Investingwith an edge

Regulated by EFSA
View
How we stack up
Low cost pricing
We’re one of the most competitively priced investment platforms on the
market and that's just how we like it. Low cost and transparent pricing is in our DNA.
View our pricing
ErsteK&HOTP Bank
Monthly fee
Free
350 Ft
199 Ft
0.25% per year
min. 1190 Ft
TBSZ opening fee
Free
Free
Free
Free
TBSZ holding fee
Free
350 Ft/month
199 Ft/month
From 0.18% per year
min. 1190 Ft
Currency conversion (FX)
0.35%
~0.7%
1%
Variable
Based on amount & currency
ETFs
- execution fee
Free
0.35%
€7 min
0.12% - 0.34%
€6.99
0.485%
US stocks
- per order
$1 max
0.1%, min $0.10
0.35%
$7 min
0.12% – 0.34%
$6.99 min
0.5%
EU stocks
- per order
€1
0.35%
€7 min
0.12% - 0.34%
€6.99 min
0.5%
UK stocks
- per order
£1
0.35%
£7 min
0.45%
£7 min
0.5%
Pricing comparison of other providers accurate as of 17th March 2025. Information displayed on the table above is based on competitors' websites information. For the most up to date information please visit their respective websites.
something for every investor
Invest and save
Enjoy tax-free growth after 5 years with TBSZ, or grow your money flexibly with our General and Business accounts.
Investments on Lightyear
Asset types to suit every investor
Growing wealth over the long term or hedging against risk? We’ve got tools and asset types to suit every investor.
US stocksEU stocksUK stocksETFsInterestMoney market funds
As seen in
VilaggazdasagFinancial TimesTechCrunchForbes HungaryPortfolioFintech Hungary
Safe & trusted
Keeping your money safe
Trusting us with your investments is something we don’t take for granted.
Regulated and insuredSafeguarding your assets

EU investor protection up to €20,000

Your assets are covered up to €20,000 by the Estonian Investor Protection Sectoral Fund. We’re authorised and regulated by the Estonian Financial Supervision Authority (4.1-1/31) and authorised to operate across the EU.

SIPC protection for US securities up to $500,000

Your US securities are held with our partner Alpaca, who is FINRA regulated and a registered member of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC). Learn more about SIPC.
Frequently asked
Questions a curious investor might ask

How do you keep my money safe?

Trusting us with your money is not something we take for granted. Lightyear Europe AS is a licensed investment firm and as such is bound by strict regulatory obligations in how we handle and protect your assets.

Customer assets always sit separately to our own and are held by authorised custodians. There’s no way for creditors - in the unlikely event of anything happening to Lightyear - to get hold of the investments or cash that you hold with us.

Lightyear customers have their assets covered up to the amount of 20,000 EUR by the Estonian Investor Protection Sectoral Fund. Read more about this fund here. Your US securities are held with our partner Alpaca, who is FINRA regulated and a registered member of the SIPC. This means your US securities are protected up to the value of $500,000 should Alpaca fail. You can read more about this directly on the SIPC website.

Read more about how your assets are protected.

Is Lightyear a bank?

Lightyear is not a bank. We’re an investment platform, so there are a couple of key differences. While we’re regulated by the same authorities as banks, the protection schemes are slightly different for investment platforms (see here). With regards to customer funds, we cannot use customer money in the same way a bank does by lending it out. You have instant access to your Lightyear assets because of this.

Why are your fees so reasonable? How do you make enough money?

We couldn’t agree more - our fees are very reasonable. We’re one of the most competitively priced investment platforms on the market and that's how we like it. Low cost, transparent pricing is in our DNA. We charge small, but fair, execution fees and take a fee for both foreign exchange and interest payments. Building a sustainable business that’s here to serve customers in 10, 20 and 100 years is something that’s paramount.

Do you offer interest?

Yes! There's two ways you can earn interest with Lightyear.

Savings – a separate balance on your Lightyear account – invests into BlackRock's money market funds and offers interest in three currencies, with same or next day liquidity. The current rates for Savings are 2.54% on EUR, 4.61% on GBP, and 4.38% on USD (APY).

Your uninvested cash will also earn interest — 1.25% on EUR, 3.00% on GBP and 3.00% on USD (APY). For more information, check out our pricing page.

How easy is it to withdraw my money?

Easy. We ensure you always have access to your money and we’ve made the process pretty painless for when you need to withdraw. The transfer times depend on the payout method you’re using but never longer than a day or two. For GBP, EUR, and HUF, your funds typically arrive on the very same day. For USD, your funds typically arrive within two days.
Visit our Help Centre