---
title: "IG review: markets, platforms and regulation"
description: "IG (IG Markets) reviewed: a FTSE 250 broker with over 17,000 markets, its own platform plus MetaTrader and TradingView, and your company."
canonical: https://thetraderwiki.com/en/ig/
lang: en
kind: comparison
published: 2026-09-30
updated: 2026-10-15
author: "Samuel T." (https://thetraderwiki.com/en/authors/samuel-t/)
html: https://thetraderwiki.com/en/ig/
json: https://thetraderwiki.com/en/ig/index.json
---

# IG review (IG Markets)

[Home](https://thetraderwiki.com/en/) › [Guides](https://thetraderwiki.com/en/learn/) › [IG](https://thetraderwiki.com/en/ig/)

IG is a regulated forex and [CFD](https://thetraderwiki.com/en/glossary/#cfd) broker, still searched for as IG Markets. IG is listed on the London Stock Exchange and sits in the FTSE 250. Its range is very large, with more than 17,000 markets on its global site, and you can trade on its own platform, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5 or TradingView. It’s regulated in the UK, Germany, Australia and Dubai. Its global company is regulated in Bermuda, and IG explains how it measures its average [spreads](https://thetraderwiki.com/en/glossary/#spread). The trade-off is that the average it shows is about 7 years old, and its global company doesn’t publish its licence number. Pick your country below to see which IG company you’d be with.

## IG at a glance

IG stands out for its wide range of markets, its platforms and the jurisdictions where it’s regulated, but there are a few things to weigh up.

- **A very large range**: More than 13,000 shares, 5,400 ETFs and 80 forex pairs are listed on its global site, plus indices and commodities ([IG global site](https://www.ig.com/en)).
- **Its own platform and the usual ones**: The IG platform and L2 Dealer, plus MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5 and TradingView, where you can trade from the chart ([trading platforms](https://thetraderwiki.com/en/trading-platforms/)).
- **Listed and regulated**: IG Group is in the FTSE 250, and its companies are authorised by the [FCA](https://www.fca.org.uk/), [BaFin](https://www.bafin.de/), [ASIC](https://asic.gov.au/) and the [DFSA](https://www.dfsa.ae/), each giving [retail clients](https://thetraderwiki.com/en/glossary/#retail-client) [negative balance protection](https://thetraderwiki.com/en/glossary/#negative-balance-protection). Its global company is licensed in Bermuda.
- **What to weigh up**: The average spread it shows is about 7 years old, Poland isn’t served, and its global company publishes neither its licence number nor negative balance protection ([offshore brokers](https://thetraderwiki.com/en/offshore-brokers/)).

## Leverage at IG’s global company

[Leverage](https://thetraderwiki.com/en/glossary/#leverage) at IG International Limited in Bermuda, IG’s global company, runs well above the 30:1 that IG’s UK, German, Australian and Dubai companies give retail clients ([maximum leverage](https://thetraderwiki.com/en/maximum-leverage/)). IG states the figure as [margin](https://thetraderwiki.com/en/glossary/#margin), so 0.5% margin works out at 200:1 ([IG margin rates](https://www.ig.com/en/charges/margin)). With more leverage you take bigger positions, so you face bigger losses and bigger gains.

- **Up to 200:1 on gold**: Spot gold needs 0.5% margin at the global company, or 200:1. Silver needs 2%, or 50:1 ([IG margin rates](https://www.ig.com/en/charges/margin)).
- **Up to 200:1 on major forex pairs**: EUR/USD, GBP/USD and AUD/USD need 0.5% margin, also 200:1 ([IG margin rates](https://www.ig.com/en/charges/margin)).
- **Up to 67:1 on oil**: US crude and Brent crude each need 1.5% margin, or about 67:1 ([IG margin rates](https://www.ig.com/en/charges/margin)).
- **Up to 10:1 on crypto, 20:1 on big shares**: Bitcoin and Ether need 10% margin, or 10:1. Apple and Tesla need 5%, or 20:1 ([IG margin rates](https://www.ig.com/en/charges/margin)).

## Is IG regulated where you live?

IG is regulated in every country it serves here. Where you live usually decides which IG company takes you on. Your [leverage](https://thetraderwiki.com/en/glossary/#leverage) and protections both depend on [the company that opens your account](https://thetraderwiki.com/en/broker-groups-and-regulators/) and its regulator. Someone in France usually signs up with IG Europe GmbH, regulated by [BaFin](https://www.bafin.de/). Someone in Thailand usually joins the global company, IG International Limited, which holds a licence from the Bermuda Monetary Authority. That global company offers more leverage, up to 200:1 on major forex pairs, but fewer protections. IG says it can’t open new accounts for residents of Poland.

The group also holds licences from the FCA, BaFin, ASIC and the DFSA, even if the global company accepts you. Those regulators check who owns and runs the group and hold the group’s companies in their countries to their capital and client money rules, though those rules protect only those companies’ clients. Because IG Group is listed on the London Stock Exchange, its audited accounts cover the whole group, the global company included. The last column gives what the global company’s own terms say about your country.

*Key: NP = not published by the provider*

| Country | Company that serves you | Highest retail leverage | Negative balance protection | The group’s global company | Highest retail leverage | Negative balance protection | Its terms on your country |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Germany | IG Europe GmbH (BaFin) | 30:1 | A retail right | IG International Limited (Bermuda BMA) | 200:1 | NP | Whether it takes residents of your country isn’t established. |
| Spain | IG Europe GmbH (BaFin) | 30:1 | A retail right | IG International Limited (Bermuda BMA) | 200:1 | NP | Whether it takes residents of your country isn’t established. |
| France | IG Europe GmbH (BaFin) | 30:1 | A retail right | IG International Limited (Bermuda BMA) | 200:1 | NP | Whether it takes residents of your country isn’t established. |
| Italy | IG Europe GmbH (BaFin) | 30:1 | A retail right | IG International Limited (Bermuda BMA) | 200:1 | NP | Whether it takes residents of your country isn’t established. |
| Poland | No company listed here | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Portugal | IG Europe GmbH (BaFin) | 30:1 | A retail right | IG International Limited (Bermuda BMA) | 200:1 | NP | Whether it takes residents of your country isn’t established. |
| United Kingdom | IG Markets Ltd and IG Index Ltd (FCA) | 30:1 | A retail right | IG International Limited (Bermuda BMA) | 200:1 | NP | Whether it takes residents of your country isn’t established. |
| Australia | IG Australia Pty Ltd (ASIC) | 30:1 | A retail right | IG International Limited (Bermuda BMA) | 200:1 | NP | Whether it takes residents of your country isn’t established. |
| Argentina | IG International Limited (Bermuda BMA) | 200:1 | NP | The same company | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Brazil | IG International Limited (Bermuda BMA) | 200:1 | NP | The same company | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Chile | IG International Limited (Bermuda BMA) | 200:1 | NP | The same company | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Colombia | IG International Limited (Bermuda BMA) | 200:1 | NP | The same company | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Mexico | IG International Limited (Bermuda BMA) | 200:1 | NP | The same company | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Peru | IG International Limited (Bermuda BMA) | 200:1 | NP | The same company | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Indonesia | IG International Limited (Bermuda BMA) | 200:1 | NP | The same company | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Malaysia | IG International Limited (Bermuda BMA) | 200:1 | NP | The same company | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Philippines | IG International Limited (Bermuda BMA) | 200:1 | NP | The same company | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Thailand | IG International Limited (Bermuda BMA) | 200:1 | NP | The same company | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Vietnam | IG International Limited (Bermuda BMA) | 200:1 | NP | The same company | n/a | n/a | n/a |

*These figures were checked between 4 October 2026 and 17 October 2026. Confirm them with the broker before you open an account.*

## Leverage on each instrument

IG International Limited sets leverage instrument by instrument. On all eight forex pairs the comparison covers, and on gold, it offers 200:1. Silver and copper are at 50:1. Both crude oils come with 67:1, and natural gas with 33:1. Apple, Tesla, Amazon and Meta are at 20:1, while Microsoft and NVIDIA are at 5:1. Bitcoin, Ether, XRP and Litecoin are at 10:1 ([forex pairs](https://thetraderwiki.com/en/compare-brokers/#forex-pairs), [crypto pairs](https://thetraderwiki.com/en/compare-brokers/#crypto-pairs), [commodities](https://thetraderwiki.com/en/compare-brokers/#commodities), [shares](https://thetraderwiki.com/en/compare-brokers/#shares)).

Those ratios are based on [margin](https://thetraderwiki.com/en/glossary/#margin) rates. The UK, German, Australian and Bermuda companies all publish margin tiers for each instrument, and none of them promises notice before it changes a tier.

A change of status is what going above 30:1 at the UK, German or Australian company means. At the UK and German companies that’s becoming a [professional client](https://thetraderwiki.com/en/glossary/#professional-client), and at the Australian one a wholesale client.

## Costs it publishes

IG publishes its average spread on a forex page, where it marks the figure with a 12-week period and does not include an update notice. The only inactivity fee it states as a figure is for Switzerland.

*What the group publishes about its trading costs, field by field.*

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Average spread published | Published, but out of date |
| Method and period | Yes |
| Swap benchmark | Yes |
| Swap mark-up | No |
| Inactivity fee stated | Switzerland only |

*These figures come straight from each broker’s published information, with no check date noted. Confirm them with the broker before you open an account.*

## Funding

Funding at IG International Limited is by card or bank transfer, and its funding page shows no crypto and no e-wallet. The UK company sets out its own terms. There you can deposit by card, Apple Pay or bank transfer, and card and bank transfer deposits carry no fee ([funding at other brokers](https://thetraderwiki.com/en/compare-brokers/#funding-terms)). Because the broker can change these terms and those in the by-country table below at its own discretion, always double-check them on the broker’s own website before you deposit.

*How the group’s global company says an account can be funded.*

*Key: NP = not published by the provider*

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Card deposits | Yes |
| Bank transfer | Yes |
| Crypto deposits | No |
| Base currencies | NP |
| Minimum deposit | $50 by card, none by bank transfer |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | No fee by debit card, 1 % by Visa credit card and 0.5 % by Mastercard credit card, and your own bank may charge for a wire |
| Withdrawal time | NP |

*These figures were checked on 29 September 2026. Confirm them with the broker before you open an account.*

## Funding, by country

Funding by card works in every country IG serves here. Of those countries, only Australia has local [payment rails](https://thetraderwiki.com/en/payment-rails-by-country/), PayID and BPAY. Crypto deposits aren’t accepted in Australia, Latin America or South-east Asia. IG doesn’t say whether they’re accepted in the UK or EU countries.

*What a resident of each country can use to fund an account: cards, the payment rails local to the country that the group accepts, whether a crypto deposit is taken from there and the minimum deposit at the company that serves it.*

*Key: NP = not published by the provider*

| Country | Available | Card deposits | Local payment rails | Crypto deposits | Minimum deposit |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Germany | Yes | Yes | None | NP | NP |
| Spain | Yes | Yes | None | NP | NP |
| France | Yes | Yes | None | NP | NP |
| Italy | Yes | Yes | None | NP | NP |
| Poland | no company listed for this country | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Portugal | Yes | Yes | None | NP | NP |
| United Kingdom | Yes | Yes | None | NP | £1 per card deposit, none by bank transfer |
| Australia | Yes | Yes | PayID, BPAY | No | A$100 by card, Apple Pay or PayPal, A$10 by BPAY |
| Argentina | Yes | Yes | None | No | $50 by card, none by bank transfer |
| Brazil | Yes | Yes | None | No | $50 by card, none by bank transfer |
| Chile | Yes | Yes | None | No | $50 by card, none by bank transfer |
| Colombia | Yes | Yes | None | No | $50 by card, none by bank transfer |
| Mexico | Yes | Yes | None | No | $50 by card, none by bank transfer |
| Peru | Yes | Yes | None | No | $50 by card, none by bank transfer |
| Indonesia | Yes | Yes | None | No | $50 by card, none by bank transfer |
| Malaysia | Yes | Yes | None | No | $50 by card, none by bank transfer |
| Philippines | Yes | Yes | None | No | $50 by card, none by bank transfer |
| Thailand | Yes | Yes | None | No | $50 by card, none by bank transfer |
| Vietnam | Yes | Yes | None | No | $50 by card, none by bank transfer |

*These figures were checked between 27 September 2026 and 16 October 2026. Confirm them with the broker before you open an account.*

## Platforms and tools

IG’s platforms vary a little across its sites. The Australian site lists MetaTrader 4 and TradingView, but does not name MetaTrader 5.

*Platforms, tools and related fields, as the group states them.*

*Key: NP = not published by the provider*

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| MetaTrader 4 | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 | Yes |
| cTrader | NP |
| TradingView | Yes, trading from its charts |
| Proprietary platform | IG platform, L2 Dealer |
| API access | REST and streaming, with FIX via IG Prime |
| Copy trading | NP |
| Hosted servers | Free above £5,000 balance, else £50 a month |
| Analysis tools | Autochartist, PIA-First, ProRealTime |
| Minimum lot | 0.01 |

*These figures come straight from each broker’s published information, with no check date noted. Confirm them with the broker before you open an account.*

## What you can trade

Each of IG’s sites shows a different number of markets you can trade. Its global and German sites list more than 17,000, while its Australian site has more than 18,000 and its UK CFD page shows more than 15,000 ([IG global site](https://www.ig.com/en), [IG Australia](https://www.ig.com/au), [IG UK CFD trading](https://www.ig.com/uk/cfd-trading)). The global site also lists more than 13,000 shares and 5,400 ETFs. Together those come to more than its own total, and IG doesn’t say how they overlap. The UK company doesn’t offer leveraged crypto and sends it to a separate company.

*Instruments per asset class, the total, and the classes not offered.*

*Key: NP = not published by the provider*

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Currency pairs | 80 |
| Crypto CFDs | 16 |
| Share CFDs | 13,000+ |
| ETF CFDs | 5,400+ |
| Index CFDs | 81 |
| Commodity CFDs | 35 |
| All instruments | 15,000+ / 17,000+ / 18,000+ (the provider states more than one) |
| Swap-free accounts | NP |
| Not offered at all | Leveraged crypto at its UK company, which routes it to a separate company |

*These figures come straight from each broker’s published information, with no check date noted. Confirm them with the broker before you open an account.*

More markets don’t always mean a better broker for you. Leverage, overnight financing, execution and costs often affect a trade more ([what matters besides the market count](https://thetraderwiki.com/en/more-than-markets/)).

## Every company in the group

The UK row within the group covers two companies, IG Markets Ltd and IG Index Ltd. The group’s global company is IG International Limited, which serves clients outside its licensed markets through the international version of the website. IG Limited in Dubai, regulated by the [DFSA](https://www.dfsa.ae/), serves none of the countries covered here. Its retail clients can pay in by debit card only.

The parent company’s shares trade on the London Stock Exchange under the ticker IGG. The parent company is in the FTSE 250 index.

*Each regulated company in the group: regulator and licence, the source of the licence number, negative balance protection and the latest accounts filed.*

*Key: NP = not published by the provider*

| Company | Regulator and licence | Company number | Licence source | Negative balance protection | Latest filed accounts |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| IG Markets Ltd and IG Index Ltd | FCA FRN 195355 and 114059 | 04008957 and 01190902 | The regulator’s register: [FRN 195355](https://register.fca.org.uk/s/firm?id=001b000000MfIiSAAV), [FRN 114059](https://register.fca.org.uk/s/firm?id=001b000000MfELeAAN) | A retail right | NP |
| IG Europe GmbH | BaFin 148759 | HRB 115624 | [The regulator’s register](https://portal.mvp.bafin.de/database/InstInfo/institutDetails.do?cmd=loadInstitutAction&institutId=148759) | A retail right | NP |
| IG Limited | DFSA F001780 | NP | [The regulator’s register](https://www.dfsa.ae/public-register/firms/ig-limited) | A retail right | NP |
| IG Australia Pty Ltd | ASIC AFSL 515106 | ABN 93 096 585 410 | [The regulator’s register](https://data.gov.au/data/dataset/ab7eddce-84df-4098-bc8f-500d0d9776d1/resource/d98a113d-6b50-40e6-b65f-2612efc877f4/download/afs_lic_202610.csv) | A retail right | NP |
| IG International Limited | Bermuda BMA licence number not published | 54814 | [The regulator’s register](https://www.bma.bm/regulated-entities) | NP | NP |

*These figures were checked between 4 October 2026 and 17 October 2026. Confirm them with the broker before you open an account.*

## What the group does not publish

The group doesn’t publish a withdrawal time for IG International Limited, while the UK company and the Australian company both give a withdrawal time. For the UK company (IG Markets Ltd), the gaps are commission and trade size.

- Copy trading
- Swap-free accounts
- Withdrawal time
- Commission: not published for 8 of the basket instruments
- Minimum lot: not published for 8 of the basket instruments
- Maximum lot: not published for 8 of the basket instruments

## Common questions about IG

The answer you get to most questions about IG depends on which IG company opens your account, so every answer names the company it applies to.

### Is IG regulated?

IG runs a separate regulated company in each market. In the UK, IG Markets Ltd and IG Index Ltd hold FCA firm reference numbers 195355 and 114059. IG Europe GmbH falls under BaFin. IG Australia Pty Ltd holds AFSL 515106 from ASIC, and the DFSA in Dubai regulates IG Limited. The Bermuda Monetary Authority licenses IG International Limited and lists it among licensed investment businesses, but IG doesn’t publish the licence number.

### Which IG company would I be with?

Which IG company you’d be with usually depends on where you live. The regulator of that company sets your leverage and protections. IG usually places UK residents with IG Markets Ltd and IG Index Ltd. Australian residents are usually placed with IG Australia Pty Ltd. For people in Germany, Spain, France, Italy and Portugal, IG usually uses IG Europe GmbH. The Latin American and South-east Asian countries listed here usually get IG International Limited. Residents of Poland can’t open a new account.

### What leverage does IG offer?

IG’s UK, German, Australian and Dubai companies cap leverage for retail clients at 30:1. At IG International Limited, the limit reaches 200:1 on major forex pairs and drops for other instruments ([leverage by instrument](https://thetraderwiki.com/en/compare-brokers/#forex-pairs)). IG’s global margin page lists 0.5%, or 200:1, on the FTSE 100, Wall Street, Germany 40, US 500 and Australia 200 ([margin page](https://www.ig.com/en/charges/margin)).

### What is IG’s minimum deposit?

IG’s minimum card deposit is fifty US dollars at IG International Limited, while the UK company sets its minimum card deposit at one pound. The Australian company asks for one hundred Australian dollars by card and ten by BPAY. Bank transfers have no minimum deposit at IG International Limited or the UK company.

### Does IG offer MT4, MT5 or TradingView?

IG gives you access to MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, TradingView, its own IG platform and L2 Dealer at its UK company ([MetaTrader](https://thetraderwiki.com/en/metatrader-4-and-5/)). Its UAE site lists TradingView, MetaTrader 5, ProRealTime and L2 Dealer, and includes a page for MetaTrader 4 ([UAE platforms page](https://www.ig.com/ae/trading-platforms)). The Australian site makes no mention of MT5. IG also stays silent on whether you can use cTrader or copy trading.

### Does IG have negative balance protection?

IG provides negative balance protection as a retail right at its UK, German, Australian and Dubai companies. IG International Limited doesn’t publish it.

## Opening an IG account

You open an IG account through the group’s own sign-up. There’s no guarantee whether the local company or the global one takes you on. You can tell which company took you on from the company name on your account documents. The [leverage](https://thetraderwiki.com/en/glossary/#leverage) you’re offered can tell you too: 30:1 means a company under a local leverage cap, such as the UK or EU one, and anything higher means the global company. If you’re not sure, IG’s customer support can tell you which company holds your account. Read the risk warning below before you put money in.

**Ready to open an account?**

[Sign up with IG](https://www.ig.com/en/application-form)

## A well-regulated counterparty doesn’t make the product safe

> **Risk warning.** The only time a well-regulated [counterparty](https://thetraderwiki.com/en/glossary/#counterparty) protects you is when the firm collapses with your money still in its hands. It does nothing when the price moves against you, and that happens far more often. Before you open any account, read the [risk disclosure](https://thetraderwiki.com/en/risk-disclosure/).

## Sources

The original documents this page cites, in the order they first appear.

1. [IG — Home (international site)](https://www.ig.com/en), IG International Limited, 2026-10-11
2. [Financial Conduct Authority](https://www.fca.org.uk/), FCA
3. [Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht](https://www.bafin.de/), BaFin
4. [Australian Securities and Investments Commission](https://asic.gov.au/), ASIC
5. [Dubai Financial Services Authority](https://www.dfsa.ae/), DFSA
6. [IG — Margin rates (international site)](https://www.ig.com/en/charges/margin), IG International Limited, 2026-09-29
7. [IG — Home (Australia)](https://www.ig.com/au), IG Australia Pty Ltd, 2026-10-11
8. [IG — CFD trading (UK site)](https://www.ig.com/uk/cfd-trading), IG Markets Ltd, 2026-10-11
9. [FCA Financial Services Register: IG Markets Limited, FRN 195355](https://register.fca.org.uk/s/firm?id=001b000000MfIiSAAV), Financial Conduct Authority
10. [FCA Financial Services Register: IG INDEX LIMITED, FRN 114059](https://register.fca.org.uk/s/firm?id=001b000000MfELeAAN), Financial Conduct Authority
11. [BaFin company database: IG Europe GmbH](https://portal.mvp.bafin.de/database/InstInfo/institutDetails.do?cmd=loadInstitutAction&institutId=148759), Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht
12. [DFSA public register: IG Limited](https://www.dfsa.ae/public-register/firms/ig-limited), Dubai Financial Services Authority
13. [ASIC Australian Financial Services licensee dataset, October 2026](https://data.gov.au/data/dataset/ab7eddce-84df-4098-bc8f-500d0d9776d1/resource/d98a113d-6b50-40e6-b65f-2612efc877f4/download/afs_lic_202610.csv), Australian Securities and Investments Commission, 2026-10
14. [Regulated entities](https://www.bma.bm/regulated-entities), Bermuda Monetary Authority
15. [IG — Trading platforms (UAE site)](https://www.ig.com/ae/trading-platforms), IG Limited, 2026-10-15

## Related pages

- [CFD and forex broker comparison: leverage and platforms](https://thetraderwiki.com/en/compare-brokers/): Six brokers in nineteen countries, compared on facts you can check yourself.
- [CFD and forex brokers in the UK compared](https://thetraderwiki.com/en/compare-brokers/uk/): CFD brokers for UK residents at their FCA-authorised companies: leverage, platforms, funding and crypto.
- [Offshore forex brokers and CFD companies compared](https://thetraderwiki.com/en/offshore-brokers/): The global companies behind familiar brands, who regulates them and what their own terms say.
- [MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5: MT4 vs MT5 explained](https://thetraderwiki.com/en/metatrader-4-and-5/): What MT4 and MT5 are, how they differ, where to download them safely, and how TradeLocker and cTrader compare.
- [Is forex and CFD trading safe, legal or a scam?](https://thetraderwiki.com/en/is-forex-and-cfd-trading-safe/): Legal in most countries, risky everywhere: how to tell a real product from a fraud, country by country.

---

CFDs are complex, leveraged products, and the regulators’ own figures show that most retail accounts lose money. Nothing on TheTraderWiki is investment advice. Read the full [risk disclosure](https://thetraderwiki.com/en/risk-disclosure/), and if you’re unsure, talk to a qualified adviser. Broker details can change and they can be wrong. Before you open an account, confirm them with the broker and the regulator’s register.