Interactive Brokers Margin Requirements for Options Spreads and Restrictive Quantity Limits...

[Con1991]

I have recently begun trading with IB using options trades such as Vertical spreads, Calendar spreads, Butterfly spreads etc. I have noticed that unlike other brokers, IB does not apply the credit received upon opening for example, a credit spread. Therefore full margin is required.

Example on SPX, 3000/3100 spread where difference in strikes is 100 wide, 10k is required on IB. On TD Ameritrade and any other broker, the margin required is difference in strikes MINUS credit received. This is highly frustrating and making me want to trade elsewhere.

Any point I must make, is that when I try to open more than a certain number of options contracts with IB, I often receive an order rejection message varying from 'Equity with loan value must not exceed net liquidating value times 30' to 'Your order is too large for us to accept, please submit a smaller order not exceeding xyz'. Apparently they state this is to do with regulatory requirements, however other brokers do not have such restrictions.

Any insight from fellow IB traders would be appreciated. I really wish I could open an account with TD, now Charles Schwab. However I live in Ireland so I cannot.

 

[ZBZB]

Are you legging in or using strategy builder in IB TWS option trader to enter a spread?

 

[ZBZB]

https://international.schwab.com/ Can you open account here from Ireland? Also you can do third party transfer from IB to www.tastytrade.com

 

[Con1991]

Are you legging in or using strategy builder in IB TWS option trader to enter a spread?

Strategy builder, I know legging in would initially cost more because each leg is treated individually before being recognised as a spread.

 

[Con1991]

https://international.schwab.com/ Can you open account here from Ireland? Also you can do third party transfer from IB to www.tastytrade.com

This is the message I receive when trying to open an account with Charles Schwab international. Tastytrade is perhaps a better option, I don't believe they have the ridiculous restrictive trading that IB has..

 

[Robert Morse]

We can offer trading accounts to those based in Ireland. If you want a demo of Lightspeed Trader and our current promotion, just email me.

I have recently begun trading with IB using options trades such as Vertical spreads, Calendar spreads, Butterfly spreads etc. I have noticed that unlike other brokers, IB does not apply the credit received upon opening for example, a credit spread. Therefore full margin is required.

Example on SPX, 3000/3100 spread where difference in strikes is 100 wide, 10k is required on IB. On TD Ameritrade and any other broker, the margin required is difference in strikes MINUS credit received. This is highly frustrating and making me want to trade elsewhere.

Any point I must make, is that when I try to open more than a certain number of options contracts with IB, I often receive an order rejection message varying from 'Equity with loan value must not exceed net liquidating value times 30' to 'Your order is too large for us to accept, please submit a smaller order not exceeding xyz'. Apparently they state this is to do with regulatory requirements, however other brokers do not have such restrictions.

Any insight from fellow IB traders would be appreciated. I really wish I could open an account with TD, now Charles Schwab. However I live in Ireland so I cannot.

 

[ajacobson]

It's going to sound like a silly answer, but try it in an American-style option. Some firms give funky treatment to European options.

 

[Con1991]

It's going to sound like a silly answer, but try it in an American-style option. Some firms give funky treatment to European options.

In the case of IB, I have had this same issue with both European style and American stock options. IB seems to just make up their own trading rules.

 

[Adam777]

Tasty gives very bad and slow fills for SPX and VIX, and when I switched to IB the difference was like night and day. Trading other options was fine with Tasty and they automatically give you a margin account trading spreads

 

[Con1991]

Tasty gives very bad and slow fills for SPX and VIX, and when I switched to IB the difference was like night and day. Trading other options was fine with Tasty and they automatically give you a margin account trading spreads

And I presume in the case of Tastytrade, they apply credit received to margin requirements for options Spreads? That is my biggest issue with IB. Also I believe the maximum quantity of contracts on Tastytrade is 500 contracts. That could be an issue when it comes to scaling..