| Founded | 2008 | 1978 | |
| Headquarters | Limassol, Cyprus | Greenwich, Connecticut, USA | |
| Regulation | FCA, CySEC, FSCA, FSA, FSC | SEC, CFTC, FINRA, FCA, ASIC, MAS, IIROC, etc. | |
| Type of Broker | Forex and CFD broker | Multi-asset broker (Stocks, Forex, CFDs, Bonds) | |
| Available Assets | Forex, CFDs on metals, energies, indices, crypto | Stocks, Options, Futures, Forex, Bonds, CFDs | |
| Minimum Deposit | $1 (Standard accounts), $200 (Professional) | No minimum for cash account, $2,000 for margin account | |
| Leverage | Up to 1:2000 | Up to 1:50 (for forex) | |
| Commission | No commission for Standard account, $3.5 per lot for Pro/Zero accounts | Varies by asset class, as low as $0.005 per share | |
| Spreads | Variable, as low as 0.0 pips | Varies by asset class, forex spreads from 0.1 pips | |
| Trading Platforms | MetaTrader 4 (MT4), MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | IBKR Trader Workstation (TWS), IBKR Mobile | |
| Market Access | Global, over 100 currency pairs | Global, 150+ markets in 33 countries | |
| Order Execution | Market Maker, instant execution | Direct Market Access, smart routing | |
| Account Types | Standard, Standard Cent, Pro, Zero, Raw Spread | Cash, Margin, Portfolio Margin | |
| Educational Resources | Webinars, articles, market analysis | IBKR Campus, webinars, videos, articles, analysis | |
| Research Tools | Technical analysis, economic calendar | Advanced research tools, fundamental and technical data, third-party reports | |
| Deposits and Withdrawals | Instant deposits, free withdrawals, multiple methods like cards, e-wallets, and crypto | Wire transfer, checks, ACH, brokerage transfers, no crypto payments | |
| Demo Account | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading Fees | Low, varies based on the account type | Competitive, varies with the asset type | |
| Support | 24/7 support, live chat, email, phone | 24/5 support, phone, live chat, email | |
| Mobile Trading | Yes, via MT4 and MT5 mobile apps | Yes, IBKR Mobile | |
| Additional Features | VPS hosting, social trading | IBKR Lite (commission-free trading), Robo-Advisor | |
| Best For | High leverage forex trading | Professional traders, multi-asset diversification | |
| Risk Management Tools | Stop loss, take profit, trailing stop | Stop loss, trailing stop, bracket orders, algorithmic trading | |
| Fractional Shares | Not available | Available | |
| Negative Balance Protection | Yes | Not by default, but margin call procedures in place | |
| Account Base Currencies | Multiple (USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, JPY, etc.) | Multiple (USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, HKD, etc.) | |
| Copy Trading | Yes, through Exness Social Trading | Yes, via IBKR’s Covestor platform | |
| Interest on Uninvested Cash | No | Yes, interest earned on uninvested cash balances | |
| Margin Rates | Not applicable to all accounts, higher margin rates for professional accounts | Among the lowest in the industry, tiered margin rates | |
| API Trading | API available for developers, integration with MT4 and MT5 | Extensive API support (FIX, REST, C++, Java, Python) | |
| Corporate Accounts | Available | Available | |
| Islamic (Swap-free) Accounts | Yes, available for Standard and Professional accounts | Not widely available | |
| VIP or Loyalty Programs | Yes, Exclusive Pro account with additional perks | Not specifically, but professional account tiers offer lower rates | |
| Currency Conversion Fees | No fees for Standard accounts, fees apply for Pro accounts | Currency conversion fees based on exchange rates, often low | |
| Tax Reporting | Not provided automatically, requires manual submission | Automatic tax reporting for US clients, additional global tax forms available | |
| Multi-currency Support | Yes, you can hold multiple base currencies in different accounts | Yes, ability to hold multiple currencies in one account | |
| Short Selling | Not available on most assets | Available on a wide range of assets (stocks, ETFs, etc.) | |
| Order Types | Market, limit, stop, trailing stop | Wide variety: market, limit, stop, trailing stop, iceberg, bracket orders, algos | |
| Charting Tools | Basic charting tools in MT4/MT5 | Advanced charting with 120+ indicators, customizable layouts | |
| Professional/Institutional Features | Limited | Extensive support for hedge funds, advisors, and institutions | |
| News Feed | Limited, basic market news | Comprehensive news feed, including Reuters, Dow Jones, and multiple third-party sources | |
| Customer Service Languages | 15+ languages, including English, Spanish, Chinese, etc. | 20+ languages, including English, Spanish, French, German, etc. | |
| Custom Indicators | Available through MT4/MT5 | Extensive custom indicators with API integration and coding tools | |
| Backtesting | Limited, available through MT5 | Advanced backtesting tools within TWS and API | |
| Asset Classes for Trading | Forex, Cryptocurrencies, Commodities, Indices | Stocks, ETFs, Options, Futures, Forex, Bonds, Mutual Funds, CFDs, Cryptocurrencies | |
| Swap-Free Accounts (Islamic) | Yes, available for certain account types | Yes, available for Islamic accounts | |
| Overnight Fees | Swap charges apply for non-Islamic accounts | Applicable for margin positions | |
| Deposit Fees | None | Varies by method (usually none, but some banks charge fees) | |
| Withdrawal Processing Time | Instant withdrawals for certain methods | 1-3 business days depending on method | |
| Currency Conversion | Internal conversion for account currencies | Automatic, low-cost currency conversion via IBKR's FX system | |
| Account Currencies | Multiple currencies including USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, etc. | 24 base currencies available | |
| Interest on Idle Cash | No | Yes, interest paid on available cash over certain thresholds | |
| Security of Funds | Segregated client accounts, protection under regulatory bodies | Segregated accounts, SIPC protection up to $500,000 | |
| Regulatory Reporting | Automated client reports | Detailed tax reporting tools, Form 1099 generation (US) | |
| Algo Trading Support | Limited, mostly via MT4/MT5 EAs (Expert Advisors) | Extensive, supports algos like Accumulate/Distribute, Iceberg, and more | |
| Market Data Fees | Free for retail clients | Varies by exchange, data subscriptions required for advanced market data | |
| Advanced Charting | Standard MT4/MT5 charting tools | Advanced customizable chart | |
