Gold trading
Start trading gold online with the No.1 CFD and spread betting provider in the UK.1
Call 0800 195 3100 or email newaccounts.uk@ig.com to talk about opening an account.
Why trade gold with us?
Trade gold spot prices
Open short-term positions with our exclusive undated gold market
Speculate on gold futures
Trade long-term gold price movements with futures contracts
Take your capital further
Get full market exposure for a small deposit, called margin
Get the best gold prices
Trade on some of the lowest gold spreads in the market – as little as 0.3 points
Choose to trade or invest
Trade gold with our leveraged products, or buy gold shares or exchange traded funds
Manage your gold risk
Protect your capital with guaranteed stops, which only incur a fee if triggered
Ways to trade gold with us
CFD trading
Trade on leverage
No stamp duty; CGT applies but losses can be offset against profits for tax purposes*
Commission-free on gold
Trade in GBP for gold markets
Spread betting
Most popular
Trade on leverage
Tax-free - keep 100% of your profits*
Zero commission and flexible position sizing - from 6p per point
Trade in GBP to avoid FX risk or charges
Share dealing
Buy and sell gold-linked shares or ETCs
Subject to stamp duty and CGT; invest tax-free in an ISA or SIPP*
Commissions-free for shares, ETFs and ETCs*
*Other fees may apply
* Tax laws are subject to change and depend on individual circumstances. Tax law may differ in a jurisdiction other than the UK.
| Gold spread betting | Gold CFD trading | Gold share dealing | |
| Markets to trade | Spot prices, futures, options contracts, shares and ETFs | Spot prices, futures, options contracts, shares and ETFs | Shares and ETFs |
| Main features | Go long or short on gold prices, bearing in mind short-selling can give higher exposure to losses if the market moves unexpectedly. Profits are tax-free in the UK2 | Go long or short on gold prices, bearing in mind short-selling can give higher exposure to losses if the market moves unexpectedly. Tax-deductible losses are useful for hedging2 | Take ownership of shares in gold companies to gain voting rights and dividends if paid |
| Traded in | £ per point | Contracts | Shares |
| Tax status | No capital gains tax (CGT) or stamp duty2 | No stamp duty, but you do pay CGT. Losses can be offset as a tax deduction2 | Subject to stamp duty and CGT. Trade via a stocks and shares ISA for tax-free profits2 |
| Commission | Charged via the spread | Share CFDs are subject to commission. All other markets are charged via the spread | Invest in US shares with £0 commission |
| Learn more | Learn more | Learn more |
What is gold trading?
Gold trading is a method of speculating on the price of gold online via spot prices, futures, options, shares and exchange traded funds (ETFs). Trading via spread bets or CFDs means you don’t have to take ownership or delivery of the commodity.
How to trade gold online in the UK?
- Open a gold trading account
- Find an opportunity
- Take your first position
- Monitor and close your trade
Gold live price
Why is gold trading popular?
Gold trading is popular due to the metal’s reputation for being highly desired since ancient times. Coveted for both its cultural and financial value, there are a few benefits that make gold an attractive market, for example:
- It’s considered a ‘safe haven’ investment in times of financial turbulence
- It has a wide variety of industrial applications in electronics and computing, as well as jewellery manufacturing
- It tends to perform strongly in high-inflation scenarios and can therefore be used as a hedging tool
Top tips for trading gold online
Plan your trading
Develop a trading plan before you start, so that you’ll be less inclined to make emotional decisions when it comes to your gold positions. A good trading plan will outline details such as whether you want to trade or invest in gold, how much time and capital you want to spend on your gold trades, your preferred risk management tools, and much more.
Learn what moves gold
Make sure you understand the gold price drivers, such as supply and demand, before you start trading.
Analyse the market
Use charts to get an idea of how gold behaves over different timeframes. Look for patterns, wait for breakouts before trading, and trade with the trend. Compare up to four different timeframes at once with the charts in the IG trading platform, and get free trading signals to help you make your call.
Consider mining stocks or gold ETFs
Gain indirect exposure to gold by investing in individual mining stocks or a gold ETF – short for exchange traded fund. ETFs are baskets of assets that give you broad exposure to the gold market from just a single position. You can buy and sell ETFs by opening a share dealing account. If you would rather speculate on the gold price instead of investing, you can use spread bets or CFDs to go long or short on spot gold or the share price of companies that mine gold.
Trade gold on the UK’s best trading platform4
*Demo accounts are only available for spread betting and CFD trading.
Trade gold on the UK’s best trading platform4
Fast execution on a huge range of markets
Enjoy flexible access to 15,000+ global markets, with reliable execution
Deal seamlessly, wherever you are
Trade on the move with our natively designed, award-winning trading app
Feel secure with a trusted provider
With 50 years of experience, we’re proud to offer a truly market-leading service
*Demo accounts are only available for spread betting and CFD trading.
Trade gold on the UK’s best trading platform4
Trade gold on the UK’s best trading platform4
Fast execution on a huge range of markets
Enjoy flexible access to 15,000+ global markets, with reliable execution
Deal seamlessly, wherever you are
Trade on the move with our natively designed, award-winning trading app
Feel secure with a trusted provider
With 50 years of experience, we’re proud to offer a truly market-leading service
Gold trading costs and details
- Spreads
- Margin
The spread is our charge for executing your trade. It’s the difference between the buy and sell price, which we wrap around the underlying gold price.
| Minimum spread for futures | Minimum spread for undated markets | |
| Spot gold (100OZ) | 0.6 | 0.3 |
| Alternative gold markets | Minimum spread |
| Daily gold options | 0.3 |
| Centamin stock | 0.255 |
| Petropavlovsk stock | 0.165 |
| ZKB Gold ETF | 0.75 |
The spread will vary, depending on whether you trade futures or our undated contracts. Futures have a wider spread, but no overnight funding charges – so are more cost-effective for longer-term trades.
If you choose to trade gold stocks and ETFs via CFDs or invest with a share dealing account, you’ll be charged a commission instead of a spread.
Spread bets and CFDs are leveraged products, which means you can gain full exposure for a small deposit – called margin. This isn’t an extra cost to you, but it can make a big difference to the affordability of your trade.
Remember, leverage will magnify both profits and losses.
| Market | Retail margin |
| Spot gold (100OZ) | 5% |
| Centamin stock | 25% |
| Petropavlovsk stock | 25% |
| ZKB Gold ETF | 20% |
We strive to give you the most competitive market rates anywhere – which is why we use a tired system. Smaller deal sizes generally benefit from better market liquidity, so these positions attract our lowest margin rates.
Choose the world’s No.1 spread betting provider1
Seize opportunity on 15,000+ markets, including commodities, major indices and FX.
*Demo accounts are only available for spread betting and CFD trading.
Choose the world’s No.1 spread betting provider1
Seize opportunity on 15,000+ markets, including commodities, major indices and FX.
*Demo accounts are only available for spread betting and CFD trading.
Choose the world’s No.1 spread betting provider1
Seize opportunity on 15,000+ markets, including commodities, major indices and FX.
Choose the world’s No.1 spread betting provider1
Seize opportunity on 15,000+ markets, including commodities, major indices and FX.
Get the latest gold news
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Gold price at new high while oil price struggles and natural gas price rises
2025-03-14T08:57:59+0000
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1 Based on revenue (published financial statements, 2023).
2 Tax laws are subject to change and depend on individual circumstances. Tax law may differ in a jurisdiction other than the UK.
3 Deal three or more times in the previous month to qualify for our best commission rate.
4 As awarded at the ADVFN International Financial Awards 2020 and Professional Trader Awards 2019.
5 Our spread for a particular share or ETF is calculated as a percentage of the current price – they are subject to variation, especially in volatile market conditions. Please note: we have tried to ensure that the information here is as accurate as possible, but it is intended for guidance only and any errors will not be binding on us.
Connect with us
Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 70% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading spread bets and CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how spread bets and CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Professional clients trading spread bets and CFDs can lose more than they deposit.
Options and futures are complex instruments which come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. They’re not suitable for most investors. Before you invest, you should consider whether you understand how options and futures work, the risks of trading these instruments and whether you can afford to lose more than your original investment.
Trading stocks and shares ‘on margin’ within a US options and futures account – meaning that you only finance part of the cost of acquiring a position in a security – carries additional risks over buying securities on a fully funded basis and may result in losses exceeding your original investment. Trading on margin will also result in additional costs to you as the investor and any securities purchased using margin may be held as collateral by the lender, restricting both your rights as shareholder, and your ability to use the securities until the margin trade is closed. You should familiarise yourself with these risks before trading on margin.
The value of shares, ETFs and other ETPs bought through a share dealing account, a US options and futures account, a stocks and shares ISA or a SIPP can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Some ETPs carry additional risks depending on how they’re structured, investors should ensure they familiarise themselves with the differences before investing.
Share dealing and IG Smart Portfolio accounts provided by IG Trading and Investments Ltd, CFD accounts and US options and futures accounts are provided by IG Markets Ltd, spread betting provided by IG Index Ltd.
IG is a trading name of IG Trading and Investments Ltd (a company registered in England and Wales under number 11628764), IG Markets Ltd (a company registered in England and Wales under number 04008957) and IG Index Ltd (a company registered in England and Wales under number 01190902). Registered address at Cannon Bridge House, 25 Dowgate Hill, London EC4R 2YA. IG Markets Ltd (Register number 195355), IG Trading and Investments Ltd (Register Number 944492) and IG Index Ltd (Register number 114059) are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
The information on this site isn’t directed at residents of the United States, Belgium or any particular country outside the UK and isn’t intended for distribution to, or use by, any person in any country or jurisdiction where such distribution or use would be contrary to local law or regulation.