ADS Securities and IG face off over regulation, costs, and platform breadth. The tension pits institutional strength against broad market access, inviting you to compare who leads.
IG is the overall winner, driven by its higher editorial score and far larger instrument universe, compared with ADS Securities.
Find out which broker best suits your trader profile.
Choose ADS Securities if…
Choose ADS Securities if you want institutional-grade liquidity and raw spreads with no inactivity fee, though a $2,000 minimum deposit applies.
Choose IG if…
Choose IG if you want broad instrument access (19,000+), strong protection, and no minimum deposit.
Which broker wins for each type of trader, based on costs, safety, platforms, and editorial scoring.
ADS Securities offers tighter spreads from 0.50 pips vs 0.60 pips for IG, reducing trading costs.
| Editorial score | 4.3/ 5 | 4.8/ 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Score Breakdown | ||
Trust & Regulation 40% weight | 4.8 / 5 | 5.0 / 5▲ |
Pros
FSRA (ADGM) and FCA dual regulation, institutional-grade UAE framework
Institutional prime brokerage liquidity for tight spreads
Multi-asset including equities and fixed income
FIX API available for algorithmic and professional clients
Regulated by top-tier authorities (FCA, ASIC, CySEC)
A closer look at the specific criteria each broker meets or misses within each scoring category.
| Criteria | ADS Securities | IG |
|---|---|---|
| Trust & Regulation | ||
| Top-tier regulator (FCA, ASIC, CFTC, etc.) | Pass | Pass |
| Segregated client funds | Pass | Pass |
| Negative balance protection | Fail | Pass |
| Compensation scheme (e.g. FSCS) | Fail | Pass |
| Fees & Spreads | ||
| Raw/ECN spreads available | Pass | Fail |
| No deposit fee | Pass | Pass |
| No inactivity fee | Pass | Fail |
| Transparent pricing page | Pass | Pass |
| Platforms & Tools | ||
| MT4/MT5 available | Pass | Pass |
| Proprietary platform | Pass | Pass |
| Mobile app | Pass | Pass |
| Advanced charting tools | Pass | Pass |
| Customer Support | ||
| 24/5 live chat | Pass | Pass |
| Phone support | Pass | Pass |
| Multilingual support | Pass | Pass |
IG rates 4.8/5 versus 4.3/5 for ADS Securities. IG edges ahead on our composite score, though both brokers meet a reasonable standard for most traders.
ADS Securities starts from 0.5 pips, tighter than IG's 0.6 pips. Tighter spreads lower the cost per trade, which matters most for high-frequency and scalping strategies.
IG has no minimum deposit, while ADS Securities requires at least $2000. This makes IG more accessible for traders with limited starting capital.
Both ADS Securities and IG hold licences from top-tier regulators, indicating a high standard of regulatory oversight. Check each broker's specific regulatory bodies to confirm coverage in your jurisdiction.
IG stands out for beginners: it has a lower entry point and provides negative balance protection, which caps losses at your deposited amount. Also compare demo account availability and educational resources before deciding.
ADS Securities lists maximum leverage of 200:1, while IG lists up to 30:1. Available leverage depends on your jurisdiction. EU retail clients under ESMA rules are capped at 1:30 on major forex pairs.
ADS Securities supports MetaTrader 5, Proprietary Web/Mobile, MetaTrader 4, while IG supports ProRealTime, Proprietary Web/Mobile, TradingView, MetaTrader 4. Both provide Proprietary Web/Mobile and MetaTrader 4. ADS Securities has exclusive access to MetaTrader 5. IG has exclusive access to ProRealTime and TradingView.
IG wins for safety and regulation, backed by FCA, ASIC and a broad regulator stack.
IG wins for active traders due to 19,000+ markets and robust protection tools.
ADS Securities is better suited for scalpers: raw/ECN spreads available, tighter spreads from 0.50 pips.
IG wins for platform choice with a strong proprietary platform plus MT4/MT5 and TradingView.
IG wins for beginners with no minimum deposit and broad educational support.
IG wins for instrument variety with 19,000+ markets versus ADS's about 200.
Fees & Spreads 30% weight | 4.2 / 5 | 4.8 / 5▲ |
|---|
Platforms & Tools 20% weight | 4.3 / 5 | 5.0 / 5▲ |
|---|
Customer Support 10% weight | 4.3 / 5 | 4.5 / 5▲ |
|---|
| Founded | 2011 | 1974 |
|---|
| Headquarters | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | London, United Kingdom |
|---|
| Min Deposit | $2,000 | No minimum▼ lower |
|---|
| Spreads From | 0.5 pips▼ lower | 0.6 pips |
|---|
| Commission / lot | N/A | N/A |
|---|
| Max Leverage | 200:1 | 30:1▲ higher |
|---|
| Inactivity Fee | None | £12/month (after 24 months) |
|---|
| Deposit Fee | Free | Free |
|---|
| Deposit methods | Bank transferCredit cardDebit card | Bank transferCredit cardDebit cardPayPal |
|---|
| Withdrawal methods | Bank transferCredit card | Bank transferDebit cardPayPal |
|---|
| Withdrawal Fee | Free | Free |
|---|
| Regulators | FSRA FCA | FCA ASIC DFSA FMA CMVM BaFin Finanstilsynet Finanstilsynet Finansinspektionen CBI NFA KNF |
|---|
| Platforms | MetaTrader 5 Proprietary Web/Mobile MetaTrader 4 | ProRealTime Proprietary Web/Mobile TradingView MetaTrader 4 |
|---|
| Active bonuses |
|---|
Client funds held in segregated accounts
Raw spread account available
No deposit fees
No inactivity fee
MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 supported
Mobile trading app available
Proprietary trading platform available
Advanced charting tools included
Transparent pricing with clear cost disclosure
24/5 live chat support
Phone support available
Multilingual customer support
Pros
LSE-listed with FCA and ASIC regulation, among the most credible regulatory stacks in retail CFDs
19,000+ markets including weekend crypto, volatility indices, and EM pairs, real breadth, not a padded count
Proprietary platform with ProRealTime charts, Reuters news, and DMA equity routing built in
Spread betting available for UK clients, tax-free gains on the same account used for CFD trading
No minimum deposit and no deposit or withdrawal fee on standard methods
Client funds held in segregated accounts
Negative balance protection
Investor compensation scheme coverage
No deposit fees
MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 supported
Advanced charting tools included
Transparent pricing with clear cost disclosure
24/5 live chat support
Phone support available
Multilingual customer support
Cons
$2,000 minimum deposit, not accessible to entry-level retail traders
Primary focus on institutional and HNW clients; limited retail tools
Less suitable for traders seeking educational support or copy trading
No negative balance protection
No investor compensation scheme
Cons
Market maker on forex, not suitable for scalpers who need sub-0.1 pip raw ECN spreads
Inactivity fee of £12/month kicks in after 24 months with no trades
Onboarding verification is slower than smaller or offshore brokers
Customer support quality drops outside UK business hours
Dig deeper into each broker’s features, fees, and regulation.
Score 4.3 / 5
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