Live Report · Updated January 26, 2026

UBS vs Interactive Brokers

This page compares UBS and Interactive Brokers, outlining their business models, financial performance, and market context to help readers understand how each operates within the broader financial services landscape. It presents neutral, accessible information for readers seeking perspective. Educational content, not financial advice.

This page compares UBS and Interactive Brokers, outlining their business models, financial performance, and market context to help readers understand how each operates within the broader financial ser...

Comparison Snapshot

Key Financial Metrics

UBS

Metric

IBKR

$160.52B

Market Cap

$127.80B

18.28%

Potential Profit

2.01%

Strong Buy

Analyst Rating

Buy

Why It's Moving

UBS Flags Financials as Top Pick Amid Broadening Global Stock Rally into 2026.

UBS rates financials Attractive, highlighting gains from rising capital market activity and improving net interest margins despite credit card rate cap concerns.
Bank favors global banks and adds U.S. consumer discretionary, with cyclical regions and sectors outperforming as performance broadens.
Structural AI tailwinds evolve toward application layers, combined with monetary easing and fiscal boosts, underpin confidence in sustained equity climbs.
sentiment_tag

Sentiment:

🐃Bullish

Interactive Brokers Surges to Record Highs on Q4 Earnings Beat and Trading Boom.

Commissions revenue leaped 37% to $477 million, driven by 65% surge in stock trading and 32% in high-margin options, signaling robust market participation.
Client equity hit $779.9 billion (up 37% YoY) and margin loans reached $90.2 billion, boosting interest income and underscoring deeper capital commitment from traders.
Analysts at BMO and Barclays hiked price targets post-earnings, citing solid pretax beats, confident management tone, and constructive 2026 market outlook for brokers.

Sentiment:

🐃Bullish

UBS Flags Financials as Top Pick Amid Broadening Global Stock Rally into 2026.

UBS rates financials Attractive, highlighting gains from rising capital market activity and improving net interest margins despite credit card rate cap concerns.
Bank favors global banks and adds U.S. consumer discretionary, with cyclical regions and sectors outperforming as performance broadens.
Structural AI tailwinds evolve toward application layers, combined with monetary easing and fiscal boosts, underpin confidence in sustained equity climbs.
sentiment_tag

Sentiment:

🐃Bullish

Interactive Brokers Surges to Record Highs on Q4 Earnings Beat and Trading Boom.

Commissions revenue leaped 37% to $477 million, driven by 65% surge in stock trading and 32% in high-margin options, signaling robust market participation.
Client equity hit $779.9 billion (up 37% YoY) and margin loans reached $90.2 billion, boosting interest income and underscoring deeper capital commitment from traders.
Analysts at BMO and Barclays hiked price targets post-earnings, citing solid pretax beats, confident management tone, and constructive 2026 market outlook for brokers.

Sentiment:

🐃Bullish

Investment Analysis

UBS

Pros

UBS maintains a strong capital position with a 14.8% CET1 capital ratio and 4.6% CET1 leverage ratio, supporting resilience and regulatory compliance.
The bank achieved significant cost savings with USD 10bn in cumulative gross cost reductions, ahead of its USD 13bn target by end-2026.
UBS demonstrates strong client momentum with USD 38bn in Global Wealth Management net new assets in Q3 2025 and total invested assets growing to USD 6.9 trillion.

Considerations

Ongoing resolution of legacy legal matters and litigation risks could introduce volatility despite recent net litigation reserve releases.
UBS's strategic US expansion via a National Bank Charter application faces regulatory and execution uncertainties.
The firm's reliance on market and deal activity results makes profitability potentially sensitive to fluctuating global financial markets.

Interactive Brokers

IBKR

Pros

Interactive Brokers reports a strong return on equity of 18.88% as of October 2025, well above its 10-year average of 11.61%.
The company offers a highly diversified electronic brokerage platform with access to over 160 markets and 28 currencies, supporting broad client reach.
Interactive Brokers sustains a conservative balance sheet with strong capital reserves and automated risk controls designed to weather market stress.

Considerations

Interactive Brokers' profitability remains susceptible to market volatility and trading volume fluctuations, impacting revenue consistency.
The company's extensive product and market exposure may increase complexity and operational risk in rapidly evolving regulatory environments.
Competitive pressure in the electronic brokerage industry could limit growth in market share and compress margins over time.

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