IG Review (2026)
Follow research updates for IG →The FTSE-100 original — 17,000+ markets since 1974; entity and products vary sharply by country.
Licences: FCA, BaFin, ASIC, FINMA, MAS, DFSA, BMA, JFSA — the exact entity (and protection) depends on your country. See licence evidence ↓
The 60-second verdict
IG scores 85/100 on our method — best suited to huge market range, strong regulation, spread betting (uk/ie) traders, and a weaker fit if you want mt5 users.
Best for
- Huge market range
- Strong regulation
- Spread betting (UK/IE)
Not best for
- MT5 users
- Lowest-cost scalping
Score breakdown
Affiliate commission is weighted 0% and never affects this score.
Regulation & legal entities
| Regulators | FCA — United Kingdom, licence 195355 (Tier 1)Verified on registerchecked 2026-09-09 BaFin — Germany, licence 148759 (Tier 1)Verified on registerchecked 2026-08-25 ASIC — Australia, licence 515106 (Tier 1)Verified on registerchecked 2026-09-23 FINMA — Switzerland, entity on the register (no licence number published) (Tier 1)Verified on registerchecked 2026-08-25 MAS — Singapore, entity on the register (no licence number published) (Tier 1)Verified on registerchecked 2026-08-25 DFSA — Dubai, licence F001780 (Tier 2)Verified on registerchecked 2026-09-23 BMA — Bermuda, entity on the register (no licence number published) (Tier 3)Verified on registerchecked 2026-09-23 JFSA — Japan, licence Kanto (Kinsho) No. 255 (Tier 1)Verified on registerchecked 2026-09-23 |
| Segregated client fundsSegregated fundsClient money held in bank accounts kept separate from the broker's own funds, so it isn't used to run the business and is easier to return if the firm fails. | Yes |
| Compensation scheme | FSCS up to £85,000 (UK clients) |
| Negative-balance protectionNegative-balance protectionA safeguard that stops your account going below zero, so you can't end up owing the broker more than you deposited. Mandatory for retail clients in some regions. | Yes, for retail clients where required/applicable by region |
Source: our licence-evidence log — status shown per licenceConfirm licence numbers on the official register before depositing.
Is IG regulated? Full register check, entity by entity →
| IG Markets Limited | FCA 195355 | Verified on register | 2026-09-09 |
| IG Index Limited | FCA 114059 | Verified on register | 2026-09-09 |
| IG Europe GmbH | BaFin 148759 | Verified on register | 2026-08-25 |
| IG Australia Pty LtdHistorical correction: AFSL 220440 (IG Markets Limited) was read as Ceased on 15 September; it was incorrectly presented as the current Australian licence. Read first-hand on 23 September 2026 in ASIC's regulator-authored AFS licensee dataset, extract dated 17 September 2026 at 07:52: IG AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AFSL 515106, ABN 93 096 585 410, commenced 2 June 2020. This is verification against the dated official extract, not a live status assertion for 23 September. IG's current Australian website identifies IG Australia Pty Ltd with AFSL 515106 and the same ABN. | ASIC 515106 | Verified on register | 2026-09-23 |
| IG Bank S.A. | FINMA Register entry ↗ | Verified on register | 2026-08-25 |
| IG Asia Pte Ltd | MAS Register entry ↗ | Verified on register | 2026-08-25 |
| IG Limited | DFSA F001780 | Verified on register | 2026-09-23 |
| IG International Ltd | BMA Register entry ↗ | Verified on register | 2026-09-23 |
| IG Securities Ltd | JFSA Kanto (Kinsho) No. 255 | Verified on register | 2026-09-23 |
We corrected a licence record for IG after checking the official register — details in our public corrections log.
- 2025-06 · FSCA (South Africa): IG closed its onshore South African business (IG Markets South Africa, FSP 41393) in 2025, per industry reports citing the FSCA. Background: the FSCA declined IG's 2019 application for authorisation as an OTC derivative provider; IG contested the position and operated under a temporary exemption (existing clients only) from 2021 until the closure. A business outcome, not a fine — verify current status with the FSCA. official source
- 2023-06 · FCA (United Kingdom): FCA clone-firm warning about 'ICT Market 24', an unauthorised operation impersonating the genuine FCA-authorised IG Markets Limited (FRN 195355) — a warning about impersonators, not an action against IG. An earlier clone ('Wig Markets') was flagged in 2018/2020. official source
Neutral, sourced notes only — not an accusation. We show documented regulatory history where we have an official source.
Which IG entity would onboard you?
The brand is not the counterparty — the legal entity on your client agreement sets your regulator, protections and terms. These are the entities we track for this broker.
| Legal entity | Regulator | Typically onboards | Protection notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| IG Markets Limited United Kingdom | FCA (Tier 1) CFD entity (FRN 195355). Spread betting runs through the sister entity IG Index Limited (FRN 114059). UK retail crypto CFDs are banned; spot crypto runs via IG Digital Assets Limited (FCA cryptoasset register, Sep 2025). FCA-flagged clones have impersonated IG — verify the FRN. | GB | FSCS — up to £85,000 if the firm fails (not for trading losses) |
| IG Europe GmbH Germany (EU/EEA) | BaFin (Tier 1) BaFin ID 148759. Belgium is excluded by Belgium's own FSMA distribution ban on retail CFDs, not by IG specifically. | IE, DE, FR, ES, IT, NL, BE, AT, PT, PL, SE, DK, FI, GR, CZ, HU, RO, BG, HR, SK, SI, EE, LV, LT, LU, MT, CY, IS, LI, NO | No compensation scheme identified |
| IG Bank S.A. Switzerland | FINMA (Tier 1) A Swiss bank, outside EU/UK retail protections — its site discloses a higher retail loss rate (75%) than IG's UK/EU entities. | CH | No compensation scheme identified |
| IG Australia Pty Ltd Australia | ASIC (Tier 1) IG's Australian website names IG Australia Pty Ltd, AFSL 515106. ASIC's 17 September 2026 licensee extract confirms the entity and number (read 23 September). This replaces the ceased IG Markets Limited AFSL 220440; confirm the entity in your agreement. | AU | No compensation scheme identified |
| IG Asia Pte Ltd Singapore | MAS (Tier 1) | SG | No compensation scheme identified |
| IG International Limited Bermuda | BMA (Tier 3) The rest-of-world entity: clients outside IG's locally licensed markets are typically onboarded here, with no FSCS/EU-style compensation scheme. IG exited South Africa in 2025 (FSCA authorisation dispute) — South African residents are no longer served onshore. | Verify at signup | No compensation scheme identified |
See which entity likely applies to your country with the entity checker — and always confirm the entity named on your client agreement at signup.
Fees & spreads
| Typical spreadSpreadThe gap between the buy (ask) and sell (bid) price. It's a core trading cost — tighter spreads are cheaper for you. (EUR/USD) | from 0.6 pips |
| CommissionCommissionA flat per-trade fee, common on raw/ECN accounts that show tighter spreads. Always compare spread + commission together as the all-in cost. | Spread only |
| Minimum deposit | $250 |
| Inactivity fee | £12/month after 24 months of no trading |
| All-in cost index | $$$·· (3/5) |
Figures are typical published values, not live quotes. Costs and charges may vary depending on the jurisdiction, account type and entity that holds your account.
Pros
- FTSE-100 listed with 50 years of history and tier-1 licences across the UK, EU, Australia, Switzerland and Singapore
- Exceptional market range (17,000+ instruments) including real shares and UK ISAs
- Deep platform stack: IG's own platform plus ProRealTime, L2 Dealer and TradingView
Cons
- Pricier than raw-spread rivals — £250 card minimum and a £12/month inactivity fee after two idle years
- Products differ sharply by entity: spread betting is UK/IE-only, crypto CFDs are banned for UK retail, and rest-of-world clients sit with the Bermuda entity outside UK/EU protections
- MetaTrader support is MT4-only and limited to a small instrument subset — no MT5
This figure belongs to a legal entity, not to the brand, and each entity reports its own. See how IG compares in our CFD loss-rate study, read verbatim from the brokers' own sites.
Products shown are offered as CFDs unless otherwise stated. Crypto CFDs do not provide ownership of the underlying cryptoasset. Product availability varies by region.
Complaints & track record
The industry's oldest spread-betting firm and one of its most heavily regulated, with no regulator enforcement action found in our targeted searches of FCA, ASIC, BaFin and MAS records. History worth knowing: IG exited South Africa in 2025 after a long authorisation dispute with the FSCA, Australian civil class actions over CFD losses are ongoing litigation (not regulatory findings), and FCA-flagged clone firms have impersonated IG — check the entity name before depositing.
IG — common questions
Is IG regulated?
IG is regulated by FCA (United Kingdom), BaFin (Germany), ASIC (Australia), FINMA (Switzerland), MAS (Singapore), DFSA (Dubai), BMA (Bermuda), JFSA (Japan). Client funds are held in segregated accounts, with FSCS up to £85,000 (UK clients). The applicable licence and investor-protection scheme depend on the legal entity that onboards you, which varies by country — confirm the specific licence on the regulator's official register before depositing.
What is the minimum deposit at IG?
IG minimum deposit is $250. Deposit methods include Card, Bank transfer, PayPal. Available payment methods may vary depending on your jurisdiction, and depending on the payment method, third-party or bank charges may apply.
How long do withdrawals take at IG?
Typical withdrawal time is 1–3 days (method-dependent). Actual speed depends on your payment method and identity verification.
Is IG good for beginners?
IG is better suited to traders with some experience (beginner score 78/100). Beginners may prefer a simpler, lower-risk platform.
How does Clarytrade make money from this review?
If you open an account through our link, IG pays us a commission at no extra cost to you. It does not affect our score — commission is weighted 0% in our method.
This is a research-based review. We use published broker information, regulatory registers, pricing disclosures and platform documentation, scored against our published 8-criteria method— we don't claim live account testing unless stated. Figures are indicative; verify current terms with IG before depositing. We earn a commission if you open an account through our links — at no extra cost to you. It does not change our rankings. How we make money.
We earn a commission if you open an account through our links — at no extra cost to you. It does not change our rankings. How we make money.
Compare IG with similar platforms
Copy trading is not intended for EU/UK/AU-based audiences
Costs and charges may vary depending on the jurisdiction
