IG Forex Broker Review
FXMARE editorial rating, not user reviews.
Reviewed by the FXMARE Research Desk under our review methodology · licences last verified 2026-06-25
The world's largest CFD provider by revenue — a 50-year-old, FTSE 100-listed institution with unrivalled instrument range, six trading platforms, and top-tier global regulation.
Spread from: 0.16 pips (raw/ECN) · Min deposit: £1 / $0 (bank wire); ~$250–$300 for card/PayPal deposits (varies by region) · Max leverage: 1:30 (EU/UK retail, major forex pairs); 1:222 (professional clients, UK/EU); up to 1:400 (offshore/Bermuda entity) · Instruments: 17,000+ CFDs; 97 forex pairs; 55 crypto; 13,000+ stocks/ETFs; indices, commodities, options, futures
Spreads, minimum deposit and leverage are indicative and vary by account type and jurisdiction — confirm current terms on the broker’s site.
Between 74% and 89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs.
You should consider whether you understand how CFDs and leveraged products work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. FXMARE is not a broker and does not offer these products; figures are indicative of those disclosed by regulated providers. This page is information, not financial advice. See our full risk disclosure.
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IG Overview
The world's largest CFD provider by revenue — a 50-year-old, FTSE 100-listed institution with unrivalled instrument range, six trading platforms, and top-tier global regulation.
IG is regulated by FCA (UK), BaFin + Deutsche Bundesbank (Germany/EU), ASIC (Australia), FMA (New Zealand), MAS (Singapore), DFSA (Dubai), FINMA (Switzerland), BMA (Bermuda), CFTC + NFA + FINRA (United States — tastyfx entity), JFSA (Japan). Independently verifiable licences include FCA — IG Markets Limited (Ref 195355); FCA — IG Index Limited (Ref 114059). It ranks among the most trusted, tier-1-regulated brokers in this comparison.
EUR/USD spreads start around 0.16 pips on the raw/ECN account (about 0.9 pips on the standard, commission-free account), with $6 (Forex Direct DMA account, per 100k lot) commission. The minimum deposit is £1 / $0 (bank wire); ~$250–$300 for card/PayPal deposits (varies by region) and maximum retail leverage is 1:30 (EU/UK retail, major forex pairs); 1:222 (professional clients, UK/EU); up to 1:400 (offshore/Bermuda entity). Swap-free (Islamic) trading is offered conditionally — Islamic/swap-free account available only through IG's Dubai (DFSA) entity; not offered by the UK, EU, or Australian entities. Alternative administration fees may apply in place of overnight swap charges..
Platforms include IG Web & Mobile, MT4, MT5, ProRealTime, TradingView, L2 Dealer. IG provides ~19,500+ (17,000+ CFDs; 97 forex pairs; 55 crypto; 13,000+ stocks/ETFs; indices, commodities, options, futures) across Forex, funded via Bank Wire, Debit/Credit Card (Visa, Mastercard), PayPal (select regions), Apple Pay, BPAY (Australia).
IG is the gold standard for regulation and breadth in the retail CFD space — its FCA, ASIC, BaFin, MAS, and DFSA licences, 50-year track record, and FTSE 100 listing make it one of the safest broker choices available. The trade-off is cost: standard spreads around 0.9 pips on EUR/USD are uncompetitive against raw-spread ECN brokers, and the Islamic account is a Dubai-only offering. For traders who prioritise trust, platform quality (MT4/MT5/ProRealTime/TradingView all in one place), and an enormous product range over razor-thin spreads, IG remains a top-tier pick.
Headquarters: London, United Kingdom · Funding: Bank Wire, Debit/Credit Card (Visa, Mastercard), PayPal (select regions), Apple Pay, BPAY (Australia)
Pros
- One of the oldest and most trusted CFD/spread betting brokers, publicly listed on FTSE 100 with 50+ years of operation
- Exceptional platform breadth: proprietary web/mobile, MT4, MT5, ProRealTime, TradingView, and L2 Dealer DMA in one package
- Widest instrument range in the industry at ~19,500 tradeable instruments across all major asset classes
- Tier-1 regulation across 8+ jurisdictions (FCA, ASIC, BaFin, MAS, DFSA, FINMA) with consistently high trust scores
- Outstanding in-house research tools, education (IG Academy), AutoChartist, and TradingCentral integration
Cons
- Standard account spreads (~0.9 pips EUR/USD) are higher than pure ECN/raw-spread competitors like IC Markets or Pepperstone
- Islamic/swap-free account is restricted to the Dubai entity only — unavailable for UK, EU, Australian clients
- No native copy trading feature; third-party solutions required
- Higher minimum effective deposit for card/PayPal users ($250–$300) and minimum £10 commission on share CFDs
IG Ratings Breakdown
IG Fees, Spreads & Leverage
IG Regulation & Entities
Licence numbers link to each regulator’s public register so you can verify them yourself. Last checked 2026-06-25.
IG is authorised by FCA (UK), BaFin + Deutsche Bundesbank (Germany/EU), ASIC (Australia), FMA (New Zealand), MAS (Singapore), DFSA (Dubai), FINMA (Switzerland), BMA (Bermuda), CFTC + NFA + FINRA (United States — tastyfx entity), JFSA (Japan). Brokers regulated in tier-1 jurisdictions are generally required to hold client money separately from company funds and may offer protections such as negative-balance protection or an investor-compensation scheme — the exact safeguards depend on the entity you sign up with. As with all trading, your capital is at risk. Confirm which entity, licence and protections apply to your country on the regulator’s register before funding an account.
Want a deeper, sourced safety check? See our broker safety checks — regulator registers, review-platform sentiment and unresolved questions, in one place.
IG Platforms & Execution
Available on desktop, web and mobile. Tradable across Forex. Track every position you take with IG in the FXMARE trading journal.
IG Verdict — Is It Safe & Legitimate?
IG is the gold standard for regulation and breadth in the retail CFD space — its FCA, ASIC, BaFin, MAS, and DFSA licences, 50-year track record, and FTSE 100 listing make it one of the safest broker choices available. The trade-off is cost: standard spreads around 0.9 pips on EUR/USD are uncompetitive against raw-spread ECN brokers, and the Islamic account is a Dubai-only offering. For traders who prioritise trust, platform quality (MT4/MT5/ProRealTime/TradingView all in one place), and an enormous product range over razor-thin spreads, IG remains a top-tier pick.
Affiliate link · £1 / $0 (bank wire); ~$250–$300 for card/PayPal deposits (varies by region) min deposit · Trading CFDs is high-risk
IG — frequently asked questions
Is IG regulated?
IG states it is authorised by FCA (UK), BaFin + Deutsche Bundesbank (Germany/EU), ASIC (Australia), FMA (New Zealand), MAS (Singapore), DFSA (Dubai), FINMA (Switzerland), BMA (Bermuda), CFTC + NFA + FINRA (United States — tastyfx entity), JFSA (Japan). We last checked those licence details against the regulators' own public registers on 2026-06-25. Licences are entity-specific: the group company that onboards you depends on your country, so confirm which entity your client agreement names before depositing.
What is the minimum deposit at IG?
IG lists £1 / $0 (bank wire); ~$250–$300 for card/PayPal deposits (varies by region) min deposit. Minimums vary by account type, funding method and regional entity, so treat this as indicative and confirm the figure on the broker's own site for the account you intend to open.
What spreads does IG offer on EUR/USD?
IG advertises spreads from 0.16 pips (raw/ECN), with EUR/USD quoted around 0.9 pips (standard) · 0.16 pips + commission (raw). Commission: $6 (Forex Direct DMA account, per 100k lot). Advertised "from" figures are floors seen in ideal conditions rather than averages — compare total cost per round turn (spread plus commission) at the volume you actually trade.
What is the maximum leverage at IG?
IG advertises up to 1:30 (EU/UK retail, major forex pairs); 1:222 (professional clients, UK/EU); up to 1:400 (offshore/Bermuda entity). Leverage caps are set by the regulator of the entity you trade with, so retail clients in the UK, EU and Australia receive materially lower caps than the headline figure. Higher leverage magnifies losses as much as gains.
Does IG offer swap-free (Islamic) accounts?
Partly. IG offers swap-free trading with conditions. Islamic/swap-free account available only through IG's Dubai (DFSA) entity; not offered by the UK, EU, or Australian entities. Alternative administration fees may apply in place of overnight swap charges.
Which platforms does IG support?
IG supports IG Web & Mobile, MT4, MT5, ProRealTime, TradingView, L2 Dealer. Platform availability can differ by entity and account type — a platform offered in one region is not guaranteed in another, so verify it is available on the specific account you plan to open.
Community Rating
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Complaints & Resolutions
No complaints filed against IG. If you’ve had an unresolved issue, you can file one above.
FXMARE may earn a commission if you open an account through links on this page, including any placement marked Sponsored. This does not affect our independent rating of IG. Trading forex and CFDs carries a high level of risk and most retail accounts lose money. This review is information, not financial advice — verify all terms with the broker directly.
Alternatives to IG
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