Spot trading
Open a spot (cash) trading account with the No.1 CFD and spread betting provider in the UK.1
Call 0800 195 3100 or email newaccounts.uk@ig.com to talk about opening an account.
Why trade spot markets with us?
Access continuous pricing
Trade on the spot, with continuous, real-time pricing
Trade prices mimicking the underlying market
Access thousands of assets, priced to mirror the underlying asset price, at the current market rate
Get more flexibility
Open long or short positions with no fixed expiries
Trade on low spreads
Enjoy some of the lowest spreads in the UK – starting at 0.3 points
Explore our charts
Study price action and perform technical analysis with continuous charting
Open short-term positions
Track the spot price of an asset over a short-term period that suits you
Discover our spot markets
You can trade almost any of our markets on the spot, including indices, commodities, forex, shares, ETFs and bonds. See an overview of some of the most traded spot markets below.
- Spot forex
- Spot commodities
- Cash indices
- Cash shares
- Cash ETFs
Prices above are subject to our website terms and conditions. Prices are indicative only. All shares prices are delayed by at least 15 mins.
Prices above are subject to our website terms and conditions. Prices are indicative only. All shares prices are delayed by at least 15 mins.
Prices above are subject to our website terms and conditions. Prices are indicative only. All shares prices are delayed by at least 15 mins.
Prices above are subject to our website terms and conditions. Prices are indicative only. All shares prices are delayed by at least 15 mins.
Prices above are subject to our website terms and conditions. Prices are indicative only. All shares prices are delayed by at least 15 mins.
Find your market
Ways to trade spot markets with us
| Spread betting | CFD trading | |
| Main benefits | Go long or short on asset prices. Profits are tax-free in the UK2 | Go long or short on asset prices. Tax-deductible losses are useful for hedging2 |
| Accessible to | All clients | All clients |
| Traded in | £ per point | Contracts |
| Tax status | No capital gains tax (CGT) or stamp duty2 | No stamp duty, but you do pay CGT. Losses can be offset as a tax deduction2 |
| Risks | Spread bets are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage | CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage |
| Commission | Charged via the spread | Share CFDs are subject to commission. All other markets are charged via the spread |
| Platforms | Web, mobile app and MT4 | Web, mobile app and MT4 |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Leverage can magnify both your profits and losses as they’ll be based on the full exposure of the trade, not just the margin required to open it. This means losses as well as profits could far outweigh your margin, so always ensure you’re trading within your means.
Spot trading vs forwards and futures
Spot trading
Spot prices reflect the underlying asset’s price
You can open short-term positions with low spreads, which makes spot trading popular among day traders
There are no fixed expiries on spot trades
You can conduct technical analysis over a longer period with the help of continuous charting
Forwards and futures
Futures and forwards are contracts used to speculate on the future value of a market
Our futures and forwards prices reflect the underlying contract’s price
You can open longer-term positions with no overnight fees, which makes forwards and futures trading popular among swing or position traders
Both contract types have a fixed expiry date at some point in the future
What is spot (cash) trading?
Spot (cash) trading is the method of buying and selling assets at the current market rate, known as the spot price. With us, you’ll trade the spot market via spread bets or CFDs, which means you don’t take ownership or delivery of the assets.
Features of trading spot markets with us
Because you don’t take physical delivery of the underlying assets when trading spot markets, you can go long or short on their price.*
Spread bets and CFDs are leveraged trades, meaning you’ll open a position with a small percentage of the value of the trade to gain exposure to a larger position, off which profits or losses will be calculated. This means any loss or profit could substantially outweigh your deposit. You’ll pay no capital gains tax or stamp duty when spread betting spot markets, and CFD losses can be offset against profits for tax purposes.2
How do I trade cash markets in the UK?
- Open a spot (cash) trading account with us
- Find an opportunity
- Take your first position
- Monitor and close your trade
* Short-selling is a strategy which poses inherent risk of loss. With leveraged trades, you could lose far more than your initial deposit when shorting unsuccessfully.
Open a UK spot trading account in minutes
*Demo accounts are only available for spread betting and CFD trading.
Open a UK spot trading account in minutes
Fast execution on a huge range of markets
Enjoy flexible access to 15,000+ global markets, with reliable execution
Deal seamlessly, wherever you are
Trade on the move with our natively designed, award-winning trading app
Feel secure with a trusted provider
With 50 years of experience, we’re proud to offer a truly market-leading service
*Demo accounts are only available for spread betting and CFD trading.
Open a UK spot trading account in minutes
Open a UK spot trading account in minutes
Fast execution on a huge range of markets
Enjoy flexible access to 15,000+ global markets, with reliable execution
Deal seamlessly, wherever you are
Trade on the move with our natively designed, award-winning trading app
Feel secure with a trusted provider
With 50 years of experience, we’re proud to offer a truly market-leading service
Trade cash markets on the UK’s best trading platforms
Trade anything, anywhere, anytime on our award-winning platform3
- Web-based platform
- Mobile trading app
Our web trading platform is optimised for online spread betting and CFD trading. This platform offers unique price alerts, interactive charts, and a suite of risk management and research tools.
Our tablet and mobile trading platform has been optimised for iPhone and Android. You’ll have access to the same tools as on the web-based platform, and you can view mobile charts on the go.
You can choose the platform that suits your trading preferences and strategy – with unique price alerts, interactive charts and a suite of risk management tools available on each.
Open a UK spot trading account in minutes
It's free to open an account, takes less than five minutes, and there's no obligation to fund or trade.
*Demo accounts are only available for spread betting and CFD trading.
Open a UK spot trading account in minutes
It's free to open an account, takes less than five minutes, and there's no obligation to fund or trade.
*Demo accounts are only available for spread betting and CFD trading.
Open a UK spot trading account in minutes
It's free to open an account, takes less than five minutes, and there's no obligation to fund or trade.
Open a UK spot trading account in minutes
It's free to open an account, takes less than five minutes, and there's no obligation to fund or trade.
Open a UK spot trading account in minutes
It's free to open an account, takes less than five minutes, and there's no obligation to fund or trade.
Open a UK spot trading account in minutes
It's free to open an account, takes less than five minutes, and there's no obligation to fund or trade.
Try these next
Learn about trading commodities such as gold
Discover forex trading and how it works in the UK
Read about the benefits of spread betting and CFDs
1 Based on revenue (published financial statements, 2023).
2 Tax laws are subject to change and depend on individual circumstances. Tax law may differ in a jurisdiction other than the UK.
3 As awarded at the ADVFN International Financial Awards 2020 and Professional Trader Awards 2019.
Connect with us
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.
Professional clients trading spread bets and CFDs can lose more than they deposit.
Options and futures are complex instruments which come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. They’re not suitable for most investors. Before you invest, you should consider whether you understand how options and futures work, the risks of trading these instruments and whether you can afford to lose more than your original investment.
Trading stocks and shares ‘on margin’ within a US options and futures account – meaning that you only finance part of the cost of acquiring a position in a security – carries additional risks over buying securities on a fully funded basis and may result in losses exceeding your original investment. Trading on margin will also result in additional costs to you as the investor and any securities purchased using margin may be held as collateral by the lender, restricting both your rights as shareholder, and your ability to use the securities until the margin trade is closed. You should familiarise yourself with these risks before trading on margin.
The value of shares, ETFs and other ETPs bought through a share dealing account, a US options and futures account, a stocks and shares ISA or a SIPP can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Some ETPs carry additional risks depending on how they’re structured, investors should ensure they familiarise themselves with the differences before investing.
Share dealing and IG Smart Portfolio accounts provided by IG Trading and Investments Ltd, CFD accounts and US options and futures accounts are provided by IG Markets Ltd, spread betting provided by IG Index Ltd.
IG is a trading name of IG Trading and Investments Ltd (a company registered in England and Wales under number 11628764), IG Markets Ltd (a company registered in England and Wales under number 04008957) and IG Index Ltd (a company registered in England and Wales under number 01190902). Registered address at Cannon Bridge House, 25 Dowgate Hill, London EC4R 2YA. IG Markets Ltd (Register number 195355), IG Trading and Investments Ltd (Register Number 944492) and IG Index Ltd (Register number 114059) are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
The information on this site isn’t directed at residents of the United States, Belgium or any particular country outside the UK and isn’t intended for distribution to, or use by, any person in any country or jurisdiction where such distribution or use would be contrary to local law or regulation.