SAFETY CHECK
Is Interactive Brokers safe?
Interactive Brokers is regulated by SEC and 6 more authorities, keeps client funds in segregated accounts, and clients are covered by SIPC ($500,000).
Operating: 7 of 9 register entries hold a live authorisation as of 2026-09-17; the rest no longer take new clients.
Verdict based on verified regulatory data below. We are not affiliated with regulators.
Legal entities behind Interactive Brokers
Each row is one register card, read on the date shown. A brand can span several licences with different statuses — the one you contract with decides your protection.
| Entity | Regulator | Reference | Status | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interactive Brokers Singapore Pte. Ltd. | MAS · Singapore | Open register card | AuthorisedRegister wording: Capital Markets Services Licensee · Dealing In Capital Markets Products · Providing Custodial ServicesMAS's Financial Institutions Directory prints no licence number for this company; the link opens its directory card. | 2026-09-17 |
| Interactive Brokers Ireland Limited | CBI · Ireland | C423427 | AuthorisedRegister wording: Investment Firm - MiFID: Authorised as an Investment Firm under Regulation 8 (3) | 2026-09-17 |
| Interactive Brokers (U.K.) Limited | FCA · United Kingdom | FRN 208159 | AuthorisedRegister wording: Authorised · since 06/02/2002 | 2026-09-17 |
| Interactive Brokers LLC | SEC · United States | CRD 36418 / SEC 8-47257 | AuthorisedRegister wording: SEC Registration Status: Approved 09/06/1994 · Brokerage Firm Regulated by FINRA | 2026-09-17 |
| Interactive Brokers LLC | FCA · United Kingdom | FRN 178750 | No longer authorisedRegister wording: No longer authorised · since 25/10/2016 | 2026-09-17 |
| Interactive Brokers Luxembourg SARL | FCA · United Kingdom | FRN 849401 | No longer authorisedRegister wording: Cancelled · since 31/12/2020 | 2026-09-17 |
| Interactive Brokers Canada Inc. | CIRO · Canada | Open register card | AuthorisedRegister wording: Category: Investment Dealer · Approved by CIRO to be a ParticipantCIRO's list of the dealers it regulates prints no registration number, and the link opens the whole list: search it for "Interactive Brokers". | 2026-09-17 |
| Interactive Brokers Hong Kong Limited | SFC · Hong Kong | CE ADI249 | AuthorisedRegister wording: With active SFO licence: Yes · date of licence 07 Jan 2004 | 2026-09-17 |
| Interactive Brokers Australia Pty Ltd | ASIC · Australia | AFSL 453554 | AuthorisedRegister wording: CURRENT · commenced 28/07/2016 | 2026-09-17 |
Register records for all brokers (CSV, JSON) · Register change log
Why this broker scores 100/100
Full methodology →Regulation
40/40
Compensation
15/15
Segregation & audit
15/15
Track record
20/20
Transparency
10/10
SAFETY
How safe is your money
Segregated client accounts
Client funds held separately from operating capital. Required by regulator.
Investor compensation: SIPC ($500,000)
If broker becomes insolvent, your covered assets are reimbursed up to the scheme's limit.
Publicly traded company
Listed on a regulated exchange — financials are public.
48 years of operations
Founded 1978. No major regulatory actions on record.
Negative balance protection
You cannot lose more than your account balance.
Independent reviews
What could go wrong
- Trader Workstation (TWS) has a famously steep learning curveTWS is built for institutional / professional flow: order-routing controls, conditional orders, advanced charting are powerful but cluttered for beginners. The simpler 'Client Portal' web UI exists but lacks features. Three weeks to feel comfortable is typical.
- IBKR Lite (zero-commission plan) is US-residents-onlyLite uses payment-for-order-flow (PFOF) to fund $0 commissions. Non-US residents only see Pro Tiered / Fixed pricing — not necessarily worse, but the marketing 'free trades' angle doesn't apply outside the US.
- Customer support thin relative to peers — chat queues commonly multi-hourPhone support exists but tier-1 quality varies by region. For account-opening / KYC questions, response times of 24-48h via web ticket are common. Compare to Saxo / Admirals where chat is typically <15min.
- Mobile app is functional but utilitarian — not a Robinhood-style experienceIBKR mobile (iOS/Android) covers order entry, charts, account management. UX feels like a desktop port; users who prefer single-tap fractional-share buying find it heavier than competitors.
Frequently asked questions
Is Interactive Brokers regulated?
Yes. Interactive Brokers holds licenses from: SEC, FCA, CIRO, SFC, ASIC, CBI, MAS. Regulated brokers must follow capital, reporting and client-money rules.
Is Interactive Brokers legit or a scam?
Interactive Brokers is a legitimate, regulated broker: 48 years in operation under 7 regulators (SEC, FCA, CIRO, SFC, ASIC, CBI, MAS). That is not an endorsement — check the trade-offs on this page.
Is Interactive Brokers still operating, or closing down?
Yes, Interactive Brokers is operating. As of 2026-09-17, 7 of its 9 register entries hold a live authorisation: Interactive Brokers Singapore Pte. Ltd. (MAS), Interactive Brokers Ireland Limited (CBI C423427), Interactive Brokers (U.K.) Limited (FCA FRN 208159), Interactive Brokers LLC (SEC CRD 36418 / SEC 8-47257), Interactive Brokers Canada Inc. (CIRO), Interactive Brokers Hong Kong Limited (SFC CE ADI249), Interactive Brokers Australia Pty Ltd (ASIC AFSL 453554). The rest — Interactive Brokers LLC (FCA FRN 178750), Interactive Brokers Luxembourg SARL (FCA FRN 849401) — no longer take new clients. A closed entry is the wind-down of one licence, not a shutdown of the brand — but it also means that licence's compensation scheme does not cover a new account.
Is my money protected at Interactive Brokers?
Client funds are held separately from the company's own money, and the SIPC ($500,000) compensation scheme applies if the broker fails.
What happens if Interactive Brokers goes bankrupt?
Segregated client assets are returned to clients; cash shortfalls are covered by SIPC ($500,000) up to its limit.
Sources & refresh log
How we verified this review
Every fact below is verified against primary sources. We refresh on a schedule and on reader feedback.
Sources
Last verified
2026-08-31
Next: 2026-12-01