Compare our ways to trade
You can choose from four types of leveraged trading product with us – spread bets, contracts for difference (CFDs), barriers and vanilla options. These leveraged trading products are all traded OTC.1 And as derivatives, they share a number of benefits, such as enabling you to trade both rising and falling markets around the clock. However, there are some key advantages unique to each.
Call +35 318 009 95362 or email newaccounts.uk@ig.com to talk about opening a trading account. We’re here 24 hours a day, from 8am Saturday to 10pm Friday.
How can I trade with IG?
Choose from four ways to trade – spread bets, CFDs, barriers and vanilla options. All of these leveraged products let you trade markets that might otherwise be inaccessible, potentially enjoying magnified profits from your outlay. Remember that any losses will also be greater, though – particularly if you use higher leverage.
| Spread betting | CFDs | Barriers | Vanilla options | |
| At a glance | Flexible tax-free alternative to trading. Take advantage of rising or falling markets, with no commission to pay – just our dealing spread | Flexible trading on thousands of assets, with direct market access for professionals. Hedge your stock portfolio to offset potential losses | Go long or short on thousands of markets with inherent risk protection. Choose and pay your maximum exposure upfront | Traditional call and put options, ideal for advanced traders who want to take advantage of a range of market conditions |
| Leverage and outlay - retail clients2 | Up to 30:1 leverage, trading on margin. You may need to top up your account to maintain your position | Up to 30:1 leverage, trading on margin. You may need to top up your account to maintain your position | Up to 100:1 leverage, based on an upfront premium | A fully funded premium is required to buy a vanilla option3 |
| How you trade | OTC | OTC | OTC | OTC |
| Markets | Forex, indices, shares, cryptocurrencies, commodities and more | Forex, indices, shares, cryptocurrencies, commodities and more | Forex, indices, shares and commodities | Forex, indices and commodities |
| Risk management | Our negative balance protection ensures you can’t lose more than the cash on your account. Set automatic stops to further limit your risk | Our negative balance protection ensures you can’t lose more than the cash on your account.4 Set automatic stops to further limit your risk | Your total risk is equal to the premium you pay unfront4 | For bought options, your total risk is equal to the premium you pay upfront3 |
| Learn more | Learn more | Learn more | Learn more |
How to open an online trading account
Opening an options, spread betting or CFD trading account with IG is quick and simple. And if you open one and later decide you’d like to trade with another product as well, it’s easy to add a second account.
Fill in our simple online form
We’ll ask a few questions about your trading experience.
Get swift verification
We can usually verify your ID in just a few seconds.
Fund your account and trade
Or practise on a risk-free demo if you’d prefer.
Open an account now
Fast execution on a huge range of markets
Enjoy flexible access to more than 17,000 global markets, with reliable execution
Deal seamlessly, wherever you are
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Log in to your account now to access today’s opportunity in a huge range of markets.
Different types of trading in detail
| Spread betting | CFD | Barrier | Vanilla option | |
| Are there expiries? | Expiry dates far in the future | No expiry dates (excluding forwards) | Fixed expiries | Fixed expiries |
| Do I pay tax?4 | You don’t pay capital gains tax or stamp duty. 5 | You don’t pay stamp duty, but you do pay capital gains tax. However, losses can be offset as a tax deduction | You don’t pay stamp duty, but you do pay capital gains tax. However, losses can be offset as a tax deduction | You don’t pay stamp duty, but you do pay capital gains tax. However, losses can be offset as a tax deduction |
| When can I trade? | 24-hour dealing on forex and major stock indices. During the underlying market hours for other markets. We also offer weekend trading on selected markets | 24-hour trading on forex and major stock indices. During the underlying market hours for other markets. We also offer weekend trading on selected markets | 24-hour trading on forex, major stock indices and commodities | 24-hour trading on a number of major vanilla options |
| Do I pay to keep positions open? | Overnight funding on daily funded bets. Rollovers on forwards and futures | Overnight funding on all markets, except forward contracts. Rollovers available on forwards | Overnight funding on all markets | No overnight funding |
| What kind of trading is it suitable for? | Intra-day Daily Medium-term |
Intra-day Daily Medium-term |
Intra-day Daily Medium-term |
Intra-day Daily Medium-term |
| Can I receive dividends? | We make a dividend adjustment on equity and stock index spread bets | We make a dividend adjustment on equity and stock index CFDs | We make a dividend adjustment on index barrier options | No adjustment for dividends |
| Can it be used for hedging? | Yes, but CFDs can be more effective because of their tax-deductible benefits | Yes - ideal for hedging as they closely reflect the underlying market and do not expire | Yes | Yes |
| Can I open a corporate account? | No | Yes, we offer corporate accounts | Yes, we offer corporate accounts | Yes, we offer corporate accounts |
| Range of markets | More than 17.000 markets, including: Forex Stock indices Metals Energies Spot metals Soft commodities Shares Cryptocurrencies ETFs and ETCs Options7 Interest rates Bonds Sectors Share forwards Forex forwards Daily stock index futures Stock index futures Daily oil futures |
More than 17.000 markets, including: Forex Stock indices Metals Energies Spot metals Soft commodities Shares Cryptocurrencies DMA-Forex4 DMA shares ETFs and ETCs Options6 Interest rates Bonds Sectors Stock index futures |
A broad selection of frequently traded, liquid markets: Forex Stock indices Metals Energies Spot metals Soft commodities Shares Daily stock index futures Daily oil futures |
A broad selection of frequently traded, liquid markets: Forex Stock indices Metals Energies Spot metals Soft commodities Daily stock index futures Daily oil futures |
| The mechanics of dealing | You define the size of your deal by selecting the amount you want to bet per point of movement (£/pt). Profits and losses realised in currency you bet in | You define the size of your deal by selecting the number of contracts or shares you want to trade. Each contract has a fixed value. Profits and losses realised in traded market’s base currency. GBP contracts available |
You choose your strike price from the options chain, then define the size of your trade. For barrier options, you also define your knock-out level. Profits and losses realised in traded market’s base currency |
You choose your strike price from the options chain, then define the size of your trade. Profits and losses realised in traded market’s base currency |
| The charges | A spread on all markets. No commission. Funding adjustments (excluding futures and forwards) | We charge a commission on share CFDs only, but no spread. A spread on all markets except shares. Funding adjustments (excluding futures). |
A per-lot commission on all markets. A premium, which includes the spread, on all markets. Funding adjustments. A knock-out premium, payable only if your knock-out level is reached. |
A per-lot commission on all markets. A premium, which includes the spread, on all markets. |
| Dealing platfroms | Desktop dealing Mobile App (iPhone, Android) Tablet App (iPad) MetaTrader 4 ProRealTime L2-Dealer (DMA)5 |
Desktop dealing Mobile App (iPhone, Android) Tablet App (iPad) L2-Dealer (DMA)5 MetaTrader 4 ProRealTime |
Desktop dealing Mobile App (iPhone, Android) Tablet App (iPad) L2-Dealer (DMA)5 MetaTrader 4 ProRealTime |
Desktop dealing Mobile App (iPhone, Android) Tablet App (iPad) L2-Dealer (DMA)5 MetaTrader 4 ProRealTime |
| Direct market access | No | Yes, for forex5 and shares | No | No |
Open a trading account with a world leader
Opening an options, spread betting or CFD trading account with IG is quick and simple – you could be trading in minutes. Or why not try our platform and practise trading on a risk-free demo account?
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1 OTC stands for over-the-counter, and refers to a trade that is not made on a formal exchange. It is often also referred to as off-exchange trading.
2 Higher levels of leverage may be available to professional clients. Find out more.
3 Sold options are available for professional clients only. These are leveraged at up to 30:1 and may require variable margin.
4 Negative balance protection applies to retail clients only.
5 Tax laws are subject to change and depend on individual circumstances. Tax law may differ in a jurisdiction other than the UK.
6 From 2 July 2018, regulatory interventions mean that certain products are unavailable to retail traders. As a result, we can only offer Forex Direct (forex DMA) to professional traders. To find out more about this, and to check whether you are eligible for a professional account, please see our professional account page.
7 CFD options are only available to professional traders.
Connect with us
Investing comes with risk and the price of shares can go down as well as up, and you are not guaranteed to get back the amount that you originally invested.
Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 71% 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.
Options are complex financial instruments and your capital is at risk. Losses may be extremely rapid.
CFD, spread betting and options are accounts provided by IG Europe GmbH (a company incorporated in the Federal Republic of Germany and registered in the Frankfurt Trade Register under number HRB 115624 with registered office at Westhafenplatz 1, 60327 Frankfurt, Germany). IG Europe GmbH (Register number 148759) is authorised and regulated by the Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht and Deutsche Bundesbank. The Swedish branch of IG Europe GmbH is regulated by the Finansinspektionen. The share dealing offer provided to IG Europe GmbH clients by another IG Group entity based in UK (IGXX) is only available to residents of Ireland only.
Spread betting is available to residents of Ireland only.
If you’re unhappy with our service please let us know. You can find full details of our complaints process here.