Getting Started
Now that your account is funded and approved you can start trading.
Your Money
Deposits and withdrawals general info. All transactions are administered through your Account Management.
Deposits
First, you set up banking instructions through your Account Management > Funding > Fund Transfers. You can set up Deposit information by choosing that Transaction Type then selecting the proper currency and choosing the Method: ACH Initiated By Us.
Then proceed to enter your Bank Account Number (twice), choose the type of account (checking or savings), enter the routing number or use the search tool to find it, and choose a name to reference in the future.
Continue to the next step. You will be required to complete two sets of verification with each new instruction. The first verification is through the use of a Registration Confirmation Number which will be sent to the user email address of record to confirm your email address. The second verification sends debit and credit amounts to your bank which appear on your bank statement and must be typed into your instruction as confirmation.
Withdrawals
Create a withdrawal instruction via your secure Account Management > Funding > Fund Transfers > Transaction Type: "Withdrawals". See How to Create a Withdrawal Instruction for detailed instructions.
If you instruct a withdrawal over the withdrawal limits, it will be considered an exceptional withdrawal and we will therefore need to match bank account holder and IB account. If destination bank account has been used for a deposit, withdrawal will be processed; otherwise, you must contact customer service and provide the documents needed.
Zions Direct Bank Sweep Program
If you no longer want to participate in the bank sweep option with our affiliate, Zions Bancorporation, N.A., please email support@zionsdirect.com with your request.
Troubleshooting
Deposit
My bank sent the money but I do not see it credited into my IB account.
- A fund transfer takes 1-4 business days.
- A Deposit Notification is missing. You have to create it via your Account Management and send a ticket to Customer Service.
- Amending details are missing. Your name or IB account number is missing in the transfer details. You have to contact your bank and ask for the full amending details.
- ACH initiated by IB is limited to 100k USD in a 7 business period. If you opened a Portfolio Margin account where the initial requirement is 110k, a wire deposit might be the better deposit option to reduce wait time for your first trade. If selecting ACH a wait time of almost 2 weeks or a temporary downgrade to RegT can be possible solutions.
Withdrawals
I have requested a withdrawal but I do not see the money credited to my bank account.
- A fund transfer takes 1-4 business days.
- Rejected. Over the max it can be withdrawn. Please check your account cash balance. Note that for regulatory requirements, when the funds are deposited, there is a 3 day holding period before they can be withdrawn.
- Your bank returned the funds. Probably because receiving bank account and remitting bank account names do not match.
Configure Your Account to Trade
Difference between Cash and Margin accounts: If you have chosen the FastTrack application, by default your account type is a cash account with US stock permission. If you would like to get leverage and trade on margin, see How to Upgrade to a RegT Margin Account.
Trading Permissions
In order to be able to trade a particular asset class in a particular country, you need to get the trading permission for it via your Account Management. Please note that trading permissions are free. You might however be asked to sign risk disclosures required by local regulatory authorities. See How to Request Trading Permissions for detailed instructions.
Market Data
If you want to have market data in real-time for a particular product/exchange, you need to subscribe to a market data package charged by the exchange. See How to Subscribe to Market Data for detailed instructions.
The Market data assistant will help you choose the right package. Please watch this video explaining how it works.
Customers have the option to receive delayed market data for free by clicking the Free Delayed Data button from a non-subscribed ticker row.
How to Trade
The Trader's University is the place to go when you want to learn how to use our Platforms. Here you will find our webinars, live and recorded in 10 languages and tours and documentation about our various Trading Platforms.
WebTrader
Traders who prefer a clean and simple interface can use our HTML-based WebTrader, which makes it easy to view market data, submit orders, and monitor your account and executions. Use the latest WebTrader from every browser.
Trader Workstation (TWS)
Traders who require more sophisticated trading tools can use our market maker-designed Trader Workstation (TWS), which optimizes your trading speed and efficiency with an easy-to-use spreadsheet interface, support for more than 60 order types, task-specific trading tools for all trading styles, and real-time account balance and activity monitoring. Try the two models: TWS Mosaic, Intuitive usability, easy trading access, order management, watchlist, and charts all in one window, or TWS Classic, Advanced Order Management for traders who need more advanced tools and algos.
- General Description and Information
- Quick Start Guide
- User Guide
- TWS Basics Interactive Tour
- TWS Configuration Interactive Tour
- TWS Mosaic Interactive Tour
- How to Place a Trade Video TWS Mosiac
- How to Place a Trade Video TWS Classic
- Trading Tools Description and Information
- Trading Tools User Guide
- How to Install Java for Windows
- How to Install Java for macOS
- TWS Login
- Donwload TWS
MobileTrader
Our mobile solutions allow you to trade your IB account on the go. The mobileTWS for iOS and the mobileTWS for BlackBerry are custom-designed for these popular models, while the generic MobileTrader supports most other Smart phones. See General Description and Information for more details.
Order Types
Order types and algos may help limit risk, speed execution, provide price improvement, allow privacy, time the market and simplify the trading process through advanced trading functions.
Paper Trading
Once your paper account is created, you can share the market data of your real account with your paper trading account: Account Management > Manage Account > Settings > Paper trading.
Enrich Your Experience
Contract Search
Here you will find all our products, symbols and specifications.
Account Management
As our trading platforms give you access to the markets, the Account Management grants you access to your IB account. Use Account Management to manage account-related tasks such as depositing or withdrawing funds, viewing your statements, modifying market data and news subscriptions, changing your trading permissions, and verifying or changing your personal information.
IB Knowledge Base
The Knowledge Base is a repository of glossary terms, how-to articles, troubleshooting tips and guidelines designed to assist IB customers with the management of their IB accounts. Just enter in the search button what you are looking for and you will get the answer.
Statements and Reports
Easy to view and customize, our statements and reports cover all aspects of your Interactive Brokers account.
Secure Login System
To provide you with the highest level of online security, Interactive Brokers has implemented a Secure Login System (SLS) through which access to your account is subject to two-factor authentication. Two-factor authentication serves to confirm your identity at the point of login using two security factors: 1) Something you know (your username and password combination); and 2) Something you have (an IB issued security device which generates a random, single-use security code). As both knowledge of your username/password and physical possession of the security device are required to login to your account, participation in the Secure Login System virtually eliminates the possibility of anyone other than you accessing your account.
In case you forgot your password or lost your security code card, please call us for immediate assistance.