IG Forex Trading 2025: Complete Guide to Forex IG Group & Markets

When picking a forex broker, you're not just choosing a platform. You are choosing a financial partner for your trades. Many people put IG at the top of their list when looking for a broker.

　　IG is a giant in the global online trading world, with a history going back fifty years. The name stands for trust and wide market access in the industry.

　　What does trading with IG actually involve？ It's important to know the structure. IG Group is the parent company listed on the stock exchange. It provides financial stability and global oversight for all operations.

　　The service you will use as a trader is IG Markets (or tastyfx if you are in the United States). This is the actual trading platform where you'll place your trades.

　　This guide gives you a deep look at forex trading with IG. We will look at everything from security and fees to how easy the platform is to use and what makes it special, helping you decide if IG is right for you in 2025 and beyond.

What is IG Group？

　　Knowing about the company behind your trading platform is the first step in checking them out. A broker can only be as strong as its parent company.

　　With IG Group, you're dealing with one of the oldest and financially strongest companies in online trading. This gives a level of security that smaller, newer brokers can't match.

A Legacy of Trust

　　IG started in 1974, making it one of the true pioneers in the industry. It was the world's first spread betting firm and has been creating new products ever since.

　　This is not a private company hidden from view. IG Group is public and listed on the London Stock Exchange as part of the FTSE 250 index.

　　At the start of 2024, the company was worth about £2.9 billion. Being public means they must be very open about their finances and follow strict rules.

　　The group is huge, with offices in 19 countries across five continents and over 358,300 active clients worldwide. These numbers show a long history of trust and good service.

Global Regulation & Safety

　　Is IG forex trading safe？ This should be the most important question for any trader. The answer comes down to regulation.

　　IG has more top-level licenses than almost any other broker. This commitment to following rules is key to their good name and builds trust with clients.

　　IG is regulated by the world's most respected financial authorities, including:

• Tier-1 Regulators:
• Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the UK
• Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) in Australia
• Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and National Futures Association (NFA) in the US (for tastyfx)
• Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA)
• Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS)
• Japanese Financial Services Agency (JFSA)

　　This level of oversight means IG must follow the strictest rules for protecting clients.

　　In practice, this means important safety measures like keeping client money separate. Your funds are held in different bank accounts from the company's own money, making sure they don't use your money for their business.

　　Clients in some regions are also protected by compensation schemes, like the UK's Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), which offers protection if the company ever went bankrupt.

Diving into IG Markets Forex

　　Now that we know the parent company is secure, let's look at the practical side: what can you actually trade with IG Markets？

　　A broker's value comes from the trading opportunities it offers. IG stands out by offering one of the widest ranges of tradable products available to regular traders.

Unparalleled Market Access

　　For forex traders, market access is everything. IG's offering is very broad, going far beyond just a few major currency pairs.

　　Traders can access over 90 currency pairs, which fall into these groups:

• Major Pairs: These include all the highly-traded pairs like EUR/USD, GBP/USD, and USD/JPY. These have high trading volumes and the smallest spreads.
• Minor Pairs: These are currency pairs that don't involve the US dollar, such as EUR/GBP, AUD/JPY, and GBP/CAD. They offer different trading opportunities based on various economic factors.
• Exotic Pairs: For traders looking at emerging markets, IG offers many options, including pairs like USD/ZAR (South African Rand) and EUR/TRY (Turkish Lira). These pairs usually have more price swings and wider spreads, showing their higher risk.

　　This huge selection ensures that whether your strategy focuses on stable markets or more volatile economies, IG has something for you.

Choosing Your Weapon

　　Your trading platform is your main tool for interacting with the markets. IG understands that different traders have different needs.

　　They offer several powerful platforms to choose from:

• 　　IG's Proprietary Platform (Web & Mobile): This is their main platform and works well for most traders. It's powerful yet easy to use, with a clean layout. Key features include advanced charts with many indicators, news from Reuters, economic calendars, and risk management tools built right into the trading ticket. The mobile app has all the features of the web platform, not a limited version.

• 　　MetaTrader 4 (MT4): For traders who use automated strategies, MT4 is the industry standard. IG offers a great MT4 integration, letting users run their trading robots while benefiting from IG's reliable execution and deep liquidity.

• 　　ProRealTime: This is a specialized platform for advanced chart analysis. It offers sophisticated charting with over 100 indicators, extensive historical data, and advanced drawing tools. There's a monthly fee, but it's refunded if you trade enough, making it free for active traders.

  　　

A Note for US Traders

　　Because of strict US rules that don't allow CFD trading for retail clients, IG operates in the United States under a different name: tastyfx.

　　This is an important difference. If you live in the US, you will trade forex through tastyfx.

　　Tastyfx is powered by IG's world-class technology, pricing, and liquidity. It offers the same core experience but is designed specifically for the US forex market. You can trade over 80 currency pairs but won't have access to CFDs on indices, shares, or commodities through the same platform.

A Beginner's First Trade

　　Theory helps, but practice builds confidence. Let's walk through placing a simple forex trade on IG's web platform.

　　This step-by-step guide shows exactly what a new trader can expect, from finding a market to managing the position.

Step 1: The Dashboard

　　After logging in, you see the main dashboard. The layout is clean and can be customized. On the left side, there's a navigation panel.

　　To find a currency pair, you can use the Search Bar at the top or click on 'Forex' in the left-hand menu. Let's find EUR/USD, the most traded pair in the world.

　　Once you find EUR/USD, you can add it to a Watchlist for quick access later or click on it to see its chart and the Deal Ticket.

Step 2: The Deal Ticket

　　The Deal Ticket is where you place your trade. It clearly shows the two-way price: the sell (bid) price and the buy (ask) price.

　　The difference between these two numbers is the spread, which is IG's main fee for the trade. You'll see it displayed clearly on the ticket.

Step 3: Placing an Order

　　Now, you decide how to enter the market. You can choose between a 'Market' order, which executes your trade right away at the best available price, or a 'Limit' order, which only executes if the price reaches a specific level you set.

　　Next, you set your trade size. This is managed in 'lots'. For beginners, starting with a micro lot (1,000 units) or a mini lot (10,000 units) is wise. Let's choose 1 mini lot.

Step 4: Essential Risk Management

　　This is the most critical step and should never be skipped. On the same Deal Ticket, you'll find fields for a Stop-Loss and a Take-Profit.

　　A Stop-Loss is an order that automatically closes your trade if the market moves against you by a certain amount, limiting your potential loss.

　　A Take-Profit does the opposite, automatically closing your trade to lock in your profit if the market moves in your favor to a target price.

　　Setting these from the start removes emotion from the decision and enforces disciplined trading.

Step 5: Executing and Monitoring

　　Once your size, direction (buy or sell), and risk management levels are set, you click the "Place Deal" button.

　　Your trade is now live. It will immediately appear in the 'Positions' window on your dashboard.

　　Here, you can monitor your position in real-time. You'll see the current market price, the price you entered at, and your running Profit & Loss (P&L), which will change with every move in the market. You can close the trade manually at any time or let your Stop-Loss or Take-Profit orders do their job.

The Real Cost of Trading

　　One of the most important questions for any trader is: "How much will this actually cost me？" A trustworthy broker is clear about its fees.

　　IG's fee structure is straightforward and competitive, with no hidden charges designed to surprise you.

The Main Cost: Spreads

　　For most retail forex traders at IG, the main cost is the spread. This is the difference between the buy and sell price of a currency pair.

　　IG's spreads are variable, meaning they can change based on market liquidity and volatility. However, they are known for being consistently competitive.

　　Here is a look at the typical minimum and average spreads for some major pairs, giving you a clear idea of the costs.

　　Remember that these are average figures. During major news events or times of low liquidity, spreads can get wider.

Worked Example: Cost Calculation

　　Let's translate these pips into a real dollar cost. This simple calculation shows how spreads work.

• Trade: You decide to buy 1 mini lot of EUR/USD. A mini lot is 10,000 units of the base currency.
• Spread: Let's assume the average spread at the time of your trade is 1.0 pip.
• Pip Value: For a mini lot of EUR/USD, the value of one pip is about $1.00.
• Cost Calculation: The total cost is the spread multiplied by the pip value: 1.0 pips * $1.00/pip = $1.00.

　　Conclusion: The immediate cost to open this position is about $1.00. This is the round-trip cost built into the price when you execute the trade.

　　

Hidden Costs Explained

　　Beyond the spread, there are a couple of other potential costs to be aware of, though IG is very clear about them.

• 　　Overnight Funding (Swap Fees): If you hold a forex position open past the market close (5 PM ET), you will pay an overnight funding charge, also known as a swap fee. This is basically an interest payment to cover the cost of the leverage you are using. It can be a charge or a credit, depending on the interest rate difference between the two currencies in the pair and your trade direction. You can see the rate directly on the deal ticket before you trade.

• 　　Inactivity Fee: IG charges an inactivity fee, but it is one of the most generous in the industry. A fee of $12 per month is only charged if your account has been completely inactive (no trades placed) for a full two years.

• 　　Other Fees: IG does not charge any fees for deposits or withdrawals. However, be aware that your own bank or card provider may have its own charges.

  　　

　　

The Verdict: Who is IG For？

　　After analyzing its structure, offerings, and costs, we can draw a clear conclusion about the type of trader who will do well with IG.

　　The platform is designed to be comprehensive, serving a wide range of traders, but it has particular strengths that appeal to certain types.

　　

You'll Love IG If...

• You prioritize safety, regulation, and a broker's long-standing reputation above all else.
• You want access to a vast range of forex pairs and the flexibility to trade other markets like indices and commodities from the same platform.
• You appreciate a powerful, clean, all-in-one trading platform with excellent charting and mobile capabilities.
• You are a beginner or intermediate trader who values high-quality educational resources, like the free IG Academy, to support your growth.

　　

Look Elsewhere If...

• You are a professional, high-volume trader looking for the absolute lowest possible raw-spread plus commission pricing model. (Note: IG does offer this via its "Forex Direct" service for eligible professional clients, but it's not the standard offering).
• Your main trading strategy involves social or copy trading, as these features are not a core focus of the IG platform.
• You are a US-based trader who wants to trade assets other than forex (like stocks or options) and prefer to have them all under a single broker.

　　

Conclusion: Your Next Steps

　　In the world of forex trading, trust is the ultimate currency. IG Group has built its global reputation on a foundation of security, strong regulation, and 50 years of industry leadership.

　　For traders, this means a superior experience with IG Markets. Whether you are a beginner looking for a safe environment and good educational tools or an experienced trader wanting a powerful platform and wide market access, IG offers a complete solution.

　　The combination of a comprehensive forex offering, transparent fees, and powerful technology makes it a top choice.

　　The best way to see if any broker is right for you is to try it yourself. We recommend opening a free IG demo account. It lets you explore the platform, practice placing trades, and get comfortable with the tools without any risk.