advisors run through their desktop or VPS environments.

Deposits

Withdrawals

Withdrawal minimums are $100 for each method in the table; when the available balance is below $100, the full balance can be withdrawn. Broker processing time and final settlement can differ, particularly for bank transfers and international routes.

Availability

IG’s customer-support hours run 24/7, with a break from Friday 22:00 to Saturday 08:00 UK time. Web chat, WhatsApp, phone and email are the stated contact channels.

How traders can get help

Clients can contact IG through chat or WhatsApp, phone the support line, or email the helpdesk. Support languages include English, Chinese Mandarin, Cantonese and Spanish.

Support limitations

Customer feedback is mixed. Some users praise quick responses and easy access to chat or phone support, while others report difficulty getting useful help through direct channels and resolving withdrawal issues. The recurring concern is follow-through on problems rather than simply reaching an agent.

IG operates across multiple regulatory jurisdictions, but an account’s regulator and protections depend on the entity serving the client. The FCA, ASIC, MAS, CFTC, JFSA, DFSA and FSCA registrations below should not be treated as applying to every client or product.

Legal entities and regulators

Client money protections

IG segregates retail client money from its corporate funds. In the UK, eligible clients may qualify for FSCS protection up to £85,000, but eligibility and coverage depend on the entity and product. Retail clients with spread betting and CFD accounts in regulated regions such as the UK and EU receive negative balance protection; this does not apply to professional traders, and international protections may differ.

Negative balance protection limits covered retail clients’ losses on the relevant leveraged accounts to the funds in the account. It does not protect an account from trading losses that remain within that balance.

Company transparency

IG was founded in 1974 and is publicly traded as IG Group Holdings plc. Its listed ticker is IGG on the London Stock Exchange.

Important distinction

Segregation and any eligible compensation scheme concern the handling or recovery of client money if a firm fails. They do not reimburse ordinary losses caused by market movements or unsuccessful trades.

What the headline claim suggests

IG offers multiple markets, platforms and account types, and some headline spread figures may appear to describe the cost of trading. But the quoted spread is only one part of the cost for a leveraged position.

What happens in practice

Holding a cash CFD through the 10 pm UK funding point can trigger overnight funding. Currency conversion can add a 0.7% fee when the trade or account activity is in a different currency from the account base currency. Share CFDs also carry commission, and leverage and protections depend on the entity and client classification.

Who should care most

This trade-off matters most to traders who hold leveraged positions overnight, trade assets denominated in another currency, or assume that leverage and protections are uniform across jurisdictions. Investors using non-leveraged share dealing avoid CFD overnight funding, but currency conversion can still apply to international share purchases.

Practical example

A cash CFD position still open at 10 pm UK time may incur overnight funding; closing it before that cutoff avoids the charge for that day. If the position also generates activity in a currency different from the account base currency, the 0.7% conversion fee may apply to the converted amount.

Consider IG if you...

• Want to choose between leveraged CFDs or spread betting and non-leveraged share investing.
• Need access to several markets and platforms, including MT4, MT5, ProRealTime and TradingView.
• Can assess the account-specific effects of overnight funding, commissions, currency conversion and regional protections.

You may want to look elsewhere if you...

• Require a standard swap-free Islamic account, which is generally unavailable to retail clients in most regions.
• Want a native, fully automated social platform that copies other traders with one click.
• Prefer to avoid leveraged products with potential overnight funding or account activity that can trigger currency-conversion charges.

IG’s strongest proposition is the combination of broad market access, several trading platforms and both leveraged-trading and investment-account routes. Its biggest compromise is that costs and protections are not captured by headline spreads alone: overnight funding, conversion fees and jurisdiction-specific terms matter. Active traders who value platform and product choice and are prepared to manage those conditions are most likely to accept that trade-off.

This review assesses IG’s account structures, pricing, platforms, funding terms, regulatory registrations, and client protections, while distinguishing broker claims, regulatory records, and user feedback. It does not rely on personal testing. For more detail on how brokers are assessed, see our review methodology.