Interactive Brokers

Current Rating

4.73

Industry Tier

SS

Profile

Country

Hong Kong Region

Market Categories

Forex | Stock

Organization Categories

Brokerage

Services

Stocks, options, futures, currencies, securities, etc.

Supported Languages

English, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Portuguese, Spanish

Domain Registration

1997-05-05

Status

Active

Interactive Brokers, established in 1997, is a brokerage dedicated to providing mature investors, active traders, and institutions with high-quality direct access to exchanges for execution and clearing services. This broker primarily offers direct trade execution and clearing services for a variety of trading products including securities, options, futures, foreign exchange, bonds, gold, cryptocurrencies, and funds globally. It serves customers in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Switzerland, Hungary, India, China, Japan, Singapore, and Australia, among other locations.

Corporate Background

Interactive Brokers, a trading service provider, is headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut, USA. Founded by Chairman Thomas Peterffy on May 5, 1997, the company has, over 46 years, innovated and developed into a leading brokerage engaging in brokerage and trading services across more than 150 market centers worldwide. According to Whois information, the official website domain of Interactive Brokers was registered on May 5, 1997.

Regulatory Information

Interactive Brokers is strictly regulated by global regulatory bodies including the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, FINRA, the New York Stock Exchange, and the UK's Financial Conduct Authority. According to the official SEC website, Interactive Brokers is indeed regulated by this agency.

Development History

The development history of Interactive Brokers can be traced back to the entrepreneurial experiences of its founder, Thomas Peterffy.

In 1982, Thomas Peterffy founded Timber Hill, the first company to use computers for trading at the New York Futures Exchange (NYFE).
Peterffy established Interactive Brokers in 1993.
In 1994, its automated trading platform was launched.

The platform was among the first to achieve electronic execution of securities trading, significantly enhancing trading efficiency and speed. Over time, Interactive Brokers has continuously expanded its range of trading products and services, becoming one of the world's leading online brokers. In addition to traditional trading products like stocks, options, and futures, the company has developed advanced trading platforms such as the Trader Workstation (TWS), offering investors a broader and more efficient trading experience. Through constant innovation and development, Interactive Brokers has achieved tremendous success in the fintech industry and continues to be committed to providing customers with high-quality trading and investment services.

Trading Products

Interactive Brokers offers a variety of trading products, including stocks, futures, cryptocurrencies, and bonds.

Stocks: Interactive Brokers uses SmartRoutingSM for low-commission trading, offering users a trading platform in more than 90 market centers globally, along with the industry's lowest financing rates, professional platforms, multiple order types, and extensive tools.
Futures: Interactive Brokers provides a professional platform for trading in over 30 market centers globally, with low commission fees for futures.
Cryptocurrencies: Professional platforms for professional investors to trade and hold Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) in their IBHK accounts are available at Interactive Brokers.
Bonds: Trading bonds with Interactive Brokers involves no mark-up or hidden spreads, with low and fully transparent commissions, allowing for direct trades with other IBKR clients.

Trading Software

Interactive Brokers' Trader Workstation (TWS) is a flagship platform aimed at active traders and investors. TWS provides a comprehensive platform for traders, investors, and institutions to trade stocks, options, futures, currencies, bonds, and funds in over 150 markets globally from one account. The TWS Cube offers an intuitive trading interface allowing quick access to comprehensive trading, order management, charts, watchlists, and portfolio tools from a customizable workspace. TWS Mosaic is a global trading platform where users can directly access trading, orders, real-time quotes, technical research, and analysis tools from one window, thus enabling efficient trading and management. In addition, TWS also offers a standard mode for traders requiring more advanced tools and algorithms. Through TWS, users can customize their workspace to suit trading needs, easily manage orders, view real-time news and research, and utilize a variety of trading tools for analysis and trading.

Account Registration

Interactive Brokers provides a link on its official website for live account registration, with the following method:

First, open the Interactive Brokers official website and click on "Open Account" at the top right corner of the website.

Fill in the information (such as email, password, etc.) as instructed to complete account registration.

Account Types

Interactive Brokers offers 12 different trading accounts: individual, joint, and trust accounts, family accounts, family office accounts, small business accounts, advisor accounts, fund manager accounts, broker and futures commission merchant accounts, proprietary trading group accounts, hedge and mutual funds accounts, compliance officers, administrators, and institutional hedge fund investors. The minimum commissions for individual, joint, trust, and institutional accounts are $0. The fees for advisor, family advisor, non-professional advisor, family office, and hedge fund investment accounts are also $0. Broker accounts require a minimum of $10,000 for the first eight months, and $2,000 per month starting from the ninth month. The minimum commission for proprietary trading group accounts is $0. All account types can choose different account types according to their own trading needs.

Deposit and Withdrawal Methods

Interactive Brokers also offers various deposit and withdrawal options, such as ACH transfers, linking new bank accounts, wire transfers, online bill payments, mailing checks, scanning checks, and transfers from Wise balances, but does not accept physical currency (cash) deposits. For physical currency deposits, IBKR will charge a special processing fee of 1% of the deposit amount (minimum $50). Meanwhile, there is a "withdrawal restriction period" meaning the number of days a client must wait before withdrawing deposited funds. The restriction period starts on the "booking date" and ends after the closing of the relevant date.

Customer Support

This broker provides customer support in English, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Portuguese, Spanish, and other languages, available through multiple channels including phone support, email support, and online chat. Traders can contact customer service through the phone number +852 3107 8868 for direct and timely assistance.

Summary

Interactive Brokers was established in 1997, with its headquarters located in Greenwich, Connecticut, USA. It is a forex broker dedicated to providing mature investors, active traders, and institutions with high-quality direct exchange execution and clearing services. It is regulated by the U.S. SEC, FINRA, NYSE, UK FCA, and other strict regulatory bodies. It offers direct trade execution and clearing services for a wide range of trading products including securities, options, futures, forex, bonds, gold, cryptocurrencies, and funds, serving a broad geographical area. The TWS platform supports trading in over 150 markets worldwide and provides various language and customer services.

Currently, Interactive Brokers is marked as "Operating Normally" in the TraderKnows.

References

Profile

Interactive Brokers, established in 1997, is a brokerage dedicated to providing mature investors, active traders, and institutions with high-quality direct access to exchanges for execution and clearing services. This broker primarily offers direct trade execution and clearing services for a variety of trading products including securities, options, futures, foreign exchange, bonds, gold, cryptocurrencies, and funds globally. It serves customers in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Switzerland, Hungary, India, China, Japan, Singapore, and Australia, among other locations.

Corporate Background

Interactive Brokers, a trading service provider, is headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut, USA. Founded by Chairman Thomas Peterffy on May 5, 1997, the company has, over 46 years, innovated and developed into a leading brokerage engaging in brokerage and trading services across more than 150 market centers worldwide. According to Whois information, the official website domain of Interactive Brokers was registered on May 5, 1997.

Regulatory Information

Interactive Brokers is strictly regulated by global regulatory bodies including the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, FINRA, the New York Stock Exchange, and the UK's Financial Conduct Authority. According to the official SEC website, Interactive Brokers is indeed regulated by this agency.

Development History

The development history of Interactive Brokers can be traced back to the entrepreneurial experiences of its founder, Thomas Peterffy.

In 1982, Thomas Peterffy founded Timber Hill, the first company to use computers for trading at the New York Futures Exchange (NYFE).
Peterffy established Interactive Brokers in 1993.
In 1994, its automated trading platform was launched.

The platform was among the first to achieve electronic execution of securities trading, significantly enhancing trading efficiency and speed. Over time, Interactive Brokers has continuously expanded its range of trading products and services, becoming one of the world's leading online brokers. In addition to traditional trading products like stocks, options, and futures, the company has developed advanced trading platforms such as the Trader Workstation (TWS), offering investors a broader and more efficient trading experience. Through constant innovation and development, Interactive Brokers has achieved tremendous success in the fintech industry and continues to be committed to providing customers with high-quality trading and investment services.

Trading Products

Interactive Brokers offers a variety of trading products, including stocks, futures, cryptocurrencies, and bonds.

Stocks: Interactive Brokers uses SmartRoutingSM for low-commission trading, offering users a trading platform in more than 90 market centers globally, along with the industry's lowest financing rates, professional platforms, multiple order types, and extensive tools.
Futures: Interactive Brokers provides a professional platform for trading in over 30 market centers globally, with low commission fees for futures.
Cryptocurrencies: Professional platforms for professional investors to trade and hold Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) in their IBHK accounts are available at Interactive Brokers.
Bonds: Trading bonds with Interactive Brokers involves no mark-up or hidden spreads, with low and fully transparent commissions, allowing for direct trades with other IBKR clients.

Trading Software

Interactive Brokers' Trader Workstation (TWS) is a flagship platform aimed at active traders and investors. TWS provides a comprehensive platform for traders, investors, and institutions to trade stocks, options, futures, currencies, bonds, and funds in over 150 markets globally from one account. The TWS Cube offers an intuitive trading interface allowing quick access to comprehensive trading, order management, charts, watchlists, and portfolio tools from a customizable workspace. TWS Mosaic is a global trading platform where users can directly access trading, orders, real-time quotes, technical research, and analysis tools from one window, thus enabling efficient trading and management. In addition, TWS also offers a standard mode for traders requiring more advanced tools and algorithms. Through TWS, users can customize their workspace to suit trading needs, easily manage orders, view real-time news and research, and utilize a variety of trading tools for analysis and trading.

Account Registration

Interactive Brokers provides a link on its official website for live account registration, with the following method:

First, open the Interactive Brokers official website and click on "Open Account" at the top right corner of the website.

Fill in the information (such as email, password, etc.) as instructed to complete account registration.

Account Types

Interactive Brokers offers 12 different trading accounts: individual, joint, and trust accounts, family accounts, family office accounts, small business accounts, advisor accounts, fund manager accounts, broker and futures commission merchant accounts, proprietary trading group accounts, hedge and mutual funds accounts, compliance officers, administrators, and institutional hedge fund investors. The minimum commissions for individual, joint, trust, and institutional accounts are $0. The fees for advisor, family advisor, non-professional advisor, family office, and hedge fund investment accounts are also $0. Broker accounts require a minimum of $10,000 for the first eight months, and $2,000 per month starting from the ninth month. The minimum commission for proprietary trading group accounts is $0. All account types can choose different account types according to their own trading needs.

Deposit and Withdrawal Methods

Interactive Brokers also offers various deposit and withdrawal options, such as ACH transfers, linking new bank accounts, wire transfers, online bill payments, mailing checks, scanning checks, and transfers from Wise balances, but does not accept physical currency (cash) deposits. For physical currency deposits, IBKR will charge a special processing fee of 1% of the deposit amount (minimum $50). Meanwhile, there is a "withdrawal restriction period" meaning the number of days a client must wait before withdrawing deposited funds. The restriction period starts on the "booking date" and ends after the closing of the relevant date.

Customer Support

This broker provides customer support in English, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Portuguese, Spanish, and other languages, available through multiple channels including phone support, email support, and online chat. Traders can contact customer service through the phone number +852 3107 8868 for direct and timely assistance.

Summary

Interactive Brokers was established in 1997, with its headquarters located in Greenwich, Connecticut, USA. It is a forex broker dedicated to providing mature investors, active traders, and institutions with high-quality direct exchange execution and clearing services. It is regulated by the U.S. SEC, FINRA, NYSE, UK FCA, and other strict regulatory bodies. It offers direct trade execution and clearing services for a wide range of trading products including securities, options, futures, forex, bonds, gold, cryptocurrencies, and funds, serving a broad geographical area. The TWS platform supports trading in over 150 markets worldwide and provides various language and customer services.

Currently, Interactive Brokers is marked as "Operating Normally" in the TraderKnows.

References