CFD account details
Start trading now
It's free and quick to open an account with us - and there's no obligation to fund or trade.
Our charges
There's no minimum balance to open an account with IG. Once you've funded your account and started trading, our main charge on each trade is the spread or a small commission for shares trades.
You choose your price per contract (we offer lower minimum contract sizes for new clients), and put down a margin payment. This allows you full exposure to a market with only a fraction of the total capital you'd normally need. Other charges can apply – see our charges and fees for more details.
View indices example
Selling the FTSE 100: detailed
| Cash CFD | |
| Underlying market/value | FTSE 100 JUN13 Future 6400 |
| Our price |
FTSE 100 Cash 6441.05/6442.5 |
| Trade |
Sell at 6441.05 |
| Deal size |
1 contract £10 per contract |
| Margin required |
£250 Margin requirement per contract x number of contracts £250 x 1 |
| What happens next? | The market drops dramatically, reaching 6300 at 10pm, when funding is calculated. It rises a little overnight, to 6310 |
| Funding |
Funding = £3.47 (One-month LIBOR eg 0.49% minus 2.5% x £10 x 6300)/365 |
| Close |
Buy at 6310.5 |
| Overall market movement & profit/loss |
Gross profit = £1305.50 6441.05 – 6310.5 = 130.55 Each contract is worth £10 per point |
| Costs |
1-point IG spread (included) Funding cost: £3.47 |
| Net profit |
£1302.03 net profit subject to tax |
| What if... |
If the market rose 130.5 points instead: 130.5 x £10 + £3.40 £1308.40 net loss |
View shares example
Buying BHP Billiton: detailed
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CFD
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| Underlying market/value |
BHP Billiton
|
| Our price |
18.39/18.40
|
| Trade | Buy at 18.40 |
| Trade size |
1,000 shares
|
| Margin required | Margin = Number of shares x share price (mid price) x margin rate (5%) 1,000 x A$18.395 x 5% = A$919.75 |
| What happens next? |
At 4.15pm the market closed at 18.50, which is the price our funding is calculated at. It rises again the next day, reaching 19.04 (the sell price).
|
| Funding | Funding = (One-month bank bill swap rate + 2.5%) x (number of shares x share price) / 360 (1.9% + 2.5%) x (1,000 x A$18.50) / 360 = A$2.26 |
| Underlying market | 19.04/19.05 |
| Close | Sell at 19.04 |
| Gross profit | 19.04 - 18.40 = A64c (Multiplied by 1,000 shares) Gross profit = A$640 |
| Commission |
Commission = Value of position x 0.10% (Minimum A$8) (1,000 x 18.40) x 0.10% = A$18.40 (1,000 x 19.04) x 0.10% = A$19.04 Total commission = A$37.44 |
| Total costs | Total costs = Funding + commissions A$2.26 + A$37.44 = A$39.70 |
| Net profit | A$600.30 profit subject to tax |
| What if... | If the underlying market fell to 17.60 instead (the sell price): A$17.60 – A$18.40 = - A$80c (-A$80c x 1,000 shares) - (A$2.26 + 36) Net loss = A$838.26 |
Account benefits
When you open an IG account you're joining the world's and Australia's No. 1 CFD provider*
All our clients benefit from:
- Tight spreads, low commissions and low margins on over 17,000 markets
- A superior trading platform, available across the web and mobile devices
- Expert charting packages
- Free educational videos and resources
- Friendly, helpful customer support
- Free data, research and analysis tools
- Security of a financially strong, FTSE 250 company, founded in 1974
- No negative protection
What you need to know
Like all financial products, CFD trading carries risk. If the market moves against you, you lose money. However, as CFDs are a leveraged product, the risks can be greater – with the possibility of losses exceeding deposits.
With an IG CFD trading account, you can manage your exposure using a range of risk management tools, including stops and automated alerts. We’ll also help you learn the essentials of risk management, and you can practise your strategies using a demo account.
It's also important to read and understand our account information documents before you get started, including the Customer agreement.
Account essentials
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|---|---|
| Setup charge | No fee |
| Annual charge | No fee |
| Inactivity fee | $18 fee on the first of every month, if no dealing activity has occurred for two years or more |
| Account closure | No fee |
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Over 17,000 global markets |
| Commission | Yes, on certain markets |
| Overnight funding | Yes, charges apply |
| Tax-free | No |
| Traded in | Contracts |
| Minimum trade size | $1 per trade for first two weeks1 |
| Margin/leverage | From 0.25% for forex, 5% for shares and margin factor for indices |
| Trading by phone | Yes |
| Risk management | Full range of tools available |
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| Platforms available | All platforms |
| Demo account | Yes |
| Live streaming IG charts | Yes |
| Advanced charting packages | Yes (free to active account holders2) |
| DMA | No |
| Technical analysis tools | Yes |
| Economic calendar | Yes |
| Live Reuters news | Yes |
| Free market data | Yes (refundable fees apply for some shares data3) |
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| 24 hour phone support | Yes |
| Educational videos and guides | Yes |
| In-person seminars | Yes |
| Live webinars | Yes |
| News and articles from IG experts | Yes |
Open an account now
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Our charges
We're clear about our charges, so you always know what fees you will incur.
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Platforms and apps
Browser-based desktop trading and native apps for all devices.
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Is CFD trading for me?
Find out why traders choose CFDs as part of their strategy.
2,3 See more about our charges and fees
Eligibility
Requirements checklist
- You must be over 18
- You must successfully meet our appropriateness assessment (within the application form) to see if CFD trading is appropriate for you – this is a regulatory requirement
- We can open an Australian CFD trading account for people from most countries, but it may be more convenient for you to deal with an office closer to home
Information checklist
- It’s important to understand the basics of CFD trading
- Do you understand the risks?
What we ask you
- We need your name and address to establish your identity – this protects against possible fraud
- We ask about your financial trading experience to assess if CFD trading is appropriate for you – this is a regulatory requirement
Peace of mind
- We’ll never contact your employer as part of the application
- Your data is kept securely in line with our privacy policy and the Data Protection Act
- We’ll never ask for a deposit to open an account
Contact us
Questions about opening an account: +44 (20) 7633 5430 or email: sales.en@ig.com
Existing client questions:
+44 (20) 7633 5431 or email: helpdesk.en@ig.com
We’re here 24 hours a day, except from 6am to 4pm on Saturday (UTC+8).
