IG Review 2026
Regulated by ASIC, DFSA, FCA, FSCA
IG is one of the most established and heavily regulated brokers in the world, offering an unmatched breadth of markets — best suited to traders who value institutional-grade credibility and market access…
Flexible leverage to suit a range of trading styles, subject to your regulatory jurisdiction.
Tight, competitive spreads on major instruments during normal market liquidity.
A low barrier to entry for opening a live trading account.
Rated AAA overall, with average execution around 70 ms.
Rating Index
Trading Environment
- Avg. Execution
- 70 ms
- Platforms
- MT4, Proprietary Platform
- Demo Account
- Available
- Regulation
- ASIC, DFSA, FCA, FSCA
Pros
- Pioneer of the retail trading industry, operating continuously since 1974
- Publicly listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE: IGG), part of the FTSE 250
- Enormous range of over 17,000 tradeable markets across asset classes
- Excellent in-house research, IG Academy education, and market analysis
- Institutional-grade platform stability, even during major volatility events
- Strong track record of regulatory compliance across multiple major jurisdictions
Cons
- Higher minimum deposit than many competitors aimed at newer traders
- Lower maximum leverage under UK/EU retail client protection rules
- Fee structure can be complex to compare across its many product types
- Overwhelming market selection may be daunting for absolute beginners
Overview
IG is a broker founded in 1974 and headquartered in United Kingdom, offering trading across Forex, CFD, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, Crypto, Gold markets to clients in multiple regions worldwide.
With an Editorial Score of 9.2 out of 10 in our assessment, IG is positioned as one of the stronger overall options among the brokers covered on this site, based on its regulatory profile, trading conditions, and platform offering.
Regulation & Safety
IG is regulated by FCA, ASIC, FSCA, DFSA, and operates under the specific capital adequacy, conduct, and client-money rules that apply to each of those licensing jurisdictions.
Client funds are expected to be held in segregated accounts separate from IG’s own operating capital, a standard investor-protection practice required by all of the regulators listed above. Retail clients also benefit from negative balance protection, meaning losses cannot exceed the funds deposited into the account.
Trading Platforms
IG supports MT4, Proprietary Platform, giving traders a choice that spans manual discretionary trading, algorithmic/EA-based automation, and chart-first workflows depending on which platform is selected.
Each supported platform is available across desktop, web browser, and mobile app, so a IG account can be monitored and traded from virtually any device.
Fees & Spreads
Spreads at IG start from 0.6 pips depending on account type and prevailing market liquidity, with a minimum deposit of $250 required to open an account.
Maximum leverage of up to 1:200 is available where permitted by local regulation — higher leverage magnifies both potential gains and potential losses, so position sizing and risk management remain the trader’s responsibility regardless of the leverage offered.
Account Types
IG offers multiple account types suited to different experience levels and trading styles, typically differentiated by spread/commission structure and minimum deposit.
Account opening at IG follows a standard identity verification process consistent with the anti-money-laundering requirements of its regulators.
Deposit & Withdrawal
IG supports a range of funding methods including bank transfer, debit/credit cards, and select e-wallets, with processing times varying by method, currency, and region.
As with any broker, we recommend confirming current deposit and withdrawal processing times and any associated fees directly with IG before funding a live account, since payment provider terms can change.
Customer Support
IG offers customer support via live chat, email, and phone, with multilingual coverage aimed at its core client regions.
Response times and support hours can vary by region and channel — live chat is typically the fastest route for time-sensitive account or platform questions.
Education & Research
IG provides educational resources aimed at helping traders build market knowledge alongside their trading activity, ranging from written guides to structured video content.
These resources are generally most useful for traders building foundational knowledge; more advanced traders may rely more heavily on third-party research and their own strategy testing.
Who Is It Best For?
Based on its regulatory profile, platform selection, and fee structure, IG is well suited to traders who value beginner friendly and demo account.
Traders whose priorities lie elsewhere — for example, wanting the absolute lowest possible cost, or a specific platform IG doesn’t support — should compare it directly against alternatives on our Best Forex Brokers and Best MT4 Brokers pages before deciding.
Final Verdict
IG is one of the most established and heavily regulated brokers in the world, offering an unmatched breadth of markets — best suited to traders who value institutional-grade credibility and market access over the lowest possible fees. Its half-century operating history and public listing make it one of the more scrutinized, transparent operators in the industry. For traders who want maximum market choice under strong regulatory oversight, IG is difficult to beat.
