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 Interactive Brokers (IBKR), IBKR users, welcome!

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gashout
post Nov 12 2024, 11:30 AM

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hi, i would like to ask based on this, https://www.interactivebrokers.com/en/accou...erest-rates.php

is this based on per account name (in my case, it's one) or per account (in my case it's two)? as my account has 2 sub- accounts, as i try to differentiate the origin of both money, for tax purposes...
gashout
post Nov 12 2024, 05:34 PM

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QUOTE(TOS @ Nov 12 2024, 05:21 PM)
The same link above already stated

Different accounts should have different numbers beginning with the letter U (e.g. U1223456 and U13445678 are separate accounts).

Anyway, the first 10k USD won't earn any thing, and if you have more than 10k USD, you are better off buying ultrashort term T-bills ETFs or buy US T-bills directly, so you won't bother keeping cash balances in IBKR's account anyway.
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Thanks a lot. That's a good point.

Buy t bill, there's transaction fee for it I suppose?

I'm keen to have cash ready in case there is a sudden opportunity, can I sell my t bills and still earn the interest for that particular days/weeks/mths or am I better off leaving it in my account?
gashout
post Nov 12 2024, 05:47 PM

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QUOTE(dwRK @ Nov 12 2024, 05:37 PM)
t bil 4.48%... ibkr 4.08% >10k... songlap >0.4%...
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So buy t bill better.

How often do they give interest?

I've seen a list of t bill somewhere.. In finance group.
gashout
post Nov 13 2024, 02:36 AM

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QUOTE(dwRK @ Nov 12 2024, 09:29 PM)
interest is accumulated "daily" reflected in price... and paid out monthly... had to look twice to understand what is going on here...

user posted image

interest kena 30% wht but will be refunded early next year...

bro tos has a post few pages back trying to game the system... have a look, you may be able to buy it cheaper his way...
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QUOTE(TOS @ Nov 12 2024, 09:55 PM)
Yes, transaction fee is 5 USD minimum: https://www.interactivebrokers.com/en/prici...nds.php?re=amer

For comparison, buying some 500 USD worth of stocks on IBKR usually cost about 0.3 USD = 0.06%

To achieve 0.06% commission fee as a percentage of your purchase amount, with a 5 USD commissions, you gotta buy 9000 USD minimum worth of T-bills (remember T-bills trade with a minimum denomination of 1000 USD, and increments of 1k USD).

So, if you don't have minimum 10k USD cash, it's a lot cheaper to gain exposure via BIL ETF or SGOV ETF. These T-bills ETFs give you 1-2 month USD risk-free interest rate exposure by buying various US T-bills with 1-3 months of duration. The effective duration is 1-2 months.

With ETFs, now I can purchase T-bills at the same commission level as a US stock on IBKR, even with fractional shares if I want to although I don't recommend that since the ETF price is very low at close to 100 USD a unit.

--------------------------------

To address your question on opportunity. Yes, that's the purpose why I park huge sum of USD in US T-bills ETF as well. You can sell 23 hours and 50 minutes for each trading day (barring trading holiday the next day if you are in Asian hours trying to trade in US Overnight session, as the trades are supposed to cleared the next day following US time). If you spot a crash, you can always sell and get cash instantly even without margin account. The USD can then be used to purchase say VOO or QQQM etc.

There is one caveat, you cannot withdraw the cash or buy stocks/bonds/ETF or anything denominated in other currency on the same day you sell your BIL or SGOV ETF units. The selling trade settles at T+1, so you can only withdraw the cash the next day. They also don't want to bear any overnight FX risk, so they will only allow FX conversion once the selling trade is settled (which means you will have real USD in your account by then, T+1).

They do allow same currency purchase, like sell BIL ETF and buy VOO/QQQM or other US stocks which I stated above. This "contra" trade is allowed, provided the settlement period is the same, i.e., in this case, T+1.

Now, if you have margin account however, the restrictions above do not apply. If you sell BIL and say buy Nestle stocks (SIX: NESN) on SIX in Switzerland the same day, you are effectively shorting USD.CHF overnight forwards, i.e., borrowing CHF from IBKR (or some other market participants) with any outstanding cash/stocks as collateral for one day to buy NESN, and repay back at T+1 with USD proceeds from selling your stake in BIL/SGOV the day before. IBKR will charge interest on the overnight loan I believe, but sifus here can give you more color on this topic.

Relevant info from Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/interactivebrokers...ant_settlement/
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Thanks so much to the two of you, it's been enlightening. In this case, I'll just get BIL ETF or SGOV ETF, right?

Any similar one to SGD and CHF currency?
gashout
post Nov 13 2024, 08:15 AM

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QUOTE(TOS @ Nov 13 2024, 07:57 AM)
If you have below 10k USD, go for BIL or SGOV ETFs. After all, the first 10k USD won't earn you any interest in IBKR's USD cash account, while you will be indifferent to buying BIL ETF with that amount of cash.

As for your second question. There is only one money market ETFs listed on SGX: Phillip SGD Money Market ETF

https://phillipfunds.com/phillip-sgd-money-market-etf/

The problem is the ETF is very illiquid and has high bid-ask spread: https://investors.sgx.com/securities/etfs?security=MMS

You are better off sticking to Fullerton SGD Cash Fund for short-term parking purposes, which allow for withdrawals at T+1 (so you can't buy DBS, UOB or OCBC if the stocks tank intraday, it gotta be crashes lasting a few days then only you have the opportunity to buy).

-----------------------------------

For CHF, the closest one I can find is something akin to a 2-year CHF FD: iShares Swiss Domestic Government Bond 0-3 ETF (CH)

https://www.blackrock.com/ch/individual/en/...bond-13-ch-fund

However, usually people will park their CHF in Nestle, Novartis and Roche etc. as the yields on Swiss Treasuries are a pittance. Swiss companies don't perform well recently, even after adjusting for FX, and the illiquid nature of Swiss stocks means you are better off with VOO/QQQM. I myself closed all my Swiss stock positions a couple of weeks ago and consolidate that to VOO/QQQM.
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Thank you, this is very helpful. Some markets are indeed very illiquid.
gashout
post Jul 8 2025, 03:09 PM

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can i check

Clients with a NAV of more than USD 100,000 (or an equivalent value in other currencies) earn an annual rate of 3.83% on their USD cash balances above USD 10,000.

if i have 2 accounts, total 100k, can i earn that interest or must i consolidate it into 1 account.... i mean i have one username one password but two accounts..
gashout
post Jul 8 2025, 04:10 PM

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QUOTE(Medufsaid @ Jul 8 2025, 03:34 PM)
if not too leceh, just buy $BIL. $BIL yield is higher than 3.85% anyway. & your first USD10k won't be sitting there idling
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how often does the yield credited to your acc? thanks..
gashout
post Jul 10 2025, 07:00 AM

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QUOTE(tadashi987 @ Jul 10 2025, 01:09 AM)
not subjected to 30% withholding tax?
anyway we need to pay the fee to buy $BIL right?

wouldn't it better to buy no fee USD cash funds on IBKR? e.g.

I440622629
BNP PARIBAS USD MONEY MARKET "C" (USD) ACC
ALLFUNDS

00BK71CK9
BARINGS USD LIQUIDITY "A1" (USD) ACC
ALLFUNDS

I used these as my 'USD cash park facility' since no transaction fee charged in buying or selling, but of course the turnaround time is longer because they are mutual funds
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how long is the turnaround time


QUOTE(privatequity @ Jul 10 2025, 01:41 AM)
better buy irish domiciled funds. US all subject to huge withholding. tax including cash
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which are....

QUOTE(dwRK @ Jul 10 2025, 06:11 AM)
monthly...

short or long term?
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not sure, depends if suddenly market drop, i would have the funds to scoop things rightaway...

gashout
post Jul 10 2025, 08:31 AM

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QUOTE(dwRK @ Jul 10 2025, 07:22 AM)
okie... fyi...

kraken... usd 6.5% usdt 5.5% for 30 day hold... both 4.25% for instant withdrawal...
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nice, there are a few good ones out there in dexex, % wise..

 

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