IG is one of the longest-established names in this comparison: founded in 1974, it is a pioneer of retail CFD and spread-betting trading and is part of a publicly listed group. It is regulated by the FCA in the United Kingdom and BaFin in Germany, and offers its own IG platform alongside MetaTrader 4 and ProRealTime. For a European or UK retail trader, IG's long track record and dual UK/German regulation are genuine trust signals — but the same rules apply: confirm the entity that serves your country, and judge cost on the full spread-plus-financing picture, not the headline. We publish no spreads, minimums or ratings until a hands-on review.
Regulation and track record
IG is regulated by the FCA (United Kingdom) and BaFin (Germany), through separate legal entities, and belongs to a group that has been publicly listed — meaning audited accounts and market-disclosure obligations on top of its financial-services licences. Founded in 1974, it has one of the longest operating histories of any retail derivatives provider, having traded through multiple market cycles and the introduction of the ESMA product-intervention rules. Longevity is not a guarantee of anything for your individual account, but it does mean a long public record a trader can research.
As with every broker here, the protections that apply to you depend on the specific entity in your account agreement. A UK resident is typically served by the FCA-authorised entity, with FSCS eligibility and CASS client-money rules; an EU resident may be served by the BaFin-regulated or an EU-passporting entity under MiFID II. Confirm which entity holds your account, and verify it on the FCA Register or BaFin register before depositing.
Platforms: IG, MT4 and ProRealTime
IG offers its own web and mobile platform, which is mature and well-regarded, alongside MetaTrader 4 for traders who want the standard forex toolset and ProRealTime for advanced charting and semi-automated strategies. That combination covers most needs: the proprietary platform for an integrated experience, MT4 for portability of forex habits, and ProRealTime for traders who lean heavily on technical analysis.
Which platform suits you depends on how you trade. If you run MT4 expert advisors, the MT4 option matters; if you want deep charting, ProRealTime is the draw; if you value an integrated, polished interface, the IG platform itself is the point. Confirm the specifics on a demo account — and remember that a sophisticated platform makes it easier to take on more risk, not safer to do so.
Costs, and what we will not invent
IG's pricing differs by instrument, entity and product (CFDs versus, in the UK, spread betting), and the all-in cost is the spread plus any commission plus overnight financing. Because those figures change and vary by region, we do not publish a spread, minimum deposit or star rating for IG until we complete a hands-on review. Quoting a stale number on a peak-risk product would defeat the purpose of an independent guide.
To gauge cost, read IG's current pricing for the entity that serves your country, check whether a given market is priced spread-only or with commission, and include financing if you hold positions overnight. As a retail client in the EU or UK you cannot be offered a trading bonus under ESMA and FCA rules, so any such offer is a red flag. And while IG's longevity is reassuring, the standardised risk warning still applies: most retail CFD accounts lose money.
Pros & cons
Pros
- One of the longest track records in the industry, founded in 1974.
- Dual FCA (UK) and BaFin (Germany) regulation through separate entities.
- Three platform options: the IG platform, MT4 and ProRealTime.
- Part of a publicly listed group, so more public disclosure than a private broker.
Cons
- The entity (and protections) serving your country may differ from the strictest licence.
- Product mix differs by region (e.g. UK spread betting), so cost needs checking per-region.
- We have not completed a hands-on review, so we publish no spreads, minimums or ratings.
Frequently asked questions
Is IG a safe, regulated broker?
IG is regulated by the FCA in the UK and BaFin in Germany, with a track record dating to 1974 and a publicly listed parent group. 'Safe' is relative — trading remains high-risk and most retail CFD accounts lose money. Confirm the entity that serves your country on the relevant register before depositing.
Does IG support MetaTrader?
Yes. Alongside its own IG platform, IG offers MetaTrader 4 and ProRealTime, so you can pick the platform that matches how you trade. Test it on a demo account before committing real funds.
How old is IG?
IG was founded in 1974, making it one of the longest-established retail derivatives providers covered here. A long history means a deep public record to research, but it is not a guarantee for any individual account.