Pioneer of financial spread betting, listed on the London Stock Exchange; EU clients are served by IG Europe GmbH in Frankfurt and Swiss clients by IG Bank in Geneva.
- Headquarters
United Kingdom- Founded
- 1974
- Type
- Forex & CFD brokers
- Licences on record
- 8 (3 European)
- EU client entity
- IG Europe GmbH (Frankfurt, BaFin)
- Platforms
- Own platform, MetaTrader 4, ProRealTime, TradingView
- Products
- Forex, CFDs, Spread betting, Stocks, Options, Futures
- Website
- ig.com
Strengths
- Operating since 1974 and part of a London Stock Exchange-listed group
- Separately regulated entities for the EU (Germany), UK and Switzerland (IG Bank)
- Very large range of CFD markets, plus options and, in some countries, share dealing
- Guaranteed stops and other risk-management tools on its own platform
- ProRealTime, MetaTrader 4 and TradingView options alongside the web platform
Watch-outs
- The range and platform depth can feel overwhelming for beginners
- Share dealing and product availability vary by country of residence
- Overnight financing on long-held CFD positions adds up, as with any CFD provider
Overview
IG was founded in London in 1974 as IG Index, offering spread bets on the price of gold, and helped create the retail spread-betting and CFD industry. Today IG Group is listed on the London Stock Exchange and has expanded into US options and futures (tastytrade, acquired in 2021) and UK investing (Freetrade, acquired in 2025).
Which IG entity serves you
- EU residents are onboarded by IG Europe GmbH, based in Frankfurt and supervised by BaFin, which IG set up ahead of Brexit.
- UK residents deal with IG Markets Ltd / IG Index Ltd, authorised by the FCA, with spread betting available.
- Swiss residents can open accounts with IG Bank S.A. in Geneva, supervised by FINMA.
For EU retail clients, ESMA's leverage limits, negative balance protection and margin close-out apply, and the German investor compensation scheme covers client claims if the firm fails.
Platforms and products
IG's own web and mobile platform is its main offer, with advanced order types and guaranteed stops. Alternatives include MetaTrader 4, ProRealTime for advanced charting and automated strategies, and trading from TradingView. The product range covers forex, indices, commodities, shares, bonds and options as CFDs, plus – depending on residence – spread betting, turbo warrants and share dealing.
Costs
IG prices most CFDs through the spread, with commission on share CFDs. Check the current spreads for the markets you trade, overnight financing rates and any inactivity fee on the IG website, and compare them with our trading cost calculator.
Our view
IG is one of the most robust choices in the retail CFD industry from a protection standpoint: long history, listed parent, and European entities in Germany and Switzerland. It suits traders who value range and tools. Beginners should start small and use the demo account to get to grips with the platform.
Licences on record
Brands often operate several companies. The one that onboards you depends on where you live, and that company's regulator decides your protection. Confirm the entity on the official register before you deposit.
| Regulator | Jurisdiction | Type | Check it |
|---|---|---|---|
| FCA Financial Conduct Authority | United Kingdom |
UK | Official register |
| BaFin Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht) |  Germany |
EU/EEA – passportable | Official register |
| FINMA Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority |  Switzerland |
Switzerland | Regulator website |
| ASIC Australian Securities and Investments Commission |  Australia |
Non-European | Regulator website |
| MAS Monetary Authority of Singapore |  Singapore |
Non-European | Regulator website |
| FSA Japan Financial Services Agency (Japan) |  Japan |
Non-European | Regulator website |
| DFSA (Dubai) Dubai Financial Services Authority |  United Arab Emirates |
Non-European | Regulator website |
| FMA NZ Financial Markets Authority (New Zealand) |  New Zealand |
Non-European | Regulator website |
What protection would you get?
If you are a retail client of IG's European entity, these safeguards apply by law. Which one applies to you depends on the entity you sign with.
- Investor compensation: Up to £85,000 per person per firm for investments – Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS)
- Leverage for retail clients: capped at 30:1 on major currency pairs, down to 2:1 on crypto. Details
- Negative balance protection: you cannot lose more than the money in your account.
- Margin close-out: positions are closed when equity falls to 50% of required margin.
- Complaints: Financial Ombudsman Service
- Best forex brokers in United Kingdom
- Investor compensation: 90% of the claim, up to €20,000 per investor (investment firms) – EdW – Entschädigungseinrichtung der Wertpapierhandelsunternehmen
- Leverage for retail clients: capped at 30:1 on major currency pairs, down to 2:1 on crypto. Details
- Negative balance protection: you cannot lose more than the money in your account.
- Margin close-out: positions are closed when equity falls to 50% of required margin.
- Complaints: Bankenombudsmann (private banks) or BaFin arbitration board
- Best forex brokers in Germany
- Investor compensation: Securities are separated from the bank's own assets; cash is covered by deposit protection – No investor compensation scheme – securities in custody are segregated and returned in a bank failure
- Custody: securities held for clients are segregated from the bank's own assets.
- Complaints: Swiss Banking Ombudsman
- Best forex brokers in Switzerland
Verify IG yourself
- Find the exact company name in the footer of the website and in the client agreement you are asked to sign.
- Search that name on the register of the regulator listed for your country (links above). Make sure the register shows the same website domain.
- Check warning lists for look-alike names: IOSCO I-SCAN covers alerts from regulators worldwide.
- Never download remote-access software or move money because someone "from the broker" phoned you. How clone-firm scams work.
Protection Score breakdown
| Factor | Points |
|---|---|
| Holds at least one European licence (EU/EEA, UK or Swiss) | +40 |
| ESMA/FCA retail protections available (leverage caps, negative balance protection, compensation scheme) | +15 |
| Supervised in 8 strong jurisdictions | +12 |
| Group holds a banking licence (higher capital requirements) | +8 |
| Publicly listed group (audited public accounts) | +8 |
| Operating for 52 years | +7 |
| Total | 90/100 |
The score measures structural protection from licences and corporate facts, not costs, service or platform quality. A high score does not mean a firm is right for you. Methodology.
Trader experiences
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About this data
Profile type: reviewed profile. Licence data is from our research and has not yet been re-checked against every register; confirm it on the official register before relying on it. Last updated 30 September 2026.
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