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Spread betting
Take advantage of rising or falling markets tax-free by spread betting.1 Offering seamless execution on more than 17,000 markets and round-the-clock phone support, you’ll soon discover why we’re the world’s No.1 provider.2
Start trading today. Call 0800 195 3100 or email newaccounts.uk@ig.com. We’re here 24 hours a day, from 8am Saturday to 10pm Friday.
Contact us: 0800 195 3100
Start trading today. Call 0800 195 3100 or email newaccounts.uk@ig.com. We’re here 24 hours a day, from 8am Saturday to 10pm Friday.
Contact us: 0800 195 3100
Why start spread betting with IG?
Trade without paying capital gains tax or stamp duty3
Deal on the UK’s best web platform and app3
Get full market exposure with just a small initial deposit
Rest assured that you can’t lose more than your account balance4
Deposit funds safely – your money is held in segregated accounts
Discover opportunities on forex, indices, shares, commodities and more
What is spread betting?
Spread betting is a way to take advantage of opportunities on rising or falling markets – without having to buy the underlying assets. It’s popular in the UK and Ireland because profits are tax-free.2
We invented financial spread betting in 1974, and today enable you to take trade over 17,000 markets.
What are the benefits?
- Access 17,000+ markets
- Trade without paying capital gains tax or stamp duty3
- Go long or short
- Open positions on margin
How do I spread bet?
- Open a trading account
- Find an opportunity
- Take a position
- Monitor your trade
Open an account now
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
Trade on the move with our natively designed, award-winning trading app
Feel secure with a trusted provider
With 45 years of experience, we’re proud to offer a truly market-leading service
Open an account now
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
Trade on the move with our natively designed, award-winning trading app
Feel secure with a trusted provider
With 45 years of experience, we’re proud to offer a truly market-leading service
How much will I have to pay?
Margins
Spread betting enables you to open a position with a small deposit known as margin. While this isn’t actually a cost to you, it can make a big difference to the affordability of your trade.
Spreads
Your key payment for trading is the spread – the difference between the buy and the sell price, our charge for executing your trade. Our spreads are among the lowest in the business.
| Retail margin | Leverage equivalent | Professional margin What is this? |
Leverage equivalent | |
| Forex | 3.33% | 1:30 | 0.45% | 1:222 |
| Indices | 5% | 1:20 | 0.45% | 1:222 |
| Shares | 20% | 1:5 | 4.5% | 1:22 |
| Commodities | 5% | 1:20 | 0.45% | 1:222 |
| Cryptocurrencies* | N/A | N/A | 4.5% | 1:22 |
| Minimum spreads from | |
| Forex | 0.6 |
| Indices | 0.1 |
| Shares | 0.1 |
| Commodities | 0.3 |
| Cryptocurrencies* | 0.2 |
* Cryptocurrency trading is only available to professional traders. Find out more about our professional account.
How much will I have to pay?
Margins
Spread betting enables you to open a position with a small deposit known as margin. While this isn’t actually a cost to you, it can make a big difference to the affordability of your trade.
Spreads
Your key payment for trading is the spread – the difference between the buy and the sell price, our charge for executing your trade. Our spreads are among the lowest in the business.
| Retail margin | Leverage equivalent | Professional margin | Leverage equivalent | |
| Forex | 3.33% | 1:30 | 0.45% | 1:222 |
| Indices | 5% | 1:20 | 0.45% | 1:222 |
| Shares | 20% | 1:5 | 4.5% | 1:22 |
| Commodities | 5% | 1:20 | 0.45% | 1:222 |
| Cryptocurrencies* | N/A | N/A | 4.5% | 1:22 |
| Minimum spreads from | |
| Forex | 0.6 |
| Indices | 0.1 |
| Shares | 0.1 |
| Commodities | 0.3 |
| Cryptocurrencies* | 0.2 |
* Cryptocurrency trading is only available to professional traders. Find out more about our professional account.
It’s free, quick and simple to create an account with us. Open one today, and you’ll get access to over 17,000 financial markets.
When you’re ready, you choose your deal size. What’s more, you'll get lower minimum deal sizes for one month while you master the markets.
Depending on your position, you may need to pay overnight funding.
Award-winning spread betting provider
Best Multi Platform
Provider
ADVFN International Financial Awards
Overall Personal Wealth
Provider
Online Personal Wealth Awards
Best Finance
App
ADVFN International Financial Awards
ForexBrokers is compensated by IG for marketing
Choose the world's No. 1
Open an account to start spread betting today. You’ll gain access to over 17,000 markets, round-the-clock phone support, and lower minimum deal sizes for one month.
Choose the world's No. 1
Open an account to start spread betting today. You’ll gain access to over 17,000 markets, round-the-clock phone support, and lower minimum deal sizes for one month.
Choose the world's No. 1
Open an account to start spread betting today. You’ll gain access to over 17,000 markets, round-the-clock phone support, and lower minimum deal sizes for one month.
Choose the world's No. 1
Open an account to start spread betting today. You’ll gain access to over 17,000 markets, round-the-clock phone support, and lower minimum deal sizes for one month.
Choose the world's No. 1
Open an account to start spread betting today. You’ll gain access to over 17,000 markets, round-the-clock phone support, and lower minimum deal sizes for one month.
Choose the world's No. 1
Open an account to start spread betting today. You’ll gain access to over 17,000 markets, round-the-clock phone support, and lower minimum deal sizes for one month.
Try these next
Discover the benefits of these two ways to trade, and decide which is best for you.
Explore the differences between spread betting and share dealing.
Get to grips with the risks of trading, and learn how you can mitigate them.
1 Applies to UK spread betting. Tax laws are subject to change and depend on individual circumstances. Tax law may differ in a jurisdiction other than the UK.
2 Based on revenue excluding FX (published financial statements, June 2020).
3 Best trading platform as awarded at the ADVFN International Financial Awards and Professional Trader Awards 2019. Best trading app as awarded at the ADVFN International Financial Awards 2020.
4 Negative balance protection applies to retail traders only. Should your account fall below zero, we’ll bring it back to this level as soon as possible at no cost to you. Please note that this protection does not apply to professional traders who can still lose more than the balance on their account.
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