IG Group brings institutional credentials to Australian crypto market with the launch of new investing app IG Markets
IG Group, the FTSE100-listed global trading and investment fintech, has launched IG Markets, a new cryptocurrency trading app that marks the company’s first direct crypto product for Australian investors.
The new app gives Australian investors access to major cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, Cardano and Solana, along with a selection of popular meme coins. The product is mobile-first, with a simple interface designed to feel familiar to share investors, providing investors with a new way to buy and sell crypto using Australian dollars from a trusted provider.
The app launch follows IG’s acquisition of Independent Reserve, one of Australia’s longest-running cryptocurrency exchanges. The transaction, completed in January 2026, brought Independent Reserve‘s AUSTRAC-registered exchange infrastructure, ISO 27001 security certification, and 500,000-strong customer base into the IG Group.
IG is entering the market as cryptocurrency adoption in Australia reaches record levels. The 2026 Independent Reserve Cryptocurrency Index (IRCI), an annual survey of more than 2,000 Australians, found that 33% of Australians now own cryptocurrency, up from 31% in 2025 and 27.5% in 2024. Awareness of cryptocurrency has reached 95% nationally, and more than half (53%) of Australians aged 25 to 34 now own digital assets.
Michael Jones, Managing Director AUNZ at IG Markets Australia, said the group’s new offer is launching in a market that has outgrown the platforms serving it.
“With a third of the adult population owning crypto, it’s clear that the product has graduated to a mainstream asset class. There’s clear demand from Australians who are looking beyond the property market for ways to build and grow wealth. What hasn’t kept pace is the availability of platforms that meet the standards Australian investors should expect from any serious financial product,” Jones said.
“That’s why we’re launching this product, to provide a solution for Aussies who want to look at crypto as a serious part of their portfolio but haven’t had a platform they trusted to do so. We’re building off the most trusted crypto infrastructure in the APAC region, and are looking forward to supporting the crypto curious with a product that meets their standards.”
Australians rethink the wealth playbook
The app launch is underpinned by data that reveals a significant shift in how Australians think about building wealth.
A separate survey of 2,003 Australian adults conducted by Independent Reserve in October 2025 found that nearly one in four (24%) believe cryptocurrency is the most likely way to achieve financial independence over the next 15 years, ahead of shares and ETFs (23%) and behind property (53%). Among those aged 18 to 39, that figure rises to 27%.
The survey also found:
- 15.5% of respondents view Bitcoin or cryptocurrency as the best long-term investment, ranking it ahead of term deposits and savings accounts
- Among first-home buyers who have held crypto, 81% said they would consider using crypto profits toward a home deposit
- 14% of renters are actively saving for a home through cryptocurrency investments
- Close to 39% of Australians under 40 agree that renting long-term and investing in crypto is a smarter strategy than buying property
“Australians, particularly younger Australians, are looking at the housing market, looking at where wages are going, and making rational decisions about where to put their money,” Jones said.
“We’re not here to tell people crypto is a replacement for property or any other asset class. But the data tells us millions of Australians already see crypto as a legitimate part of how they build wealth. They deserve a platform that takes that seriously, and we’re here to support them on that journey.”
A regulated market takes shape
The launch coincides with a significant shift in Australia’s regulatory environment for digital assets. The federal government’s Digital Assets Framework Bill, which passed both houses of Parliament on 1 April 2026, will bring crypto exchanges under the Australian Financial Services Licence regime for the first time. Platforms will have a transition period to obtain the necessary authorisations, and the Crypto Travel Rule takes effect on 1 July 2026.
The IRCI 2026 found that 51% of Australians say the passage of the Digital Assets Framework Bill would increase their confidence in using crypto exchanges, while 67% now view Bitcoin as a legitimate financial asset such as an investment or store of value.
Tony Sycamore, Chief Market Analyst at IG Markets, said the regulatory environment is reaching a tipping point.
“The incoming licensing framework is a signal that crypto has become too significant for regulators to leave in a grey zone. Recent ATO statistics show that self-managed super funds hold more than $3 billion in cryptocurrency alone. Some of the largest super funds are actively exploring offering crypto as an investment option to members. The market is maturing to the point it can’t be ignored.
“What we’re seeing is the infrastructure catching up to the demand, and IG’s entry is part of that. We’ve always operated in regulated financial markets around the world and are bringing that level of rigour and care to our crypto offering.”
