IBKR Prediction Markets: ForecastEx, Kalshi and Fees

Interactive Brokers lets you trade prediction markets from the same account as your stocks and futures. Since May 2026, its IBKR Prediction Markets screen combines contracts from three CFTC-regulated exchanges: Kalshi, CME Group and IBKR’s own ForecastEx. Who may trade them depends on which IBKR company holds your account.

I looked at the offer in my own paper trading account. On top of that I read the press releases of Interactive Brokers, its prediction markets FAQ and the event contract pricing pages of the US and Irish companies, all on October 6, 2026. I did not trade with real money. How we research and write is described on our editorial policy page.

IBKR Prediction Markets in 30 seconds

• What it is: Interactive Brokers’ trading screen for event contracts. Since May 14, 2026, it combines Kalshi, CME Group and ForecastEx and routes orders to the best net price.
• Who can trade: eligible clients aged 21 or older of IB LLC (US), IB Canada, IB Hong Kong, IB Ireland and IB Singapore, according to IBKR.
• US elections: contracts on US election results are only for eligible US residents.
• Europe: IB Ireland offers event contracts only to MiFID professional clients and excludes election markets.
• Cost for US clients: Kalshi and CME contracts $0.01 commission plus $0.01 exchange fee each. ForecastEx positions earn an incentive coupon, 3.38% APY on October 6, 2026.
• Paper trading: you can try the mechanics without money; what you see there is not proof that you may trade it for real.

What is IBKR Prediction Markets?

IBKR Prediction Markets is the trading screen of Interactive Brokers for event contracts. Since May 2026 it combines the contracts of the US exchanges Kalshi, CME Group and ForecastEx, and it routes each order to the venue with the best price after fees, without separate accounts at those exchanges.

It started with IBKR’s own exchange. According to its press release, the IBKR subsidiary ForecastEx began operating on August 1, 2024, first with contracts on economic data such as the Fed funds rate and on climate data. ForecastEx is registered with the CFTC as an exchange and a clearing house. Trading first ran on a separate web platform called ForecastTrader.

The bundling came in May 2026. Since May 14, 2026, IBKR shows the contracts of Kalshi, CME Group and ForecastEx in one screen. Similar contracts appear together, and the order ticket picks the venue with the best price after fees. The release itself notes that the products on offer depend on the IBKR company and the client’s country.

Provider	Interactive Brokers
Exchanges	ForecastEx (IBKR subsidiary), Kalshi, CME Group
Regulator of the exchanges	CFTC (US)
Start	ForecastEx Aug 1, 2024, bundling May 14, 2026
Platforms	TWS, IBKR Desktop, Client Portal, IBKR Mobile, web
Minimum age	21 (according to IBKR)
Eligible IBKR companies	IB LLC, IB Canada, IB Hong Kong, IB Ireland, IB Singapore

Who can trade IBKR Prediction Markets?

Clients of five IBKR companies can trade, if they are 21 or older and meet the eligibility rules. IBKR’s prediction markets page names Interactive Brokers LLC in the US, Interactive Brokers Canada, Hong Kong, Ireland and Singapore. Contracts on US election results are only for eligible US residents.

Eligible US clients can reach all three exchanges. At Interactive Brokers LLC, eligible clients can trade Kalshi, CME and ForecastEx contracts, subject to product and account restrictions, including the politics categories that are open to eligible US residents. The positions sit next to your stocks, options and futures in one account, so you need no separate Kalshi login.

Clients in the EU face a narrow door. Interactive Brokers Ireland, which serves clients in the EU and EEA, offers event contracts only to MiFID professional clients, excluding Belgium. Its clients may not trade the Elections and Elected Officials categories, and its pricing page lists only ForecastEx contracts. According to a statement by ESMA of July 3, 2026, event contracts that are financial instruments fall under the national measures against binary options for retail clients.

UK clients should ask IBKR directly. Interactive Brokers U.K. is not among the five companies that IBKR names for event contracts, and we found no event contract pricing page for it on October 7, 2026. That is not proof that UK clients are excluded in every case, so check the product permissions in your own account. Canadian clients are served by IB Canada, which IBKR does name.

What IBKR Prediction Markets shows in TWS

In a paper trading account, the offer is visible. In my Trader Workstation, a button called IBKR Prediction Markets appears, together with a pop-up that advertises the new tab. A red banner makes clear at all times that this is a demo account for simulated trades.

In my account the markets were sorted into eight tabs. They were Popular, Elections, Financial Markets, Technology, Economic Indicators, Government, Environmental and Conditional. Financial Markets has sub-filters for commodities, crypto, FX and stock indices. A “closing soon” area shows daily markets such as gold, Brent and Bitcoin with the time left.

In list view, each market shows its exchange. A small icon marks the venue, for most markets I looked at the green Kalshi logo. Prices appear in US dollars per contract, for the market on Bitcoin’s price at the end of 2026 for example yes at $0.14 and no at $0.86, together with the displayed probability and the open interest, the number of open contracts.

What you see is not what you may trade. My paper account, held as a client in Germany, showed election markets and a Government market on whether Donald Trump will announce his departure as president. For real trading, IB Ireland excludes the Elections and Elected Officials categories. If you want to try the offer, check your real trading permissions before you draw conclusions from the screen.

How do IBKR event contracts work?

Every contract answers a yes or no question. According to IBKR, prices range from $0.01 to $0.99. If the event happens, a yes contract pays $1.00, otherwise nothing. Your profit is the payout minus the purchase price and the fees.

Your loss is generally limited to what you paid. According to IBKR’s FAQ, the maximum loss on a contract is generally the amount you paid, subject to fees and the contract rules. You can exit early if the market is liquid enough. IBKR says trading runs around the clock, seven days a week, with occasional maintenance windows.

The difference from Kalshi is access. At IBKR you need no account at Kalshi or CME. The positions appear in the same portfolio as your shares, options and futures, and the order ticket compares the venues for you.

What does IBKR Prediction Markets cost?

The fees depend on the IBKR company and the exchange. For clients of Interactive Brokers LLC, the US pricing page lists a commission of $0.01 plus an exchange fee of $0.01 per contract for Kalshi and CME contracts. At IB Ireland, ForecastEx contracts cost no commission plus $0.01 exchange fee.

Contracts	Commission	Exchange fee
Kalshi (IB LLC)	$0.01	$0.01
CME (IB LLC)	$0.01	$0.01
ForecastEx (IB Ireland)	$0.00	$0.01

Per contract, checked October 6, 2026. Published rates for direct IBKR clients; clients of an introducing broker or adviser may pay more. Sources: pricing pages of IB LLC and IB Ireland.

ForecastEx adds an unusual feature: interest on your positions. According to IBKR, ForecastEx contracts pay an incentive coupon based on the closing market value of open positions. It accrues daily and is paid monthly. On October 6, 2026, IBKR quoted 3.38% APY, and the rate can change.

The biggest cost is not in any table. As in every market, the spread between buy and sell price counts. In thinly traded markets it can be many times the fee. Check the full cost of a trade in the order preview before you send it.

IBKR vs Kalshi

The two differ mainly in access. Kalshi is a US exchange with its own account. IBKR is a broker that bundles several exchanges, including Kalshi. Polymarket is a third route, which our Polymarket review covers.

Feature	IBKR Prediction Markets	Kalshi
Type	broker, three exchanges	US exchange
Settlement	US dollars	US dollars
Minimum age	21	18 (signup page)
UK residents	not among named IBKR companies	restricted
EU retail clients	no (IB Ireland: professionals only)	depends on country list and local law

Status October 7, 2026. Sources: IBKR prediction markets FAQ and IB Ireland pricing page, Kalshi help center and member agreement.

For a US trader who already has an IBKR account, the broker route is the simpler one. You keep one account, one login and one portfolio view. Our Kalshi review explains Kalshi’s own fees, its rules and the state court fight over sports contracts, which our prediction markets guide puts in context.

Pros and cons of IBKR Prediction Markets

Technically the offer is strong, but access depends heavily on where you live. The pros apply to clients who are actually allowed to trade.

Pros

• Three exchanges in one screen: Kalshi, CME Group and ForecastEx without separate accounts.
• Best net price: the order ticket picks the venue by price and fees.
• One account for everything: event contracts next to stocks, options and futures.
• Low commissions: one cent per contract for US clients, no commission on ForecastEx at IB Ireland, plus an interest-like coupon on ForecastEx.
• Paper trading: you can learn the mechanics without money.

Cons

• Age 21: stricter than Kalshi’s 18.
• Narrow outside the US: in the EU only for professional clients, and IB U.K. is not among the named companies.
• Screen is not permission: my paper account showed election markets that IB Ireland excludes for real trading.
• Elections only for US residents: contracts on US election results are closed to everyone else.
• Total loss: if a market settles against you, the purchase price is gone.

Our verdict on IBKR Prediction Markets

For existing IBKR clients in the US, this is a convenient route into prediction markets. Three exchanges, one order ticket, one account and low fees. For anyone who already trades futures or options at IBKR, it is the natural way to use event contracts as an extra tool.

Outside the US, the fine print decides. IB Ireland allows event contracts only for professional clients and excludes election markets, and IB U.K. is not named at all. The paper account still shows the full menu, which can be misleading.

My verdict: a good showroom to understand prediction markets, and a good trading route for eligible US clients. The prices and probabilities can be studied in the demo account. If you trade for real, keep the stake small, use limit orders and remember that each contract can expire at zero.

Event contracts carry a high risk of loss. This review describes IBKR’s offer and costs; it is not investment advice and not legal advice.

Frequently asked questions about IBKR Prediction Markets

What is ForecastEx?

ForecastEx is the prediction market exchange of Interactive Brokers. It is an IBKR subsidiary registered with the CFTC as an exchange and clearing house, and it has operated since August 1, 2024. It lists contracts on economic data, climate data and other events.

Who can trade prediction markets at Interactive Brokers?

Eligible clients aged 21 or older of five IBKR companies. According to IBKR these are IB LLC in the US and the companies in Canada, Hong Kong, Ireland and Singapore. US election contracts are only for eligible US residents, and IB Ireland allows event contracts only for professional clients.

Can I trade IBKR Prediction Markets in the UK?

IB U.K. is not among the companies that IBKR names for event contracts. We found no event contract pricing page for IB U.K. on October 7, 2026. Check the product permissions in your account or ask IBKR directly.

What does a contract cost at IBKR?

For US clients, $0.01 commission plus $0.01 exchange fee per Kalshi or CME contract. At IB Ireland, ForecastEx contracts cost no commission and $0.01 exchange fee. The spread comes on top.

Do I need a Kalshi account to trade Kalshi contracts at IBKR?

No, eligible clients trade Kalshi contracts directly from their IBKR account. The order ticket routes to Kalshi, CME or ForecastEx, whichever gives the best net price.

What is the difference between ForecastTrader and IBKR Prediction Markets?

ForecastTrader was the start, IBKR Prediction Markets is the bundle. ForecastTrader launched in 2024 as a web platform for ForecastEx contracts. Since May 2026, IBKR Prediction Markets combines ForecastEx, Kalshi and CME Group in one screen.