Interactive Brokers

Interactive Brokers (NASDAQ: IBKR) was founded in 1978 by Thomas Peterffy, a pioneer in electronic trading who built one of the first computerized market-making systems. The firm has since grown into the largest electronic brokerage in the U.S. by institutional client volume, executing trades on behalf of over 3.3 million client accounts across 150+ global markets. Unlike brokerages that cater primarily to retail investors with simplified apps (Robinhood, Webull), Interactive Brokers has historically prioritized professional traders, active retail investors, and international clients — which is why it offers access to stocks, ETFs, options, futures, forex, bonds, and funds across 34 countries and in 26 currencies.

The platform operates two main account tiers. IBKR Lite, available to U.S. residents, offers commission-free trading on U.S. stocks and ETFs, while IBKR Pro charges low per-share commissions (typically $0.005 per share with a $1 minimum) but provides access to Interactive Brokers' professional trading tools, smart order routing (SmartRouting), and significantly better margin rates — currently ranging from approximately 6% down to under 5% for accounts over $1M, among the lowest in the industry. The firm's desktop platform, Trader Workstation (TWS), is widely considered among the most sophisticated in the retail space, supporting complex options strategies, algorithmic trading, API access, and real-time risk management across multiple asset classes simultaneously.