IG vs ThinkMarkets for gold trading
Across the 22 countries we cover, IG scores higher in 17 and ThinkMarkets in 4. In 1, they are tied or neither is available. The winner depends on where you live, because each broker opens your account with a different company in each country.
Score by country
| If you live in | IG | ThinkMarkets |
|---|---|---|
| Other countries | 57 · BMA | 46 · FSA |
| United States | Not accepted | Not accepted |
| United Kingdom | 90 · FCA | 92 · FCA |
| EU / EEA | 90 · BaFin | 81 · CySEC |
| Australia | 84 · ASIC | 85 · ASIC |
| Canada | 57 · BMA | 46 · FSA |
| Singapore | 74 · MAS | 46 · FSA |
| Malaysia | 57 · BMA | 46 · FSA |
| Indonesia | 57 · BMA | 46 · FSA |
| Thailand | 57 · BMA | 46 · FSA |
| Vietnam | 57 · BMA | 46 · FSA |
| Philippines | 57 · BMA | 46 · FSA |
| India | 57 · BMA | 46 · FSA |
| Japan | 74 · JFSA | 76 · JFSA |
| Hong Kong | 57 · BMA | 46 · FSA |
| UAE | 64 · DFSA | 46 · FSA |
| South Africa | 64 · FSCA | 65 · FSCA |
| Kenya | 57 · BMA | 46 · FSA |
| Nigeria | 57 · BMA | 46 · FSA |
| South Korea | 57 · BMA | 46 · FSA |
| Turkey | 57 · BMA | 46 · FSA |
| Mongolia | 57 · BMA | 46 · FSA |
| Brazil | 57 · BMA | 46 · FSA |
Side by side
| Founded | 1974 | 2010 |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | London, UK | London, UK |
| Listed parent | LSE: IGG | No |
| Regulators | FCA, BaFin, ASIC, MAS, JFSA, FSCA, DFSA, BMA | FCA, ASIC, CySEC, FSCA, JFSA, FSA |
| Platforms | MT4, TradingView, Own | MT4, MT5, TradingView, Own |
| Minimum gold order | 0.01 | 0.01 |
| Swap-free account | No | Yes |
| Protection you actually get | 58 | 34 |
| Gold trading cost | Not measured yet | Not measured yet |
| Execution under stress | Not measured yet | Not measured yet |
| Money in and out | Not measured yet | Not measured yet |
| Platforms and gold conditions | 55 | 90 |
Choose IG if…
- Parent company is listed (LSE: IGG), so its accounts are audited and public.
- Retail clients can be served by Tier 1 regulated companies (FCA, BaFin, ASIC, MAS, JFSA).
- In 7 of the 22 countries we cover, your account would sit with a Tier 1–2 regulated company.
- Can be traded directly from TradingView charts.
Watch out for
- Licence details come from the broker’s own pages; our register check is not finished.
- No MetaTrader 5.
- No swap-free account.
Choose ThinkMarkets if…
- Retail clients can be served by Tier 1 regulated companies (FCA, ASIC, JFSA).
- In 5 of the 22 countries we cover, your account would sit with a Tier 1–2 regulated company.
- Offers both MT4 and MT5.
- Can be traded directly from TradingView charts.
Watch out for
- Licence details come from the broker’s own pages; our register check is not finished.
- Clients outside its licensed countries are onboarded to TF Global Markets (Int) Ltd (FSA), a light offshore regulator.
Questions
Is IG or ThinkMarkets better for gold trading?
Across the 22 countries we cover, IG scores higher in 17 and ThinkMarkets in 4. In 1, they are tied or neither is available. The winner depends on where you live, because each broker opens your account with a different company in each country.
Which is safer, IG or ThinkMarkets?
In countries without a local licence, IG uses IG International Ltd (BMA). In countries without a local licence, ThinkMarkets uses TF Global Markets (Int) Ltd (FSA). In licensed countries, check the table: the company that holds your money decides your protection.
Do IG and ThinkMarkets both offer MT5?
IG: no. ThinkMarkets: yes.
See also
Data checked: November 2026 · CFDs are complex instruments and carry a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Ratings are our opinion, based on the data and rules described in the methodology. They are not investment advice.