Tradable Assets and Accounts
TradeUP Securities, Inc. is a registered broker-dealer with FINRA and the SEC. It’s also a member of SIPC. With these protections, the company lets you trade the following assets on your own:
• U.S.-listed stocks and over-the-counter (OTC) stocks
• Option contracts
• Exchange-traded funds
• Closed-end funds
Other investments, like mutual funds and cryptocurrencies, are not available right now. Managed accounts, investment advice, and financial planning are also not offered.
You can open a brokerage account at TradeUP as an individual taxable account or an IRA. Joint accounts and other types of registrations are not available.
Opening an Account
On the TradeUP website, you can apply for a brokerage account in just a few minutes (though reading all the fine print might take 8½ hours). Look for the
button at the top of the site to start your application and follow the steps on the screen. You’ll need to provide either a phone number or an email address to begin. During the process, you can choose to add margin and options if you want.
Your application will need approval. When we applied for a test account, it was approved in about an hour.
To attract new customers, TradeUP offers bonuses for new accounts. For example, they’ll reimburse ACAT fees for transfers worth $3,000 or more.
TradeUP only opens accounts for U.S. residents. Non-U.S. residents can use the company’s sister firm, Tiger Brokers, which works with traders in many places, including:
• Hong Kong
• New Zealand
• Uganda
• Belgium
• Singapore
• France
• And many others...
Cash Management
TradeUP doesn’t offer checkwriting or a debit card. There are no bank accounts, and there’s no FDIC sweep either. However, they do have something called the Cash+ Program.
Customers need to sign up through the
Cash+ Program page. Once enrolled, your account will earn 4.07% APY for 90 days, but you’ll have to wait 15 days for the higher rate to start. After 105 days, the APY drops to 0.25%, though very large balances (over $1.5 million) earn 4.06%.
Uninvested cash, whether part of the Cash+ Program or not, is protected by SIPC up to $250,000. The standard APY is 0.10%.
Margin
Every taxable brokerage account at TradeUP can be set up as a margin or cash account. Margin accounts let you short securities, trade option spreads, and buy securities with loans. The broker’s platforms show margin details for any stock you enter. Here’s some key information you can see:
• Long and short maintenance requirements
• Long and short initial requirements
• Number of shares you can short
• Short interest rate
The interest rate for short positions changes daily and depends on the stock. Long positions have a fixed rate of 5.99%, which is very low.
Mobile App
TradeUP’s mobile app works on Apple and Android phones. It has many useful features, including:
• Multiple watchlists that sync with other TradeUP platforms
• News articles from providers like Bloomberg and Dow Jones
• Simulated trading
• Alerts based on triggers like volume, technical indicators, and bid/ask prices
• Vertical and horizontal charts with many tools
• Order tickets with four order types (market, limit, stop, and stop limit)
You can access the trade ticket from a security’s profile. There’s also a drop-down menu in the top-right corner to switch between Lite (basic) and Pro (advanced) order systems.
Website
TradeUP’s website lets you manage your account easily. Click the Web Trading button at the top of the site to access the trading platform. During our test, we found it user-friendly with helpful tools, including:
• Practice trading (click the person icon at the bottom of the left menu to create a demo account)
• Economic calendar (click the Discover icon in the left menu)
The charts are more advanced than the mobile app’s, and there’s a price ladder on the right side.
Desktop Platform
TradeUP also has a desktop platform. It’s similar to the website but comes with pre-set layouts and right-click trading. The demo ticket includes bracket orders, which aren’t available on the live order form.
TradeUP Fees
TradeUP has no account minimums. You can open an account with any amount or no deposit at all. Once opened, there are no trading minimums or fees for inactivity.
TradeUP charges no commissions on stock and option trades. Even index options, which usually have fees at other firms, are free at TradeUP. Exchange and regulatory fees are passed on to the customer.
TradeUP does charge a commission on OTC trades: 0.02¢ per share, with a maximum of 5% of the trade value.
Open TradeUP Account
Visit TradeUP Website
Bonus Features
Dividend Reinvestment Plan: You can only reinvest dividends manually.
IPO Access: TradeUP clients can buy shares of Initial Public Offerings before they hit the market. To see upcoming IPOs, open the mobile app, tap the Portfolio icon at the bottom, then tap the blue More icon in the middle of the page, and finally tap the green IPO button.
Extended-hours Trading: You can trade before and after market hours at TradeUP. The early session starts at 4:00 am EST, and the post-market session ends at 8:00 pm. TradeUP also offers overnight trading for many stocks and ETFs, which trade 24/5.
Fractional Shares: You can trade stocks and ETFs in dollar amounts with a $5 minimum.
Individual Retirement Accounts: You can open Roth, Traditional, and Rollover IRAs.
Fully-paid Securities Lending Program: You can earn extra money by lending out your shares.
Our Recommendations
Stock and ETF Trading: TradeUP is a great choice for trading OTC stocks, IPOs, margin, fractional shares, and using multiple platforms.
Long-Term Investing & Retirement Planning: TradeUP isn’t the best for long-term investing.
We recommend Charles Schwab instead.
Small Investors: TradeUP is a good option for small accounts because of its zero-commission pricing, no account minimums, and fractional shares.
Mutual Funds: TradeUP doesn’t offer mutual funds, but
Firstrade does, and we recommend it.
Beginners: New traders should try TradeUP’s simulated trading. An advisory account at another firm like Charles Schwab is also a good idea.
TradeUP Review Verdict
Self-directed traders will like TradeUP for equity and options trading. However, the lack of other services may push some investors to look elsewhere.
Open TradeUP Account
Visit TradeUP Website
Updated on 3/17/2025.
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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