Interactive Brokers Launches Prediction Market ForecastEx in 2024, Expects 32% Growth in Customer Accounts
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jan 14 2026
0mins
Should l Buy IBKR?
Source: Yahoo Finance
- Prediction Market Growth: Thomas Peterffy, founder of Interactive Brokers, anticipates accelerated growth for the ForecastEx prediction market launched in 2024, particularly during the upcoming midterm elections, driving a 32% increase in customer accounts to 4.13 million.
- Market Integration Plans: Peterffy stated that by 2026, Interactive Brokers aims to integrate its betting services more closely with other products, thereby providing clients with comprehensive investment insights that enhance their competitive edge in the market.
- Optimistic Industry Outlook: Following the 2024 U.S. court ruling that lifted the ban on election betting, prediction markets have rapidly expanded, and Peterffy is bullish on ForecastEx's prospects, believing that more competitors will enter this space with virtually limitless applications.
- Cryptocurrency Expansion: Interactive Brokers is also expanding into the cryptocurrency arena by launching stablecoin services and partnering with Paxos, which is expected to further strengthen its market position in digital asset trading and attract more clients.
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Analyst Views on IBKR
Wall Street analysts forecast IBKR stock price to rise
7 Analyst Rating
6 Buy
1 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 67.910
Low
75.00
Averages
81.43
High
91.00
Current: 67.910
Low
75.00
Averages
81.43
High
91.00
About IBKR
Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. is an automated global electronic broker. The Company custodies and services accounts for hedge and mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), registered investment advisors, proprietary trading groups, introducing brokers and individual investors. It specializes in routing orders and executing and processing trades in stocks, options, futures, foreign exchange instruments (forex), bonds, mutual funds, ETFs, precious metals, and forecast contracts on more than 160 electronic exchanges and market centers in 36 countries and 28 currencies around the world. In addition, its customers can use its trading platform to trade certain cryptocurrencies through third-party cryptocurrency service providers that execute, clear and custody the cryptocurrencies. Its trading platforms include IBKR Desktop, IBKR Trader Workstation, IBKR Mobile, IBKR Client Portal and others. Its key product offerings include IBKR Pro, IBKR Lite, and IBKR Universal Account.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Interactive Brokers Reports Strong March Performance Metrics
- Volume Growth: In March, Interactive Brokers reported a Daily Average Revenue Trades (DARTs) of 4.329 million, a 25% increase year-over-year, indicating a significant rise in client activity that strengthens its market position.
- Client Equity Increase: As of the end of March, total client equity reached $789.4 billion, up 38% from the previous year, although down 4% month-over-month, reflecting the company's success in attracting client funds.
- Client Accounts Growth: The number of client accounts rose to 4.754 million, a 31% increase year-over-year, demonstrating effective strategies in expanding its customer base and market penetration, which enhances future revenue potential.
- Stable Commission Revenue: The average commission per cleared commissionable order was $2.74, showcasing the company's competitiveness in trade execution, maintaining a stable revenue stream despite market fluctuations.
See More
CFTC Sues Three States Over Prediction Market Regulations
- Legal Action: The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has filed a lawsuit against Arizona, Connecticut, and Illinois, accusing these states of unlawfully attempting to regulate prediction markets, despite CFTC's exclusive jurisdiction under the Commodity Exchange Act.
- Regulatory Challenges: CFTC Chairman Michael Selig emphasized that states imposing inconsistent regulatory obligations lead to inadequate consumer protection and increased fraud risks, highlighting the uncertainty in the regulatory environment for market participants.
- Industry Development Dynamics: Although prediction markets have operated within the CFTC's regulatory framework for over two decades, many view them as novel or unsettled, resulting in uncertainty that negatively impacts public interest and market stability.
- Market Participant Response: With major prediction markets like Polymarket and Kalshi in operation, and even Wall Street banks like Goldman Sachs considering entry into this space, there is a growing interest and potential for growth in prediction markets.
See More
CFTC Sues Three States Over Prediction Market Regulation
- Regulatory Authority Dispute: The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has filed lawsuits against Arizona, Connecticut, and Illinois, accusing these states of attempting to restrict activities of contract markets registered with the CFTC, indicating a challenge to the CFTC's exclusive regulatory authority over prediction markets.
- Legal Basis: The CFTC asserts that it has exclusive authority to oversee event contracts under the Commodity Exchange Act, and the actions of these states are seen as interference with legally operating contract markets, which could lead to inadequate consumer protection and increased fraud risk.
- Political Context: This lawsuit comes amid heightened scrutiny of prediction markets in Congress, where some Democratic lawmakers have introduced legislation to ban betting on topics such as elections, war, and sports, indicating rising regulatory pressure on the industry.
- Industry Response: The NFL's chief compliance officer has requested prediction market operators to block event contracts deemed
See More
Interactive Brokers Reports Strong March Trading Metrics
- Trading Volume Surge: In March, Interactive Brokers' daily average revenue trades (DARTs) increased by 25% year-over-year to over 4.3 million, showing robust market activity despite a slight 1% dip from February, which strengthens the company's position in the competitive brokerage industry.
- Client Equity Growth: By the end of March, client equity exceeded $789 billion, marking a 38% year-over-year increase, although down 4% from February, indicating heightened client confidence in the market that could drive future trading activity and revenue growth.
- Rising Client Credit Balances: Client credit balances rose 35% year-over-year and increased by 4% from February, suggesting a higher level of client engagement in the market, which may further enhance the company's profitability and market share.
- Client Account Expansion: Interactive Brokers saw a 31% year-over-year increase in total client accounts, surpassing 4.75 million, with a 4% rise from February, reflecting the company's ability to attract new clients and the increased activity of existing ones, thereby bolstering its competitive edge in the market.
See More
Interactive Brokers Reports 25% YoY Increase in March Trading Revenue
- Trading Revenue Growth: Interactive Brokers reported a 25% year-over-year increase in March's daily average revenue trades, reaching 4.329 million, although it fell 1% month-over-month, indicating the company's resilience amid market fluctuations.
- Client Equity Increase: As of the end of March, total client equity stood at $789.4 billion, up 38% year-over-year but down 4% month-over-month, reflecting the impact of market conditions on client investments.
- Margin Loan Balances Rise: Client margin loan balances reached $86.0 billion, a 35% increase from last year but down 4% from February, suggesting a cautious approach among clients regarding borrowing.
- Client Account Growth: The total number of client accounts reached 4.754 million, representing a 31% year-over-year increase and a 2% month-over-month rise, demonstrating Interactive Brokers' success in attracting new clients.
See More
Interactive Brokers Launches Crypto Trading for EEA Investors
- Market Expansion: Interactive Brokers has launched crypto trading for individual investors in the European Economic Area through its Ireland-based unit, significantly expanding its product suite and enhancing its competitive position in a market of nearly 450 million people.
- Secure Trading Partnership: The collaboration with Zerohash ensures secure trade execution and asset custody, allowing users to seamlessly trade 11 major cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin and Ethereum, on a single integrated platform, thereby enhancing user experience.
- Cost Efficiency Improvement: With commissions ranging from 0.12% to 0.18%, IBKR's crypto trading becomes more accessible and cost-effective, attracting more users and boosting trading activity and fee-based revenues over time.
- Platform Integration Advantage: Crypto trading is embedded across multiple key IBKR platforms, enabling clients to access digital assets through familiar tools, which improves portfolio management efficiency and transparency, helping clients better manage risk and liquidity.
See More
Interactive Brokers Reports Strong March Performance Metrics
- Volume Growth: In March, Interactive Brokers reported a Daily Average Revenue Trades (DARTs) of 4.329 million, a 25% increase year-over-year, indicating a significant rise in client activity that strengthens its market position.
- Client Equity Increase: As of the end of March, total client equity reached $789.4 billion, up 38% from the previous year, although down 4% month-over-month, reflecting the company's success in attracting client funds.
- Client Accounts Growth: The number of client accounts rose to 4.754 million, a 31% increase year-over-year, demonstrating effective strategies in expanding its customer base and market penetration, which enhances future revenue potential.
- Stable Commission Revenue: The average commission per cleared commissionable order was $2.74, showcasing the company's competitiveness in trade execution, maintaining a stable revenue stream despite market fluctuations.
See More
CFTC Sues Three States Over Prediction Market Regulations
- Legal Action: The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has filed a lawsuit against Arizona, Connecticut, and Illinois, accusing these states of unlawfully attempting to regulate prediction markets, despite CFTC's exclusive jurisdiction under the Commodity Exchange Act.
- Regulatory Challenges: CFTC Chairman Michael Selig emphasized that states imposing inconsistent regulatory obligations lead to inadequate consumer protection and increased fraud risks, highlighting the uncertainty in the regulatory environment for market participants.
- Industry Development Dynamics: Although prediction markets have operated within the CFTC's regulatory framework for over two decades, many view them as novel or unsettled, resulting in uncertainty that negatively impacts public interest and market stability.
- Market Participant Response: With major prediction markets like Polymarket and Kalshi in operation, and even Wall Street banks like Goldman Sachs considering entry into this space, there is a growing interest and potential for growth in prediction markets.
See More
CFTC Sues Three States Over Prediction Market Regulation
- Regulatory Authority Dispute: The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has filed lawsuits against Arizona, Connecticut, and Illinois, accusing these states of attempting to restrict activities of contract markets registered with the CFTC, indicating a challenge to the CFTC's exclusive regulatory authority over prediction markets.
- Legal Basis: The CFTC asserts that it has exclusive authority to oversee event contracts under the Commodity Exchange Act, and the actions of these states are seen as interference with legally operating contract markets, which could lead to inadequate consumer protection and increased fraud risk.
- Political Context: This lawsuit comes amid heightened scrutiny of prediction markets in Congress, where some Democratic lawmakers have introduced legislation to ban betting on topics such as elections, war, and sports, indicating rising regulatory pressure on the industry.
- Industry Response: The NFL's chief compliance officer has requested prediction market operators to block event contracts deemed
See More
Interactive Brokers Reports Strong March Trading Metrics
- Trading Volume Surge: In March, Interactive Brokers' daily average revenue trades (DARTs) increased by 25% year-over-year to over 4.3 million, showing robust market activity despite a slight 1% dip from February, which strengthens the company's position in the competitive brokerage industry.
- Client Equity Growth: By the end of March, client equity exceeded $789 billion, marking a 38% year-over-year increase, although down 4% from February, indicating heightened client confidence in the market that could drive future trading activity and revenue growth.
- Rising Client Credit Balances: Client credit balances rose 35% year-over-year and increased by 4% from February, suggesting a higher level of client engagement in the market, which may further enhance the company's profitability and market share.
- Client Account Expansion: Interactive Brokers saw a 31% year-over-year increase in total client accounts, surpassing 4.75 million, with a 4% rise from February, reflecting the company's ability to attract new clients and the increased activity of existing ones, thereby bolstering its competitive edge in the market.
See More
Interactive Brokers Reports 25% YoY Increase in March Trading Revenue
- Trading Revenue Growth: Interactive Brokers reported a 25% year-over-year increase in March's daily average revenue trades, reaching 4.329 million, although it fell 1% month-over-month, indicating the company's resilience amid market fluctuations.
- Client Equity Increase: As of the end of March, total client equity stood at $789.4 billion, up 38% year-over-year but down 4% month-over-month, reflecting the impact of market conditions on client investments.
- Margin Loan Balances Rise: Client margin loan balances reached $86.0 billion, a 35% increase from last year but down 4% from February, suggesting a cautious approach among clients regarding borrowing.
- Client Account Growth: The total number of client accounts reached 4.754 million, representing a 31% year-over-year increase and a 2% month-over-month rise, demonstrating Interactive Brokers' success in attracting new clients.
See More
Interactive Brokers Launches Crypto Trading for EEA Investors
- Market Expansion: Interactive Brokers has launched crypto trading for individual investors in the European Economic Area through its Ireland-based unit, significantly expanding its product suite and enhancing its competitive position in a market of nearly 450 million people.
- Secure Trading Partnership: The collaboration with Zerohash ensures secure trade execution and asset custody, allowing users to seamlessly trade 11 major cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin and Ethereum, on a single integrated platform, thereby enhancing user experience.
- Cost Efficiency Improvement: With commissions ranging from 0.12% to 0.18%, IBKR's crypto trading becomes more accessible and cost-effective, attracting more users and boosting trading activity and fee-based revenues over time.
- Platform Integration Advantage: Crypto trading is embedded across multiple key IBKR platforms, enabling clients to access digital assets through familiar tools, which improves portfolio management efficiency and transparency, helping clients better manage risk and liquidity.
See More
