Side by side
IG vs Plus500 vs Swissquote
Choose up to four firms. We compare what matters when things go wrong: licences, compensation, legal protections, track record, then platforms and products.
| Firm | IG | Plus500 | Swissquote |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protection Score | 90 | 82 | 90 |
| Licence status | EU/EEA licence | EU/EEA licence | EU/EEA licence |
| European licences | FCA BaFin FINMA | FCA CySEC Finantsinspektsioon | FINMA FCA CSSF MFSA |
| Other licences | ASIC MAS FSA Japan DFSA (Dubai) FMA NZ | ASIC FMA NZ FSCA MAS DFSA (Dubai) SCB | DFSA (Dubai) SFC |
| Compensation via EU/UK/CH entity | 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 CySEC: 90% of the covered claim, capped at €20,000 per investor Finantsinspektsioon: At least €20,000 per investor (EU minimum under the Investor Compensation Schemes Directive 97/9/EC; schemes may cover 90% of the claim). | 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 CSSF: Up to €20,000 per investor MFSA: 90% of the net liability, up to €20,000 per investor |
| 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 |  Israel |  Switzerland |
| Founded | 1974 | 2008 | 1996 |
| Type | Forex & CFD brokers | Forex & CFD brokers | Multi-asset brokers |
| Listed / bank | Listed group, Banking licence | Listed group | Listed group, Banking licence |
| Platforms | Own platform, MetaTrader 4, ProRealTime, TradingView | Own platform | Own platform, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5 |
| Products | Forex, CFDs, Spread betting, Stocks, Options, Futures | CFDs, Futures, Stocks | Forex, CFDs, Stocks, ETFs, Crypto, Options, Futures, Funds |
| Features | Professional accounts, Direct market access | Professional accounts | — |
| Full profile | Full profile | Full profile |
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