Plain-English forex education. No hype, no signals.فارسی
BrokerCutForex Academy

Head to head

IFC Markets vs IG

IFC Markets is licensed by Labuan FSA in Labuan, Malaysia, and also has an offshore registration. 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 $15 at IFC Markets (the Classic Standard (fixed spread) account needs $1,000) and $250 at IG. Both offer negative balance protection. Only IG offers segregated client money.

Facts last checked: IFC Markets on 20 October 2026, IG on 20 October 2026.

IFC Markets profileIG profile
Broker 1
Broker 2
Broker 3

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
IFC MarketsOffshore registration onlyRead the profile
IGStrictly regulatedRead the profile
Comparing
IFC MarketsClassic Standard (fixed spread) account · British Virgin Islands
IGUnited Kingdom

Overview

Founded
2006
1974
Headquarters
Not yet checked
London, United Kingdom
Official websites
  • ifcmarkets.com
  • ifcmarkets.co.in
  • ifcmarkets.ae
  • ifcmarkets.hk
  • ig.com
  • www.ig.com
Facts last checked
20 October 2026
20 October 2026

Regulation and protection

Company you would contract with
IFCMARKETS. CORP.
IG Markets Ltd
Regulator
BVI FSC
British Virgin Islands
FCA
United Kingdom
Regulation level
Offshore registration only
Strictly regulated
Licence number
SIBA/L/14/1073
Check the register
195355
Check the register
Clients this company serves
International clients (not residents of the US, Russia or the BVI)
UK residents (CFDs and share dealing); also international accounts for South African clients
All licences held
  • BVI FSC (British Virgin Islands)
  • Labuan FSA (Labuan, Malaysia)
  • 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)
Segregated client money
No
Yes
Negative balance protection
Yes
Yes
Compensation scheme
None
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
$180$18 per lot × 10 lots
No accounts listed
Cost per lot (EUR/USD)
$18
No accounts listed
Spread from
1.8 pips
No accounts listed
Typical EUR/USD spread
1.8 pips
No accounts listed
Commission per lot (round turn)
None
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
Swap-free account
Yes
Not yet checked

Leverage and margin

Maximum retail leverage
1:400 on Micro and Nano accounts; 1:200 on Standard accounts
1:30 on major pairs (UK, EU, Australia)
Retail leverage by asset class
  • All instruments, Standard accounts: Up to 1:200
  • All instruments, Micro and Nano accounts: Up to 1:400
  • Major currency pairs: 1:30
  • Other currency pairs: 1:20
  • Other commodities and non-major indices: 1:10
  • Share CFDs: 1:5
Margin call level
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Stop-out level
10%
50% (UK and EU retail close-out rule)

Account

Minimum deposit (this account)
$1,000
No accounts listed
Base currencies
USD, EUR, JPY
No accounts listed
Execution
Instant execution, fixed spread, no commission (MT4 and NetTradeX)
No accounts listed

Platforms and features

Platforms
  • NetTradeX
  • MetaTrader 4
  • MetaTrader 5
  • Web terminal
  • Mobile apps
  • IG web platform
  • Mobile app
  • MetaTrader 4
  • ProRealTime
  • L2 Dealer
  • TradingView
Markets
650+ CFDs on forex, metals, indices, stocks, commodities, ETFs and cryptocurrencies, plus self-built synthetic instruments
17,000+ markets, including 80+ forex pairs, indices, shares, commodities and options
Demo account
Yes
Yes
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
  • Bank transfer
  • Bank card
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Open Banking
  • Local bank (Africa)
  • Mobile money
  • WebMoney
  • Debit card
  • Credit card
  • Bank transfer
  • PayPal
Withdrawal fee
Bank wire at your bank's fee; card, crypto and e-wallet withdrawals carry fees that vary by method (for example 3% for Open Banking)
Free by card and bank transfer (UK)
Inactivity fee
Up to $10 a month after 12 months without trading, only while the balance is positive
None on the UK trading account

Support

Customer support
24/7 online support
24 hours a day from 8am Saturday to 10pm Friday (UK time), by phone, web chat and WhatsApp

Our notes

Strengths
  • Fixed 1.8-pip EUR/USD spread on Classic accounts, so costs are known in advance
  • Micro and Nano accounts from $15
  • Choice of NetTradeX, MT4 and MT5, with hedging or netting on MT5 and NetTradeX
  • 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
  • Licensed only in the BVI (offshore) and Labuan; no FCA, ASIC, CySEC or similar licence
  • Stop-out level of only 10%, so positions are closed late and losses can run far
  • Monthly inactivity fee of up to $10 after 12 months without trading
  • Standard accounts need a $1,000 first deposit
  • 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

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:

  • IFC Markets: Your capital is at risk. Leveraged products may not be suitable for everyone.
  • 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.

Open this comparison in the full tool to share a link with your own accounts and companies chosen.

Other head-to-head pages

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.

BrokerCut on Telegram

Get the latest forex news and market analysis.

Join the channel