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XS vs Interactive Brokers for US stocks
Interactive Brokers gives you the actual share; XS gives leveraged exposure to the price without ownership. That is not a preference — it is a different product, with different tax, dividend and risk treatment.
Pick XS if non-US residents who want a wide US share-CFD list on MetaTrader 4 or 5. Pick Interactive Brokers if real share ownership from almost any country.
CFD — no ownershipA multi-asset CFD broker, not a US stockbroker. It is on this site because it gives non-US traders leveraged exposure to several hundred US share prices with no minimum deposit.
Visit XSThe default answer for a non-US investor who wants to actually own US shares rather than a derivative of them.
Visit Interactive BrokersSide by side
| XS | Interactive Brokers | |
|---|---|---|
| What you hold | A CFD on the price | The share |
| US stock access | 550+ US share CFDs | Full US listed market (NYSE, Nasdaq, AMEX) plus 150+ global markets |
| Minimum deposit | None | None |
| Fractional shares | n/a | Yes |
| Published pricing | US share CFDs on the Standard account trade on a floating spread with no separate commission; swaps apply to positions held overnight and are tripled on Fridays. | IBKR Lite offers $0 commission on US listed stocks and ETFs for eligible clients; IBKR Pro is tiered/fixed per-share pricing. |
| Platforms | MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, XS Trading App | Trader Workstation, IBKR Desktop, IBKR Mobile, Client Portal, API |
| Extended hours | Regular US session only, per its published trading hours | Pre-market and after-hours routing available |
| Regulation | ASIC 374409, CySEC 412/22, FSCA 53199, CMA 20200000339, FSA SD089, LFSA MB/21/0081, FSC GB25204786 | SEC SIPC member, FCA 208159, CBI C423427 |
| Founded | 2010 | 1978 |
Where each one wins
XS
- Non-US residents who want a wide US share-CFD list on MetaTrader 4 or 5
- Starting with no minimum deposit on the Standard account
- Traders who want an entity licensed in the UAE, South Africa or Labuan
- CFDs are leveraged: you do not own the share, get no shareholder rights, and can lose all your capital
- XS says its website is not directed at residents of the United States, the European Union, Australia or Japan
- Which XS entity holds your account depends on where you live, and investor protection differs by entity — confirm it before depositing
- Dividends arrive as cash adjustments on open CFD positions, not as shareholder dividends
Interactive Brokers
- Real share ownership from almost any country
- Multi-currency accounts
- Options, futures and international listings in one account
- The desktop platform is dense and unforgiving for first-timers
- Data subscriptions are billed separately
Frequently asked questions
XS or Interactive Brokers — which is better for US stocks?
Interactive Brokers gives you the actual share; XS gives leveraged exposure to the price without ownership. That is not a preference — it is a different product, with different tax, dividend and risk treatment. XS: non-US residents who want a wide US share-CFD list on MetaTrader 4 or 5. Interactive Brokers: real share ownership from almost any country.
Which is cheaper?
XS: US share CFDs on the Standard account trade on a floating spread with no separate commission; swaps apply to positions held overnight and are tripled on Fridays. Interactive Brokers: IBKR Lite offers $0 commission on US listed stocks and ETFs for eligible clients; IBKR Pro is tiered/fixed per-share pricing. Both figures are restated from each broker's own pricing page; for small non-USD accounts, currency conversion usually costs more than commission does.
Which is better regulated?
XS is authorised by ASIC, CySEC, FSCA, CMA, FSA, LFSA, FSC; Interactive Brokers by SEC, FCA, CBI. What matters is which entity holds your account, since that determines your compensation scheme and leverage limits.
Reviewed October 2026. Figures restated from each broker's published pages.