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Match Me

IG Review

David Okonjo

Written by

David Okonjo
Lisa Martinez

Fact Checked by

Lisa Martinez

Updated

Jan 4, 2026
Broker review header

99

Trust Score: 99/100

Based on regulatory status, company history, and financial transparency

  • 50+ years of market experience (Est. 1974)
  • Access to 17,000+ global markets
  • Regulated by FCA, ASIC, MAS, CFTC, BaFin (Tier-1)
  • New: Spot Crypto trading for UK clients (2026)
  • FTSE 250 publicly traded company (LON: IGG)

Founded

1974

Headquarters

London, United Kingdom

Stock Symbol

LON: IGG

Clients

313,000+

Why choose IG

IG is one of the world's largest and most established CFD and forex brokers, founded in 1974. As a FTSE 250 company, IG serves over 313,000 clients worldwide and provides access to more than 17,000 financial markets. The broker is renowned for its cutting-edge technology, comprehensive educational resources, and award-winning trading platforms.

Pros

  • Regulated by 8+ top-tier authorities (FCA, ASIC, CFTC, etc.)
  • Huge range of 17,000+ instruments including options & futures
  • FTSE 250 listed company with high financial transparency
  • Top-tier educational academy and daily market analysis
  • New physical crypto offering for UK clients (2026)

Cons

  • Admin fee on overnight funding increased to 1.5% (Dec 2026)
  • Higher spreads on UK small-cap shares (2026 update)
  • No Islamic (swap-free) account available
  • MetaTrader 4 offering is limited compared to proprietary platform
IG logo

IG

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Popular choice

Min Deposit:

$0

Inactivity Fee:

No

Regulated:

Yes

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IG offers competitive trading fees with spreads starting from 0.6 pips on EUR/USD. However, 2026 sees some fee increases: overnight funding admin fees rose to 1.5% in Dec 2026. Share dealing is commission-free for active traders (3+ trades/qtr), otherwise £24/qtr custody fee applies.

Non-trading fees

Inactivity fee: No.

IG remains the gold standard for safety in 2026, holding licenses from virtually every major regulator globally. Listed on the LSE (FTSE 250), it provides the highest level of financial transparency.

Regulatory Status

RegulatorCountryTierLicense
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)United KingdomTier-1195355
Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC)AustraliaTier-1515106
Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS)SingaporeTier-1-
Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht (BaFin)GermanyTier-1-
Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC)United StatesTier-1-
Financial Markets Authority (FMA)New ZealandTier-1-
Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA)UAETier-1-

Safety Features

Segregated AccountsYes
Negative Balance ProtectionYes
Investor ProtectionUp to £85,000 under FSCS (UK clients)
Compensation SchemeFinancial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) protects UK retail clients up to £85,000

Is regulated?

Yes, heavily regulated.

Find your safe broker

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IG offers a variety of convenient deposit and withdrawal options with no internal fees. Processing times are among the fastest in the industry, with card and e-wallet deposits credited instantly. The broker supports multiple base currencies to minimize conversion costs.

Deposit Options

MethodProcessing TimeFeeMin. Deposit
Credit/Debit Card (Visa, Mastercard)InstantFree$250
Bank Transfer1-5 business daysFreeNo minimum
PayPalInstantFree$250
Apple PayInstantFree$50
BPAY (Australia)1-2 business daysFreeNo minimum

Withdrawal Options

MethodProcessing TimeFeeMin. Withdrawal
Bank Transfer1-5 business days (same day for Faster Payments)Free$100
Credit/Debit Card2-5 business daysFree$100
PayPalInstant to 1 business dayFree$100

Base Currencies

USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, CHF, JPY, SGD, HKD, CAD

Opening an account with IG is a fully digital process that typically takes 1-3 business days for verification. The broker accepts clients from most countries and offers various account types including standard CFD accounts, spread betting (UK/Ireland), and share dealing accounts.

Account Types

Account TypeMin. DepositKey Features
Standard CFD Account$0
  • • Spreads from 0.6 pips
  • • All 17,000+ markets
Professional AccountMust meet eligibility criteria
  • • Higher leverage up to 500:1
  • • Reduced margin requirements
Share Dealing Account (UK)No minimum
  • • Buy real shares
  • • ISA and SIPP available
Spread Betting Account (UK/Ireland)$0
  • • Tax-free profits for UK residents
  • • Same markets as CFDs

Verification Steps

  • Time to open: 1-3 business days (can be same day with instant verification)
  • Demo Account: Yes
  • Islamic Account: No
Open Account

IG's mobile trading app is an award-winner, rated 4.6/5 on iOS with 32,000+ reviews. The app provides full trading functionality with access to all 17,000+ markets, advanced charting, and seamless account management. It won 'Best Mobile App' at the ADVFN International Financial Awards 2024.

IG mobile app screenshot 1
IG mobile app screenshot 2
IG mobile app screenshot 3

App Features

  • Full access to 17,000+ markets
  • Advanced real-time charts with multiple indicators
  • Customizable watchlists and portfolios
  • One-tap trading from charts
  • Real-time price alerts and notifications
  • Integrated market news and analysis
  • 256-bit SSL encryption for security
  • Biometric login (Face ID/Touch ID/fingerprint)
  • Trader sentiment indicators
  • Educational content and webinars

IG offers multiple desktop trading options including its proprietary web platform, MetaTrader 4, ProRealTime for advanced charting, and L2 Dealer for Direct Market Access. The platforms cater to traders of all levels, from beginners to professionals.

IG desktop platform screenshot

Supported Platforms

  • IG Web Trading Platform: IG's flagship proprietary platform accessible via any web browser. Features a modern, intuitive interface with comprehensive charting and analysis tools.
  • MetaTrader 4 (MT4): Industry-standard platform popular for forex trading and automated strategies via Expert Advisors (EAs).
  • ProRealTime: Premium advanced charting platform with 30 years of historical data. Free for traders placing 4+ trades per month; otherwise £30/month.
  • L2 Dealer: Direct Market Access (DMA) platform for professional traders who want to trade at underlying exchange prices.

Compare platform providers:

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IG offers one of the widest ranges of tradeable instruments in the industry with over 17,000 markets. This includes 99 forex pairs, 80 indices, 13,000+ stocks, 35 commodities, 31 cryptocurrencies, 6,000+ ETFs, real stock trading (UK), and options/futures. In 2024, IG launched spot crypto trading with 31 tokens for UK clients.

Available Instruments

Forex Pairs99
Indices80
Stocks13000
Commodities35
Cryptos31
ETFs6000

Leverage Limits

InstrumentMax Leverage
Forex30:1 retail / 200:1 professional
Indices20:1 retail / 200:1 professional
Stocks5:1 retail / 25:1 professional
Crypto2:1 retail / 5:1 professional

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Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, IG is one of the safest brokers globally. Founded in 1974, IG is regulated by 8+ Tier-1 authorities including FCA (UK), ASIC (Australia), CFTC (US), MAS (Singapore), and BaFin (Germany). IG is publicly listed on the London Stock Exchange (FTSE 250) with audited financials. Client funds are protected by FSCS up to £85,000 for UK clients.

IG has no minimum deposit for bank transfers. For credit/debit card and PayPal deposits, the minimum is £250 (or $250). This makes IG accessible to traders with various capital levels.

IG offers competitive spreads: EUR/USD from 0.6 pips (avg 0.9), GBP/USD avg 0.9 pips, S&P 500 from 0.4 points. DMA accounts offer tighter spreads from 0.1 pips with ~$6 commission per round turn.

IG has no deposit or withdrawal fees for most methods. An inactivity fee of $12/month applies after 24 months of no trading. Currency conversion is 0.5%. Overnight funding includes a 1.5% admin fee. UK stock trading is commission-free for active traders.

IG offers its proprietary web/mobile platform, MetaTrader 4, ProRealTime (advanced charting), L2 Dealer (DMA), and TradingView integration. ProRealTime is free for traders placing 4+ trades per month.

Yes, IG offers crypto trading via CFDs on 31 cryptocurrencies. In 2024, IG also launched physical crypto trading capabilities for UK clients, allowing actual ownership of crypto assets.

Yes, IG is excellent for beginners due to IG Academy (comprehensive free education), user-friendly web platform, risk management tools like Guaranteed Stops, and demo account with $10,000 virtual funds.

Yes, IG offers spread betting for UK and Ireland residents. Spread betting profits are tax-free in the UK (subject to individual circumstances). Same markets available as CFDs with no stamp duty.

Retail clients: Up to 30:1 on forex, 20:1 on indices, 5:1 on stocks, 2:1 on crypto. Professional clients can access higher leverage (up to 200:1 on forex) after meeting eligibility criteria.

Yes, IG offers a free demo account with $10,000 virtual funds. The demo account mirrors live market conditions and is unlimited in duration, perfect for practicing strategies.
David Okonjo

David Okonjo

Price Action • Market Strategy • Global Markets

Author of this review

David is a seasoned market strategist who has led research teams at multiple international brokerage firms. Known for his insightful market commentary, he provides daily analysis and educational content on price action trading.

Chief Market Strategist — Everything you find on BrokerAnalysis is based on reliable data and unbiased information. We combine our 10+ years finance experience with readers feedback.

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