IG Review: What Traders Should Know Before Depositing

IG is a name most traders recognize , a UK-based broker established in 2001 with a global presence. But its WikiFX score of 1.77 tells a different story than the polished corporate image suggests. In recent months, users from multiple countries have filed complaints about withdrawals being blocked, account balances being wiped, and funds held without clear explanation. If you are considering depositing funds with IG, there are several patterns in the complaints and regulatory record that deserve a closer look.

Complaint Patterns: Withdrawals Denied and Funds Deducted

The most striking pattern across user complaints is difficulty withdrawing funds. Across different regions and account sizes, users describe a similar sequence: trading proceeds normally, but when they attempt to withdraw, obstacles appear.

A user from Malaysia, who registered with IG Group in August 2025, reported that after two months of smooth trading and withdrawals, all trading and withdrawal functions were suddenly blocked in late October 2025. At that point, the account held US$108,208.70. After more than a month of waiting , during which customer service cited only a “compliance review” , the user received an email on December 3, 2025, stating that US$271,373.40 had been deducted from the account, leaving a negative balance of US$163,164.70. According to the complaint, IG claimed the user had violated the Customer Agreement and classified the orders as trading errors, retroactively stripping all trading profits and volume rebates dating back to October 21, 2025.

Screenshot submitted by the user with the complaint (2025-12)

Another user from China reported in December 2025 that IG kept delaying withdrawals and eventually moved to close the account without releasing any funds. The complaint alleges that funds were effectively withheld and the account was shut down without satisfactory resolution.

Screenshot submitted by the user with the complaint (2025-12)

In February 2025, a user from Indonesia reported that Rp 42,000,000 was forfeited, with the platform providing “many reasons” when the user tried to withdraw.

Screenshot submitted by the user with the complaint (2025-02)

These complaints share a common thread: funds become accessible for trading and depositing but not for withdrawal. When users press for answers, the responses range from vague compliance references to silence. Several users also reported that the platform demanded additional deposits , framed as tax payments, VIP upgrades, or “unfreezing fees” , as a condition for releasing funds. While some of these tactics bear the hallmarks of clone operations trying to pass themselves off as IG, the direct complaints referencing IG Group's official channels suggest the withdrawal problem extends beyond impersonators.

Regulatory Warnings and Licence Status

IG holds active regulatory licences in several major jurisdictions, including the UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Singapore's Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), Japan's Financial Services Agency (FSA), the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA), Germany's BaFin, and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) through its IG Australia entity. These are credible regulatory bodies, and the active licences provide some structural protection for clients in those jurisdictions.

However, WikiFX records also show that several licences previously associated with IG have been revoked. The ASIC licence for IG Markets Limited, an FMA licence in New Zealand for the same entity, and an FSCA licence in South Africa for IG Markets South Africa Limited are all listed as revoked. While IG continues to operate regulated entities in Australia and New Zealand under a different corporate structure, the number of revoked licences in its regulatory history is unusual for a broker of this size and profile. An NFA registration in the United States for a related entity, TASTYFX LLC, is also flagged as unverified.

Beyond IG's own licences, regulators in multiple countries have issued warnings about clone firms impersonating IG. Spain's CNMV warned about finance-ig.com and financeig.com in July 2024, confirming they have no connection to IG Europe GmbH. The UK's FCA separately warned about ICT Market 24 and Wig Markets , both clones of IG Markets Limited. These warnings underscore that bad actors actively exploit IG's name recognition. Traders should verify they are dealing with the official website (ig.com) and not a clone.

Basic Information

IG was established in 2001 and is headquartered in London, United Kingdom. The broker offers trading in foreign exchange, precious metals, and CFDs across two account types: a Standard account and a DMA account, both with no minimum deposit requirement. Maximum leverage is advertised at 1:200. Trading is supported on MT4, MT5, and IG's proprietary platform, with mobile app access also available. EA trading is permitted.

WikiFX Score and Influence

WikiFX assigns IG a score of 1.77 out of 10, a rating that reflects the combined weight of user complaints, revoked licences, and regulatory disclosures. This is a notably low score, especially for a broker with active FCA regulation and over two decades of operating history. Despite the low score, IG maintains a strong global marketing presence , WikiFX data shows an AAA influence rating, with reach concentrated in the UAE, Australia, the UK, and across parts of Africa and Southeast Asia.

Final Thoughts

IG presents a genuinely difficult picture to reconcile. It is not an unlicensed startup operating from an unmarked office , it is a publicly known, FCA-regulated broker with offices in major financial centres. Yet the volume and consistency of user complaints about withdrawal problems, combined with a trail of revoked licences, push its WikiFX score to 1.77. The regulatory warnings about clone firms add another layer of caution: some users may have lost money to impersonators, but the complaints tied directly to IG Group suggest that even the genuine entity has left traders frustrated and out of pocket.

Before depositing funds, verify which regulatory entity your account falls under and check whether that licence is active, not revoked. Start with a small deposit and test the full withdrawal process before committing larger amounts. Use the WikiFX App to monitor IG's real-time score and track new complaints as they emerge , patterns that form after you open an account may matter more than the broker's reputation at the time you sign up.