What is IQ Option?
IQ Option is an innovative platform for trading. It is a reliable, licensed online trading platform with a free, replenishable demo account, analytical tools, 24/7 service in all major languages, VIP service from $3000, contests with large prize sums, and a cutting-edge interface.
Online Trading Platform
Crypto, Stocks, ETFs, Forex and Options
IQ Option is one of the fastest growing online trading brands in the world! Voted the best mobile trading platform, we have now expanded our offerings to include stock trading, ETF trading, Forex trading and a brand-new product unique to IQ called Digital Options.
First founded in 2013, IQ Option has grown massively, and now has over 17 million members and counting! The platform itself has also undergone some changes since 2013, and we are constantly working to ensure it is fast. accurate and easy to use.We have also refined our offering and introduced plenty of new products in our bid to continue giving our customers the ultimate online trading experience, and to help them optimize their investment portfolio.
Now, using this platform, members can try online Crypto trading, stock trading, forex currency trading, Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), and Digital Options.
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IQ Option provide some great benefits for binary options traders. The demo account is a great feature, and not time restricted. The trading platform is cutting edge, but still user friendly – and the IQ Option app (with tailored android and iOS versions) is equally well designed. They have also started to expand beyond binary trades, offering forex, cfds and even direct access to markets such as Bitcoin. They also deliver the risk management tools needed for forex and cryptocurrency trading – adding ‘stop loss’ and ‘take profit’ tools.
Our detailed review covers each of those features, plus all the other elements that traders want to know about their broker – so tips, minimum deposit and withdrawal methods (like Paypal and Neteller), bonus codes, login information, tutorial videos – and even whether IQ Option is a scam (It is not, by the way!).
The financial products offered by the company carry a high level of risk and can result in the loss of all your funds. You should never invest money that you cannot afford to lose.
Is IQ Option A Scam?
IQ Option is licensed and regulated by CySEC, but they have also sought to register with other regulatory bodies (full details can be found on their website). They are a ‘legit’, reliable business. Their affiliate network all market responsibly and ensure the nature of trading is reflected accurately.
Established in mid 2013, the brand is – in our opinion here at BinaryOptions.net – one of the most reliable and innovative binary brokers in the industry. Their reputation is also enhanced by various awards that they have won from various industry reviewers. They list their full array of awards on their website. IQ Option is not a scam.
Our user satisfaction feedback is positive for IQ – Users have few complaints and use the platform for many months and years. The forum response is also positive.
The firm operates in a very transparent way, in order to maintain their reputation and user confidence, for example:
- Demo Account – This runs in parallel to the real money account and is not time restricted. IQ Option are happy for traders to hone their skills for as long as it takes, and have faith in their trading platform to maintain trader retention.
- Offers – Deposit match bonuses have been dropped entirely since December 14th due to CySec rules. The regulator deemed this type of bonus as being high risk, and as a regulated brand, IQ have stopped offering them.
- Hedging – IQ are clear on how and when they will hedge their own positions. This should act to reassure traders who fear ‘over the counter’ brokers only want to see traders lose. IQ actively manage their risk.
- Support – Support is offered in a range of languages and includes live chat for quick resolution of any complaints.
Trading platform
To provide their clients with access to the financial markets, IQ developed their own bespoke platform. It was overhauled and improved again at the start of 2016, to version 4.0. As such, the interface and features of the trading platform may not be what most binary traders are used too as it is modelled on the more advanced trading platforms used by the spot forex trading industry. This includes tools such as stop losses, or take profit levels – features not available at ‘standard’ binary operators.
The platform is available as a web-based hub, or alternatively, traders can download a version for either PC or Mac. The download is fractionally quicker.
It is clear then, that the software is one of the most sophisticated trading platforms around in the binary industry, particularly the over the counter (OTC) brokers.
Apart from having a refreshing user interface, the trading platform allows traders to change the view of their chart from a choice of four different layouts:
- Line
- Candlestick
- Area
- Bar
The timescale for the bar and candlestick charts can be chosen from an impressive 18 different intervals – and multiple charts can be used, in order to confirm trends over more than one time frame. In addition, there are also various other tools such as a line drawing tool which traders can use to plot their own trends on the live charts. The latest updates also added a wealth of technical analysis features too. Multiple indicators such as Bollinger bands, moving averages or relative strength index (RSI) can be laid over the chart. Nearly 20 different indicators are available.
Trade size ranges from just $1, up to a maximum investment of $10,000 on the classic options.
Perhaps one of the most useful features about the trading platform is the ability for traders to make multiple trades on the same chart. This is especially useful when you want to employ more sophisticated trading strategies or trade signals.
There are a range of useful tutorial videos provided once users sign up (two are included within this review) and these provide a demo of every aspect of the trading platform. So there are tutorials about the platform itself, some of how to trade with multiple charts or trading windows. The range of educational material is very big, and ensure new traders can trade with confidence.
The newer products such as forex and cryptocurrency trading display slightly different options based on the market being traded. For example, the forex trades will bring up leverage and stop loss features. Assets such as Bitcoin or Ethereum, traded via contracts for difference, do not have an expiry time. They do however ever, carry a stop loss and take profit feature.
The look and feel remains the same throughout the trading range however, and all the relevant information is available to the trader.
Mobile App
The IQ Option app follows the development of the bespoke trading platform, and delivers a seamless mobile user experience. The trading area is shown in the same way, and the screen, buttons and ‘look and feel’ match those of the full website, or desktop download.
The mobile application has been delivered as a tailored product for each operating system, so the IQ Option Android app, has been developed solely for android devices. Likewise, the iOS app has been written with the iPhone or iPod in mind, and ensures it gets the most out of those devices. It is the sort of attention to detail that IQ are becoming known for.
Apple’s recent changes regarding binary related applications have been swiftly dealt with by IQ Option. They have redeveloped the iOS version to adhere to the new rules. Their ability to adapt to the changing investing landscape is reassuring. The new version includes forex and CFD trading – and cryptocurrency trades will also be available once released.
There is also an ‘IQ Option for Windows’ version, as well as the android and iOS versions. The download buttons below will take you straight to Google Play or the App Store, and the most up to date version of the mobile trading app:
Download the IQ Option App
General Risk Warning:
The financial products offered by the company carry a high level of risk and can result in the loss of all your funds. You should never invest money that you cannot afford to lose.
Demo Video
Below is an IQ Option demo video. It is a full demonstration of all the developments added during the recent ‘platform 4.0’ upgrade. The demo includes how users can amend the trading area to suit their own needs. It shows how to check the same price chart over more than one timeframe, how to add technical analysis overlays and how all this can improve trading results.
While the video is not an out and out tutorial, it does deliver a full demo of the user experience, the new trading platform, and how it differs from other binary options broker platforms.
Trading Options
IQ Option has consistently added to the portfolio of underlying assets. Traders are able to trade in the 4 major asset classes such as forex, commodities, equities and indices. They also respond to user demand, for example Nintendo were recently added to the stock lists after seeing a huge spike in trading interest after the release of the Pokemon Go game.
Currency pairs are a particular strength at IQ, with some of the more exotic currencies available, including NOK, SEK and TRY. The asset list is comprehensive.
The firm have also added to their range of expiry times. Previously specialising in short term expiries, IQ now offer many more options – including the popular End of day expiry, and longer term End of week and End of Month. Trader choice has never been greater.
Forex and CFD trades expand the user choice even further. Foreign exchange can be traded per pip (in addition to binary trades) and CFDs can be traded with no expiry for longer term trades. The recent cryptocurrency expansion offers access to bitcoin and 6 other cryptocurrencies, via contracts for difference – meaning no expiry.
Account Type
The firm also offer a VIP Account. In order to get a the VIP account type, a trader needs to deposit $3000 or more in one deposit. Benefits to VIP status include:
- Higher Payouts (For example, +3% on FTSE or Google trades)
- Entry to larger tournaments, with prizes up to $100,000
- Educational materials exclusive to VIP account holders.
Payouts
In term of returns on investments, the standard payouts offer very competitive rates. Under the right circumstances, traders can up to 91% payout in the case of a successful trade. These payouts will vary based on the asset and expiry time selected. The ‘headline’ payout of 91% is among the best offered in the industry.
Payouts on products such as Forex and CFD trades will depend on the performance of the underlying asset. IQ provide the sort of risk management tools you might expect when trading these tools. They include stop losses and user defined leverage (which can be set to zero). The new products move IQ Option into the leagues of major global brokers, and their offering is certainly up to that level. They even offer direct access to bitcoin and ethereum trades – which many larger brokers do not.
The spreads on foreign exchange and CFD trading are ultra competitive too. So the costs or fees of doing business with IQ are low, and certainly on par with the larger, established online brokerages.
Promotional Code
IQ previously offered monthly promo codes for new customers as a welcome offer. These were paid as a deposit match, and the level would ‘scale’ based on the size of the initial deposit. These types of offer have been withdrawn following CySec advice however. As a responsible regulated broker, IQ no longer offer this type of incentive.
Regulation
As indicated on their website, IQ Option Europe Ltd is operated by Infofield Premier Ltd (Registration No: HE324593) and Investlab Holdings Ltd (Registration No: HE327751). Since Investlab Holdings Ltd is regulated by CYSEC (License Number: 247/14), this means traders trading on the platform are also protected under the provisions of the MiFID.
Demo Account
IQ offer the best demo account terms in the industry. It is a No deposit demo account. The balance can be restored to $1000 as often as required, and the practice account is useable long term, there are no time restrictions.
The demo, or virtual, account can also run alongside a real money account – not “instead of”. This allows real money traders to change into the demo account, and trial a new strategy or strategies without risking real money. It is the most flexible demo account available and is entirely risk free. This offering, coupled with the low minimum deposit, is why this broker have grown so quickly. It is also why the brand attracts beginners and novices. It demonstrates a real confidence with the brand that they have the best trading platform, and know that once traders have used it – they will stay with them.
Get $10 000 Free Replenishable Demo Account With Live Quotes
Countries
IQ offer trading in a range of countries, and also support across multiple languages. In 2014, the firm operated in 18 countries – in 2016 it was up to 178. There are however, some countries where trading is not possible with IQ due to regulations or local laws. So traders from Canada, USA and Australia are not permitted to open accounts at present.
Having started operating mainly in Europe, the UK is one of the largest trader ‘bases’ for the brand, followed by other European trading hubs, such as Germany and Sweden.
The firm are also growing very quickly in Asia. They have recently added multiple regions to their list, including:
- Thailand
- Malaysia
- Singapore
- India
Traders in these regions are now able to register at IQ Option. The login process is very quick, and the demo account sign up requires only an email address. Beyond the login screen, traders will need to make a deposit before trading for real money. The minimum deposit however, is just $10 – among the lowest in the industry. The minimum trade is equally low, at just $1 per trade.
Tournaments
There are regular trader tournaments across the trading platform – each carries their own set of terms and conditions. These are generally a competition based on trading success with a leaderboard. They are a method by the broker to encourage trading, so the tournaments are usually decided via the amount of total profit over a given period.
They offer a great way for traders to compete against each other, and create a lot of interest. The terms will often vary – so one tournament might focus on short term options, while the next might look at a specific asset class, like forex.
Often there are substantial prizes for the winners of these competitions. These range from cash rewards, to more unique prizes, such as the recent Aston Martin race day experience. These gave winning traders the chance to enjoy a race day in one of the sponsored Aston Martin Racing cars. These tournaments really increase the customer friendly feel promoted by the firm, and they are worth looking into.
Review Conclusions
Pros
• High Returns of up to 91% payout in case of successful trade
• Low Minimum Initial Deposit Requirement
• Regulated Broker with CySec
• Cutting edge Trading Platform
• Direct access to Crypto markets such as bitcoin
• Secure account verification
Cons
• Smaller range of markets than some rivals on forex and cfd
• Self build robot / auto trading feature removed.
The platform offers some very user friendly features, and a very low minimum deposit of just $10. With a minimum trade size of just $1, and the best demo account terms available, they are the best choice for anyone starting out in binary options trading.
Beyond that, the trading platform is excellent. They offer a wide choice of deposit and withdrawal options, generate the fewest number of complaints and are constantly improving. All in all, IQ currently lead the way in binary options, and their rapid growth shows little signs of stopping.
Customer Service Rating – 10
• 24/7 Live Chat
• Trading platform translated into 13 languages
• Phone support for all supported languages
Trading Choice Rating – 9
• Full range of stocks, Forex and Indices
• Silver, Gold and Oil
Deposit Method Rating – 10
• Credit Cards
• Wire Transfer
• Web Wallet (Paypal, Skrill, Neteller)
Minimum Deposit Rating – 10
• $10
Minimum Trade Rating – 10
• $1 Minimum
Trading Features Rating – 10
• Industry leading platform in our opinion.
Payout% Rating – 9
• Up to 91% payout in case of successful trade
Offers Ratings – 4
• Deposit match offers have been withdrawn as per CySec guidelines.
Site Intangibles Rating – 9
• IQ Option demo videos and training videos
• Regulated
• Free No Deposit Demo account – Unlimited funds, no time restriction
• Real time price feed from Thomson Reuters
• IQ Option VIP account – Better trading terms and VIP only tournaments
Registration
The IQ Option registration process just requires an email and only takes a few moments. Once verified, you then have access to the demo account, and the real money markets. In order to trade on the real account, a deposit will need to be made. The deposit process is simple, much like the register process. The minimum is currently $10, and the smallest trade is $1 per option.
Contact Details
IQ Option offer a variety of contact methods:
- Email – support@iqoption.com
- Telephone Support – Offered in 18 countries including Australia, India, Thailand, Brazil, Germany and Spain
Group Details: Registration No. HE327751
Address: Yiannis Nicolaides Business Center, Agiou Athanasiou Avenue 33,
4102, Agios Athanasios, Limassol, Cyprus
