OKX or Interactive Brokers – which is better for UK traders 2025? Compare OKX and Interactive Brokers in this detailed breakdown of their platforms, features and fees.
OKX, a reputable cryptocurrency company founded in 2017, provides a wide range of products, including mining pools and NFTs. Traders have access to more than 400 crypto tokens through OTC trading and derivatives. The firm features an outstanding web platform, developer tools, and dynamic charts, making it a favoured option for technical traders.
Interactive Brokers (IBKR), a leading brokerage, offers access to 150 markets across 33 countries and provides extensive investment services. With more than 40 years of experience, this Nasdaq-listed company complies with strict regulations from the SEC, FCA, CIRO, and SFC. It is among the most reliable brokers worldwide for traders.
Pros
A vast array of blockchain products is available, featuring DeFi services, NFTs, and games, along with over 400 established and emerging cryptocurrencies.
In 2025, OKX obtained a MiFID II licence, allowing it to offer regulated derivatives across Europe, ensuring peace of mind for traders.
Access a diverse array of trading instruments, such as futures, options, and perpetual swaps, through both mobile and desktop platforms.
OKX enjoys a strong reputation, serving 20 million clients worldwide and holding a licence from the Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority.
Traders can obtain historical market information for both spot and futures markets, including OHLC data, aggregate trade details, and trading records.
The platform offers an extensive developer lab and access to a marketplace of pre-built trading bots equipped with automatic arbitrage functionalities.
Active traders benefit from competitive rates, with maker fees starting at 0.02% and taker fees at 0.05%.
Crypto staking and pools offer competitive mining fees starting at 2%.
IBKR is a highly respected brokerage, regulated by top-tier authorities, ensuring the integrity and security of your trading account.
The TWS platform is tailored for intermediate and advanced traders, featuring over 100 order types and a dependable real-time market data feed with exceptional uptime.
Interactive Brokers has been awarded Best US Broker for 2025 by DayTrading.com. This accolade highlights its dedication to traders in the US, offering exceptionally low margin rates and access to global markets at minimal expense.
The new IBKR Desktop platform combines the top features of TWS with customised tools such as Option Lattice and MultiSort Screeners, providing an impressive trading experience for traders of all skill levels.
A wide range of third-party research subscriptions, both free and paid, are available for traders. Additionally, by subscribing to Toggle AI, traders can receive commission rebates from IBKR.
IBKR consistently offers unparalleled access to global equities, with thousands of shares available across over 100 market centres in 24 countries, including the recently added Saudi Stock Exchange.
While initially targeting seasoned traders, IBKR has recently widened its appeal by eliminating its $10,000 minimum deposit requirement.
IBKR offers an economical environment for traders, featuring low commissions, narrow spreads, and a clear fee structure.
Cons
The firm has minimal regulatory oversight, which is typical for crypto brokers.
Testing revealed that customer support quality varied.
The broker's platform and features might feel intricate for beginners.
The learning curve for TWS is quite steep, making it tough for novice traders to navigate and grasp all its features. In contrast, Plus500's web platform is far more accessible for those new to trading.
IBKR offers a variety of research tools, but their inconsistent placement across trading platforms and the 'Account Management' webpage creates a confusing experience for users.
Support can be sluggish and frustrating. Tests reveal that you may face challenges reaching customer service quickly, which could result in delays in issue resolution.
You are limited to a single active session per account, meaning you cannot use both your desktop programme and mobile app at the same time. This restriction can occasionally lead to a frustrating experience for traders.
The IBKR Mobile app, for iOS and Android, transforms your phone into a robust portal to access your IBKR accounts. It allows users to monitor portfolios, execute trades, view real-time quotes and charts, and manage account activities seamlessly. With its intuitive design, the app is particularly user-friendly for novices, offering a simpler experience compared to the advanced TWS platform.
iOS App Rating
4.6
4.3
Android App Rating
4.3
4.5
Margin Trading
Yes
Yes
Margin Rate
1.55 - 2.59%
MetaTrader 4
No
No
MetaTrader 5
No
No
cTrader
No
No
AlgoTrader
Yes
Yes
OmniTrader
No
Yes
TradingView
No
Yes
Autochartist
No
No
eSignal
No
Yes
Trading Central
No
Yes
STP Account
No
Yes
ECN Account
No
No
DMA Account
No
Yes
MAM Account
No
Yes
PAMM Account
No
No
LAMM Account
No
No
Demat Account
No
No
AI / Machine Learning
No
Yes
Robo Advisor
No
Yes
Negative Balance Protection
No
Yes
Market Maker
No
No
P2P Trading
Yes
No
Spot Trading
Yes
Yes
Auto Trading
Yes
Capitalise.ai & TWS API
Copy Trading
No
No
Social Trading
No
No
VPS Hosting
No
No
Tournaments
No
No
Demo Competitions
No
No
Ethical Investing
No
Yes
Custodial Account
No
No
Guaranteed Stop Loss
No
No
Inactivity Fee
$0
Islamic Account
No
No
Account Currencies
USD
EUR
GBP
INR
JPY
SGD
RUB
AED
SAR
USD
EUR
GBP
CAD
AUD
INR
JPY
SEK
NOK
DKK
CHF
AED
HUF
Commodities
Gold
Zinc
Aluminium
Natural Gas
Soybeans
Lead
Precious Metals
Lean Hogs
CFD
The platform provides access to over 8,000 CFDs across stocks, indices, forex, and commodities. Suited for experienced traders, the TWS platform includes more than 100 order types and algorithms. It also delivers top-tier market data from trusted sources like Reuters and Dow Jones.
Leverage
1:50
FTSE Spread
0.005% (£1 Min)
GBPUSD Spread<
0.08-0.20 bps x trade value
Oil Spread
0.25-0.85
Stocks Spread
0.003
Forex
IBKR offers a vast range of over 100 forex pairs, including major, minor, and exotic currencies, outstripping most competitors except CMC Markets. Trading is available across multiple platforms with institutional-grade spreads beginning at 0.1 pips. There are also 20 sophisticated order types, such as brackets, scale, and one-cancels-all (OCA) orders, enhancing trading strategies.
Assets
100+
GBPUSD Spread
0.08-0.20 bps x trade value
EURUSD Spread
0.08-0.20 bps x trade value
EURGBP Spread
0.08-0.20 bps x trade value
Cryptocurrency
OKX provides an excellent range of over 400 tokens, such as Bitcoin and Ripple. Traders can engage in buying and selling tokens or engage in crypto trading on margin through derivatives like perpetual swaps, options, and futures. The platform is distinguished by its competitive fees, wide token selection, and rapid transaction processing.
IBKR offers access to Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, and Litecoin at attractive commission rates without the need for a crypto wallet. Furthermore, traders can explore a variety of assets, including crypto indices like the NYSE Bitcoin Index, and futures contracts such as BAKKT Bitcoin Futures.