Launched in the UK in 2016, it stood out with commission‑free trading, an intuitive web and mobile interface and full FCA regulation. I first joined Hargreaves Lansdown around 2014, when brokers charged up to £11.95 per trade. If you traded often or in small amounts, those fees could quickly erode your returns. Uninvested cash within the platform earns an Annual Equivalent Rate (AER) that is variable.
Trading 212 accounts
Trading 212 is a British financial services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It operates an electronic trading platform that enables trading in stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and contracts for difference (CFDs). The company also provides debit cards and other banking services alongside a financial news website. While these features offer some level of automated investing, they don’t quite match the sophistication of copy trading platforms offered by some competitors. To begin trading with Trading212, you need to create an account and verify your identity. This quick setup process connects you to one of the most accessible trading platforms in the market.
This is a traditional trading account, with more than 10,000 securities (shares and ETF’s) available to trade. Unlike the more traditional platforms though you can start investing from as little as £1. All trades are commission free, with a small foreign-exchange fee if you buy in another currency.
What payment methods are supported?
This decision was controversial, and some users criticised Trading 212 for limiting their ability to trade, which resulted in losses for some customers. US platforms that did similar were hauled before a senate committee to explain its actions. Taken together, these safeguards mean Trading 212 meets the same “safe-broker” criteria as established platforms such as Hargreaves Lansdown and IG.
Support Contact Methods And Working Hours
Processing typically takes up to three business days, though bank procedures or currency conversions may affect timing. Other than the variable spreads and other fees mentioned above, there are no costs for inactivity periods, deposits, and withdrawals. However, for $2,000+ deposits made via cards, Google Pay, Apple Pay, and other similar systems, a 0.7% fee is applied. While the proprietary platform is user-friendly and feature-rich for most traders, it’s worth noting that Trading 212 doesn’t support popular third-party platforms like MetaTrader 4 or 5. This could be a drawback for traders accustomed to these widely-used platforms.
What trading platforms are supported?
The broker offers a proprietary platform (web + mobile) with TradingView-powered charts. The minimum deposit is $1 for Invest/ISA accounts and $10 for CFD accounts. Across the UK and European markets, the company has been celebrated for its low-cost structure, user-friendly platform, and commitment to empowering everyday investors. While Trading 212 doesn’t offer a traditional copy trading feature, unlike some other brokers, it does provide some interesting investment options. Trading 212 provides withdrawal options for major currencies with generally no broker fees.
This is one of the stand out, and most popular features of Trading 212. There’s a whole section on the Trading 212 community boards, discussing and sharing pies. The cool thing about pies is that if you see a pie you like created by someone else, you can copy it, and add it your own portfolio, or share your pie for others to copy. Trading 212 on the other hand is straight forward and intuitive.
The platform’s layout is clean and straightforward, and it offers several customisation options, allowing users to tailor https://traderoom.info/is-trading212-a-reliable-brokerage-firm/ their trading experience to their needs. In this review I take a close look at the UK’s most popular investment platform. I cover account types, fees, platform features, real‑world user experience, and the controversies and concerns that have emerged over the years.
The range of stocks and investments is good, but it’s not as comprehensive something like Interactive brokers (IB). So those looking to invest in more obscure stocks may need to use an additional platform or request said stocks to be added to Trading 212. You initially choose the stocks you want, and the weighting of those stocks in the pie, and auto invest does the rest. Just select the deposit amount and the frequency, and funds will automatically be added to your pie based on your weighting preferences. One of the standout features of Trading 212 is its user-friendly interface, which makes it easy for even novice traders to buy and sell assets.
Trading 212 issues and controversies
Copy trading is not available, but features like interest on cash and share lending exist. All trades are commission-free across Invest, ISA, and CFD accounts. You can trade Forex, stocks, ETFs, indices, commodities, and treasuries (13,000+ symbols).
All that, before mentioning that it’s the cheapest platform around. Overall, the platform has generally been well-regarded by users for its user-friendly design, wide range of investment options, and competitive fees. It is worth noting that it has made efforts to address some of the issues that have been raised by users, such as by improving customer support and reducing withdrawal times. There have been some issues and controversies with Trading 212 in the past.
Funding your Trading 212 account is designed to be smooth, fast, and transparent. The platform supports a variety of funding channels, from classic bank transfers to instant and electronic payment systems, allowing traders worldwide to deposit funds securely in multiple currencies. Trading 212 maintains one of the most transparent fee structures in retail trading.
- A lot of platforms have an auto invest function, some such as HL are even free (only UK stocks, ETFs, and funds).
- I cover account types, fees, platform features, real‑world user experience, and the controversies and concerns that have emerged over the years.
- I actually found that the spreads were better or equal to many of the more established trading platforms, so Trading 212 must be making its money in a different way.
- “Trading Finder,” with its experience, aids traders and investors in gaining a correct understanding and deep learning.
- Few could afford a Berkshire Hathaway share, but with fractional shares, you wouldn’t have to buy a whole share to invest in the company.
Trading 212: Stocks, ETFs, ISA
You can hold up to 50 stocks in a pie and have multiple pies all based around various themes, or risk levels. If there’s one criticism of the Trading 212 interface, it’s that its modern layout doesn’t lend itself well to conducting in-depth research on stocks. There’s basic data and financials but not on the scale of HL, and only on the top/most popular companies. The platform also offers a range of tools and resources, including charts, news feeds, and a community forum, to help users make informed trading decisions. Some more than others, but when it comes online trading, Trading 212 is pretty much the best out there in terms of ease-of-use. I also have an account with Freetrade, but more on that later.
- That doesn’t need to be in an investment app, it could be in an easy access savings account (see our guide to the best easy access digital savings accounts).
- Stocks and shares are the bread and butter of any online trading platform, so it’s no surprise then that Trading 212 covers over 10,000 stocks from exchanges around the world.
- Launched in the UK in 2016, it stood out with commission‑free trading, an intuitive web and mobile interface and full FCA regulation.
- Withdrawals from your account are free, but adding money can cost you.
- All trades are commission-free across Invest, ISA, and CFD accounts.
When I switched to Trading 212, the stock wasn’t available, so I contacted them about it, and the stock was added a few days later. If there is a stock you are interested in that isn’t yet covered, you can contact Trading 212, and they will consider adding it to the platform if the demand is high enough. New investors are usually encouraged to invest in funds or indices, but if you’re interested in expanding your range of investments, Trading 212 has you well covered.
Retail CFD clients benefit from automatic negative-balance protection, so you can never lose more than your deposited amount. For Invest and ISA accounts, eligible UK clients are also covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) up to £85,000 per person. Withdrawals from your account are free, but adding money can cost you. Deposits via debit cards or using Apple Pay, Google Pay or similar are free up to £2,000 Over this amount there’s a 0.7% fee. Trading 212 may be commission free, but that doesn’t mean it’s fee free. Although you won’t be charged £11.95 a trade like HL, some transactions do carry a small fee.