Access to most major US, European, and Asian stock, options and futures exchanges. Last time I checked not a single data provider (eSignal possibly?) even offered access to those markets, and not one broker other than IB.
I am among the longest time users, opened initially a retail account the year they opened up to retail clients. Now have several retail accounts and an institutional account with IB among other brokers. And just because you make a wild claim as to the rational why they charge higher margins does not make it true. Your argument does not flow logically at all.
Burn. @Zzzz1 and @JackRab get their panties in a bunch whenever someone mentions the fact that IB has ridiculous fees and policies that no one else has.
No, I just smirk when I come across people who just cannot let go. Mate, you mentioned you moved on, you are happy with your new broker. Why do you constantly keep bitching about IB? In fact what IB does or not does is not even your business anymore unless of course you make it your business to bitch. I use different brokers for different purposes. IB has served me well for my discretionary trading even way earlier than you have ever heard of IB's existence. You appear to entertain chump change in your account and just are upset that IB's bars are set too high for you. Live with it. Not everything suits each person equally.
How do you know what is in my account? I haven't always bashed ib and I've never had an account with them. I hear the odd rules and it just makes no sense for me to even consider them. You must have me confused with someone else.
Here are 3 more http://int.tddirectinvesting.com/investment-products/stocks Trade on 18 Stock Exchanges across North America, Europe and Asia Pacific http://www.swissquote.ch Electronic share dealing is available on the following exchanges: Switzerland (SIX), U.S. (NYSE, Arca, AMEX, NASDAQ), Austria (ATX), UK (LSE), Italy (Borsa Italiana), Frankfurt (XETRA), Euronext, Canada (TSX, TSX-V), and the pan-Nordic OMX trading facility (Stockholm, Helsinki, Oslo, and Copenhagen). Another 60 markets in 40 countries, including Brazil, S. Africa, Middle East, Asia and Australia are traded via phone-executed orders. Trading in options, futures, warrants, bonds, structured products and forex is also available Commission on ETFs and over 3,000 funds http://www.iocbc.com/ iOCBC is the company’s online trading division offering commodity futures, forex, ETFs, shares, warrants, and Extended Settlement contracts***. Although the depth of products offered is comparatively shallow, the breadth of exchanges traded is impressive: Australia (ASX), Hong Kong (HKEX), Indonesia (IDX), London (LSE), Malaysia (BURSA), Philippines (PSE), Shanghai (SSE)& Shenzhen (SZSE) B-shares only, Singapore (SGX), Thailand (SET), Tokyo (TSE), and the U.S. (NYSE, AMEX, NASDAQ).
You don't even understand the rules, particularly when you don't have a portfolio margin trading account with IB. Yet you walk around as if you are the expert. You still refuse to share with us who your wonderful broker is. Let me guess, some FCM that lets you access Chicago and New York?