IG vs Mexc: Fees, Security, Features & Which to Choose (2025)

Trying to choose between IG and Mexc This side-by-side comparison reveals total cost (fees + spreads), security & licenses, coins/derivatives, deposits/withdrawals, and app quality. In 2 minutes you’ll see who wins for beginners, active traders, and long-term holders. Clear pros/cons, a quick verdict, and safe links to get started.

Last updated on August 29, 2025

IG

Mexc

⚠️ We look for what’s best for you.

₿ Getting into crypto? With eToro you can start in minutes: buy/sell top coins, set recurring buys, track markets, and use Social/CopyTrader features.

👉 Start here and explore the crypto offer.

Available Countries

United States

Europe

Yes

Latin America

Yes

India

Yes

China

Canada

United Kingdom

Yes

United States

Yes

Europe

Yes

Latin America

Yes

India

China

Canada

Yes

United Kingdom

Thinking about starting with crypto? This is for you.

In select regions, eToro offers a $10 welcome bonus when you open an account today.*

🎯 An account built to help you start with crypto—without the hassle.

➕ Buy and sell top cryptocurrencies in minutes

➕ Recurring buys, price alerts, and advanced charts

➕ Social/CopyTrader™ to follow experienced investors

➕ One of the largest and most trusted platforms worldwide

Limited-time promotion — still available.

*Offer subject to terms, eligibility and regional availability. Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest.

IG is ideal if:

Strong for serious traders – Offers a wide array of professional-grade platforms (like ProRealTime, L2 Dealer, MT4, and TradingView) that support advanced and even algorithmic strategies—great if you're tech-savvy and value sophistication.
Excellent for educational growth – Delivers rich learning resources, demo account options, and intuitive interfaces, making it appealing if you’re building foundational skills or seeking a smooth learning pathway.
Optimal amid market volatility – With deep market access and robust systems, IG stands out if you thrive in fast-moving markets and want reliable execution during turbulent trading sessions.

Mexc is ideal if:

You’re seeking wide token access and early listings: MEXC regularly lists emerging altcoins—often before other major exchanges—so it’s great if you're hunting for fresh or niche projects.
You value advanced trading tools and fast execution: With spot, futures, margin, copy trading, and leveraged ETFs, plus a high-performance engine, it’s built for active and experienced traders.
You want low-cost, globally accessible trading: It offers zero maker fees and deep liquidity across 170+ countries, making it efficient and budget-friendly worldwide.

IG isn’t ideal if:

Platform limitations – If you rely on MT5 or cTrader, know that IG offers only its proprietary platform and MT4, so those alternatives aren’t available.
Limited account styles – No Islamic (swap-free), social/copy-trading, or fixed/spread-only accounts, which may restrict options for certain strategies or preferences.
Payment and inactivity restrictions – Fewer deposit/withdrawal methods and inactivity fees may frustrate infrequent traders or those needing flexible funding.

Mexc isn’t ideal if:

You prefer ultra-clear, fast customer support: Some users report delayed responses and unclear communication during risk control or account reviews.
You’re new to crypto platforms: MEXC’s breadth of tools and features may feel overwhelming if you’re a beginner seeking simplicity.
You highly value unrestricted global access: Risk-control flags or restrictions—particularly when accessing via VPN or from certain regions—can unexpectedly limit account usability.

Fees & Total Costs

Spot Maker/Take

IG does not use maker/taker pricing for spot crypto trading—instead, they apply a single flat percentage spread on all trades, with no discounts tied to volume or use of a native token.

Maker fees start at zero and taker fees around 0.05%, with improved discounts (up to 20–50%) when using the native MX token or meeting volume-based holding thresholds—perfect for high-volume traders.

Futures/Derivatives

IG’s derivatives (CFDs and futures) are priced purely through the spread—there is no separate maker or taker fee, and funding costs for cash CFDs are embedded in the spread rather than added separately.

Futures also offer 0% maker and about 0.02% taker rates, while funding fees are paid peer-to-peer every 8 hours and vary (typically ±0.01–0.03%), impacting your position cost depending on market sentiment.

Average Spreads on Liquid Pairs

While specific BTC/USDT and ETH/USDT spreads aren’t publicly listed, IG applies a flat spread of approximately 1.49% across all crypto trades, implying similarly consistent spreads for major pairs across the board.

Although not officially posted, spreads on highly liquid pairs like BTC/USDT and ETH/USDT tend to be very tight—typically just a few basis points—due to the platform’s deep order book and high trading volume.

Fiat Deposits & Withdrawals

You can fund and withdraw via bank transfer, credit/debit cards, and e-wallets like PayPal; these methods typically carry no fees from IG and settle instantly for most deposits, with withdrawals usually completed within 1–3 business days.

You can deposit fiat via bank transfers, credit/debit cards, or third-party providers like Banxa and Simplex; fees and processing times vary by provider, while fiat withdrawals require advanced KYC and proceed via P2P or SEPA methods, usually completing within two business days.

On-chain Withdrawals

IG does not support direct crypto wallet withdrawals—crypto is traded via CFDs only, so there are no on-chain withdrawal fees of any kind.

MEXC charges withdrawal fees that vary by cryptocurrency and network—like fixed rates for Bitcoin or Ethereum—and the amount changes based on network congestion and chosen blockchain.

Hidden Costs

IG’s fee structure is generally transparent; there are no hidden costs. Currency conversion fees may apply if your deposit isn’t in your account base currency, an inactivity fee kicks in only after prolonged dormancy, and enhanced KYC services—if any—are presented clearly.

While most platform fees are transparent, additional costs can arise from automatic currency conversions, inactivity penalties, expedited KYC services, or optional tools—so it’s wise to review your account settings periodically.

Real-World Cost Example: “€500 BTC

If you invest €500 in BTC CFDs, the only cost would be the flat crypto spread—so you’d effectively receive the equivalent of €500 minus 1.49% as your notional position, with no separate commission or withdrawal fee applied.

Buying €500 worth of BTC involves a taker-style execution fee (a small percentage), a minimal spread due to liquidity, and any later withdrawal cost depends on the chosen crypto network—altogether forming the total outlay beyond just token value.

Crypto Offering & Trading Features

Number of Coins & Pairs

IG now offers access to over 35 cryptocurrencies via its partnership with Uphold, spanning everything from major assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum to more niche tokens—though specific rankings for the top 20 by trading volume aren’t publicly detailed.

MEXC offers access to nearly 3,000 spot trading pairs and over 1,100 futures pairs, ensuring you can trade a wide variety of digital assets beyond just the most popular ones—while the top 20 by volume typically include major coins like BTC/USDT and ETH/USDT, along with trending altcoins.

Product Range

IG mainly supports spot crypto investing and CFDs, but does not currently offer standalone margin, perpetual futures, options, crypto ETFs, staking, lending, copy-trading, grid bots, or automatic DCA tools.

MEXC delivers a full suite of products—spot trading, margin, perpetual futures, crypto ETF-like instruments, staking and earning programs, loan services, copy trading, grid trading bots, and automated DCA setups—to cater to diverse trading and investment needs.

Liquidity

IG leverages Uphold’s infrastructure for liquidity, ensuring reasonable access and execution—but public figures for 24-hour volume or order-book depth on BTC and ETH aren’t shared directly on its platforms.

With daily futures volume reportedly exceeding $25 billion, MEXC provides substantial liquidity, and its BTC/USDT order book depth within ±5 basis points of mid-price can reach around $82 million, offering notably tighter execution than many competitors.

Tools

IG’s platform offers basic order types like market, limit, and stop-loss; price alerts and interactive charts are included, though advanced conditional orders, APIs/WebSocket access, and native TradingView integration are not part of the current crypto toolkit.

MEXC equips traders with a full toolkit, including limit, stop, and OCO orders, real-time price alerts, rich charting features, direct TradingView integration, and robust API/websocket support for automated or advanced trading strategies.

Geographic Restrictions by Product

Crypto investing through IG is currently limited to eligible regions—such as the UK rollout for retail clients—with some derivatives offerings either restricted or unavailable depending on local regulatory constraints.

Certain advanced features like futures and derivatives may be restricted in specific jurisdictions due to regional regulations, so availability can vary depending on your location despite global platform reach.

Innovation

IG’s latest crypto launch focuses on streamlined access and integrates directly into its platform, but it doesn’t offer token launchpads, yield farming, staking pools, or flexible vs locked “earn” product structures at this time.

MEXC drives innovation with launchpad-style token offerings and frequent airdrop events, while offering both flexible and locked earn products that allow users to choose between liquidity or potentially higher yield locked structures.

Security, Regulation & Custody

Operating Entity & Jurisdiction

Crypto trading via IG is provided through its partnership with Uphold—a U.S.-based platform—while IG Group Holdings plc (founded in 1974) remains the UK-listed parent company headquartered in London, though the crypto offering technically operates under Uphold’s custody infrastructure.

MEXC was originally registered as MEXC Global Limited in Seychelles in 2020, but the entity was dissolved in December 2024, reflecting a shift in its legal presence and raising questions about its official operational jurisdiction.

Licenses/Registration

IG itself offers crypto access in the UK via Uphold, which is regulated as a crypto platform in both the U.S. and U.K.; IG Group operates under its existing FCA and Bermuda Monetary Authority permissions, but crypto-specific licenses like MiCA or VASP registrations in the EU are not publicized for IG directly.

The platform operates without formal licensing in major financial jurisdictions and does not comply with frameworks like MiCA, FCA, or VASP regimes, leaving it largely unregulated despite being flagged by multiple authorities for its unlicensed status.

Custody

Crypto assets bought through IG are held by Uphold under a third-party custody model; IG does not manage wallets itself, and there’s no public evidence of proof-of-reserves, independent audits, or data on the percentage held in cold storage.

MEXC holds users’ assets primarily in-house, employs cold-hot wallet separation, supports multi-signature protection, and publishes bi-monthly proof-of-reserves audits demonstrating full backing (often above 100%) for major cryptocurrencies.

Insurance & Protection Funds

Cryptocurrency holdings via IG (through Uphold) are not covered by the UK’s Financial Services Compensation Scheme, and there’s no mention of alternative insurance or protective reserve mechanisms designed for crypto assets.

MEXC has an established insurance fund designed to absorb losses from forced liquidations or extreme market events, enhancing overall risk resilience on its trading platform.

Incident History

While IG Group has experienced system outages, refund errors, and a past regulatory fine in France, no reported crypto-specific hacks or custody breaches have occurred in connection with the new crypto service to date.

There are no widely reported hacks or major security breaches involving MEXC, and it has not been subject to known regulatory penalties, though ongoing scrutiny due to its unlicensed operations persists.

Risk Controls

Basic security best practices are encouraged—such as secure device use and phishing awareness—but features like mandatory two-factor authentication, withdrawal whitelists, sub-accounts, or granular API permissioning tied specifically to crypto use are not currently highlighted in IG’s offering.

The platform offers robust security controls, including SSL encryption, mandatory two-factor authentication, address whitelisting, anti-phishing codes, support for sub-accounts, and fine-grained API permission settings to enhance user protection.

Transparency

IG does not appear to provide public wallets, proof-of-reserve transparency, or specific service-level agreements tied to crypto custody, nor are there dedicated monthly crypto custody reports available for clients.

MEXC promotes transparency via regular proof-of-reserves disclosures, external security audits, and public wallet data, though it does not currently provide formal service level agreements or detailed monthly financial reporting.

Deposits, Withdrawals, KYC & Support

Fiat Deposit Methods

IG supports bank transfers, credit/debit cards, and PayPal or other local e-wallets depending on your region; deposits are usually instant for cards and e-wallets, and 1–3 business days for transfers, with minimums varying by region (e.g. ~£10 for crypto funding) and upper limits often governed by your provider’s terms.

MEXC supports fiat deposits via bank transfers (like SEPA), credit/debit cards, and third-party gateways; limits (e.g., up to €20,000 per transaction and €200,000 per day via SEPA) apply, with processing ranging from near-instant with SEPA Instant to up to 2 business days for standard transfers.

Supported Fiat Currencies & Conversion

KYC (Verification Levels)

IG requires identity verification before enabling withdrawals; while they don’t label tiers publicly, a basic verified account grants full functionality, and advanced documentation may be needed for higher-volume transfers, though explicit tier definitions aren’t displayed.

MEXC operates with tiered verification: no KYC allows basic access with a 10 BTC daily withdrawal limit; Primary KYC lifts that to around 80 BTC per day; Advanced KYC further increases it to roughly 200 BTC or about $20,000 in fiat, unlocking full platform privileges.

Withdrawals

Withdrawals are processed via the same method used to fund (card, bank, PayPal); limits include daily card maximums (e.g. £ or $25,000) and no set caps on bank transfers, with processing ranging from instant (PayPal) to 1–5 business days depending on method; IG does not support on-chain crypto withdrawals via any network.

On-chain withdrawals are enabled across multiple networks (like ERC-20, TRC-20, BEP-20), with network-dependent limits (up to ~200 BTC/day for verified users), and typical processing times depending on blockchain congestion.

Customer Support

IG offers robust customer service through live chat, email, and phone across many regions, with prompt response times and a comprehensive help center covering deposits, withdrawals, platform use, and troubleshooting.

MEXC offers around-the-clock customer support via live chat and email, complemented by a comprehensive help center and documentation for self-service needs, though official average response times aren’t publicly stated.

Languages & Localization

IG provides multilingual support including Spanish; clients in euro zones can see pricing in euros, and services are adapted under local regulators like the FCA (UK) or BMA, ensuring localized compliance and presentation.

The platform’s interface is available in English and other languages, with fees displayed in EUR and USD depending on region; however, it does not emphasize localized regulatory disclosures per jurisdiction.

App Quality & Stability

IG’s mobile and web platforms are known for their stability and regular updates, resulting in smooth user experience with minimal crashes—specific crash-rate data isn’t published, but continuous enhancements and high availability are emphasized.

MEXC’s mobile app is widely regarded as fast and intuitive, offering demo trading and smooth performance; while official crash rate metrics or update logs aren’t published, regular updates and a stable experience are implied by user reviews.

Experience, Performance & Ecosystem

UX/UI

While IG doesn’t label modes as “Lite” or “Pro,” its platform balances clean design with professional depth—new users often find the interface intuitive to navigate, while more advanced traders can adopt MT4 or ProRealTime for a deeper feature set.

MEXC’s interface offers customizable layouts—like standard, horizontal, or vertical arrangement of charts and order panels—allowing users to tailor the view to their preferences, though it doesn’t offer distinct “Lite” or “Pro” modes; this flexibility helps both novices and pro traders adapt the dashboard to their learning curve.

Performance

IG’s platform is generally responsive with fast order execution, though like many brokers, it may face brief slowdowns during extreme volatility; KYC processing is uninterrupted but may take longer during surges in new account demand.

The platform generally delivers fast order execution thanks to its high-performance engine, but during extreme volatility it has previously experienced system slowdowns affecting spot trades; there’s little public reporting on KYC queues during bull runs, though swift identity processing is generally emphasized.

Education

IG offers an extensive educational ecosystem—including IG Academy, live webinars, and a robust demo account—many of which are available in Spanish, supporting both novices and more advanced learners.

MEXC hosts an extensive Learning Hub with guides on trading strategies, futures, grid bots, and copy trading—though it lacks dedicated demo accounts or simulators, and while content spans multiple languages, Spanish-language materials are still limited in depth.

Community

While IG has an active support community with forums and a rich help center, it does not currently maintain dedicated Discord or Telegram groups, nor does it focus on referral incentives for crypto users.

While MEXC promotes engagement through active Telegram and Discord channels and offers referral incentives, its own web platform doesn’t include built-in forums, encouraging users to connect via those external community hubs.

Integrations

IG supports integration with charting platforms like TradingView (via third-party platforms), but does not offer native trading bots, tax reporting tools, or built-in accounting integrations within its crypto offering.

The platform provides native TradingView chart integration and API/websocket support for automating strategies or connection with bots, but it does not natively integrate with tax reporting or accounting tools—i.e., users rely on external services for portfolio tracking.

Who Each One Is Best For

IG is particularly well-suited for multi-asset investors who value trading under a regulated, centralized broker that combines stocks, forex, and crypto in one platform—but may not suit those seeking self-custody, deep customization, or community-driven features.

MEXC is ideal for seasoned traders who value interface customization, deep liquidity, and strategy flexibility; newcomers who prioritize guided learning or simulator tools may find the learning curve steeper and tools more limited.

Mores comparisons