The Professional-Grade Global Broker
Interactive Brokers was founded in 1978 by Thomas Peterffy, a pioneer in electronic trading. It is listed on Nasdaq (IBKR) and is one of the most regulated brokers in the world, overseen by 50+ regulatory bodies across 33 countries. With access to 150+ exchanges and 23 currencies, IBKR is the benchmark for professional and active traders. It offers the widest product range of any retail broker, including stocks, options, futures, bonds, forex, and crypto.
| 🏛️ Founded | 1978 |
| 📍 Headquarters | Greenwich, Connecticut, USA |
| 📈 Listed on | NASDAQ (IBKR) |
| 📜 Regulators | SEC, FINRA, FCA, MAS, ASIC, CySEC, BaFin (50+ regulators globally) |
| 💵 Min. Deposit | $0 (IBKR Lite); no minimum |
| 💰 Stock/ETF Commission | From $0 (IBKR Lite) or $0.005/share, min $1 (IBKR Pro) |
| 💱 FX / Spread | From 0.08–0.20 bps of trade value (institutional grade) |
| 😴 Inactivity Fee | None (removed in 2021) |
| 🏧 Withdrawal Fee | 1 free withdrawal/month; $10 per additional |
| 🖥️ Platforms | Trader Workstation (TWS), Client Portal (web), IBKR Mobile |
| 🎮 Demo Account | Yes (paper trading account) |
| 🛡️ Investor Protection | SIPC (USA): $500,000 · FSCS (UK): £85,000 |
| 👥 Clients | 2,600,000+ |
IBKR offers three platforms: Trader Workstation (TWS) — the flagship desktop platform with 100+ order types, advanced charting, algorithmic trading tools, and scanner; Client Portal — a simplified web interface for casual use; IBKR Mobile — a streamlined mobile app. TWS has a steep learning curve but is extremely powerful. A free paper trading (demo) account mirrors live market data. The IBKR API enables custom algorithmic strategies.
Interactive Brokers offers the broadest product range among retail brokers: stocks and ETFs across 150+ exchanges in 33 countries; options on stocks, ETFs, indices, and futures; fixed-income bonds (government, corporate, municipal) across 40+ countries; forex in 23 currencies; commodity futures; structured products; warrants; and crypto (Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin). Margin rates are among the lowest in the industry (from 6.83% USD for retail clients, lower for professionals).
IBKR Lite (US only): $0 commissions on US stocks/ETFs. IBKR Pro: $0.005/share (min $1, max 1% of trade value) for US stocks; €1.25 per trade in Europe. Options: from $0.65/contract (US). Forex: from 0.08 bps. Bonds: 0.1%–0.2% of face value. No inactivity fee. Lowest margin rates in the industry. 1 free withdrawal/month.
| Stocks & ETFs | From $0 (IBKR Lite) or $0.005/share, min $1 (IBKR Pro) |
| Forex / Spread | From 0.08–0.20 bps of trade value (institutional grade) |
| Inactivity fee | None (removed in 2021) |
| Withdrawal fee | 1 free withdrawal/month; $10 per additional |
| Min. deposit | $0 (IBKR Lite); no minimum |
Interactive Brokers is Nasdaq-listed (IBKR) and regulated by 50+ authorities worldwide, including SEC, FINRA (US), FCA (UK), MAS (Singapore), ASIC (Australia), and CySEC (EU). US accounts: SIPC protection up to $500,000 (including $250k cash) plus additional Lloyd's of London coverage. UK accounts: FSCS up to £85,000. Client assets are held in segregated accounts. Over $14 billion in equity capital.
| Regulators | SEC, FINRA, FCA, MAS, ASIC, CySEC, BaFin (50+ regulators globally) |
| Investor Protection | SIPC (USA): $500,000 · FSCS (UK): £85,000 |
| Publicly Listed | NASDAQ (IBKR) |
Available in 200+ countries and territories. One of the broadest coverage of any broker globally.
Interactive Brokers is the gold standard for serious investors who need access to global markets, professional tools, and institutional-grade execution. It wins on breadth (150+ exchanges), product range, and lowest margin rates. The main drawback is complexity — TWS is not beginner-friendly. IBKR Lite solves this for US users but is not available internationally.
* Trading on margin involves risk. Past performance is not indicative of future results.