Accounts and opening requirements
Sections ↑This guide covers LYNX’s German service and the Irish Interactive Brokers account structure described in its documentation. It does not transfer the conditions of a Swiss LYNX/IBUK account to a German customer. Account ownership, borrowing permission and product approval are separate decisions.[1][16][7]
Reference table01
Cash, margin and corporate routes
| Attribute | Personal cash account | Personal margin account | Corporate account |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum age / applicant | 18 or older | 21 or older; experience and financial criteria apply | Eligible legal entity and authorised representativesSource 1Source 2 |
| Funding model | Purchases require sufficient settled cash | Borrowing and approved leveraged products are possible | Cash or margin permissions depend on approvalSource 1Source 7 |
| Published capital condition | No general cash opening threshold established from the requirements table | The page conflicts between EUR 2,000 in prose and US$2,000 equivalent in its table; confirm the applied threshold | EUR 20,000 initial account value in the corporate offeringSource 1Source 2 |
| Distinct higher-tier requirement | Not applicable | Portfolio margin: US$100,000 in the requirements table; not the ordinary margin-account minimum | Corporate form and country must meet the dedicated application rulesSource 1Source 2 |
Reference table02
Corporate eligibility and application evidence
| Item | Terms and practical meaning |
|---|---|
| Accepted examples | The corporate page lists GmbH, UG and AG structures in Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein and Luxembourg. A company from another jurisdiction is not automatically covered.Source 2 |
| Excluded examples | The same route excludes the listed partnerships, including GbR, KG, GmbH & Co. KG and OHG, and investment clubs.Source 2 |
| Documents and permissions | Provide identification, company and representative evidence through the application process; an LEI is relevant to the corporate trading route. A completed application is not permission for every derivative.Source 2Source 1 |
Products, platforms and market data
Sections ↑Reference table03
Access and product boundaries
| Item | Terms and practical meaning |
|---|---|
| Markets | Published schedules cover shares, ETFs, listed options and futures across multiple venues, plus other approved instruments. Each venue and instrument has its own currency and tariff.Source 3 |
| FX is not one product | The German help centre separates currency conversion from leveraged speculation. It says direct leveraged spot FX is unavailable in this structure; derivatives require their own permissions. Its Swiss exception is outside this profile.Source 7 |
| Interfaces | LYNX+ is the browser interface, Trader Workstation is the desktop platform, and the Trading App provides mobile access. The currency guide gives distinct workflows for each.Source 7 |
| Quotes | Default quotes may be delayed, commonly by 15 minutes. Live data requires the relevant subscription and eligibility; the help centre states a US$200-equivalent account minimum for subscriptions. Data charges and trading commissions are separate.Source 9 |
Trading commissions and continuing charges
Sections ↑Pricing & charges04
Selected published trading commissions
| Instrument / venue | Calculation | Minimum or qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Xetra shares | 0.14% of transaction value | EUR 5.80 minimum; EUR 99 maximumSource 3 |
| US shares | US$0.01 per share | US$5 minimum; published maximum 2% of valueSource 3 |
| SIX shares | 0.15% of transaction value | CHF 15 minimumSource 3 |
| Eurex / US options | EUR 2 / US$3.50 per contract | Market-specific commission, not an all-in option-strategy costSource 3 |
| Micro-DAX / Mini-DAX futures | EUR 0.99 / EUR 1.50 per contract | Opening and closing executions are separate transactionsSource 3 |
| Selected US micro / standard index futures | US$2.50 / US$4 per contract | Micro examples: MES, MNQ, M2K and MYM; standard examples: ES and NQSource 3 |
Reference table05
Account administration and financing
| Item | Terms and practical meaning |
|---|---|
| Activity charge | The price page distinguishes private/joint accounts from corporate accounts. Corporate activity charges are up to EUR 15 per month, reduced by qualifying commissions; this is not a flat fee on every customer.Source 3 |
| Interest | Debit rates vary by currency and tier. The accessed rate table is labelled 8 September 2026. Interest is calculated daily and posted monthly; treat its values as dated schedule information, not a guaranteed borrowing quote today.Source 4 |
| Currency balance | Financing can arise in one currency even while another currency has a positive balance. Changing the portfolio’s presentation does not itself pay off a foreign-currency borrowing.Source 7 |
Order controls, settlement and margin
Sections ↑Reference table06
Operational rules that affect a trade
| Item | Terms and practical meaning |
|---|---|
| Cash-account settlement | The currency help centre requires settled funds in the purchase currency. It normally describes FX settlement at T+2, with USD/CAD at T+1 and a possible immediate IBFX route. Instrument and holiday calendars still matter.Source 7 |
| Conversion orders | Closing a cash-currency balance generates a limit order, which may remain unfilled. A conversion instruction is not proof that usable destination cash has arrived.Source 7 |
| Margin liquidation | IBIE applies real-time risk requirements and may liquidate positions to restore compliance. Do not assume a discretionary multi-day margin-call grace period.Source 17 |
| Exceptional restrictions | Opening, closing or transferring a particular instrument can be restricted in exceptional conditions. A displayed position or price does not establish that the exit route is available.Source 8 |
| Outage response | Use the published dealing-support contacts and inspect the account’s order status before repeating an uncertain instruction. E-mail is not an accepted order-placement channel.Source 10 |
Deposits, withdrawals and cash currencies
Sections ↑Reference table07
Cash movement rules
| Item | Terms and practical meaning |
|---|---|
| Deposit route | Use a transfer from a permitted bank account in the holder’s own name, following the authenticated deposit instructions. The guidance covers the EU/EEA and Switzerland; cards and PayPal are not the ordinary route.Source 5 |
| Notification versus payment | A deposit notification identifies an expected incoming payment; it does not instruct the external bank to send it. Normal processing is described as one to two banking days, subject to checks.Source 5 |
| Initial withdrawal hold | The withdrawal guide gives a three-business-day lock including the deposit day: its Monday-deposit example becomes withdrawable on Thursday. This is distinct from bank-delivery time.Source 6 |
| Cost and delivery | One withdrawal per calendar month is free. Further EUR payments are listed at EUR 1 for SEPA or EUR 8 for a wire. Normal delivery is one to three business days; approval and recipient-bank checks can extend it.Source 6 |
| Destination and limits | Ownership checks apply to a new bank destination. Permitted withdrawal amounts depend on the security method; a single maximum cannot be assigned to every account.Source 6 |
| Conversion-only use | The account is intended for investing, not primarily for converting currencies and withdrawing them. The help centre says such use can lead to restrictions. Small residual currencies are treated separately from normal manual conversions.Source 7 |
Custody, compensation and security
Sections ↑Protection attaches to the company and the property involved. LYNX’s Dutch arrangement and IBIE’s Irish arrangement address different failures; their headline limits should not be added into an automatic combined allowance.[16]
Reference table08
Protection and access controls
| Item | Terms and practical meaning |
|---|---|
| Irish custodian | IBIE describes daily client-money and securities reconciliations and accounts designated for clients’ benefit. Segregation is a custody control, not insurance against market losses.Source 17 |
| Irish compensation | Eligible private investors may receive 90% of a qualifying loss, capped at EUR 20,000. The stated scheme excludes institutions and professional clients and concerns investment-firm failure.Source 17 |
| US-affiliate assets | IBIE describes conditional SIPC and excess cover for specified assets custodied at its US affiliate. This is not cover for every IBIE cash balance; futures and options on futures are excluded.Source 17 |
| Two-factor authentication | LYNX Key supports the Trading App, while the documented alternatives include authenticator-app codes. Enable the method available for the account rather than treating a password alone as equivalent.Source 11 |
| Lost or replaced phone | Reactivation can require an SMS to the already registered number. Without access, contact support for recovery; changing a number is not a legitimate way to bypass withdrawal verification.Source 12 |
Support and account records
Sections ↑Official contact routes
Client servicesTelephone
+49 30 303286690Source 10
Scope Published contact; no response-time or execution-service test was performed.
Hours Monday–Thursday, 08:00–20:00; Friday, 08:00–18:00, German local time
Official contact and help informationWebsite
Reference table09
Help and documents
| Item | Terms and practical meaning |
|---|---|
| German service | Telephone +49 30 303 28 66 90; e-mail [email protected]. Published hours are Monday–Thursday 08:00–20:00 and Friday 08:00–18:00, local German time.Source 10 |
| Outside those hours | The contact page directs clients to English-language Interactive Brokers support at +1 312 542 6901. Assistance with input is not a blanket waiver of every broker-executed order charge.Source 10 |
| Statements | Choose report period, language and format in account management. The service centre describes access to the previous seven calendar years; older material may require a support request and a fee.Source 13 |
| Tax information | The annual informative tax report is not an official tax certificate or binding assessment. Keep the underlying annual statement and reconcile the report with the investor’s actual obligations.Source 14 |
| Interest withholding | The Irish-interest guide describes a 20% default withholding rate with possible treaty relief. Check the relevant status in Client Portal; this is not a universal tax rate on securities gains.Source 15 |
Promotions, automation and optional services
Sections ↑Reference table10
Service distinctions
| Item | Terms and practical meaning |
|---|---|
| Referral credit | The accessed referral terms, dated 1 March 2026, offer up to EUR 100 of qualifying commission reimbursement over three months after initial funding. It is not an unconditional cash balance available on application.Source 18 |
| Automation permission | Platform availability does not itself establish a particular third-party API authorisation or its trading and withdrawal scope. No LYNX-specific permission contract for an external AI or copying service was established here.Source 11Source 10 |
| Closing the relationship | An empty account may be closed under the withdrawal process. Export records and confirm the treatment of open orders, unsettled transactions and subscriptions before removing the final balance.Source 6Source 13 |
Company identity and documentation scope
Sections ↑Reference table11
Who provides what
| Item | Terms and practical meaning |
|---|---|
| German service | LYNX B.V. Germany Branch, Charlottenstraße 68, 10117 Berlin. Its own protection disclosure describes the Dutch-regulated LYNX business. This review does not label that disclosure a fresh independent regulator-register confirmation.Source 10Source 16 |
| Account provider | Interactive Brokers Ireland Limited provides the account structure described here. LYNX’s Swiss/IBUK guidance and other national tariffs must not silently replace the German terms.Source 16Source 7 |
| Document discrepancy | The minimum-requirements page uses different EUR/US$ bases for ordinary margin eligibility. The account’s accepted threshold needs confirmation before funding specifically to meet it.Source 1 |
Legal entities & licences
These are source-dated records, not a blanket assessment of the broker. Read each issuer, identifier, status and scope together.
LYNX B.V. Germany Branch
No separate licence entry is recorded in this panel.
Interactive Brokers Ireland Limited
No separate licence entry is recorded in this panel.
Sources & further reading
- Minimum requirements and cash versus margin eligibility LYNX — Germany · Accessed 13 Oct 2026
- Corporate-account eligibility and opening LYNX — Germany · Accessed 13 Oct 2026
- Published commissions by market and administrative charges LYNX — Germany · Accessed 13 Oct 2026
- Debit and credit interest schedules LYNX — Germany · Accessed 13 Oct 2026
- Depositing money and permissible bank routes LYNX — Germany · Accessed 13 Oct 2026
- Withdrawal instructions, holds, fees and account closure LYNX — Germany · Accessed 13 Oct 2026
- Currency conversion, settlement and funding of foreign-currency purchases LYNX — Germany · Accessed 13 Oct 2026
- Trading restrictions and dealing in exceptional conditions LYNX — Germany · Accessed 13 Oct 2026
- Market-data subscriptions and delayed data LYNX — Germany · Accessed 13 Oct 2026
- Service hours, dealing assistance and after-hours contact LYNX — Germany · Accessed 13 Oct 2026
- LYNX Key and alternative authenticator setup LYNX — Germany · Accessed 13 Oct 2026
- Changing a telephone number and recovering authentication LYNX — Germany · Accessed 13 Oct 2026
- Account statements and historic-report availability LYNX — Germany · Accessed 13 Oct 2026
- Informative annual tax report and its limitations LYNX — Germany · Accessed 13 Oct 2026
- Irish withholding on interest and treaty-status management LYNX — Germany · Accessed 13 Oct 2026
- Account custody and LYNX/IBIE protection arrangements LYNX — Germany · Accessed 13 Oct 2026
- IBIE segregation, compensation and limited US-affiliate custody Interactive Brokers Ireland · Accessed 13 Oct 2026
- Customer referral reimbursement conditions LYNX — Germany · 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.