Score card

IQ Option review

Every factor behind IQ Option's ranking, with the points each one contributed.

Last checked

IQ Option ranks lower than its marketing would suggest, and the working below shows exactly which categories cost it the places. Regulated by International entity: registered in Antigua and Barbuda, not regulated by a major financial-services regulator; EEA entity: CySEC (247/14), offering IQ Option Web Platform, IQ Option Desktop, IQ Option Mobile.

Our rating

70/100

One rating, identical across our sites - only the way it is shown changes. It averages six assessments: regulation, trading costs, platforms, markets, support and education.

What it costs to trade

8.3/10
Spread from
0.0 pips
EUR/USD spread
Approx. 1.0 pip
GBP/USD spread
Approx. 1.5 pips
Commission
$0 on standard CFD forex trading
All-in cost, EUR/USD
Approx. 1.0 pip
Spread type
Variable
Overnight swap
Both: overnight financing may be charged; rates depend on asset and direction
Inactivity fee
€10/month or equivalent after 90 consecutive days of inactivity
Withdrawal fee
Generally none; bank-wire charges may apply
Currency conversion
Conversion at applicable exchange rate

Cost is the second heaviest, and the one most likely to move a broker several places.

A quoted spread from 0.0 pips is a raw-spread figure, which almost always means a separate commission per lot. Compare the two together - a "zero spread" account with a high commission can cost more than a wider spread with none.

Quoted spreads are best-case figures on the most liquid pair, in normal conditions. What you actually pay widens around news and at the session open.

IQ Option lists a minimum deposit of $10. Treat it as the cost of opening an account, not the cost of trading one - position sizing on a small balance is what tends to cause damage.

Markets and execution

8.0/10
Markets
Forex, Stocks, Cryptocurrencies, Commodities, Indices, ETFs, Binary Options, Digital Options, Perpetual Futures
Currency pairs
40+
Total instruments
500+
Crypto CFDs
Yes
Maximum leverage
1:1000
Execution model
Market maker / principal
Execution speed
Under 100ms
Order types
Market, limit-style pending orders, stop-loss, take-profit, trailing stop, Auto-Close
Servers
Global trading infrastructure

Leverage up to 1:1000 is available on this entity. High leverage does not increase your expected return - it increases position size for the same deposit, and shortens the move needed to close you out.

IQ Option covers forex, stocks, cryptocurrencies, commodities, indices, etfs, binary options, digital options, perpetual futures. A wider range matters less than depth in the instruments you actually trade.

Funding options: credit/debit cards, bank transfer, e-wallets and extensive local/regional payment methods. Check withdrawal routes as well as deposit ones - they are often not the same, and the difference only becomes apparent when you try to take money out.

Platforms and tools

8.2/10
Platforms
IQ Option Web Platform, IQ Option Desktop, IQ Option Mobile
Own platform
Yes
Mobile app
Proprietary, iOS and Android
Browser trading
Yes
Automated trading
No MetaTrader EA support
Copy trading
No
Indicators
100+ indicators and analytical tools
Third-party tools
Integrated technical indicators, drawing tools and market-analysis functionality
API access
No official standard retail trading API

IQ Option offers IQ Option Web Platform, IQ Option Desktop, IQ Option Mobile. A proprietary platform can be excellent, but it means your setup does not transfer if you later change broker.

Regulation and safety

7.0/10
Regulated by
International entity: registered in Antigua and Barbuda, not regulated by a major financial-services regulator; EEA entity: CySEC (247/14)
Regulator tier
Tier 1 through EEA entity; Unregulated internationally
Register entry
CySEC CIF Register, licence 247/14
Client money segregated
Yes
Held at
Regulated banking institutions
Negative balance protection
Yes
Compensation scheme
ICF up to €20,000 for eligible EEA clients; none for international clients
Audited by
Independent external auditors
Not available to
United States, Canada, EU/EEA, United Kingdom, Australia, plus additional restricted jurisdictions

Regulation is the heaviest-weighted input into the position on this page.

IQ Option holds a tier-one authorisation from CySEC. That matters more than any headline spread: it determines your leverage cap, whether losses can exceed your deposit, and what happens to your money if the firm fails.

CySEC licences passport across the EU and follow the 1:30 retail leverage cap, with the Investor Compensation Fund covering eligible claims.

Check the licence yourself: the CySEC register of investment firms.

Accounts

Minimum deposit
$10
Account types
Real, Demo/Practice, VIP
Account currencies
USD, EUR, GBP and numerous regional currencies
Islamic account
Yes, jurisdiction-dependent
Demo account
Yes
Professional account
Yes, EEA professional classification where eligible
Minimum trade size
$1
Time to open
Typically a few minutes

Deposits and withdrawals

Deposit methods
Credit/debit cards, bank transfer, e-wallets and extensive local/regional payment methods
Withdrawal methods
Bank transfer, cards, e-wallets and applicable original funding methods
Deposit time
Cards/e-wallets generally instant; bank transfer several business days
Withdrawal time
Typically processed within 1 business day; settlement varies by method
Minimum withdrawal
$2
Local payment methods
Extensive country-specific local bank transfers, e-wallets and payment systems

Support and education

5.7/10
Support hours
24/7
Contact channels
Live chat, email, Help Centre
Languages
Multilingual
Telephone
N/A
Email
support@iqoption.com
Live chat response
Approx. 30 seconds
Education
Extensive: video tutorials, trading guides, educational articles, platform tutorials and market education
Research
Market analysis, technical indicators, news, trading ideas and analytical tools

The company behind the brand

Legal entity
SKY LADDER LLC
Company number
ILLC 004
Headquarters
Saint John's, Antigua and Barbuda
Founded
2013
Publicly listed
No
Parent company
Independent
Employees
500+
Also trades as
IQ Option; IQOPTION

Information is regularly updated. Last compiled from IQ Option's own website on 26 August 2026.

Questions people ask about IQ Option

How long does a withdrawal from IQ Option take?

IQ Option gives a withdrawal time of typically processed within 1 business day; settlement varies by method. The clock usually starts when the broker approves the request rather than when you submit it, and a first withdrawal is slower because identity checks run alongside it.

Does IQ Option offer a swap-free account?

IQ Option offers an Islamic, swap-free account, jurisdiction-dependent. Brokers usually recover the swap through a wider spread or an administration charge, so it is worth asking which.