FOP Transfers

The Transfer Positions screen lets you use a Free of Payment (FOP) transfer to move long US stock, warrant and US Bond positions from another US bank or broker that is a member of the DTC to your account, (inbound transfer) or from your account to another US bank or broker that is a member of the DTC (outbound transfer).

Inbound FOP transfers are notifications only. You must instruct your third-party broker to transfer the assets to your IBKR account using the authorization form we provide at the end of the FOP transfer request procedure.

When you select FOP as the transfer method on the Position Transfers page, you can:

  • Enter an FOP transfer, in which all of your assets are transferred from a third-party broker to your account (inbound), or from your IBKR account to a third-party broker.
  • Save new broker information, which lets you save and reuse third-party broker information for future FOP transfers.

Your Account Name, Tax Identification Number and Client Type (i.e. individual, joint, Roth IRA), must exactly match the third-party broker account in order for the transfer to take place.

About Saved Broker Information

If you want to use your third-party broker for an FOP transfer AND save it in our system for future use, you must complete two tasks:

  1. Initiate a new FOP transfer, but choose to save the new broker information. No transfer is performed in this step.
  2. Initiate a new FOP transfer using the saved broker information. This is where you select the assets to transfer.

Note: You cannot simultaneously save new broker information and perform a transfer. The transfer must either be performed without saving the broker information, or the transfer must be performed after the broker information is saved.

  1. Click Transfer & Pay > Transfer Positions.
    • Alternatively, click Menu in the top left corner > Transfer & Pay > Transfer Positions
  2. If you have multiple accounts or account partitions, or if you have a master account and you manage one or more client or sub accounts, the Account Selector opens. Select the account you want to use for this transaction, or use the search function in the Account Selector to find the desired account. Click Continue to submit your account selection and close the Account Selector.
  3. In the Transaction Type list, select Inbound Position or Outbound Position.
  4. In the Method list, select the transfer method.
  5. In the Broker Information section, complete all fields to identify the third-party broker who will be transferring the assets. Select the broker from the drop-down list; enter your account number, account title and account type at the selected broker; and enter your Tax ID number.
  6. To continue with FOP transfer, set Save Broker Information to Yes.
  7. Enter the name of the saved broker information. This is the name you will use when you apply this information to a future position transfer.
  8. Click Continue.
  9. If prompted, confirm your identity and enter the confirmation number we emailed you in the fields provided.

    Your new broker information has been created. Now you can return to the Transfer & Pay > Transfer Position screen and initiate a new transfer using the newly-created broker information.

  10. See Saved Information for information about viewing and deleting saved broker information.

To obtain instructions on how to submit an FOP transfer request, please click here.

For more information, visit the Fund Your Account page on our website.