Interactive Brokers Review 2026
A licensed kitchen with real, checkable paperwork.
Interactive Brokers opened its doors in 1978 and cooks as a regulated CFD broker, carrying FCA licence 208159.
What's on the menu
Interactive Brokers has been serving since 1978, with the kitchen based in Greenwich, CT, USA. Its shares trade publicly under the ticker NASDAQ:IBKR. The order book runs deep: 150,000 CFD instruments spanning forex, indices, commodities and crypto. Beyond the CFD menu, you can also own real shares outright.
MetaTrader is off the menu; the broker cooks only on its own in-house platform. There is no copy-trading option here.
| Founded | 1978 |
| Headquarters | Greenwich, CT, USA |
| Instruments | 150,000+ |
| Platforms | Trader Workstation, Client Portal, IBKR Mobile |
| MetaTrader | No |
| Copy trading | No |
| Real stocks | Yes |
Kitchen inspection: is Interactive Brokers safe?
FCA-regulated brokers must keep client funds in accounts segregated from company funds, provide negative balance protection, and contribute to the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), which covers up to £85,000 per client if the broker becomes insolvent.
| Regulator | Licence | Entity |
|---|---|---|
| FCA | 208159 ✓ | Interactive Brokers (U.K.) Ltd |
| FINRA | 0258597 ✓ | Interactive Brokers LLC |
| ASIC | 453554 ✓ | Interactive Brokers Australia Pty Ltd |
| MAS | 200208570R ✓ | Interactive Brokers Singapore Pte Ltd |
| JFSA | 東京都知事（金商）第2516号 ✓ | Interactive Brokers Securities Japan Inc |
| SFC | AEJ529 ✓ | Interactive Brokers Hong Kong Ltd |
| SEBI | INZ000217730 ✓ | Interactive Brokers (India) Pvt Ltd |
Want to inspect the kitchen yourself? Pull up register.fca.org.uk and look up the FCA licence. The listing lays out the entity name, its authorisation status and the full list of what it is cleared to do. A minute, tops.
Ready to open an account?
Interactive Brokers - FCA regulated, min deposit None, 150,000+ instruments.
Ingredient costs: Interactive Brokers spreads
Here is what the raw ingredients cost on a standard Interactive Brokers account. Spreads breathe with the market and with your account tier; step up to an ECN or raw-spread table and the spread shrinks, but a per-trade commission joins the bill.
| EUR/USD | 0.2 pips pips |
| GBP/USD | 0.5 pips pips |
| USD/JPY | 0.3 pips pips |
| Gold (XAU/USD) | 17c/oz |
| S&P 500 | 0.4pt |
That EUR/USD figure of 0.2 pips pips is a lean, low-cost ingredient, right up there with the ECN specialists.
The bill: Interactive Brokers withdrawal fee and timing
Cost to take money out: None. Interactive Brokers does not charge deposit or withdrawal fees. Your payment provider may apply their own transfer fees.
How long it takes: 1 to 3 business days. E-wallet and card withdrawals are typically faster than bank wire transfers.
No cash leaves the till until your identity checks out. If your proof of ID and address are not yet filed and cleared, the payout waits; once you are fully verified, cash-outs follow the timings shown above.
The cover charge by entity
The opening deposit at Interactive Brokers depends on which entity seats your country. Offshore branches tend to set a smaller cover charge, but you dine with a thinner layer of regulatory protection.
| Entity | Regulator | Min deposit | Max leverage (forex) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interactive Brokers (U.K.) Ltd | FCA 208159 | None | 1:30 |
| Interactive Brokers LLC | FINRA 0258597 | None | 1:50 |
| Interactive Brokers Australia Pty Ltd | ASIC 453554 | None | 1:30 |
| Interactive Brokers Singapore Pte Ltd | MAS 200208570R | None | 1:20 |
| Interactive Brokers Securities Japan Inc | JFSA 東京都知事（金商）第2516号 | None | 1:25 |
| Interactive Brokers Hong Kong Ltd | SFC AEJ529 | None | 1:20 |
| Interactive Brokers (India) Pvt Ltd | SEBI INZ000217730 | None | 1:5 |
Interactive Brokers vs eToro
| Interactive Brokers | eToro | |
|---|---|---|
| Primary regulator | FCA 208159 | FCA 583263 |
| Min deposit | None | $50 |
| EUR/USD spread | 0.2 pips pips | 1.0 pips |
| MetaTrader | No | No |
| Instruments | 150,000+ | 3,000+ |
| Copy trading | No | Yes |
| Withdrawal fee | None | $5 per withdrawal |
Both kitchens hold real licences, so neither is a bad table. Pull up a chair at Interactive Brokers if you value its platform and the breadth of the menu. eToro plates up better for anyone who leans on its particular regulated-entity coverage.
The licences, line by line
| FCA | 208159, Interactive Brokers (U.K.) Ltd |
| FINRA | 0258597, Interactive Brokers LLC |
| ASIC | 453554, Interactive Brokers Australia Pty Ltd |
| MAS | 200208570R, Interactive Brokers Singapore Pte Ltd |
| JFSA | 東京都知事（金商）第2516号, Interactive Brokers Securities Japan Inc |
| SFC | AEJ529, Interactive Brokers Hong Kong Ltd |
| SEBI | INZ000217730, Interactive Brokers (India) Pvt Ltd |
Under ESMA house rules, retail traders in the EU and UK are served leverage no higher than 1:30 on the major forex pairs.
What tastes good, what leaves a bad aftertaste
Cooked well
- FCA regulated, Interactive Brokers (U.K.) Ltd
- No minimum deposit
- Real stock ownership available
- No inactivity fee
- Tight EUR/USD spread from 0.2 pips
- Regulated in 7 jurisdictions
Sent back
- No MetaTrader, proprietary platform only
- No copy trading
- High leverage only via offshore entity
Compare Interactive Brokers before you commit
4.0/5 rating - FCA regulated - min deposit None
The verdict
Nothing on the plate here is fake: Interactive Brokers is a genuine, regulated broker, and FCA licence 208159 checks out on the public register. The table is set best for traders after a broad 150,000-instrument menu on a regulated platform. We rate it 4.0 out of 5.
Other tables worth a look
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Frequently asked questions
Is Interactive Brokers safe?
FCA-regulated brokers must keep client funds in accounts segregated from company funds, provide negative balance protection, and contribute to the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), which covers up to £85,000 per client if the broker becomes insolvent. The kitchen holds FCA licence 208159, and you can confirm it for yourself on the official register.
What is the Interactive Brokers minimum deposit?
The cover charge is None at the main regulated entity. Offshore branches may plate it differently, so check the entity table above for the full spread.
What is the Interactive Brokers EUR/USD spread?
On a standard Interactive Brokers account the EUR/USD ingredient runs about 0.2 pips pips. It moves with the market; an ECN or raw table trims the spread in exchange for a per-trade commission.
How long does Interactive Brokers take to process withdrawals?
1 to 3 business days. E-wallet and card withdrawals are typically faster than bank wire transfers.
Does Interactive Brokers charge withdrawal fees?
None. Interactive Brokers does not charge deposit or withdrawal fees. Your payment provider may apply their own transfer fees.
Does Interactive Brokers have MetaTrader?
No. MetaTrader is not served here; the broker cooks only on its own platform. If MT4 or MT5 is a must for your automated recipes, look elsewhere.