In the US, Webull offers stocks, ETFs, options, futures, and much more. In the UK, you can invest in US stocks, US options and Asian stocks, but not ETFs or UK stocks. What about in Europe (ex-UK)?
Is Webull available in Europe?
Yes, Webull is now officially available in the European Union, but only in the Netherlands for now:
It operates under Webull Securities (Europe) B.V., authorised by the AFM (Dutch regulator).
For investors living in Portugal, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, or any other EU country, Webull is still not available. The company has stated it plans to expand into additional EU countries, but has not published a timeline.
“Webull Launches in the European Union, Debuting Retail Investment Platform in the Netherlands.”
From the Webull US website:
From the Webull UK website:
Why isn’t Webull available across Europe yet?
Although Webull entered the EU market via the Netherlands, the rest of Europe still requires local onboarding due to MiFID II, AML, tax-reporting, and other residency requirements.
The EU is not “one single market for brokers” when it comes to onboarding retail clients - despite passporting, brokers still choose where they onboard customers.
Beyond that, market maturity and competition also play a role. European investors already have access to various local and international platforms, such as Interactive Brokers, XTB, and Freedom24, that offer similar features, often tailored to regional markets. Webull faces the challenge of differentiating itself in a space where low-commission trading has already become the norm.
Lastly, Robinhood has been focusing on stabilising its business post-IPO and expanding carefully after periods of volatility and regulatory scrutiny in the U.S., which likely contributes to its cautious European expansion strategy.
Is Webull planning to expand into other European countries?
Webull has officially confirmed EU expansion with its Netherlands launch.
The company states that more EU countries will follow, but has not confirmed which ones or when.
“The launch in the Netherlands marks the first step in Webull’s expansion across the European Union. Additional EU countries are expected to follow.”
Webull press release
Alternatives to Webull in Europe
If you live outside the Netherlands, here are the best regulated alternatives:
- Interactive Brokers: The best broker overall. Low fees for stocks, ETFs, options and low conversion fees
- XTB: 0% commissions on stocks and ETFs for monthly turnover up to €100,000 (above this amount, a 0.2% commission applies, min. €10)
- Trading 212: 0% commissions on stocks and ETFs with no limits. High interest on uninvested cash
- Lightyear: Emerging low-cost broker in Europe; mobile-first and expanding quickly.
- DEGIRO: It has a wide range of products, but it charges a minimum of €1 per trade + an annual €2.50 connectivity fee
- Freedom24: Offers stocks, ETFs and options, plus direct investment in bonds.
Regulation and safety
Before deeply diving into each broker, it is essential to mention that all alternative brokers to Webull are regulated in Europe!
To demonstrate this, let’s use Interactive Brokers as an example. As a European, when you open an account at Interactive Brokers, you do it through the subsidiary “Interactive Brokers Ireland Limited”, regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland (CBI, reference number C423427):
As a result, you are protected by the Irish Investor Compensation Scheme (ICS).
The ICS is intended to help private individuals, such as people like you and me. Compensation under the ICS is limited to 90% of the amount lost, subject to a maximum of €20,000 to each investor. The coverage provides protection against the failure of the investment firm, not against loss of market value of financial products.
In the following table, we include the protection associated with each broker only considering the perspective of a European investor (a non-European investor may open his/her account through another subsidiary under a different jurisdiction):
Bottom line
Webull is available in Europe, but only to residents of the Netherlands.
If you live elsewhere in the EU, you cannot open an account at this time.
Fortunately, Europe already has several excellent low-cost brokers that offer more markets, stronger tools, and full regulatory protection.
