Platform review · updated July 2026
ForecastEx review
An exchange-grade forecast market owned by Interactive Brokers.
Overview
ForecastEx is a CFTC-regulated exchange majority-owned by Interactive Brokers. It offers Yes/No forecast contracts on macroeconomic, climate and political events, with order routing through IBKR's platform.
Score breakdown
Score breakdown
Not yet fully scoredWeights: Regulation 30% · Liquidity 25% · Market Breadth 20% · UX 15% · Fees 10%. See our review methodology.
- Regulation & Trust (30%)
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- Liquidity & Execution Quality (25%)
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- Market Breadth (20%)
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- User Experience (15%)
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- Fees & Costs (10%)
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Registration with the CFTC, FinCEN, state regulators or foreign equivalents; enforcement history; segregated customer funds.
Median order-book depth on flagship markets and notional size that can move without more than a 1-cent price impact.
Number and diversity of active contracts across politics, economics, sports, crypto, weather, science and culture.
Onboarding, KYC, web and mobile UX, charting, API quality, support responsiveness and platform reliability.
Trading fees, deposit and withdrawal costs, funding charges and typical effective spread paid by retail users during testing.
How it works
Traders place orders through Interactive Brokers, which routes them to ForecastEx. Contracts pay one dollar at settlement if the underlying event occurs, and zero otherwise. Interest accrues on the collateral required to back open positions.
Sign-up process
Sign-up requires an Interactive Brokers account. Existing IBKR clients can enable forecast contract trading from the account settings in a few minutes after a suitability review.
User experience
The experience is brokerage-first. Charts, order entry and account management live inside the IBKR platforms (TWS, Client Portal, mobile). It feels institutional rather than consumer-grade.
Fees
ForecastEx charges a flat one cent per contract per side. Interest may be paid on collateral held against open positions, which is uncommon in this category.
Headline cost: 1 cent per contract
Markets covered
Pros and cons
Pros
- ✓CFTC-regulated Designated Contract Market,Integrates directly with Interactive Brokers accounts,Pays interest on collateral, lowering effective cost,Institutional-grade infrastructure
Cons
- −Fewer markets than Kalshi or Polymarket,UX is brokerage-driven rather than consumer-friendly,Limited sports and cultural markets
Risk and limitations
Forecast contracts are derivatives. You can lose your full premium. Access requires an Interactive Brokers relationship and is subject to brokerage suitability checks.
Alternatives
Run the numbers
Embedded tool
Estimate your payout on ForecastEx
Position details
Result
Embedded tool
Convert any contract price into a probability
Implied probability
Final verdict
ForecastEx is the best option for serious traders who already use Interactive Brokers, who want regulated US exposure, and who prefer a brokerage workflow over a consumer app.
FAQ
Is ForecastEx legal in the United States?+
Yes. ForecastEx is cftc-regulated and currently accessible to US residents in most states, subject to state-by-state nuance.
What does it cost to trade on ForecastEx?+
ForecastEx charges a flat one cent per contract per side. Interest may be paid on collateral held against open positions, which is uncommon in this category.
How does ForecastEx handle settlement?+
ForecastEx settles each contract based on a verifiable real-world outcome. Winning contracts pay one dollar; losing contracts pay zero.
Who is ForecastEx best for?+
ForecastEx is best for brokerage-grade access via interactive brokers. ForecastEx is the best option for serious traders who already use Interactive Brokers, who want regulated US exposure, and who prefer a brokerage workflow over a consumer app.