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Lightspeed vs IG : Fees, Safety & Trading Conditions Compared (2026)
Broker Name
Lightspeed
IG
Broker Overview
Broker Type (e.g., Market Maker, ECN/STP)
STP broker
ECN
Years of Existence / Established Year
2005
1974
Customer Base / Number of Accounts
No information
313,000 customers
Regulation & Security
Regulations (governing bodies)
FINRA, SEC
NFA CFTC FCA
Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)
No major awards listed
Best Multi platform provider - ADVFN International Financial Awards 2024 Best Finance App - ADVFN International Financial Awards 2024 Best platform for active trader - ADVFN International Financial Awards 2022
Security Measures
SIPC
FSCS
SSL Encryption / 2FA
Yes
Yes
Segregated Funds
Yes
Yes
Negative Balance Protection
No
Yes
Trading Instruments/Products Offered
Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)
Commodity futures
17,000 + markets
Currency Pairs
No
Yes
Commodities
No
Yes
Indices
No
Yes
Cryptocurrencies
No
Yes
CFDs
No
Yes
ETFs
Yes
Yes
Stocks
Yes
Yes
Options
Yes
Yes
Futures
Yes
Yes
Bonds
No
Yes
Mutual Funds
No
Yes
Fractional Shares
Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)
No
Yes
Precious Metals
No
Yes
Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)
No
Yes
Equities
Yes
Yes
Trading Platforms & Technology
Trading Platform Availability
Yes
Yes
MT4
No
Yes
MT5
No
No
cTrader
No
No
Social Trading
Yes
Copy Trading
No
Yes
Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)
Light speed trader, Web and mobile trading, Speciality trading platform, Future trading platform, Risk management Software
ProReal Time APIs L2 dealer
Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)
Yes except Mac, iOS, Android
Yes
Account Types & Conditions
Account Types (Retail, Pro, VIP, etc.)
Standard account- Individual, Joint, Retirement, Corporate, Trust, LLC, Institutional account- Prime brokerage, Separately Manged account, DVP, RVP,Cash and Margin account
Leveraged Accounts Spread betting account CFD accountNon-Leveraged Account Share dealing account ISA account IG smart portfolio account IG smart ISA portfolio account
Demo Account (Yes/No)
Yes
Yes
Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)
No
No
Minimum Deposit
$2,000
$50
Leverage Available
4:1 to 2:1
200:1
Trade Limit (maximum per trade)
Depends on asset class
Trade size vary on each asset
Commission (per account type)
Accounts under $15,000: $25 monthly fee, Lightspeed Trader and Sterling Trader Pro: $0.50 minimum per order, Eze EMS (formerly RealTick): $3.00 minimum commission, Lightspeed Web & Mobile: $1 minimum commission
Starting from 0.1
Best Suited For (e.g., beginners, experienced traders)
Active traders, professionals, and institutional traders
Beginners
Deposit & Withdrawal Options
Deposit Methods
Wire transfer, ACH, account transfer, Check
Bank transfers Card FPS in Hong Kong dollars Funding on IG mobile app Wise
Withdrawal Methods
Wire transfer, ACH, account transfer,Check
Card Bank transfer
Other E-Wallets Supported
No
No
Tools & Educational Resources
Economic Calendar
No
Yes
Tools & Educational Resources (tutorials, webinars, market news, etc.)
Trading Platform Tutorials, Market Insights and Analysis, Webinars and Online Events, Trading Education Resources, Market News and Research
Trade analytics tools Seminars & webinars
Fees & Commissions
Trading-Related Fees
ETFs- $2, Share- $0.001, Future option fee- $1.29
US shares 0 to 50 - commission free 50+ trades - $5Other shares Germany - 0.1% UK - 0.1% Ireland - 0.1%
Spread (typical, fixed, variable)
NA
Variable
Per Lot Fees
NA
NA
Options Contract Fees
$0.20
NA
Futures Contract Fees
NA
NA
Markup Fees on Spread
NA
NA
Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees
NA
Vary for each asset
Maximum Leverage
4:1
200:1
Non-Trading Fees
Dormant Fees
$25 monthly minimum
$12/month after 24 months of no trading activity
Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)
$130
NA
Advisory Fees
NA
NA
Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)
Yes
Yes
Statement or Document Fee
$15 - $50 per month
$50
Account Opening Fee
$20
$0
Account Maintenance Fee
Maintenance fees will be billed weekly, based on the previous month's commissions
$0
Deposit Fee
$0
Free for Wire & check deposits
Currency Conversion Fee
$10
0.5% - CFDs and share dealing accounts 0.7% - international shares
Withdrawal Fee
$20 fee for domestic wires and a $50 fee for international wires, Check standard time- free or overnight $30
Wire transfer - $25
Bonuses, Promotions & Benefits
Bonuses, Promotions, and Referrals
Yes
Yes
Customer Benefits (e.g., Retirement Plan)
Yes
Yes
Trading Hours
Trading Hours (for each asset class if applicable)
4 AM to 8 PM EST on weekdays only.
Forex Monday 00:00 - Friday 22:00 GMT (International times may vary)UK shares (LSE): 08.00-16.30 (London time) US shares: 09.30-16.00 (New York time) European shares: vary on relevant exchanges
Customer Support
Support Hours (e.g., 24/7, weekdays only)
24/7
24x5 support
Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)
E-mail: [email protected], Phone: 1-888-577-3123 , 1-646-393-4800, Schedule a call
Call +44 (20) 7633 5430 Email: [email protected] 10AM to 7PM whatsapp channel support (Monday to Friday)
Support Languages
1
8
Additional Information
Headquarters Location
Chicago office, 181 West Madison Street, Suite 2950, Chicago, IL 60602
IG Cannon Bridge House 25 Dowgate Hill London EC4R 2YA
Complaints (for crypto brokers)
No
No
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