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

Trying to choose between IG and Okx 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

Okx

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Europe

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China

Canada

United Kingdom

Yes

United States

Yes

Europe

Yes

Latin America

Yes

India

China

Yes

Canada

Yes

United Kingdom

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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.

Okx is ideal if:

Strong for Advanced Traders – OKX stands out with powerful tools like AI-driven trading bots, structured products, and a wide range of derivatives support, making it a great match for experienced and technologically inclined users.
Excellent Web3 and DeFi Access – The platform integrates Web3 features, including a non-custodial wallet, NFT tools, and decentralized applications, ideal if you're interested in exploring beyond traditional trading.
Global Reach with Regulatory Backbone – Boasting licenses across multiple regions and expanding services tailored to local markets, OKX is a reliable choice for anyone looking for a globally recognized exchange.

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.

Okx isn’t ideal if:

Not for Fiat Purists – If you rely on direct fiat deposits or smooth bank withdrawals, OKX’s limited fiat on-boarding and off-ramp options may fall short.
Challenging for Beginners – The high complexity of its pro-level features and lack of a simple, guided interface may overwhelm first-time or casual users.
Frustrating for Restricted Regions – If you're in a country with regulatory restrictions, OKX access or certain trading products may not be available where you are.

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.

Spot trading fees vary by 30-day trading volume and OKB holdings; regular users see maker fees around 0.08% and taker around 0.10%, while VIP tiers significantly reduce these rates and may even offer maker rebates at high volume levels.

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 trading follows a tiered model similar to spot; maker and taker fees decrease as your trading volume or OKB holdings grow, while funding costs are exchanged directly between traders every eight hours depending on market direction—not charged as a platform fee.

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.

OKX typically maintains tight spreads on highly liquid pairs like BTC/USDT or ETH/USDT, ensuring minimal price difference between bid and ask in normal trading conditions.

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.

Fiat support depends on your region and may include local bank transfers, instant methods like PIX or PayNow; fees and processing times vary—ranging from near-instant to a few business days—with no uniform global structure.

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.

Crypto withdrawals to external addresses are subject to network (gas) fees that vary based on congestion; internal transfers between OKX accounts incur no fees.

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.

Additional costs may arise from currency conversion rates if your deposit isn’t in a supported fiat, or possibly expedited KYC services, though OKX doesn’t enforce inactivity fees.

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.

If you were to convert €500 to BTC, your cost would include a dynamic FX conversion charge, a minimal spread on BTC/fiat, spot maker/taker fee on execution, plus network gas if you then withdraw on-chain—all combining to a slightly reduced BTC amount received.

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.

OKX offers several hundred cryptocurrencies overall, with the most actively traded top-20 including BTC, ETH, XRP, SOL, DOGE, ADA, LINK, AVAX, LTC, TRX, among others—all listed prominently and ranked by market cap on the platform.

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.

You’ll find a full spectrum on OKX—from spot and margin trading to perpetual futures, options, staking, earning programs, lending, copy-trading tools, grid bots, and automated DCA strategies—covering most major trading 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.

The platform boasts robust liquidity, particularly on BTC/USDT and ETH/USDT, with high 24-hour turnover and deep order books that support swift executions and minimize slippage in normal market environments.

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.

OKX equips you with a wide range of order types (limit, stop, OCO), real-time alerts, advanced multi-chart setups (including native TradingView integration), powerful APIs and WebSocket feeds, plus strategy calculators and signals for deeper trade planning.

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.

Depending on your jurisdiction, certain features—like derivatives or margin trading—may be restricted or unavailable due to local regulatory rules, so availability can differ from country to country.

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.

OKX stays dynamic with its launchpad and launchpool offerings, letting users discover and participate in new token listings, while offering both flexible and locked formats for earning and staking to suit different strategy preferences.

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.

OKX is operated by various legal entities depending on region—for instance, a US Delaware-based entity (OKCoin USA Inc.), a Malta-registered company for EU markets, and others for locations like Australia, El Salvador, Bahamas, the UAE, and Hong Kong—while globally headquartered in San Jose, California, with operations dating back to its founding around 2013.

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.

OKX holds multiple regulatory approvals across regions—including a MiCA license in Malta passported across the EEA, a major payments license in Singapore, a VASP license in Dubai, and additional registrations tailored for France, Australia, the UAE, and the US.

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.

User assets are held under OKX-controlled custody, with a mix of cold storage and third-party custody; they support transparency through regular, independently audited Proof of Reserves—demonstrating over 100% backing of key assets, verified via Merkle proofs and zk-STARKs.

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.

OKX maintains a substantial insurance fund designed to absorb extreme losses or auto-deleveraging scenarios, serving as an additional layer of user asset protection.

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.

While OKX has no major breaches to its infrastructure, it has experienced temporary withdrawal suspensions in the past and, notably, its operator pleaded guilty in 2025 for past U.S. compliance violations, resulting in fines and a mandated compliance consultant.

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.

OKX enforces strong security controls, including mandatory two-factor authentication, anti-phishing safeguards, address whitelisting, the option for segmented sub-accounts, and fine-grained API permission settings.

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.

OKX publishes regular Proof of Reserves reports, provides publicly verifiable wallet addresses, and offers users tools for self-audit, reinforcing transparency—though they do not publicly share SLA or detailed transparency reports.

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.

OKX supports various fiat deposit options depending on your region—this may include bank transfers (like SEPA in Europe, domestic wires or ACH in the U.S.), cards, and e-wallets. Minimums, maximums, and processing times differ by method and jurisdiction; for example, SEPA Instant enables near-instant deposits, while standard transfers may take one to two business days.

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.

Account access varies with verification levels—from basic (email/phone) to advanced (ID + address), with higher tiers unlocking features like higher P2P or cash transaction limits (e.g., $5,000 lifetime for Level 1 users before needing to upgrade).

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.

Withdrawal limits, processing times, and available networks depend on your KYC status and the currency type. Crypto withdrawals offer multiple network options (e.g., ERC-20, TRC-20), and fiat cash or P2P withdrawals may be carried out via local methods with their own caps; internal transfers between OKX accounts are instant and fee-free.

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.

Support is accessible 24/7 via self-service articles, ticket system, and live chat; response times vary. The Help Center is comprehensive and navigable, with categories for deposits, trading, account issues, and troubleshooting.

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.

OKX supports multiple languages across web and app, selectable through user preferences—especially within EU regulatory regions. Fiat values and fees are displayed in relevant local currencies, enhancing clarity and cohesion with your locale.

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.

The OKX mobile app is praised for its polished design and feature depth, including advanced trading tools. While generally stable, some users report occasional crashes or lag during high-volume activity, and beginner users may find the interface overwhelming.

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.

OKX offers clear “Lite” and “Pro” interface modes—Lite delivers simplicity and easier navigation for newcomers, while Pro unlocks advanced analytics, customizable widgets, and detailed order tools, catering to experienced users.

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.

Order latency on OKX can be extremely low—often around a few milliseconds under normal conditions—though during high-volatility periods, occasional delays crop up; KYC verification times may also slip longer when markets heat up.

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.

The OKX platform includes an integrated demo trading feature for practicing spot, futures, margin, and options strategies risk-free, supported by tutorial content and interactive tools; educational materials are available, though Spanish-language resources may be more limited.

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.

OKX maintains active community channels—including official Telegram and Discord groups—where users can engage and learn, in addition to a referral program that rewards users for inviting peers to the platform.

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.

OKX connects seamlessly with TradingView charts, supports internal and external bots (like grid and strategy bots), and can integrate with third-party tax and accounting tools, streamlining workflow for seasoned traders.

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.

OKX suits traders seeking flexibility—from intuitive tools for beginners to powerful features for pros—while those wanting hands-on learning, trading automation, and connectivity with broader crypto tools will find it especially well aligned with their needs.

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