Market breadth and platform depth from a listed broker

IG covers 19,000+ markets, forex, indices, commodities, shares, options, weekend crypto, through a proprietary platform built around ProRealTime charts, Reuters and Morningstar data feeds, a cross-asset screener, and DMA equity routing. Published execution statistics show over 99% of orders filled at the quoted price. MT4 supports automated strategies, and TradingView integration works for traders already using that platform. UK clients have spread betting available on the same account as CFD trading, with no minimum deposit required.

Spreads competitive on majors, within market range for indices

EUR/USD spreads average 0.6 pips during the London/New York overlap, widening to around 0.9 pips in the Asian session, in line with other market makers at this scale. Major indices carry a 1-point spread during market hours. No deposit or withdrawal fee on standard methods (bank transfer, debit card, PayPal). An inactivity fee of £12 per month applies after 24 months without a trade.

LSE-listed and regulated across 11 jurisdictions including FCA and ASIC

IG Group is LSE-listed (LON: IGG) and regulated across 11 jurisdictions, including FCA in the UK and ASIC in Australia. UK retail clients have FSCS protection up to GBP 85,000, negative balance protection, and client funds held in segregated accounts at Tier 1 banks.

Trading costs in detail

EUR/USD spreads average 0.6 pips during the London/New York overlap and widen to around 0.9 pips in the Asian session, both figures are in line with or better than most market makers at similar scale. Major indices like the UK 100 and Wall Street carry a 1-point spread during market hours.

IG charges no deposit fee and no withdrawal fee on standard methods (bank transfer, debit card, PayPal). The inactivity fee is £12 per month after 24 months without a trade, a real consideration for anyone running a long-term account alongside active trading.

Overnight financing is calculated at a standard rate tied to LIBOR/SOFR benchmarks. It isn't exceptional either way, roughly in line with the market average for a market maker of this size.

Exchange-listed, FCA-regulated, and FSCS-backed up to GBP 85,000

IG Group trades on the London Stock Exchange (LON: IGG) and holds regulatory licences across 11 jurisdictions, including the FCA in the UK and ASIC in Australia. UK retail clients are covered by FSCS protection up to GBP 85,000 and benefit from negative balance protection mandated by ESMA rules.

The broker holds client funds in segregated accounts at tier-1 banks. For traders worried about counterparty risk, IG's public listing and annual reporting provides a level of transparency that offshore-registered brokers cannot offer.

Where IG falls short

Verification takes one to two business days if documents require manual review, longer than at most smaller or offshore brokers. Customer support quality drops outside UK business hours, with live chat and phone responses slower and less detailed after 5pm London time. Retail forex execution is spread-only market making rather than DMA; IG trades against its own book on retail FX, which suits most traders but not scalpers who need EUR/USD spreads below 0.1 pip on a raw ECN account, the kind IC Markets and Pepperstone deliver at around 0.17 pips all-in, among the tightest spreads in retail forex. Traders whose sole focus is lowest-cost forex execution have better-value alternatives.

Bottom line

IG suits experienced UK and European traders who need breadth across multiple asset classes from a single regulated account. For pure FX execution cost, IC Markets or Pepperstone offer better value.