Tradable Assets and Accounts
TradeUP Securities, Inc. is a registered broker-dealer with both FINRA and the SEC. It is also a member of SIPC. With these protections in place, TradeUP offers self-directed trading in the following asset classes:
• U.S.-listed stocks and over-the-counter (OTC) stocks
• Option contracts
• Exchange-traded funds
• Closed-end funds
Other types of investments, such as mutual funds and cryptocurrencies, are not currently available. Additionally, managed accounts, investment advice, and financial planning are not offered.
You can open a brokerage account at TradeUP as either an individual taxable account or an IRA. However, no other account types, including joint accounts, are supported.
Opening an Account
To apply for a brokerage account at TradeUP, you can easily submit an application through their website in just a few minutes (though if you read the fine print, it might take up to 8½ hours). Simply click the button at the top of the site to begin the application process and follow the on-screen prompts. You will need either a phone number or an email address to proceed. Throughout the application, you can also choose to add margin and options if desired.
Once you’ve submitted the application, it must be approved. When we tested the process, our approval came through in about an hour.
To encourage new clients, TradeUP is offering a bonus for new accounts. It reimburses other firms’ outgoing ACAT fees for transfers valued at $3,000 or more.
TradeUP only accepts U.S. residents. Non-U.S. residents can open accounts through TradeUP’s sister company, Tiger Brokers, which operates in many regions, including:
• Hong Kong
• New Zealand
• Uganda
• Belgium
• Singapore
• France
• And many more...
Cash Management
TradeUP does not provide check-writing or debit cards. There are no bank accounts or FDIC sweep services available. However, the brokerage offers a service called the Cash+ Program.
To enroll, customers must go to the special
Cash+ Program page. After enrollment, your account will earn 4.07% APY for the first 90 days, but you must wait 15 days for the special interest rate. After 105 days, the APY drops to 0.25%, though very large balances (over $1.5 million) can still earn 4.06%.
Uninvested cash, regardless of whether it’s part of the Cash+ Program, is covered by SIPC protection up to $250,000. The standard APY for uninvested cash is 0.10%.
Margin
Every taxable brokerage account at TradeUP can be set up as either a margin or cash account. Margin accounts allow for shorting securities, trading option spreads, and buying securities with borrowed funds. The broker’s platforms display margin details for each entered ticker symbol. Here are some key data points that can be accessed:
• Long and short maintenance requirements
• Long and short initial requirements
• Number of shares that can be shorted
• Short interest rate
The exact interest rate on short positions will change daily and depends on the stock being shorted. Long positions, on the other hand, have a more consistent interest rate. Currently, it’s a flat 5.99% rate, which is very low.
Mobile App
The first software platform offered by TradeUP is its mobile app, which works on both Apple and Android phones. The app has several useful features:
• Multiple watchlists that sync with TradeUP’s other platforms
• News from several sources, including Bloomberg and Dow Jones
• Simulated trading
• Alerts based on triggers like volume, technical indicators, and bid/ask prices
• Vertical and horizontal charting with multiple tools
• Order ticket with four order types (market, limit, stop, and stop limit)
You can access the trade ticket from a security’s profile. The order system offers two modes: Lite (basic) and Pro (advanced), which you can switch between using a drop-down menu in the upper-right corner.
Website
Next, let’s look at TradeUP’s website. It offers several account management features, and the trading platform is accessible by clicking the Web Trading button at the top of the site. During our test, we found the website easy to navigate with some helpful tools, including:
• Practice trading (click the person icon in the bottom left menu to create a demo account)
• Economic calendar (click the Discover icon in the left-hand menu)
Charting is more advanced on the website than the mobile app, and it includes a price ladder on the right-hand side.
Desktop Platform
TradeUP also has a desktop platform, which is similar to the website version. This platform includes pre-installed layouts and right-click trading. The demo ticket supports bracket orders, which are not available on the live order form.
TradeUP Fees
TradeUP has no minimum deposit requirements. You can open an account with any amount, or even no deposit at all. Once an account is open, there are no minimums for trading, no inactivity fees, and no other charges.
In addition to these impressive benefits, TradeUP does not charge commissions on stock and options trades. Even index options, which usually have per-contract fees at other brokers, are free at TradeUP (though exchange and regulatory fees are passed on to customers).
TradeUP does charge a commission on OTC trades: 0.02¢ per share, with a maximum of 5% of the trade value.
Free TradeUp Account
Bonus Features
Dividend Reinvestment Plan: Only manual reinvestment is available.
IPO Access: TradeUP clients can buy shares of Initial Public Offerings before they hit the secondary market. To see upcoming IPOs, open the mobile app and tap the Portfolio icon at the bottom. Then, tap the blue More icon in the middle of the Portfolio page, followed by the green IPO button.
Extended-hours Trading: Pre-market and after-hours trading are available. The early session begins at 4:00 AM EST, and the post-market session ends at 8:00 PM. TradeUP also offers 24/5 overnight trading in many stocks and ETFs.
Fractional Shares: Trades for stocks and ETFs can be placed in whole dollars, with a $5 minimum.
Individual Retirement Accounts: Roth, Traditional, and Rollover IRAs are available.
Fully-paid Securities Lending Program: TradeUP offers a securities lending program where investors can earn extra income by lending out their equity shares.
Our Recommendations
Stock and ETF Trading: With access to OTC stocks, IPOs, margin, fractional shares, and multiple trading platforms, TradeUP comes highly recommended.
Long-Term Investing & Retirement Planning: For long-term investing, we recommend Charles Schwab instead.
Small Investors: Thanks to its zero-commission pricing, no account minimums, and fractional-share trading, TradeUP is a great choice for small accounts.
Mutual Funds: TradeUP does not offer mutual funds. We suggest looking at Charles Schwab for this.
Beginners:
We also recommend using an investment-advisory account at another firm like Robinhood.
TradeUP Review Verdict
TradeUP is a solid choice for self-directed equity and options traders. However, it lacks many other services, which could lead some investors to seek alternatives.
Updated on 2/26/2026.
Chad Morris is a financial writer with more than 20 years experience
as both an English teacher and an avid trader. When he isn’t writing
expert content for Brokerage-Review.com, Chad can usually be found
managing his portfolio or building a new home computer.
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