HFM vs Interactive Brokers: licences compared

Side-by-side view of each broker's licences, regulator tiers and key facts. Remember that protection depends on which entity holds your account.

AttributeHFMInteractive Brokers
Licence Score70Strong83Very strong
Strongest licence 1 Tier 1 1 Tier 1
Licences on record78
1 FCA United Kingdom LicensedLicensed
1 ASIC Australia —Licensed
1 JFSA Japan —Licensed
1 CFTC / NFA United States —Licensed
1 MAS Singapore —Licensed
1 CIRO Canada —Licensed
1 SFC Hong Kong —Licensed
1 CBI Ireland —Licensed
2 CySEC Cyprus Licensed · Licence 183/12—
2 FSCA South Africa Licensed · FSP 46632—
2 DFSA United Arab Emirates Licensed—
3 FSC (MU) Mauritius Licensed—
3 CMA (Kenya) Kenya Licensed—
4 FSA (Seychelles) Seychelles Licensed—
Founded20101978
HeadquartersCyprusUnited States
TypeForex & CFD brokerMulti-asset broker
Publicly listedNoNASDAQ:IBKR
PlatformsMT4, MT5, ProprietaryProprietary
Minimum depositNo minimumNo minimum
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Frequently asked questions

Is HFM or Interactive Brokers better regulated?

Interactive Brokers has the higher Licence Score (83 vs 70), based on the number and tier of licences, operating history and public listing.

Which regulators license both HFM and Interactive Brokers?

Both are matched to licences from FCA.

Risk warning: CFDs and leveraged forex are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Most retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. Consider whether you understand how they work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. Read more.