Best US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Regulated Brokers 2026
We’ve tested and ranked the top brokers regulated by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), providing peace of mind for traders in the United States.
Written ByRoyston Wild
Royston is a seasoned investor and financial writer with over a decade of experience analyzing brokers and investment markets. With a background in stocks, commodities, and forex reporting - he brings a fresh perspective to broker evaluations.
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Fact Checked ByJames Barra
James is an experienced broker analyst with a background in financial services. He has spent 2,500+ hours testing brokers, used 35+ different platforms and apps, audited 120+ broker T&Cs, and verified 300+ regulatory licenses.
James Barra Profile Page
Edited ByTobias Robinson
Tobias is committed to helping traders find the right brokerage for their needs. He has tested 200+ brokers, spent 2,600+ hours using different platforms, and placed 2,100+ trades.
Tobias Robinson Profile PageJune 8, 2026
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1Interactive Brokers (IBKR) is a leading brokerage offering access to over 170 markets in 40 countries and a range of investment services. With 40+ years in the industry, this Nasdaq-listed company follows strict regulations by the SEC, FCA, CIRO, and SFC, making it a trusted global trading broker.
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2eToro 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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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.
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5Crypto.com is a major name in cryptocurrency trading, designed to speed up the global shift to DeFi technologies. The exchange provides token lending, prepaid cards, NFTs, and more. Founded in Germany in 2016, it serves 150 million users.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
✓ | ✓ | $0 | $100 | 1:50 (major forex pairs), 1:2-1:4 (equities) | ✗ | SEC, FINRA, CFTC, NFA, CIRO, FCA, CBI, ASIC, SFC, SEBI, JFSA, MAS | Stocks, Options, Futures, Forex, Funds, Bonds, ETFs, Mutual Funds, Cryptocurrencies, CFDs Stocks, Options, Futures, Forex, Funds, Bonds, ETFs, Mutual Funds, 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 | ✓ | ✗ | |
 |
✓ | ✓ | $100 | $10 | ✗ | ✓ | SEC, FINRA | Stocks, Options, ETFs, Crypto | eToro Trading Platform & CopyTrader | USD | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | |
 |
✓ | ✓ | $0 | $0 | 1:2 | ✗ | SEC, FINRA, SIPC, MAS, SFC, ASIC, FMA, CIRO, CIPF, JFSA, SC | 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 | Firstrade Invest 3.0, TradingCentral | USD | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | |
 |
✓ | ✓ | Varies by payment method | $1 | ✗ | ✗ | SEC, FCA, MAS, AMF, CySEC, CBI, ASIC, FINTRAC, CIMA, VARA, OAM, HCMC, CFTC, OSC, KoFIU | Crypto, Stocks, ETFs, Prediction Markets and Strike Options (US only) | Own | USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, NZD, ZAR, TRY, SEK, NOK, DKK, CHF, HKD, PLN, CZK, AED, SAR, HUF, BRL, KES | DCA Auto-Staking | ✗ | ✗ | |
| 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 US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Regulated Brokers 2026 are.
| Broker | Trust Rating |
Guaranteed Stop Loss |
Negative Balance Protection |
Segregated Accounts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
✗ | ✓ | ✓ | |
|
✗ | ✗ | ✓ | |
|
✗ | ✗ | ✓ | |
|
✗ | ✗ | ✗ | |
|
✗ | ✗ | ✓ | |
| Broker | Trust Rating |
Guaranteed Stop Loss |
Negative Balance Protection |
Segregated Accounts |
Mobile Trading Comparison
Compare the mobile trading features of the Best US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Regulated Brokers 2026.
| 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 | ✗ | ||
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iOS & Android | ✗ | ||
| Broker | Mobile Apps |
iOS Rating |
Android Rating |
Smart Watch App |
Comparison for Beginners
Compare how suitable the Best US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Regulated Brokers 2026 are for beginners.
| Broker | Demo Account |
Minimum Deposit |
Minimum Trade |
Education Rating |
Support Rating |
Fractional Shares |
Demo Competitions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
✓ | $0 | $100 | ✓ | ✗ | ||
|
✓ | $100 | $10 | ✓ | ✗ | ||
|
✓ | $0 | $0 | ✗ | ✗ | ||
|
✗ | $0 | $1 | ✓ | ✗ | ||
|
✓ | Varies by payment method | $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 US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Regulated Brokers 2026 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 (major forex pairs), 1:2-1:4 (equities) | ✓ | ✓ |
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✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
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✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | 1:2 | ✗ | ✓ |
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✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
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DCA Auto-Staking | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Broker | Automated Trading |
VPS |
API |
AI |
Pro Account |
Leverage |
Low Latency |
Extended Hours |
Accounts Comparison
Compare the trading accounts offered by Best US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Regulated Brokers 2026.
| Broker | Demo Account |
Interest on Cash |
Islamic Account |
Joint Account |
Managed Account |
PAMM |
MAM |
LAMM |
Pro Account |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
✓ | USD: 3.14%, GBP: 3.24% | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
|
✓ | USD: 4.05% | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
|
✓ | USD: 3.35% | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
|
✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
|
✓ | USD: 5% | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| 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 US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Regulated Brokers 2026 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 US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Regulated Brokers 2026.
| Broker | Cost Rating |
Fixed Spreads |
Inactivity Fee |
EUR/USD Spread |
Crypto Spread |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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✗ | $0 | 0.08-0.20 bps x trade value | 0.12%-0.18% | |
|
✓ | $10 | ✗ | BTC 0.75% | |
|
✗ | $0 | ✗ | ✗ | |
|
✗ | $0 | ✗ | Variable | |
|
✗ | $5 | ✗ | 0.075% (spot), 0.034% (derivatives) | |
| Broker | Cost Rating |
Fixed Spreads |
Inactivity Fee |
EUR/USD Spread |
Crypto Spread |
Broker Popularity
See how popular the Best US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Regulated Brokers 2026 are in terms of number of clients.
| Broker | Popularity |
|---|---|
| Crypto.com |
|
| Moomoo |
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| Interactive Brokers |
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| eToro USA |
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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
- Interactive Brokers was awarded 'Best US Broker' for 2025 by DayTrading.com for its dedication to US traders, ultra-low margin rates, and affordable global market access.
- Interactive Brokers has introduced a single platform combining prediction markets from Kalshi, CME Group, and ForecastEx. Users can trade yes/no contracts on political, economic, and climate events, with a fixed $1 payout per contract, 24/6 market access, and interest on qualified positions.
- The new IBKR Desktop platform combines the advantages of TWS and adds unique tools like Option Lattice and Screeners with MultiSort to make trading accessible and impressive for traders of all levels.
Cons
- TWS's platform may be difficult for beginners to grasp because of its complexity - we were overwhelmed during our initial tests by the sheer volume of tools, features and widgets.
- 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.
- Customer service may take time to respond, and there may be delays in fixing problems based on tests. It could be difficult to reach the customer service promptly.
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
- eToro USA Securities is a reliable broker that's regulated by the SEC, part of FINRA, and a member of SIPC.
- 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.
Cons
- The exclusive terminal does not accommodate trading bots and lacks extra equity market analysis tools.
- Traders used to third-party charting tools won't find MetaTrader 4 platform integration.
- There are fewer trading options available, including only stocks, ETFs, and cryptos, compared to competitors.
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's insights and analytics are more comprehensive and detailed than other brands.
- Moomoo is a FINRA and SIPC member, providing additional security for potential clients interested in trading.
Cons
- The account options are limited compared to similar brokerages, with no managed portfolios or robo-advisor solutions.
- The protection against negative balance, a standard security measure at highly regulated brokers, is not available here.
- The demo account is limited compared to live trading, lacking a desktop terminal, technical analysis tools, and after-hours trading, which may hinder traders from backtesting certain strategies.
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
- Over 90% of the evaluated options lack a demo or paper trading account.
- Customer support needs improvement after testing, with no 24/7 help available.
- Visa card deposits and withdrawals are not accepted.
Why Trade With Crypto.com?
Crypto.com is ideal for new crypto traders looking to buy, sell, and trade over 400 digital tokens. Its strike options and prediction markets cover financial, economic, election, sport, and cultural events. As a CFTC-regulated platform, it provides a secure choice for US traders interested in binary-style contracts using an easy-to-use app.
Pros
- The platform offers unified tracking for cryptocurrencies, stocks, ETFs, and prediction markets within one interface, making multi-asset management simpler and providing combined insights.
- The Crypto.com Exchange platform provides advanced bots like Dollar Cost Averaging (DCA), Time-Weighted Average Price (TWAP), and Grid Trading bots. Traders can automate strategies, including leveraged perpetual trades, reducing manual work and slippage.
- Crypto.com uses a cold wallet system with multi-signature technology and geographic distribution to improve security. This method ensures strong protection of user assets with secure offline storage.
Cons
- Fees apply to crypto and fiat withdrawals, which can be significant for active traders making smaller transfers. The minimum withdrawal limits are also high, limiting flexibility in managing smaller portfolios or immediate liquidity needs.
- Customer support mainly uses chatbots and email, with limited reliable phone support from our testing. This may cause delays in solving urgent issues like account access or transaction problems, which can be frustrating for crypto traders needing quick help.
- The app has high bid-ask spreads on many coins, which can be expensive for traders using market orders. Wide spreads mean the buying price is significantly higher than the selling price, reducing profits, especially in low-volume trades.
Filters
How We Chose The Top SEC-Regulated Brokers
We did three things:
- We checked the regulatory status of each broker in our expanding database. In doing so, we personally checked that each broker claiming SEC approval on their website is listed on the regulator’s Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval (or EDGAR) online database. We then cross-referenced this with Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) – which operates under the SEC’s umbrella – using its BrokerCheck online tool.
- Our ongoing process also involves regularly re-checking every brokerage’s status – as licenses can be revoked – and researching whether any investigations have been launched into the company or any penalties imposed for any regulatory infractions.
- We ranked SEC-regulated brokers by their total ratings, taking into account their regulatory status alongside other factors including their trading platforms, fees and costs, range of tradeable markets and customer service. This mixes real-world testing with the hundreds of data points that we collect for each brokerage.
What Is The SEC?
Investment-related fraud is booming in the US, with statistics showing that scams cost victims a stunning $8.6bn in 2025. It’s therefore essential that you ensure the service provider you’re considering is above board and approved by a trusted body like the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
The SEC – which was established in 1934 – is a federal government regulator “protecting investors, maintaining fair, orderly, and efficient markets, and facilitating capital formation.” In US securities markets, it is rulemaker, supervisor and enforcer, overseeing a wide range of entities including:
- Brokerages.
- Investment advisers.
- Financial exchanges.
- Clearing agencies.
- Pooled investment products, like mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs).
The regulator’s authority is underpinned in a range of federal securities laws. These include the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940.
More recent legislation has allowed it to keep pace with changing financial markets, including the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act which, among other things, has improved the policing of financial derivatives following the 2008 Great Financial Crisis.
Pro tip: The SEC has obtained Category A status with BrokerListings.com under our Regulator Rating System. The result? Traders enjoy robust levels of protection using an SEC-registered broker, as well as dealing in US financial markets more generally.
What Powers Does The SEC Have?
The SEC enforces federal securities laws passed by Congress by issuing rules and regulations. It carries out investigations when it believes misconduct may have occurred, and has a range of enforcement actions it can impose upon rulebreakers.
These include:
- Issuing financial penalties.
- Preventing individuals or companies from temporarily or permanently operating in the securities industry.
- Forcing rulebreakers to return any ill-gotten gains (known as ‘disgorgement’).
- Seeking court-ordered injunctions to stop ongoing illegal practices.
Unlike many other global regulators, the SEC doesn’t issue licenses that allow brokerages to do business. Instead, companies are required to register with it, while also joining membership of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).
FINRA operates under the supervision of the SEC, and is the main self-regulatory body for brokers in the US. Its role is “to protect investors and safeguard the integrity of our vibrant capital markets to ensure that everyone can invest with confidence.”
In practical terms, the SEC is the ultimate supervisor of brokers conduct, but it delegates day-to-day overseeing of these companies’ conduct to FINRA. Like the SEC, FINRA can also carry out enforcement actions when it deems rulebreaking has occurred.
SEC Actions Against Brokers
One of the SEC’s most high-profile recent cases involved the collapse of cryptocurrency trading firm FTX in 2022.
It worked alongside criminal prosecutors to investigate and convict company insiders – including company founder Sam Bankman-Fried – for defrauding investors. Today it is monitoring the disgorgement of up to $16.5 billion to affected FTX investors from the former broker’s recovery trust.
In March 2026, the SEC settled charges against Canaccord Genuity after the broker failed to file suspicious activity reports between February 2019 and March 2022. The misconduct occurred at Canaccord’s over-the-counter (OTC) market-making division.
The company agreed to the entry of a cease-and-desist order, to pay a penalty of $20 million, and to be censured.
What Rules Must An SEC Broker Follow?
Brokerages must meet strict regulatory requirements laid down by the SEC to operate in the US. These are wide-reaching, and include:
- Ensuring that recommendations are made in “the customer’s best interest and [do not] place the broker-dealer’s interest ahead of the retail customer’s interest.”
- Properly disclosing “material fees and costs relating to the retail customer’s transactions, holdings and account.”
- Exercising “reasonable diligence, care, and skill when making a recommendation to a retail customer.”
- Making sure that marketing communications “are fair, balanced, and not misleading.”
- Keeping a record of “all information collected from and provided to the retail customer” for six years.
- Establishing systems that “segregate all customer cash or money obtained from the use of customer property that has not been used to finance transactions of other customers.”
- Taking steps to “establish, document, and maintain a system of risk management controls and supervisory procedures.”
Pro tip: Any broker that is SEC-regulated is automatically enrolled onto the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC). This safety net pays out compensation to traders and investors in the event the brokerage becomes insolvent. It also protects individuals if they fall victim to fraud.
The maximum amount an individual can claim under the SIPC framework is $500,000, which includes a $250,000 limit for cash holdings.
How Can I Check That The Brokerage Is SEC Approved?
Establishing a broker’s regulatory status with the SEC can take just a few minutes.
The SEC’s Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval – or EDGAR – online database lists all companies approved to do business in the US that fall within its remit. However, our testing showed that FINRA’s own online register BrokerCheck provides a better user experience.
Let’s say I wish to check the regulatory status of Firstrade. I’ll bring up BrokerCheck in my internet browser, select the ‘Firm’ tab in the search facility, type in the company’s name and click ‘Search’:
Looking for Firstrade on the BrokerCheck system
My search brings up two entries, one of which shows ‘Firstrade Securities’ as a FINRA-regulated (and by extension SEC-approved) entity:
Source: FINRA
By clicking on the entry, I can view more detailed information on Firstrade, including:
- Its Central Registration Depository (CRD) number, which FINRA provides to registered entities under its remit, as well as the broker’s SEC registration number.
- The company’s registered address.
- The date when it received SEC approval.
Source: FINRA
Pro tip: Users can also click on the ‘Detailed Report’ tab for more information on the broker, including the types of business it’s approved to carry out, and details on any previous sanctions or disciplinary actions it’s been subject to.
FINRA also maintains a list of Monthly Disciplinary Actions individuals can use to check whether the broker has a history of misconduct.
Bottom Line
Strict SEC supervision and enforcement mean traders in the US receive strong protections from bad business practices and fraud. Brokers who fail to meet the regulator’s high standards can be subject to a range of sanctions, from heavy financial penalties to permanent bans on dealing in financial securities.
The explosion of financial fraud online means it’s important to check the brokerage you’re considering is SEC approved if you plan to trade with a broker offering services within its remit, such as stocks, stock options, ETFs, bonds, and mutual funds. We recommend using FINRA’s online BrokerChecker tool to quickly and easily establish the company’s regulatory status.
Pro tip for US traders:
- You may also want a broker with a USD account for smooth funding.
- See our selection of the top US trading brokers, tailored to traders in the United States.