Overview of Interactive Brokers

Interactive Brokers, founded in the United States, offers a wide array of trading assets including stocks, ETFs, forex, bonds, options, and futures, providing traders with various opportunities across global markets.

However, risks have been raised about its legitimacy, with reports of the platform being identified as a suspicious clone. Traders are directly impacted by the platform's regulatory status, influencing oversight, transparency, and legal protections. Adherence to regulatory standards instills confidence among traders regarding the platform's reliability and security, while any suspicion or regulatory ambiguity may undermine trust and deter participation, emphasizing the importance of due diligence.

Is Interactive Brokers legit or a scam？

Interactive Brokers is identified as Suspicious Clone under various regulatory bodies such as the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the United Kingdom, the Central Bank of Ireland (CBI), and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).

However, the presence of “Suspicious Clone” designations in some regions suggests potential regulatory risks. Traders on the platform are directly impacted by the regulatory status, as it influences the level of oversight, transparency, and legal protections afforded to their investments.

Adherence to regulatory standards instills confidence among traders regarding the platform's reliability and security, while any suspicion or regulatory ambiguity may undermine trust and deter participation. Thus, traders are likely to favor jurisdictions where Interactive Brokers maintains clear and reputable regulatory standing, ensuring a safer trading environment.

What are Clone Brokers？

The prevalence of clone brokers is increasingly alarming, as deceptive entities exploit the names of reputable firms to lure unsuspecting clients into believing they are trading with regulated forex firms.

These fraudulent companies go to great lengths, even utilizing the license numbers of legitimate brokers, to deceive traders into opening accounts with them. Remaining vigilant is paramount to avoid falling prey to such scams. Additionally, these unscrupulous entities resort to aggressive tactics, akin to boiler room operations, pressuring clients into opening accounts or increasing their deposits.

It's crucial to heed the adage: if something sounds too good to be true, it likely is. Traders must exercise caution and conduct thorough research before engaging with any brokerage firm to safeguard their investments and financial security.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Wide range of tradable assets: Interactive Brokers offers an extensive selection of tradable assets, including stocks, ETFs, forex, bonds, options, and futures. This diversity provides traders with ample opportunities to diversify their portfolios and explore various investment strategies, catering to different risk appetites and objectives.

• Access to global markets: The platform grants users access to a broad range of global markets, enabling them to trade securities and currencies from around the world. This global reach allows traders to capitalize on international market trends, economic developments, and geopolitical events, enhancing their trading flexibility and potential for profit.

Cons:

• Identified as Suspicious Clone: Some users have reported instances where Interactive Brokers was identified as a suspicious clone, potentially raising risks about the platform's legitimacy and trustworthiness. Such allegations can undermine user confidence and deter participation in trading activities.

• Limited customer support options: Interactive Brokers may offer limited options for customer support, which can lead to delays in addressing user inquiries, resolving issues, or providing assistance when needed. This lack of robust support channels may frustrate users and hinder their overall trading experience.

• Potential for technical glitches: Like any online platform, Interactive Brokers is susceptible to technical glitches or system failures, which can disrupt trading activities, cause delays in order execution, or lead to inaccuracies in account information. These technical issues may impede users' ability to trade effectively and impact their overall experience on the platform.

• Risk of exposure to scams: Users may face the risk of exposure to scams or fraudulent activities associated with Interactive Brokers, such as clone brokers attempting to deceive traders. Falling victim to such schemes can result in financial losses and damage to one's reputation, highlighting the importance of vigilance and due diligence when engaging with the platform.

Market Instruments

Interactive Brokers offers a wide range of tradable financial instruments on its platform.

Traders can access a variety of assets including Stocks, ETFs, Forex, Funds, Bonds, Options, Futures, CFDs, Cryptocurrencies, Warrants, and Structured Products.

This extensive selection provides traders with opportunities to diversify their investment portfolios and pursue different trading strategies across global markets.

With access to such a broad array of instruments, traders have the flexibility to capitalize on market opportunities and manage risk effectively.

Deposit & Withdrawal

Interactive Brokers offers a variety of payment methods to fund your account:

• Bank wire transfer: This is the most common and preferred method. It's free for most currencies.

• ACH transfer: This is another electronic transfer option available for US accounts. It's also free.

• Check: You can mail a check to Interactive Brokers. However, there may be processing fees and delays associated with this method.

• Wire transfer from another brokerage: You can transfer funds from another brokerage account to your Interactive Brokers account. This may be subject to fees from both brokers.

• Bill pay: This option is available for US accounts only. It allows you to pay your Interactive Brokers account from your bank's online bill pay service.

• Third-party deposits: Interactive Brokers generally discourages and rejects third-party deposits due to potential fraud and money laundering risks.

There is no minimum deposit required to open an Interactive Brokers account. This makes it a good option for beginners who want to start with a small amount of money.

Customer Support

Interactive Brokers provides the following contact information for customer support:

1. Twitter: @IBKR

2. Facebook: Interactive Brokers

3. Instagram: Interactive Brokers

4. YouTube: Interactive Brokers

5. LinkedIn: Interactive Brokers

These social media platforms serve as channels for reaching out to Interactive Brokers for support and assistance. However, Interactive Brokers' customer support lacks efficiency and responsiveness. Traders often encounter significant delays in receiving assistance, with support tickets remaining unresolved for extended periods. Communication channels such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn are available, but their effectiveness in addressing customer risks is questionable.

Exposure

Users have reported a single instance of exposure related to a pyramid scheme complaint, which unveiled a potential scam on the Interactive Brokers platform.

The complaint alleges that the platform induced clients to participate in activities, promising withdrawal options upon event completion. However, upon attempting to withdraw profits, users encountered obstacles, including unexpected tax requirements not deducted from the platform. The inability to access funds and unresponsive customer service exacerbates the situation for affected users. Such exposure to fraudulent activities undermines trust and confidence in the platform, potentially dissuading traders from engaging in further transactions.

Conclusion

This instance of Interactive Brokers is suspected to be a clone operated by a company known as Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. Notably, this particular iteration of Interactive Brokers lacks regulation, posing potential risks for traders. Therefore, it is advisable for traders to refrain from engaging with this broker.

Let's start here

AxiTrader Limited (Axi) is the real deal, with over 260 trading options in CFDs, including forex, shares, indices, commodities, and IPOs – they're all on the menu. Minimum deposits start at $0, the broker offers competitive spreads from 0.0 pips on major currencies on the Pro account, and here is the cool part: traders can use ECN execution for direct market orders. As for the platform, it's none other than the legendary MetaTrader 4

as well as MetaTrader 5 in certain regions

. With a touch of pride, they served hundreds of thousands of traders across 100 countries. Want to see if Axi's trading environment lives up to its claims? Time for some exploration!

Axi Information

Axi (formerly AxiTrader) was founded in 2007, and has since expanded its presence to include offices in other regions, including Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East. Axi welcomes all kinds of traders of all skill levels. If you're new to trading and want to start without too much capitalspending much, the $0 minimum deposit and user-friendly platform are great. Irrespective of a traders skill, there are many options to trade, good spreads, and lightning-fast execution. And for those inclined towards advanced features, Axi's ECN system and MetaTrader 4 platform are a notable combination.

In 2023, Axi also launched their innovative capital allocation program called Axi Select. Axi Select gives talented traders the opportunity to trade their way to the top and get funding of up to $1,000,000 USD and keep up to 90% of their profits.

Pros & Cons

Taking a look at Axi, we spot its share of upsides and downsides. Let's start with the bright side, it's got the backing of multiple solid financial authorities, numerous instruments you can trade, and they let you practice with a demo account. Plus, they've got the MT4 platform.

The MT5 platform in certain regions with plans to go live globally within the next few months, and handy tools to help traders trade smarter. They offer customer support in 13 languages, and deposits and withdrawals are seamless.

Is Axi legit?

Considering the pivotal aspect for brokers, that is regulation, it's indeed comforting to note that AxiTrader is under the oversight of regulatory bodies from four distinct nations,

including the United Kingdom and Australia

Advancing further, let's undertake a more detailed exploration of the regulatory licenses secured by Axi.

Axi's Australian entity, Axi FINANCIAL SERVICES PTY LTD, is regulated by ASIC under regulatory license number 318232, holding a license for Market Making (MM).

Notably, this license's credibility gains support from WikiFX's investigators. They physically traveled to the institution's registered address for thorough verification. At Level 10, 90 Arthur Street, North Sydney, NSW 2060, Australia, they found a functioning office, confirming the broker's operational status and significant scale. Behold, an image capturing the tangible office space of this company.

In addition to being regulated by ASIC, this entity is also regulated by the FMA in New Zealand, with regulatory number 518226, holding a license for Straight Through processing (STP).

Now, let's examine the third license. Axi's UK branch, known as Axi Financial Services (UK) Limited, is overseen by the FCA and has been granted regulatory license number 466201. This license permits them to engage in Market Making (MM) activities as well.

Lastly, Axi also follows regulations from the DFSA in the United Arab Emirates under regulatory number F003742, authorized for Retail Forex activities.

Market Instruments

Trading Assets	Available
Forex
Shares
Indices
Commodities
IPOs
Cryptocurrencies
ETFs
Options

Axi (formerly AxiTrader) gives you access to 260+ trading choices across 6 categories: forex, shares, indices, commodities, IPOs, and cryptocurrencies.

Account Type

Axi offers three account types tailored to different trading needs, namely Standard, Pro, and Elite. The Standard Account has no setup cost and starts with spreads from 0.9 pips. The Pro Account tightens those spreads to 0.0 pips with a $7 round trip commission, while the Elite Account, designed for advanced traders, features 0.0 pips spreads and a reduced $3.50 round trip commission. All accounts support trading from 0.01 lots, mobile trading, and include MT4 NexGen. Leverage reaches up to 500:1, and you can choose base currencies among AUD, CAD, CHF, EUR, GBP, HKD, JPY, NZD, PLN, SGD, and USD. For the Elite Account, a minimum deposit of USD 25,000 is required.

*Account types listed in this section are only available to clients of AxiTrader Limited.

Demo Trading

Also, Axitrader gives users free demo accounts that last for 30 days and include $50,000 in virtual funds. Demo accounts offered by Axitrader shine in these areas:

• Practice Trading: You get $50,000 in virtual money to practice trading however you like.
• Personal Support: You'll have a dedicated Account Manager and support available 24/5 to help you.
• Real-Time Info: You can see live spreads on the popular trading platform, MT4.
• Live-Like Demo: The MetaTrader 4 Demo account mimics the real market, so you can practice effectively.
• Switch to Real: When you're ready, you can turn your demo account into a real one by funding it.
• Currency Options: You can choose your account's base currency from options like AUD, EUR, GBP, USD, CHF, and PLNX.

However, base currency cannot be changed once created.

Besides, they also offer special Islamic trading accounts for Muslim traders that follow Shariah law.

Leverage

The leverage offered by AxiTrader is capped at 500:1. This means that traders can open positions with a much larger amount than their initial investment. However, high leverage can also lead to significant losses if the trade does not go as expected. Traders should exercise caution and use proper risk management strategies when trading with high leverage. Axi provides educational resources and tools to help traders understand the risks associated with leverage and how to manage them effectively.

Spreads & Commissions

Spreads and commissions with Axi are scaled with the accounts offered. Specifically, the spread starts from 0.9 pips on the Standard account, and 0.0 pips on the Pro and Elite account.

As for the commission, there is no commission on the Standard account, a commission of $7 round trip on the Pro account, and $3.5 round trip on the Elite account.

Trading Platforms

Axi offers traders the popular MetaTrader 4 (MT4) platform for desktop, mobile, and web. MT4 is a widely used platform that offers a wide range of charting and technical analysis tools, customizable indicators, and the ability to use automated trading strategies through Expert Advisors (EAs). The MT4 platform is available for download on PC and Mac computers, as well as on mobile devices for both iOS and Android.

Additionally, Axi offers the MT4 WebTrader, which allows traders to access the platform directly from their web browser without the need for any downloads or installations.

Axi Trading Platform and Copy Trading App are also available.

Trading Tools

There are a range of trading tools designed to enhance the trading experience for its clients. These include Myfxbook Autotrade, which allows traders to follow and copy the trades of experienced traders, MT4 signals which provide real-time trade ideas and analysis, MT4 VPS hosting which offers a dedicated virtual private server to ensure optimal performance and minimal downtime.

Additionally, the broker offers a suite of calculators to help traders with their risk management and trade analysis, such as Profit/Loss Calculator, Pip calculator, and Currency converter. These trading tools can be very helpful for traders to better understand their trades and manage their risk effectively.

Deposit & Withdrawal

AxiTrader stands out from other brokers as they don't require any money to start trading. Here's why it matters:

• Access: With no minimum deposit, anyone who passed onboarding journey can join and trade. Traders require a low minimum deposit upfront.
• Risk: Starting with a low minimum deposit, you can manage your risk tolerance based on whats best for you.
• No minimum deposit: Traders have the flexibility to deposit an amount they are comfortable with.
• No Pressure: You don't feel pushed to deposit a certain amount. It's more relaxed and trader-friendly.
• Learn and Experiment: You can try different strategies and learn without needing a big investment upfront.

Axi welcomes traders to fund their accounts through the following payment methods: Credit/Debit cards, and Bank Transfers, Skrill, Neteller, Fasapay, Cryptos, with no fees charged by Axi for any payment method. However, traders should be aware that some international banking institutions may charge fees for transfers, for which Axi accepts no responsibility.

Please also note that payments to Axi via credit/debit cards may be viewed as a cash advance by some banks, potentially incurring additional fees. Deposits made via credit/debit cards and POLi are processed instantly, while bank transfer deposits and withdrawals can take 1-3 business days to be processed.

Payment Methods	Currencies	Minimum Deposit	Minimum Withdrawal	Fee	Time
	AED, CAD, EUR, GBP, JPY, NZD, PLN, SGD, USD	5 USD	/	❌	Instant
			/	❌
	CAD, EUR, GBP, PLN, USD		5 USD	❌
	AUD, CAD, CHF, EUR, GBP, HKD, JPY, NZD, SGD, USD	/	50 USD	❌	1-3 days
	AED,INR,GBP,EUR,USD	5 EUR	5 USD	❌
	Vary depending on countries	/	/	❌
	IDR, USD	5 EUR	5 USD	❌
	/	30 USD	50 USD	❌
	/			❌
	BRL	50 BRL	/	❌	Up to 12hrs

Remember, these fees can change and might be different based on how you're making the payment. To stay updated, it's a smart move to reach out to the broker and get the most recent fee details before you decide to deposit or withdraw any funds.

Customer Support

Axi's customer service is comprehensive and available 24/5 in multiple languages, with live chat, phone, email, WhatsApp, and a help center. This means that clients can easily get in touch with the Axi support team whenever they need assistance or have any questions. The availability of multiple communication channels ensures that clients can choose the most convenient way to contact support.

Additionally, the Help Center offers a range of resources and frequently asked questions that can help clients find answers to their questions quickly and efficiently.

Education

Axi makes learning easy with a variety of educational resources. If you're using the MT4 platform, their step-by-step video tutorials are there to guide you. They also offer Free eBooks, covering everything from basics to advanced topics. Stay updated on market trends through the Axi Blog, which features expert insights and daily analysis. For structured learning, the Axi Academy provides courses on forex, technical analysis, and risk management. If you're diving into cryptocurrencies, the Crypto Glossary will help you grasp the terms.

Educational Contents	Offered
MT4 Video Tutorials
eBooks
Blog
Axi Academy
Crypto Glossary
Trading Glossary
Webinars

Conclusion

All things considered, Axi is a well-regulated and reputable broker that offers a wide range of markets and instruments for trading, including forex, shares, indices, commodities, and cryptocurrencies. They also offer multiple account options, free demo accounts, and leverage up to 500:1. In addition, their MT4 trading platform is robust and feature-rich, with various tools and resources to support traders. and they have recently launched MT5 in certain regions with plans to go live globally within the next few months.

Overall, Axi is a good choice for experienced traders who are looking for a diverse range of trading opportunities and who prioritize a broker's reputation and regulation.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is Axi Group regulated?

Yes. The Axi Group is a global award-winning broker, with regulatory licenses in Australiam New Zealand, Dubai, and the United Kingdom. AxiTrader Limited is registered in the St Vincent & the Grenadines. AxiTrader Limited is not regulated.

Does Axi Group offer demo accounts?

Yes, demo accounts are available.

Does Axi offer the industry-standard MT4 & MT5?

Yes. Axi supports MT4, whereas it only support the MT5 in certain regions, with plans to launch globally within the next few months. Axi Trading Platform, and Copy Trading App.

Risk Warning

CFDs carry a high risk of investment loss, this content is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as investment advice.

Retail investor accounts based in some parts of the world are not permitted to trade cryptocurrency CFDs.