Understanding the settlement period
When you sell shares, there is a required 'settlement period' before your funds become available for withdrawal.
Your account shows more than one 'available' balance, but only the one labelled 'available to withdraw' is money you can actually take out. The other, 'available to deal' includes any recent share sale proceeds that haven't settled yet.
What is the settlement period?
The settlement period covers the exchange, clearance and settlement of your trade. It is set by the rules of the underlying market, which we must follow.
Share Type | Settlement Period | Example |
US Shares | T+1 (1 working day) | Sell on Monday → Settles Tuesday |
All Other Shares | T+2 (2 working days) or T+3 (3 working days) | Sell on Monday → Settles Wednesday |
Note: 'T' stands for the transaction date (the day you sell your shares).
This settlement period is necessary for the exchange, clearance, and settlement of your trade, and it is determined by the underlying market regulations that we must adhere to.
You can see the 2 or 3 day settlement period, known as T+2 or T+3 within the deal tickets 'info' section.
In this example, if you sell shares on Monday, the transaction will settle by Wednesday as it's a T+2 settlement. During the settlement period, you will still be able to open new positions with the unsettled funds; however, you will not be able to withdraw them until settlement is complete.
What's the difference between 'available to deal' and 'available to withdraw'?
| 'Available to deal' | 'Available to withdraw' |
What it contains | Settled funds plus unsettled funds | Settled funds only |
When sale proceeds appear here | Immediately after you sell | Only after the trade settles (T+1 or T+2) |
Can you buy shares with it? | Yes | Yes |
Can you withdraw it? | No | Yes |
Can you transfer it to another IG account? | No | Yes |
Key rules:
'Available to deal' includes unsettled funds. 'Available to withdraw' does not.
'Available to deal' will always be equal to or higher than 'available to withdraw'. It is never lower.
If the two balances differ, the difference is your unsettled credit — money from sales that has not yet settled.
When 'unsettled credit' reads zero, all closed trades have settled and the two balances will match.
Selling shares increases 'available to deal' immediately. It increases 'available to withdraw' only once the settlement period has passed.
What can I do with my funds during the settlement period?
You Can | You Cannot |
✅ Reinvest these funds in a different stock on the same account | ❌ Transfer the funds to another IG account (inter-account transfers are not possible until settled) |
| ❌ Withdraw the funds |
How do I know if my share dealing or ISA trade has settled?
On Desktop:
On Desktop:
You can see the funds available to withdraw or transfer in My IG under 'live accounts', as well as in the 'Available to withdraw' balance dropdown menu on the desktop trading platform. Here, you can also see 'unsettled credit' which will read as zero once all closed trades are settled.
On Mobile:
On Mobile:
You will only see the funds available to withdraw or transfer on the mobile app under 'account' once the trade has settled. Note that there is a difference between 'available to withdraw' and 'available to deal'. 'Available to deal' includes unsettled funds.
What happens after the settlement period?
Once your funds show as 'available to withdraw', you can request a withdrawal. The following processing times apply.
Card/ApplePay: Withdrawals requested Monday to Friday (before 8pm) are processed the same day, however it can take up to 5 working days to receive the funds depending on your bank.
Bank transfer:
Bank withdrawals requested before 12 o'clock (UK time) on a working day should be processed the same day.
Domestic withdrawals 100 GBP or less are processed as BACS which can take up to 3 working days.
Domestic withdrawals more than 100 GBP or more are processed as Faster Payments and should arrive the same day.
Currency and international withdrawals may take up to 3 working days or longer, depending on the receiving bank.
How to request a withdrawal?
You will only be able to withdraw funds that are fully settled and reflected as 'available to withdraw.' Please see how to withdraw funds from your IG account, assuming your request meets our requirements:
On desktop:
On desktop:
Go to: My IG > Live accounts > Withdraw funds.
On mobile app:
On mobile app:
Go to: Bottom right corner Accounts > Withdraw funds.
For more information on withdrawals, please visit What should I know before placing a withdrawal request?
Please Note:
Bank holidays and weekends are not considered working days
We typically return money via the same method used to make the original deposit
For international transfers, intermediary banks may cause additional delays
If your withdrawal hasn't arrived after the expected timeframe, please contact our support team