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Warning: binary options are high-risk. Most retail accounts lose money and you could lose everything you deposit. Risk warning

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IQ Option logoTakes clients from 18 countries

IQ Option review 2026

The most complete platform and the best apps we cover, from a group with a CySEC-licensed arm in Europe. Asian clients, though, sign with an offshore company that no regulator supervises.

BinaryChooser

By Platform research for Asian markets · 4 October 2026

Can you sign up from your market?

4.0/5
BinaryChooser score
Lowest deposit
$10
Lowest trade
$1
Launched
2013
Licence
Offshore registration
Go to IQ Option

High risk: your deposit can be lost

In short

IQ Option was founded in 2013 and wrote its own platform. Besides fixed-time trades it offers digital options, where you pick a strike and the payout rises the further away it is, and CFDs on currencies, shares, crypto and ETFs.

IQ Option home page
IQ Option's home page with sign-up and the free demo.

Licence and company

IQ Option Europe Ltd holds CySEC licence 247/14 but cannot sell binary options to retail clients in the EU. Clients in Asia sign with an international company that no financial regulator oversees; sources place it in St Vincent and the Grenadines or, more recently, Antigua and Barbuda (Sky Ladder LLC), so read the legal page at sign-up. Singapore's MAS has listed the brand on its Investor Alert List since 2017, India's RBI includes it on its Alert List, and Brazil's CVM has an open sanction case.

Official warnings we found

  • CVM (Brazil): Stop order and sanction case (settlement rejected in March 2026)
  • MAS (Singapore): Investor Alert List (since 2017)
  • RBI (India): Alert List of unauthorised platforms (19 Nov 2025)

Who can sign up

Not open to residents of the US, Canada, Australia, the UK, the EEA for options, Israel, Japan, Russia, Turkey and some other countries. The sign-up form checks your country, and the list changes.

Markets where IQ Option accepts sign-ups (18)

Lowest deposit

USD 10, depending on the payment method.

Lowest trade

USD 1 per trade. With digital options the strike you choose changes both the payout and your chance of winning.

What you can trade

Currency pairs, shares, crypto, commodities, indices and ETFs; the options and CFD sections have different lists.

The platform

The platform is the main reason to choose IQ Option: several charts at once, a full set of indicators and the same layout in the browser and the desktop app.

IQ Option trading platform
The IQ Option trading screen: asset, timer, stake and the payout before you trade.

Phone apps

Regular Android and iPhone apps that match the desktop closely. Whether your local store lists them depends on the region.

Paying in

Cards, e-wallets and local methods, varying by country. You choose a USD or other major-currency account at sign-up.

IQ Option deposit page
IQ Option's deposit screen with payment methods and minimum amounts.

Cashing out

Verification must be complete, and money usually returns to the deposit method first. The help centre lists processing times; your bank or wallet adds its own.

Charges

A dormant account fee after 90 days without trading (widely reported as 10 USD or EUR a month – confirm it), overnight charges and spreads on CFDs. Options carry no commission, but the payout is below 100%.

Help and support

Live chat, email, phone lines in some countries and a large help centre.

Account safety

Two-factor login and standard encryption. Clients outside Europe have no compensation scheme.

Opening an account

Sign up with email, Google or Facebook and you start in a demo. Real trading and pay-outs require ID and a proof of address.

Strengths and weak points

Strengths

  • +Best platform: browser, Windows and macOS app, Android and iPhone
  • +Digital options with a strike price you choose, plus CFDs
  • +Running since 2013
  • +Detailed charts and a fast interface

Weak points

  • −Options for Asian clients come from an unregulated offshore company
  • −On the alert lists of Singapore's MAS and India's RBI; sanction case in Brazil
  • −Dormant account fee after 90 days
  • −Fewer crypto deposit options than rivals

Our take

IQ Option has the best technology and apps here. Remember that in Asia you deal with an unregulated company and that the brand is on Singapore's and India's alert lists: strong platform, weak protection.

How the score adds up

  • Platform and apps4.8
  • Costs and minimums4.2
  • Payment options4.4
  • Support4.2
  • Licensing and openness2.6

IQ Option alternatives

  • Pocket Option logoPocket Option 4.1/5

    Pick it for a USD 5 entry point and copy trading built into the platform.

  • Expert Option logoExpert Option 3.7/5

    Pick it if you want the cleanest screen and good phone apps.

  • Olymp Trade logoOlymp Trade 3.9/5

    Pick it for a long-running platform and a company registered in Vanuatu.

  • Binomo logoBinomo 3.7/5

    Pick it for frequent contests and a USD 10 start with many local payments.

  • Binarium logoBinarium 3.4/5

    Pick it to try things with USD 5, or for trades that last up to three months.

  • IQcent logoIQcent 3.1/5

    Pick it for tiny trades from one cent and copy trading.

  • BinaryCent logoBinaryCent 3.0/5

    Pick it for weekly contests if you can deposit USD 250 or more.

  • Exnova logoExnova 3.5/5

    Pick it for shares and ETFs on a well-built platform from USD 10.

Quick answers

Is IQ Option regulated in Asia?

No. The CySEC licence covers only its European company, which does not sell options. Asian clients deal with an unregulated international company.

How much do I need to start with IQ Option?

USD 10.

Does IQ Option charge for an unused account?

Yes, after 90 days without trading. The fees page shows the current amount.

IQ Option guides

Where our data comes from: BinaryOptions.ae – IQ Option entitiesWikipedia – IQ Option (MAS, RBI, CVM)BinaryOptions.com – IQ Option country listBinaryOptions.net – IQ Option (payout 95%, expiry 60s–1 month, VIP)DailyForex – withdrawal and inactivity feesFXLeaders – offshore entity, demo USD 10,000