I got e-mail from IB since I have an account with them.
See below:
Brexit Planning ā Update
Dear Client,
We are writing to provide an update on planning by Interactive Brokers Group (āIBKRā) and its UK affiliate Interactive Brokers (U.K.) Limited (āIBUKā) for the end of the Brexit transition period, currently scheduled for 31st December 2020.
As we advised you last month, in order to ensure continuity in the provision of brokerage services to our customers, with minimal disruption and minimal changes, IBKR has taken the following steps:
- IBKR has established Interactive Brokers Luxembourg SARL (āIBLUXā), which was licenced in November 2019, but has constraints on the permitted scale of its business.
- IBKR has created two additional brokers in the European Union: Interactive Brokers Ireland Limited (āIBIEā) and Interactive Brokers Central Europe ZRt (āIBCEā).
- IBKR plans to seek permission to transfer your account to one of its EU Brokers, and we will be writing to you shortly to let you know whether your account is eligible for transfer to IBIE, IBLUX or IBCE, and to seek consent for the move.
As explained in our last communication, the licensing process for both IBIE and IBCE is well underway, but it is possible that one or both will not be completed by 31 December. If that is the case, there may be a short period where the transfer of your account from IBUK to one of the IBKR brokers based in the European Union cannot be processed. During the period from 1st January 2021 until the granting of a licence to the relevant IBKR broker (the āDelay Periodā), we may need to make some changes in the way IBUK conducts business with you.
1. WHAT IS CHANGING AND WHY?
A. If there is a delay, you will engage our services at your own initiative during the Delay Period.
IBUK utilises what is known as a āfinancial services passportā or āpassportā to offer its services across the European Union. Based on a current assessment of the UK-EU relationship, IBUKās passporting rights are expected to expire at the end of the year. During any potential Delay Period, IBUK will still be able to provide services at your initiation, but every occasion that we do business with you will be in response to a request from you, and not on the basis of an invitation or promotion from us.
B. There could be some limits to the sort of business we will conduct with you during any potential Delay Period.
During any potential Delay Period, you can:
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Execute closing or risk-reducing transactions, as well as cash transactions.
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Enter into new orders in products for which you have previously traded.
- By products, we mean a financial or other instrument that IBUK makes available from
time to time.
- For example, if you have previously traded only in equities in your IBUK account, you
will be able to continue to trade all equities during the Delay Period but would not be
permitted to commence trading in futures products.
- Enter into new trades in products for which you have existing permissions, but have not previously traded.
- For example, if you have previously been granted options trading permission, but have
not yet actually traded in options, IBUK will execute orders initiated by you, and
submitted to us for handling, on listed options.
C. There are some other important things to be aware of.
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IBUKās provision of services during any potential Delay Period will be dependent on the local laws and regulations that exist in the jurisdiction in which you are located. It is possible that we may need to make further changes to the arrangements outlined above.
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IBUK is a UK authorised investment firm. IBUK does not have any local physical presence in your jurisdiction and, as discussed above, may no longer have any rights to passport services into your jurisdiction after 31 December 2020. IBUK does not have any other financial services permissions from your local regulator.
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Your account will be migrated to IBIE or IBCE (as applicable) once those brokers have obtained their regulatory license and their ability to passport into the EEA.
2. DO I NEED TO KEEP MY ACCOUNTS WITH IBUK DURING ANY POTENTIAL DELAY PERIOD?
You do not have to transact through IBUK on the basis set out above. Please recall that you are required under our contractual terms to maintain alternative trading arrangements and we encourage you to temporarily rely on those arrangements for any trading activity that IBUK might not be able to service. Additionally, you have the option to move the positions in your account (i.e., your cash, securities and contracts) to another broker outside the Interactive Brokers Group.
However, if you do not choose to move elsewhere, and continue to enter orders through your IBUK account during any Delay Period, we will assume that you understand, acknowledge and agree to do so as set forth above, as requested by you at your own initiative.
3. DO I NEED TO DO ANYTHING NOW?
You do not need to take any action now. We will provide additional information as we learn more. We will also soon be sending a communication asking you to consent to the transfer of your account to one of IBKRās licensed European brokerage entities, as applicable.
If after reading this communication, you have questions or would like to discuss the matter further, please do not hesitate to contact us.