| Updated: September 17, 2025- Jump to:
- Regulations
- Trading Instruments
- Trading Platforms
- Mobile Trading Apps
- Payment Methods
- Account Types
- Support
- Conclusion
City Index is a high-calibre provider of spread betting and contracts for difference trading, based in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1983, the company boasts more than 35 years of experience in the field, which alone is quite impressive. Its platform is preferred by traders for its fast and highly reliable service.
Clients have access to a vast assortment of trading instruments, with more than 12,000 available markets covering forex, shares, indices and commodities. In addition to this broad market portfolio, City Index provides its customers with various educational tools to help them become sharper traders.
In 2014, City Index was acquired for $118 billion by the US-based giant GAIN Capital, the same company that operates the leading trading brand FOREX.com. At the time of the acquisition, City Index had around 104,000 active retail accounts.
The firm continued to grow following the purchase, providing clients with tight spreads, a robust platform and various analytical tools that cater to a wide spectrum of traders, from novices to well-financed professionals.
| General Information about City Index | |
|---|---|
| Min. Deposit | $0 ($150 for Singapore and Australia) |
| Supported Languages | Arabic, German, English, Polish, Chinese (Mandarin) |
| Supported Currencies | AUD, CHF, EUR, GBP, PLN, SGD, USD |
| Website | https://www.cityindex.com |
| Phone Number | +44 0800 060 8609 |
| Support Email | 0800 060 8609 |
| Headquarters Address | 1st Floor, Moor House, 120 London Wall, London, EC2Y 5ET, United Kingdom |
Regulations
City Index is a haven for traders and investors alike. Its operations are regulated by the UK Financial Conduct Authority. It serves customers based in Australia under the oversight of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission. The broker is also authorised by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).
As we mentioned briefly, City Index operates as part of the reputable company GAIN Capital Holdings Incorporated, which is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. This leading provider of trading solutions specialises in OTC and foreign exchange markets, although it also has retail and futures segments for the US and European exchanges.
The brokerage company is also associated with the UK Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). This means that if City Index went into liquidation, customers would be entitled to compensation of up to £85,000. In addition, City Index segregates traders’ money from the firm’s funds. They are kept in separate bank accounts to protect against insolvency.
| Regulator | Licence |
|---|---|
| CIRO | |
| DFSA | F000542 |
| FCA | 446717 |
| JFSA | 2010401047199 |
| MAS | 201130598R |
| HKSFC | BCQ152 |
| ASIC | 345646 |
Trading Instruments
City Index’s award-winning platform offers more than 12,000 global markets for Forex, CFD, commodities, and spread betting. The latter could be a beneficial alternative to standard CFDs if you are based in the UK because it comes with certain tax efficiencies for residents of the country. Below, we list all trading instruments available at City Index in further detail.Forex Trading
City Index enables trading in 84 currency pairs, including major ones such as USD/JPY, GBP/USD, and EUR/USD, and offers rapid execution with competitive spreads that start at 0.5. Minor and exotic pairs are also available to Forex traders.
The platform provides its clients with several ways to trade Forex, including CFDs and spread betting. If you reside in the United Kingdom, we suggest choosing the spread-betting Forex option, as any profits you generate are exempt from capital gains tax. Capital gains taxes are imposed on profits realized from selling non-inventory assets such as stocks, bonds, real estate, and precious metals.
Trading Forex presents many lucrative opportunities because currency markets remain open around the clock on business days. As the most liquid market in the world, Forex allows investors to trade directly with one another instead of relying on a centralized exchange.
At City Index, Forex traders can enjoy minimum spreads of 0.5 for major pairs like EUR/USD and AUD/USD, while the spreads for GBP/USD and EUR/GBP are slightly higher at 0.9. These figures apply to retail customers. Experienced investors can open Professional Trader accounts, which offer lower margins and tighter spreads.
Cryptocurrency Trading
City Index clients can choose between spread betting and CFD trading in major cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ripple, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, and Litecoin. Spread betting is the more popular option among those who trade on this platform. It offers multiple benefits, including zero commissions and no taxation.
You can trade on price fluctuations, choosing either buy or sell positions. In essence, you speculate on whether the value of the cryptocurrency will appreciate or depreciate. You must select a stake size – that is, how many currency units per point you are willing to risk on these price movements. For each point the cryptocurrency value moves in the direction you predicted, you earn a multiple of your stake.
The second option for cryptocurrency traders who join City Index is CFD trading. Keep in mind that CFDs are highly volatile instruments due to leverage. As many as 72% of retail investors who trade CFDs with City Index lose money.
Traders can go either long or short, taking advantage of the platform’s tight spreads on cryptocurrency trading. You do not need to own any cryptocurrencies. Margin rates for retail customers are set at 50%, and spreads range from 0.5 to 35, depending on the cryptocurrency you trade.
Shares Trading
At City Index, you can also trade shares as spread betting or CFDs, with a choice of more than 4,500 global companies from Europe, the USA, Australia, and Asia. The spreads are quite competitive, starting at 0.1% each side for UK shares. Both long and short positions are available for major companies.
These include Apple, Amazon, Barclays, Chevron, Adidas, Facebook, and General Motors, among many others. The margin requirement for share trading is 50% for both standard and premium trader accounts.
Indices Trading
Index trading is another alternative for investors who choose City Index. Here, you can place orders for 21 major global indices, including the FTSE 100, the DAX, Wall Street, Australia 200, France 40, and the Euro Stoxx 50. Margins start at 5% with a fixed minimum spread of 1 point.
Additionally, you can speculate on 14 UK sector indices through spread betting or CFD trading. The margin requirement for sector indices is 10%. You can also rely on the quick, reliable execution of your index orders.
Sector indices enable traders to speculate on industry-wide trends without taking multiple equity positions within the same sector. Experienced investors use sector indices to manage volatility, secure liquidity, and hedge their equity positions.
Other Trading Markets
City Index also offers spread betting and CFD trading on interest rates, bonds, commodities, and options. With these instruments, you can speculate on the price movements of base and precious metals such as platinum, gold, palladium, copper, and silver against the USD.
Spreads range from 0.3 to 40 points, with margins of 5% for gold and 10% for the remaining metal markets. These instruments are often considered safe havens for investors, especially during periods of heightened volatility. Their prices are driven by various factors, including supply, demand, and geopolitical risk.
U.S. and U.K. crude oil and natural gas are available to investors who join City Index. Trading soft commodities such as sugar, wheat, cotton, corn, cocoa, lumber, orange juice, soybeans, oats, and coffee is also possible with this broker. The platform additionally features exotic commodity markets such as lean hogs and live cattle.
Bond trading is also available, with customers able to take positions in markets like the Euro Bund, the U.S. T-Note, the U.S. T-Bond, and the U.K. Long Gilt at a 20% margin. All of these instruments offer deep liquidity and high daily trading volume.
Those looking for versatile short-term opportunities can trade the price fluctuations in interest rates. City Index offers competitive spreads, giving traders the option to go long or short on these markets.
Trading call or put options is another alternative. Experienced investors often incorporate options into their portfolios for risk-management purposes. With these financial derivatives, you can buy or sell assets at a predetermined strike price before the specified expiry date.
Unlike futures contracts, the trader is not obliged to take delivery of the underlying assets upon the option’s expiry. At City Index, quarterly, monthly, and daily options are available for different classes of assets, such as indices, commodities, and currencies.
Trading platforms
Customers of City Index can choose from several trading platforms, including the widely used MetaTrader 4, the AT Pro platform and WebTrader. There are options for all trading styles. If you want to trade on the go, you can do so with the dedicated apps for Android and iOS.
 Platforms |
 PC / MAC |
 Smartphones |
 Tablets |
|---|---|---|---|
| MetaTrader 4 |   |   | |
| Web Trader | | | |
| Trading Information | |
|---|---|
| Trading Platforms | MetaTrader 4, Proprietary Mobile, Proprietary Web, TradingView |
| Demo Account |  |
| Hedging | |
| Scalping | |
| US Traders |  |
| Arabic Traders | |
MetaTrader 4
At City Index, you can download and install the world’s most popular trading platform, MetaTrader 4 (MT4), at no cost. It is compatible with desktop computers, smartphones and tablets. For desktop, you need Windows 7 or later and at least 1 GB of RAM.
This trading platform stands out for its high efficiency and ease of use. MT4 is equipped with an array of useful features, which are further enhanced by City Index’s excellent pricing and service.
Expert Advisors are among the most beneficial features. They enable you to download automated strategies or upload your own via the MetaQuotes Language 4 tool. The platform offers more than 65 technical indicators that allow traders to review and analyse price fluctuations and trends. The indicators are customisable so they can suit everyone’s needs.
Those who install the platform also gain access to a broad range of charts, drawing tools and time frames. The customisable economic calendar provides valuable insights into important events that influence market price movements. With its help, you can better plan which trading strategies to use.
The AT Pro trading platform
More advanced traders who join City Index can install the AT Pro desktop platform. This is packed with powerful tools that help investors analyse the markets. You can create your own trading templates using the C# language, the .NET framework or Visual Basic.
Professional traders are equipped with detailed charts and more than 100 technical indicators with which to identify trends and lucrative trading opportunities. Additionally, there is a back-testing tool customers can use to compare how different trade signals have performed historically.
These trading signals can show you prospective trade entry and exit points. There is also the option to trade directly through a chart. Speaking of charts, AT Pro supports a variety of chart types including candlesticks and Heikin-Ashi.
Traders will benefit from a comprehensive range of drawing tools, which can help them spot important support and resistance levels. Charts are configurable – you can change colours, time intervals and indicators for a fully customised experience.
WebTrader
Traders who are reluctant to install downloadable software can still trade with City Index via its web-based WebTrader. It is built on HTML5, which allows for optimal performance, greater flexibility and quick execution of your trades.
This option is more suitable for casual traders because it does not feature as many indicators as the downloadable desktop software. Nevertheless, the browser-based platform offers many benefits, including trading through charts, drawing tools, custom indicators and in-depth information that can help you make better-informed trading decisions.
Mobile trading apps at City Index
City Index enables you to take your trades on the go via cleanly designed mobile apps for iOS and Android. You can rely on a hassle-free mobile trading experience whether you are funding your account, browsing the latest news and financial reports on the live Reuters feed, or checking the economic calendar for lucrative opportunities.
The apps boast numerous useful features including full-screen TradingView charts, configurable charts and more than 60 technical indicators. You can keep a close watch on the markets that interest you with the help of customisable watchlists.
Dealing with a single tap on your touchscreen is possible, and so is hedging your existing portfolio. You can simultaneously open short and long positions for the same market. Various tools further streamline order execution. You can consolidate your risk-management strategies with guaranteed and trailing stops or close out your orders incrementally.
The apps can be downloaded free of charge from the App Store or Google Play, depending on your mobile OS. For compatibility, you need iOS 10.3 or later or Android 5.0 or above. Multiple languages are supported on mobile, including English, Polish, Simplified and Traditional Chinese, Arabic and German.
Payment methods
Traders can fund their live City Index accounts with several reliable and efficient banking methods. You can use a debit or credit card from Maestro, Visa or Mastercard. Another option is to top up your balance via PayPal, provided your e-wallet is set up in GBP, USD or EUR. The deposit amount will then be converted into the base currency of your City Index account. Deposits via bank transfer are accepted as well.
There are no additional charges for making deposits on City Index’s side, but you may be charged extra by your card issuer. Each customer is allowed to register no more than three cards per account at any given time.
Always ensure you have enough money in your account balance to prevent margin calls. City Index recommends that you fund your account with at least $100 so you can cover the margin of your first deal. The limits for deposits with PayPal range from $10 to $50,000 per transaction.
Withdrawals from your account are free of charge. How long you will have to wait for your money depends on the method you use. Card withdrawals take three to five business days. Domestic bank transfers take one to two business days. The minimum withdrawal is $50, while the upper limit is set at $20,000.
| Brand | Minimum | Fees | Processing Time |
 | $100 | No Fees | Instant |
 | $100 | No Fees | Instant |
 | $100 | No Fees | Instant |
 | $10 | No Fees | Within 2 working days |
 | $100 | No Fees | Instant |
| Brand | Minimum | Fees | Processing Time |
| $50 | No Fees | 1-5 Bussines days |
| $50 | No Fees | 1-5 Bussines days |
| $50 | No Fees | 1-5 Bussines days |
| $50 | No Fees | 1-5 Bussines days |
| $50 | No Fees | 1-5 Bussines days |
Account types
At City Index, there is an account type to suit the needs of every trader. Keep in mind that if you are a complete beginner, the broker might refuse to let you sign up for a live account. In the registration form, you have to provide information about your experience level, your knowledge of CFDs and spread betting, and your annual income and savings. All of these factors are taken into account during the approval process.
Customers who are new to trading can begin by setting up a free demo account to get a proper feel for how City Index works. This will give them unlimited access to the trading service for twelve weeks.
The demo account is topped up with $10,000, but this is only virtual money you can use to build on your trading experience. Other than that, the demo supports the same tools and features as those in the live accounts.
Note that you can register an account either for spread betting or for CFD trading. Just tick the corresponding box in the registration form. New traders can choose from three base currencies when signing up: GBP, EUR and USD.
| Market | Leverage |
|---|---|
| Crypto CFDs | 1:2 (FCA | Standard Account) |
| Forex CFDs | 1:200 (ASIC | Pro Account) |
| Forex CFDs | 1:400 (FCA | Pro Account) |
| Forex CFDs | 1:30 (FCA | Standard Account) |
| Forex CFDs | 1:20 (MAS | Standard Account) |
| Metals CFDs | 1:20 (FCA | Standard Account) |
| Metals CFDs | 1:5 (MAS | Standard Account) |
Retail Trader accounts
City Index gives you the option to set up a retail Trader account, which is suitable for both new and seasoned investors. This type of account offers many benefits, including better risk management with negative-balance protection, which prevents clients from losing more than they have deposited.
With Trader accounts, you will enjoy quick execution, over 12,000 trading opportunities, 24-hour service, 16 different types of charts and more than 80 technical indicators. Retail traders can broaden their strategy scope with various educational resources and market analysis tools.
Leverage for retail Trader accounts depends on the asset class and is as follows – 1:30 for major currency pairs, 1:20 for major indices, 1:10 for commodities, 1:5 for shares and 1:2 for cryptocurrencies.
Premium Trader accounts
If you are looking for more advanced features, it is recommended to open a Premium Trader account. You have access to the same trading opportunities, 80 indicators, advanced trading tools, 16 types of charts in HTML5, the Reuters news feed and one-click trading.
The economic calendar can be filtered based on country, volatility and category. Additionally, you will benefit from the services of a dedicated manager, a loyalty rewards programme and hospitality events. The leverage and margins for the instruments coincide with those in retail Trader accounts.
Professional Trader accounts
Traders with significant experience can qualify for Professional Trader accounts after meeting specific criteria outlined by City Index. This account type comes with broker-assisted trading and the service of a professional client-relationship manager. However, there is no negative balance protection here and the leverage for the available instruments is higher.
To become eligible for one such account, you need to register a significant annual trading volume and expand your financial instruments portfolio to $500,000 or more. By significant trading volume, we mean at least ten quarterly trades amounting to $10,000 for equities and $50,000 for the other instruments.
Another condition is to have held a professional position in the financial sector for at least a year. The margins for professional accounts range from 0.25% to 5%. The leverage is 1:20 for cryptocurrencies, 1:33 for shares, 1:200 for commodities and 1:400 for forex trading.
Support
City Index provides competent customer support you can contact at all times for queries and assistance. We suggest you use the live chat, which is the quickest and easiest way to reach them. The service is available in different languages.
The brokerage company accepts queries over the telephone as well. International customers can call +44 203 194 1801, while those based in the UK can dial 0845 355 0801 and will be charged at local rates. Emailing them at support@cityindex.co.uk is also an alternative.
Before you seek help, we suggest you take some time to look through the detailed help section on the website, where you will find exhaustive information about everything from account management and payments to a glossary of trading terms.
Conclusion
To wrap things up, City Index is a great fit for novice traders looking to hone their skills and knowledge. This broker is also suitable for experienced professionals, who will benefit from various advanced trading tools.
The platform also hits all the right spots when it comes to user-friendliness, diversity of markets, research tools and quality customer support. The association with the renowned GAIN Capital further consolidates City Index’s position as a solid and trusted broker.