Accounts and opening requirements
Sections ↑Lightspeed’s opening balance and ongoing costs depend on the platform and account arrangement. The current relationship summary and a product landing page give different Trader Pro minimums. The tables keep that discrepancy visible and distinguish securities, futures and portfolio-margin requirements.[1][2]
Reference table01
Platform and account opening balances
| Service / account | Published opening balance | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Trader Pro and Web | USD 2,500 in the current relationship summary | Trader product page still says USD 5,000; older funding guidance can be higherSource 1Source 2Source 9 |
| Sterling / Eze | USD 25,000 | Platform-specific securities accountSource 1 |
| DAS Trader | USD 50,000 | Not the opening balance for every Lightspeed platformSource 1 |
| Lightspeed Connect | USD 30,000 | API-enabled accountSource 1 |
| Portfolio margin | USD 175,000 | Approval and house-risk requirements remain applicableSource 1 |
| Futures | USD 10,000 opening; USD 5,000 maintenance | Separate application and protection regimeSource 11 |
Reference table02
Choosing the legal and tax account
| Topic | Published terms and practical effect |
|---|---|
| Securities application | Identity, residency, financial circumstances and trading permissions are assessed at opening. Approval is not guaranteed by depositing the minimum.Source 1Source 10 |
| Retirement accounts | Traditional, Roth and SEP/rollover routes are described. Limited-margin IRA treatment requires USD 2,000 and does not confer borrowing or short-sale authority.Source 10 |
| Clearing choice | Disclosures identify Wedbush and Interactive Brokers carrying arrangements. Obtain the agreement for the actual account.Source 1 |
| International applicants | Eligibility and documents depend on residence and account structure; no blanket worldwide access claim is made.Source 10 |
| Opening versus ongoing requirement | Platform opening balances, maintenance equity, exchange margin and portfolio-margin eligibility are separate tests.Source 1Source 11 |
Products and platforms
Sections ↑Reference table03
Products and platform suitability
| Topic | Published terms and practical effect |
|---|---|
| Securities | US equities, ETFs and options are the core active-trading products; availability and order routing depend on platform.Source 4Source 5 |
| Trader Pro | Desktop order-entry, hotkeys, analytics and supported routing; not every feature is reproduced on mobile.Source 2 |
| Web / mobile | A distinct price plan and interface. Its fees are not automatically the volume-discount schedule of the desktop service.Source 3 |
| Third-party platforms | Sterling, DAS and Eze are separate choices with their own charges, permissions and data.Source 1Source 6 |
| Futures | CQG access is described in the separate futures offer; securities account protection is not transferred by brand association.Source 11 |
Fees and holding costs
Sections ↑Reference table04
Selected stock commission tiers
| Basis | Lower-activity example | Higher-activity examples |
|---|---|---|
| Per share | USD 0.0035 per share | 1 million shares: USD 0.002; 6 million shares: USD 0.001Source 4 |
| Per trade | USD 3.99 per trade | 750 trades: USD 3; 3,000 trades: USD 2Source 4 |
| Web / mobile | USD 3.99 per equity trade | Separate plan; not assumed eligible for desktop volume tiersSource 3 |
Reference table05
Options and futures charges
| Service | Published base / tier | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Options | USD 0.50 per contract; 2,000 contracts USD 0.35; 50,000 USD 0.20 | Volume programme; exchange/regulatory charges additionalSource 5 |
| Eze options | USD 3 minimum order charge | Not imposed on every platform by inferenceSource 5 |
| Web options | USD 0.50 per contract, USD 1 minimum | Its own planSource 3 |
| Futures | USD 1.29 per side | Exchange, clearing and regulatory costs remain separateSource 11 |
| Futures options | USD 1.79 per side | Not the securities-option scheduleSource 11 |
Reference table06
Order minimums and recurring costs
| Topic | Published terms and practical effect |
|---|---|
| Stock minimum conflict | The stock page states a USD 0.25 order minimum, while an options-page stock footnote says USD 0.50. Confirm the selected plan rather than calculating with a guessed minimum.Source 4Source 5 |
| Trader Pro platform | Up to USD 130 monthly, offset by eligible brokerage commissions. Market-data charges are separate.Source 6 |
| Small-balance activity floor | Below USD 15,000, a USD 25 monthly commission minimum is described. Eligible commissions reduce that floor; it is not automatically USD 25 on top of them.Source 6 |
| Discounted campaigns | Cashback and EDGE 40 offers have their own eligibility and duration. They do not replace the normal tariff for all clients.Source 18Source 19 |
Reference table07
Market-data examples
Reference table08
Margin interest and other cash costs
| Topic | Published terms and practical effect |
|---|---|
| Current general schedule | Dated 21 September 2026: 11.25% at the smallest balance band and 8.75% above USD 1 million. Confirm the complete applicable bracket and financing agreement.Source 6 |
| Older dedicated page | Still dated 12 December 2025, with 11% and 8.5% endpoints. The older table is not silently used as the current lower rate.Source 7Source 6 |
| Wire withdrawals | USD 20 domestic; USD 50 international in the funding guidance.Source 9 |
| Borrow charges | Short-stock financing/availability is separate from the debit-balance interest rate and stock execution commission.Source 6 |
Execution, orders and risk controls
Sections ↑Reference table09
Intraday margin, orders and risk
| Topic | Published terms and practical effect |
|---|---|
| 2026 rule transition | FINRA’s new framework became effective 4 June 2026 with an implementation transition. Lightspeed has announced support; the old USD 25,000 PDT statement is not used as a universal current requirement.Source 21Source 16 |
| House rules remain | Platform minimums, initial/maintenance margin and broker risk controls still apply after the regulatory change.Source 1Source 16 |
| Routing | Hotkeys and direct-routing functions depend on the terminal and selected routes; market data and routing fees remain distinct.Source 2Source 4 |
| Orders during disruption | Do not send repeated instructions without checking acknowledgement and status. The continuity policy does not promise uninterrupted execution.Source 13 |
| Persistent automation | The reviewed API material does not establish that every local script or trailing instruction continues after disconnection.Source 14 |
Deposits, withdrawals and transfers
Sections ↑Reference table10
Funding ownership and banking process
| Topic | Published terms and practical effect |
|---|---|
| ACH initiation | Use Lightspeed’s authorised workflow. A bank-pushed ACH is not treated as equivalent to a broker-initiated ACH deposit.Source 9 |
| Linked account | Own-name account requirements apply; the described ACH arrangement uses one linked bank.Source 9 |
| Deposit cap | The guidance describes USD 30,000 per sixty calendar days for ACH deposits.Source 9 |
| Wire funding | Follow the account’s carrying-firm instructions and beneficiary/reference details.Source 9Source 1 |
| Transfer in kind | An ACATS transfer normally starts with the receiving broker; asset eligibility and open obligations still matter.Source 9 |
Reference table11
Withdrawing settled, available money
| Topic | Published terms and practical effect |
|---|---|
| ACH payout | Normally two business days, with a 14:30 Eastern Time request cutoff and no stated ACH withdrawal charge.Source 9 |
| Wire payout | USD 20 domestic / USD 50 international; receiving banks can apply separate charges.Source 9 |
| Settlement | Trade settlement, deposit holds and broker processing are separate events; visible buying power is not necessarily withdrawable cash.Source 9 |
| Account identity | Cash-transfer verification and same-owner requirements remain applicable even for previously linked accounts.Source 9Source 12 |
Client protection and complaints
Sections ↑Reference table12
Securities custody versus futures protection
| Topic | Published terms and practical effect |
|---|---|
| Registered company | BrokerCheck matches Lightspeed Financial Services Group LLC, CRD 104369 and SEC 8-52843.Source 20 |
| SIPC | Eligible securities/cash custody claims are subject to USD 500,000, including a USD 250,000 cash limit, and statutory exclusions. Market losses are not covered.Source 22 |
| Wedbush excess description | Lightspeed describes USD 25 million per client, including USD 900,000 excess cash, subject to a USD 100 million aggregate. This is company-published and carrying-firm-specific, not an independently inspected insurance certificate.Source 12 |
| Other carrying firms | Do not transfer Wedbush-specific excess terms to an Interactive Brokers-carried account without its own evidence.Source 1Source 12 |
| Futures | Ordinary futures accounts are outside SIPC’s securities protection. Separate segregation and insolvency rules apply.Source 11Source 22 |
| Leverage | Margin, shorting and futures can create obligations beyond the original cash deposited.Source 1Source 11 |
Reference table13
Complaints, continuity and verification
| Topic | Published terms and practical effect |
|---|---|
| Formal route | Use the contacts and complaint procedures in the current legal disclosures and the carrying agreement for the actual account.Source 1 |
| Trading contact | +1 646-393-4800, extension 1 for trading; the published phone channel remains subject to instructions, identity checks and applicable charges.Source 10 |
| Cashiering | The same main number, extension 6, is distinguished from trading support.Source 10 |
| Disruption plan | The business-continuity policy describes communication arrangements without a fixed restoration service-level guarantee.Source 13 |
Account support and records
Sections ↑Reference table14
Statements, tax files and security
| Topic | Published terms and practical effect |
|---|---|
| Tax import | Help guidance describes Wedbush tax-document/TurboTax access using the account and document identifiers.Source 10 |
| Corrections | Use the latest corrected tax form where issued; an earlier downloaded file can cease to be authoritative.Source 10 |
| Trading exports | Specific CSV history windows and guaranteed post-closure retrieval were not established for every platform/carrier.Source 10Source 1 |
| Authentication | Mobile verification codes are described for sensitive changes and money movement.Source 12 |
| Recovery hold | A universal fixed withdrawal hold after identity or device recovery was not established.Source 12 |
| General service | +1 888-577-3123; choose the appropriate trading or cashiering route for an account action.Source 10 |
Tools, automation and additional services
Sections ↑Reference table15
API, AI and campaign boundaries
| Topic | Published terms and practical effect |
|---|---|
| Connect | WebSocket JSON messages support order, execution and account functions; separate approval and the API opening balance apply.Source 14Source 15Source 1 |
| External data | Trading access does not automatically grant rights to redistribute market data.Source 14 |
| Revocation | Account/key revocation and the persistence of existing orders must be confirmed; this profile does not equate disconnecting a client with flattening positions.Source 14 |
| AI functions | Research/chat/scanner descriptions do not establish independent discretionary authority over the account.Source 2Source 14 |
| Copy services | A standard broker-run PAMM/copy subscription with documented exit terms was not established.Source 1Source 14 |
| Promotions | Cashback/reduced-rate campaigns are conditional; do not model temporary rewards as permanent execution costs.Source 18Source 19 |
Company background and evidence
Sections ↑Reference table16
Company lineage and account scope
| Topic | Published terms and practical effect |
|---|---|
| Name change | The broker-dealer announced its 2020 change from Lime Brokerage LLC to Lightspeed Financial Services Group LLC.Source 17Source 20 |
| Current account | The contract and carrier, not an old brand name, determine custody, permissions and complaints.Source 1 |
| Comparison boundary | This profile compares the current Lightspeed service, not a separate present-day company using a similar historical name.Source 17 |
| Research method | Public documents reviewed; no funded trade, route-speed comparison or withdrawal/recovery experiment was performed.Source 1Source 9 |
Legal entities & licences
These are source-dated records, not a blanket assessment of the broker. Read each issuer, identifier, status and scope together.
Lightspeed Financial Services Group LLC
United StatesSource 20
| Issuer & identifier | Recorded status | Date & scope |
|---|---|---|
| FINRA104369 | Registered | Checked 13 Oct 2026Exact broker-dealer identity matched in BrokerCheck.Source 20 |
| SEC8-52843 | Registered | Checked 13 Oct 2026Registration identifier reported in the official BrokerCheck document; not a separate SEC-file inspection.Source 20 |
Sources & further reading
- Legal disclosures and customer relationship summary Lightspeed · Accessed 13 Oct 2026
- Lightspeed Trader Pro Lightspeed · Accessed 13 Oct 2026
- Web and Mobile Lightspeed · Accessed 13 Oct 2026
- Stock and ETF commissions Lightspeed · Accessed 13 Oct 2026
- Options commissions Lightspeed · Accessed 13 Oct 2026
- Fees and charges Lightspeed · Accessed 13 Oct 2026
- Dedicated margin-rate page Lightspeed · Accessed 13 Oct 2026
- Market-data charges Lightspeed · Accessed 13 Oct 2026
- Funding and withdrawals Lightspeed · Accessed 13 Oct 2026
- Frequently asked questions Lightspeed · Accessed 13 Oct 2026
- Futures account opening Lightspeed · Accessed 13 Oct 2026
- Security and insurance Lightspeed · Accessed 13 Oct 2026
- Business continuity policy Lightspeed · Accessed 13 Oct 2026
- API trading Lightspeed · Accessed 13 Oct 2026
- Lightspeed Connect announcement Lightspeed · Accessed 13 Oct 2026
- Intraday-margin implementation announcement Lightspeed · Accessed 13 Oct 2026
- 2020 broker-dealer name change Lightspeed · Accessed 13 Oct 2026
- Cashback offer terms Lightspeed · Accessed 13 Oct 2026
- EDGE 40 offer terms Lightspeed · Accessed 13 Oct 2026
- Lightspeed Financial Services Group LLC — BrokerCheck FINRA · Accessed 13 Oct 2026
- Intraday margin rule implementation FINRA · Accessed 13 Oct 2026
- What SIPC protects SIPC · Accessed 13 Oct 2026
This profile reports dated public information, including broker-published services and terms. It does not independently test or guarantee execution, pricing or withdrawals. Inclusion is not an endorsement. Permissions and protections apply only to the named legal entity, service and client category; check the current official records and your contract.