Spread Betting Brokers UK: MT4, MT5, cTrader and TradingView

If you want to spread bet in the UK on a third-party platform, your choice is narrower than most lists suggest. Pepperstone is the only FCA-authorised broker we found that supports spread betting on MT4, MT5, cTrader and TradingView. IG supports it on MT4, MT5 and TradingView. For MT4 alone you can add CMC Markets, FXCM UK and StoneX Trading (formerly City Index). TradingView users can add Spreadex, StoneX Trading and Capital.com. We checked every entry on the broker's own UK pages in September 2026, because many comparison sites list platforms a broker offers for CFDs as if they worked for spread bets too.

That distinction matters. A broker may offer MT4 for CFDs only, or link TradingView to its CFD account but not its spread betting account. Spread betting is the product that keeps profits outside UK capital gains tax for most individuals, so opening the wrong account type on the right platform can cost you a lot at the end of the tax year.

The platform table

"Not listed" means we did not find the platform for spread betting on the broker's UK site when we checked; it may still be offered for CFDs. Where we write "not confirmed", the broker offers the platform but its pages do not say that spread betting works on it. Platform line-ups change, and CMC in particular says TradingView support for spread betting is coming, so check the broker's current page before you open an account.

ProRealTime is the extra column. IG offers this web-based charting and automation package and says you can use it to place spread bets as well as CFDs, describing itself as the only UK spread betting and CFD provider to offer it. The charts are free for your first month and then cost £30 a month, which IG waives in any month where the spread or commission it earns from your trading is more than £15.

MT4 spread betting

MT4 is still the most widely supported platform for UK spread betting. Pepperstone, IG, CMC Markets, FXCM UK and StoneX Trading all offer it. At most of these firms the MT4 account is separate from your main one: FXCM has a distinct spread betting download, CMC says you need a separate account for MT4 and that it does not connect to TradingView, and IG asks you to choose between spread bet and CFD when you create the MT4 account. On MT4, CMC offers forex, indices and commodities, but not shares, ETFs or bonds.

MT4 was built for lots, not pounds per point, so brokers map the two. On a spread betting MT4 account a volume of 1.00 may mean £1 per point, £10 per point or another stake, depending on the broker and market. Read the contract specification for each symbol before your first trade. The same applies to expert advisers written for CFD accounts: a robot that sizes positions in lots may open a far larger bet than you intended. Test it on a spread betting demo first.

MT5 spread betting

Only two firms on our list support spread betting on MT5: Pepperstone and IG. IG's MT5 set-up lets you pick "MetaTrader 5 Spread Bet" or "MetaTrader 5 CFD" when you create the account, and IG notes that MT5 carries fewer markets than its own platform. Pepperstone lists MT5 among the platforms available for its spread betting account. If you run MT5 expert advisers and want your profits outside CGT, those are your two FCA options.

cTrader spread betting

cTrader is where the UK market is thinnest. Pepperstone is the only FCA broker we found that lists cTrader for its spread betting account. IC Markets (now trading as IC) is popular with cTrader users and offers a strong cTrader Raw account, but it offers no spread betting at all, has no FCA authorisation, and serves UK residents from its Seychelles company, which the FCA has on its Warning List. For a UK trader who wants cTrader, spread betting and UK protection together, the choice today is one broker.

That is a concentration risk worth noticing. If you build a cBot strategy around cTrader and one broker, any change to that broker's pricing or platform line-up leaves you with nowhere obvious to move under the FCA. Keep your strategy portable where you can.

TradingView spread betting

TradingView has become the default charting tool for many UK traders, and five FCA firms on our list let you place spread bets from it: Pepperstone, IG, Spreadex, StoneX Trading and Capital.com. Spreadex added spread betting to its TradingView integration in May 2024, with spread bet symbols carrying a SPREADEXSB prefix. Capital.com's help centre says spread betting accounts can be connected, and IG and StoneX both advertise spread betting directly from TradingView charts.

CMC Markets is the notable gap. Its TradingView page says you cannot yet connect a spread betting account, only CFD and FX Active accounts. FXCM offers TradingView, but its spread betting help pages mention only Trading Station and MT4. Some TradingView features need a paid TradingView plan, and that cost is separate from your broker.

Picking a broker from the table

Start with the platform you cannot do without, then narrow by cost and markets. An MT5 or cTrader user has already cut the list to one or two firms. A TradingView user has five to compare, and here the spread betting spreads decide it: Pepperstone quotes EUR/USD from 0.5 and GBP/USD from 0.8 points, while IG and Spreadex both quote 0.6 and 0.9. Those are minimums, so compare live quotes at the hours you trade.

Next, look at what else you need from the account. IG and CMC cover far more markets on their own platforms than on MetaTrader. XTB, which many beginners like, is not on the list at all because it offers CFDs only; our best forex broker for beginners guide weighs it against the spread betting firms. Open a spread betting demo with your top two, connect the platform you use, and place the same handful of trades on each for a fortnight before moving real money. For cost, protection and account details beyond platforms, see our best FCA-regulated forex brokers shortlist.

Caveats before you switch

• Tax is not the only difference. Spread betting losses cannot be offset against other gains, while CFD losses can. A losing or break-even trader may be better off on CFDs; our spread betting vs CFDs guide works through the choice.
• Pricing can differ by account. Raw spread accounts such as Pepperstone's Razor and CMC's FX Active are CFD accounts. The spread betting account usually uses wider all-in spreads with no commission.
• Market lists differ by platform. MT4 and MT5 often carry fewer markets than the broker's own platform.
• Separate logins are normal. A spread betting MT4 account may not share a balance or history with your main account.
• Commercial use changes the tax. HMRC's exemption is for individuals betting on their own account, not for businesses hedging, so check with an accountant if that applies.
• The same FCA rules apply. 30:1 on major pairs, the 50% close-out and negative balance protection hold on every platform.

Frequently asked

Related reading

• Spread betting vs CFDs
• Best forex broker for beginners
• IC Markets and spread betting
• Is spread betting tax-free?
• IC Markets vs Pepperstone
• Best spread betting brokers overall