TranslateIG at a glance: the grand old man of CFD brokers
Founded in 1974 in London, IG is often described as the oldest CFD broker still in business. The group started out taking bets on gold before diversifying into CFDs, forex and stock brokerage. Listed on the London Stock Exchange (ticker IGG), IG is one of the few brokers fully transparent about its financial health. In this review we test its trading conditions in 2026: regulation, fees, platforms, assets, deposits and withdrawals, and we compare it with other CFD brokers as well as prop firms.
Company profile
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Year founded | 1974 |
| Founder | Stuart Wheeler |
| Headquarters | London, United Kingdom |
| Regulators | FCA (United Kingdom), ASIC (Australia), MAS (Singapore), FINMA (Switzerland), FSCA (South Africa), AMF (France via cross-border passport) |
| Listing | London Stock Exchange (IGG) |
| Clients | More than 300,000 active clients worldwide |
In France, IG operates through IG Markets Ltd, a company licensed by the FCA and registered with the AMF on the list of authorised investment services providers. Client support is available in French, with a team based in Paris.
IG account table
| Account | Minimum deposit | Main fees | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard (CFD and forex) | Not officially disclosed (a few hundred euros depending on the method) | Spreads from 0.6 pip on EUR/USD, commission on share CFDs | Web, mobile, MT4, ProRealTime, L2 |
| Regular share dealing account | Not disclosed (brokerage from a few euros) | Brokerage per order line, French tax treatment | Web, mobile |
| Professional | Not applicable | Extended leverage, institutional spreads | Web, mobile, API |
Regulation: one of the strongest frameworks on the market
This is IG's historical strong point. The group holds licences in around ten jurisdictions, including the FCA in the UK and FINMA in Switzerland via IG Bank. French clients benefit from ESMA protections: negative balance protection, retail leverage caps (1:30 on major pairs, 1:20 on indices and gold, 1:5 on shares) and standardised risk warnings. At this level of regulation, IG compares to Swissquote, which we pitted against IG in a dedicated comparison (https://fundedtrader.fr/blog/swissquote-vs-ig-2026).
Fees and spreads: the details
Most of IG's costs come through the spread, occasionally topped up by a commission on share CFDs.
| Fee item | 2026 detail |
|---|---|
| EUR/USD spread | From 0.6 pip (standard account) |
| Index spreads | Among the tightest on the market for major indices |
| Share CFD commission | Around 0.05% of notional (minimum depending on the exchange, not disclosed) |
| Overnight swaps | Published instrument by instrument, charged daily |
| Inactivity fee | None on CFD accounts as of writing |
| Currency conversion | Exchange fees if the account differs from the quote currency |
The ProRealTime platform in its Premium version requires a monthly subscription, usually waived above a certain activity volume, which makes it an interesting tool for regular traders.
IG versus competitors
| Broker | Regulation | Min. deposit | EUR/USD spreads | Retail leverage | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IG | FCA, AMF (passporting) | Not disclosed | From 0.6 pip | 1:30 | Web, MT4, ProRealTime, L2 |
| Swissquote | FINMA, AMF | $100 | From ~1 pip | 1:30 | Web, MT4 |
| Pepperstone | FCA, ASIC, SCB | $200 | From 0.1 pip (Raw) | 1:30 | MT4, MT5, cTrader |
| IC Markets | ASIC, CySEC, FSA | $200 | From 0.0 pip (Raw) | 1:30 | MT4, MT5, cTrader |
Find the details for each competitor in our reviews: Swissquote (https://fundedtrader.fr/blog/fiche-broker-swissquote), Pepperstone (https://fundedtrader.fr/blog/fiche-broker-pepperstone) and IC Markets (https://fundedtrader.fr/blog/fiche-broker-ic-markets).
Platforms: web, MetaTrader, ProRealTime and DMA
| Platform | Windows | Web | iOS | Android |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IG Web Platform | No | Yes | Yes (app) | Yes (app) |
| MetaTrader 4 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ProRealTime | Yes | No | No | No |
| L2 Dealer (DMA) | Yes | No | No | No |
IG's web platform runs on TradingView charting technology (presented here: https://fundedtrader.fr/blog/plateforme-tradingview), making it smooth and comprehensive with no installation. Fans of automated trading will stay on MetaTrader (https://fundedtrader.fr/blog/plateforme-metatrader), available in version 4 at IG with automated trading support. French traders who grew up on French charting tools will choose ProRealTime (https://fundedtrader.fr/blog/plateforme-prorealtime), natively integrated at IG. Finally, L2 Dealer provides direct order book access (DMA), a rarity among consumer brokers.
Available assets: more than 17,000 markets
| Asset class | Approximate number |
|---|---|
| Forex | 68 pairs |
| Indices | More than 100 |
| Shares (CFDs and stock) | More than 12,000 |
| Commodities | Around 47 |
| Crypto (CFDs) | A dozen assets |
| Rates and others | Extensive catalogue |
That is more than 17,000 markets in total, one of the broadest offerings on the market alongside Interactive Brokers. Retail leverage remains capped by ESMA (1:30 maximum on major pairs), with extended leverage for qualifying professional clients.
Deposits and withdrawals
Accepted methods: bank transfer and debit card (the range of methods varies depending on the entity you are attached to; crypto deposits are not offered). Account currencies (mainly EUR, USD, GBP, CHF). Minimum amount: not officially disclosed, expect a few hundred euros in practice. Deposit fees: none. Withdrawals: free, processed within 1 to 3 business days to the original method. The unlimited demo account is available to test the platforms risk-free.
Pros and cons
Pros: first-rate regulation, access to more than 17,000 markets, modern web platform (TradingView), ProRealTime and DMA available, no inactivity fee on CFDs.
Cons: minimum deposit not published, share CFD commissions to check depending on the exchange, MT4 only (no MT5), leverage offer aligned with ESMA and therefore strictly capped (which is also a protection).
Who is IG for? The verdict versus prop firms
IG suits active, disciplined traders who want a solid broker regulated for the French jurisdiction, with institutional tools (DMA, ProRealTime). However, at IG you trade your own capital and your losses are real. A prop firm works the other way round: you pay for a challenge to access larger capital, with drawdown rules to respect and profit sharing. If your goal is to trade large amounts without locking up €10,000 or €50,000 of savings, compare the programs on our prop firm comparison tool (https://fundedtrader.fr/comparateur-prop-firms), and avoid the classic pitfalls listed in our article on the 5 mistakes that make a challenge fail (https://fundedtrader.fr/blog/les-5-erreurs-qui-font-echouer-un-challenge-prop-firm).
In short: IG is a trustworthy choice for trading CFDs in 2026, especially if you are looking for regulatory safety and worldwide market coverage. To move up to larger position sizes without tying up your capital, explore the funding programs on Fundedtrader.fr and start your challenge.
