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Lightspeed vs Interactive Brokers
Broker Name
Lightspeed
Interactive Brokers
Broker Overview
Broker Type (e.g., Market Maker, ECN/STP)
STP broker
Market maker
Years of Existence / Established Year
2005
1993
Customer Base / Number of Accounts
No information
3.12M
Regulation & Security
Regulations (governing bodies)
FINRA, SEC
SEC, FINRA, NYSE, FCA, FINMA, CFTC, MAS, SFC, CBI, IIROC, JFSA, MiFiD
Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)
No major awards listed
Best Online Broker for Advanced Traders in 2024, Professional Trading 2024, #1 Best Online Broker in 2023, Best for Advanced Traders, Best Online Broker in 2024, Best Stock Broker for International Trading
Security Measures
SIPC
SIPC
SSL Encryption / 2FA
Yes
Yes
Segregated Funds
Yes
Yes
Negative Balance Protection
No
Yes
Trading Instruments/Products Offered
Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)
Commodity futures
150 Markets including Forecast and event contracts, Spot currencies,US spot Gold, Hedge funds
Currency Pairs
No
Yes
Commodities
No
No
Indices
No
No
Cryptocurrencies
No
Yes
CFDs
No
No
ETFs
Yes
Yes
Stocks
Yes
Yes
Options
Yes
Yes
Futures
Yes
Yes
Bonds
No
Yes
Mutual Funds
No
Yes
Fractional Shares
Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)
No
No
Precious Metals
No
Yes
Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)
No
No
Equities
Yes
No
Trading Platforms & Technology
Trading Platform Availability
Yes
Yes
MT4
No
No
MT5
No
No
cTrader
No
No
Social Trading
No
Copy Trading
No
Yes
Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)
Light speed trader, Web and mobile trading, Speciality trading platform, Future trading platform, Risk management Software
IBKR global Trader, Client Portal, Desktop, Mobile, Trader workstation, APIs, Forecast Trader, IMPACT
Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)
Yes except Mac, iOS, Android
Yes
Account Types & Conditions
Account Types (Retail, Pro, VIP, etc.)
Standard account- Individual, Joint, Retirement, Corporate, Trust, LLC, Institutional account- Prime brokerage, Separately Manged account, DVP, RVP,Cash and Margin account
Individual, Joint, Trust, IRA and UGMA/UTMA Accounts, Non-Professional Advisor Accounts, Family Office Accounts, Small Business Accounts, Advisor Accounts, Money Manager Accounts, Broker & FCM Accounts, Proprietary Trading Group Accounts, Hedge Fund & Mutual Fund Accounts, Compliance Officers, Administrators, Institutional Hedge Fund Investors
Demo Account (Yes/No)
Yes
Yes
Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)
No
Yes
Minimum Deposit
$2,000
$0
Leverage Available
4:1 to 2:1
10:1 to 50:1
Trade Limit (maximum per trade)
Depends on asset class
EUR 5,000,000
Commission (per account type)
Accounts under $15,000: $25 monthly fee, Lightspeed Trader and Sterling Trader Pro: $0.50 minimum per order, Eze EMS (formerly RealTick): $3.00 minimum commission, Lightspeed Web & Mobile: $1 minimum commission
$0
Best Suited For (e.g., beginners, experienced traders)
Active traders, professionals, and institutional traders
Beginner to advanced traders
Deposit & Withdrawal Options
Deposit Methods
Wire transfer, ACH, account transfer, Check
ACH transfer, Link a new bank account, Bank wire, Transfer from wise balance, Scan a check , Mail a check, SEPA
Withdrawal Methods
Wire transfer, ACH, account transfer,Check
ACH, Check, Direct debit, Transfer to wise balance, Canadian ETF transfer, SEPA
Other E-Wallets Supported
No
No
Tools & Educational Resources
Economic Calendar
No
Yes
Tools & Educational Resources (tutorials, webinars, market news, etc.)
Trading Platform Tutorials, Market Insights and Analysis, Webinars and Online Events, Trading Education Resources, Market News and Research
Traders' Academy (Online Courses), IBKR Webinars, Market Insights and Analysis, Trader's University (Video Tutorials), IBKR Quant Blog (Quantitative Trading), Customer Education (Trading Guides)
Fees & Commissions
Trading-Related Fees
ETFs- $2, Share- $0.001, Future option fee- $1.29
IBKR Lite: Commission-free U.S. stocks, ETFs, and specific mutual funds, IBKR Pro: $0.005 per share, minimum $1 per trade
Spread (typical, fixed, variable)
NA
Fixed spread
Per Lot Fees
NA
NA
Options Contract Fees
$0.20
$0.65/contract
Futures Contract Fees
NA
$0.85
Markup Fees on Spread
NA
$1.50
Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees
NA
NA
Maximum Leverage
4:1
50:1
Non-Trading Fees
Dormant Fees
$25 monthly minimum
$0
Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)
$130
NA
Advisory Fees
NA
It depends up on the account type
Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)
Yes
over $10 million free
Statement or Document Fee
$15 - $50 per month
NA
Account Opening Fee
$20
$0
Account Maintenance Fee
Maintenance fees will be billed weekly, based on the previous month's commissions
$0
Deposit Fee
$0
$0
Currency Conversion Fee
$10
$0.03
Withdrawal Fee
$20 fee for domestic wires and a $50 fee for international wires, Check standard time- free or overnight $30
$10 outgoing wire transfer fee
Bonuses, Promotions & Benefits
Bonuses, Promotions, and Referrals
Yes
Yes
Customer Benefits (e.g., Retirement Plan)
Yes
Yes
Trading Hours
Trading Hours (for each asset class if applicable)
4 AM to 8 PM EST on weekdays only.
9:30 AM - 4:00 PM ET, Monday through Friday Overnight trading hours: 8:00 PM ET - 3:50 AM ET, Sunday through Friday
Customer Support
Support Hours (e.g., 24/7, weekdays only)
24/7
24/7
Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)
E-mail: [email protected], Phone: 1-888-577-3123 , 1-646-393-4800, Schedule a call
Phone: 1 (888) 919-0022, E-mail: [email protected], Live chat
Support Languages
1
33
Additional Information
Headquarters Location
Chicago office, 181 West Madison Street, Suite 2950, Chicago, IL 60602
Greenwich, Connecticut
Complaints (for crypto brokers)
No
No
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