Supported stock broker
IG Markets
Global CFDs on forex, indices, shares and commodities from a pioneer of online trading.
Overview
About IG Markets
IG is the trading platform of IG Group, a London-listed company that has offered financial markets to retail traders since 1974. IG is best known for CFDs and — in the UK and Ireland — spread betting across thousands of markets, including forex, stock indices, shares, commodities and cryptocurrencies.
AutoTrader connects to IG through the IG REST Trading API using your API key, password and username. A free IG demo account gives you virtual funds on the same markets, so you can see how a strategy behaves before trading live.
Supported markets
What you can trade on IG Markets
The asset classes IG Markets offers, and popular symbols you can automate with AutoTrader.
Asset classes offered
- CFDs
- Forex
- Indices
- International stocks
- Commodities
- Spot crypto
Popular stocks & ETFs
- AAPL
- TSLA
- NVDA
- AMZN
- VOD
- BP
- HSBA
- SAP
Popular crypto markets
- BTC/USD
- ETH/USD
Forex, indices & commodities
- EUR/USD
- GBP/USD
- USD/JPY
- US 500
- Germany 40
- FTSE 100
- Gold
- Brent Crude
Symbols shown are examples. Exact availability depends on your country, account type and the broker's current listings.
Fees & accounts
Trading IG Markets: costs and where it's available
Fees and account types
IG's pricing on forex, indices and commodities is built mainly into the spread, with no separate commission on those markets. Share CFDs typically carry a commission based on the trade value instead of a widened spread. Positions held past the daily cutoff incur overnight funding charges, and guaranteed stops add a premium when triggered. Check IG's charges page for current spreads and rates, as they vary by market and trading hours.
IG offers CFD accounts and, in the UK and Ireland, spread betting accounts, each with a free demo counterpart that the REST Trading API can connect to. Every market has its own minimum deal size, so a strategy's investment amount should be large enough to meet the minimum for the instruments it trades.
Availability and regulation
IG Group is listed on the London Stock Exchange, and its UK entity is authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Clients in the European Economic Area are generally served by IG Europe, regulated in Germany by BaFin, and IG also holds licenses in Australia, Singapore and other markets. Spread betting is limited to the UK and Ireland. IG does not offer CFDs to US residents; in the US, IG Group operates a separate forex offering and owns tastytrade. Retail CFD accounts are subject to local leverage limits and negative balance protection rules.
For automated trading
Automating IG Markets: strengths and limitations
Strengths
- A single REST Trading API covers thousands of markets, so one connection lets a strategy trade forex majors, stock indices, commodities and shares.
- Separate demo API keys give a realistic simulated environment on the same market list and price feed, which makes testing a strategy before going live straightforward.
- Many IG index and forex markets trade almost around the clock on weekdays, and some weekend markets exist, which suits strategies that run server-side 24/7.
- Long operating history and FCA supervision mean the API has been used by algorithmic traders for years and is well understood.
Limitations
- CFDs and spread bets are leveraged products, and overnight funding charges can erode returns on strategies that hold positions for weeks.
- IG enforces API usage allowances, including limits on historical price data requests, so very high-frequency strategies across many markets may hit throttling.
- Minimum deal sizes and contract sizes differ by market and account type, so an amount that works on one instrument may be rejected on another.
Get started
How to connect IG Markets to AutoTrader
- 01
Log in to the IG web platform, open My IG, and go to Settings, then the API keys section.
- 02
Create a new API key and give it a name you will recognize. Keys are tied to the environment they are created in, so generate a key from your demo account for paper testing and a separate one from your live account.
- 03
Note your IG username, which is the login identifier and not necessarily your email address. AutoTrader uses it as the passphrase field.
- 04
On the AutoTrader Exchanges page, paste the API key, enter your IG account password as the secret and your username as the passphrase, and select demo or live to match the key.
- 05
If you hold several IG accounts, such as a CFD account and a spread betting account, confirm which one is set as default, since orders are placed in the active account for that login.
- 06
Rotate or disable the key from the same API keys screen if you stop using AutoTrader or change your IG password.
Strategy ideas
Strategies that suit IG Markets
Range Trading Strategy
Major forex pairs such as EUR/USD often spend long stretches in ranges during quieter sessions, and IG's spread-only pricing keeps entry costs predictable.
Read the strategy guide →Breakout Trading Strategy
Stock indices like the FTSE 100 or Germany 40 often break out around their cash-market opens, a pattern a server-side strategy can catch without watching the screen.
Read the strategy guide →Pivot Points
Daily pivot levels are widely followed on forex and index CFDs, giving clear, rule-based levels for automated entries and exits on IG's markets.
Read the strategy guide →FAQ
IG Markets automation: frequently asked questions
Does IG allow automated trading?
Yes. IG provides the REST Trading API and a streaming API specifically for algorithmic and third-party trading, documented on its developer portal. You create an API key from your account settings, and a tool like AutoTrader can then open and close positions on your behalf. Usage allowances apply, and you remain responsible for all positions opened through the API.
Can I test an IG strategy on a demo account?
Yes. IG demo accounts are free and come with virtual funds on the same markets as live accounts. To use one with AutoTrader, create the API key while logged in to the demo account, because demo and live keys are not interchangeable. Keep in mind that demo fills do not reflect slippage during fast markets exactly.
Should I use a CFD or spread betting account with AutoTrader?
Both account types are reachable through the IG API, and the strategy logic is the same. Spread betting is only available in the UK and Ireland and has different tax treatment than CFDs, which depends on your personal circumstances. Pick the account type that fits your tax situation, then make sure it is the default account for the login you connect.
Which IG login details does AutoTrader need?
AutoTrader needs three items: the API key you generate in My IG settings, your IG account password, and your IG username. The username is the identifier you log in with, which can differ from your email address. Entering the demo key with live credentials, or the reverse, is the most common reason a connection fails.
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