Best trading apps & platforms in the United States

Pick what you want to trade. Each list shows only companies allowed to serve people living in the United States. Local regulators: SEC / FINRA, CFTC / NFA, NYDFS.

Forex brokers4 licensed providers

Top pickOANDA72See the ranking CFD brokersNot available to retail clients.See the ranking Stock brokers & investing apps9 licensed providers

Top pickRobinhood79See the ranking Crypto exchanges6 licensed providers

Top pickCoinbase80See the ranking Gold & commodities2 licensed providers

Top pickFOREX.com71See the ranking

What’s allowed in the United States

Taken from the regulators. Coinish only links to providers whose company is allowed to serve United States residents.

Market	Status	What it means for you
Forex	Local licence required	Retail forex counterparties must be registered with the CFTC as a retail foreign exchange dealer (RFED) or futures commission merchant and be NFA members. Offshore, unregistered forex dealers are not an option Coinish lists for US residents. Regulator sources (3) “Registration is required for RFEDs unless the individual or organization is exempt from registration as an RFED” nfa.futures.org · Oct 5, 2026 “All registered RFEDs must be NFA Members” nfa.futures.org · Oct 5, 2026 “the CFTC has seen an increase in fraud complaints from customers who deposited large sums with unregistered offshore forex dealers” cftc.gov · Oct 5, 2026
CFDs	Not available to retail clients	Dodd-Frank restricts security-based swaps for retail investors, and the SEC has acted against firms offering them to US retail clients. Coinish lists no CFD providers for US residents. Regulator sources (2) “The Dodd-Frank Act implemented two key requirements for any security-based swaps offering to a retail investor who doesn't meet the high standard of an "eligible contract participant"” sec.gov · Aug 11, 2026 “enforcement action against a company that illegally offered complex derivatives products to retail investors” sec.gov · Aug 11, 2026
Stocks and ETFs	Local licence required	Stock brokers serving US residents must be SEC-registered broker-dealers (and FINRA members). Regulator sources (1) “Section 15(a)(1) of the Act generally makes it unlawful for any broker or dealer to use the mails” sec.gov · Oct 5, 2026
Crypto	Allowed with restrictions	Crypto exchanges serving US residents must register with FinCEN as money services businesses and hold state money-transmitter licences; New York additionally requires a BitLicense (or a New York trust charter). Availability can differ by state. Regulator sources (2) “an administrator or exchanger is an MSB under FinCEN's regulations, specifically, a money transmitter, unless a limitation to or exemption from the definition applies to the person” fincen.gov · Oct 6, 2026 “To conduct virtual currency business activity in New York State, entities can either apply for a BitLicense or for a charter under the New York Banking Law” dfs.ny.gov · Aug 15, 2026

Market

Status

What it means for you

Forex

Local licence required

Retail forex counterparties must be registered with the CFTC as a retail foreign exchange dealer (RFED) or futures commission merchant and be NFA members. Offshore, unregistered forex dealers are not an option Coinish lists for US residents.

Regulator sources (3)

“Registration is required for RFEDs unless the individual or organization is exempt from registration as an RFED”
nfa.futures.org · Oct 5, 2026
“All registered RFEDs must be NFA Members”
nfa.futures.org · Oct 5, 2026
“the CFTC has seen an increase in fraud complaints from customers who deposited large sums with unregistered offshore forex dealers”
cftc.gov · Oct 5, 2026

CFDs

Not available to retail clients

Dodd-Frank restricts security-based swaps for retail investors, and the SEC has acted against firms offering them to US retail clients. Coinish lists no CFD providers for US residents.

Regulator sources (2)

“The Dodd-Frank Act implemented two key requirements for any security-based swaps offering to a retail investor who doesn't meet the high standard of an "eligible contract participant"”
sec.gov · Aug 11, 2026
“enforcement action against a company that illegally offered complex derivatives products to retail investors”
sec.gov · Aug 11, 2026

Stocks and ETFs

Local licence required

Stock brokers serving US residents must be SEC-registered broker-dealers (and FINRA members).

Regulator sources (1)

“Section 15(a)(1) of the Act generally makes it unlawful for any broker or dealer to use the mails”
sec.gov · Oct 5, 2026

Crypto

Allowed with restrictions

Crypto exchanges serving US residents must register with FinCEN as money services businesses and hold state money-transmitter licences; New York additionally requires a BitLicense (or a New York trust charter). Availability can differ by state.

Regulator sources (2)

“an administrator or exchanger is an MSB under FinCEN's regulations, specifically, a money transmitter, unless a limitation to or exemption from the definition applies to the person”
fincen.gov · Oct 6, 2026
“To conduct virtual currency business activity in New York State, entities can either apply for a BitLicense or for a charter under the New York Banking Law”
dfs.ny.gov · Aug 15, 2026

Good to know

Tax on sharesGains on assets held more than one year are long-term capital gains; held one year or less, they are short-term and taxed as ordinary income.irs.gov

If a local firm failsSecurities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC): $500,000 incl. $250,000 cash. Firms licensed elsewhere use their home country's scheme.sipc.org

Check before you sign upSearch the company's name on the SEC / FINRA register before you open an account.brokercheck.finra.org

Top trading apps in the United States

Ordered by their best Coinish Score here. We count an app only when the store listing is published by the broker’s own company. The app is the same worldwide; the company that opens your account depends on where you live.

Crypto · 80

Stocks, Crypto · 79

Stocks · 77

Stocks · 73

Stocks, Crypto · 73

Forex · 72

See every trading app (14 for United States)

Retail forex trading involves a high level of risk and is not suitable for all investors. Leverage can work against you as well as for you, and you can lose more than expected. CFDs are not available to US residents.