Contact us
New to IG: +35 318 009 95362
Existing clients: +35 318 009 95364
Email: newaccounts.uk@ig.com
Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 74% 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 and turbo warrants are complex financial instruments. Trading these financial instruments involves the high risk of losing money rapidly.
Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 74% 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 and turbo warrants are complex financial instruments. Trading these financial instruments involves the high risk of losing money rapidly.
Ethereum trading
Go long and short on ether, the token of the ethereum network, with the world’s No.1 spread betting and CFD provider1
Key benefits
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Go short as well as long
Take a position when you expect ethereum to fall in value, not just when you expect it to rise
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Trade with confidence
Our platform is secured using the same 256-bit encryption as high street banks
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No wallet needed
There’s no waiting for a wallet, no need for specialist technology and no risk of fraud
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Improved liquidity
So there’s more chance of executing your full trade at your chosen price
Ethereum CFDs
Trade contracts on the price movement of ether, with your profit or loss depending on how far the market moves.
What is ethereum?
Ethereum is a digital platform on which a whole range of applications can be built, including identity software, security programs and, of course, methods of payment.
So while the cryptocurrency itself is often referred to as ‘ethereum’, its more accurate name is ‘ether’.
Just like a traditional currency, you can own, exchange or speculate on ether. As it’s virtual, however, the currency operates outside of a central authority, such as a bank or a government.
How can I trade CFDs on ethereum?
To trade ethereum’s token, ether, you generally need access to an exchange, along with a virtual wallet which can take several days to acquire. But when you trade CFDs on ether you never actually own the cryptocurrency. This means all you need is an IG trading account, which takes minutes to set up.
On our trading platform, you’ll always see ether quoted against another currency, such as the dollar. Rather than taking actual ownership when you open a position, you’re instead speculating on the cryptocurrency’s rise or fall in value against the other currency. If you’re correct, you’ll make a profit; if not, you’ll make a loss.
Keep in mind that as CFDs are leveraged products, you’ll only ever need to put down a small deposit to gain exposure to the full value of the trade. This means your capital goes further, but you also stand to lose more than your initial outlay.
You can use CFDs to open long and short positions, with spreads starting from just 2 points. Ethereum can be traded on all our platforms, including MT4.
See an example of an ether CFD trade
Our price is currently 204 to sell ether (USD), or 206 to buy it.
You believe ether’s price will rise against the dollar, so you buy 100 contracts at 206 (equivalent to buying 100 ether units at a price of $206).
The ether price rises and our new price is 244/246. You decide to take your profit by selling to close at 244.
$244 - $206 = $38 move or 38 points
Your gross profit is 38 x $100 = $3800*
*Excludes any daily funding charges.
FAQs
What is a decentralised platform?
A decentralised platform is shared digital infrastructure on which anyone can build an application, without intervening servers or management tools. Ethereum is an example of this: it connects users and providers directly, and has no single point of failure.
What is a smart contract?
Smart contracts are lines of code written into the blockchain to serve as the terms and agreements between a buyer and seller. They ensure anonymous parties can enter a transaction with one another without the need for a central authority or legal intermediary. In short, they make transactions traceable, transparent and irreversible.
Who created ethereum?
Ethereum was created by Vitalik Buterin, a 22-year-old programmer from Toronto. His aim was to use blockchain to accommodate not only a cryptocurrency, but many more programs besides.
Can I trade ether on the MetaTrader 4 platform?
Yes, you can use the MetraTrader 4 (MT4) platform to trade ether against the US dollar. With MT4, you’ll gain access to low latency execution, as well as a number of free apps, indicators and tools.
1 Based on revenue (published financial statements, 2022).
