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City Index

City Index Review (2026)

Written by BrokerSpecs TeamLast Updated: 2 March 2026

This 2026 review of City Index evaluates its fees, platform features, tools, customer support, and more to help traders assess if the broker is a suitable choice for their trading needs.

Established in 1983, City Index is a UK-based broker now owned by StoneX Group Inc.—a publicly listed company trading on the NASDAQ. It offers CFD trading, spread betting, and options across a wide range of markets.

City Index is regulated by multiple top-tier authorities, including the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the UK, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), and the Japan Financial Services Agency (JFSA), among others.

The broker is recognized for its low-cost forex fees, wide range of tradable instruments, and powerful research tools. However, it’s worth noting that City Index does not accept clients from the United States.

City Index Review

City Index Overview

City Index Logo
4.4/5
Average
  • Minimum Deposit$0
  • SpreadLow
  • Trading FeeVaries
  • Deposit FeeFree
  • Withdrawal FeeFree
  • Account OpeningWithin 24 hours

Pros and Cons

Pros
  • Commission-free trading with tight spreads
  • Strong global regulation by multiple Tier-1 authorities, including the FCA and ASIC
  • Modern and intuitive mobile platform
  • Diverse range of asset classes and a large number of tradable instruments
  • Powerful suite of integrated research tools
  • Parent company is listed on the NASDAQ
Cons
  • Inactivity fees apply after one year without trading
  • No support for copy trading
  • No API support or VPS hosting for advanced traders
  • No support for MetaTrader 5 (MT5)

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Account Types

Score: 2.8/5

City Index provides retail and professional accounts. Professional traders benefit from a 2.5% interest on cash balance, monthly rebates, and lower margin requirements. The broker also offers three primary account types differentiated by balance requirements, maximum leverage, and additional services:

  • Trader: No minimum balance required and offers leverage up to 1:30.
  • Premium Trader: Requires a minimum account balance of £10,000, offers leverage up to 1:30, and includes a dedicated relationship manager.
  • Professional: Requires clients to hold a minimum £500,000 portfolio or have relevant working experience in the financial sector, offers leverage up to 1:400, and includes a relationship manager.

Clients can open individual or corporate accounts, and UK residents may utilize a Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) account. Demo accounts are also available for practice. However, there are no swap-free accounts available for Muslim traders.

City Index Fees, Spreads, and Commissions

Score: 4.2/5

Trading Fees

The broker features a commission-free trading model for forex trading with spreads starting from 0.7 pips. Index CFD fees are also competitive, with spreads starting from 0.4 pips.

However, stock CFD fees are relatively high, with a commission of $0.018 per share and a minimum charge of $10. Spreads may be fixed or variable depending on the instrument, and swap fees apply for overnight positions.


Deposit, Withdrawal, and Other Account Fees

City Index doesn’t charge fees for deposits or withdrawals. However, a £12 monthly inactivity fee applies to accounts with no activity for 12 months or more. Accounts can be denominated in five base currencies: EUR, GBP, USD, PLN, and CHF. Currency conversion charges apply when funding an account in a different base currency.

Trading Platforms Available on City Index

Score: 4/5

City Index offers its proprietary Web Trader platform, which features integration with Trading Central for AI-based idea generation, and it includes Performance Analytics and customizable workspaces. TradingView is also directly integrated for trading and charting.

For mobile users, City Index provides dedicated iOS and Android mobile apps that offer full account management, alerts, watchlists, and TradingView charts, with an interface consistent with the web version. The mobile app is user-friendly and well-designed, with features that mirror the desktop platform and biometric authentication for security.

Additionally, City Index supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4), though it offers fewer assets compared to the Web Trader. Despite the support for MT4, there’s no access to the feature-rich MT5.

Trading PlatformsAvailability
MetaTrader 4
MetaTrader 5
cTrader
TradingView
NinjaTrader
Proprietary Platform
Mobile App

Assets You Can Trade on City Index

Score: 4.8/5

City Index is a CFD broker with over 13,500 financial instruments. Traders have access to a wide range of underlying assets, such as stocks, forex, crypto, options, metals, bonds, and more. Its extensive product offerings rival those of other top-tier CFD brokers such as XM and CMC Markets.

City Index
XM
CMC Markets
No. of Tradable Assets
13,500+
1,400+
12,000+
Stock CFDs
Index CFDs
Bond CFDs
Forex CFDs
Commodities CFDs
Metals CFDs
Energy CFDs
Crypto CFDs
Options CFDs

Over 4,700 stock CFDs are available, with more than 70 US stocks supported for pre- and post-market trading.

*Comparison between CFD brokers only

Looking for something else? Compare tradable assets, features, and more at a glance with our powerful broker comparison tool.

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Deposit and Withdrawal

Score: 4/5

Funding Methods

City Index supports funding through:

  • Debit / Credit Card
  • PayPal

Funding Methods

You can deposit funds via:

  • E-wallets such as Skrill
  • Debit/credit cards
  • Online payment systems such as PayPal
  • Bank transfers

Deposits via debit/credit cards and e-wallets are typically instant, while bank transfers can take several business days to process. Accounts must be funded in the same currency as the base currency chosen. Withdrawals generally take 1-3 business days to process. The minimum withdrawal amount is $100.

Educational Resources & Research Tools on City Index

Score: 4.6/5

Research Tools

City Index provides a comprehensive suite of research tools. These include:

  • Daily market outlooks
  • Trading Central AI-based signals and Market Buzz
  • Integrated news feed from Reuters
  • FXStreet Economic Calendar


Educational Resources

The broker provides a vast collection of resources aimed at continuous learning and strategy refinement through its City Index Academy, including:

  • Structured educational courses for all experience levels
  • Trading lessons for all experience levels
  • Trading glossary
  • In-house analyst webinars 

The resources span a broad range of topics and are structured to suit traders of varying expertise.

City Index Customer Support

Score: 3.8/5

Support Channels

City Index offers 24/5 multilingual customer support via:

  • Phone
  • Email
  • Live chat
  • Social media platforms such as Facebook, X, LinkedIn, and Instagram

The broker also maintains a helpful FAQ section and provides supporting documentation. While simple live chat queries are often handled promptly, user reviews on general customer service are mixed, with some reporting difficulty reaching support when facing issues, while others praise the support team for their experience and professionalism.


Language Support

Support is available in at least six languages, including:

  • English
  • Spanish
  • German
  • Arabic
  • Polish
  • Chinese

Safety and Regulations

Score: 5/5

City Index is a highly trusted brokerage, regulated by multiple top-tier financial authorities across its entities, including:

  • ASIC
  • FCA
  • CFTC
  • MAS
  • JFSA
  • The National Futures Association (NFA)
  • Cyprus Securities & Exchange Commission (CySEC)
  • Cayman Islands Monetary Authority (CIMA)
  • Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) of Hong Kong

The broker adheres to the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) and provides negative balance protection for retail clients onboarded under the FCA or ASIC for forex spot and CFD trading.

However, professional and non-EU/Australian clients are not covered by negative balance protection. Clients in the UK are also protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), with coverage up to £85,000. The broker also segregates clients’ funds.

Furthermore, City Index is a brand of StoneX Group Inc., a US-based investment company listed on the NASDAQ Stock Exchange. Therefore, it is subject to stringent financial reporting and transparency requirements, which significantly enhance its safety profile. The company's long operational history since 1983 also adds to its credibility.

User Experience and Interface

Score: 4.4/5

Desktop Navigation and Performance

Its desktop trading experience primarily revolves around its City Index Web Trader and the MT4 platform. While the Web Trader offers advanced charts, custom workspaces, and integrated Trading Central tools, users may find the interface cluttered, making navigation difficult.


Mobile Navigation and Performance

The City Index mobile app has a modern and user-friendly design. It provides:

  • Live trading execution
  • Full account management
  • Custom alerts
  • Watchlists
  • TradingView charts

The mobile app syncs consistently with the web version and includes an embedded economic calendar with advanced filters. It also offers a wide variety of advanced order types, including OCO, GTC, and GTT orders. Biometric login is available for added security and convenience.

Final Verdict

City Index is a trusted and well-regulated broker with a long history, offering a vast array of instruments, particularly strong in stock CFDs. Its powerful proprietary web platform, robust research tools including Trading Central, and integration with TradingView make it an appealing choice. While forex fees are low, stock CFD fees are relatively high.

However, City Index does have several limitations. Cryptocurrency trading is restricted by region, particularly unavailable for UK retail clients. Notably, the platform lacks copy trading features and also lacks API access and VPS connectivity, which may deter advanced algorithmic traders.

Is City Index the Right Broker for You?

City Index is well-suited for a wide variety of traders who prioritize security, broad market access, and integrated research tools. Its strong regulatory framework and wide product offering make it a reliable choice for CFD traders. Traders who value powerful mobile platforms will also find it appealing.


Who Should Trade with City Index?

City Index is ideal for traders seeking a powerful trading platform with institutional-grade research tools. Beginners can benefit from the educational resources provided by the City Index Academy, and experienced traders will appreciate the suite of research tools.

However, US clients are ineligible, and UK clients don’t have access to cryptocurrencies. City Index may not be suitable for advanced algorithmic traders requiring automation or those seeking lower stock CFD fees.

FAQ