Restricted Countries
Personal accounts are available only in listed UK/EEA countries; unavailable outside the service area and for US tax residents/citizens or where restrictions apply.
Source Brokers
Lightyear is a UK and EU investing platform offering a multi-currency account and access to thousands of stocks, ETFs, money market funds, Baltic bonds and crypto assets, with regional differences between its UK FCA-regulated and EU EFSA-regulated entities.
Stock BrokerEtf BrokerCrypto BrokerMulti Asset BrokerBondMutual FundCash SavingsCryptoStock
84
/100
Overall score
Overall score is usable, but check the supporting evidence and caveats.
Based on evidence19 sources
Trust
87Cost
78Withdrawal
74Read first
Decision summary
84
/100
Overall
Overall is usable, but check the supporting evidence and caveats.
Headline score from research fields, regulation evidence, and scoring payload.
Best for
UK and EU retail investors · Cost-conscious ETF and stock investors · Investors wanting EUR/GBP/USD multi-currency support
Watch out
Entity, country restrictions, and high-risk fee fields should be checked carefully.
Trust signal
Trust looks strong, with high-confidence evidence. Still verify country/entity terms.
Withdrawal signal
Withdrawal is usable, but check the supporting evidence and caveats.
Availability
Countries and restrictions
Availability can vary by legal entity, account type, and local regulation. Treat this as a shortlist signal and verify details with the broker before opening an account.
Evidence
Source-backed details
Trust5 fields
Regulators
Regulated in the EU by EFSA/Finantsinspektsioon and in the UK by the FCA.
SourceLicense Numbers
EFSA licence 4.1-1/31, EFSA crypto-asset services permission 4.1-1/147, FCA FRN 987226.
SourceRegulated Entities
EU services are provided by Lightyear Europe AS; UK services by Lightyear U.K. Ltd.
SourceNegative Balance Protection
No negative balance protection statement found; Lightyear appears to be cash/investment-only without leverage or short-selling.
SourceInvestor Compensation
EU investor protection up to €20,000; US securities held with Alpaca are SIPC protected up to $500,000; UK client money/assets covered by FSCS subject to limitations.
SourceCost7 fields
Minimum Deposit
No general minimum deposit was disclosed. Savings/Vaults states no minimums/no maximums and 'From 1€ to infinity'.
SourceSpread From
Lightyear does not disclose a spread-from trading model for stocks/ETFs; pricing lists fixed/percentage order fees and 0.35% FX conversion fee.
SourceCommission
ETFs free; US shares 0.10% ($0.10 min/$1 max); UK shares £1; EUR-denominated stocks/bonds/ETNs/ETCs €1; other European shares 0.10% with local minimums; crypto 0.45%; MMFs 0.10%-0.15% annual Lightyear fee.
SourceMaximum Leverage
Lightyear does not offer leveraged CFD/futures/options trading; no maximum leverage applies.
SourceDeposit Fee
Local bank deposits are generally free; fast card/Apple Pay/Google Pay deposits cost 0.6%; USD FedWire and USD SWIFT receiving fee is $6.11.
SourceWithdrawal Fee
Local withdrawals are free from Lightyear; SWIFT withdrawals have no Lightyear fee but intermediary fees may apply.
SourceInactivity Fee
No monthly/account/custody fee; no inactivity fee found in official pricing/help pages reviewed.
SourceAvailability1 fields
Restricted Countries
Personal accounts are available only in listed UK/EEA countries; unavailable outside the service area and for US tax residents/citizens or where restrictions apply.
SourceProduct5 fields
Tradable Assets
6,000+ stocks/funds including US, European and UK stocks, ETFs, money market funds, Baltic stocks, Baltic bonds and EU crypto assets.
SourceTrading Platforms
Available on Android and iOS mobile apps and Lightyear web application; no API offered.
SourceAccount Types
Personal and business accounts; UK GIA, Cash ISA and Stocks & Shares ISA; local tax-advantaged Estonian Investeerimiskonto and Hungarian TBSZ.
SourceDeposit Methods
EUR SEPA and cards/wallets; GBP FPS/CHAPS/BACS/cards/wallets/SWIFT; USD ACH/FedWire/SWIFT; HUF local bank transfers.
SourceWithdrawal Methods
Local withdrawals for EUR/GBP/USD subject to prior bank details; GBP and USD SWIFT withdrawals may be available after bank statement verification.
SourceBefore you decide
Things to verify
Minimum Deposit
No general minimum deposit was disclosed. Savings/Vaults states no minimums/no maximums and 'From 1€ to infinity'.
Spread From
Lightyear does not disclose a spread-from trading model for stocks/ETFs; pricing lists fixed/percentage order fees and 0.35% FX conversion fee.
Negative Balance Protection
No negative balance protection statement found; Lightyear appears to be cash/investment-only without leverage or short-selling.
Investor Compensation
EU investor protection up to €20,000; US securities held with Alpaca are SIPC protected up to $500,000; UK client money/assets covered by FSCS subject to limitations.
VS next
VS Lightyear with similar brokers
These brokers share similar type or asset-class signals. Open the VS page to compare regulation, cost, platforms, withdrawals, and caveats side by side.
Charles Schwab
Overall 91 · Trust 100
Multi Asset BrokerEtfStock
VS with Lightyear 
DEGIRO
Overall 91 · Trust 100
Stock BrokerStockBond
VS with Lightyear 
Fidelity
Overall 91 · Trust 100
Multi Asset BrokerStockBond
VS with Lightyear Important disclosure
Broker research, not investment advice
Availability, fees, investor protection, and regulation can vary by country and legal entity. Verify the broker and regulator details directly before opening an account.