The World's #1 CFD Provider Since 1974
IG Group was founded in 1974 as Investors Gold Index — the world's first spread betting firm — and is now the world's largest CFD and spread betting provider by revenue and client numbers. Listed on the London Stock Exchange (IGG.L), IG is regulated by the FCA in the UK, ASIC in Australia, and BaFin in Germany, among others. With access to 17,000+ instruments across forex, indices, shares, commodities, crypto, and options, IG is best suited for experienced traders who want breadth, reliability, and advanced tools.
| 🏛️ Founded | 1974 |
| 📍 Headquarters | London, United Kingdom |
| 📈 Listed on | London Stock Exchange (IGG.L) |
| 📜 Regulators | FCA (UK), ASIC (Australia), BaFin (Germany), FSCA (South Africa), MAS (Singapore), FINMA (Switzerland), SEC/CFTC (USA — IG US) |
| 💵 Min. Deposit | £250 (UK); varies by region |
| 💰 Stock/ETF Commission | From £3/trade (UK shares); from 2 cents/share (US shares). 0% via IG's share dealing (from 2024). |
| 💱 FX / Spread | From 0.6 pip (EUR/USD) on major pairs |
| 😴 Inactivity Fee | £12/month after 2 years of no trading |
| 🏧 Withdrawal Fee | Free |
| 🖥️ Platforms | IG Web Platform, IG Mobile, ProRealTime, MetaTrader 4 (MT4), L2 Dealer |
| 🎮 Demo Account | Yes (unlimited, free) |
| 🛡️ Investor Protection | FCA (UK): £85,000 FSCS. ASIC (AU): no ASIC compensation scheme. |
| 👥 Clients | 313,000+ active clients |
IG offers five platform options: the IG Web Platform (proprietary, clean and feature-rich), IG Mobile (highly rated iOS/Android app), ProRealTime (advanced charting with automated trading — free with 4+ trades/month), MetaTrader 4 (for algorithmic trading via EAs), and L2 Dealer (direct market access for shares and forex). ProRealTime is one of the best charting platforms available to retail clients. The IG Academy provides extensive free educational content.
IG's product range is among the broadest in the retail CFD space: 80+ forex pairs; 70+ indices; 17,000+ share CFDs covering global markets; ETF CFDs; commodity CFDs (metals, energy, agriculture); crypto CFDs (Bitcoin, Ethereum, and 10+ others); vanilla options (European and American style); barrier options; bonds CFDs; and futures. IG also offers share dealing in the UK (buy and hold real shares) via the IG Share Dealing account. ISA and SIPP wrappers are available in the UK.
Spread betting and CFD: EUR/USD from 0.6 pip; FTSE 100 from 1 point; major share CFDs commission-free (spread only). Share dealing: from £3/trade (UK shares online). Overnight financing (swap): based on LIBOR/SOFR +/- IG's charge. Inactivity fee: £12/month after 2 consecutive years without trading. Free withdrawals. Guaranteed stop-loss orders: small additional premium.
| Stocks & ETFs | From £3/trade (UK shares); from 2 cents/share (US shares). 0% via IG's share dealing (from 2024). |
| Forex / Spread | From 0.6 pip (EUR/USD) on major pairs |
| Inactivity fee | £12/month after 2 years of no trading |
| Withdrawal fee | Free |
| Min. deposit | £250 (UK); varies by region |
IG Group is London Stock Exchange-listed (IGG.L) and regulated by 7 major regulatory bodies including FCA (UK), ASIC (Australia), BaFin (Germany), and MAS (Singapore). UK clients are protected by the FSCS (up to £85,000). IG has operated for 50 years without missing a client payment or defaulting. Client funds are segregated at major UK and international banks. Negative balance protection for EU/UK retail clients. IG's market-making model means the company profits when clients lose — a conflict of interest inherent to spread betting/CFD providers.
| Regulators | FCA (UK), ASIC (Australia), BaFin (Germany), FSCA (South Africa), MAS (Singapore), FINMA (Switzerland), SEC/CFTC (USA — IG US) |
| Investor Protection | FCA (UK): £85,000 FSCS. ASIC (AU): no ASIC compensation scheme. |
| Publicly Listed | London Stock Exchange (IGG.L) |
Available in 17 countries across Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Africa. Not available for EU retail clients via a single passport — each country is separately regulated. USA available via IG US (limited offering).
IG Group is the gold standard for serious CFD and spread betting traders. Its 50-year track record, LSE listing, 17,000+ instruments, and the ProRealTime platform make it unrivalled for breadth and reliability. The £250 minimum deposit and £12 inactivity fee (after 2 years) are the main friction points. Not recommended for beginners due to complexity and CFD risk.
* 70% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading spread bets and CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.