Interactive Brokers Group Strength and Security

Financial Strength

When placing your money with a broker, you need to make sure your broker is secure and can endure through good and bad times. The financial statements of Interactive Brokers LLC are available on our website for your review. Note that Interactive Brokers LLC and its affiliates* are owned by IBG LLC.

Important Strength and Security Facts about Interactive Brokers Group

  • On a consolidated basis, Interactive Brokers Group (IBG LLC) has over $4.6 billion in equity capital.
  • IBG LLC’s owners are our public company, Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. (11.5%) and the firm’s employees (88.5%). Unlike at most other firms, where management owns a relatively small share, we participate substantially in the downside just as much as in the upside. Because of this vested interest, we run our business conservatively.
  • We manage our brokerage and market making businesses in separate companies, which are registered with local securities and/or commodities regulators. We maintain strict systematic and procedural separation between the two business lines and we do not commingle or utilize customer segregated assets for proprietary operations. Our brokerage companies conduct no proprietary trading.
  • We hold no material positions in over-the-counter securities or derivatives. We hold no CDOs, MBS or CDS. The gross amount of our portfolio of debt securities, with the exception of U.S. government securities, is less than 10% of our equity capital.
  • Our positions are marked to market daily and the resulting payables/receivables are reconciled to outside sources automatically.
  • Our real-time margining system marks all customer positions to market continuously. All orders are credit vetted before being executed and positions in accounts with inadequate margin deposits are liquidated automatically.
  • We have reported solidly positive earnings for the past 18 consecutive years.
  • Interactive Brokers LLC is rated 'A-/A-2'; Outlook Stable by Standard & Poor’s.

How We Handle Customer Assets

Customer money is segregated in special bank or custody accounts, which are designated for the exclusive benefit of customers of IB. This protection (the SEC term is "reserve" and the CFTC term is "segregation") is a core principle of securities and commodities brokerage. By properly segregating the customer’s assets, if no money or stock is borrowed and no futures positions are held by the customer, then the customer’s assets are available to be returned to the customer in the event of a default by or bankruptcy of the broker.

A portion of customer funds are typically invested in U.S. Treasury securities and FDIC-backed bonds. Although permitted by regulations, given the credit concerns over foreign sovereign debt IB does not currently invest any customer money in money market funds.

As a practice, IB holds an excess amount of its own money in these reserve and segregated accounts to ensure that there is more than enough cash to protect all customers.

Securities accounts with no borrowing of cash or securities

Securities customer money is protected as follows:

  • A portion is deposited at 11 large U.S. banks in special reserve accounts for the exclusive benefit of IB’s customers. These deposits are distributed across a number of banks with investment-grade ratings so that we can avoid a concentration risk with any single institution. No single bank holds more than 5% of total customer funds held by IB. As of December 12, 2011, the following banks held deposits from IB (this list is subject to change over time at IB’s discretion). Certain banks, which are affiliates or branches of foreign financial institutions, are subject to regulatory oversight by the Federal Reserve and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

    • Branch Banking and Trust Company
    • Bank of America, N.A.
    • Bank of the West
    • Citibank, N.A.
    • Deutsche Bank AG
    • HSBC Bank USA, N.A.
    • JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
    • Royal Bank of Canada
    • SunTrust Bank
    • The Bank of Nova Scotia
    • Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.

  • A portion is invested in U.S. Treasury securities, including direct investments in short-term Treasury bills and reverse repurchase agreements, where the collateral received is in the form of U.S. Treasury securities. These transactions are conducted with third parties and guaranteed through a central counterparty clearing house (Fixed Income Clearing Corp., or "FICC"). The collateral remains in the possession of IB and held at a custody bank in a segregated Reserve Safekeeping Account for the exclusive benefit of customers. U.S. Treasury securities may also be pledged to a clearing house to support customer margin requirements on securities options positions.
  • A small portion is invested in FDIC-backed corporate bonds, which are held in IB’s customer depository account at the Depository Trust and Clearing Corp. (DTCC).
  • Customer cash is maintained on a net basis in the reserve accounts, which reflects the long balances of some customers and loans to others. To the extent any one customer maintains a margin loan with IB, that loan will be fully secured by stock valued at up to 140% of the loan. The security of the loan is enhanced by IB’s conservative margin policies, which do not allow the borrower to correct a margin deficiency within days, as permitted by regulation. Instead, IB monitors and acts on a real-time basis to automatically liquidate positions and repay the loan. This brings the borrower back into margin compliance without putting IB and other customers at risk.
  • Current SEC regulations require broker-dealers to perform a detailed reconciliation of customer money and securities (known as the “reserve computation”) at least weekly to ensure that customer monies are properly segregated from the broker-dealer’s own funds.

    In order to further enhance our protection of our customers’ assets, Interactive Brokers recently sought and received approval from FINRA (the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority), to perform and report the reserve computation on a daily basis, instead of once per week. IB initiated daily computations in December 2011, along with daily adjustments of the money set aside in safekeeping for our customers. Reconciling our accounts and customer reserves daily instead of weekly is just another way that Interactive Brokers seeks to provide state-of-the-art protection for our customers.

Customer-owned, fully-paid securities are protected in accounts at depositories and custodians that are specifically identified for the exclusive benefit of customers. IB reconciles positions in securities owned by customers daily to ensure that these securities have been received at the depositories and custodians.

Commodities accounts

Commodities customer money is protected as follows:

  • A portion is invested in short-term U.S. Treasury securities and pledged to futures clearing houses to support customer margin requirements on futures and options on futures positions or held in custody accounts identified as segregated for the benefit of IB’s customers.
  • A portion is held at commodities clearing banks/brokers in accounts identified as segregated for the benefit of IB’s customers to support customer margin requirements.
  • As prescribed by commodities regulations, customer funds are subject to real-time protection. IB performs a detailed reconciliation of customer equity on a daily basis to ensure that customer monies are properly segregated. This computation is submitted to the regulators daily.

Securities accounts with margin loans

For customers who borrow money from IB to purchase securities, IB is permitted by securities regulations to utilize for financing purposes up to 140% of the loan value of the stock these customers hold with IB. In simple terms, IB borrows money from a third party (such as a bank or broker-dealer), using the customer’s margin stock as collateral, and it lends those funds to the customer to finance the customer’s margin purchases. Typically, IB lends out a small portion of the total stock it is permitted to lend out.

  • As an example, at June 30, 2011, IB lent $0.8 billion of customers’ stock out of the $13.0 billion made available to it by margin customers.
  • When IB lends customers’ stock, it must put additional money into the special reserve accounts set aside for the benefit of customers. In the example above, the full value of $0.8 billion of customer stock that was lent was segregated in the special reserve accounts.

The Importance of Choosing a Safe Broker

In light of the recent bankruptcy of MF Global, customers should understand how it is possible to lose money in the event of their broker’s bankruptcy. Despite all of the protections described above, there are still two ways a customer can lose money without losing it to the market:

  1. If, in violation of the reserve and segregation rules, the broker does not keep some customer monies segregated, either by not putting newly deposited monies in the segregated account or if money is transferred out of segregated accounts for some other purpose, then there can be a shortfall. This may have happened at MF Global.
  2. Customers can lose more money in the market than they hold with the broker. When this happens the broker is obligated to make up the deficit from its own funds. If the broker fails to do so, (i.e., has not sufficient capital of its own to make up for the losses) and SIPC (and, if offered, excess-SIPC) coverage is insufficient or unavailable, then the other customers bear the cost of that shortfall. This, too, may have happened at MF Global.

This is the reason why it is vitally important to choose a broker that has a massive amount of capital and very good, automated credit controls.

*Interactive Brokers & sister affiliates.

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Account Protection

Customer securities accounts at Interactive Brokers are protected by the Securities Investor Protection Corporation ("SIPC") for a maximum coverage of $500,000 (with a cash sublimit of $250,000) and under Interactive Brokers' excess SIPC policy with certain underwriters at Lloyd's of London for up to an additional $30 million (with a cash sublimit of $900,000) subject to an aggregate limit of $150 million. Your stocks, options, warrants, debt instruments, and cash -- denominated in all currencies -- are covered by this protection. Futures, and options on futures are not covered. As with all securities firms, this coverage provides protection against failure of a broker-dealer, not against loss of market value of securities.

For the purpose of determining a customer account, accounts with like names and titles (e.g. John and Jane Smith and Jane and John Smith) are combined, but accounts with different titles are not (e.g. Individual/John Smith and IRA/John Smith).

SIPC is a non-profit, membership corporation funded by broker-dealers that are members of SIPC. For more information about SIPC and answers to frequently asked questions (such as how SIPC works, what is protected, how to file a claim, etc.), please refer to the following websites:

http://www.SIPC.org
http://www.finra.org/InvestorInformation/InvestorProtection/SIPCProtection/index.htm

or contact SIPC at:

Securities Investor Protection Corporation
805 15th Street, N.W. - Suite 800
Washington, D.C. 20005-2215
Telephone: (202) 371-8300
Facsimile: (202) 371-6728

Lloyd's of London is a world leader in the insurance industry.


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Secure Login System


While it may be a minor inconvenience to use a security device along with your username and password when you log in, this simple practice goes a very long way toward protecting your account and consequently your assets. For little or no charge, IB customers can elect to receive a security device which generates a unique, random series that must be entered (along with your IB username/password combination) each time you log in. Using this device adds a second important layer of security to your account. Consider this: If an Internet hacker or identity thief should somehow manage to obtain your IB username and password, they WILL NOT be able to access your account without physical possession of the security device.

Although participation in the Secure Login System is optional, we STRONGLY urge our customers to participate. Please weigh the benefits of the program against the small annoyance of using the device:

  • The device provides a virtually impenetrable layer of physical security to your IB account.
  • Participation in the Secure Login System results in higher daily and weekly withdrawal limits.
  • If you have multiple accounts, you don't need multiple devices. You can share a security device among multiple usernames registered to the same individual.
  • Customers who choose not to participate must understand and acknowledge that IB will not compensate them or credit their account in the event that it is compromised by hackers or identity thieves.

Request a Security Device

  • New Customers - New customers have the option to register for a security device during the application process. You will receive the appropriate device based on the amount with which you fund your account.
  • Existing Customers - Non-participating customers can request a device from within Account Management. From the User Management menu select Secure Login System. Indicate that you would like to participate in the program and follow the directions to complete your registration.


About the Security Devices

Click one of the following links to learn more about our using your IB security device:

  • Security Code Cards - Recommended for accounts with a balance less than 100,000 USD. This is a credit card-like device with 224 alpha-numeric codes.
  • Digital Security Card - Recommended for accounts with a balance between 100,000 and 500,000 USD. A credit card like device with an LCD.
  • Alpine Devices - Recommended for accounts with a balance between 100,000 and 500,000 USD. This is a small blue oval device with an LCD and keychain clip.
  • Gold/Platinum Devices - Recommended for accounts with a balance greater than 500,000 USD. This is a black rectangular device which has a numeric keypad and an LCD and resembles a small calculator.


When Will I Receive My Device?

The delivery schedule depends on the type of security device you will be receiving.

  • Security Code Cards are shipped several times per week via regular mail.
  • Alpine Devices are shipped several times per week via Express mail.
  • Digital Security Cards are shipped several times per week via regular mail.
  • Gold/Platinum Devices are shipped every day via Express mail for requests that have been completed prior to 13:00 ET on a US business day.

Depending upon your location and the capabilities of the shipper, a delivery tracking number will be made available after 18:00 ET on the shipping date. You can view this tracking number by clicking the Activate IB Security Device link available in the User Management menu in Account Management after that time or by calling technical assistance at 1-877-442-2757, Option 2, then 6.


Activation

Once you have received your security device, log into Account Management and select the activation link ( Activate IB Security Device or Security Code Card Activation) from the User Management menu. What you see depends on the type of device you have received. Follow the instructions to supply information you received upon subscription, or from the device itself.

Once your device has been activated, each time you log in to Account Management, TWS, WebTrader or mobileTWS, you will be required to the two authentication factors – your user name and password combination and the security code generated by your device. When you successfully log in, your account will be secured with full perimeter coverage, protecting both cash and positions from unauthorized access.



Withdrawal Limits

Accounts that do not participate in the Secure Login System are limited in the amount of money that can be withdrawn or transferred in one day and in any five day period. Our top level Gold and Platinum systems are available to clients with substantial balances over 500,000 USD, providing state-of-the-art protection and allowing unlimited funds withdrawals.

Withdrawal Limits for IB Customers
Security Device Maximum Withdrawal per Day Maximum Withdrawal in 5 Business Days
None 50K USD 100K USD
Security Code Card 200K USD 600K USD
Digital Security Card 1M USD 1.5M USD
Alpine Device 500K USD 1.5M USD
Gold Unlimited Unlimited
Platinum Unlimited Unlimited



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How We Protect Your Account

From the moment you log in, our account protection features are there to ensure that your account remains secure.


Two Factor Authentication

Factor One: Each account requires a unique username/password combination for access.
Factor Two: Secure Login System. Participants receive a personal security device which provides a randomly-generated security code. This code is used in conjunction with the username and password to access secure areas. Click here for additional details on the Secure Login System.


Secure Socket Layer

IB deploys 128-bit SSL encryption to establish a secure connection and ensure the confidentiality and integrity of information passed between your computer and IB. Activate by checking the "Use SSL" box on the TWS login box. Using SSL may impact the performance of your PC depending on its capabilities.


Limit Login via IP Restrictions

Restrict access to TWS to a specific list of IP addresses. In cases where multiple traders have access to an account, these restrictions can be set at the individual trader level.


Failed Login Attempts

IB restricts account access following a specified number of failed login attempts.


Automatic Logoff

We have built in an auto-logoff feature that logs you out of the application after a specified period of inactivity.


Statements

All statements are accessed through secure login to Account Management.


Security Monitoring

We employ state-of-the-art transaction monitoring systems and maintain a dedicated security team that is responsible for detecting suspicious activity. If an unusual or suspicious transaction is noted, a member of this team may contact you to confirm the validity of the transaction. If contacted, you will never be asked to provide your password and we encourage that you call back and request to speak to the security team employee via our toll free number 1–877-442-2757 in order to first confirm their identity. If you believe that your account has been compromised, you should notify IB immediately via our toll free number 1–(877)-442-2757.


Know the Threats


Phishing

Thieves use phishing to obtain sensitive information by masquerading as a trustworthy institution. Phishing is typically carried out via an email that contains a link to what appears to be an authentic website. These counterfeit sites prompt you to enter your personal information, which the thieves then use to access your accounts. Note that IB will never send an email requesting sensitive information such as your password or social security number. If you receive a suspicious email which identifies itself as originating from IB do not respond, and immediately notify our security team by calling toll-free in the US at (877) 442-2757 or direct at (312) 542-6901.

Spyware

This refers to software inadvertently downloaded from the Internet when you visit certain websites. Spyware covertly gathers information from your computer without your knowledge. Once installed, spyware monitors user activity on the Internet and transmits that information (including usernames and passwords) to an unauthorized recipient. You should install anti-spyware software on your computer to detect and remove spyware.

Viruses, Worms & Trojan Horses

These malicious programs can cause severe and irreparable damage to your hardware, software or files, and in some cases can open your system to unauthorized access and possibly allow confidential information to be compromised. These programs, which differ on how they spread and replicate, are best controlled by first ensuring that your operating system is up-to-date and then installing anti-virus software, making sure that you frequently download updates to obtain the latest fixes.



For further information about securing your home computer and protecting your privacy see:

CERT® Coordination Center
Home Network Security:
http://www.cert.org/tech_tips/home_networks.html

Security Focus - Securing Privacy, Part One: Hardware Issues:
http://www.securityfocus.com/infocus/1568

Security Focus - Securing Privacy, Part Two: Software Issues:
http://www.securityfocus.com/infocus/1573

Security Focus - Securing Privacy Part Three: Email Issues:
http://www.securityfocus.com/infocus/1579

Security Focus - Securing Privacy Part Four: Internet Issues:
http://www.securityfocus.com/infocus/1585

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Customer Best Practices

IB goes to great lengths to keep our customer's accounts secure. Following these Customer Best Practices can provide another layer of safety from online security threats.


Create a Strong Password

  • Use the maximum characters available and avoid simple or duplicate alphabetic and numeric sequences or passwords containing personal information.
  • Do not share your password with anyone.
  • Change your password frequently and do not use the same password for multiple systems.
  • Do not leave notes on your monitor, keyboard or desk to help you remember your passwords.
  • Do not enable any application features that would automatically log you in or pre-fill the username or password fields.

Employ Safe Computing Practices

  • Lock your computer if you're leaving it for a period of time by setting up a password protected screensaver. Always turn off your computer when you have finished using it.
  • Avoid accessing your account from public computers which may have been targeted by hackers and keystroke-capture software. If you must use a public computer, remember the following:
    • Use the virtual keyboard on the login window to avoid having your keystrokes captured.
    • Log out after accessing your account.
    • Never leave the computer unattended while logged in.
    • Clear the browser cache after logoff so that no sensitive information remains stored on the computer.
  • Do not share files unless it's absolutely necessary. It's a smart idea to disable the Windows file and printer sharing features, but if you decide to use these, make sure that you configure the access permissions with strong passwords, and only share for specific users.
  • Pop-ups: We recommend that you turn on your pop-up blocker and set the filter to the highest possible level. Then either add the IB web site to your list of "trusted" sites, or disable your pop-up blocker while using this site.
  • Regularly check for security updates and patches for your operating system and use the most current version of your browser.
  • Use email safely, and delete messages that don't originate from a trusted source as they may contain harmful attachments or may be an attempt to fraudulently obtain sensitive information. Turn off the "preview pane" in your email system as this function can allow some viruses to be executed even if you never open the email.

Install Security Software

Use/install security tools as noted below:

  • You should install both a hardware and software Internet firewall on your computer to control the flow of traffic to your computer. This is especially important if you are operating with a broadband connection and therefore maintaining continuous Internet access.
  • Use antivirus software to identify and eliminate viruses you may have downloaded to your computer accidentally. As new viruses are constantly being created, you need to update your antivirus software regularly.
  • Use anti-spyware software to detect and remove spyware programs which can collect various types of personal information, monitor your browsing activity and interfere with the control of your computer.

Maintain Accurate Account Information

In the event that we detect unusual or suspicious activity relating to your account, being able to contact you is essential. Accordingly, you should always ensure that the contact information you have provided (e.g., telephone numbers, email address) remains accurate. To update any personal information, please log into Account Management and select the User Management and then User Information menu options.


Monitor Your Account

Regularly check your account balances and positions through TWS and the daily statements available in Account Management. Immediately report anything suspicious toll free in the US at (877) 442-2757 or direct at (312) 542-6901.



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Interactive Brokers Group Privacy Statement

The Interactive Brokers Group does not sell or license information about Interactive Brokers customers to third parties, nor do we sell customer lists or customer e-mail addresses to third-party marketers.

At IB, we understand that the confidentiality and security of the personal information that you have shared with us is important to you. That's why we have developed specific policies and practices that are designed to protect the privacy of your personal information. By opening an account with IB or by utilizing the products and services that are available through IB, you have consented to the collection and use of your personal information in accordance with the privacy policy set forth below. We encourage you to read this privacy statement carefully.

In order to provide brokerage services and in compliance with regulatory requirements, IB collects certain personal, non-public information from you. This includes information that you provide during the IB account application process (e.g., your name, e-mail address, telephone number, birth date, social security number, investment objectives, etc.), and acquired as a result of the transactions you conduct through the IB system. We safeguard the confidentiality of your information in a number of ways. For example:

  • We do not sell or license lists of our customers or the personal, non-public information that you provide to us.

  • We restrict access to the personal, non-public information that you have shared with us to those IB employees, agents, and affiliates who need to know such information in connection with the services that IB provides to you.

  • We maintain strict employment policies that prohibit employees who have access to your personal, non-public information from using or disclosing such information except for business purposes.

  • We take substantial precautions to safeguard your personal, nonpublic information. For example, the IB system can be accessed only by authorized IB personnel via valid user names and passwords. In addition, our Internet-based systems include security measures such as encryption and firewalls.
    IB uses the personal, nonpublic information that we collect from you to service your account (e.g., to qualify you for trading the products and using the services available through the IB system and to execute and confirm your IB transactions). In doing so, we may share such information with our employees, agents, and affiliates.

IB also collects and uses information acquired from "cookies." "Cookies" are bits of textual information that are sent electronically from a web server to your browser and are stored on your computer. They do not identify you individually nor do they contain personal information about you, unless you have identified yourself or provided the information by, for example, opening an account or registering for an on-line service. IB may use cookies to measure and identify website traffic patterns and to track the performance of web features and advertisements. By providing IB with a better understanding of how you and others use IB's websites and other web services, cookies enable IB to improve the navigation and functionality of its websites and to present the most useful information and offers to you. IB may share information obtained from cookies with its employees, agents and affiliates, but does not sell such information to unaffiliated third parties. IB may permit other companies or their third party ad servers to set cookies on your browser when you visit an IB website. Such companies generally use these cookies as we do.

We do not disclose personal, nonpublic information to individuals or entities that are not affiliated with IB, except as provided by law. For example, among other reasons we may disclose or report such information: where necessary to authorize, effect, administer, or enforce transactions that you request or authorize; to maintain and administer your account; to provide you with account confirmations, statements and records; to maintain appropriate archival records; where we believe that disclosure is required by applicable law, rules or regulations; to cooperate with law enforcement or regulatory or self-regulatory organizations; to enforce our customer and other agreements; to meet our obligations, or to protect our rights and property.

Finally, if you choose to subscribe to any of the Trader's Toolbox suite of third-party services that are provided through the IB website, we may disclose such information to the service providers as necessary for them to provide the services that you have requested. IB requires these service providers to enter into confidentiality agreements with IB that limit their use of the information that they receive. Such agreements prohibit the service provider from using IB customer information that they receive other than to carry out the purposes for which the information was disclosed. If you have any questions about these policies, please contact IB Customer Service through the IB website at the Customer Service Contact Page.


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