Best Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Regulated Brokers 2025
We’ve personally tested and ranked the top brokers regulated by the US Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), ensuring high standards of trust and reliability.
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1eToro is a platform for social investing that provides options for both short and long-term trading on stocks, ETFs, options, and crypto. The platform is recognized for its easy-to-use, community-oriented interface and reasonable fees. With oversight from FINRA and SIPC, and used by millions globally, eToro is a reputed name in the industry. Trading on eToro is facilitated by eToro USA Securities, Inc.
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2Interactive Brokers (IBKR) is a top brokerage firm offering access to 150 markets in 33 countries and a range of investment services. With 40 years in the field, this company listed on Nasdaq strictly follows the rules set by authorities such as the SEC, FCA, CIRO, and SFC. It's recognized as one of the most reliable brokers for global trading.
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3Moomoo is a regulated trading platform which is controlled by SEC. It provides a simple, cost-effective method to trade in stocks, ETFs, and various assets from China, Hong Kong, Singapore, the US, and Australia. They provide the option for margin trading, along with no deposit account and several bonus options.
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4Firstrade is a US-based discount broker-dealer authorized by the SEC and a member of FINRA/SIPC. It offers welcome bonuses, advanced tools and apps, and commission-free trading. Firstrade Securities is a popular top online brokerage, and opening a new account is fast and simple.
Compare Brokers
| Broker |  |
USD Account |
Demo Account |
Minimum Deposit |
Minimum Trade |
Leverage |
Copy Trading |
Regulator |
Instruments |
Platforms |
Account Currencies |
Automated Trading |
AI |
Guaranteed Stop Loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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✓ | ✓ | $100 | $10 | ✗ | ✓ | SEC, FINRA | Stocks, Options, ETFs, Crypto | eToro Trading Platform & CopyTrader | USD | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | |
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✓ | ✓ | $0 | $100 | 1:50 | ✗ | FCA, SEC, FINRA, CFTC, CBI, CIRO, SFC, MAS, MNB, FINMA, AFM | Stocks, Options, Futures, Forex, Funds, Bonds, ETFs, Mutual Funds, CFDs, Cryptocurrencies | Trader Workstation (TWS), IBKR Desktop, GlobalTrader, Mobile, Client Portal, AlgoTrader, OmniTrader, TradingView, eSignal, TradingCentral, ProRealTime, Quantower | USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, INR, JPY, SEK, NOK, DKK, CHF, AED, HUF | Capitalise.ai & TWS API | ✓ | ✗ | |
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✓ | ✓ | $0 | $0 | 1:2 | ✗ | SEC, FINRA, MAS, ASIC, SFC | Stocks, Options, ETFs, ADRs, OTCs ,Futures | Desktop Platform, Mobile App | USD, HKD, SGD | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | |
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✓ | ✗ | $0 | $1 | ✗ | ✗ | SEC, FINRA | Stocks, ETFs, Options, Mutual Funds, Bonds, Cryptos, Fixed | TradingCentral | USD | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | |
| Broker | |
USD Account |
Demo Account |
Minimum Deposit |
Minimum Trade |
Leverage |
Copy Trading |
Regulator |
Instruments |
Platforms |
Account Currencies |
Automated Trading |
AI |
Guaranteed Stop Loss |
Safety Comparison
Compare how safe the Best Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Regulated Brokers 2025 are.
| Broker | Trust Rating |
Guaranteed Stop Loss |
Negative Balance Protection |
Segregated Accounts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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✗ | ✗ | ✓ | |
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✗ | ✓ | ✓ | |
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✗ | ✗ | ✓ | |
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✗ | ✗ | ✗ | |
| Broker | Trust Rating |
Guaranteed Stop Loss |
Negative Balance Protection |
Segregated Accounts |
Mobile Trading Comparison
Compare the mobile trading features of the Best Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Regulated Brokers 2025.
| Broker | Mobile Apps |
iOS Rating |
Android Rating |
Smart Watch App |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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iOS & Android | ✗ | ||
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iOS & Android | ✓ | ||
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Yes (iOS & Android) | ✗ | ||
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iOS & Android | ✗ | ||
| Broker | Mobile Apps |
iOS Rating |
Android Rating |
Smart Watch App |
Comparison for Beginners
Compare how suitable the Best Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Regulated Brokers 2025 are for beginners.
| Broker | Demo Account |
Minimum Deposit |
Minimum Trade |
Education Rating |
Support Rating |
Fractional Shares |
Demo Competitions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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✓ | $100 | $10 | ✓ | ✗ | ||
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✓ | $0 | $100 | ✓ | ✗ | ||
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✓ | $0 | $0 | ✗ | ✗ | ||
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✗ | $0 | $1 | ✓ | ✗ | ||
| Broker | Demo Account |
Minimum Deposit |
Minimum Trade |
Education Rating |
Support Rating |
Fractional Shares |
Demo Competitions |
Comparison for Advanced Traders
Compare how suitable the Best Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Regulated Brokers 2025 are for advanced or professional traders.
| Broker | Automated Trading |
VPS |
API |
AI |
Pro Account |
Leverage |
Low Latency |
Extended Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
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Capitalise.ai & TWS API | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | 1:50 | ✓ | ✓ |
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✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | 1:2 | ✗ | ✓ |
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✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Broker | Automated Trading |
VPS |
API |
AI |
Pro Account |
Leverage |
Low Latency |
Extended Hours |
Accounts Comparison
Compare the trading accounts offered by Best Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Regulated Brokers 2025.
| Broker | Demo Account |
Interest on Cash |
Islamic Account |
Joint Account |
Managed Account |
PAMM |
MAM |
LAMM |
Pro Account |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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✓ | USD: 4.9% | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
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✓ | USD: 4.8%, GBP: 4.7% | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
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✓ | USD: 5.1% | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
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✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Broker | Demo Account |
Interest on Cash |
Islamic Account |
Joint Account |
Managed Account |
PAMM |
MAM |
LAMM |
Pro Account |
Detailed Rating Comparison
Compare how we rated the Best Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Regulated Brokers 2025 in key areas.
| Broker | Trust |
Platforms |
Assets |
Mobile |
Fees |
Accounts |
Research |
Education |
Support |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Broker | Trust |
Platforms |
Assets |
Mobile |
Fees |
Accounts |
Research |
Education |
Support |
Fee and Cost Comparison
Compare the cost of trading with the Best Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Regulated Brokers 2025.
| Broker | Cost Rating |
Fixed Spreads |
Inactivity Fee |
CFD Stocks Spread |
EUR/USD Spread |
Crypto Spread |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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✓ | $10 | $0 | ✗ | BTC 0.75% | |
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✗ | $0 | 0.003 | 0.08-0.20 bps x trade value | 0.12%-0.18% | |
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✗ | $0 | $0 per trade | ✗ | ✗ | |
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✗ | $0 | $0 per trade | ✗ | Variable | |
| Broker | Cost Rating |
Fixed Spreads |
Inactivity Fee |
CFD Stocks Spread |
EUR/USD Spread |
Crypto Spread |
Broker Popularity
See how popular the Best Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Regulated Brokers 2025 are in terms of number of clients.
| Broker | Popularity |
|---|---|
| Moomoo |
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| Interactive Brokers |
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| eToro USA |
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Why Trade With eToro USA?
eToro is a top choice for traders due to its top-notch social investing and copy trading services. The broker caters well to new traders with its low deposit requirement, commission-free trading, and user-friendly platform.
Pros
- Traders can use Smart Portfolios for a simpler approach, covering multiple sectors and markets like renewable energy and artificial intelligence.
- The broker's Academy provides extensive educational resources for traders, ranging from beginners to advanced levels.
- The online broker provides a user-friendly social investment network for easy crypto trading replication.
Cons
- Average fees can reduce the profits of traders.
- There are fewer trading options available, including only stocks, ETFs, and cryptos, compared to competitors.
- The exclusive terminal does not accommodate trading bots and lacks extra equity market analysis tools.
Why Trade With Interactive Brokers?
Interactive Brokers is ideal for seasoned traders due to its robust charting platforms, updated data, and adaptability, especially with the IBKR Desktop application. Its exceptional pricing and advanced order features appeal to traders, and its variety of stocks remains unmatched in the market.
Pros
- IBKR provides a cost-effective platform for traders by offering low fees, narrow spreads, and clear pricing.
- The TWS platform is designed for intermediate to advanced traders. It includes over 100 order types and a dependable real-time market data feed that rarely experiences downtime.
- Interactive Brokers was named Best US Broker for 2025 by DayTrading.com for its dedication to US traders, ultra-low margin rates, and affordable global market access.
Cons
- TWS's platform may be difficult for beginners to grasp because of its complexity. Plus500's web platform, on the other hand, is more appropriate for those new to trading.
- IBKR offers many research tools. However, the tools are not uniformly distributed across trading platforms and the web-based 'Account Management' page, causing confusion for the users.
- Only one active session per account is allowed, which means you can't run the desktop version and mobile app at the same time. This can sometimes lead to a frustrating trading experience.
Why Trade With Moomoo?
Moomoo is a great option for beginner and intermediate traders aiming to diversify their investment portfolio. The brokerage's app is easily navigable and the trading fees are significantly low.
Pros
- The broker provides early access to trading hours before the market opens.
- Moomoo is a FINRA and SIPC member, providing additional security for potential clients interested in trading.
- The 'Moomoo Token' produces changing passwords to enhance transaction security - a distinctive and practical safety measure for traders.
Cons
- Regrettably, even with its existing security features, this platform still lacks 2 factor authentication (2FA).
- The protection against negative balance, a standard security measure at highly regulated brokers, is not available here.
- The broker doesn't offer phone or live chat support, options typically provided by other brokers.
Why Trade With Firstrade?
Firstrade is ideal for beginners wanting to trade US stocks without commission fees. It offers plenty of free educational resources and high-quality research, including its new FirstradeGPT tool. Users also get trading ideas from Morningstar, Briefing.com, Zacks, and Benzinga.
Pros
- Trusted US-regulated broker, member of SIPC
- FirstradeGPT ranks among the initial brokers to offer AI-powered analysis.
- Great broker for cost-conscious traders with low OTC fees
Cons
- Firstrade emphasizes stocks and lacks forex options, reducing diversification opportunities.
- Visa card deposits and withdrawals are not accepted.
- Customer support needs improvement after testing, with no 24/7 help available.
Filters
Understanding FINRA: Simplified
In the world of investing and trading in the U.S., there’s a major player that helps keep everything in line. It’s called FINRA, short for the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. But what exactly does FINRA do? Let’s break it down.
What is FINRA?
FINRA is like the traffic cop for the U.S. investment industry. It’s a big organization that isn’t run by the government but has a lot of power to regulate securities firms, or companies that deal with investments. It makes sure these companies play by the rules to protect people like you and me who invest our money.
What Does FINRA Do?
To help investors, FINRA does several things:
– It creates and enforces rules for trading securities, like stocks and bonds.
– It takes action against companies and brokers who break these rules.
– It helps resolve disputes between investors and brokers.
Think of FINRA as a referee in a sports game who makes sure everyone plays fairly and honestly.
A Brief History of FINRA
FINRA was born in 2007 when two big financial groups, the New York Stock Exchange’s regulatory arm and the National Association of Securities Dealers, decided to join forces. They wanted to create a single body that could better oversee the relationship between dealers, brokers, and investors, all while saving money and reducing overlap in regulation.
How FINRA is Structured
FINRA is run by a group called the Board of Governors, which includes:
– The CEO of FINRA
– The CEO of NYSE Regulation
– 11 Public Governors who don’t work in finance
– 10 Industry Governors who come from within the financial sector
The organization has more than 3,400 employees based primarily in Washington D.C. and New York, with other offices spread across the U.S. These employees make sure companies dealing with investments are following FINRA’s rules.
What Can FINRA Do?
FINRA has several important roles:
– It licenses brokers to sell securities.
– It makes sure those brokers continue to meet educational and ethical standards.
– It investigates complaints and issues warnings or penalties for misconduct.
Imagine if you need a special license to drive a car. FINRA is the one that issues those licenses to brokers and makes sure they follow the rules of the road.
FINRA’s Key Rules
FINRA has several important rules to protect investors:
– Best Execution Rule: Brokers must make trades that benefit their clients the most.
– Suitability Rule: Brokers need to ensure investments suit the individual needs of their clients.
– Pay to Play Rule: This limits practices where investments could be influenced by government perks.
These rules are like the laws in a city, ensuring everyone behaves properly and fairly.
Getting Qualified with FINRA
To work in securities, brokers have to pass tests and continue their education. FINRA provides exams and resources to help them do so.
They also have tools for investors, like a Fund Analyzer, which helps you assess investment funds to see what might work best for you.
Handling Disputes
If there are disagreements between an investor and a broker, FINRA can help solve them without going to court. This process is called arbitration and mediation—think of it as finding a peaceful way to resolve a dispute.
Criticisms of FINRA
Despite its role in maintaining fair practices, FINRA does face criticism. Some people believe it isn’t supervised closely enough by the SEC, and that it acts too much like a government body without actually being one. There also have been concerns about declining fines for violations, suggesting decreased enforcement.
FINRA Today
FINRA doesn’t just enforce rules; it also educates brokers and investors, aiming to improve standards within the financial world. They regularly release information on how they are planning to regulate and oversee the market, addressing certain financial products and practices.
Staying Safe as an Investor
Before choosing a broker or trading firm, you should check their record with FINRA. They provide tools that allow you to search for firms and brokers to see if they’ve had any rule violations.
Final Thoughts
FINRA plays a vital role in keeping the securities market honest and safe. By being informed and using FINRA as a resource, you can make better decisions when choosing where and with whom to invest your money. Always do your research and check their standing before committing your investments.