No, E*TRADE is not available in the UK. E*TRADE, owned by Morgan Stanley since October 2020, only opens brokerage accounts for US residents. If you live in the UK, you can’t sign up, unless you receive company shares through an employer plan run by Morgan Stanley.
The good news is that UK investors have strong alternatives, including a US broker that does accept UK residents. Below we explain the situation and compare five platforms for 2026.
| Platform | Best for | ISA | Stock and ETF trades |
| Interactive Brokers | Active traders and global markets | Yes | UK £3, US $0.005 per share, min. $1 (fixed) |
| Charles Schwab | A US broker with Thinkorswim | No | US stocks $0 online |
| eToro | Social investing | Yes | No commission (other fees may apply) |
| Hargreaves Lansdown | Customer service and research | Yes | £6.95 online |
| InvestEngine | ETF investors | Yes | £0 on 870+ ETFs |
Sources: Interactive Brokers, Schwab UK, eToro, Hargreaves Lansdown and InvestEngine, October 2026.
Is E*TRADE available in the UK?
No. E*TRADE opens brokerage accounts only for US residents with a US address and a US tax number. E*TRADE once had operations in the UK and Europe, but it closed them years ago, and Morgan Stanley has not brought the service back since buying the company in 2020.
There are two exceptions:
- Employee share plans: if your employer gives you shares or share options through Morgan Stanley at Work, you can get an E*TRADE stock plan account as a non-US participant. It is designed to hold and sell your plan shares, not to open a general trading account.
- Americans who move to the UK: if you opened an E*TRADE account while living in the US, you may be able to keep it after moving, but some features can be restricted. Contact E*TRADE to confirm.
Using a VPN or a US address you don’t live at to open an account breaks E*TRADE’s terms and can lead to the account being closed.
Can UK residents use a US broker?
Yes. Not every US platform is closed to UK investors. Charles Schwab, which took over TD Ameritrade, accepts UK residents through its UK branch and offers the Thinkorswim platform. Interactive Brokers, also a US group, serves UK clients through an FCA-regulated UK company.
E*TRADE UK alternatives
Interactive Brokers: best for active traders and global markets
Interactive Brokers in a nutshell
Interactive Brokers (IBKR) is the closest match to E*TRADE’s range of products. You can trade stocks, ETFs, bonds, funds, options and futures on more than 150 exchanges from one account, and use the advanced Trader Workstation platform or the simpler IBKR GlobalTrader app.
Interactive Brokers (U.K.) Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), with reference number 208159. On fixed pricing, UK shares cost £3 per trade and US shares $0.005 per share, with a $1 minimum. There is no account minimum, and IBKR offers a Stocks and Shares ISA and a SIPP. The ISA has a £3 minimum monthly activity fee.
Charles Schwab: best for a US broker with Thinkorswim
Charles Schwab is the closest experience to E*TRADE: a large US broker with $0 online commissions on US-listed stocks and US options at $0.65 per contract. UK residents open an account through Charles Schwab, U.K., Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the FCA (reference number 225116), with a US$0 account minimum.
The account itself is held with Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. in the US. This means no ISA or SIPP, and the UK Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) does not apply. US SIPC protection applies instead.
eToro: best for social investing
76% of retail CFD accounts lose money.
eToro in a nutshell
eToro charges no commission on real stocks and ETFs for UK clients. Other fees may apply. Its CopyTrader feature lets you copy the portfolios of other investors automatically.
UK clients can hold a GBP account with no fee on pound deposits or withdrawals, and eToro offers a Stocks and Shares ISA run on Moneyfarm’s platform. The minimum first deposit is $50. eToro (UK) Ltd is authorised and regulated by the FCA.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 52% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Hargreaves Lansdown: best for customer service and research
Hargreaves Lansdown in a nutshell
Hargreaves Lansdown (HL) is one of the largest UK investment platforms, with a UK-based helpdesk and a large library of free research. It offers a Stocks and Shares ISA, a SIPP, a Lifetime ISA, a Junior ISA and a Fund and Share Account.
HL is more expensive for frequent traders. Online share and ETF trades cost £6.95, or £3.95 if you placed 20 or more trades the month before. Regular investing by monthly Direct Debit is free. For shares and ETFs, the account charge is capped at £150 a year per account.
InvestEngine: best for ETF investors
When investing your capital is at risk.
InvestEngine in a nutshell
InvestEngine is a UK platform built only for ETFs. It charges no buying or selling fees on more than 870 ETFs and no platform fee on DIY portfolios, including the ISA and SIPP. If you want a portfolio managed for you, Managed Portfolios cost 0.25% a year. ETF charges apply on top, from 0.03% a year.
The minimum investment is £100. InvestEngine is authorised and regulated by the FCA, with reference number 801128. It doesn’t offer individual stocks, so it suits long-term ETF investors rather than traders.
Conclusion
E*TRADE is only open to US residents, apart from employee share plans and Americans who move abroad. If you want a similar experience from the UK, Charles Schwab is the US broker that accepts UK residents, with $0 online commissions on US stocks, but no ISA.
If you also want an ISA, Interactive Brokers is the best match for active traders, eToro the simplest app with no commission on stocks and ETFs, Hargreaves Lansdown the choice for support and research, and InvestEngine the cheapest way to build an ETF portfolio.
When investing, your capital is at risk and you may get back less than you invest.
FAQ
Can I open an E*TRADE account from the UK?
No. E*TRADE only opens general brokerage accounts for US residents. UK employees can get an E*TRADE stock plan account if their employer’s share plan is run by Morgan Stanley at Work.
Who owns E*TRADE?
Morgan Stanley. It completed the purchase of E*TRADE on 2 October 2020, and the platform now operates as E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley.
Is there a US broker that accepts UK residents?
Yes. Charles Schwab accepts UK residents through Charles Schwab, U.K., Limited and offers the Thinkorswim platform. Interactive Brokers, a US group, serves UK clients through its FCA-regulated UK company.
Which E*TRADE alternative has an ISA?
Interactive Brokers, eToro, Hargreaves Lansdown and InvestEngine all offer a Stocks and Shares ISA. Charles Schwab doesn’t.