Interactive Brokers Australia vs Stake
Interactive Brokers and Stake sit at opposite ends of the investing spectrum. IBKR is a global trading powerhouse with access to 150+ markets, options, CFDs, and bonds — but it's complex and lacks CHESS sponsorship. Stake keeps it simple with a polished app, CHESS-sponsored ASX trades, and a flat $3 brokerage, but you're limited to Australia and the US.
- ›You trade options, CFDs, bonds, or any asset class beyond plain shares and ETFs
- ›You want access to 30+ global markets — from Hong Kong to London to Johannesburg
- ›You need a desktop trading platform with advanced order types (conditional, stop-loss, bracket orders)
- ›You trade frequently in USD and want near-zero FX spreads (0.00002% vs Stake's 0.0055%)
- ›You're comfortable with a custodian model and don't need your own HIN
- ›You want CHESS sponsorship and your own HIN for ASX-listed holdings
- ›You prefer a clean, mobile-first app with no desktop software needed
- ›You're a casual investor making small ASX trades — $3 brokerage beats IBKR's $6 minimum
- ›You want free real-time ASX data without paying for market data subscriptions
- ›You like paying with Apple Pay, Google Pay, or debit/credit card for instant deposits
Where they differ
| Fact | Interactive Brokers Australia | Stake |
|---|---|---|
| ASX brokerage minimum | $6 | $3 |
| CHESS sponsorship | Custodian model — no individual HIN | CHESS-sponsored — you get your own HIN |
| Global market access | 30+ countries including Asia, Europe, Africa | Australia and US only |
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.00002% | 0.0055% |
| Options & CFDs | Supported | Not supported |
Pick Stake for simple, CHESS-sponsored ASX investing on mobile; pick Interactive Brokers if you need global markets, options, or rock-bottom FX.
Common questions
How do Interactive Brokers Australia and Stake compare on asx brokerage minimum?
Interactive Brokers Australia: $6. Stake: $3. Stake's flat $3 is half IBKR's minimum for smaller trades.
How do Interactive Brokers Australia and Stake compare on chess sponsorship?
Interactive Brokers Australia: Custodian model — no individual HIN. Stake: CHESS-sponsored — you get your own HIN. Your ASX holdings are held in your name with Stake, not in IBKR's nominee.
How do Interactive Brokers Australia and Stake compare on global market access?
Interactive Brokers Australia: 30+ countries including Asia, Europe, Africa. Stake: Australia and US only. IBKR opens doors to markets Stake simply doesn't offer.
When is Interactive Brokers Australia the better choice over Stake?
Pick Interactive Brokers Australia if you trade options, CFDs, bonds, or any asset class beyond plain shares and ETFs; you want access to 30+ global markets — from Hong Kong to London to Johannesburg; you need a desktop trading platform with advanced order types (conditional, stop-loss, bracket orders); or you trade frequently in USD and want near-zero FX spreads (0.00002% vs Stake's 0.0055%).
When is Stake the better choice over Interactive Brokers Australia?
Pick Stake if you want CHESS sponsorship and your own HIN for ASX-listed holdings; you prefer a clean, mobile-first app with no desktop software needed; you're a casual investor making small ASX trades — $3 brokerage beats IBKR's $6 minimum; or you want free real-time ASX data without paying for market data subscriptions.
Interactive Brokers Australia or Stake — what's the verdict?
Pick Stake for simple, CHESS-sponsored ASX investing on mobile; pick Interactive Brokers if you need global markets, options, or rock-bottom FX.
Punch in your trade size and frequency. We'll do the full brokerage + FX + fees maths.
All data points side-by-side
Every verified fact for both platforms. Differences are highlighted.
| Field | Interactive Brokers Australia | Stake |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | custodian | mixed |
| Individual HIN | No | Yes |
| Individual account | Yes | Yes |
| Joint account | Yes | No |
| Company account | Yes | Yes |
| Trust account | Yes | Yes |
| SMSF account | Yes | Yes |
| Kids / minor account | No | No |
| asset coverage | ||
| ASX shares supported | Yes | Yes |
| ASX ETFs supported | Yes | Yes |
| US shares supported | Yes | Yes |
| US ETFs supported | Yes | Yes |
| Other markets supported | US, Canada, UK, Ireland, Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Poland, Czechia, Hungary, Israel, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, China (Stock Connect), South Korea, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Mexico | United States |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | Yes | Yes |
| Options trading | Yes | No |
| CFDs supported | Yes | No |
| Managed funds | No | No |
| Bonds supported | Yes | Yes |
| IPO access | No | — |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.002% | 0.55% |
| FX spread (other currencies) | 0.002% | — |
| Holds USD account | Yes | Yes |
| FX currency switch trick | No | Yes |
| Market data fees | — | $0/month |
| Conditional order fees | $0 | $0 |
| Corporate action fees | Corporate action processing is generally fee-free for standard events (dividends, splits, mergers). Some voluntary corporate actions and ADR pass-through fees apply per the published fee schedule. Mandatory reorganisations are processed at no charge. | Corporate actions (dividends, SPPs, rights issues, takeovers) are passed through where mandatory; Stake does not provide a DRP — investors must elect DRP directly with each company's share registry. No published per-event fee. |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $6 | $3 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 0.08% | 0.01% |
| ASX brokerage threshold | — | $30,000 |
| ASX free trade conditions | — | No free-trade promotion ordinarily offered; brokerage waived for 12 months on transferred ASX holdings worth A$1,000+ |
| US brokerage minimum | US$1 | US$3 |
| US brokerage percentage | 0.05% | 0.01% |
| Monthly platform fee | $0/month | $0/month |
| Annual platform fee | $0/year | $0/year |
| Inactivity fee | $0 | $0 |
| Withdrawal fee (AUD) | $0 | $0 |
| Off-market transfer fee | $0 | $0 |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | Interactive Brokers Australia Pty Ltd | Stakeshop Pty Ltd |
| AFSL number | 453,554 | 548,196 |
| Year founded | 1,978 | 2,017 |
| Parent / ownership | Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: IBKR) | Privately held (Stakeshop AFSL Pty Ltd group); investors include AGL Energy's former CEO and various private investors |
| Country of incorporation | AU | AU |
| Public company status | public | private |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $0 | $500 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | $0 | $20 |
| Deposit methods | Bank transfer (EFT), BPAY, International wire (SWIFT) | Bank transfer (Osko/PayID), Apple Pay, Google Pay, Debit card, Credit card |
| Settlement period | T+2 for ASX, T+1 for US equities | T+2 for ASX; T+1 for US |
| Withdrawal time | 1-3 business days for AUD EFT; same day possible for AUD instant transfers within Australia | 1-2 business days for AUD (Stake AUS); 2-3 US business days for USD (Stake Wall St) |
| platform ux | ||
| iOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Android app | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop platform | Yes | No |
| Demo account | Yes | No |
| Free real-time market data | No | Yes |
| Free research reports | Yes | Yes |
| 2FA support | authenticator app | authenticator app |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, live chat, in-app secure message | Email, In-app chat, Help centre |
| Support hours (AU time) | 24 hours, Monday to Friday (Sydney) — local AU phone support during business hours; global desks cover overnight | Business hours AEST/AEDT (approximately Mon-Fri); chat/email response varies |
| Education content | video + courses | structured courses |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | Yes |
| Distribution component breakdown | No | No |
| CGT calculator / report | Yes | Yes |
| Sharesight / Navexa integration | Yes | Yes |
| trading mechanics | ||
| Market orders | Yes | Yes |
| Limit orders | Yes | Yes |
| Stop loss orders | Yes | Yes |
| Conditional orders | Yes | No |
| Auto-invest / DCA | Yes | No |
| Auto-invest sophistication | multiple | none |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | No | No |
| After-hours / overnight trading | Yes | Yes |