Interactive Brokers Says Clients Outperformed S&P 500 in 2025

Interactive Brokers Group reported that its clients outperformed the S&P 500 Index in 2025, based on data released by the company. Individual clients recorded an average return of 19.20% during the year, compared with a 17.9% gain for the benchmark index.

Retail client activity remained elevated. In December, daily average revenue trades (DARTs) reached 3.384 million, a 4% increase year-on-year. Total client accounts rose to 4.399 million, up 32% from a year earlier. Ending client equity stood at $779.9 billion, while margin loans totaled $90.2 billion.

In November, the broker reported 4.27 million DARTs, representing a 29% annual increase. During the same month, Interactive Brokers added the Taipei Exchange, expanding access to Taiwan-listed equities, ETFs, and depositary receipts across more than 160 global venues.

Hedge fund clients delivered stronger performance than retail investors. According to the company, hedge fund accounts achieved an average return of 28.91% in 2025, outperforming the S&P 500 by approximately 11 percentage points.

The company attributed client performance to lower trading costs, execution quality, and access to global markets. Thomas Peterffy, Founder and Chairman of Interactive Brokers, said investment returns are influenced by “the costs you pay, the prices you get, and how efficiently your capital is put to work.” He added that lower fees and efficient execution can compound over time.

Interactive Brokers also reported that clients earned interest on uninvested cash balances, with rates of up to 3.14% on eligible cash during the year. Margin rates were as low as 4.14%, which the company said were below industry averages.

Interactive Brokers provides access to stocks, options, futures, currencies, bonds, and funds through a single platform. The firm reported serving more than four million clients globally and holding over $750 billion in client assets.