Interactive Brokers Demonstrates Why Modern Stock Brokers Are Outpacing Market Expectations in 2025

Interactive Brokers wrapped up 2025 with financial results that revealed why the stock brokers industry continues to evolve rapidly. The platform reported fourth-quarter adjusted earnings of 65 cents per share, exceeding analyst expectations of 59 cents. Revenue delivered $1.64 billion against the consensus estimate of $1.6 billion. These numbers highlight how leading stock brokers firms are capturing growth across multiple revenue streams.

The year-over-year comparison tells an important story. Fourth-quarter 2024 showed adjusted earnings of 51 cents on $1.4 billion in revenue, making 2025’s performance a meaningful expansion for this major stock brokers platform.

Customer Growth Accelerates Across the Board

Interactive Brokers added more than 1 million net new accounts during 2025, establishing an annual record for the firm. Customer accounts climbed to 4.4 million by quarter’s end—a 32% jump from the year-ago period. This kind of customer acquisition pace demonstrates how stock brokers platforms are attracting diverse investor segments.

Daily average revenue trades increased 30% to 4.04 million transactions per day. Customer margin loans expanded 40% to $90.2 billion. These metrics underscore how active traders and institutional investors are channeling capital through Interactive Brokers’ infrastructure.

Client Assets Reach Unprecedented Milestone

Client equity surged 37% to $780 billion, marking the first time Interactive Brokers closed a full year with over $0.75 trillion in client assets under management. This milestone matters because it positions Interactive Brokers among the largest custodians of retail and institutional capital globally.

Performance data reveals why investors continue choosing this platform. Individual investors achieved average returns of 19.2% during 2025, while financial advisers posted average gains of 20.57%. Hedge fund clients delivered the strongest performance at 28.91% average returns—all figures exceeding the S&P 500’s annual return.

Commission revenues set a quarterly record at $582 million. Net interest income reached $966 million despite multiple rate cuts across major currencies, highlighting the resilience of Interactive Brokers’ business model. The pretax margin matched third-quarter records at 79%, while full-year pretax margins reached a new high of 77%.

Prediction Markets and Payment Innovation Transform Trading Access

ForecastEx, Interactive Brokers’ prediction market exchange, traded 286 million pairs in Q4—up dramatically from 15 million pairs in the third quarter. Temperature contracts emerged as the most frequently traded instruments on the platform. Founder Thomas Peterffy indicated the company plans to link these to natural gas and electricity contracts, targeting institutional customers rather than sports betting enthusiasts. Peterffy sees the utility sector as a critical growth opportunity for prediction market infrastructure.

Interactive Brokers recently launched stablecoin funding for customer accounts, allowing clients to deposit U.S. dollar-backed digital assets directly. This feature particularly benefits international customers who can now avoid traditional wire transfer fees. CEO Milan Galik noted that clients can transfer funds and begin trading within minutes using stablecoin deposits—a significant friction reduction compared to conventional banking channels.

Market Access Expands Globally While Trading Activity Surges

Overnight trading volumes grew 76% from the previous quarter, exceeding prior-year fourth-quarter levels by more than 130%. Options contract volumes rose 27% year-over-year, while futures contracts climbed 22% and stock volumes increased 16%.

The company expanded market access to Brazil, Taiwan, the UAE, and Slovenia during the period. Interactive Brokers also launched new tax-advantaged accounts in Sweden, Japan, and Canada—illustrating how stock brokers are customizing offerings for regional preferences.

The GlobalTrader 2.0 mobile platform launched with AI-powered capabilities, including the “Ask IBKR” feature for natural language trading inquiries and AI-generated news summaries. These tools reflect how modern stock brokers differentiate through technology integration.

Balance Sheet and Regulatory Path Forward

Firm equity exceeded $20 billion for the first time in company history. Net revenues surpassed $6 billion for the full year. Management continues pursuing a bank charter, with expectations to become operational by year-end if regulatory approval materializes. The company also plans to secure a European banking license, likely establishing operations in Ireland to serve its growing institutional client base across the continent.