Below are the best brokerage account cash sign-up bonuses available today. To compile this list, we considered the overall quality of the brokerage, the investment options offered, and the value of the bonus compared to the deposit needed to earn it.
| TradeStation | Deposit $500 – $2,000,000 for a $50 – $5,000 bonus. Paid after 270 days. |
| tastytrade | Deposit $2,000 – $1,000,000+ for a $50 – $5,000 bonus. Bonus credited in two weeks but locked for 12 months. |
| Wells Fargo | Open or upgrade to Premier Checking, deposit $250,000+, and maintain balance for 90 days to get a $2,500 bonus. Paid within 30 days. |
| J.P. Morgan Self-Directed | Deposit $5,000 – $250,000+ for a $50 – $700 bonus. Maintain balance for 90 days. Paid within 15 days of meeting requirements. |
| E*TRADE | Deposit $1,000 – $5,000,000+ for a $50 – $10,000 bonus. Maintain balance for 60 days. Paid after funding period ends. |
| Webull | Deposit $5,000 – $5,000,000+ for a $100 – $12,000 bonus. Paid in 12 monthly installments over 13 months. |
| Public | Transfer $5,000 – $1,000,000+ from another brokerage for a $150 – $10,000 bonus. Must hold assets for six months. Paid after 30 days. |
| M1 | Deposit $10,000 – $100,000+ for a $75 – $500 bonus. Must deposit within 14 days and hold funds for six months. Paid at end of six months. |
| Charles Schwab | Deposit $25,000 – $500,000+ for a $100 – $1,000 bonus. Bonus credited within one week after review. |
| Citi Self-Invest | Deposit $10,000 – $200,000+ for a $100 – $500 bonus. |
| Citi PWM | Deposit $50,000 – $2,000,000+ for a $500 – $5,000 bonus. Requires a Citi financial advisor. High AUM fees apply. |
#1. TradeStation
TradeStation is the go-to brokerage for many active investors due to its powerful trading platform, commission-free stock trades, and diversified list of tradable assets.
Their current promotion allows new customers to earn a one-time cash reward based on the amount of their initial deposit. To claim the bonus, you must enter the promo code FNMZAGAO during the sign-up process.
| Cash Reward | Qualifying Assets |
| $50 | $500 |
| $250 | $25,000 |
| $400 | $100,000 |
| $800 | $200,000 |
| $3,000 | $1,000,000 |
| $5,000 | $2,000,000 |
The cash reward will be deposited into your account the month following a 270-day holding period.
The offer is only available for Entity (non-institutional), Individual, or Joint equities and futures accounts.
IRAs and other tax-qualified accounts are not eligible. Additionally, the assets must be new to TradeStation, and any withdrawals or redeposits during the holding period will disqualify the account.
#2. tastytrade
tastytrade offers a tiered cash bonus to new customers who open and fund an account.
| Deposited Funds | Bonus Amount |
| $2,000 – $4,999 | $50 |
| $5,000 – $24,999 | $100 |
| $25,000 – $99,999 | $500 |
| $100,000 – $249,999 | $2,000 |
| $250,000 – $499,999 | $3,000 |
| $500,000 – $999,999 | $4,000 |
| $1,000,000+ | $5,000 |
Key points to remember:
- Use referral code “MYNEWBONUS” when applying (new customers only)
- The bonus is credited within two weeks of your initial deposit
- Deposited funds must remain in the account for a minimum of 12 months
- The bonus won’t be included in your buying power until after the 12 months
The expiration date of this bonus is listed as 3/31/2025.
Visit tastytrade to learn more.
#3. Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo is offering a $2,500 bonus for customers who open or upgrade to a Premier Checking account and meet deposit requirements.
To qualify:
- Open or upgrade to a Premier Checking account at a Wells Fargo branch by April 16, 2025. This offer is not available online.
- Deposit $250,000 or more in new funds into linked accounts within 45 days of account opening.
- Maintain at least a $250,000 balance in linked accounts through day 90 after account opening.
The $2,500 bonus will be deposited into your Premier Checking account within 30 days after meeting the requirements.
Key details:
- Accounts eligible for linking include checking, savings, CDs, IRAs, and investment accounts.
- The Premier Checking account has a $35 monthly fee, which can be waived by maintaining a $250,000 balance in linked accounts.
- Customers who received a Wells Fargo Premier Checking bonus in the last 12 months are not eligible.
- Offer is only available in branches. You must bring a bonus offer code, which can be obtained via email.
Visit Wells Fargo to learn more.
#4. J.P. Morgan Self-Directed
J.P. Morgan is offering a cash bonus of up to $700 for new customers who open and fund a Self-Directed Investing account by April 15, 2025.
| Deposit amount | Bonus |
| $5,000 – $24,999 | $50 |
| $25,000 – $99,999 | $150 |
| $100,000 – $249,999 | $325 |
| $250,000+ | $700 |
To qualify:
- Open a J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing account through the designated offer page by April 15, 2025.
- Deposit at least $5,000 in new funds within 45 days of account opening.
- Maintain the qualifying balance for 90 days after enrollment.
Your cash bonus will be credited within 15 days after meeting the requirements.
This offer is limited to one bonus per customer and applies to general investment, traditional IRA, or Roth IRA accounts. Transfers from existing J.P. Morgan or Chase accounts do not qualify.
Visit J.P. Morgan to learn more.
#5. E*TRADE
E*TRADE, now part of Morgan Stanley, is a well-established online broker known for its user-friendly platform, extensive research, and educational resources.
E*TRADE is offering a cash bonus of up to $10,000 for new customers who open and fund a brokerage account. The bonus is based on deposits made within 60 days of account opening and varies by deposit amount.
| Deposit Amount | Cash Bonus |
| $1,000 – $4,999 | $50 |
| $5,000 – $19,999 | $150 |
| $20,000 – $99,999 | $300 |
| $100,000 – $199,999 | $600 |
| $200,000 – $499,999 | $800 |
| $500,000 – $999,999 | $1,000 |
| $1,000,000 – $1,499,999 | $3,000 |
| $1,500,000 – $1,999,999 | $5,000 |
| $2,000,000 – $4,999,999 | $6,000 |
| $5,000,000+ | $10,000 |
To qualify:
- Open a new eligible E*TRADE brokerage account by July 31, 2025.
- Enter promo code OFFER25 during account opening (valid once per customer).
- Deposit at least $1,000 in new funds or securities from an external account within 60 days.
This offer applies only to non-retirement brokerage accounts. Bonuses are credited after the 60-day funding period.
Visit E*TRADE to learn more.
#6. Webull
Webull’s latest promotion offers up to $12,000 for funding a new cash or margin account between March 6, 2025, and April 6, 2025.
Webull has had better promotions in the past, and you won’t receive the full payout for 13 months.
To qualify, you must enroll and deposit at least $5,000. The bonus is paid in 12 equal monthly installments, starting 45 days after the offer ends. You must keep your full deposit in the account until the last installment to avoid reductions.
| Deposit Amount | Bonus |
| $5,000 – $25,000.99 | $100 |
| $25,001 – $100,000.99 | $750 |
| $100,001 – $250,000.99 | $1,500 |
| $250,001 – $500,000.99 | $3,750 |
| $500,001 – $1,000,000.99 | $5,000 |
| $1,000,001 – $5,000,000.99 | $8,000 |
| $5,000,001+ | $12,000 |
Withdrawals before the final installment date will reduce or eliminate the bonus. Each bonus installment must remain in the account for 90 days. The maximum payout is $12,000 per customer.
To learn more about the platform, read our Webull review.
Visit Webull to learn more.
#7. Public
Public is one of our favorite commission-free trading platforms. It offers fractional share investing with no monthly fees, and its design is beginner-friendly.
Public’s current promotion offers up to $10,000 in bonus funds for transferring an existing brokerage account to the platform, making the offer one of the best for high-net-worth investors.
| Transfer Amount | Bonus |
| $5,000 – $24,999 | $150 |
| $25,000 – $99,999 | $250 |
| $100,000 – $249,999 | $1,000 |
| $250,000 – $499,999 | $2,500 |
| $500,000 – $999,999 | $5,000 |
| $1 million or more | $10,000 |
How it breaks down is:
- This is a transfer bonus only. Cash deposits do not qualify.
- Public will cover your transfer fees from your existing broker (up to $500).
- Your transfer bonus is deposited 30 days after your transfer date.
The bonus will be revoked if you don’t keep the transferred funds in your account for at least six months.
Visit Public or learn more in our Public Investing review.
#8. M1
M1 is an online broker that allows customers to invest in stocks, ETFs and crypto. It’s unique in that it combines elements of robo-advisors like Wealthfront with those of more typical online brokers, such as Robinhood.
For those who prefer a hands-off approach to investing, M1 offers a variety of tailored investment portfolios to choose from. However, those who want more control over their investments can pick individual assets to create their own highly-customized portfolios.
You can learn more in our M1 review.
The current bonus structure is as follows:
| Deposit Amount | Bonus |
| $10,000 to $29,999 | $75 |
| $30,000 to $49,999 | $150 |
| $50,000 to $99,999 | $250 |
| $100,000 or more | $500 |
Important items to note are:
- Available only to new M1 users who have never registered an M1 account.
- You must deposit within the first 14 days of creating your account.
- Retirement accounts and direct 401(k) rollovers are not eligible.
- The bonus is credited on the last day of the month, six months after the account was created, provided that the deposited funds remain in the account until then, without any external or internal transfers.
Visit M1 to learn more.
#9. Charles Schwab
Charles Schwab is a popular low-cost brokerage known for its selection of mutual funds, outstanding research tools, and solid customer service.
Schwab takes a slightly different approach to its bonus by requesting a referral link from its new customers. This means that if you want to qualify for Schwab’s bonus, you need a friend who happens to be an existing Schwab customer to send you a link.
As a Schwab customer, primarily for the Charles Schwab High Yield Investor checking account that reimburses you on ATM fees worldwide, you can use my referral link.
Once you use the link to sign up and become a client, you may qualify for a bonus of up to $1,000.
The tiered structure looks like this:
| Initial Deposit | Bonus |
| $25,000 to $49,999 | $100 |
| $50,000 to $99,999.99 | $300 |
| $100,000 to $499,999.99 | $500 |
| $500,000 or more | $1,000 |
New clients must make a qualifying deposit within 45 days of opening an account. Once opened, the account will be reviewed, and the bonus will be credited within about a week.
#10. Citi Self Invest
In an effort to reach lower-cost investors, Citigroup launched Citi Self-Invest in 2021. This is separate from Citi Personal Wealth Management, which offers a hands-on approach to overall wealth management and portfolio management with a dedicated advisor.
Citi Self Invest offers a cash bonus to accounts with qualifying deposits based on a tiered structure.
| Initial Deposit | Bonus |
| $10,000 to $49,999 | $100 |
| $50,000 to $199,999 | $200 |
| $200,000 or more | $500 |
Applicants must fund their Citi Self Invest account with a minimum of $10,000 within the account funding period to qualify. Funds need to be new to Citi.
The bonus is limited to one per customer. When multiple accounts are opened, the bonus will apply to the qualifying account with the highest balance. The bonus can’t be combined with any of Citi’s other offers.
#11. Citi Personal Wealth Management Account
Citi currently offers a bonus promotion for new or existing customers who fund a Citi Personal Wealth Management account. The bonus you can earn is based on the amount of new money you transfer into your account.
Note this account comes with a Citi Personal Wealth Management financial advisor, along with fairly hefty fees. For the first $500,000, you’re charged a 2% AUM fee.
| Deposit Amount | Bonus |
| $50,000 to $199,999 | $500 |
| $200,000 to $499,999 | $1,000 |
| $500,000 to $999,999 | $2,000 |
| $1 million to $1.99 million | $3,000 |
| $2 million and more | $5,000 |
To qualify for this offer, you need to:
- Fund your account with a minimum of $50,000 of new-to-Citi funds.
- Enroll or maintain enrollment in e-delivery of statements.
- Keep the new-to-Citi funds in your account through the deadline
Best Broker Account Cash Sign Up Bonus FAQs
Cash received from a brokerage promotion is taxable income. Technically, it’s treated the same as interest. However, some brokerages only issue a 1099 when earnings are over $600. If that’s the case, the income is still taxable.
Money deposited into a traditional IRA is not immediately taxable but does count towards your total contribution for the year. You’ll pay tax upon withdrawal. Money paid into a Roth IRA isn’t taxable income.
It depends on the type of assets you’re selling. If you’re selling stocks, bonds and other securities in your taxable account, the sale is considered a taxable event. In this case, the earnings from the sale would be treated as capital gains and taxed accordingly.
To avoid this, aim to transfer the existing assets in your account without selling first. For example, if you hold Amazon stock, you can just transfer it to a new brokerage instead of selling it and moving the cash.
It depends on how much money you’re depositing. If you’re depositing $1 million or more, Public gives you a $10,000 cash bonus.
Free stock offers are better for those who cannot hit the minimum deposits offered for the cash bonuses mentioned above. In our testing, most of the stocks we received were valued at less than $10 (and often less than $5). While you may get lucky and get a higher value stock, you’re much better off going with a cash bonus offer if you’re making a larger transfer.
M1 does not appear to be offering a bonus currently on 5/26/2022
Hey Pete. I’m seeing that it’s back live. I also linked directly to their promotions page versus their homepage.
Often, at the end of the month, there are changes, so it could have easily been down a few days here. Thanks for the heads up!
6/30 Update: It’s officially expired.
public.com is offering $10k bonus if you transfer $1M or more. That’s 5x better than your best option above? Thoughts?
Interesting. Knew they offered a generous free stock bonus (https://www.thewaystowealth.com/free-stocks/), but didn’t realize they offered a transfer bonus as well.
I’ll update, as it’s pretty solid even on the lower end ($150K for a $5,000 bonus).