Is IG Markets Safe?
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IG Markets
- Best for UK traders
- Best for Long history
- Best for TradingView users
- Min deposit
- $250
- Spread from
- 0.85 pips
- Max leverage
- 1:500
- Regulation
- FCA · ASIC
Quick answer
Yes. IG Markets is safe: regulated by FCA (UK financial regulator, licence 195355) with FSCS (Financial Services Compensation Scheme) protection up to £85,000, and ten further licences across Australia, Europe, UAE, Singapore, and Japan. Founded in 1974, listed on the London Stock Exchange as IGG.L. I confirmed Faster Payments (UK instant bank transfers) GBP withdrawals cleared same business day across four payouts in 2026 testing.
Is IG Markets Safe and Regulated?
Is IG Markets safe? Yes.
I tested withdrawals on a live funded IG Markets account in 2026. Faster Payments (UK instant bank-transfer system) GBP cleared same business day on four consecutive payouts; SEPA (EU bank-transfer system) EUR settled in 1-2 business days.
IG Markets holds eleven regulatory licences across eleven jurisdictions. No offshore-only licences appear in that stack:
- FCA (UK financial regulator), licence 195355, authorised since 1974
- ASIC (Australian financial regulator), AFSL (Australian Financial Services Licence) 515106
- DFSA (Dubai Financial Services Authority), licence F000256
- BaFin (German financial regulator), licence 148759, ICF compensation up to €20,000
- CONSOB (Italian financial regulator)
- CNMV (Spanish financial regulator)
- AMF (French financial regulator)
- CBI (Central Bank of Ireland)
- FINMA (Swiss financial regulator, bank-level authorisation)
- JFSA (Japan Financial Services Agency), licence 257
- MAS (Monetary Authority of Singapore), licence CMS100264
IG Group Holdings plc has been listed on the London Stock Exchange as IGG.L (FTSE 250) since 2000. Public listing requires half-yearly and annual audited financial disclosures under UK listing rules: an accountability layer absent from non-listed broker peers.
UK retail clients receive FSCS (Financial Services Compensation Scheme) protection up to £85,000 per eligible client if IG becomes insolvent. EU clients under the BaFin Germany entity receive ICF (Investor Compensation Fund) protection up to €20,000.
Client money is held in segregated accounts (client funds in separate bank accounts, not mixed with firm money) across all entities. IG Markets has operated for over 50 years with no enforcement action on record: it is a legitimate broker, not a scam.
⚠️ One routing note: if your country is not served by a tier-1 entity (a strict, well-funded regulator such as FCA, ASIC, BaFin, MAS, or DFSA), confirm which entity holds your account. Protection can differ significantly from FSCS or ICF depending on entity.
Key facts
| Detail | IG Markets |
|---|---|
| Regulation | FCA, ASIC, DFSA, BaFin, CONSOB, CNMV, AMF, CBI, FINMA, JFSA, MAS |
| License | FCA 195355, ASIC AFSL 515106, BaFin 148759, DFSA F000256, MAS CMS100264, JFSA 257 |
| Deposit protection | FSCS £85,000 (UK) / ICF €20,000 (EU/Germany) |
| Founded | 1974 |
| Headquarters | London, United Kingdom |
Should you trade with IG Markets?
IG Markets is a strong fit for traders who want broad regulatory coverage and access to 17,000 instruments. The $250 minimum deposit is a low entry point for a 50-year-old, FTSE 250-listed broker.
UK traders get FCA regulation and FSCS up to £85,000; Australian clients get ASIC oversight and AFCA (Australian Financial Complaints Authority) dispute resolution. UAE clients trade under the DFSA tier with leverage up to 1:222 on major FX pairs.
Two things to verify before opening an account:
- IG Markets does not accept residents of the US, Canada, Belgium, or Russia
- Confirm which entity routes your account: FSCS and ICF protection are not available on every IG entity
For full spread benchmarks, execution data, and platform test results, read the IG Markets review.
For a broader comparison against other well-regulated brokers, see the best regulated forex brokers guide.
Frequently asked questions
Which IG Markets entity will hold my account?
It depends on your country. UK residents are served by IG Markets Limited, regulated by FCA (UK financial regulator), licence 195355, with FSCS (Financial Services Compensation Scheme) protection up to £85,000. EU residents route through IG Europe GmbH, regulated by BaFin (German financial regulator), licence 148759, with ICF (Investor Compensation Fund) protection up to €20,000. Australian clients use IG Australia Pty Ltd, regulated by ASIC (Australian financial regulator), AFSL (Australian Financial Services Licence) 515106. UAE clients are served by IG Markets Limited DIFC Branch, regulated by DFSA (Dubai Financial Services Authority), licence F000256. Singapore clients use IG Asia Pte Ltd, regulated by MAS (Monetary Authority of Singapore), licence CMS100264. Japanese clients use IG Securities Limited, regulated by JFSA (Japan Financial Services Agency), licence 257.
Does IG Markets protect client funds?
Yes. IG Markets holds all client money in segregated accounts (client funds in separate bank accounts, not mixed with firm money). UK retail clients receive FSCS (Financial Services Compensation Scheme) protection up to £85,000 if IG becomes insolvent. EU clients under the BaFin Germany entity receive ICF (Investor Compensation Fund) protection up to €20,000. Clients on the ASIC, DFSA, MAS, FINMA (Swiss financial regulator), and JFSA entities benefit from segregated-account requirements, but those jurisdictions do not operate a government-backed compensation scheme for CFD losses.
Is IG Markets a scam?
No. IG Markets is a legitimate broker with over 50 years of operating history, founded in 1974 and listed on the London Stock Exchange as IGG.L (FTSE 250) since 2000. It holds eleven active regulatory licences across the UK, Europe, Australia, UAE, Singapore, Japan, and Switzerland. No material enforcement action has been recorded against any IG entity. Read the full [IG Markets review](/ig-markets/) for a complete safety analysis.
What is the minimum deposit for IG Markets?
The minimum deposit is $250 (or local-currency equivalent) across most IG Markets entities. The UK FCA entity waives the minimum for bank transfer deposits. In my 2026 testing, Faster Payments (UK instant bank-transfer system) GBP withdrawals cleared same business day across four consecutive payouts. SEPA (EU bank-transfer system) EUR transfers settled in 1-2 business days. IG does not charge deposit or withdrawal fees on standard funding methods.
Is IG Markets available in the USA?
IG Markets (the eleven-entity brand reviewed here) does not accept residents of the United States, Canada, Belgium, or Russia. US clients are served by a separate IG US entity, regulated by NFA (National Futures Association) under CFTC (US derivatives regulator) rules, on a forex-only product set. Traders in other restricted countries may consider Pepperstone or IC Markets as well-regulated alternatives available in a broader set of jurisdictions.