Robinhood Delay UK App Launch Due To Controversy
Many novice traders in the UK were looking forward to the UK launch of Robinhood, an investment app that claims to be democratising finance for millions of traders. However, after facing pressure from US authorities and politicians, the app has announced it will be delaying its UK launch.
Trading Apps
The main function of the Robinhood app, which has over 13 million US users, is to allow new traders to buy and sell financial products without depositing a minimum sum or paying commission.
The current waiting list for the app in the UK has over 250,000 people, many of whom were looking forward to the app being launched later this year.
Read More About Trading Apps Here
Individuals on the waiting list were greeted this week with a message from Robinhood explaining the app launch would be delayed.
The email read, “We’re saddened to share that we’ve made the difficult decision to postpone our UK launch indefinitely… We’ll be closing our waitlist and taking down our UK website shortly.
The world has changed a lot over the past several months and we’re adapting with it.”
Media Focus
The app, currently valued at $8.6bn, received a lot of media and political attention after a 20-year-old US user, student Alex Kearns, killed himself in June.
Kearns is believed to have killed himself due to mistakenly believing he had lost $730,000 (£575,000) on the app.
Kearns, unfortunately, seemed to misunderstand the app, due to lack of trading knowledge as his account was actually up $16,000 at the time of his death.
Robinhood has received approval from the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) and was expected to launch in Spring 2020.
Although the launch delay is ‘indefinite’, there is hope for UK residents who plan to use the app as Robinhood also stated in their email;
“although our global expansion plans are on hold for now, we will continue our work to democratise finance for all and we look forward to the day when we can bring this mission to the UK.”
Existing Robinhood employees in the UK are expected to move to the US, while a team of skeleton employees will remain in the UK under the guidance of Wander Rutgers, former TransferWise executive.
Best Trading Apps
Here is a short overview of each broker's pros and cons
- Interactive Brokers - The IBKR Mobile app, available on both iOS and Android devices, makes your phone a powerful gateway to your IBKR accounts, offering you the freedom to keep an eye on portfolios, initiate trades, and dive into real-time quotes and charts, all while managing your account activities on the fly. This app stands out for its intuitive design, making it especially welcoming for those just starting their trading journey, providing a smoother and more accessible experience than the more complex TWS platform.
- IQCent - IQCent offers mobile trading directly through major browsers with an intuitive design that we love. You can navigate your account, browse assets and trade binaries in a few clicks. Straightforward access to the copy trading feature at the bottom is also a bonus, alongside the interactive charts which you can pinch to zoom.
- OANDA US - OANDA's app stands out for its deeply customizable interface, ensuring you can tailor every aspect of the trading experience to your strategy, from setting custom notifications to adjusting chart sizes and overlays. This level of personalization, combined with the ability to quickly react to market changes, manage risk, and stay informed with alerts on significant market events, makes it a category leader.
- Plexytrade - Rather than developing its own app, Plexytrade offers its 100+ instruments on the MT4 and MT5 mobile platforms. While MetaTrader is favored by experienced traders, the absence of a proprietary trading app results in a steep learning curve for beginners. It also means deposits, withdrawals and account management have to be completed through the Plexytrade website, leading to a less complete mobile trading experience.
- FOREX.com - Running alongside the MT4 and Web Trader platforms, the FOREX.com app offers full trading capabilities on a user-friendly, compact platform. Integrated news and analysis, plus real time trade alerts, are two mobile specific features that set this app above the crowd. Additionally, it beats out MT4 when it comes to mobile charting tools, with over 80 indicators and 11 chart types, not to mention a slicker design that we love.
- Capitalcore - One of Capitalcore's main advantages is its proprietary platform, which is well-designed and accessible via web browsers on mobile. Powered by TradingView, it offers a variety of features, including advanced charting tools. There's even a 'Pro' version, which isn't as simple to use but offers a more native TradingView experience.
Interactive Brokers
"Interactive Brokers is one of the best brokers for advanced day traders, providing powerful charting platforms, real-time data, and customizable layouts, notably through the new IBKR Desktop application. Its superb pricing and advanced order options also make it highly attractive for day traders, while its diverse range of equities is still among the best in the industry."
Christian Harris, Reviewer
Interactive Brokers Quick Facts
| Mobile Apps | iOS & Android |
|---|---|
| iOS App Rating | / 5 |
| Android App Rating | / 5 |
| Demo Account | Yes |
| Instruments | Stocks, Options, Futures, Forex, Funds, Bonds, ETFs, Mutual Funds, CFDs, Cryptocurrencies |
| Minimum Deposit | $0 |
| Account Currencies | USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, INR, JPY, SEK, NOK, DKK, CHF, AED, HUF |
Pros
- With low commissions, tight spreads and a transparent fee structure, IBKR delivers a cost-effective environment for short-term traders.
- Interactive Brokers has launched ForecastTrader, a unique, zero-commission product where users can trade yes/no Forecast Contracts on political, economic, and climate events, with fixed $1 payouts per contract, 24/6 market access, and 3.83% APY on held positions.
- There's a vast library of free or paid third-party research subscriptions catering to all types of traders, plus you can enjoy commission reimbursements from IBKR if you subscribe to Toggle AI.
Cons
- You can only have one active session per account, so you can’t have your desktop program and mobile app running simultaneously, making for a sometimes frustrating trading experience.
- Support can be slow and frustrating based on tests, so you might find it challenging to reach customer service representatives promptly or encounter delays in resolving issues.
- IBKR provides a wide range of research tools, but their distribution across trading platforms and the web-based 'Account Management' page lacks consistency, leading to a confusing user experience.
IQCent
"IQCent is great for traders wanting bespoke binary assets, with a growing roster of 150+ products, including ‘Hype Pool’ contracts, which track trending events. Short-term expiries from 5 seconds, payouts that can hit 95% (with up to a 3% boost), and a TradingView charting package with 100+ indicators, also make it ideal for serious, fast-paced traders."
Jemma Grist, Reviewer
IQCent Quick Facts
| Bonus Offer | 20% to 200% Deposit Bonus |
|---|---|
| Mobile Apps | iOS & Android |
| iOS App Rating | / 5 |
| Android App Rating | / 5 |
| Demo Account | Yes |
| Instruments | Binary Options, CFDs, Forex, Indices, Commodities, Crypto |
| Minimum Deposit | $250 |
| Account Currencies | USD, EUR |
Pros
- CFD trading fees are competitive based on tests, including 0.7 pips on major forex pairs such as EUR/USD
- IQCent has bolstered its asset range with 60+ new assets, including hot cryptos like TON and SHIB; top-tier stock CFDs such as TSLA and NVDA; plus exotic FX pairs like THB and HUF
- The proprietary terminal offers TradingView-powered charts which deliver dozens of technical indicators and studies
Cons
- The broker is not overseen by a respected regulator, though this is common among binary options firms
- IQCent charges a punitive $10 monthly inactivity fee if you fail to place at least 1 trade per month
- IQCent trails binary brokers like Quotex with its narrow investment offering of around 175 assets with limited stocks
OANDA US
"OANDA remains an excellent broker for US day traders seeking a user-friendly platform with premium analysis tools and a straightforward joining process. OANDA is also heavily regulated with a very high trust score."
OANDA US Quick Facts
| Mobile Apps | iOS & Android |
|---|---|
| iOS App Rating | / 5 |
| Android App Rating | / 5 |
| Demo Account | Yes |
| Instruments | Forex, Crypto with Paxos (Cryptocurrencies are offered through Paxos. Paxos is a separate legal entity from OANDA) |
| Minimum Deposit | $0 |
| Account Currencies | USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, JPY, CHF, HKD, SGD |
Pros
- Beginners can get started easily with $0 minimum initial deposit
- The proprietary OANDA web platform continues to deliver a highly competitive charting environment, including 65+ technical indicators powered by TradingView
- There's a strong selection of 68 currency pairs for dedicated short-term forex traders
Cons
- The range of day trading markets is limited to forex and cryptos only
- It's a shame that customer support is not available on weekends
- There's only a small range of payment methods available, with no e-wallets supported
Plexytrade
"Plexytrade is a newcomer in the brokerage scene with attention-grabbing features like 1:2000 leverage, zero spreads on select instruments and fast execution speeds of less than 46 milliseconds. However, the absence of regulation is a significant concern, while the non-existent research and educational tools place it far behind industry frontrunners."
Plexytrade Quick Facts
| Bonus Offer | 120% Cash Welcome Bonus |
|---|---|
| Mobile Apps | iOS & Android |
| iOS App Rating | / 5 |
| Android App Rating | / 5 |
| Demo Account | Yes |
| Instruments | CFDs, Forex, Indices, Stocks, Commodities, Crypto |
| Minimum Deposit | $50 |
| Account Currencies | USD, EUR |
Pros
- There are various VPS packages starting from $50 per month, but they become complimentary once specific deposit thresholds are reached.
- US residents are accepted as clients, distinguishing Plexytrade as one of the rare offshore brokers that cater to US-based traders.
- Plexytrade accommodates a range of trading methods and short-term strategies, including scalping, hedging, and automated trading.
Cons
- With around 100 instruments, Plexytrade restricts the flexibility of investors who prefer to trade across various assets, especially compared to Blackbull with its 26,000 securities.
- There are no research and educational materials, falling short of alternatives like IG, while access to the economic calendar is restricted to clients with balances of $500.
- Deposits and withdrawals are exclusively facilitated through cryptocurrencies, as Plexytrade does not support bank cards, bank wire transfers, or e-wallets.
FOREX.com
"FOREX.com remains a best-in-class brokerage for active forex traders of all experience levels, with over 80 currency pairs, tight spreads from 0.0 pips and low commissions. The powerful charting platforms collectively offer over 100 technical indicators, as well as extensive research tools."
FOREX.com Quick Facts
| Bonus Offer | VIP status with up to 10k+ in rebates - T&Cs apply. |
|---|---|
| Mobile Apps | iOS & Android |
| iOS App Rating | / 5 |
| Android App Rating | / 5 |
| Demo Account | Yes |
| Instruments | Forex, Stock CFDs, Futures, Futures Options |
| Minimum Deposit | $100 |
| Account Currencies | USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, JPY, CHF, PLN |
Pros
- The in-house Web Trader continues to shine as one of the best-designed platforms for aspiring day traders with a slick design and over 80 technical indicators for market analysis.
- There’s a wealth of educational resources including tutorials, webinars, and a stacked YouTube channel to help you get educated in the financial markets.
- With over 20 years of experience, excellent regulatory oversight, and multiple accolades including runner-up in our 'Best Forex Broker' awards, FOREX.com boasts a global reputation as a trusted brokerage.
Cons
- FOREX.com's MT4 platform offers approximately 600 instruments, significantly fewer than the over 5,500 available on its non-MetaTrader platforms.
- Demo accounts are frustratingly time-limited to 90 days, which doesn’t give you enough time to test day trading strategies effectively.
- Funding options are limited compared to leading alternatives like IC Markets and don’t include many popular e-wallets, notably UnionPay and POLi.
Capitalcore
"Capitalcore runs one of the most advanced binary options platforms we’ve tested, making it a stellar option if you need serious charting power, with TradingView integration offering over 5 chart types and 90 indicators. Its 'double up' and 'rollover' capabilities to replicate or extend short-term trades with a click, are also excellent for strategy development."
Capitalcore Quick Facts
| Bonus Offer | 40% Deposit Bonus |
|---|---|
| Mobile Apps | Android, Webtrader |
| iOS App Rating | / 5 |
| Android App Rating | / 5 |
| Demo Account | Yes |
| Instruments | Forex, Metals, Stocks, Cryptos, Futures Indices, Binary Options |
| Minimum Deposit | $10 |
| Account Currencies | USD |
Pros
- While a relative newcomer to binary options space, its transparent, accessible service earned it runner up in DayTrading.com's 2025 'Best Binary Broker' award.
- Capitalcore is one of the only brokers to charge zero swap fees, which may appeal to Islamic traders looking to comply with Islamic Finance.
- The Capitalcore platform provides comprehensive charting tools and a wide range of 150+ technical indicators, ideal for detailed market analysis.
Cons
- Platform support is limited to proprietary software, so there's no integration with the market-leading MetaTrader or cTrader, which offer built-in economic news and support automated trading.
- The web platform was inconsistent during testing, with occasional technical glitches that meant the trading platform wouldn’t load.
- Capitalcore’s threadbare education and research seriously trail category leaders like IG, making it less suitable for aspiring traders.