Why Interactive Brokers Stock Zoomed 45.6% Higher In 2025

Source The Motley Fool

Key Points

  • Interactive Brokers is growing its customers, revenue, and profits quickly right now.

  • The company has one of the best profit margins in the world.

  • Shares of the stock look expensive, but are at a reasonable price compared to the company's growth potential.

  • 10 stocks we like better than Interactive Brokers Group ›

Shares of Interactive Brokers (NASDAQ: IBKR) popped 45.6% in 2025, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence. The technology-focused investing brokerage is gaining customers much faster than the competition, leading to rising revenues and profits. With its custom-built automated systems, the company has some of the highest profit margins in the world.

Interactive Brokers was a fast riser in 2025, but is it a buy today?

Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue »

New customers, record margins

Stock investing is becoming more popular globally, as well as focused on mobile devices. Both trends are a rising tide that has enabled Interactive Brokers to gain more customers for its investing brokerage while also taking market share in deposits from the competition.

In December, Interactive Brokers had 4.4 million active client accounts, which was up 32% year-over-year. More clients mean more deposits and more trading activity across stocks, bonds, options, and commodities around the world, which means more revenue opportunities for the company. In the third quarter, revenue grew 21% year-over-year to $1.655 billion.

Most impressive is Interactive Brokers' margin expansion. Pre-tax profit margin was 79% last quarter, which is better than virtually every single operating business in the world, even Visa and Mastercard. This extreme efficiency, combined with strong growth, is why Interactive Brokers' stock experienced significant gains in 2025.

A person looking at multiple screens with code and stock charts on them.

Image source: Getty Images.

Time to buy Interactive Brokers stock?

After its recent rise, Interactive Brokers now trades at a price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) of 34. This is a premium valuation, especially when you consider that we are in a raging bull market for stocks. When stock trading activity rises, so does revenue for Interactive Brokers. In a down market, it will face a revenue headwind even if it keeps gaining market share (at least temporarily).

Overall, Interactive Brokers and its 4.4 million active clients can probably keep growing over the next decade. This will help grow its earnings power and lower this P/E ratio. The stock trades at a reasonable price when considering its growth potential, but it is not a slam-dunk buy for investors today.

Should you buy stock in Interactive Brokers Group right now?

Before you buy stock in Interactive Brokers Group, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Interactive Brokers Group wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $487,089!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,139,053!*

Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 970% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 197% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.

See the 10 stocks »

*Stock Advisor returns as of January 14, 2026.

Brett Schafer has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Interactive Brokers Group, Mastercard, and Visa. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2027 $43.75 calls on Interactive Brokers Group and short January 2027 $46.25 calls on Interactive Brokers Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Disclaimer: For information purposes only. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
placeholder
US Dollar Index steadies above 99.00 ahead of Retail Sales, PPI dataThe US Dollar Index (DXY), which measures the value of the US Dollar (USD) against six major currencies, is inching lower after registering modest gains in the previous session. The DXY hovers around 99.10 during the Asian hours on Wednesday.
Author  FXStreet
9 hours ago
The US Dollar Index (DXY), which measures the value of the US Dollar (USD) against six major currencies, is inching lower after registering modest gains in the previous session. The DXY hovers around 99.10 during the Asian hours on Wednesday.
placeholder
Bitcoin Eyes $92K Breakout as Stocks Reach Fresh Records on Soft US CPI DataBitcoin nears $93,000 as lower-than-expected US inflation data supports a surge in risk assets.
Author  Mitrade
17 hours ago
Bitcoin nears $93,000 as lower-than-expected US inflation data supports a surge in risk assets.
placeholder
Gold Price Forectast: XAU/USD rises above $4,600 on US rate cut expectations, Fed uncertainty Gold price (XAU/USD) rises to around $4,600 during the early Asian session on Wednesday. The precious metal gains momentum as traders firm up bets on US interest rate cuts after the release of inflation data.
Author  FXStreet
18 hours ago
Gold price (XAU/USD) rises to around $4,600 during the early Asian session on Wednesday. The precious metal gains momentum as traders firm up bets on US interest rate cuts after the release of inflation data.
placeholder
Bank Stocks Lead US Equities in 2026; Wall Street Warns Guidance Matters More Than Earnings.Bank stocks will release fourth-quarter earnings this week, kicking off the 2026 U.S. earnings season.Tuesday will see JPMorgan Chase (JPM) reporting earnings, while Citigroup (C) , Wells
Author  TradingKey
Yesterday 10: 15
Bank stocks will release fourth-quarter earnings this week, kicking off the 2026 U.S. earnings season.Tuesday will see JPMorgan Chase (JPM) reporting earnings, while Citigroup (C) , Wells
placeholder
Bitwise Slams 401(k) Bitcoin Ban as ‘Ridiculous’ Amid Warren’s Pressure on SECU.S. President Donald Trump's executive order has paved the way for cryptocurrencies to be included in 401(k) retirement plans, igniting debate on their volatility.
Author  Mitrade
Yesterday 08: 34
U.S. President Donald Trump's executive order has paved the way for cryptocurrencies to be included in 401(k) retirement plans, igniting debate on their volatility.
goTop
quote