Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 70% 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.

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About IG

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4.6 App Store rating

Tax-free Spread Betting.

Trade rising and falling markets with leverage tax-free1 on the UK's #1 trading provider.2

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16,000+Markets

50yr+Experience

UK’s #1Trading platform²

Open a UK spread betting account the UK's No.1 platform - IG UK

Experience that counts

Trade with the inventors of spread betting.

For over 50 years, we've helped traders navigate changing markets, seize opportunities and stay one step ahead. We've seen bull markets, bear markets and everything in between. That's why 60% of UK spread bettors choose IG. Join the platform that's been backing traders for decades.

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Why choose spread betting?

All your moves, tax-free.

Great traders think beyond the next position. They think about the bigger picture. And that’s why they choose spread betting. It’s free from Capital Gains Tax and Stamp Duty in the UK, making it a tax-efficient way to put your market view into action.

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Trade with leverage

Boost your buying power with leverage.

Leverage helps you do more with the capital you have, letting you take larger positions without committing the full trade value upfront. With IG, you can trade with up to 30x leverage on selected markets. It's a powerful way to increase your market exposure, with both gains and losses are amplified.

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Go short or long on over 16,000 markets.

Trade across a wide range of markets, with selected markets available 24/5 and over the weekend.

Stay ahead of the market

Trade when the time is right.

Markets don't wait around. But that doesn't mean you have to watch them around the clock. Set custom alerts, automate trades at your chosen price, and use stop and limit orders to help manage risk, so when opportunity arrives, you’re ready to act.

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Charts and tools

Better tools. Better decisions.

Trading starts long before you place an order. Spot opportunities with advanced charts, technical indicators and custom layouts that help you see the bigger picture. Then execute your strategy with the trading platforms you know and trust, including MT4, MT5, L2 Dealer and TradingView.

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Getting started

Open your Spread Betting account in minutes.

1. Open an IG account.

Answer a few questions and get your account up and running.

2. Open your Spread Betting account.

Get your trading account ready in just a few clicks.

3. Start trading.

You’re ready to add funds and start trading with leverage.

Accounts

Cover all your trading needs.

Choose the account that’s right for you.

+£2,521Current holdings

Spread Betting Account

£18,432.91

Spread Betting

Free from stamp duty and capital gains
Over 16,000 markets to trade

All-in-one app

Bring your whole portfolio together.

Spread betting is just the start. Access all your investments, trades, and crypto in one place – without having to switch between apps or platforms.

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Safe, secure, and regulated

Your money, protected.

Regulated by the FCA

Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, and looking after investors since 1974.

Safeguarding your investments

Your cash and investments are held separately from ours at regulated banks. So even if IG failed, they'd stay safe and untouched.

FSCS government protection

Held in segregated accounts and protected by the FSCS, up to £85,000. Cover depends on your circumstances.

Understand your risks. Stay in control.

What is spread betting?

Spread betting is a leveraged derivative product that lets you speculate on whether the price of a market, such as an index, share, forex pair or commodity, will rise or fall. You don’t own the underlying asset. Instead, you choose a stake per point of movement, and your profit or loss depends on how far the market moves in your favour or against you.

How does a spread bet work?

You choose a market, decide whether to “buy” (if you expect the price to rise) or “sell” (if you expect it to fall), and set a stake per point. The difference between the buy and sell prices is called the spread, and it is a cost of placing the trade. For example, with a £5 per point stake, a 20-point move in your favour would produce a £100 gain, while a 20-point move against you would produce a £100 loss.

What is the difference between spread betting and CFD trading?

Both products let you speculate on price movements using leverage without owning the asset. A CFD (Contract for Difference) is typically priced per unit and tied to contract size, whereas a spread bet is priced per point of movement. The main practical difference for UK clients is tax treatment (see question 5).

Can I lose more than I deposit?

Spread betting is leveraged, so you only put up a small proportion of the trade’s full value as margin, but losses are calculated on the full position size. This means losses can exceed your initial margin and can be significant. Risk management tools such as stop-losses may help limit losses, but they don’t remove risk, and standard stops may not execute at your chosen level in fast-moving markets.

How is spread betting taxed in the UK?

Spread betting profits are currently treated as betting winnings by HMRC, which means they are not subject to Capital Gains Tax or stamp duty for most UK clients. Tax treatment depends on individual circumstances and may be subject to change. Seek independent advice.

What does spread betting cost?

The main cost is the spread, which is the gap between the buy and sell price. Other costs may apply, such as overnight funding charges on positions held open past market close, and premiums for guaranteed stops.

You could lose more than you pay to open the trade

Spread bets and CFDs are leveraged. You only need a fraction of the position to trade, but profits or losses can exceed your initial deposit. You can set automatic stop-loss orders to limit losses and take-profit orders to lock in gains when the market moves your way.

You could lose more than the funds that are available?

Yes, Positions may be closed automatically, leaving a negative balance.

How we help: FCA regulations protect you with negative balance protection. We reset negative accounts to zero at no cost, so you're never overexposed.

Overnight funding charges

Why this happens: Small fees apply to keep positions open past 10pm UK time.

How we help: You can trade CFD futures to avoid overnight fees while keeping control of your positions, though spreads may be slightly higher.

Positions could be closed unexpectedly.

Why this happens: Your account needs enough margin to maintain trades. Insufficient funds can trigger automatic closure.

How we help: Balances are always visible in our platform or app, with notifications if you're on a margin call, keeping you in control.

Sudden or larger-than-expected losses or gains.

Why this happens: Markets move fast and unpredictably in response to events or trader behaviour.

How we help: Stop-loss orders, including guaranteed stops, can help limit losses. Price alerts keep you informed so you can act fast.

You have no shareholder privileges.

Why this happens: Leveraged trades don't give you ownership of the assets, so you have no dividends or voting rights.

How we help: Buy shares outright through our share dealing platform to access dividends, voting, and over 12,000 shares and ETFs

Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 70% 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.

The value of shares, ETFs and other ETPs bought through a share dealing 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.

Crypto - Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment, and you should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong. Take 2 mins to learn more.

Share dealing and IG Smart Portfolio accounts provided by IG Trading and Investments Ltd, CFD accounts are provided by IG Markets Ltd, spread betting provided by IG Index Ltd, cryptoassets services are provided by IG Digital Assets 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 88 Wood Street, London, EC2V 7QR. 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.

Tax-free Spread Betting.

Tax-free Spread Betting.

2 million active accounts. 50 years of experience.

Trade with the inventors of spread betting.

All your moves, tax-free.

Boost your buying power with leverage.

Go short or long on over 16,000 markets.

Trade when the time is right.

Better tools. Better decisions.

Open your Spread Betting account in minutes.

1. Open an IG account.

2. Open your Spread Betting account.

3. Start trading.

Cover all your trading needs.

Spread Betting

Bring your whole portfolio together.

Your money, protected.

Regulated by the FCA

Safeguarding your investments

FSCS government protection

Understand your risks. Stay in control.

CFD trading

CFD trading

CFD trading