Interactive Brokers review 2026

Our review is based on broker disclosures, regulatory records, platform research and available user information checked on 26 August 2026.

Is Interactive Brokers regulated?

Interactive Brokers holds tier-one authorisations from ASIC, FCA, MAS, CFTC/NFA and CIRO. That matters more than any headline spread: it determines your leverage cap, whether losses can exceed your deposit, and what happens to your money if the firm fails.

ASIC caps retail leverage at 1:30, requires negative balance protection, and obliges the broker to hold client money in a separate trust account.

The FCA caps retail leverage at 1:30, mandates negative balance protection, and covers eligible clients under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.

The Monetary Authority of Singapore applies some of the tightest conduct requirements in the region, and fewer firms hold its licence.

How safe is Interactive Brokers?

Client money is held separately from the firm's own money, at Multiple qualifying banks/custodians. That separation is what makes your balance recoverable if the company fails, rather than part of the pool its creditors divide up.

Covered by SIPC up to $500,000 including $250,000 cash limit for eligible US securities accounts; jurisdiction-specific schemes elsewhere, which pays eligible clients up to its limit if the firm fails owing client money.

Verify licence with SFC (Hong Kong)

Licence information last checked 26 August 2026

Interactive Brokers trading conditions

Trading conditions vary by account, platform, legal entity and client classification. The figures below reflect the latest information available to 88 Forex Brokers and should be confirmed before trading.

Spreads and commissions

Interactive Brokers advertises spreads from 0.1 pip on Individual. The stated commission is Approx. $2 per side per $100,000 at minimum tier. Typical or live pricing may be higher than the advertised minimum, particularly outside liquid trading hours or during volatile markets.

A quoted spread from 0.1 pip is a raw-spread figure, which almost always means a separate commission per lot. Compare the two together - a "zero spread" account with a high commission can cost more than a wider spread with none.

Quoted spreads are best-case figures on the most liquid pair, in normal conditions. What you actually pay widens around news and at the session open.

Interactive Brokers lists a minimum deposit of $0. Treat it as the cost of opening an account, not the cost of trading one - position sizing on a small balance is what tends to cause damage.

Spread type

Variable

EUR/USD average spread

Approx. 0.1-0.2 pips before commission

GBP/USD average spread

Approx. 0.2-0.3 pips before commission

Commission

Approx. $2 per side per $100,000 at minimum tier

All-in cost, EUR/USD

Approx. 0.4-0.6 pips for a 1-lot trade

Leverage and margin

Maximum leverage is reported as 1:50, although the available limit depends on the account entity, instrument, client classification and local rules. Higher leverage increases both potential gains and losses and can lead to rapid account depletion.

Execution model

Interactive Brokers describes its execution model as Agency / SmartRouting / direct market access. The available information indicates an average execution speed of Market/venue-dependent, order types of 100+ order types and algorithms and servers in Global low-latency infrastructure connected to major exchanges and liquidity venues. Execution labels are not standardised across the industry, so review the order-execution policy and conflict disclosures rather than relying on a single term.

Trading rules

Expert advisers

Yes, via APIs/algorithmic infrastructure rather than MT4/MT5 EAs

Copy trading

No conventional retail copy trading

Negative balance protection

Entity/product-dependent

Scalping, Hedging, Stop-out level and Guaranteed stop loss: the broker does not publish enough information for us to confirm this trading condition.

Interactive Brokers account types

Interactive Brokers offers 9 reported account types. Compare the minimum deposit, spread model, commission, platform and eligibility before choosing an account.

Interactive Brokers runs 9 account types. More choice is not automatically better: the tightest headline spread almost always sits on the account that also charges a commission, so the comparison that matters is the two added together.

Base currencies: 20+ supported currencies. Holding the account in the currency you fund it with avoids a conversion charge on every deposit and withdrawal - a cost that never shows up in a spread comparison.

The smallest position is No conventional 0.01-lot restriction; currency orders can use units. For anyone starting carefully this matters more than the minimum deposit, because it sets the least you can put at risk on a single trade.

A demo account is available. Worth using for the platform rather than the results: fills are simulated, so it tells you how the software behaves but very little about execution.

IndividualJointTrustIRAFamilyAdvisorBrokerProprietary Trading GroupInstitutional

Minimum deposit

$0

Spreads from

0.1 pip

Commission

Approx. $2 per side per $100,000 at minimum tier

Maximum leverage

1:50

Platforms

Proprietary platform

Base currencies

20+ supported currencies

Available markets

Forex, Metals, Shares, ETFs, Bonds, Futures

Minimum trade size

No conventional 0.01-lot restriction; currency orders can use units

Account opening time

Typically 1-3 business days subject to verification

Demo account

A demo account is reported as available for testing the platform and practising with virtual funds. Demo pricing and execution may not match live conditions.

Islamic account

An Islamic or swap-free option is reported as not available. Alternative charges, holding limits or eligibility conditions may apply.

Interactive Brokers fees and trading costs

The total cost of trading can include spreads, commissions, overnight financing, currency conversion, deposit or withdrawal charges and inactivity fees.

Advertised spreads start from 0.1 pip, but typical pricing may be higher.

The reported trading commission is Approx. $2 per side per $100,000 at minimum tier.

Overnight financing applies to eligible positions at rates that can change.

The broker reports generally none from IBKR for deposits.

The broker reports one free withdrawal per calendar month, then fees apply for withdrawals.

A currency-conversion charge of Approx. 0.002% of trade value, subject to minimum commission may apply.

Spreads from

0.1 pip

Commission

Approx. $2 per side per $100,000 at minimum tier

Overnight financing

Financing/interest applies rather than conventional retail-broker swaps

Deposit fee

Generally none from IBKR

Withdrawal fee

One free withdrawal per calendar month, then fees apply

Inactivity fee

Not confirmed

Currency conversion

Approx. 0.002% of trade value, subject to minimum commission

Fees can change and may differ by entity, platform, account or payment method. Confirm the full schedule before opening or funding an account.

Trading platforms and apps

Interactive Brokers supports Proprietary platform. Availability can differ by account and legal entity.

Interactive Brokers offers Trader Workstation, IBKR Desktop, IBKR GlobalTrader, IBKR Mobile, Client Portal. A proprietary platform can be excellent, but it means your setup does not transfer if you later change broker.

Proprietary platform

Proprietary platform

Yes

Web platform

Yes

Mobile app

Proprietary

Charting

Extensive

Third-party tools

TradingView integration and extensive third-party ecosystem

Server locations

Global low-latency infrastructure connected to major exchanges and liquidity venues

Automated and copy trading

The broker reports support for expert advisers and automated strategies and API access. Automated strategies can fail, amplify losses or behave differently under changing market conditions.

The platform range is broad. Its main advantage is support for Proprietary platform; the principal limitation is the absence of MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5.

Markets available through Interactive Brokers

The broker reports access to 2,000,000+ tradable securities/contracts globally instruments across forex, metals, shares, eTFs, bonds and futures. Product availability depends on the account entity and platform.

Leverage is capped at Up to 1:50 US retail spot FX; varies substantially by jurisdiction/product, which is the retail limit under tier-one regulation. It is a protection rather than a restriction: it caps how quickly a position can move against your balance.

The product range is strongest for forex, metals and shares. Traders seeking indices, commodities and cryptocurrency cfds may need another broker.

ForexMetalsSharesETFsBondsFutures

Markets, as published

Forex, Stocks, ETFs, Options, Futures, Bonds, Funds, Spot Gold, Warrants, Structured Products, CFDs and more

Total instruments

2,000,000+ tradable securities/contracts globally

Currency pairs

100+

Cryptocurrency CFDs

No; direct/partner crypto access available in selected jurisdictions

CFDs do not provide ownership of the underlying asset. Product terms, leverage and trading hours vary by market.

Deposits and withdrawals

Available funding methods include Bank wire, ACH, direct bank transfer, check and country-specific banking methods. Processing times, limits, fees and availability vary by country, currency and account entity.

Withdrawals are stated at Typically 1-3 business days, against Instant to several business days depending on method for deposits. A gap between the two is normal and not in itself a warning sign - identity checks are a legal obligation, not obstruction. What is worth noticing is a withdrawal that keeps meeting new conditions after those checks are done.

Withdrawal routes: bank wire, ach and supported local banking rails. Money is usually returned by the route it arrived on, so the deposit method you pick is in effect the withdrawal method you are picking too.

The minimum withdrawal is No general minimum - relevant if you intend to fund the account lightly, since it sets the smallest amount you can take out at a time.

Identity, payment ownership and source-of-funds checks may be required before a withdrawal is processed.

Deposit methods

Bank wire, ACH, direct bank transfer, check and country-specific banking methods

Withdrawal methods

Bank wire, ACH and supported local banking rails

Deposit time

Instant to several business days depending on method

Withdrawal time

Typically 1-3 business days

Deposit fee

Generally none from IBKR

Withdrawal fee

One free withdrawal per calendar month, then fees apply

Minimum withdrawal

No general minimum

Local payment methods

Extensive country-specific bank-transfer methods

View withdrawal complaints about Interactive Brokers

Use a payment method held in your own name. The broker may reject third-party payments or require withdrawals to follow the original funding route.

Customer support

Interactive Brokers provides support through Live chat, secure message, phone, Help Centre during 24 hours on business days. Supported languages include Multilingual.

Support runs 24 hours on business days. Round-the-clock cover matters more than it sounds: a position held over a weekend or through an unexpected halt is exactly when you need somebody to answer.

Reachable by live chat, secure message, phone, help centre. A published telephone number is the one channel that is hard to fake and hard to ignore, so whether there is one says more than the number of channels does.

Languages: Multilingual. Being able to raise a complaint in your own language is worth more than it appears, because complaints are where precision matters most.

Education: extensive: ibkr campus, traders' academy, webinars, courses and tutorials. Treat broker-published material as an introduction rather than as advice - it is produced by a firm whose revenue rises when you trade more.

Support channels

Live chat, secure message, phone, Help Centre

Support hours

24 hours on business days

Languages

Multilingual

Telephone

Not confirmed

Email

Not confirmed

Live chat response

Available

Research and market analysis

Extensive institutional and third-party research, news, fundamentals, technical analysis and market scanners

Education

Extensive: IBKR Campus, Traders' Academy, webinars, courses and tutorials

Is Interactive Brokers a good broker?

Your decision should reflect your country, experience, preferred platform, trading costs and tolerance for financial and counterparty risk.

Interactive Brokers is best considered by

• Traders who want a tier-one licence behind the account
• Traders who want raw spreads with a commission
• Traders who want a small first deposit
• Traders who want automated strategies

Consider another broker if

• You require an Islamic account
• You require copy trading
• You require MetaTrader
• You require negative balance protection

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