City Index Review 2026
A licensed kitchen with real, checkable paperwork.
City Index opened its doors in 1983 and cooks as a regulated CFD broker, carrying FCA licence 113942.
What's on the menu
City Index has been serving since 1983, with the kitchen based in London, UK. The firm is privately held. The order book runs deep: 13,500 CFD instruments spanning forex, indices, commodities and crypto. Everything here is a contract for difference, so you are trading the price move, not owning the underlying dish.
MetaTrader comes plated on every account type. There is no copy-trading option here.
| Founded | 1983 |
| Headquarters | London, UK |
| Instruments | 13,500+ |
| Platforms | City Index Platform, MT4, TradingView |
| MetaTrader | Yes, MT4 and MT5 |
| Copy trading | No |
| Real stocks | No, CFDs only |
Kitchen inspection: is City Index safe?
FCA-regulated brokers must keep client funds in accounts segregated from company funds, provide negative balance protection, and contribute to the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), which covers up to £85,000 per client if the broker becomes insolvent.
| Regulator | Licence | Entity |
|---|---|---|
| FCA | 113942 ✓ | GAIN Capital UK Ltd (City Index) |
| ASIC | 345646 ✓ | GAIN Capital Australia Pty Ltd |
| MAS | Registered ✓ | GAIN Capital Singapore Pte Ltd |
Want to inspect the kitchen yourself? Pull up register.fca.org.uk and look up the FCA licence. The listing lays out the entity name, its authorisation status and the full list of what it is cleared to do. A minute, tops.
Ready to open an account?
City Index - FCA regulated, min deposit None, 13,500+ instruments.
Ingredient costs: City Index spreads
Here is what the raw ingredients cost on a standard City Index account. Spreads breathe with the market and with your account tier; step up to an ECN or raw-spread table and the spread shrinks, but a per-trade commission joins the bill.
| EUR/USD | 0.5 pips pips |
| GBP/USD | 0.8 pips pips |
| USD/JPY | 0.6 pips pips |
| Gold (XAU/USD) | 20c/oz |
| S&P 500 | 0.5pt |
That EUR/USD figure of 0.5 pips pips is a lean, low-cost ingredient, right up there with the ECN specialists.
The bill: City Index withdrawal fee and timing
Cost to take money out: None. City Index does not charge deposit or withdrawal fees. Your payment provider may apply their own transfer fees.
How long it takes: 1 to 3 business days. E-wallet and card withdrawals are typically faster than bank wire transfers.
No cash leaves the till until your identity checks out. If your proof of ID and address are not yet filed and cleared, the payout waits; once you are fully verified, cash-outs follow the timings shown above.
The cover charge by entity
The opening deposit at City Index depends on which entity seats your country. Offshore branches tend to set a smaller cover charge, but you dine with a thinner layer of regulatory protection.
| Entity | Regulator | Min deposit | Max leverage (forex) |
|---|---|---|---|
| GAIN Capital UK Ltd (City Index) | FCA 113942 | None | 1:30 |
| GAIN Capital Australia Pty Ltd | ASIC 345646 | None | 1:30 |
| GAIN Capital Singapore Pte Ltd | MAS Registered | None | 1:20 |
City Index vs eToro
| City Index | eToro | |
|---|---|---|
| Primary regulator | FCA 113942 | FCA 583263 |
| Min deposit | None | $50 |
| EUR/USD spread | 0.5 pips pips | 1.0 pips |
| MetaTrader | Yes | No |
| Instruments | 13,500+ | 3,000+ |
| Copy trading | No | Yes |
| Withdrawal fee | None | $5 per withdrawal |
Both kitchens hold real licences, so neither is a bad table. Pull up a chair at City Index if you value MetaTrader and running algorithms. eToro plates up better for anyone who leans on its particular regulated-entity coverage.
The licences, line by line
| FCA | 113942, GAIN Capital UK Ltd (City Index) |
| ASIC | 345646, GAIN Capital Australia Pty Ltd |
| MAS | Registered, GAIN Capital Singapore Pte Ltd |
Under ESMA house rules, retail traders in the EU and UK are served leverage no higher than 1:30 on the major forex pairs.
What tastes good, what leaves a bad aftertaste
Cooked well
- FCA regulated, GAIN Capital UK Ltd (City Index)
- No minimum deposit
- MetaTrader 4 and 5 available
- Tight EUR/USD spread from 0.5 pips
- Regulated in 3 jurisdictions
- 13,500+ instruments
Sent back
- No copy trading
- No real stock ownership, CFDs only
- Inactivity fee: $12/month after 12 months
Compare City Index before you commit
4.0/5 rating - FCA regulated - min deposit None
The verdict
Nothing on the plate here is fake: City Index is a genuine, regulated broker, and FCA licence 113942 checks out on the public register. The table is set best for traders who want MetaTrader served on a regulated platform. We rate it 4.0 out of 5.
Other tables worth a look
If City Index is not quite to your taste, these regulated kitchens are worth comparing:
Frequently asked questions
Is City Index safe?
FCA-regulated brokers must keep client funds in accounts segregated from company funds, provide negative balance protection, and contribute to the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), which covers up to £85,000 per client if the broker becomes insolvent. The kitchen holds FCA licence 113942, and you can confirm it for yourself on the official register.
What is the City Index minimum deposit?
The cover charge is None at the main regulated entity. Offshore branches may plate it differently, so check the entity table above for the full spread.
What is the City Index EUR/USD spread?
On a standard City Index account the EUR/USD ingredient runs about 0.5 pips pips. It moves with the market; an ECN or raw table trims the spread in exchange for a per-trade commission.
How long does City Index take to process withdrawals?
1 to 3 business days. E-wallet and card withdrawals are typically faster than bank wire transfers.
Does City Index charge withdrawal fees?
None. City Index does not charge deposit or withdrawal fees. Your payment provider may apply their own transfer fees.
Does City Index have MetaTrader?
Yes. Both MT4 and MT5 are on the menu across every account type, so automated strategies, custom indicators and expert advisors are all on the table.