IG Markets Review 2026

Overview

IG Markets is one of the world’s oldest and largest CFD brokers, founded in 1974. Listed on the London Stock Exchange, IG serves over 313,000 active clients worldwide and offers access to more than 17,000 markets.

The broker is renowned for its award-winning platform, comprehensive research, and unmatched product diversity.

Regulation & Safety

IG operates under premium regulatory oversight:

• FCA (UK) - Financial Conduct Authority
• ASIC (Australia) - Australian Securities and Investments Commission
• BaFin (Germany) - Federal Financial Supervisory Authority
• CFTC (US) - Commodity Futures Trading Commission

As a publicly traded company, IG provides exceptional transparency and financial security.

Trading Platforms

IG Platform

The proprietary web and mobile platform features:

• Clean, intuitive interface
• Advanced charting with 100+ indicators
• Price alerts and signals
• One-click dealing

ProRealTime

Premium charting platform with:

• Advanced technical analysis
• Automated trading via ProOrder
• Historical data back to 1900

L2 Dealer

For professional traders:

• Direct market access
• Level 2 order book
• Advanced order types

Fees & Spreads

Spread Comparison

Other Fees

• Deposit fees: None
• Withdrawal fees: None
• Inactivity fee: $12/month after 2 years
• Overnight financing: SONIA/SOFR + IG spread

Product Range

IG offers exceptional market access:

• Forex - 80+ currency pairs
• Indices - Global stock indices
• Stocks - 16,000+ shares
• Commodities - Metals, energy, agriculture
• Cryptocurrencies - Major cryptos
• Options - Vanilla and barrier options

Research & Education

IG sets the standard for research:

• IG Academy - Comprehensive courses
• Daily analysis - Expert market insights
• News feed - Reuters integration
• Client sentiment - Real-time positioning data

Verdict

IG Markets is the gold standard for CFD trading. With 50 years of experience, world-class technology, and unmatched product range, it’s hard to beat for serious traders.

The trade-off is that spreads aren’t the absolute lowest, and the sheer number of features can overwhelm beginners.

Best For:

• Experienced traders
• Those seeking market diversity
• Research-focused traders
• UK spread betters

Not Ideal For:

• Scalpers seeking lowest spreads
• Inactive traders (due to fees)
• Complete beginners

Risk Warning: 70% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with IG. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work.