Overview
IG is one of the oldest names in UK retail trading. It's been around since 1974, built on spread betting and CFDs, with share dealing alongside. It suits UK traders who want leveraged trading and a tax-free ISA or pension in the same place. The group holds licences from the FCA in the UK, BaFin for EU clients, MAS in Singapore, the FMA in New Zealand and several others, and it serves US forex traders through tastyfx, which is registered with the CFTC and NFA.
Accounts and costs
There's no minimum to open a spread betting or CFD account, and a bank transfer has no minimum either. Card deposits are reported to need around £250. Forex spreads start at 0.6 pips on EUR/USD with no commission, while share CFDs are charged by commission. Retail leverage is capped at 1:30 in the UK and EU. On the investing side, UK stock and ETF trades in a GBP general account, ISA or SIPP are commission free with no account fee. Keep in mind that 70% of IG's retail spread bet and CFD accounts lose money.
Platforms and markets
You can trade on IG's own web platform and app, MT4, MT5 or TradingView, with ProRealTime and L2 Dealer for charting and direct market access. Markets cover forex, indices, commodities, shares, ETFs, bonds, options, futures and crypto. A free demo account lets you practise first.
Money in and out
You can fund by bank transfer, debit or credit card, PayPal and Apple Pay in some regions. IG doesn't charge for standard withdrawals, and money usually goes back to the method you deposited with. Expect a couple of business days for most withdrawals, and a conversion fee if you withdraw in a different currency.
Good
- Licensed in many major jurisdictions, including the FCA, BaFin, MAS and CFTC/NFA (via tastyfx)
- No minimum deposit by bank transfer
- Spread betting, CFDs, options, futures and share dealing under one roof
- Stocks and Shares ISA, Junior ISA and SIPP with no commission on UK GBP stock and ETF trades
- MT4, MT5 and TradingView alongside IG's own web and mobile platform
- Free demo account
Watch for
- 70% of retail spread bet and CFD accounts lose money with this provider
- Card deposits have a higher minimum than bank transfers, reported at around £250
- Market maker model on its own platform
- Some traders report slow account verification and patchy customer service
Accounts and costs
What each account needs to open and what you pay to trade on it.
| Account | Min deposit | Pricing | Max leverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spread betting account (UK and Ireland) | None | Spreads from 0.6 pips on EUR/USD, costs built into the spread | 1:30 (retail, UK/EU) |
| CFD account | None | Spreads from 0.6 pips on EUR/USD, no commission on FX; share CFDs charged by commission | 1:30 (retail, UK/EU), 1:200 (professional) |
| Share dealing (GIA, ISA, Junior ISA, SIPP) | None | Commission free on stocks and ETFs in UK GBP accounts, £0 account fees | — |
Regulation
Which entity holds which licence. Your protection depends on the entity you open an account with.
Platforms and markets
Platforms
Markets
Deposits and withdrawals
- Methods
- Bank transfer, Card, PayPal, Apple Pay
- Minimum deposit
- None
What traders say
Scores from the sites traders use, and our summary of what they're saying, checked 6 October 2026.
IG gets a mixed but mostly positive reception from its own clients. It holds 3.8 on Trustpilot from about 9,700 reviews, with roughly 56% five-star and close to a fifth one-star. Forex Peace Army and Myfxbook have pages with trader write-ups, and SmartCustomer shows 1.9 from only 12 reviews. Praise centres on the platforms and the long track record; the low reviews are mostly about support and withdrawals.
What traders like
Platforms and range of markets. Reviewers on Trustpilot and TradingView describe the web platform and mobile app as stable and easy to use, with a very wide choice of markets.
Track record and regulation. Reddit users often point to IG being listed and in business since 1974 as a reason they trust it, and several long-time clients say they have been with IG since the 2000s without serious problems.
Phone support that fixes things. A number of recent Trustpilot reviews name individual advisers who sorted out promo codes, balances or two-factor setup on the call.
Common complaints
Withdrawals held for checks. Several reviewers on Trustpilot and Forex Peace Army say withdrawals sat under review for weeks while IG asked for more documents. IG's help pages say it pays back to the original card up to the deposited amount and that anti-money-laundering checks can slow things.
Slow or thin support. Some say replies dried up once a complaint started, and a few took cases to the ombudsman.
Execution and pricing. Reddit threads and older Forex Peace Army reviews raise wide spreads at times, stops filled at bad levels and enforced minimum stop distances that make scalping hard.
Stops removed on dividends. One Trustpilot reviewer says stop losses were removed after ex-dividend adjustments; IG paid compensation without admitting liability.
Connection issues on TradingView. Some TradingView reviewers mention forced logins, data outages and lag.
Recently
August 2026: WikiFX published a piece collecting user claims of blocked withdrawals and missing card payouts at IG, along with warnings about clone sites using IG's name.
October 2026: recent Trustpilot reviews still split between praise for named phone advisers and complaints about withdrawal verification taking over two weeks. A third-party snapshot on 1 October put the TrustScore at 3.7, close to the 3.8 shown on Trustpilot earlier in the year.
Where this comes from
Trustpilot: IG's main review page, the largest pool of reviews.
Forex Peace Army: trader reviews of IG.
Forex Peace Army (IG Index): older reviews under the IG Index name.
Myfxbook: trader reviews of IG Markets.
TradingView: reviews from traders using IG through TradingView.
SmartCustomer: a small set of customer reviews.
Reddit: a thread of traders comparing experiences.
WikiFX: the August 2026 piece on withdrawal complaints.
Verified reviews
Reviews from traders who've connected an account at IG to Chartnaut, so you know they actually traded there. Opening soon.