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Fidelity vs FTX

Fidelity logo

Fidelity

Software

Building a better financial future

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
F

FTX

Software

Cryptocurrency derivatives exchange

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only FTX has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Fidelity options trades carry a 0.65 USD per contract fee on top of zero commission; FTX the exchange collapsed and FTX Trading Ltd filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on 11 November 2022
  • They diverge on capability: Fidelity covers Commission-free trading, FTX covers Futures Trading.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Fidelity and FTX actually diverge.

Attributes where Fidelity and FTX differ
AttributeFidelityFTX
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modeltransactionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
Founded19462019

Identical on both: platforms (Web, IOS, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Fidelity

  • Commission-free trading
  • Retirement planning
  • Advisory services
  • Research tools
  • Bank accounts
  • Investment accounts
  • IOS support

Only in FTX

  • Futures Trading
  • Options
  • Leveraged Tokens
  • Spot Trading
  • FTT Token
  • Serum DEX
  • Ios support

Both cover

  • Web support
  • Android support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Fidelity

  • Commission free trading of US stocks and ETFsnot FTX
  • Holding IRAs, 401(k) plans and taxable brokerage accountsnot FTX
  • Trading bonds, options and mutual funds from one accountnot FTX

FTX

  • Exchangesnot Fidelity
  • Derivativesnot Fidelity
  • Tradingnot Fidelity

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Fidelity

  • Options trades carry a 0.65 USD per contract fee on top of zero commission
  • Non Fidelity mutual funds carry a 49.95 USD transaction fee per purchase
  • Secondary market bonds cost 1.00 USD per bond, while new issues are free
  • A foreign settlement fee of 50 USD applies per trade
  • Margin rates are tiered by debit balance, from 11.825 percent below 25,000 USD down to 7.50 percent at 1 million USD or more, against a base rate of 10.575 percent effective 12 December 2025
  • Margin liquidation by the broker costs 32.95 USD per liquidation

FTX

  • The exchange collapsed and FTX Trading Ltd filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on 11 November 2022
  • Around 130 affiliated companies including Alameda Research entered the same proceedings, with more than 100,000 creditors and assets and liabilities each between $10 billion and $50 billion
  • Founder Sam Bankman-Fried resigned as CEO on the filing and was replaced by John J. Ray III
  • It is not a service anyone can sign up for; the estate exists to repay creditors

Pricing, plan by plan

Fidelity

On request
  • Brokerage$undefined/month
    • Commission-free trading
    • Research tools
  • Advisory$undefined/month
    • Personal advisor
    • Wealth management

FTX

Free
  • StandardFree
    • Spot trading
    • Futures
    • Options

Which should you pick?

Choose Fidelity if

  • You need commission-free trading.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want retirement planning.
Fidelity review

Choose FTX if

  • You need futures trading.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want options.
FTX review

Questions people ask

Is Fidelity or FTX better?
Neither clearly leads. Fidelity starts at On request and FTX at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fidelity or FTX?
FTX has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Fidelity and Free for FTX.
Does Fidelity or FTX run on more platforms?
Fidelity runs on Web, IOS, Android. FTX runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use FTX for free?
Yes. FTX has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Fidelity starts at On request.
What is Fidelity best used for?
Fidelity is most often used for commission free trading of us stocks and etfs, holding iras, 401(k) plans and taxable brokerage accounts, trading bonds, options and mutual funds from one account. Of those, commission free trading of us stocks and etfs and holding iras, 401(k) plans and taxable brokerage accounts are not what FTX is typically brought in for.
What can Fidelity do that FTX cannot?
Fidelity covers Commission-free trading, Retirement planning, Advisory services, Research tools. FTX covers Futures Trading, Options, Leveraged Tokens, Spot Trading. Both handle Web support, Android support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

FTX: What happened to FTX?

FTX filed for bankruptcy on November 11, 2022, after revelations about Alameda Research's massive holdings of FTX's token (FTT) triggered a liquidity crisis. The platform collapsed within days as a competing rescue deal fell through.

Source
FTX: Can I recover funds from FTX bankruptcy?

FTX has been in Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings since November 11, 2022. Customer funds have been subject to claims through the bankruptcy process, with asset recovery efforts ongoing.

Source
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Related pages

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