The Name you Know
The multinational conglomerate IG Group has been around for nearly 35 years. This broker is a market leader in Spread Betting and CFD trading it is listed on the FTSE 250 exchange while having offices around the world, including the UK, France, Spain, Portugal, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, USA, Australia and Japan. The company has won several prizes in the world of financial trading and is widely considered a prestigious player in the world of binary options. They have offered binary options trading since 2011. Its long list of awards includes the World Finance Exchanges & Brokers Award for Best Trading Platform of 2011 and Money Magazine’s Best CFD Provider in 2010.
First Impressions
Before embarking on a IG Group review, we knew that the broker was one of the first of the more established brokerages to offer binary options trading. Today it boasts the highest number of trades with the most comprehensive selection of underlying assets in the business. IG provides its clients with binary options trading on Forex pairs, Commodities, Stocks and Indices. The broker is a household name and you has solidified its position as one of the top brokers in the industry.
Trading Platform
IG Group has two trading platforms that offer exactly the same binaries: the CFD platform and the spread betting platform (tax free for UK clients). The IG platform can be best describes as an all-encompassing dashboard, with all the relevant information and tools to trade. The platform allows traders to study technical analysis on a given asset while keeping up-to-date on market news. Both technical and fundamental traders are taken into account by the developers of the platform, which adds to the attractiveness of the product. Moreover, traders are pampered with one interface and one window which means that there is no need to jump from one window or tab to another in order to acquire all the necessary information needed. Furthermore, traders are able to place trades from the platform while perusing market news – a great feature and one that will surely be emulated by other binary options brokers in the future.
License and Regulation
IG Group review revealed that this broker does not have the same licensing issues that many of the newer retail binary options brokers are currently experiencing. IG Markets is an official member of the London Stock Exchange and is regulated by the U.K’s FSA (Financial Services Authority). Moreover, IG is also currently licensed and regulated by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).
Deposits and Withdrawals
IG allows you to deposit funds into your trading account via Visa, MasterCard and BPAY. These are the only payment options that do not incur a charge, other options may incur a small cost per transaction. Also be aware that BPAY takes a working day for the transaction to clear. As far as withdrawals go, you can withdraw your profits from your IG account via having them paid into your debit or credit card as well as Electronic Funds Transfer (EFS), Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS), Telegraphic Transfer (TT) payments or check.
Customer Service
IG was on the top of our list as far as the educational content it provides its prospecting and existing clients. You will find almost anything you need on their website, from technical and fundamental information, to historical and live charting, market information and account FAQs. Should this prove to be insufficient the company offers 24/7 customer service and their team is highly experience and very knowledgeable in these matters.
Final Thoughts
IG has a long history of brokering trades, so your money is safe with them, also it is regulated, has a very impressive list of assets and for many online traders, the added cost incurred in trading CFD binaries is worth it for the security of trading with a reputable broker. Definitely a broker to familiarize yourself with before you set up an account anywhere else.
