Interactive Brokers Review
Reviewed · Last updatedInteractive Brokers is a Nasdaq-listed multi-asset broker offering stocks, ETFs, options, futures, bonds, spot currencies, crypto (via Paxos or Zero Hash) and, outside the US, CFDs. Its US broker-dealer Interactive Brokers LLC is regulated by the SEC and CFTC, affiliates are licensed by the FCA, Central Bank of Ireland and ASIC among others, and the group has paid several regulatory penalties since 2021, including USD 35 million to the SEC and USD 20 million to the CFTC in 2023 over recordkeeping failures and an OFAC sanctions settlement in 2025.
This review is provided for general information and does not constitute an endorsement, investment advice or a recommendation to open an account. Broker information may change after publication. Readers should verify regulatory status, product availability, fees and legal documentation through official sources before making any decision.
Who this service may not be suitable for
Leveraged products may not be suitable for readers seeking long-term investment products, readers who cannot afford to lose the money they deposit, or anyone unwilling to accept the substantial risk of loss inherent in leveraged trading. A majority of retail CFD accounts lose money.
Key facts
- Main regulation
- SEC/CFTC, FINRA member (US); FCA FRN 208159; CBI C423427; ASIC AFSL 453554
- Markets offered
- Currencies, Indices, Commodities, Share CFDs, Real shares, ETFs, Crypto, Bonds
- Regions served
- United States, United Kingdom, European Union, Australia
How this score was calculated
Facts recorded on 14 Sep 2026 from the broker’s official website and regulator sources, scored with our published rubric. Items we could not find on the official website count as not disclosed.
Regulation and transparency
- Strongest regulator tier: 4.0
- +0.5 two or more major regulators
- +0.5 licence confirmed on a regulator register
- -0.5 other regulator fine or enforcement action
- Regulator action: 2021-09-28: CFTC: CFTC ordered Interactive Brokers LLC to pay a USD 1.75 million penalty and USD 82.57 million restitution for supervision failures when its system could not handle negative crude oil futures prices on 20 Apr 2020.
- Regulator action: 2022-06-30: CFTC: CFTC ordered Interactive Brokers LLC to pay a USD 300,000 penalty and USD 710,828.14 disgorgement for failing to supervise the handling of exchange fees, which led to customer overcharges on combination trades.
- Regulator action: 2023-09-20: ASIC: Interactive Brokers Australia Pty Ltd paid AUD 832,500 under a Markets Disciplinary Panel infringement notice for negligently failing to identify, and recklessly continuing to allow, a client's suspicious trading.
- Regulator action: 2023-09-29: SEC: SEC charged Interactive Brokers Corp. and Interactive Brokers LLC with failures to maintain and preserve electronic communications (off-channel messaging); USD 35 million penalty.
- Regulator action: 2025-08-21: FINRA: FINRA AWC: Interactive Brokers LLC censured and fined USD 650,000 for failing to exercise reasonable due diligence when approving self-directed customers to trade options.
Costs and fee disclosure
- Yes: Commissions published
- Yes: Overnight (swap) rates published
- Yes: Inactivity fee disclosed
- Yes: Deposit and withdrawal fees disclosed
- Yes: Currency conversion fee disclosed
- Source: interactivebrokers.com
Risk and consumer information
- Yes: Risk warning on homepage
- Yes: Retail loss percentage published
- Yes: Risk disclosure or KID available
- Yes: Negative balance protection stated
- Yes: Segregated client funds stated
- Yes: Legal documents public
- Source: interactivebrokers.co.uk
Customer support
- Yes: Live chat
- Not found: Email
- Yes: Phone
- Yes: Hours: 24/5
- Source: interactivebrokers.com
Education and research
- Yes: Education section
- Yes: Risk education content
- Yes: Webinars or courses
- Yes: Market analysis
- Yes: Economic calendar
- Source: interactivebrokers.com
Website and user experience
- Yes: Legal documents page
- Yes: Fees page
- Yes: Entity and licence in footer
- Source: interactivebrokers.com
Regulatory status by region
The entity that holds an account determines the regulator, client-money rules and compensation arrangements that apply. Check the entity on the official register of the named regulator before opening an account.
| Region | Legal entity | Regulator and licence |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Interactive Brokers LLC | SEC and CFTC registered; FINRA member, CRD 36418 |
| United Kingdom | Interactive Brokers (U.K.) Limited | FCA, FRN 208159 (source: broker disclosure) |
| European Union | Interactive Brokers Ireland Limited | Central Bank of Ireland, reference C423427 (source: broker disclosure) |
| Australia | Interactive Brokers Australia Pty Ltd | ASIC, AFSL 453554 (source: broker disclosure) |
Research methodology
Assessed against our published framework using the broker’s public website, legal documents and regulator registers. Every broker is assessed using the same documented criteria. Full methodology →
Sources
- Regulator notice: finra.org, retrieved 14 Sep 2026
- Broker legal page: interactivebrokers.com, retrieved 14 Sep 2026
- Broker legal page: interactivebrokers.ie, retrieved 14 Sep 2026
- Score evidence (costs): interactivebrokers.com, retrieved 14 Sep 2026
- Score evidence (risk): interactivebrokers.co.uk, retrieved 14 Sep 2026
- Score evidence (support): interactivebrokers.com, retrieved 14 Sep 2026
- Score evidence (education): interactivebrokers.com, retrieved 14 Sep 2026
- Score evidence (website): interactivebrokers.com, retrieved 14 Sep 2026
Corrections and update history
- 24 Sep 2026: Scores recalculated under methodology version 1.2 (the language checks were removed from Customer support and Website and user experience).
- 15 Sep 2026: Scores recalculated under methodology version 1.1 (six weighted categories).
- 14 Sep 2026: Category scores calculated with the published scoring rubric (methodology version 1.0) from facts recorded on the broker’s official website.
- 14 Sep 2026: Regulatory entities and licence numbers researched from official broker disclosures and regulator sources.
Spotted an error? See our Corrections Policy.
CFDs and other leveraged products carry a high risk of losing money rapidly because of leverage, and a majority of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. A high editorial score reflects disclosure and service quality. It does not make trading safe.