IG für Trader in United Kingdom (Bewertung 2026)

IG is a UK-headquartered firm, founded in 1974 and listed on the London Stock Exchange in the FTSE 250. The Financial Conduct Authority is its home regulator, not a passport host — IG is supervised in the country where it is based. For a UK trader this is the cleanest regulatory arrangement available: domestic authorisation, domestic compensation cover, and a domestic complaints pathway. IG offers more than 17,000 instruments, UK spread betting, and CFDs on FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 equities. The marketing leans on the firm's age and scale. The facts below are the ones a UK trader can verify on the FCA register before deciding whether scale matters to them.

Regulierungsübersicht: United Kingdom

Retail forex and CFD trading is legal and regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Post-Brexit the UK runs its own regime: the FCA mirrors the ESMA-style 30:1 leverage cap on majors and negative-balance protection, and adds the s.21 financial-promotions regime and the Consumer Duty, which hold firms to a high standard for fair, clear and not-misleading communications. Our coverage is editorial and non-advisory. Confirm any firm on the FCA Register before depositing.

Aufsichtsbehörde: Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) · offizielles Register

FCA authorisation as home regulator

IG Markets Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. The FCA is IG's home regulator. The firm is supervised in the United Kingdom, where it is headquartered, rather than operating into the UK under a passport from another jurisdiction. This is the strongest form of the regulatory relationship a UK retail trader can hold.

IG has held continuous UK authorisation across the FCA and its predecessor bodies, the FSA and the SIB, since the regime began. The firm was founded in 1974. Verify the current permission yourself on the FCA register at register.fca.org.uk before opening an account. Check the legal entity name on your account agreement matches the entity on the register — the brand and the regulated entity are not the same thing.

What FCA rules mean for your account

Under FCA policy statement PS20/10, retail CFD leverage on major currency pairs is capped at 30:1. Lower caps apply to other asset classes. The same rules require negative-balance protection, so a retail account cannot be driven below zero by market moves. Client incentives and inducements to trade are prohibited. A 'bonus' is not a perk under this regime; it is a sign something is wrong.

The FCA Consumer Duty, in force since 2023, requires firms to deliver fair value and clear communications, and to act to deliver good outcomes for retail clients. These are conduct obligations on IG, not features it markets. They apply to the IG entity you contract with regardless of how the platform is presented.

FSCS cover and the FOS complaints pathway

Eligible clients of an FCA-authorised firm are covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme up to £85,000 per person if the firm fails. This is a statutory protection tied to the authorised entity, not a commercial promise from IG. Confirm your own eligibility — cover depends on client category and the specific entity holding your money.

If a dispute with IG cannot be resolved directly, eligible complainants can refer it to the Financial Ombudsman Service. The FOS can award up to £430,000 for eligible cases. An FOS decision is binding on IG if the complainant accepts it. This pathway is a function of UK authorisation; it does not exist for firms operating from outside the UK regime.

Platforms: proprietary, MT4 and ProRealTime

IG offers its own proprietary platform, MetaTrader 4, and ProRealTime. Access to ProRealTime is unlocked by meeting a quarterly trading threshold. IG does not offer MetaTrader 5 or cTrader. Traders who require MT5 or cTrader specifically will not find them here.

The proprietary platform carries the firm's full instrument range and order types. MT4 is the familiar third-party option for traders who want algorithmic strategies built around that environment. Confirm which instruments are available on which platform before you commit, as coverage is not always identical across all three.

Products, spread betting and UK tax treatment

IG lists more than 17,000 instruments, including FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 equity CFDs and UK gilts. UK spread betting is available alongside CFDs. Spread betting profits are free of Capital Gains Tax under current HMRC rules. Tax treatment depends on your individual circumstances and may change; this is not tax advice, and you should confirm your own position.

The breadth of the range is genuine, but breadth is not the same as suitability. A UK trader should weigh which specific markets they intend to trade, the all-in cost on those markets — spread plus any commission plus overnight financing — and whether spread betting or CFDs fit their tax situation, rather than counting the headline instrument total.

Funding and account currency

IG offers GBP-denominated accounts for UK clients. Funding methods include Faster Payments, debit card and bank wire. SEPA does not apply to a GBP UK account. A same-currency account avoids the conversion costs that arise when deposits are made in one currency and held in another.

Check current funding processing times and any card or wire fees with IG directly before depositing, as these can change and are set by the firm rather than fixed by regulation.

Häufig gestellte Fragen

Is IG regulated in the UK?

Yes. IG Markets Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, which is its home regulator. IG is headquartered in the UK and has held continuous authorisation across the FCA, FSA and SIB. Verify the current permission and the exact legal entity on the FCA register at register.fca.org.uk.

Am I covered by the FSCS with IG?

Eligible clients of an FCA-authorised firm are covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme up to £85,000 per person if the firm fails. Eligibility depends on your client category and the entity holding your money. Confirm your own position rather than assuming cover applies.

Does IG offer MetaTrader 5 or cTrader?

No. IG offers its own proprietary platform, MetaTrader 4 and ProRealTime. ProRealTime access is unlocked by meeting a quarterly trading threshold. IG does not offer MT5 or cTrader.

Is IG spread betting tax-free?

Spread betting profits are free of Capital Gains Tax under current HMRC rules. Tax treatment depends on your individual circumstances and the rules may change. This is not tax advice; confirm your own position with HMRC or a qualified adviser.

What is the maximum leverage on IG for a UK retail account?

Under FCA policy statement PS20/10, retail CFD leverage on major currency pairs is capped at 30:1, with lower caps on other asset classes. Negative-balance protection applies and client incentives are prohibited. These rules apply to all FCA-regulated firms, not just IG.