If I'm HK resident and I'm covered by IB-HK I can't trade in USA via IB-HK! Because the IB-HK is not an USA broker, the IB-HK is not an USA company, the IB-HK is not member the USA Exchanges, laws of China don't work within USA and the IB-HK didn't regulated the SEC. This's just corp relations between IB-HK and IB-USA if you trading on USA market via IB-HK, but IB-HK is not USA Broker, USA Broker it's IB-USA! Do you sense difference?
You are confusing account protection and trading. If you're a resident of HK your account will indeed be with IBHK (which is well capitalized and follows HK SFC financial and regulatory requirements). However, if you trade US stocks your positions and funds will he held under an ominous account with IBLLC who follow all US rules and regulations. If you want to trade "in" the US, all you need to do is request to be placed on our US servers and lo and behold, you'll be trading in the US. For an IB account holder - no matter which entity - you end up with the same infrastructure, routing and technology. All IB entities fall under the IB Group which has over $5 Billion USD in capital.
Something like that ..., IB Group it's sort of a holding company! Just people wrote above: IBHK - it US broker and IBLLC this is world broker as one company, but it is incorrect! Want to trade in US work with IBLLC. in China work with IBHK. Enough about IB. This's theme about local brokers!