IQ Option
IQ Option is a binary options trading broker that also offers services in Forex, stocks, and cryptocurrencies. The company was founded in 2013. In 2017, IQ Option shifted its focus to CFDs and cryptocurrencies, though binary options remain a significant part of its operations in certain markets, particularly where regulations are less stringent.
Regulators in multiple jurisdictions have issued warnings or taken actions concerning IQ Option or entities using the IQ Option brand, including administrative sanctions by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission, an ASIC action regarding unlicensed OTC derivative providers, a stop-order/market alert by Brazil's CVM, and inclusion on the Reserve Bank of India's alert list of unauthorised forex trading platforms.
Profile
As of 2023, the company is headquartered in Cyprus and employs around 200 people across offices in Dubai, London, Gibraltar, the USA, Australia, Eastern Europe, and Malaysia. The company offers over 250 financial instruments, including Forex, stocks, cryptocurrencies, commodities, and ETFs. IQ Option claims to have millions of customers in more than 200 countries, but those numbers are difficult to verify.History
IQ Option was founded by Dmitry Zaretsky, a Russian entrepreneur who grew up in Saint Petersburg and graduated from the Saint Petersburg State University Mathematics and Mechanics Faculty.The CySEC register lists IQOption Europe Ltd as a Cypriot investment firm with licence number 247/14. By 2016, its trading platform had gained visibility in the retail trading sector.
In 2017, IQ Option shifted its focus from binary options to CFDs and cryptocurrencies. In the same period it launched dedicated trading apps for iOS and Android,, announced a blockchain-based project called "Open Trading Network", and joined the Serenity Financial blockchain-based settlement system. During this period, IQ Option claimed to employed over 550 specialists in offices in Saint Petersburg and Limassol, while its monthly trading volume reportedly exceeded $11 million. The company also revealed plans for an ICO.
In 2021, IQ Option established a subsidiary, Quadcode Markets, which focuses on trading foreign exchange, commodities, stock indices, and cryptocurrencies through CFDs. In 2024, Quadcode launched a SaaS white-label platform. Additionally, Quad Code AU Ltd operates in Australia and is licensed by ASIC.
Since November 2022, IQ Option has been the official global sponsor of the Davis Cup.
The company also introduced Islamic accounts for Android users, promoting no-swap trading and offering over 21 halal shares to cater to a specific market segment.
In September 2023, CySEC removed IQ Option Europe LTD from the Register of Crypto Asset Service Providers due to the company not providing crypto-asset services for a continuous period of six months. Later that year, Quadcode Markets acquired a trading license from the Securities Commission of the Bahamas.