Interactive Brokers Becomes First SFC-Licensed Broker to Offer Cryptocurrency Trading to Hong Kong Retail Investors

November 27, 2023 - Interactive Brokers has become the first SFC-licensed securities broker in Hong Kong approved for offering cryptocurrency trading to retail clients.

Eligible clients of Interactive Brokers Hong Kong can now trade and manage their investment portfolio through a singular platform, which provides a comprehensive view of their assets. This platform enables clients to trade in various asset classes, including cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH), as well as stocks, options, futures, currencies, bonds, mutual funds, ETFs, event contracts, cryptocurrency futures, and futures options, all within one account.

David Friedland, Head of APAC for Interactive Brokers, emphasises the significance of this expansion: “As demand for cryptocurrency exposure as a means of diversification continues to rise, we are pleased to offer investors in Hong Kong a straightforward and cost-effective way to allocate a portion of their portfolio to digital assets,” said David Friedland. “Our single unified platform lets clients worldwide easily invest across a broad range of global products, and the retail investor community in Hong Kong will benefit from the ability to access digital currency markets without opening and maintaining different accounts at multiple brokers and exchanges.”

Cryptocurrency trading via Interactive Brokers Hong Kong is enabled by OSL Digital Securities, offering low commission rates of 0.20% - 0.30% of trade value depending on monthly volume. The minimum charge per order is USD 2.25, and the pricing is devoid of any additional spreads or markups.

The launch of cryptocurrency trading in Hong Kong for retail investors, facilitated by Interactive Brokers in partnership with OSL Digital Securities, the first SFC-licensed digital asset trading platform in Hong Kong, follows the earlier provision of cryptocurrency trading to eligible Professional Investor clients of Interactive Brokers Hong Kong introduced on February 14, 2023."