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.

What is LBLV？

LBLV, founded in 2017 and registered in Seychelles, is a financial brokerage offering a range of trading instruments, including currencies, indices, stocks, metals, commodities, and digital currencies. It provides six account types to suit different trading needs. The company previously operated under the regulation of the Financial Services Authority (FSA). But this regulation has been revoked.

Additionally, LBLV is not available to residents and citizens of certain regions, including the USA and North Korea, due to regulatory restrictions.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Wide Range of Instruments: LBLV offers trading in various markets, including forex, indices, stocks, metals, commodities, and even digital currencies, providing flexibility for investors seeking diversification.

• Multiple Contact Channels: LBLV provides various customer support channels, including a phone number, email, live chat, and presence on social media platforms, which is beneficial for quick and convenient assistance.

• Diverse Account Types: LBLV offers diverse account types to cater to the varying needs of traders, including Rookie, Basic, Premier, Elite, Elite Plus, and VIP.

Cons:

• Revoked Regulation: The most significant concern is the revoked regulation by the Seychelles FSA. This raises serious doubts about investor protection and the company's legitimacy.

• High Minimum Deposit: The $5,000 minimum deposit is far above the industry average, making it a significant barrier to entry for many potential investors, especially beginners.

• Regional Restrictions: LBLV restricts residents of certain regions, including the US, from trading on their platform, limiting their reach and accessibility.

• Exposure of Inability to Withdraw: There are six pieces of exposure of inability to withdraw on WikiFX, which indicates risks to fund safety.

Is LBLV Safe or Scam？

LBLV is highly likely to be unsafe for several reasons.

Their previously claimed regulation by the Seychelles FSA, which is already considered low-tier, has been revoked, leaving investors practically unprotected in case of disputes or fraudulent activity.

There are six pieces of exposure on WikiFX alleging difficulty withdrawing funds, which is a significant red flag, indicating risks about the company's financial stability and manipulation of funds.

Additionally, the $5,000 minimum deposit is far above the industry average, creating a significant barrier to entry and potentially making it difficult to recover even a portion of your investment if things go wrong.

Market Instruments

LBLV offers over 1400 trading instruments across six different markets, providing traders with ample opportunities to diversify their portfolios and take advantage of various investment options.

Currencies: Take advantage of investment opportunities by engaging in the buying and selling of currencies through trading major or minor currency pairs like EURUSD, AUDGBP or USDJPY.

Indices: Trade on the performance of multiple stock companies as a whole and invest in global indices like S&P 500, Nasdaq, and FTSE by monitoring local economic conditions.

Stocks: Experience greater flexibility without buying the underlying assets by investing in big tech firms and other popular stock companies like Amazon, Microsoft and Apple.

Metals: Trade different spot metals where you can speculate Gold (XAU) or Silver (XAG) against major currencies. Invest in other precious metals like Aluminium and Platinum.

Commodities: Get more exposure to a wide variety of commodities and invest in agricultural and energy derivative contracts. Trade different commodities like Brent oil, coffee or gas.

Digital Currencies: With digital currencies, you can go long or short and trade Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple and Cardano. Make the most out of the volatile market with the right tools and platform.

Account Types

LBLV offers 6 account types to suit different trading needs. The accounts offered by LBLV share several common features, such as Islamic Account options, mobile trading capabilities, 24-hour dedicated support, access to account managers, technical indicators, and technical analysis tools. Additionally, all account holders have the option to open an EU Private Bank Account and access the services of a personal banker for assistance.

The Rookie Account, with a minimum deposit of $5,000 USD, is ideal for beginner traders or those with limited investment capital.

Moving up the ladder, the Basic Account requires a minimum deposit of $25,000 USD and targets traders with some experience and a slightly larger investment capital.

The Premier Account, with a minimum deposit of $50,000 USD, targets more experienced traders with a larger investment capital.

For seasoned traders or high-net-worth individuals, the Elite Account requires a minimum deposit of $100,000 USD.

The Elite Plus Account, with a minimum deposit of $250,000 USD, targets high-net-worth individuals or institutional traders.

At the top tier, the VIP Account requires a minimum deposit of $1,000,000 USD and is targeted at high-net-worth individuals or institutional traders seeking the most exclusive benefits.

Leverage

LBLV offers leverage of up to 1:400, enabling traders to amplify their trading positions significantly with a relatively small amount of capital. Leverage is a double-edged sword, as while it can magnify profits, it also increases the risk of substantial losses.

Spreads & Commissions

LBLV claims to offer low trading commissions, allowing traders to increase their market exposure to all accessible instruments without incurring high fees. Additionally, the platform promises zero hidden fees, ensuring transparency in trading costs. However, detailed information about spreads and commissions is not readily available on the LBLV website.

Trading Platforms

LBLV provides a flexible platform system suitable for all types of traders, offering a sophisticated toolkit accessible on any device.

The platform is cross-platform, meaning it can be accessed and used on various devices seamlessly. It offers various charts and timeframes, enabling traders to analyze market trends and make informed trading decisions. Traders can manage multiple trades simultaneously, enhancing their trading efficiency and flexibility.

LBLV's platform ensures security through SSL encryption, protecting traders' sensitive information and transactions. The platform also provides flexible layouts, allowing traders to customize their trading environment according to their preferences. Additionally, efficient indicators and tools are integrated into the platform to assist traders in conducting technical analysis and making informed trading decisions.

Trading Tools

LBLV provides many trading tools to help you process your trades.

Contract Expiries: Check the expiration dates of the futures contract you are investing in.

Calendar: With the regular use of the economic calendar, you can follow the release schedule of numerous economic indicators and get ready for significant market movements. Economic indicators help you consider trades in the context of economic events and understand price actions during these events.

Trading Hours: Monitor the opening and closing hours of global market exchanges.

Deposits & Withdrawals

The deposit methods are funding via credit or debit cards (Visa and MasterCard), bank transfers, and digital-currency wallets. Available currency options include EUR, USD, GBP, JPY, and AUD. In order to avoid conversion fees, choose a currency for your account that is the same as the currency you use for deposits and withdrawals.

Customer Service

LBLV provides customer support through various channels to cater to the diverse needs of its clients.

Traders can reach out to the support team via email, with dedicated email addresses for different languages and regions, includingclientservices-th@lblv.com, clientservice-ru@lblv.com, clientservice-pt@lblv.com, and clientservices@lblv.com.

Additionally, traders can contact LBLV's customer support team by phone at +1 8447924568, providing a direct and immediate way to seek assistance.

LBLV also offers live chat support, allowing traders to engage with a support representative in real-time for quick assistance.

Moreover, LBLV maintains a presence on social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram.

Conclusion

LBLV presents an array of trading instruments and diverse account options, which can be enticing for traders seeking flexibility. However, there are significant red flags that cast doubt on its safety and legitimacy. The most concerning aspect is the revoked regulation by the Seychelles FSA, leaving investors with minimal protection. This, coupled with reports of difficulty withdrawing funds and a high minimum deposit, makes LBLV a highly risky choice for most investors.

We strongly advise to avoid LBLV and prioritize platforms with robust regulatory oversight and a commitment to investor protection.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Is LBLV regulated？

A: No, LBLV was previously regulated by FSA, but its regulation has been revoked.

Q: What trading instruments are available on LBLV？

A: LBLV offers a wide range of trading instruments, including currencies, indices, stocks, metals, commodities, and digital currencies.

Q: What is the minimum deposit required to open an account with LBLV？

A: $5,000.

Q: Are there any restrictions on who can trade with LBLV？

A: LBLV is not available to residents and citizens of certain regions, including the USA and North Korea.

Q: What leverage is available on LBLV？

A: LBLV offers leverage of up to 1:400.

Risk Warning

Online trading involves significant risk, and you may lose all of your invested capital. It is not suitable for all traders or investors. Please ensure that you understand the risks involved and note that the information provided in this review may be subject to change due to the constant updating of the company's services and policies.

In addition, the date on which this review was generated may also be an important factor to consider, as information may have changed since then. Therefore, readers are advised to always verify updated information directly with the company before making any decision or taking any action. Responsibility for the use of the information provided in this review rests solely with the reader.