IG
Multi-Asset Broker / CFD and Forex BrokerFounded 1974London, United Kingdom
Reviewed September 5, 2026
IG is one of the strongest all-round brokers for traders who prioritize regulation, market depth, advanced platforms and high-quality research, offering more than 19,500 instruments and a broad platform ecosystem spanning proprietary, MT4, MT5, TradingView, ProRealTime and L2 Dealer DMA. Its main limitations are the absence of native copy trading and regional differences in product and leverage availability.
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- Extensive Tier-1 regulatory coverage across multiple major jurisdictions
- 19,500+ tradeable instruments spanning Forex, CFDs, shares, ETFs, options and futures
- Broadest platform ecosystem in the industry (proprietary, MT4, MT5, TradingView, ProRealTime, L2 Dealer)
- £1 minimum retail CFD deposit
- Exceptional in-house and third-party research (Autochartist, Acuity, TipRanks)
Limitations
- No native copy trading
- Product availability and leverage vary significantly by jurisdiction
- MetaTrader instrument list is thinner than the proprietary platform
- Platform ecosystem can feel overwhelming for complete beginners
Category Scores
Broker Overview
IG is a globally established, multi-regulated multi-asset broker founded in 1974 and publicly traded on the London Stock Exchange, providing access to more than 19,500 tradeable instruments. Its platform ecosystem spans a proprietary web and mobile app, MT4, MT5, TradingView, ProRealTime and L2 Dealer DMA.
Markets
Available Regions
Regulation & Safety
IG operates through multiple highly regulated entities across major financial centers, is publicly traded on the London Stock Exchange, and also operates IG Bank in Switzerland under FINMA supervision; the exact entity determines client protections, leverage limits and eligible products.
Regulators
- Name
- FCA
- Status
- Yes
- Tier
- top
- Name
- ASIC
- Status
- Yes
- Tier
- top
- Name
- JFSA
- Status
- Yes
- Tier
- top
- Name
- MAS
- Status
- Yes
- Tier
- top
- Name
- FINMA
- Status
- Yes
- Tier
- top
- Name
- FMA New Zealand
- Status
- Yes
- Tier
- top
- Name
- DFSA
- Status
- Yes
- Tier
- standard
- Name
- FSCA
- Status
- Yes
- Tier
- standard
- Name
- CFTC
- Status
- Yes
- Tier
- top
Trading Costs
IG combines competitive retail CFD pricing (around 0.91-pip average EUR/USD spread) with a more advanced DMA pricing model for active traders averaging around 0.55 pips before commission; the £1 retail minimum deposit is exceptionally low for a major regulated broker.
Platforms & Technology
One of the broadest platform ecosystems among retail and professional-oriented brokers, combining proprietary web and mobile platforms with MT4/MT5, TradingView, ProRealTime and L2 Dealer DMA; complexity varies since not every platform is available through every entity.
Platforms
Features
- Advanced charting (ProRealTime, TradingView)
- MT4/MT5 Expert Advisor support
- L2 Dealer DMA
- Guaranteed stop-loss orders
- Public trading API
Availability
Asset Coverage
Asset coverage is a defining strength of IG, with a reviewed global universe exceeding 19,500 tradeable instruments including 97 forex pairs, approximately 17,000 CFDs, more than 12,000 shares and ETFs, options, futures and cryptocurrency products in supported regions.
Available assets
Trading Conditions & Tools
Trading conditions
- Overview
- Flexible conditions for retail, active and professional traders, with retail accounts offering accessible entry and standard CFD execution while Forex Direct and L2 Dealer provide deeper market access and commission-based pricing for eligible traders; leverage is controlled by regulation and trader classification.
- Execution
- Suitable For
- Forex tradersMulti-asset tradersProfessional tradersDMA tradersScalpers
Tools & resources
- Overview
- One of the strongest combined research and trading-tool ecosystems in the industry, with in-house market programming, Bloomberg/Reuters headlines, Autochartist and Acuity signals, TipRanks stock research, and detailed trade analytics integrated directly into the platform.
- Tools
- AutochartistAcuity Trading SignalsTipRanksClient sentiment dataTrade Analytics
Support & Account Opening
Customer support
- Overview
- A mature international service infrastructure supported by large regional operations, available 24 hours a day for most of the week; the main limitation is that the scale of the organization can feel less personal than smaller specialist brokers.
- Channels
- PhoneLive chatEmail
Account opening
- Overview
- A largely digital account opening process that typically takes 5-10 minutes to complete online, including a financial and trading-experience questionnaire, with identity verification usually finalized within 1-3 business days.
- Process
- RegistrationPersonal and financial detailsFinancial knowledge and trading experience questionnaireIdentity verification (KYC)Proof of address submissionFunding
User Experience
A polished user experience across web and mobile, with clear asset discovery, customizable workspaces, advanced charting and strong risk-management functionality; beginners benefit from guided onboarding and IG Academy, though the breadth of platforms can feel overwhelming to newcomers.
Trader Compatibility
Who It's For
Best for
- Forex and Gold traders
- Multi-asset and professional traders
- Regulation-first traders
- Advanced technical and DMA traders
- Stock, ETF and options investors
Not recommended for
- Traders who require native copy trading
- Traders who want a single very simple platform with minimal features
- Traders seeking unrestricted retail leverage
Final Review
IG is TraderZone's highest-rated all-round broker in this review, earning 9.8/10, thanks to an unusually difficult-to-match combination of regulation, product breadth, platform depth and research. It is an exceptional fit when a user prioritizes regulation, broad market access, advanced platforms or professional scalability, though the absence of native copy trading is its largest strategic weakness.
Trading carries risk. Review the broker’s current terms directly before opening an account. This page is informational and not financial advice.