IG API POST /watchlists

POST/watchlistsversion 1Watchlists

Create a watchlist with a name and, if you wish, a first set of markets. The reply says whether every market was added.

Risk warning: CFDs and spread bets are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. You can lose money on these products, and each provider publishes its own loss figure under FCA rules. You should consider whether you understand how they work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. Automated and API trading can amplify losses through bugs, connectivity failures and runaway orders.

Independent and unofficiallabs.ig.comchecked 12 Oct 2026

The method, path, version, parameters and response fields were read on IG's own reference page on 12 Oct 2026. That page lists no request headers: the headers recorded here are the general ones in IG's REST trading API guide (labs.ig.com/rest-trading-api-guide.html), read the same day. The documented status values are SUCCESS and SUCCESS_NOT_ALL_INSTRUMENTS_ADDED.

Parameters

Name	In	Type	Description
VERSIONrequired	header	string	Endpoint version. Send 1.
namerequired	body	string	Name of the new watchlist.
epics	body	array	Epics of the markets to put in the watchlist.

Authentication headers

Name	Type	Description
X-IG-API-KEYrequired	string	Your API key, from your IG account settings. Placeholder only here.
CSTrequired	string	Client session token returned by POST /session.
X-SECURITY-TOKENrequired	string	Account security token returned by POST /session.

Request

Written from the method, path and parameters recorded on this page, against the demo host. Not executed against a live or demo account. Credentials are read from environment variables on your own machine and are never entered on this site. The request builder writes these same snippets, from the same record.

This call takes a request body. The samples send it as JSON with a Content-Type of application/json (in Python, passing json= sets that header) and a placeholder for each of the 1 body field the record marks as required. Each placeholder has to be replaced with a real value before the request can succeed.

Python

# Set IG_API_KEY, IG_CST, IG_SECURITY_TOKEN as environment variables first. Never paste real values into code.
# IG_CST and IG_SECURITY_TOKEN hold the CST and X-SECURITY-TOKEN headers that POST /session returns: step 3 of the quickstart (/brokers/ig/quickstart#step-3) captures them and this sample reads them back.
# Replace each {placeholder}, "..." and 0 with a real value before running.
# Optional and not shown: body fields epics.
import os
import requests

BASE_URL = "https://demo-api.ig.com/gateway/deal"  # the demo host
headers = {
    "X-IG-API-KEY": os.environ["IG_API_KEY"],
    "CST": os.environ["IG_CST"],
    "X-SECURITY-TOKEN": os.environ["IG_SECURITY_TOKEN"],
    "VERSION": "1",
}
body = {"name": "..."}
resp = requests.post(BASE_URL + "/watchlists", headers=headers, json=body, timeout=10)
resp.raise_for_status()
print(resp.json())

JavaScript

// Set IG_API_KEY, IG_CST, IG_SECURITY_TOKEN as environment variables first. Never paste real values into code.
// IG_CST and IG_SECURITY_TOKEN hold the CST and X-SECURITY-TOKEN headers that POST /session returns: step 3 of the quickstart (/brokers/ig/quickstart#step-3) captures them and this sample reads them back.
// Replace each {placeholder}, "..." and 0 with a real value before running.
// Optional and not shown: body fields epics.
// Run as a module, for example a .mjs file, on a Node version that has fetch built in.
const BASE_URL = "https://demo-api.ig.com/gateway/deal"; // the demo host
const res = await fetch(BASE_URL + "/watchlists", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: {
    "X-IG-API-KEY": process.env.IG_API_KEY,
    "CST": process.env.IG_CST,
    "X-SECURITY-TOKEN": process.env.IG_SECURITY_TOKEN,
    "VERSION": "1",
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({"name": "..."}),
});
if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`HTTP ${res.status}`);
console.log(await res.json());

curl

# Set IG_API_KEY, IG_CST, IG_SECURITY_TOKEN as environment variables first. Never paste real values into code.
# IG_CST and IG_SECURITY_TOKEN hold the CST and X-SECURITY-TOKEN headers that POST /session returns: step 3 of the quickstart (/brokers/ig/quickstart#step-3) captures them and this sample reads them back.
# Replace each {placeholder}, "..." and 0 with a real value before running.
# Optional and not shown: body fields epics.
curl -X POST "https://demo-api.ig.com/gateway/deal/watchlists" \
  -H "X-IG-API-KEY: $IG_API_KEY" \
  -H "CST: $IG_CST" \
  -H "X-SECURITY-TOKEN: $IG_SECURITY_TOKEN" \
  -H "VERSION: 1" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"name": "..."}'

Response

A mock response. The values are invented, so check field names against the official reference.

{
  "_mock": true,
  "watchlistId": "MOCKWL2",
  "status": "SUCCESS"
}

Limits that apply at IG

Limit	Value	Scope	Source
Historical price data points a week	10,000	Per account, price history endpoints only	labs.ig.comchecked 12 Oct 2026
Non trading requests a minute	30	Per account, non trading calls only	labs.ig.comchecked 12 Oct 2026
Non trading requests a minute	60	Per application, that is per API key, non trading calls only	labs.ig.comchecked 12 Oct 2026
Concurrent streaming subscriptions	40	Per streaming connection	labs.ig.comchecked 12 Oct 2026corroborated by labs.ig.com/streaming-api-guide.html
Trading requests a minute	100Sources conflict ig.com states around 40, checked 5 Oct 2026. IG's own pages disagree. The conflict is labelled, not resolved. Pace against 40.	Per account, trading calls only	labs.ig.comchecked 12 Oct 2026

IG API errors you may meet

All IG API error codes, including 126 more not listed here.