Head to head
FXCM vs IG
FXCM is licensed by FCA in the United Kingdom, CySEC in the European Union and ASIC in Australia. IG is licensed by FCA in the United Kingdom; BaFin in the European Union; FINMA in Switzerland; ASIC in Australia; FMA (New Zealand) in New Zealand; MAS in Singapore; JFSA in Japan; CFTC / NFA in the United States; DFSA in Dubai (DIFC), UAE and FSCA in South Africa. The licence that applies to you depends on where you live, so check which company you would contract with before comparing anything else.
Minimum deposits start at $50 at FXCM and $250 at IG. Only IG offers negative balance protection. Both offer segregated client money.
Facts last checked: FXCM on 20 October 2026, IG on 20 October 2026.
Monthly cost uses the account chosen in each slot: cost per lot × your lots. Swap and other fees are extra. The lowest monthly cost is highlighted only as a fact about cost, not as a recommendation.
Broker
Comparing
FXCMUnited Kingdom
IGUnited Kingdom
Overview
Founded
1999
1974
Headquarters
London, United Kingdom (Stratos Group)
London, United Kingdom
Official websites
- fxcm.com
- tradu.com
- ig.com
- www.ig.com
Facts last checked
20 October 2026
20 October 2026
Regulation and protection
Company you would contract with
Stratos Markets Limited
IG Markets Ltd
Regulation level
Strictly regulated
Strictly regulated
Clients this company serves
Existing UK clients; FXCM's UK site sends new accounts to Trade Nation
UK residents (CFDs and share dealing); also international accounts for South African clients
All licences held
- FCA (United Kingdom)
- CySEC (European Union)
- ASIC (Australia)
- FCA (United Kingdom)
- FCA (United Kingdom)
- BaFin (European Union)
- FINMA (Switzerland)
- ASIC (Australia)
- FMA (New Zealand) (New Zealand)
- MAS (Singapore)
- JFSA (Japan)
- CFTC / NFA (United States)
- DFSA (Dubai (DIFC), UAE)
- FSCA (South Africa)
FSCS up to £85,000 (UK company); ICF up to €20,000 (Cyprus company); none for the St Vincent company
FSCS up to £85,000 (UK); EdW 90% of a claim up to €20,000 (IG Europe); esisuisse up to CHF 100,000 (Switzerland); none in Australia, Singapore, South Africa or the UAE
Costs
Your monthly cost
No accounts listed
No accounts listed
Typical GBP/USD spread
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Typical USD/JPY spread
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Typical XAU/USD spread
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Leverage and margin
1:30 on major pairs (UK, EU, Australia); up to 1:1000 at the St Vincent company
1:30 on major pairs (UK, EU, Australia)
Retail leverage by asset class
- Major currency pairs: 1:30
- Non-major currency pairs: 1:20
- Other commodities and non-major indices: 1:10
- Share CFDs: 1:5
- Crypto CFDs: 1:2
- Major currency pairs: 1:30
- Other currency pairs: 1:20
- Other commodities and non-major indices: 1:10
- Share CFDs: 1:5
Stop-out level
Not yet checked
50% (UK and EU retail close-out rule)
Account
Minimum deposit (this account)
No accounts listed
No accounts listed
Platforms and features
Platforms
- Trading Station
- MetaTrader 4
- TradingView
- IG web platform
- Mobile app
- MetaTrader 4
- ProRealTime
- L2 Dealer
- TradingView
Markets
Forex, index, commodity, share and crypto CFDs, plus FXCM baskets
17,000+ markets, including 80+ forex pairs, indices, shares, commodities and options
Copy trading
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Expert advisors (automated trading)
Yes
Yes
News trading allowed
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Guaranteed stops
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Deposits and withdrawals
Deposit methods
- Debit card
- Credit card
- Bank wire
- Google Pay
- Skrill
- Neteller
- Crypto
- Debit card
- Credit card
- Bank transfer
- PayPal
Withdrawal fee
Not yet checked
Free by card and bank transfer (UK)
Inactivity fee
Not yet checked
None on the UK trading account
Support
Customer support
24/5 live chat
24 hours a day from 8am Saturday to 10pm Friday (UK time), by phone, web chat and WhatsApp
Our notes
Strengths
- Long-running brand (since 1999) with companies licensed by the FCA, CySEC and ASIC
- Its own Trading Station platform alongside MetaTrader 4, TradingView and API access
- Low first deposit of 50 in the account currency on the international site
- UK, EU and Swiss companies authorised by strict regulators, with client money segregated and a compensation scheme in each
- Negative balance protection for UK and EU retail clients
- No inactivity, account or card-deposit fees on the UK trading account
- Very wide market range, including spread betting for UK clients
Watch out for
- The UK company, Stratos Markets Limited, has applied to cancel its FCA authorisation (shown on the FCA register since 15 October 2026), and FXCM's UK site says new trading accounts are now provided through Trade Nation.
- FXCM's EU site says new trading accounts are now provided through AvaTrade, a separate broker
- International clients join Stratos Global LLC in St Vincent and the Grenadines, which holds no financial licence; leverage there goes up to 1:1000 and losses can exceed deposits
- Says Stratos South Africa (Pty) Ltd is FSCA FSP 46534 and Stratos Light Limited is supervised by the Israel Securities Authority; we could not confirm either on the regulator's register on 2026-10-20 (the FSCA FSP register could not be reached).
- Says IG International Limited (for clients outside IG's local offices) is licensed by the Bermuda Monetary Authority; we could not confirm it on the BMA register on 2026-10-20 because the BMA website was unavailable.
- The Australian IG trading account does not have negative balance protection; only the limited risk account caps losses
- IG publishes minimum spreads, not typical spreads, so the real cost depends on market conditions
- Minimum deposit varies by region: £250 in the UK, €300 in the EU, CHF 2,500 in Switzerland
Choose at least one broker above to start comparing.
Risk warnings
The buttons to a broker’s website above the table are partner links: we may earn a commission if you open an account through them. That never changes the facts shown here. Trading leveraged products such as forex and CFDs carries a high risk of losing money rapidly, and most retail accounts lose money. Each broker’s own warning:
- FXCM: Our products are traded on leverage which means they carry a high level of risk and you could lose more than your deposits. These products are not suitable for all investors. Please ensure you fully understand the risks and carefully consider your financial situation and trading experience before trading. Seek independent advice if necessary.
- IG: Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 70% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading spread bets and CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how spread bets and CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
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Cost per lot is the typical EUR/USD spread in busy hours × $10, plus any round-turn commission, for one standard lot. “Not yet checked” means we have not confirmed that fact yet. This page compares facts; it does not rank the brokers or recommend either. Confirm costs and licences on each broker’s site and the regulator’s public register before opening an account: see how we review brokers and check a broker yourself.
Nothing on this page is financial advice. Read the full disclaimer.