IG Markets will stop offering DMA US-listed futures and options trading for UK clients from 27 October 2025.
The move means IG customers in the UK will no longer be able to trade directly on US exchanges through IG Markets Ltd. Instead, traders wishing to maintain access to exchange-traded futures will need to migrate to Tastytrade Inc, IG Group’s US-based affiliate.
Tastytrade, a FINRA-registered broker-dealer wholly owned by IG, offers direct access to listed US options, futures, and equities via its proprietary trading platform. Clients can open a new account with Tastytrade and transfer existing US stock and options positions, although futures and options on futures cannot be transferred and must be closed before IG’s withdrawal date.
For UK clients, this shift means that futures trading will now fall outside the FCA regulatory perimeter. Funds and positions held with Tastytrade will not benefit from protections such as the UK’s Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), and customers must accept US regulatory oversight instead.
IG emphasised that clients who want synthetic exposure to US options, futures, and stocks can still do so through spread betting accounts with IG Index Ltd, though these are over-the-counter (OTC) products rather than exchange-traded contracts. Alternatively, US shares can be transferred into an IG share dealing account under UK regulation.
The withdrawal highlights IG’s restructuring of its product set, with exchange-traded US derivatives consolidated under its American affiliate. UK traders seeking direct futures market access will now need to operate via Tastytrade Inc in the United States rather than through IG Markets in London.
For more information on IG alternatives, view our comparison of UK futures brokers and options trading platforms.
If UK clients choose to continue trading through Tastytrade Inc, they should be aware that the platform is a US-based broker-dealer regulated by FINRA, not the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority. This means that while trading via Tastytrade, investors will not be covered by UK regulatory protections such as the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) or the Financial Ombudsman Service.
Instead, their accounts will be governed under US regulation, which operates under a different framework and does not provide the same safety nets UK investors may be accustomed to.
Richard is the founder of the Good Money Guide (formerly Good Broker Guide), one of the original investment comparison sites established in 2015. With a career spanning two decades as a broker, he brings extensive expertise and knowledge to the financial landscape.
Having worked as a broker at Investors Intelligence and a multi-asset derivatives broker at MF Global (Man Financial), Richard has acquired substantial experience in the industry. His career began as a private client stockbroker at Walker Crips and Phillip Securities (now King and Shaxson), following internships on the NYMEX oil trading floor in New York and London IPE in 2001 and 2000.
Richard’s contributions and expertise have been recognized by respected publications such as The Sunday Times, BusinessInsider, Yahoo Finance, BusinessNews.org.uk, Master Investor, Wealth Briefing, iNews, and The FT, among many others.
Under Richard’s leadership, the Good Money Guide has evolved into a valuable destination for comprehensive information and expert guidance, specialising in trading, investment, and currency exchange. His commitment to delivering high-quality insights has solidified the Good Money Guide’s standing as a well-respected resource for both customers and industry colleagues.
To contact Richard, please ask a question in our financial discussion forum.
