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The comparison reads the same evidence fields used by broker profiles, so users can scan scores, regulation, costs, platforms, withdrawals, and caveats side by side.

Broker 1

Broker 2

VS field	Lightyear lightyear.com Stock BrokerETF BrokerBond	Fidelity fidelity.com Stock BrokerETF BrokerETF
Decision summary
Overall score

Trust score	87	100

Cost score	78	89

Platform score	80	94

Withdrawal score	74	89

Best for	UK and EU retail investors · Cost-conscious ETF and stock investors · Investors wanting EUR/GBP/USD multi-currency support	Evidence supports Fidelity as a U.S.-focused, highly regulated multi-asset broker for stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, bonds/CDs, options, cash management, managed portfolios, and sepa…

Watch out	Needs verification	Needs verification

Trust & regulation
Regulators	Regulated in the EU by EFSA/Finantsinspektsioon and in the UK by the FCA. Source	Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC is SEC registered and regulated by FINRA; FBS and NFS are members of NYSE and SIPC. Source
License numbers	EFSA licence 4.1-1/31, EFSA crypto-asset services permission 4.1-1/147, FCA FRN 987226. Source	FBS CRD# 7784 / SEC# 8-23292; NFS CRD# 13041 / SEC# 801-50706, 8-26740. Source
Regulated entities	EU services are provided by Lightyear Europe AS; UK services by Lightyear U.K. Ltd. Source	Primary securities brokerage entities are Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC (FBS) and National Financial Services LLC (NFS), each member NYSE/SIPC; advisory and crypto entities differ by product. Source
Negative balance protection	No negative balance protection statement found; Lightyear appears to be cash/investment-only without leverage or short-selling. Source	Not applicable/not disclosed as a CFD-style negative balance protection policy; margin trading can create debt/interest obligations. Source
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. Source	SIPC coverage up to $500,000/$250,000 cash plus Fidelity excess SIPC; FDIC sweep coverage may apply to eligible cash programs; important exclusions apply. Source
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	U.S.-persons focused; sanctioned countries/prohibited parties restricted; no exhaustive country availability list found. Source

Trust & regulation

Regulators

Regulated in the EU by EFSA/Finantsinspektsioon and in the UK by the FCA.

Source

Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC is SEC registered and regulated by FINRA; FBS and NFS are members of NYSE and SIPC.

Source

License numbers

EFSA licence 4.1-1/31, EFSA crypto-asset services permission 4.1-1/147, FCA FRN 987226.

Source

FBS CRD# 7784 / SEC# 8-23292; NFS CRD# 13041 / SEC# 801-50706, 8-26740.

Source

Regulated entities

EU services are provided by Lightyear Europe AS; UK services by Lightyear U.K. Ltd.

Source

Primary securities brokerage entities are Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC (FBS) and National Financial Services LLC (NFS), each member NYSE/SIPC; advisory and crypto entities differ by product.

Source

Negative balance protection

No negative balance protection statement found; Lightyear appears to be cash/investment-only without leverage or short-selling.

Source

Not applicable/not disclosed as a CFD-style negative balance protection policy; margin trading can create debt/interest obligations.

Source

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.

Source

SIPC coverage up to $500,000/$250,000 cash plus Fidelity excess SIPC; FDIC sweep coverage may apply to eligible cash programs; important exclusions apply.

Source

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

U.S.-persons focused; sanctioned countries/prohibited parties restricted; no exhaustive country availability list found.

Source

Costs & account conditions
Minimum deposit	No general minimum deposit was disclosed. Savings/Vaults states no minimums/no maximums and 'From 1€ to infinity'. Source	$0 to open a retail brokerage account; Fidelity states no account minimum and ability to invest with as little as $1; exceptions apply by account/product. Source
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. Source	Not applicable to Fidelity's core U.S. stock/ETF brokerage model; securities trade by exchange/market prices rather than quoted CFD/FX spreads. Source
Commission	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. Source	$0 online U.S. stock and ETF trades; $0 online options commission plus $0.65/contract; other product/service fees apply. Source
Maximum leverage	Lightyear does not offer leveraged CFD/futures/options trading; no maximum leverage applies. Source	No universal maximum leverage ratio disclosed for Fidelity retail brokerage; margin borrowing is available subject to approval and margin requirements/rates rather than a single max leverage figure. Source
Deposit 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. Source	$0 Fidelity fee for EFT and Fidelity does not charge wire fees; external banks may charge. Source
Withdrawal fee	Local withdrawals are free from Lightyear; SWIFT withdrawals have no Lightyear fee but intermediary fees may apply. Source	$0 Fidelity fee for EFT and domestic bank wire withdrawals; foreign exchange wire up to 3% of principal; receiving bank may charge. Source
Inactivity fee	No monthly/account/custody fee; no inactivity fee found in official pricing/help pages reviewed. Source	No explicit inactivity-fee line found in official fee schedule; official account pages state no retail brokerage account fees/no account or subscription fees. Treat as needs manual confirmation before publishing as '$0 inactivity fee'. Source

Costs & account conditions

Minimum deposit

No general minimum deposit was disclosed. Savings/Vaults states no minimums/no maximums and 'From 1€ to infinity'.

Source

$0 to open a retail brokerage account; Fidelity states no account minimum and ability to invest with as little as $1; exceptions apply by account/product.

Source

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.

Source

Not applicable to Fidelity's core U.S. stock/ETF brokerage model; securities trade by exchange/market prices rather than quoted CFD/FX spreads.

Source

Commission

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.

Source

$0 online U.S. stock and ETF trades; $0 online options commission plus $0.65/contract; other product/service fees apply.

Source

Maximum leverage

Lightyear does not offer leveraged CFD/futures/options trading; no maximum leverage applies.

Source

No universal maximum leverage ratio disclosed for Fidelity retail brokerage; margin borrowing is available subject to approval and margin requirements/rates rather than a single max leverage figure.

Source

Deposit 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.

Source

$0 Fidelity fee for EFT and Fidelity does not charge wire fees; external banks may charge.

Source

Withdrawal fee

Local withdrawals are free from Lightyear; SWIFT withdrawals have no Lightyear fee but intermediary fees may apply.

Source

$0 Fidelity fee for EFT and domestic bank wire withdrawals; foreign exchange wire up to 3% of principal; receiving bank may charge.

Source

Inactivity fee

No monthly/account/custody fee; no inactivity fee found in official pricing/help pages reviewed.

Source

No explicit inactivity-fee line found in official fee schedule; official account pages state no retail brokerage account fees/no account or subscription fees. Treat as needs manual confirmation before publishing as '$0 inactivity fee'.

Source

Markets, platforms & payments
Tradable assets	6,000+ stocks/funds including US, European and UK stocks, ETFs, money market funds, Baltic stocks, Baltic bonds and EU crypto assets. Source	Stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, options, crypto, fixed income, bonds and CDs; Fidelity says stocks include domestic and international. Source
Trading platforms	Available on Android and iOS mobile apps and Lightyear web application; no API offered. Source	Fidelity.com, Fidelity mobile app, Fidelity Trader+ Web/Desktop/Mobile mode, and legacy Active Trader Pro Classic. Source
Account types	Personal and business accounts; UK GIA, Cash ISA and Stocks & Shares ISA; local tax-advantaged Estonian Investeerimiskonto and Hungarian TBSZ. Source	Broad account menu including taxable brokerage, retirement/IRA, cash management, HSA, custodial/youth, education, trust/business, managed and crypto accounts. Source
Deposit methods	EUR SEPA and cards/wallets; GBP FPS/CHAPS/BACS/cards/wallets/SWIFT; USD ACH/FedWire/SWIFT; HUF local bank transfers. Source	EFT/ACH, bank wire, check/mobile check, direct deposit, recurring deposit, Fidelity-to-Fidelity/account transfer, transfer of assets, and eligible payment apps. Source
Withdrawal methods	Local withdrawals for EUR/GBP/USD subject to prior bank details; GBP and USD SWIFT withdrawals may be available after bank statement verification. Source	EFT/ACH, bank wire, paper check, Fidelity-to-Fidelity transfers, third-party/person-to-person transfers and eligible debit card/ATM access. Source
Withdrawal processing time	Most withdrawals paid out within 2 business days; arrival depends on method/currency. Source	EFT withdrawals 1-3 business days; bank wire same day if submitted by 4 p.m. ET; paper check about 5-6 days. Source

Markets, platforms & payments

Tradable assets

6,000+ stocks/funds including US, European and UK stocks, ETFs, money market funds, Baltic stocks, Baltic bonds and EU crypto assets.

Source

Stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, options, crypto, fixed income, bonds and CDs; Fidelity says stocks include domestic and international.

Source

Trading platforms

Available on Android and iOS mobile apps and Lightyear web application; no API offered.

Source

Fidelity.com, Fidelity mobile app, Fidelity Trader+ Web/Desktop/Mobile mode, and legacy Active Trader Pro Classic.

Source

Account types

Personal and business accounts; UK GIA, Cash ISA and Stocks & Shares ISA; local tax-advantaged Estonian Investeerimiskonto and Hungarian TBSZ.

Source

Broad account menu including taxable brokerage, retirement/IRA, cash management, HSA, custodial/youth, education, trust/business, managed and crypto accounts.

Source

Deposit methods

EUR SEPA and cards/wallets; GBP FPS/CHAPS/BACS/cards/wallets/SWIFT; USD ACH/FedWire/SWIFT; HUF local bank transfers.

Source

EFT/ACH, bank wire, check/mobile check, direct deposit, recurring deposit, Fidelity-to-Fidelity/account transfer, transfer of assets, and eligible payment apps.

Source

Withdrawal methods

Local withdrawals for EUR/GBP/USD subject to prior bank details; GBP and USD SWIFT withdrawals may be available after bank statement verification.

Source

EFT/ACH, bank wire, paper check, Fidelity-to-Fidelity transfers, third-party/person-to-person transfers and eligible debit card/ATM access.

Source

Withdrawal processing time

Most withdrawals paid out within 2 business days; arrival depends on method/currency.

Source

EFT withdrawals 1-3 business days; bank wire same day if submitted by 4 p.m. ET; paper check about 5-6 days.

Source

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