IG API GET /session
Read the current session: client ID, active account and streaming endpoint. Optional fetchSessionTokens=true returns fresh CST headers.
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.
The method, path, version and parameters were re-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 mock reply is carried over from an earlier reading and was not compared field by field with the page. IG's own Java sample (RestAPI.java on GitHub, read the same day and marked deprecated) uses the same path.
Parameters
| Name | In | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| VERSIONrequired | header | string | Endpoint version. Send 1. |
| fetchSessionTokens | query | boolean | If true, session tokens are returned in the response headers. |
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.
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.
# Optional and not shown: query parameters fetchSessionTokens.
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",
}
resp = requests.get(BASE_URL + "/session", headers=headers, 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.
// Optional and not shown: query parameters fetchSessionTokens.
// 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 + "/session", {
method: "GET",
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",
},
});
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. # Optional and not shown: query parameters fetchSessionTokens. curl -X GET "https://demo-api.ig.com/gateway/deal/session" \ -H "X-IG-API-KEY: $IG_API_KEY" \ -H "CST: $IG_CST" \ -H "X-SECURITY-TOKEN: $IG_SECURITY_TOKEN" \ -H "VERSION: 1"
Response
A mock response. The values are invented, so check field names against the official reference.
{
"_mock": true,
"clientId": "000000",
"accountId": "MOCK123",
"timezoneOffset": 1,
"locale": "en_GB",
"currency": "GBP",
"lightstreamerEndpoint": "https://mock-apd.marketdatasystems.example"
}Response schema, HTTP 200
Every field this site's OpenAPI file for IG declares for this response.
| Field | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| clientId | string | Not recorded |
| accountId | string | Not recorded |
| timezoneOffset | number | Not recorded |
| locale | string | Not recorded |
| currency | string | Not recorded |
| lightstreamerEndpoint | string | Not recorded |
Unverifiedchecked no source opened This schema is not sourced to a page of the provider's own that we opened, so check field names against the official reference.
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 |
| Non trading requests a minute | 30 | Per account, non trading calls only | labs.ig.comchecked |
| Non trading requests a minute | 60 | Per application, that is per API key, non trading calls only | labs.ig.comchecked |
| Concurrent streaming subscriptions | 40 | Per streaming connection | labs.ig.comchecked corroborated by labs.ig.com/streaming-api-guide.html |
| Trading requests a minute | 100Sources conflict ig.com states around 40, checked . IG's own pages disagree. The conflict is labelled, not resolved. Pace against 40. | Per account, trading calls only | labs.ig.comchecked |
IG API errors you may meet
- error.security.api-key-invalidHTTP 403. The API key provided was not accepted.
- error.public-api.failure.encryption.requiredHTTP 400. A login was sent to version 1 of the session endpoint by a client of the IG Singapore company.
- error.public-api.exceeded-account-allowanceHTTP 403. The account's traffic allowance has been exceeded.
- error.public-api.exceeded-account-historical-data-allowanceHTTP 403. The account's allowance for historical data has been exceeded.
- error.public-api.exceeded-account-trading-allowanceHTTP 403. The account's allowance for trading requests has been exceeded.
- error.public-api.exceeded-api-key-allowanceHTTP 403. The traffic allowance of the API key has been exceeded.
All IG API error codes, including 126 more not listed here.