IG

Overview of IG

Founded in 1974, IG is one of the oldest regulated brokers worldwide, and best known for multi-asset CFD trading rather than purely crypto. It operates across major financial centres under tier-1 regulators and is built around trading traditional markets such as forex, indices, shares, and commodities, with crypto added as a supplementary product rather than a core focus.

Crypto on IG is offered either as crypto CFDs or spot crypto investing, depending on region. In most jurisdictions, traders access crypto via CFDs with leverage and margin, while UK retail clients are limited to custodial, unleveraged spot crypto investing. The crypto range is deliberately conservative, and trading platforms are limited to MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and IG WebTrader or mobile app.

Tradeable crypto markets vary widely by regulatory jurisdiction, and IG's crypto offering is designed to sit alongside its core multi-asset platform rather than operate as a standalone crypto trading service.

Crypto Trading Fees

IG's crypto pricing depends on region and product type. In most regions, crypto exposure is provided via crypto CFDs, while UK retail clients access crypto through spot crypto investing only. Each route has a different cost structure.

IG prices crypto CFDs using a spread-only model. Your direct trading cost is the bid–ask spread with no separate commission. The spread is quoted as a minimum and can widen materially during volatility, around major news, or when liquidity thins.

Bitcoin CFDs are priced most competitively through International, Singapore, and South Africa accounts, where minimum spreads start from 36 points. Australia is moderately wider at 45 points, while Europe is materially more expensive at 140 points minimum.

The UK and Japan do not fit into this spread comparison. UK retail clients cannot trade crypto CFDs, with crypto access limited to spot investing instead. In Japan, IG provides crypto exposure primarily through a crypto index rather than individual crypto CFD markets.

Spot crypto investing (UK) is priced through execution spreads rather than overnight financing. Positions are fully funded with no leverage, no margin requirements, and no overnight financing costs.

IG applies an inactivity fee which is not crypto-specific but can apply if an account remains unused for an extended period. Currency conversion fees may also apply when funding in a different currency.

IG scored 6/10 for crypto fees because while the pricing structure is clear, costs and competitiveness vary significantly by region. Europe is materially more expensive than International, Singapore, and South Africa, particularly on Bitcoin. Add overnight financing on CFDs and spread widening during volatile periods, and pricing remains generally fair but with clear trade-offs.

Crypto Markets

IG's crypto market coverage varies significantly by region, and in most jurisdictions crypto exposure is offered via CFDs, while some regions restrict access to spot investing or index-based products only.

BTC

ETH

LTC

ADA

SOL

AVAX

+ 29 more

IG International provides the most complete crypto product set with more than 10 individual cryptocurrency CFDs focused on large-cap assets including Bitcoin, Ether, Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, Cardano, Polkadot, Chainlink, Uniswap, Solana, and Avalanche, plus the Crypto 10 Index.

Australia closely mirrors the International offering under ASIC regulation but with slightly fewer altcoins. Singapore offers one of IG's broader retail crypto CFD line-ups with 15 crypto CFDs. Europe offers a reduced version with fewer markets reflecting ESMA restrictions. The UAE offers a narrow selection focused primarily on major cryptocurrencies.

The UK differs fundamentally — UK retail clients cannot trade crypto CFDs. Instead, IG offers spot crypto investing through a custodial cryptoasset account with no leverage. Japan provides crypto exposure primarily through a crypto-related index rather than direct Bitcoin or Ether trading.

Outside of crypto, IG provides access to a large multi-asset range including forex, indices, commodities, shares, ETFs, and bonds.

IG scored 6/10 for crypto markets as coverage is solid for major cryptocurrencies but limited beyond that, and highly dependent on regulatory jurisdiction. International and Singapore accounts offer the broadest access, while Europe, the UAE, and Australia are more restricted, the UK is limited to spot only, and Japan offers index-based exposure.

Trading Platforms and Tools

IG's crypto trading platforms are built around its proprietary web-based platform and mobile app, which provide the most complete access to crypto CFDs across supported regions.

MetaTrader 4

IG's proprietary platform supports advanced charting with multiple timeframes, a broad set of technical indicators, and standard drawing tools. Crypto markets can be traded directly from charts. Order functionality includes market orders, limit orders, stop orders, and guaranteed stops where permitted.

MT4 support for crypto CFDs is region-dependent and limited. Where supported, availability is typically restricted to major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ether. Smaller altcoins and the Crypto 10 Index must be traded through IG's proprietary platform instead.

L2 Dealer, ProRealTime, and TradingView integration are available for some IG markets but do not support crypto CFDs. For crypto trading, IG's web platform and mobile app remain the only fully supported options.

IG offers demo accounts for CFD trading including crypto CFDs, and integrates price alerts, technical indicators, volatility tools, and risk management features including stop-loss orders, guaranteed stops, and margin monitoring.

IG scored 7/10 for platforms and tools thanks to stable execution and a well-built proprietary platform. The score is held back by limited third-party platform support for crypto, reduced MT4 market coverage, and no meaningful TradingView or ProRealTime integration for crypto markets.

Safety and Availability

IG Group has been operating since the 1970s and is listed on the London Stock Exchange (FTSE 250). It operates as a market maker, setting prices internally and acting as the counterparty to client CFD trades.

IG holds licences with multiple tier-1 financial regulators including FCA (UK), ASIC (Australia), CFTC and NFA (US via tastyfx), JFSA (Japan), MAS (Singapore), FMA (New Zealand), FINMA (Switzerland), and BaFin (Germany via EU passporting).

For CFD trading, IG applies client fund segregation with retail client funds held separately from operating capital. Negative balance protection is provided in the UK and EU. For spot crypto investing (UK only), assets are held custodially and powered by Uphold, and are not covered by investor compensation schemes.

Crypto availability is region-specific. Most regions offer crypto CFDs, UK retail clients access spot crypto investing only, and Japan offers index-based products. IG's US entity (tastyfx) offers forex only with no crypto products.

IG scored 9/10 for safety and availability, reflecting its long operating history, tier-1 regulation across multiple jurisdictions, and standard client protections. It falls just short of perfect because protections and product access differ by region, and spot crypto investing operates under a custodial model without equivalent regulatory protections.

Funding and Withdrawals

Regardless of region, IG supports fiat currency only deposits and withdrawals with no fees and no initial minimum deposit requirement to open an account. Crypto deposits or withdrawals are not available under any account type.

Withdrawals are processed in fiat currency only and returned via the original funding method. No withdrawal fees are charged by IG. Card and e-wallet withdrawals are usually processed faster, while bank wire withdrawals can take several business days.

IG scored 7/10 for funding and withdrawals due to its straightforward, no-fee process across regions. The score is reduced because crypto deposits and withdrawals are not supported, and funding methods, limits, and minimums vary by jurisdiction, creating uneven accessibility.

Risk and Trading Rules

In regions where retail crypto CFDs are permitted, crypto CFDs typically carry a 50% margin requirement equivalent to 1:2 leverage on major cryptocurrencies. This applies across EU and Australian retail accounts and reflects regulatory caps rather than broker discretion.

By comparison, major forex pairs require around 3.33% margin (1:30 leverage), major indices around 5% (1:20), and share CFDs around 20% (1:5). Crypto CFDs require significantly more capital for the same notional exposure.

In the UK, retail clients do not trade crypto CFDs at all. Spot crypto investing is fully funded and unleveraged with no margin, no leverage, and no liquidation risk.

Margin requirements can be increased during elevated volatility, reducing available free margin. All trading styles are permitted including scalping, hedging, and automation via Expert Advisors where MT4 crypto is available.

IG scored 7/10 for risk and trading rules because conditions are clear, predictable, and well aligned with regulatory standards, but relatively restrictive for crypto traders. Retail crypto CFDs get 1:2 leverage, margin can increase during volatility, and UK retail clients cannot access crypto CFDs at all.

Final Thoughts on IG

After testing and assessment, IG scored 70/100 overall, reflecting IG's profile as a highly regulated, technically reliable broker where the crypto offering is secondary to its core multi-asset CFD business. Safety and operational standards pull the score up, while limited crypto market depth, regional restrictions, and conservative product design pull it back.

Taken as a whole, IG delivers a competent but constrained crypto service. It meets our criteria for a fair, predictable trading environment on major cryptocurrencies, but falls short of what we would expect from a crypto-first platform. That balance places IG firmly in the "decent overall, with trade-offs" bracket rather than at the top end of the scale.