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Merrill Edge vs IG : Fees, Safety & Trading Conditions Compared (2026)
Broker Name
Merrill Edge
IG
Broker Overview
Broker Type (e.g., Market Maker, ECN/STP)
ECN broker
ECN
Years of Existence / Established Year
2010
1974
Customer Base / Number of Accounts
3.5+ Million Clients
313,000 customers
Regulation & Security
Regulations (governing bodies)
SEC, FINRA
NFA CFTC FCA
Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)
Kiplinger 2023 Annual Broker Review, StockBrokers.com 2024 Annual Broker Review
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
Yes
Yes
Trading Instruments/Products Offered
Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)
CDs, Fixed income
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
No
Yes
Bonds
Yes
Yes
Mutual Funds
Yes
Yes
Fractional Shares
Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)
No
Yes
Precious Metals
No
Yes
Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)
No
Yes
Equities
No
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.)
Merrill Edge MarketPro (proprietary), Merrill Edge Self-Directed platform (web-based), Mobile app (Merrill Edge)
ProReal Time APIs L2 dealer
Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)
Yes
Yes
Account Types & Conditions
Account Types (Retail, Pro, VIP, etc.)
Individual, Joint, Custodial, Trust, and Retirement (IRA), 529 plans
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
$0
$50
Leverage Available
No
200:1
Trade Limit (maximum per trade)
Depends on asset class
Trade size vary on each asset
Commission (per account type)
$0
Starting from 0.1
Best Suited For (e.g., beginners, experienced traders)
Beginners to intermediate traders
Beginners
Deposit & Withdrawal Options
Deposit Methods
ACH transfer, wire transfer, check deposit, transfers from Bank of America
Bank transfers Card FPS in Hong Kong dollars Funding on IG mobile app Wise
Withdrawal Methods
ACH transfer, wire transfer, check deposit, transfers from Bank of America
Card Bank transfer
Other E-Wallets Supported
No
No
Tools & Educational Resources
Economic Calendar
Yes
Yes
Tools & Educational Resources (tutorials, webinars, market news, etc.)
Investing Education, Retirement Planning, Market Insights, Webinars and Online Seminars, Investment Guides and Tools
Trade analytics tools Seminars & webinars
Fees & Commissions
Trading-Related Fees
Commission- $0 stock and ETFs, broker-assisted trade- $29.95 or $29.95 * + $0.65 per contract
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
$0.65 per contact
NA
Futures Contract Fees
NA
NA
Markup Fees on Spread
NA
NA
Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees
NA
Vary for each asset
Maximum Leverage
No
200:1
Non-Trading Fees
Dormant Fees
$0
$12/month after 24 months of no trading activity
Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)
NA
NA
Advisory Fees
0.85%
NA
Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)
Yes
Yes
Statement or Document Fee
NA
$50
Account Opening Fee
$0
$0
Account Maintenance Fee
$0
$0
Deposit Fee
$0
Free for Wire & check deposits
Currency Conversion Fee
Varies for ADRs
0.5% - CFDs and share dealing accounts 0.7% - international shares
Withdrawal Fee
Wire transfer fee-$25
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)
Pre-market trading: 7:00 AM to 9:30 AM ET, Regular trading hours: 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM ET, After-hours trading: 4:01 PM to 8:00 PM ET
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)
Phone: 888.637.3343, Schedule an appointment
Call +44 (20) 7633 5430 Email: [email protected] 10AM to 7PM whatsapp channel support (Monday to Friday)
Support Languages
2
8
Additional Information
Headquarters Location
Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
IG Cannon Bridge House 25 Dowgate Hill London EC4R 2YA
Complaints (for crypto brokers)
No
No
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