Interactive Brokers vs Saxo Bank (2026): regulation, platforms and costs compared

Advertiser disclosure: some links on this page may be affiliate links, meaning BrokerCatalogue may earn a commission if you open an account. This never affects the data shown here, which is drawn from our catalogue and compared mechanically. How we make money.

Data refreshed 25 Aug 2026 · Compiled by David Ispiryan

Interactive Brokers

Trust rank #2 · Editorial rating 10 / 10 · Founded 1977

Interactive Brokers is a well-regarded forex broker providing broad access to currency pairs, advanced trading platforms, and research and risk management tools. It supports multi-asset trading and a wide range of order…

Read the Interactive Brokers review

Saxo Bank

Trust rank #4 · Editorial rating 10 / 10 · Founded 1992

Saxo Bank is a well-regarded forex broker with a proprietary multi-asset trading platform, broad access to currency pairs, advanced charting, and research-driven tools. It emphasizes robust technology, risk management features, and a…

Read the Saxo Bank review

Interactive Brokers (United States, founded 1977) holds 15 regulatory licences (ASIC, CBI, CFTC, CIRO, CSSF…), 10 of them tier-1, offers Proprietary and sits in our low-fee bracket. Saxo Bank (Denmark, founded 1992) holds 6 regulatory licences (ASIC, DFSA, FCA, FINMA, MAS…), 5 of them tier-1, offers Proprietary, TradingView and sits in our low-fee bracket. The two overlap in 42 countries; Interactive Brokers is available in 176 countries where Saxo Bank is not, and Saxo Bank in 0 where Interactive Brokers is not.

Verdict at a glance

  • Interactive Brokers leads on trust rank, track record, regulatory coverage, country coverage and tier-1 licences.
  • Saxo Bank leads on platform choice.
  • Level on editorial rating, instrument range and fee level.

Scored on 9 measurable dimensions where both brokers have verified data. Dimensions missing for either side are excluded rather than guessed. This is a data summary, not a recommendation.

Interactive Brokers vs Saxo Bank: side-by-side data

CriteriaInteractive BrokersSaxo Bank
Editorial rating10 / 1010 / 10
Trust rank#2#4
Founded19771992
HeadquartersUnited StatesDenmark
RegulatorsASIC, CBI, CFTC, CIRO, CSSF, DFSA, FCA, FINRA, JFSA, MAS, MNB, NFA, SEBI, SEC, SFCASIC, DFSA, FCA, FINMA, MAS, SFC
Broker typeDMADMA, STP
PlatformsProprietaryProprietary, TradingView
InstrumentsCommodities, Cryptocurrencies, Forex, Indices, MetalsCommodities, Cryptocurrencies, Forex, Indices, Metals
Countries accepted218 countries42 countries
Fee levelLowLow
Trading typesCFD Trading, Spot TradingCFD Trading, Spot Trading
Best-for use casesProfessional Trading, Retail TradingProfessional Trading, Retail Trading

Highlighted cells mark the stronger value where a direction is objectively better (e.g. more licences, lower fees). "Not verified" means the field is not yet in our catalogue for that broker — we never fill gaps with estimates.

Pros

Interactive Brokers

  • Transparent commission-based FX pricing with tight spreads
  • Aggregated multi-bank liquidity (IDEALPRO)
  • Professional platforms (TWS) and institutional APIs (FIX/REST)
  • Advanced risk management with real-time margin analytics
  • Universal multi-asset account for FX hedging and settlement

Saxo Bank

  • Proprietary pro-grade platforms (SaxoTraderGO/PRO)
  • Deep liquidity aggregation; competitive FX spreads
  • Wide FX product suite: spot, forwards, swaps, options
  • DFSA-regulated bank; segregated client funds
  • OpenAPI/FIX access for algorithmic trading

Cons

Interactive Brokers

  • No MT4/MT5 support
  • Steep learning curve
  • Commission-based FX pricing
  • 25k IDEALPRO minimum order size
  • Limited funding methods

Saxo Bank

  • - No MetaTrader (MT4/MT5) support
  • - Higher spreads/commissions for Classic-tier accounts
  • - Best pricing/features require high balances (Platinum/VIP)
  • - Not available to U.S. residents
  • - Netting-only FX positions (no true hedging)

Key features

Interactive Brokers

  • Agency model with direct market access to multiple liquidity providers
  • Spot forex and forex CFDs across major and minor pairs
  • Trader Workstation FXTrader with advanced order types and depth of market
  • Smart order routing and transparent interbank pricing with commissions
  • FIX and REST API support for algorithmic forex trading
  • Two factor authentication IB Key and top tier global regulation

Saxo Bank

  • Multi asset trading across forex cfds futures options stocks and bonds
  • Tier one regulation and banking license with segregated client funds and two factor authentication
  • SaxoTraderGO and SaxoTraderPRO platforms with advanced charting and depth of book
  • Forex spot forwards and vanilla options with multi source aggregated liquidity
  • OpenAPI and FIX connectivity for algorithmic trading and platform integration
  • Volume based pricing tiers classic platinum and vip with reduced costs for high volume

Country availability: Interactive Brokers vs Saxo Bank

Available at both (42): Australia, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Greenland, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand and 2 more.

Only Interactive Brokers (176): Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bonaire, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei and 151 more.

Availability reflects the countries each broker declares it serves. Local rules change; confirm on the broker's own site before signing up.

Interactive Brokers vs Saxo Bank: common questions

Which broker is more regulated, Interactive Brokers or Saxo Bank?

Interactive Brokers holds more regulatory licences: Interactive Brokers (ASIC, CBI, CFTC, CIRO, CSSF, DFSA, FCA, FINRA, JFSA, MAS, MNB, NFA, SEBI, SEC, SFC) versus Saxo Bank (ASIC, DFSA, FCA, FINMA, MAS, SFC). Tier-1 licences: Interactive Brokers 10, Saxo Bank 5.

Which trading platforms do Interactive Brokers and Saxo Bank offer?

Interactive Brokers offers Proprietary; Saxo Bank offers Proprietary, TradingView.

Which has lower fees, Interactive Brokers or Saxo Bank?

Both sit in the same fee bracket (low) in our catalogue; compare the spreads and commission rows above for detail.

Which is older, Interactive Brokers or Saxo Bank?

Interactive Brokers is the older of the two, founded in 1977; Saxo Bank was founded in 1992.

Are Interactive Brokers and Saxo Bank available in the same countries?

They overlap in 42 countries. Interactive Brokers is additionally available in 176 countries (Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla and 170 more) and Saxo Bank in 0 countries ().

Keep comparing

Interactive Brokers

Saxo Bank

Risk warning: CFDs and forex are complex, leveraged instruments and carry a high risk of losing money rapidly. A majority of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. Nothing on this page is financial advice; verify licence status on the regulator's register before depositing. Full risk disclosure.