Two regulated brokers clash over how crypto operates on their platforms. The debate pits real asset ownership against CFDs and the breadth of listed coins.
Interactive Brokers edges ThinkMarkets on the editorial score. Interactive Brokers offers real crypto ownership within a broad multi-jurisdictional framework, while ThinkMarkets remains CFD-only.
Find out which crypto exchange best suits your trading profile.
Choose Interactive Brokers if…
Choose Interactive Brokers if you want real crypto ownership and a broad, multi-jurisdictional regulatory framework.
Choose ThinkMarkets if…
Choose ThinkMarkets if you want crypto CFDs across MT4, MT5, and ThinkTrader.
Which exchange wins for each type of crypto trader, based on security, fees, coin selection, and editorial scoring.
Interactive Brokers wins for security with SEC/FINRA/FCA oversight and real crypto ownership.
| Criteria | ||
|---|---|---|
| Editorial score | 4.0/ 5 | 3.8/ 5 |
| Min Deposit | No minimum | No minimum |
| Spreads From | 0.2 pips▼ lower | 0.4 pips |
| Taker Fee | 2.00%▼ lower | 7.00% |
A closer look at the specific criteria each exchange meets or misses within each scoring category.
| Criteria | Interactive Brokers | ThinkMarkets |
|---|---|---|
| Security | ||
| Cold storage for assets | Fail | Fail |
| Proof of reserves published | Fail | Fail |
| Segregated client funds | Pass | Pass |
| Top-tier regulator (FCA, ASIC, etc.) | Pass | Pass |
| Fees | ||
| No deposit fee | Pass | Pass |
| No inactivity fee | Pass | Pass |
| Transparent pricing page | Pass | Fail |
| Features | ||
| Staking available | Fail | Fail |
| DeFi integration | Fail | Fail |
| NFT trading | Fail | Fail |
| 500+ coins listed | Fail | Fail |
| Support | ||
| Mobile app | Pass | Pass |
| 24/5 live chat | Fail | Pass |
| Phone support | Pass | Pass |
The scores are close: Interactive Brokers rates 4/5 and ThinkMarkets rates 3.8/5. Interactive Brokers has a marginal edge in our scoring, but the difference is small enough that your specific priorities — fees, platforms, or regulatory jurisdiction — should guide the final choice.
Interactive Brokers lists a lower spread from 0.2, compared with ThinkMarkets's 0.4. Crypto trading costs are typically quoted as a percentage of the trade value; check each exchange's full fee schedule, as maker/taker rates and volume discounts vary.
Neither Interactive Brokers nor ThinkMarkets requires a minimum deposit, making both accessible regardless of starting capital.
Both Interactive Brokers and ThinkMarkets hold licences from top-tier regulators, indicating a high standard of regulatory oversight. Check each exchange's specific regulatory bodies to confirm coverage in your jurisdiction.
For beginners, both exchanges provide negative balance protection. Also compare demo account availability and educational resources on each exchange's site before deciding.
Interactive Brokers offers up to 1:1 on perpetual or margin products, versus ThinkMarkets's 2:1 cap. Margin and futures trading carry higher risk than spot crypto; confirm product availability and jurisdiction-specific limits on each exchange's website.
Interactive Brokers charges $2 per trade, lower than ThinkMarkets's $7 per trade. Lower commissions benefit active traders who execute many trades per day. Crypto fees are typically quoted as maker/taker rates rather than fixed per-trade commissions; check each exchange's fee schedule for volume-based discounts.
Interactive Brokers supports Trader Workstation (TWS), Proprietary Web/Mobile, while ThinkMarkets supports MetaTrader 5, Proprietary Web/Mobile, TradingView, MetaTrader 4. Both provide Proprietary Web/Mobile. Interactive Brokers has exclusive access to Trader Workstation (TWS). ThinkMarkets has exclusive access to MetaTrader 5 and TradingView and MetaTrader 4.
Interactive Brokers wins for low fees with transparent 0.12–0.18% commissions.
ThinkMarkets wins for coin selection with 20+ listed coins.
ThinkMarkets wins for beginners due to ThinkTrader's highly rated mobile platform.
Equally matched.
| 0.4 pips▼ lower |
| 1.1 pips |
| Inactivity Fee | None | None |
|---|
| Deposit Fee | Free | Free |
|---|
| Deposit methods | Bank transferACH | Bank transferCredit cardDebit cardSkrillNeteller |
|---|
| Withdrawal methods | Bank transferACH | Bank transferCredit cardSkrillNeteller |
|---|
| Withdrawal Fee | First withdrawal/month free | Free |
|---|
| Regulators | JFSA IIROC DFSA FCA CNB CMVM CNV ASIC AMF SEC MFSA SFC SEBI CBI CMF NFA FSC FINRA | FSCA JFSA FCA ASIC |
|---|
| Cold Storage | No | No |
|---|
| Proof of Reserves | No | No |
|---|
| Staking | No | No |
|---|
| DeFi Integration | No | No |
|---|
| NFT Trading | No | No |
|---|
| 500+ Coins | No | No |
|---|
| P2P Trading | No | No |
|---|
| Crypto Earn / Savings | No | No |
|---|
| Token Launchpad | No | No |
|---|
Dig deeper into each broker’s features, fees, and regulation.
Score 3.8 / 5
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