Is E*TRADE available in the UK and EU? Alternatives for 2026

E*TRADE, a major US online broker, once had a presence in the UK and Europe.

However, as of today, E*TRADE is not available in Europe and the UK.

If you’re a UK or European resident looking for similar platforms, this guide will help you understand E*TRADE’s status and explore the best alternatives for your trading needs.

Why isn’t E*TRADE in the UK and Europe?

E*TRADE shifted focus back to its core US market, gradually ceasing most European operations. Investors resident in Europe or the UK cannot open an E*TRADE account.

At the time of E*TRADE’s withdrawal from Europe, concerns about the euro zone’s sovereign debt crisis and the global economy reduced trading activity by UK investors and those in other parts of Europe. Since it already represented a small fraction of E*TRADE’s total trades and revenues, the company’s decision to cease operations in those regions wasn’t difficult.

Three things have kept it away since:

• EU product rules. Most US-listed ETFs do not publish the Key Information Document (KID) that EU law requires, so a US broker serving EU residents would have to block a large part of its own catalogue;
• Tax reporting friction. FATCA and CRS add due-diligence and reporting layers that make low-margin international retail clients unattractive;
• Strategic focus. Since Morgan Stanley’s takeover in 2020, every product launch (no-fee index funds, the revamped Power E*TRADE platform, crypto trading) has targeted US clients. There is no sign of a return to Europe.

Who can still open an E*TRADE account?

In practice, only US residents. The platform is now branded E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley and account opening requires a US Social Security number and a US address.

One exception is worth knowing about: if you opened an E*TRADE account while living in the United States and later moved to Europe, you can generally keep it. You will need to update your address, keep your tax paperwork current, and expect some features (margin, certain options levels) to be switched off once your profile shows a non-US residence. Contact E*TRADE directly to confirm what applies to your account.

But don’t despair. We believe you are well-served by many existing European alternatives, and this article will help you find the right one.

If you’re seeking low-fee platforms or robust trading features like E*TRADE offers, consider these options:

Looking for other alternatives to E*TRADE?

Check our BrokerMatch tool to find the best match for you, and explore other tools such as our Broker Comparison, Reviews, Bonuses, and Best Brokers for earning interest.

E*TRADE alternatives reviewed

eToro has been a leader in the global fintech revolution. It is the world’s leading social trading network, with over 40 million users and an array of innovative trading and investment tools. The company listed on the Nasdaq in May 2025 under the ticker ETOR, which brings the reporting obligations of a listed company. You can trade by yourself, follow other traders, discuss ideas, and even mimic successful trading strategies.

The online platform is intuitive, allowing one to navigate the PC or mobile app smoothly. It offers many different financial instruments to trade, such as CFDs, ETFs, stocks, commodities and forex. eToro provides 0% commission on real ETFs (other fees apply), while real stocks carry a $1 commission in most major regions. The spreads on CFDs may vary according to each financial product, so keep that in mind before placing an order.

The account opening process is pretty easy and fast. You only need a couple of minutes to sign up and follow the identification procedure. Moreover, if you are not yet comfortable with investing, eToro provides a demo account with $100,000 in virtual funds.

eToro is considered safe since top-tier financial authorities regulate it, like the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

On the negative side, withdrawals carry a flat $5 fee with a $30 minimum withdrawal amount, and currency conversion can be a meaningful cost if you hold a USD account and deposit in euros or pounds. Remember also that if you leverage your positions, you’re trading CFDs and not real stocks or ETFs, so you will incur spreads and overnight fees.

If you are interested, please read our eToro review.

Founded in 1978 and publicly listed on the Nasdaq (ticker: IBKR), Interactive Brokers is a global online broker that surpassed major financial crises, showing resilience and a rigorous risk management process.

Interactive Brokers offers an advanced investment platform that includes a wide range of products (stocks, options, mutual funds, ETFs, cryptocurrencies, futures, bonds, and currencies) from 150 markets, solid trade execution (Smart routing), and a set of technical and fundamental tools to help you in your investment decisions.

Beginners and intermediate investors have educational tools to explore, but the learning curve will be steep. That’s why we mainly endorse it to more advanced traders. Besides, customer service gives clear answers to your doubts, so there is no need to go back and forth.

On the downside, Interactive Brokers’ fee structure is quite complex, the registration process is lengthy, and the broker doesn’t offer commission-free trading. However, when considering FX fees, narrower spreads, and the stock loan program, Interactive Brokers’ clients still get significant savings compared to most brokers.

Interactive Brokers also offers IBKR GlobalTrader, a modern mobile trading app to trade stocks, options, and ETFs, ideal for beginner investors. Some of the features of IBKR GlobalTrader include automatic currency conversions, fractional shares, a demo account, and more.

Want to know more about Interactive Brokers? Check our Interactive Brokers review.

Founded in 2016, Capital.com is a global CFD trading platform that has quickly grown thanks to its commission-free model and user-friendly technology. It offers access to a wide range of markets, including CFDs on forex, stocks, indices and commodities. Plus, it provides spread betting and an “X1” account, which means CFD trading without leverage.

They offer their in-house web and mobile app (packed with tools such as AI-driven insights and risk management features), and you can also invest through the TradingView and MT4 platforms, where you can create automated investment strategies. A free demo account is available to practice before investing real money.

Capital.com doesn’t charge any commission on your trades. However, they charge a fee based on the spread (the difference between the buy and sell prices). Spreads are dynamic and change with underlying market conditions. Apart from spreads, the broker also charges a fee on guaranteed stop-loss orders and on overnight funding (only applicable when you use leverage).

On the downside, as with many CFD-only brokers, it might not be suitable for investors seeking traditional investment products like ETFs, bonds, long-term retirement accounts, or direct ownership of physical assets rather than derivatives. That is a real difference from E*TRADE, which is a stock broker rather than a CFD platform, so treat this as an alternative only if leveraged trading is what you are after.

In terms of regulation, Capital.com is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), under registration number 793714. It holds clients’ funds in segregated bank accounts and provides negative-balance protection for retail clients.

Additionally, clients are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), which provides up to £85,000 in compensation if something goes wrong with the company.

Founded in 2017 in the US and launched in the UK in July 2023, Webull joins the British brokerage industry with low commissions. New users get a signup promotion.

As a UK user, you also have access to a demo account where you can buy and sell as you would with real money. You can only deposit in pound sterling (GBP), which means that when investing in US stocks (traded in US dollars), you will be charged a currency conversion fee of 0.35%. Besides, each trade has a cost of 0.025%. Basically, you would pay roughly 0.375% per transaction (minimal regulatory fees also apply).

The offering of fractional shares is also crucial since most US stocks trade at high market values per share. Still, the product range is narrower than at the other brokers on this list, so check that the instruments and account types you need are covered before you commit.

Finally, Webull UK is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). As such, it is also under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) protection, which protects your money (assets and cash) up to £85,000.

If you want a complete analysis of Webull UK, please read our review.

All in all, it is a solid E*TRADE alternative for beginners looking for low commissions, a good mobile app, and access to US shares.

Founded in 2002, XTB is a major player in the brokerage industry with extensive worldwide experience, regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and other relevant regulatory bodies, and listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange.

You can invest through xStation 5 and xStation Mobile in different investment products, such as stocks, ETFs, and CFDs on stocks, forex, indices, commodities, and cryptocurrencies (this product offering may vary slightly from country to country). It offers 0% commission on stocks and ETFs, but only in some European countries. International investors only get a 0% commission on stock and ETF CFDs.

Opening an account and transferring money is a quick and hassle-free process. For beginners, it presents a demo account where you can trade as if it were real money, and you get access to educational tools. For intermediate and advanced investors, you will find plenty of technical and fundamental tools to help you better assess your investment decisions.

On the downside, you will face an inactivity fee of €10 a month if you have not traded for a year and have not deposited in the last 90 days, and it charges high commissions on cryptocurrency CFDs. XTB is not available in the United States and Australia.

Want to know more about XTB? Check our XTB review.

Founded in 2013, DEGIRO is a low-cost brokerage firm that has become very popular due to its low rates. With over 3 million users, the platform is known for its do-it-yourself philosophy, in the sense that you have everything at your disposal to start investing on your own. It offers a wide range of financial assets to trade, including stocks, ETFs, bonds, options, futures contracts, warrants, investment funds, and some leveraged products (not quite the same as CFDs, more info here).

For instance, you can trade some ETFs for free (a €/£1.00 flat handling fee, plus external costs, still applies) with no minimum amount required. The web trading platform is basic, but it is efficient and straightforward to use. In a matter of minutes, you get used to it. The same applies to its mobile app. On the downside, there is an absence of any significant fundamental research, a €/£2.50 connectivity fee applies per exchange each year, and pricing alerts are missing.

Regarding security, DEGIRO is the Dutch branch of flatexDEGIRO Bank AG (a German-regulated bank). In the unlikely event that the segregated assets cannot be returned to clients, DEGIRO falls under the German Investor Compensation Scheme, which compensates any losses from non-returned assets up to 90%, with a maximum of €20,000, so do bear this in mind if you are planning to invest much larger volumes. Furthermore, any money deposited in a DEGIRO Cash Account with flatexDEGIRO Bank AG is guaranteed up to €100,000 under the German Deposit Guarantee Scheme.

Still have doubts? Go through our DEGIRO review.

Which broker should I use?

Ask yourself: what are my needs as an investor? Are low commissions my priority, or a robust online platform? Does a range of products matter to me, or am I just looking for a particular financial instrument?

One distinction is worth making before you choose. E*TRADE is a stock broker, so if you want the closest equivalent, look at the brokers here that give you real ownership of shares and ETFs rather than CFDs on them.

We believe most brokers cover the basics that let you start investing, but you should prioritise the importance you give to each factor.

We hope we made a valuable contribution to your investment journey. Remember that investing requires prior research and a focus on building a diversified portfolio to spread your risk and ultimately ensure that your money is put to good use.

The best online broker in your specific case will depend on your profile, preferences, and objectives. Explore the websites mentioned above and decide for yourself.