Scalable Review
Founded in 2015 in Germany, Scalable Capital is a regulated fintech company overseen by the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) and the Deutsche Bundesbank. Its digital identification partner, Fourthline, is regulated by the Dutch Central Bank and the Financial Conduct Authority. Scalable Capital offers a comprehensive range of products, including ETFs, stocks, funds, crypto-ETPs, derivatives, and bonds. The platform is known for its seamless account setup and commission-free stock trades.
Recommended to
Scalable Capital is recommended for individual investors looking for a comprehensive and advanced trading solution. It is ideal for more experienced traders who value low commission stock trades, algorithmic trading capabilities, and personalized investment insights.
Pros
- Diverse Investment Opportunities
- Automated portfolio management
- User-Friendly Interface
Cons
- High Non-Trading Fees
- Educational Resources
Review’s Keypoints
Country of regulation
Germany
Minimum deposit
€1
Time to open an account
1-3 days
Trading fees class
Low
Deposit with bank card
Not available
Number of base currencies supported
1
Products offered
Stocks
ETFs
Funds
Crypto ETPs
Derivatives
Bonds
Depositing with electronic wallet
Not available
Demo account provided
Not available
Fees
Scalable Capital provides a range of competitive and transparent fee options. It offers different plans with varying features, such as a basic plan with minimal trading fees, and premium plans that offer unlimited free trades for higher order volumes and additional benefits like interest on cash balances. Although there are multiple plans to choose from, Scalable Capital maintains a clear and user-friendly fee structure without hidden costs.
Pros
- Low-Cost Trading
- Interest on cash balance
- No inactivity fees
Cons
- USD-Only Cash Holdings
Account
To open an account with Scalable Capital, available to residents of Germany, France, Austria, Spain, Netherlands, and Italy, start by registering online or via the iOS/Android app. You’ll need to identify yourself using the POSTIDENT procedure by Deutsche Post, unless you already use their wealth management service with Baader Bank. The custodian bank typically completes the account opening within three working days. After your securities account is open and the initial deposit is made, you can begin trading.
Individual
Individual
Joint
Joint
Trust
Trust
Click on the card to see details
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01Online registration
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02Identification
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03Account Setup
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04Start Trading
Transfers
With Scalable, deposits process in 1-3 business days via SEPA direct debit, bank transfer, or credit card (SC Broker only). SEPA direct debit deposits may be restricted for withdrawal or derivative purchases for up to eight weeks. Scalable Credit offers a flexible overdraft, allowing you to use your securities for payouts or further investing. Enjoy fee-free withdrawals processed within 3 days for convenient fund management.
Pros
- Withdrawals are free of charge
- No minimum deposit for general investment account
Cons
- Instant deposit has a fee
- Deposits via SEPA/Instant has 8-week withdrawal hold
Trading Platform
Web trading platform
The Scalable Capital web trading platform offers various order types, including market, limit, stop, and stop-limit orders, along with tools for setting take-profit and stop-loss orders. Security is enhanced with two-step verification. Users benefit from multilingual support, detailed fee reports, and performance overviews. All broker plans offer a list of transactions, and PRIME/PRIME+ users can export these to a CSV file. Additionally, the platform features stock comparison tools, available only on the web platform
Mobile trading platform
The features available on the Scalable Capital web platform, such as two-step verification, various order types, performance overviews, multilingual support, fee reports, and transaction export, are also accessible on the mobile apps. This consistency makes the platform versatile and accessible for all users, whether they prefer to trade via web or mobile devices.
Desktop Trading platform
The desktop trading platform of Scalable Capital offers an intuitive and user-friendly interface. It supports various order types, including market, limit, stop, and stop-limit orders, and provides real-time price data. The platform also offers extended trading hours from 08:00 to 22:00 and includes features such as detailed fee reports and multilingual support, making it versatile and accessible for users.
Offering
Tools
Insights
tool offers comprehensive portfolio analytics, helping users identify opportunities and risks. It breaks down the portfolio by instrument type, assesses diversification by regions, sectors, and asset classes, and provides hypothetical scenarios to gauge potential impacts. Powered by BlackRock's analytics, Insights is accessible on the web home screen and the app's top-right graphic.
Securities Lists
Scalable Capital's securities lists feature helps users explore investments by categorizing securities into groups like popular savings plans, most traded securities, regions, strategies, megatrends, and industries. This simplifies finding interesting securities and can be accessed via the platform's search tab
Portfolio Groups
The platform allows users to create and manage portfolio groups based on their investment goals or strategies, making it easier to organize and track their investments
Smart Predict
Feature simplifies placing limit and stop orders by using historical data and machine learning to show the probability of execution within the next hour, considering factors like volatility, price distance, spread size, security type, and time of day. This real-time updating tool helps set optimal prices, enhancing trading strategies. However, it is only available to users with the PRIME Broker plan, which could be a downside for those on FREE Broker plan.
Regulation
Scalable Capital is a digital investment platform regulated by BaFin (Federal Financial Supervisory Authority) in Germany. This high-level regulation ensures that Scalable Capital adheres to stringent financial standards, creating a secure environment for investors. Additionally, the platform is supervised by the Deutsche Bundesbank, further strengthening its regulatory framework and commitment to financial stability and investor protection. These strict oversight measures require Scalable Capital to segregate client funds from its operational funds, safeguarding investor assets and ensuring their return even in the event of financial difficulties. Moreover, compliance with BaFin’s standards, which are on par with bank-level security systems, ensures transparency and ethical trading practices.
Bottom Line
Scalable Broker offers some of the lowest stock and ETF trading fees in Europe, with commission-free trading under its PRIME plan. The platform is user-friendly and provides a wide range of investment products, including stocks, ETFs, and cryptocurrencies, along with automated investment management. It is regulated by BaFin in Germany, ensuring high security and compliance. However, it lacks access to US stock markets, does not offer fractional shares, and has a high minimum investment for managed portfolios.
