Which spread betting brokers offer professional accounts?
Verdict
- Pepperstone is our first choice: it offers UK spread betting and a published Pro programme, with leverage up to 1:500 on FX, gold and major indices for clients who pass two of its three tests.
- StoneX Trading, which offers spread betting and CFDs under StoneX Financial Ltd (FCA 446717), also has Professional clients; its terms say negative balance protection does not cover them.
- Firms that are pro-only in the UK, such as Equiti Capital UK, don't offer spread betting in our data, so they don't fit this question.
- For IG, CMC Markets, Spreadex and Capital.com, all UK spread betting providers, we have not verified pro terms; ask each for its written criteria.
A professional spread betting account keeps the pounds-per-point format but lifts the retail leverage caps. Only a handful of firms do both spread betting and published pro terms. Pepperstone sets out the most detail, so we start there, then cover who else qualifies and what changes for you.
Pepperstone: spread betting plus a published Pro route
Pepperstone Limited (FCA 684312) runs a UK spread betting account staked in pounds per point with no commission, on five platforms. Its Pro page lists the qualifying tests and a leverage table: up to 1:500 on FX, gold and major indices, 1:200 on energies and 1:20 on shares and ETFs. Before you apply, ask Pepperstone to confirm in writing that your spread betting account will move to Pro terms, since its Pro page describes the programme as a whole rather than account by account.
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Who else offers spread betting with professional status
| Firm | Spread betting | Pro terms verified |
|---|---|---|
| Pepperstone | Yes | Yes: criteria and leverage published |
| StoneX Trading | Yes | Partly: terms refer to Professional clients |
| IG (IG Index Ltd) | Yes | Not verified |
| CMC Markets | Yes | Not verified |
| Spreadex | Yes | Not verified |
| Capital.com | Yes | Not verified |
Do you qualify?
Pepperstone's three tests, of which you need two:
- Activity: around 10 significantly sized trades per quarter, averaged over the past four quarters.
- Wealth: a portfolio of financial instruments worth more than €500,000.
- Experience: at least a year working in the financial sector, with knowledge of derivatives.
What changes when your bets go Pro
- Margin falls sharply: a £10-a-point bet on a major index needs far less deposit at 1:500 than at the retail 1:20.
- Negative balance protection ends at Pepperstone, so a gap can leave you owing money.
- Pepperstone says spread betting profits are exempt from UK capital gains tax for individuals, but that depends on your circumstances; your client category and your tax position are separate questions, so ask a tax adviser.
- Pro-only CFD products open up at Pepperstone, such as perpetual CFDs.
Sources
Can I spread bet as a professional client at Pepperstone?
Pepperstone offers both UK spread betting and a Pro programme. Confirm with Pepperstone that Pro terms will apply to your spread betting account before relying on them.
What leverage does a professional spread bettor get at Pepperstone?
Its Pro table lists up to 1:500 on FX, gold and major indices, compared with 1:30 and 1:20 for retail.
Is a Pro account worth it?
Only if you need the extra leverage and accept losing negative balance protection. Most traders are better served by retail terms.
Spread betting with professional leverage can produce losses larger than your account balance. Leveraged products are complex and high risk. Nothing on this page is investment or tax advice.