LCG Review: Reliable Broker or Not?

LCG review: In this LCG review, we present the LCG Group, which has more than 20 years of experience. This broker lets you trade 7,000 instruments across 9 asset classes via the MetaTrader 4 and LCG Trader platforms. Regulated by the FCA, CIMA, CySEC and SCB, the Group is also listed on the London Stock Exchange, which helps it provide a safe trading environment. Nevertheless, the broker does not appear on the ACPR-AMF REGAFI website. Trading conditions in the Forex markets are attractive thanks to its ECN account, like those offered by Vantage, and stock trading fees are broadly similar to other brokers’. The educational and training content is clearly not very extensive, which could put off some traders. Let’s find out more about this broker in this LCG review.

LCG Pros & Cons

To go further, also read our guides “Gain Capital Broker Review” and “FXVC Review“.

Who Is LCG?

Let’s start this LCG review by introducing the broker. London Capital Group Holdings plc (LCG Group) is a company registered in England and Wales (number 05497744) and a member of the NEX exchange. Listed on the London Stock Exchange, the broker LCG offers trading on more than 7,000 spot and futures financial instruments through several entities worldwide (United Kingdom, Cyprus, Bahamas, Cayman Islands). Client reviews are a little more mixed compared with Capital.com reviews.
LCG review – Market maker or ECN broker? The Cyprus broker’s Terms and Conditions state that “LCG acts as an ECN (electronic communication network) broker with straight-through processing (STP), providing high-level brokerage services in relation to one or more financial instruments”.

LCG at a Glance

Can You Trust LCG in November?

Before you start trading with a broker, you should always ask yourself whether it is a scam, whether it is safe and whether the trading funds you deposit with it will be secure.

Next, it is important to check the authorizations and regulations that govern the broker, so you know which rules it must follow and what protections you are entitled to if the broker goes bankrupt or there is a dispute.

To do this, always use the official LCG website to make sure you are not using another broker by mistake. You can then check the broker’s authorizations on its home page (usually in the footer at the bottom of the page), and visit the regulators’ websites to confirm that the broker has been regulated and when.
Note – You will find all the information about LCG’s authorizations in the broker’s regulation section and at the bottom of this LCG review.

Scams Involving the Broker LCG

Scammers and fraudsters constantly try to exploit the popularity of regulated, reputable companies such as LCG. That is why many fraudsters claim to come from legitimate regulated firms. This is what happened with the FCA-regulated LCG entity.

Several companies claimed to be LCG, using its firm reference number (FRN) and real address to suggest they were genuine:

• Qtrade – Added to the FCA’s FS Register on January 12, 2025

• London Capital Group (clone) – Added to the FCA’s FS Register on October 27, 2015.

• Tradignition – Added to the FCA’s FS Register on March 25, 2015.

PS: It is also important to make sure you are not looking at the offer of a company with a similar or even identical name but different services, as is the case with LCG Finance. This LCG review is dedicated to the British broker LCG.

What Are LCG’s Official Addresses?

As this LCG review shows, the broker has several units around the world. Of course, it is important to read this LCG review in light of where you live to decide whether the information in it is relevant to you.

London Entity

LCG review – LCG Limited (LCG). This is a company incorporated under the laws of England and Wales, authorized and regulated by the FCA. The company is registered at the following address:
3rd Floor
80 Cheapside
London
EC2V 6EE
United Kingdom

Cyprus Entity

LCG review – LCG (CYPRUS) Limited (LCG CY). This is a company incorporated under Cypriot law, authorized and regulated by CySEC. The broker is registered at the following address:
205 Arch. Makarios Avenue III
Victory House
5th Floor
3030 Limassol
Cyprus

Cayman Islands Entity

LCG review – LCG Int. Limited (LCG INT). This is a company registered in the Cayman Islands, authorized and regulated by CIMA. The broker is registered at the following address:
Conyers Corporate Services (Cayman) Limited,
Cricket Square, Hutchins Dr.
PO Box 2681
Grand Cayman KY1-1111

London Capital Group Regulation

London Capital Group has several regulated entities in different parts of the world, as explained earlier in this LCG review:

• London Capital Group Limited (LCG Group) – Regulated in the United Kingdom since 2001 by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) – FCA register number: 182110

• London Capital Group (Cyprus) Limited (LCG CY) – Regulated in Cyprus since 2017 by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) – License number: 341/17

• LCG Int. Limited (LCG INT) – Regulated in the Cayman Islands by the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority (CIMA) since 2018 – License number: 1445894

In this LCG review, we would like to suggest other brokers regulated by CySEC, the FCA or ASIC in Australia, as we think they may interest you because they offer attractive trading conditions:

Is LCG Authorized by the AMF?

LCG review: Does LCG France exist? No.
Although we have shown in this LCG review that the broker has a Cypriot entity with a European passport to offer its services automatically in European countries, the register of financial agents (REGAFI), which lists all companies authorized by the Autorité de Contrôle Prudentiel et de Résolution (ACPR) to operate in France, does not list LCG.

In addition, CySEC’s page for London Capital Group does not show France among the member states to which the broker is authorized to provide cross-border services, as the image below shows.

Source: LCG broker page on the CySEC website

How Are LCG Clients’ Funds Protected?

LCG review – How are investors’ funds protected? LCG Limited (UK) and LCG (Cyprus) Limited (Cyprus) are members of compensation schemes that give investors access to potential compensation if the broker goes bankrupt.

LCG’s UK entity is a member of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), which means you will automatically be compensated up to £85,000 for a standard trading account, or £170,000 for a joint account, if LCG goes bankrupt.

LCG’s CySEC-regulated entity is a member of the Investor Compensation Fund (ICF) in Cyprus. All retail clients with a registered account with this broker are covered up to €20,000 per client if LCG (Cyprus) Limited defaults.
LCG of course keeps client funds in segregated accounts at leading banks, so your trading funds cannot be used for anything other than your trading.
The broker’s Cypriot entity offers negative balance protection, so retail traders do not owe the broker money if their account balance falls below zero. LCG states on its website that clients of the UK entity should soon benefit from this protection too.

LCG also states that you could use the services of a financial ombudsman if you are not satisfied with how LCG has handled your complaint. You can contact the Financial Ombudsman (FOS) in the UK if you use the UK entity, or the Cyprus FOS if you use the Cypriot entity.

What Awards Has LCG Received?

LCG has received several awards for its services, innovation and technology. In this part of the LCG review, we have listed the broker’s awards by year:

• 2009: Investors Chronicle / FT Investment Awards – Spread Betting Provider of the Year
• 2010: EGR Awards – Financial Betting Operator of the Year
• 2011: Investors Chronicle / FT Investment Awards – CFD Provider of the Year
• 2012: Money AM Awards – Best Online Trading Platform – Capital Spreads
• 2012: Money AM Awards – Best Mobile/Tablet Application – Capital Spreads
• 2013: Money AM Awards – Best Mobile/Tablet Application – Capital Spreads
• 2015: Shares Awards – Best Use of Social Media
• 2015: UK Forex Awards – Forex Innovator of the Year
• 2016: Online Personal Wealth Awards – Best Platform – Capital Spreads
• 2016: Online Personal Wealth Awards – Online Personal Wealth Award
• 2016: UK Forex Awards – Best Forex Fundamental Analysis Provider
• 2016: Shares Awards – Best Mobile/Tablet Trading App
• 2017: City of London Wealth Management Awards – Best Spread Betting Provider

Which Trading Account Types Can I Use at LCG?

The trading account types available at LCG are relatively simple:

• a classic trading account for trading CFDs
• an ECN trading account
• a VIP trading account
• an Islamic account
• a professional trading account
• a demo account

The ECN account is for those who want this type of execution in the Forex market, with spreads from 0 pips and no requotes. While there is no minimum deposit for a classic CFD trading account, you need at least £10,000 to use the ECN account.

If you want to invest €25,000 or more with LCG, you can benefit from the ECN account as well as the VIP services offered by the broker, which give you specific trading conditions for your strategy and personalized support.
Note – Like almost all brokers today, LCG of course offers a demo account so you can test the broker’s platform and features with virtual funds.
Muslim traders can also use a swap-free account at LCG, making it easier to trade in line with Sharia principles for halal trading.

Finally, traders who want higher leverage can apply to LCG for a professional trading account. The ESMA restrictions on CFD leverage in Europe then no longer apply. However, you will not benefit from negative balance protection.

Trading Instruments Offered by LCG

• Forex: more than 60 currency pairs
• Commodity CFDs: a range of precious metals, energy commodities and agricultural commodities
• Index CFDs: more than 14 indices
• Stock CFDs: more than 4,000 stocks from around the world
• Bond and interest rate CFDs: 9 bond and interest rate instruments
• ETFs: more than 500 ETFs available
• Vanilla options and futures on many asset classes

LCG Leverage

Leverage is a powerful tool for investors because it amplifies market moves to potentially earn more. The level of leverage available at LCG depends on your trader status (retail vs professional), the assets you trade and the LCG entity you trade through.

The maximum leverage offered by the Bahamas LCG entity is naturally higher than that offered by the UK or Cyprus entities (as the table below shows), because the regulations are completely different.

In the part of this LCG review below, we have gathered the maximum leverage levels by client category and asset (classic CFD account) so that you can understand LCG Cyprus’s policy and decide what kind of leverage you want to use with the broker.

Forex

Maximum Leverage – Major Pairs

Maximum Leverage – Minor Pairs

Maximum Leverage – Scandinavian Pairs

Maximum Leverage – Exotic and Emerging Market Pairs

Maximum Leverage – Australia and Asia Pairs

Commodities

Maximum Leverage – Spot Metals

Maximum Leverage – Metal Futures

Maximum Leverage – Spot Energies

Maximum Leverage – Energy Futures

Maximum Leverage – Agricultural Commodity Futures

Stocks

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Maximum Leverage: Stocks – Spot

ETF

The maximum leverage for retail traders trading ETFs is 1:5, and 3% for professional traders.

Stock Indices

Maximum Leverage: Indices – Spot

Maximum Leverage: Indices – Futures

Bonds and Interest Rates

Maximum Leverage – Bonds

The maximum leverage for retail traders trading interest rates is 1:5, and 1:1000 for professional traders.

Everything You Need to Know About LCG Deposits and Withdrawals

One of the most important aspects of a broker review is the payment methods accepted. That is why forums often feature questions about “funding available at LCG”. In this part of our LCG review, we show you which funding methods LCG accepts through its UK (FCA) or Cyprus (CySEC) entity.

Deposits and Withdrawals – FCA Entity

Deposits and Withdrawals – CySEC Entity

How to Contact LCG

• Live chat: on the LCG broker’s website

• Phone: +357-25266699 Monday to Friday from 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. (GMT) for customer service, +357 25 266661 Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (GMT) for the sales team, or +357-25266655 from Sunday 10:00 p.m. (GMT) to Friday 10:00 p.m. (GMT) (Dealing Desk)

• Social media: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn

What Fees Does LCG Charge?

Forex

Spreads Forex – Major Pairs

Spreads Forex – Minor Pairs

Spreads Forex – Scandinavian Pairs

Spreads Forex – Exotic and Emerging Market Pairs

Spreads Forex – Australia and Asia Pairs

Commodities

Spreads – Spot Metals

Spreads – Metal Futures

Spreads – Spot Energies

Spreads – Energy Futures

Spreads – Agricultural Commodity Futures

Stocks

Stock Spreads – Spot

ETF

ETF Spreads – Spot

Stock Indices

Index Spreads – Spot

Index Spreads – Futures

Bonds and Interest Rates

Spreads – Bonds

Spreads – Interest Rates

Trading Platforms Offered by LCG

With LCG Trader, traders get a robust, technologically advanced platform for trading currencies, metals, indices, stocks, futures, bonds and interest rates. The platform is fully customizable, with more than 70 technical indicators.

Client Opinions of the LCG Trader Platform

Slippage and Order Execution at LCG

To provide high-quality trading, LCG strives to keep the probability of executing its clients’ orders as high as possible by keeping the rejection rate as low as possible.
According to a January 2020 document on the company’s best execution policy, less than 0.5% of all orders submitted to LCG are rejected, mainly due to price (un)availability or position size.
When a price is not available, this is called slippage. When the price requested by a trader could not be executed because it changed after the order reached the platform, or because market liquidity was insufficient to execute the order at the requested position size, the trader experiences slippage.

As the broker explains, “slippage is the difference between the executed price and the price requested when the order was validated. For market orders, slippage can be positive (in the client’s favor) or negative (at a lower price) compared with the price observed at the time of the request“.

Training & Tools Offered by LCG

Just like more traditional stockbrokers such as BNP, LCL or other banks, online brokers make money from the transactions carried out on their platforms or through their institutions. That is why it is important for them to make sure their clients learn to manage their investment portfolios well and benefit from specialized offers.

The bank LCL, for example, offers an “LCL Bourse Expert” service with many reviews, BNP has a “Learn more about the stock market” section on its website, and Société Générale has a section dedicated to how to save money and grow it.
It is therefore essential for TraderFrancophone to highlight the importance of training at the brokers we analyze. A good broker should want to educate its traders so they can improve their trading performance. That is why we continue this LCG review with the training and educational tools that are most relevant to traders.
1. Economic calendar

With this tool, LCG keeps its traders up to date with news that could affect the markets. Some releases can trigger major moves, such as growth, inflation or employment figures, as can all announcements relating to central bank decisions.

2. Market news (not available in French)

Every day, LCG’s analysts analyze the economic, political and financial news that affects global financial markets. This is more of a fundamental analysis.

3. Technical analysis

To improve its clients’ trading experience with services from the best providers, LCG works with Trading Central to offer trading signals and in-depth, professional technical analysis, particularly on Forex, stocks, indices and commodities. To use this service, you just need a funded live LCG trading account.

The broker explains that Trading Central offers many benefits, such as:

• analysis to identify price direction and trend;
• technical and mathematical indicators, as well as algorithms, to better spot trading opportunities;
• and signals based in particular on Japanese candlesticks to spot trend reversals.

4. Explainer videos on trading for beginners and advanced traders (not available in French)

These videos help all types of traders discover, absorb or review trading concepts to improve their performance.

The beginner level covers, for example, common trading mistakes, the difference between fundamental and technical analysis, the different types of charts and some important statistics such as GDP, CPI and NFP.

The advanced level covers technical indicators such as the MACD, Fibonacci, moving averages and the RSI, as well as trading techniques such as risk management, trend trading and trading during earnings season.

5. Trading glossary (not available in French)

Like any trading glossary, LCG’s defines the main trading concepts: the different markets, instruments, technical indicators, trading tools, risk and money management concepts, trading styles and more.

6. Webinars & seminars (not available in French)

Although the Covid-19 health situation has not allowed many trading seminars recently, webinars are easier to organize and offer a kind of online trading class on a specific topic: trading techniques and strategy, major political events (such as the US presidential election), money management, etc.

Can You Get a Welcome Bonus with LCG?

No. LCG does not offer any welcome bonus to new clients. However, there are other popular, reliable brokers that offer bonuses on new deposits, including Vantage and FXPRIMUS.
While our FXPRIMUS review showed that the broker does not offer its services to French traders, our Vantage review shows that the broker seems particularly popular with traders in France and around the world.
The Australian broker offers a 50% welcome bonus on the first deposit for new clients who open a Standard STP account. And for every standard lot traded, Vantage says it converts 2 units of the bonus into withdrawable cash.

Is LCG the Best Broker for Trading Stocks in 2025?

LCG is definitely one of the best brokers for trading stocks with leverage, thanks to the variety of its offer.

The broker offers CFDs on more than 4,000 stocks from different parts of the world: you can trade stocks from the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, France, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Spain, Austria, Finland, Portugal and Italy.

Most of the fees charged for trading stock CFDs with LCG are 0.10%, except 0.12% for Italian stocks, 0.20% for stocks not linked to SEAQ (the London Stock Exchange’s electronic quotation system) and 0.25% for SEAQ-linked stocks.

Not forgetting US stocks, which can be traded for 2 cents per share for US stocks under $50 per share, or 4 cents per share for US stocks over $50.

These conditions are similar to those offered by IG Markets, except for stocks from the following countries: France, Germany, Ireland, Spain, Finland, the Netherlands and Portugal, where IG Markets seems more attractive, with commissions of 0.05% per transaction.

Is LCG the Best Broker for Trading Forex in 2025?

LCG offers a trading account with ECN (Electronic Communication Network) execution for trading Forex.

With this technology, LCG connects traders directly with its liquidity providers for faster order processing. This allows the broker to offer attractive spreads compared with other brokers that do not offer this type of trading account, as the table below shows. Only Vantage seems to stand out in the Forex market with its ECN and STP accounts.

That is why many traders choose LCG’s ECN account to trade Forex. As other Forex brokers offer similarly attractive conditions, we have compiled a comparison of the Forex spreads charged by several popular brokers:

Have you already used LCG and want to share your experience? Leave us a comment!