Company & background
Is Interactive Brokers safe & regulated?
Interactive Brokers is authorised and regulated by 5 authorities. Regulation determines what client-money protections apply to you, so it is the single most important factor when choosing a broker.
Fees & spreads
Leverage & margin
Markets & instruments
Trading platforms
Mobile app
Funding & withdrawals
Payment methods: ["Bank Transfer","ACH","Wire Transfer","Check"].
The verdict on Interactive Brokers
64% of retail CFD accounts lose money with this provider. Capital at risk.
Interactive Brokers review — frequently asked questions
Is Interactive Brokers regulated?
Yes. Interactive Brokers is authorised and regulated by SEC, FINRA, FCA, ASIC and other authorities. Regulation means client funds are held in segregated accounts and retail clients benefit from protections such as negative balance protection.
What is the minimum deposit at Interactive Brokers?
The minimum deposit at Interactive Brokers is $0. You can fund your account using ["Bank Transfer","ACH","Wire Transfer","Check"].
How much leverage does Interactive Brokers offer?
Retail clients at Interactive Brokers can trade with leverage up to 50:1. Leverage magnifies both gains and losses, so use it with care.
What trading platforms does Interactive Brokers support?
Interactive Brokers offers Trader Workstation, IBKR Mobile, Web Platform, API.
Is Interactive Brokers safe for trading?
Interactive Brokers is regulated by SEC and FINRA among others. However, regulation protects your funds, not your trades: 64% of retail investor accounts lose money trading CFDs with this provider.
Marcus Thorne
Marcus spent eleven years trading FX and index CFDs, first on a proprietary desk and later running his own book, before moving into financial writing. He has opened, funded and blown up more live accounts than he cares to admit, which is exactly why he reads a broker's fine print before he reads its marketing. Marcus tests brokers the way he traded them: he cares about fill quality, the spread you actually get at 15:30 when the number drops, withdrawal friction, and whether the "0.0 pips" on the homepage survives contact with a real ticket. He has no patience for bonuses dressed up as edge and says so plainly.
How we test
Every TradeSpotter review is built from the same standardised data set: regulatory status verified against primary registers, fees and conditions taken from the broker's own published terms, and platform capabilities confirmed feature-by-feature. We do not accept payment to change a rating. Where we can't verify a figure, we leave it out rather than estimate it.
Reviewed by Marcus Thorne, Markets Editor & former FX/CFD trader. Last updated 2026. This page is general information, not financial advice.