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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.

Trading with APIs

Automate your trading by connecting your front-end solutions to our market-leading pricing and execution technology. Start API trading today across a range of markets, including forex and cryptocurrencies.

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.

Contact us: +35 318 009 95362

What is API trading?

API stands for application programming interface. It is a program that connects two applications – for example, your IG trading account and your custom-built platform. Trading with APIs enables you to gain direct access to IG’s ecosystem, providing you with faster order execution and more control, which can enhance the experience of trading.

Trading with our APIs is an easy way to get live market data, historical prices and execute trades from any of your IG trading accounts – without having to manually trawl various exchanges and dark pools for data and prices. Instead, you can get the information delivered directly to you, ensuring speed and efficiency.

What is API trading?

Who typically trades with APIs?

Trading APIs are popular among hedge funds and registered trading firms as they enable access to more advanced programs, but they are also widely used among private traders and investors.

If you want to focus on trading rather than coding, but would like to use an advanced platform that is capable of trading with algorithms, you can use our ProRealTime platform.

Why trade with APIs?

Create bespoke trading solutions with our web-based APIs, either REST-based or streaming

Take advantage of DMA and OTC products with our FIX API via IG’s institutional service

Get coding as quickly as possible with our sample app

Use alongside third-party software such as Excel (VBA), .NET, and Java

Why trade with IG?

Market-leading trading APIs
Best pricing and execution

Choose the market-leader

Start trading with the world's No.1 spread betting and CFD provider1

Access deep liquidity

Take advantage of our market-leading pricing and execution technology

Over 16,000 markets for your API trading
A trusted provider for API trading

Trade over 17,000 markets

With more 24-hour markets than anywhere else and round-the-clock support

Feel secure with a trusted provider

With 45 years of experience, we’re proud to offer a truly market-leading service

Open an IG account in minutes to get started

Fill in our simple online form

We’ll ask a few questions about your trading experience.

Get quick 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.

Routes to trading with APIs

There are two different ways to trade via APIs with an IG account:

Directly through IG's API

Via ProRealTime

You’d do this if you want to build your own trading platform.

  • Create a live IG account
  • Generate an API key
  • Connect to the IG API using our Excel app or start coding
  • Understand the risks and costs of trading before you open your first trade

You’d do this if you want to send IG trades from a custom interface you have built.

  • Create a live IG account
  • Launch ProRealTime
  • Build your own algorithms
  • Start trading

Alternatively, you could create a demo account to test your application in a risk-free environment. To use APIs via an IG demo, you have to use the same email address as your live account. If you already have a live account, you can use the account switcher on the top left of the page to open a demo account.

Trading CFDs and spread betting with APIs

With IG’s trading API, you can either build your own or use pre-made solutions to place spread bets and trade CFDs.

  • Spread betting is a tax-free way to speculate on the future price of a financial market2
  • CFD trading enables you to offset losses against profits for tax purposes,2 making it suitable for hedging

When you trade either of these products, you can take a long or a short position. You’d take a long position if you expect the market to rise, and a short position if you expect it to fall. Once you’ve opened a position, your profit or loss will depend on the market movement of the underlying instrument.

Learn more about the ways to trade with IG

Markets and costs with APIs

  • Forex
  • Indices
  • Commodities
  • Cryptos
Market Minimum spread
EUR/USD 0.6
AUD/USD 0.6
EUR/GBP 0.9
GBP/USD 0.9
Market Minimum spread
FTSE 100 1
Wall Street 2.4
Germany 40 1.2
Australia 200 1

Market Minimum spread
Spot Gold 0.3
Spot Silver 2
Oil - US Crude 2.8
Oil - Brent Crude 2.8

Market Minimum spread
Bitcoin 36
Ether 1.2
Bitcoin Cash 2
Ripple 0.36

You might be interested in…

Explore the fast, user-friendly trading platforms that you can use to trade CFDs with us.

Understand the risks of trading, and discover the tools we offer to help you mitigate them.

Use award-winning trading technology tailored to your business’s needs via our FIX API

1 Based on revenue (published financial statements, 2022); for forex based on number of primary relationships with FX traders (Investment Trends UK Leveraged Trading Report released July 2024).
2 Tax laws are subject to change and depend on individual circumstances. Tax law may differ in a jurisdiction other than the UK.