Side by side
City Index vs IG vs CMC Markets
Choose up to four firms. We compare what matters when things go wrong: licences, compensation, legal protections, track record, then platforms and products.
| Firm | City Index | IG | CMC Markets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protection Score | 66 | 90 | 82 |
| Licence status | UK licence | EU/EEA licence | EU/EEA licence |
| European licences | FCA | FCA BaFin FINMA | FCA BaFin |
| Other licences | MAS | ASIC MAS FSA Japan DFSA (Dubai) FMA NZ | ASIC MAS FMA NZ CIRO |
| Compensation via EU/UK/CH entity | FCA: Up to £85,000 per person per firm for investments | FCA: Up to £85,000 per person per firm for investments BaFin: 90% of the claim, up to €20,000 per investor (investment firms) FINMA: Securities are separated from the bank's own assets; cash is covered by deposit protection | FCA: Up to £85,000 per person per firm for investments BaFin: 90% of the claim, up to €20,000 per investor (investment firms) |
| Negative balance protection (retail) | Yes, by law via EU/UK entity | Yes, by law via EU/UK entity | Yes, by law via EU/UK entity |
| Headquarters |  United Kingdom | United Kingdom | United Kingdom |
| Founded | 1983 | 1974 | 1989 |
| Type | Forex & CFD brokers | Forex & CFD brokers | Forex & CFD brokers |
| Listed / bank | — | Listed group, Banking licence | Listed group |
| Platforms | Own platform, MetaTrader 4, TradingView | Own platform, MetaTrader 4, ProRealTime, TradingView | Own platform, MetaTrader 4, TradingView |
| Products | CFDs, Spread betting, Forex | Forex, CFDs, Spread betting, Stocks, Options, Futures | Forex, CFDs, Spread betting, Stocks |
| Features | Professional accounts | Professional accounts, Direct market access | Professional accounts |
| Full profile | Full profile | Full profile |
Partner links are marked "Visit" and may earn us commission. Capital at risk.