Introduction
To comply with regulations regarding the sale of unregistered securities and to minimize the manual processing associated with trading shares that are not publicly quoted, IBKR imposes certain restrictions on U.S. Microcap Stocks. A list of those restrictions, along with other FAQs relating to this topic are provided below. 

Microcap Restrictions

• IBKR will only accept transfers of blocks of U.S. Microcap stocks from Eligible Clients. Eligible Clients include accounts that: (1) maintain equity (pre or post-transfer) of at least $5 million or, clients of financial advisors with aggregate assets under management of at least $20 million; and (2) have less than half of their equity in U.S. Microcap Stocks.
• IBKR will only accept transfers¹ of blocks of U.S. Microcap Stocks where the Eligible Client can confirm the shares were purchased on the open market or registered with the SEC;
• IBKR will not accept transfers¹ of or opening orders for U.S. Microcap Stocks designated by OTC as Caveat Emptor or Grey Market from any client. Clients with existing positions in these stocks may close the positions;
• IBKR will not accept transfers of U.S. Microcap Stocks to cover a short position established at IBKR;
• Execution-only clients (i.e., execute trades through IBKR, but clear those trades elsewhere) may not trade U.S. Microcap Stocks within their IBKR account. (IBKR may make exceptions for U.S.-registered brokers);

Microcap FAQs

What is a U.S. Microcap Stock?
The term “Microcap Stock” refers to shares (1) traded over the counter or (2) that are listed on Nasdaq and NYSE American that have a market capitalization of between $50 million to $300 million and are trading at or below $5. For purposes of this policy, the term Microcap Stock will include the shares of U.S. public companies which have a market capitalization at or below $50 million, which are sometimes referred to as nanocap stocks or trade on a market generally associated with Microcap Stocks.

To avoid situations where minor, short-term fluctuations in a stock price cause repeated reclassification, any stock classified as U.S. Microcap will remain in that classification until both its market capitalization and share price exceed $300 million and $5, respectively, for a 30 consecutive calendar day period.

As Microcap Stocks are often low-priced, they are commonly referred to as penny stocks. IBKR may make exceptions, including for stocks traded at low prices that recently had a greater market cap. In addition, IBKR will not consider ADRs on non-US companies to be Micro-Cap stocks.

Where do Microcap Stocks trade?
Microcap Stocks typically trade in the OTC market, rather than on a national securities exchange. They are often electronically quoted by market makers on OTC systems such as the OTC Bulletin Board (OTCBB) and the markets administered by the OTC Markets Group (e.g., OTCQX, OTCQB & Pink). Also included in this category are stocks which may not be publicly quoted and which are designated as Caveat Emptor, Other OTC or Grey Market.
In addition, U.S. regulators also consider stocks listed on Nasdaq or NYSE American trading at or below $5 with a market capitalization at or less than $300 million to be Microcap Stocks.

What happens if IBKR receives a transfer from an Eligible Client where one or more of the positions transferred is a Microcap Stock?
If IBKR receives a transfer containing a block of a Microcap stock, IBKR reserves the right to restrict the sale of any Microcap position(s) included in the transfer unless the Eligible Client provides appropriate documentation establishing that the shares were either purchased on the open market (i.e., on a public exchange through another broker) or were registered with the SEC pursuant to an S-1 or similar registration statement.

Eligible Clients can prove that shares were purchased on the open market by providing a brokerage statement or trade confirm from a reputable broker reflecting the purchase of the shares on a public exchange. Eligible Clients can establish that the shares are registered by providing the SEC (Edgar system) File number under which their shares were registered by the company (and any documents necessary to confirm the shares are the ones listed in the registration statement).

NOTE: All customers are free to transfer out any shares we have restricted at any time.

What restrictions will IBKR apply to Prime accounts?
Clients whose activities include Prime services are considered Eligible Clients solely for the purposes of those trades which IBKR has agreed to accept from its executing brokers. However, while Prime accounts may clear U.S. Microcap Stocks at IBKR, those shares will be restricted until such time IBKR confirms that the shares are eligible for re-sale under the procedures discussed above. 

To remove the restriction for shares purchased on the open market, please have the executing broker provide a signed letter on company letterhead or an official Account Statement stating that the shares were purchased in the open market. The letter or statement must also include the below required criteria. Alternatively, if the shares were acquired through an offering the letter or statement must provide documents or links to the relevant registration statement and state that the shares were part of it.

Required Broker Letter Criteria:
1) IBKR Account Number
2) IBKR Account Title
3) Trade Date
4) Settlement Date
5) Symbol
6) Side
7) Price
8) Quantity
9) Time of Execution
10) Exchange
11) Must be signed
12) Must be on Firm's official letterhead

To summarize: Sell Long trades will be accepted if the long position is no longer restricted. Sell Short trades will be accepted. Buy Long trades will be accepted and the position will be restricted until Compliance is provided with sufficient information to remove the restriction. Buy Cover trades and intraday round trip trades will not be accepted.

What happens if a stock you purchase gets reclassified as Grey Market or Caveat Emptor?
If you purchase a stock in your IBKR account that at a later date becomes classified as a Caveat Emptor or Grey Market stock, you will be allowed to maintain, close or transfer the position but will not be able to increase your position.

What are some of the reasons why Microcap Stock trading may be restricted in my account?
There are two primary reasons why you might be restricted from trading in a Microcap Stock:

• Potential Affiliation to Issuer: U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) Rule 144 places certain limitations on trading of stocks (including Microcap Stocks) by an “affiliate” of the issuer. If IBKR observes trading activity or holdings in a Microcap Stock that are close to the trading volume thresholds under Rule 144 (“Rule 144 Thresholds”), IBKR may restrict the customer from trading the Microcap Stock until a compliance review is completed.
• Transfer of Microcap Stock: If the customer has recently transferred a Microcap Stock into their IBKR account, IBKR may restrict the customer from trading in that security until a compliance review is completed.

If one of the above reasons apply, trading will be restricted in the security and a notification will be sent to the customer’s message center in Account Management. This notification will describe the reason for the restriction and the steps the customer must take before IBKR will consider lifting the restriction.

Why does IBKR consider me to be a potential affiliate of a Microcap Stock issuer?
An “affiliate” is a person, such as an executive officer, a director or large shareholder, in a relationship of control with the issuer.

Rule 144 applies to all securities, including Microcap Stocks. However, given the heightened risks associated with trading Microcap Stocks, if a customer’s trading and/or holdings in a Microcap Stock are close to the Rule 144 Thresholds, IBKR will restrict the customer’s trading in the Microcap Stock.  This restriction will remain in effect pending a compliance review into the customer’s potential affiliate status.

For the Potential Affiliate review, why do I need to ask for a new review every two weeks?
A customer’s affiliate status may change soon after IBKR completes the above-referenced Potential Affiliate review. As such, IBKR believes it is appropriate to refresh a Potential Affiliate review every two weeks if a customer’s trading activity and/or holdings in the Microcap Stock remain close to the Rule 144 Thresholds.

Where can I find a list of stocks that IBKR has designated as U.S. Microcaps?
A list of stocks designated as U.S. Microcaps by IBKR is available via the following link: www.ibkr.com/download/us_microcaps.csv

Note that this list is updated daily.

Where can I find additional information on Microcap Stocks?
Additional information on Microcap Stocks, including risks associated with such stocks may be found on the SEC website: https://www.sec.gov/reportspubs/investor-publications/investorpubsmicrocapstockhtm.html
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¹This includes transfers by any method (e.g., ACATS, DWAC, FOP), conversion of Canadian listings to their U.S. equivalent via “Southbound” transfer, transfers to cover existing short positions, IB Prime customers executing with other brokers and clearing to IBKR, etc.

Overview
The Direct Registration System (DRS) allows shareholders to register their U.S. share holdings on the books and records of the issuer in an electronic rather than paper certificate form through the issuer’s designated transfer agent. Once held in a DRS account, the shares may then be transferred electronically via the Depository Trust Company (DTC) to your IB account where transactions may take place or where the shares may be afforded margin loan value.

It should be noted that not all shares are DRS eligible. In general, most U.S. exchange traded securities are, but many OTC shares, as well as shares subject to a restriction and therefore held in certificate form, are not.

Transfer Process
To deposit shares held in your DRS account to your IB account you will need to log into Account Management and create transfer instructions. These instructions require that you provide IB with certain information regarding your DRS account (e.g., account number and taxpayer ID) which you will need to obtain from and/or confirm with your transfer agent. It’s important that you provide IB with information which matches that of your DRS account, otherwise your transfer agent will reject the request and you will be charged a rejection fee. Information regarding fees for rejected as well as settled transactions are posted on the website.

Once the DRS account information has been confirmed, log into Account Management and proceed as follows:

1. Select the Funding and then Position Transfers menu options;

2. From the Position Transfer screen, select a transfer method of DRS-Direct Registration System and transfer type of Deposit via the drop-down menus;

3. You’ll be directed to the DRS Transfer screen where the taxpayer ID you’ve provided to IB is displayed. If this does not match that which you maintain for your DRS account, you will first need to reconcile and correct the information so it matches prior to proceeding with the transfer request. Requests submitted with a mismatched taxpayer ID will result in the transfer being rejected by your transfer agent and your account being subject to a rejection processing fee;

4. Enter your DRS account number and click the Continue button. Note that requests submitted with an account number that doesn't match that of your DRS account will result in the transfer being rejected by your transfer agent and your account being subject to a rejection processing fee;

5. Enter the symbol of the security you intend to transfer as well as the share quantity. Note that requests submitted with a symbol not held within or a share quantity which exceeds that held in your DRS account will result in the transfer being rejected by your transfer agent and your account being subject to a rejection processing fee;

6. Enter your electronic signature and click the “Continue” button to confirm your transfer request.

IB will then notify DTC who will match the security to its associated transfer agent and send them notification of your request. Assuming the DRS account and share information you’ve provided is correct, the transfer agent will post the shares for delivery to IB.  Note that while transfer requests typically settle within 2 -5 business days, the transfer agent may take longer to respond to the notification and, if no response is received within 30 days, the request will be canceled.

IMPORTANT NOTE
If you are transferring shares from a joint account or are a non-US person, special consideration needs to be provided to the taxpayer ID you provide to IB for matching to your DRS account. In the case of a joint account, the ID will generally be one of the SSNs of the joint account holders or a default value of 999999999. In the case of a non-US person, where no US taxpayer ID exists, a default value of 111111111 is often used. In either case, you will need to verify with the transfer agent the identifier they will recognize for matching purposes. If the transfer agent requests an identifier which doesn’t match one of the elections provided within Account Management, please contact Customer Service for transfer assistance.

In order to create a Check deposit notification, you will need to visit our secure website: www.interactivebrokers.com.  Be prepared to provide your username, password and any additional secure log-in information when submitting your notice.

1. Log into Client Portal

2. Select Transfer & Pay

3. Click on Transfer Funds

4. Your Transaction Type: Deposit

5. The Currency: USD

6. Choose the Method: Check

and follow the prompts.

Next, mail your check with the Confirmation Page to one of the addresses listed below.

(If you are sending your check via overnight delivery service (FedEx, DHL, UPS, etc))

Interactive Brokers LLC

2 Pickwick Plaza

Attn: IBCD

Greenwich, Connecticut 06830

United States

(If you are sending your check via regular mail or US Postal Service (USPS) EXPRESS MAIL)

Interactive Brokers LLC

P.O. Box 7579

Attn: IBCD

Greenwich, Connecticut 06836-7579

United States

Please Note:

• The person who signs the check must be the account holder.
• Your name must be printed on the check.
• You must sign and date your check.
• Payee Name must be Interactive Brokers LLC

This information is for general educational purposes only.  Individuals should consult with their financial adviser or legal counsel to determine how rollover regulations affect their unique situations.

Generally, an IRA rollover is a tax-free distribution to you of cash or other assets from one retirement plan that you contribute to another retirement plan.  The contribution to the second retirement plan is called a rollover contribution.

This article outlines the types of IRA rollover transactions, rules and conditions, IB's Rollover Certification form, and rollover transaction details.  Select from list below for details:

Rules & Conditions

Rollover Certification

Eligible Rollover Transactions

Ineligible Transactions

Rules & Conditions

Prior to completing an IRA Rollover transaction, we recommend that you review the rules and conditions surrounding eligibility.  Interactive Brokers can accept as a tax-free transaction an eligible rollover distribution as defined under the Internal Revenue Code.  Included in this article is information about eligible transactions, as well as the Interactive Brokers  IRA Rollover Certification form.

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IRA Rollover Certification

Before accepting an IRA rollover transaction into an Interactive Brokers LLC IRA, we require that you review your eligibility for the rollover and certify your understanding of the rollover rules and conditions.  The IRA Rollover Form includes the IRA Rollover Certification. 

The Transfer Funds page within the Client Portal lets you notify IB of an IRA Rollover deposit of funds into your account. From the Transfer & Pay menu select Transfer Funds and then Make a Deposit.  Select one of the saved deposit instructions and follow the prompts on the screen or create a new deposit instruction by selecting the Currency of the deposit from the drop-down menu. Click Connect or Get Instructions for the method you will use to transfer funds. And finally follow the remaining instructions provided to initiate the transfer with your bank.

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Rollover Transactions

Two types of IRA rollover transactions exist with different guidelines and delivery methods:

1. Direct Rollover - a transfer of assets from an employer-sponsored retirement plan directly to an eligible IRA.  If you choose to receive the distribution first, then you may roll over the funds to the IRA within 60 days.
2. Indirect Rollover - a distribution from an IRA paid to you, followed by a rollover into another IRA within 60 days.  The IRS allows an indirect rollover of each IRA's funds once during a twelve-month period.

(Note:  A distributions directly from one IRA trustee to another IRA trustee is a Trustee-to-Trustee transfer.  It is not affected by the twelve-month waiting period.)

For additional information about rollovers, visit Understanding Rollovers.  See also IRS Publication 590-A, Contributions to Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs) for more specific guidelines on moving retirement plan assets.

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Eligible Rollover Transactions

Almost any distribution from a qualified plan can be rolled over to an IRA.  Your retirement account may be eligible for one of the following eligible rollover transactions.

Traditional IRA or SIMPLE IRA to Traditional IRA Rollover

• Funds or property deposited less than 60 days of receipt by the IRA owner from the previous IRA
• During the preceding 12 months, no other distributions from the distributing IRA were rolled over
• The assets involved in the transaction have not been rolled over in the past 12 months
• Required Minimum Distribution satisfied (if over 73)
• For SIMPLE IRAs, after two years from the first contribution

Roth IRA to Roth IRA Rollover

• Funds or property deposited less than 60 days of receipt by the IRA owner from the previous IRA
• During the preceding 12 months, no other distributions from the distributing IRA were rolled over
• The assets involved in the transaction have not been rolled over in the past 12 months

Rollover or Direct Rollover from Qualified Plan into a Traditional IRA

• Eligible participant (participant, spouse beneficiary, or former spouse due to divorce)
• Funds or property deposited less than 60 days of receipt by the participant from the previous plan
• Funds received from an eligible qualified retirement plan
• Required Minimum Distribution satisfied (if over 73)
• Consists of funds, property, or proceeds from the sale of property distributed from the qualified plan
• All of the funds are eligible to be rolled over

Roth IRA to Roth IRA Rollover

• Funds or property deposited less than 60 days of receipt by the IRA owner from the previous IRA
• Required Minimum Distribution satisfied (if over 73)

Ineligible Rollover Transactions

Some funds distributed from a retirement plan are not eligible for rollover into an IRA.  The following transactions are not eligible rollover transactions.

• Any portion of a distribution from a retirement plan not rolled over
• Required Minimum Distributions
• Distribution of excess contributions and related earnings
• Retirement plan loan treated as a distribution
• Hardship distributions
• Distributions part of substantially equal payments (73-t)
• Dividends on employer securities
• Non-spousal death benefit distributions
• The cost of life insurance coverage

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Click here to return to the Retirement Account Resource page.

Disclaimer:  IB does not provide tax advice. These statements are provided for information purposes only, are not intended to constitute tax advice which may be relied upon to avoid penalties under any international, federal, state, local or other tax statutes or regulations, and do not resolve any tax issues in your favor. We recommend that you consult a qualified tax adviser or refer to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.