HFM (HF Markets) and IG are online forex brokers that offer their trading services to traders and investors. HFM (HF Markets) is a regulated and trusted forex broker. It is regulated by multiple regulatory authorities including CMA, CySEC, FSA-Seychelles, CBCS, FSC in BVI, FSCA, FSC in Mauritius,CMA . Similarly, IG is also a regulated broker which is regulated by ASIC, FCA, JFSA, SFC (Hongkong), FSCA, MAS, FMA, GmbH, FINMA. Both the brokers have their own strengths and weaknesses.
In this article, we will review and compare the brokerage services offered by HFM (HF Markets) and IG. We will explore options such as regulations, reputations, fees, features, leverage, and more. Additionally, we will analyze and rate the brokers based on macro and micro categories and options. By reviewing these aspects, you will get a clear idea of which broker suits you best for your trading journey.
HotForex vs IG: In a Nutshell
HotForex
Founded in 2010, HFM is one of the renowned forex and CFD brokers offering online trading services worldwide. The broker was previously known and founded as HotForex. HFM provides over 1,000 trading instruments, including forex, commodities, metals, bonds, energies, ETFs, indices, stocks, and cryptos. It is regulated by multiple regulatory authorities, such as the FCA, CySEC, CMA, FSC, SVGFSA, FSA-S, FSCA, and DFSA. HFM has received over 60 industry awards for outstanding performance and offers leverage as high as 1:2000. It boasts about 2.5 million clients from all over the world. To learn more about HFM, you can read our review on HFM (HF Markets).
Hotforex Overview
- Founded In: 2010
- Founder: George Koumantaris
- Headquarters: St. Vincent & the Grenadines
- Minimum Deposit: $5
- Maximum Leverage: 1:1000
- Regulations: FCA, DFSA , FSCA ,FSA,CMA
- Trading platform: MT4, MT5, HFM Platform
- Account Types: Cent, Zero, Pro, Premium
- Payment Options:Bank Wire (BankTransfer/SWIFT), VISA, MasterCard, BitPay, FasaPay, Maestro, Neteller, PayRedeem, Skrill, UnionPay, WebMoney
- US Traders: Not Accept
IG
Founded in 1974 as IG Index by British financier Stuart Wheeler, IG is a well-known forex and CFD broker. Based in the United Kingdom, IG offers online trading services, including spread betting and CFD trading. It provides access to over 100 forex currency pairs, CFDs, commodities, stocks, indices, gold, silver, oil, bitcoin, and other cryptocurrencies for personal investment and trading. As of 2021, IG had a market value of £2.9 billion and offered trading in 17,000 investment markets. Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), IG is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index. To know more, read our review about IG.
IG Markets Overview
- Founded In: 1974
- Minimum Deposit: $250
- Maximum Leverage: 200:1
- Regulations: ASIC, FCA, FSA, NFA , AMF, FMA, MAS, DFSA
- Trading platform: MT4, WebTrader, MobileTrader (MobileApp), ProRealTime
- Account Types: Standard account, DMA Account
- Payment Options: Bank Wire (BankTransfer/SWIFT), VISA, MasterCard, PayPal
- US Traders: Accepted
Hotforex vs : IG Features
Hotforex
- Trading Instruments: 3000+ trading instruments including Forex, Metals, Energies, Indices, Stocks, Commodities, Bonds, ETFS, Cryptos
- Maximum leverage: The maximum leverage of Oanda is 1:200 (global), 1:50 (US), 1:30 (EU)
- Minimum Deposit: No Minimum Deposit.
- Account Types: Two (Standard, Elitetrader)
- Trading Fees: Spreads range from 0.1 to 0.6, and commissions range from 3.5 to 4 per lot (depending on account type).
- PAMM/ MAM:
- Scalping: Allowed
- News Trading: Allowed
- EA/ Robot Trading: Allowed
IG
- Trading Instruments: 17,000+ trading instruments including forex, indices, cryptocurrencies, shares, commodities, bonds, options, etc
- Maximum leverage: 30:1 to 200:1 ( dependent on Jurisdiction and Tradable assets)
- Minimum Deposit: No Minimum Deposit. However, the Minimum requires $250 if traders use credit/debit cards or PayPal
- Account Types: Ig Offers couple of account types including Standard Accounts, Limited Risk Accounts, Spread Betting Accounts, Options Trading Accounts, Turbo24 Accounts, Share Dealing Accounts, Professional Accounts, etc
- PAMM/ MAM: Available
- Scalping: Allowed
- News Trading: Allowed
- EA/ Robot Trading: Allowed
HotForex vs IG: Pros and Cons
HotForex
- Regulated by the CySEC, FCA, FSCA, DFSA, CMA, FSC Mauritius, and FSA Seychelles.
- The Maximum Leverage is as high as 1:2000
- Favorable trading conditions and low spreads - from 0 pips;
- Trading is available on the MT4, MT5, and HFM trading app
- Available trading tools are MT4 premium trader tools, Autochartist, free VPS, etc
- Insurance coverage of up to $5,000,000
- Copy trading via HF Copy.
- Market news, analysis, outlook, and webinars are provided by a dedicated team of analysts.
- Premium Pro account requires a $5000 minimum balance
- To copy trades on HF copy, you need a deposit of €300.
- No micro accounts for European beginner traders.
- No bonuses for EU Clients
- Few account currencies, which is why some clients have to pay for double conversion
- Customer support is closed on weekends.
IG
IG Markets Overview
- Founded In: 1974
- Minimum Deposit: $250
- Maximum Leverage: 200:1
- Regulations: ASIC, FCA, FSA, NFA , AMF, FMA, MAS, DFSA
- Trading platform: MT4, WebTrader, MobileTrader (MobileApp), ProRealTime
- Account Types: Standard account, DMA Account
- Payment Options: Bank Wire (BankTransfer/SWIFT), VISA, MasterCard, PayPal
- US Traders: Accepted
HotForex vs IG: Side-by-Side Comparison
HotForex Vs IG: Our Scores and Ratings
We rated both brokers, HotForex and IG, on a scale of 1 to 10, with 0.1 increments. To achieve a comprehensive rating, we broadly grouped all services offered by brokers into 6 macro categories and assigned percentage weights to them. Each macro category is subdivided into several data points which contributes to the total score of 1.0-10.0 assigned to each macro category. Since all categories are not equally important, our weight percentage plays a significant role in assessing the broker accurately. For example, Regulation and Security contributes a total weight of 40% to the whole ratings because this is the most important rating category. To learn more, read our methodology.
HotForex :
IG
Final Verdict :
Both HFM (HF Markets) and IG.com offer similar trading services globally and are regulated forex brokers. The minimum lot size for both is as low as 0.1. However, there are some differences between them.
For example, HFM (HF Markets) is regulated by 7 regulatory authorities, including FCA, DFSA, FSCA, FSA in Seychelles, CMA, CySEC, while IG.com is regulated by 9 regulatory authorities, including ASIC, FCA, JFSA, SFC (Hongkong), FSCA, MAS, FMA, GmbH, FINMA. The trading cost for HFM (HF Markets) is 1.2 pips cent, 0 pips zero, 0.6 pips pro, 1.2 pips premium, whereas IG.com’s trading cost is 0.6 points on key FX pairs, 0.8 points on major indices, and 0.1 points on commodities.
HFM (HF Markets) cannot accept US clients as it is not regulated in the USA, while IG.com, being a US-regulated forex broker, can accept clients from both the US and around the world.
Our score for IG.com is 9, and for HFM (HF Markets), it is 9.1 (according to our expert ratings, brokers that achieve a score of 8.00 or higher are considered safe and trustworthy).
Therefore, HFM (HF Markets) is most suited and trusted for non-US traders. However, if you are a US trader seeking a trusted and regulated forex broker, IG.com is a perfect choice.
