Looking to buy stocks or ETFs while living in Lithuania? The broker you pick decides what you can buy, what each trade costs you, and how much of your gains you keep. This guide compares the seven options open to Lithuanian residents — fees, minimums, market access and investor protection — and says which one we'd choose for most people. Whether you're starting with €100 a month or moving an existing portfolio across, there's a clear answer below.
One thing here is specific to Lithuania: the investicinė sąskaita, an investment account regime that defers income tax until you withdraw. Not every broker supports it and one popular option can't, so it runs through the comparisons that follow.
Table of Contents
- The brokers we recommend
- Choosing the right broker
- How to open an account
- Fees: all 7 compared
- Can you invest with Revolut?
- International vs Lithuanian banks
- Tax implications for residents
- What you can actually buy
- Which platform should you choose
- Regulation & investor protection
- Things that only affect foreigners
- FAQ
Key features
- €0 commission on stocks and ETFs
- €100 practical minimum
- 7,500+ UCITS ETFs
- Supports investicinė sąskaita
Broker details
- Legal entity
- Trading 212 Markets Ltd, Cyprus
- Regulator
- CySEC
- Investicinė sąskaita
- Eligible — you self-designate
- IS-format statement
- None
- Statement language
- English
- Investor compensation
- €20,000 per client
Summary
- €0 commission on stocks and ETFs
- €100 practical minimum
- 7,500+ UCITS ETFs
- Supports investicinė sąskaita
- 0.15% FX fee on non-EUR trades
Interactive Brokers
Large portfolios and global market access
Key features
- Widest market access anywhere
- Irish regulation, €20,000 protection
- Lowest costs at scale
Broker details
- Legal entity
- IB Ireland Ltd, Ireland
- Regulator
- Central Bank of Ireland
- Investicinė sąskaita
- Eligible — you self-designate
- IS-format statement
- None
- Statement language
- English
- Zero-commission tier
- US residents only
Summary
- Widest market access anywhere
- Irish regulation, €20,000 protection
- Lowest costs at scale
- Interface built for professionals
- Only worth it above ~€10,000
Freedom24
Lump-sum starters wanting a Lithuanian interface
Key features
- Lithuanian-language interface
- Broader than zero-commission apps
- Supports investicinė sąskaita
Broker details
- Legal entity
- Freedom Finance Europe Ltd, Cyprus
- Regulator
- CySEC
- Investicinė sąskaita
- Eligible — you self-designate
- IS-format statement
- None
- Statement language
- English
- Investor compensation
- €20,000 per client
Summary
- Lithuanian-language interface
- Broader than zero-commission apps
- Supports investicinė sąskaita
- €1,000 account minimum
- Regulatory history worth reading
Swedbank
The largest branch network in Lithuania
Key features
- Lithuanian-language annual statement
- Fastest if you already bank there
Broker details
- Regulator
- Bank of Lithuania
- Investicinė sąskaita
- Yes — IS-format statement
- Reports status to VMI
- Yes
- Statement language
- Lithuanian
- Protection
- Investor compensation, not the €100,000 deposit guarantee
Summary
- Lithuanian-language annual statement
- Fastest if you already bank there
- Minimums eat small monthly contributions
- Mostly the bank's own funds
SEB
Full local support with an IS-format statement
Key features
- Same IS handling as Swedbank
- In-person service across the country
Broker details
- Regulator
- Bank of Lithuania
- Investicinė sąskaita
- Yes — IS-format statement
- Reports status to VMI
- Yes
- Statement language
- Lithuanian
- Protection
- Investor compensation, not the €100,000 deposit guarantee
Summary
- Same IS handling as Swedbank
- In-person service across the country
- Non-EEA residents pay setup and monthly fees
- Narrow fund range
Luminor
The third option if you already bank there
Key features
- Worth it if Luminor is already your bank
Broker details
- Regulator
- Bank of Lithuania
- Investicinė sąskaita
- Yes — IS-format statement
- Reports status to VMI
- Yes
- Statement language
- Lithuanian
- Protection
- Investor compensation, not the €100,000 deposit guarantee
Summary
- Worth it if Luminor is already your bank
- Highest commissions of the three
- Non-EEA residents pay setup and monthly fees
Check what your existing securities account is linked to
If you already hold a securities account at any of the three banks, check what bank account it is linked to. An investment account has to be a bank account used only for investing — one you also receive your salary into or pay bills from cannot be declared as an investicinė sąskaita. Swedbank states this directly: if your securities account hangs off your everyday account, open a separate bank account and link it there. If it is already linked to a dedicated investing account, you can carry on using it. The same rule applies at SEB and Luminor — and it is why Revolut is awkward, since withdrawals land in the account most people spend from.
Why You Can Trust This Guide
Choosing the Right Investment Broker in Lithuania
Nothing on this page is paid placement and no provider pays to appear. Where one runs an affiliate programme we may earn a commission if you sign up through our link; where one does not, we link to them anyway. Ordering reflects published terms and how well each option works for someone arriving from abroad — never what it pays.
Three things decide it: how much you invest at a time, how often, and whether the platform supports the investicinė sąskaita regime that defers your income tax until you withdraw.
That last one is Lithuania-specific and it eliminates otherwise-good options — including one of the most popular apps in the country.
The choice comes down to what kind of investor you are — and, uniquely here, whether the broker supports the investicinė sąskaita regime that defers your income tax until withdrawal.
International platforms
Trading 212, Interactive Brokers and Freedom24 — global markets, low fees, English-first support.
Lithuanian banks
Swedbank, SEB and Luminor — in-person service and a Lithuanian-language annual statement, at higher commissions.
The exception
Revolut is a Lithuanian company and a fine broker, but offers no investicinė sąskaita product.
How to Open a Brokerage Account in Lithuania
Opening a brokerage account is usually simpler than opening a bank account. With the app-based brokers it is fully online and often same-day; with your bank it may mean a branch visit.
The process is the same everywhere: prove who you are, prove where you live, move money in, buy something.
What is specific to Lithuania is the step nobody's app reminds you about — declaring the account so the investment-account regime actually applies.
Step 1: Gather your documents
Everything here you almost certainly already have:
- Passport or EU national ID card, valid for at least six months
- Proof of a Lithuanian address — rental contract, utility bill or bank statement
- Your asmens kodas, which doubles as your Lithuanian tax identification number
- A phone number and email address you control
Larger opening deposits trigger source-of-funds questions under EU anti-money-laundering rules. A payslip or employment contract settles it.
Step 2: Choose your broker and apply
Apply directly on the broker's site or app. The application asks about your income, investing experience and objectives — this is a regulatory requirement, not a sales filter, and honest answers do not disqualify you. If you go with Swedbank, SEB or Luminor, you can start in online banking and finish in a branch.
Step 3: Verify your identity and fund the account
Verification is a scan of your ID plus a short selfie or video check — usually same-day, occasionally two business days.
Fund it by SEPA transfer from an account in your own name. Third-party transfers are rejected and the money is returned, which costs a week.
Step 4: Declare the account as an investicinė sąskaita
This is the step that decides whether you pay 15% GPM on withdrawal or on every gain along the way. File form GPM311 by 1 May of the following year, using the broker's exact registered legal name — not the brand name. The investment account guide lists the exact legal name for every broker here.
Common concerns for first-time investors
“Do I need to be a Lithuanian citizen?” No. Legal residence is what matters, and every broker here accepts EU and third-country nationals living in Lithuania.
“Is my money safe if the broker fails?” Client securities are held separately from the firm's own assets, and EU investor compensation covers up to €20,000 per client if the firm itself collapses. It does not cover market losses.
“How much do I need to start?” €100 at Trading 212, €1,000 at Freedom24, and realistically around €10,000 before Interactive Brokers is worth the complexity.
All Seven Compared
| Broker | Commission | Minimum | Statement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trading 212 | €0 | €100 | English |
| Interactive Brokers | ~$0.35 tiered | €10,000 | English |
| Freedom24 | €0.02/share | €1,000 | English |
| Swedbank | ~0.2–0.3% | Any | Lithuanian |
| SEB | ~0.25% | Any | Lithuanian |
| Luminor | ~0.2% LT | Any | Lithuanian |
| Revolut | Varies by plan | €1 | English |
All except Revolut support the investicinė sąskaita. Minimums are practical rather than official. Full fee detail sits in each card above.
One correction worth making early, because it catches people who've read American guides: IBKR Lite — the zero-commission tier — is available to US residents only. As a Lithuanian resident you're on IBKR Pro with tiered or fixed pricing. Budget accordingly.
Bank commissions are approximate and taken from published price lists that change annually. XTB is not listed above: XTB S.A. is Polish and KNF-regulated, so an XTB account is eligible on the same basis as Trading 212 or IBKR — you designate it yourself, and like them XTB produces no Lithuanian IS-format statement.
Can You Invest with Revolut in Lithuania?
Revolut is the first app most new arrivals install, and it offers investing in the same account — so it's a fair question whether you need anything else. Short answer: you can, but there are two things to know first.
Under VMI's rules the investment account is something you designate on your return, not a product a broker sells you. Any account at a financial institution in Lithuania, the EEA, an OECD country or a treaty country can qualify. Revolut Securities Europe UAB is Lithuanian and supervised by the Bank of Lithuania, so on eligibility it is no different from the others.
What differs is the practical side. Revolut does not classify the account as an investicinė sąskaita or give you an IS-format annual statement, so you track deposits and withdrawals yourself — the same position you're in with Trading 212 or IBKR. The awkward part is specific to Revolut: money you withdraw lands in the Revolut IBAN many people also use for daily spending, and an account used for daily spending cannot be declared as an investment account.
The practical verdict: eligible, but you carry the admin. On eligibility Revolut is the same as any EEA broker. There is no IS-format statement. The thing to watch out for is that withdrawals hit your spending IBAN.
Keep Revolut for banking, where it is genuinely the best first account for a new arrival. If you invest there too, keep that money strictly separate from the balance you spend from — and expect to do your own record-keeping.
International Platforms vs Lithuanian Banks
Which side you start on depends on how much you invest, how often, and whether you want a human to talk to.
| International platforms | Lithuanian banks | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Regular investors | Occasional larger trades |
| Cost | Near-zero commission | ~0.2–0.3%, €7–8 minimum |
| Range | Thousands of ETFs | Mostly the bank's own funds |
| Support | English-first | Lithuanian, in person |
| Investment account regime | Eligible, you self-designate | IS-format statement provided |
Trading 212, Interactive Brokers and Freedom24 cost a fraction of bank commissions and reach far more of the market. Everything happens in an app, in English, with no branch to visit — and the record-keeping for the investment account is yours.
Swedbank, SEB and Luminor produce an IS-format annual statement and report the account's status to the tax authority, which is the whole of their advantage. You pay for it in commissions and a much narrower fund range — which matters more the smaller and more frequent your contributions.
Tax Implications for Lithuanian Residents
Lithuania taxes investment income at 15% GPM. The investment account regime defers that until you take money out, which over a decade of compounding is the single largest lever on this page.
It only works if the account is declared — and declared under the broker's exact legal name.
Which broker you choose affects how easy this is to run, not whether it applies. The mechanics — the exact legal name each broker needs on form GPM311, the filing deadlines, and which forms do what — are in the investment account guide.
What You Can Actually Buy
Every broker here reaches far beyond the Baltic market. The question is which slice you need.
Asset classes available
ETFs
UCITS funds tracking world, US or European indices — from around 1,500 at Freedom24 to 17,000+ at Interactive Brokers.
Shares
Baltic names on Nasdaq Vilnius plus European and US listings. Trading 212 and Freedom24 cover the mainstream markets; IBKR reaches 150+.
Bonds and derivatives
Government and corporate bonds, options and currencies are effectively Interactive Brokers territory.
How people actually use these accounts
Buy and hold, monthly
A single global ETF, a standing order, twenty years. This is what the investment account regime rewards, and Trading 212 is built for it.
Larger, less often
Lump sums into a handful of positions, rebalanced occasionally. Freedom24 or a Lithuanian bank suit this; IBKR once the balance justifies it.
Which Platform Should You Choose?
There is no single best broker here, only a best broker for how much you invest and how often. The mistake most people make is optimising for the wrong thing — chasing the lowest headline fee, when the fee that matters depends entirely on the size and frequency of your buying. A €0 commission is worth a lot on €200 a month and almost nothing on one €20,000 purchase a year.
Investing monthly, in ETFs? Trading 212
A few hundred euros a month, in euros. Minimum €100, commission €0 — best for monthly ETF buying. Zero commission means small regular contributions aren't eaten by fees. Buy EUR-denominated UCITS ETFs and you avoid the 0.15% FX cost almost entirely.
Substantial portfolio, or unusual markets? Interactive Brokers
Roughly €10,000 upwards. Practical minimum ~€10,000, 17,000+ ETFs, and a steep learning curve. The widest market access available to a European retail investor, with Irish regulation behind it. The interface assumes you know what you're doing — below roughly €10,000 the complexity isn't worth it.
Want to deal with a bank you can visit? Swedbank, SEB or Luminor
Occasional larger amounts, paperwork in Lithuanian. Commission ~0.2–0.3%, minimum €7–8 per trade — best for starting at all. More expensive and narrower, but the statement arrives in Lithuanian and there's a branch. If paperwork anxiety is what's stopping you from investing, this beats optimising nowhere.
Regulation and Investor Protection
Every broker on this page holds an EU licence and keeps your securities separate from its own money. What differs is which company you actually contract with, and which compensation scheme stands behind it.
International platforms
Check which legal entity you are contracting with — it is rarely the brand name.
| Brand | Legal entity | Regulator |
|---|---|---|
| Trading 212 | Trading 212 Markets Ltd, Cyprus | CySEC |
| Interactive Brokers | IB Ireland Ltd | Central Bank of Ireland |
| Freedom24 | Freedom Finance Europe Ltd, Cyprus | CySEC |
All three sit under EU investor compensation of up to €20,000 per client.
Lithuanian banks
Familiar and local — but the protection is not the one you are thinking of. Swedbank, SEB and Luminor are supervised by the Bank of Lithuania and hold securities in your name at the bank. Their investor compensation covers securities services — it is not the €100,000 deposit guarantee.
Client securities at EU brokers are held segregated from the firm's own assets; the €20,000 scheme exists for failures of the firm, not for market losses. Verify any entity's licence directly at lb.lt or the relevant national register before funding an account.
Things That Only Affect Foreigners
If you moved here from somewhere else, a few things work differently for you than for someone who has always lived in Lithuania.
You must be a Lithuanian tax resident to use an investicinė sąskaita. The regime is not available to non-residents, and if you have just arrived you are probably not tax resident yet. Open the brokerage account whenever you like — but the tax wrapper may not apply for your first year. No broker will warn you about this.
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English statements favour you. Local guides rank Lithuanian banks highly for their Lithuanian-language statements. If you don't read Lithuanian, that logic inverts.
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Bank brokerage costs non-residents. Roughly €250 plus €10/month at SEB, €200 plus €15/month at Luminor for non-EEA residents. More here →
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US citizens and green card holders face a trap. UCITS ETFs are generally treated by the IRS as PFICs, and EU rules make US-domiciled ETFs hard to buy. Speak to a US expat tax specialist before buying anything.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which broker is best for a beginner in Lithuania?
Trading 212 for most people — no commission, a €100 minimum, and a straightforward app. If you'd rather deal with an institution you can visit and you're comfortable paying more, use whichever of Swedbank, SEB or Luminor you already bank with.
Can I use more than one broker with an investment account?
Yes. There's no limit on how many investment accounts you hold, and no annual contribution cap. They're assessed together for tax, so a gain in one and a loss in another net off.
Do I have to use a Lithuanian broker?
No. Trading 212 (Cyprus), Interactive Brokers (Ireland) and Freedom24 (Cyprus) all work with the regime. You self-declare the account on GPM311 using the broker's exact legal name.
Does any broker file my taxes for me?
No — including the Lithuanian banks. Every Lithuanian investor completes GPM303 annex R themselves from the broker's statement. The banks report that the account has investment-account status, nothing more.
Is Revolut usable for investing in Lithuania?
Yes as a broker, but Revolut Securities Europe UAB doesn't offer an investicinė sąskaita, so there's no tax deferral. Gains are also declared as domestic rather than foreign income, which is a different annex.
What about crypto?
Cryptocurrency does not qualify for the investment account regime. Neither do unlisted shares, deposits, or third-pillar pension products.
I have just moved to Lithuania. Can I open an investment account straight away?
You can open the brokerage account today; the tax wrapper is the part that may have to wait. Using an investicinė sąskaita requires you to be a Lithuanian tax resident, and the regime is simply not available to non-residents — so if you arrived recently you are probably not yet tax resident, and the deferral may not apply for your first year here. No broker will warn you about this, because designating the account is something you do on your own return rather than a product they sell you. The practical sequence is to open and fund the account whenever you like, keep clean records of every deposit and withdrawal from day one, and settle the residency question before you rely on the deferral.
I am a US citizen or green card holder. Does any of this work differently for me?
Yes, and badly enough to be worth professional advice before you buy anything at all. The problem is a pincer. UCITS ETFs — which is what a European broker will actually sell you — are generally treated by the IRS as PFICs, a punitive US tax classification. Meanwhile EU rules make US-domiciled ETFs hard for a European retail investor to buy. So the obvious instrument on each side is closed off by the other jurisdiction. This is not something a Lithuanian broker or a Lithuanian accountant will flag, because it is a US tax question. Speak to a US expat tax specialist first.
Can I get Interactive Brokers' zero-commission tier?
No, and this catches people who have read American guides. IBKR Lite, the zero-commission tier, is available to US residents only. As a Lithuanian resident you are on IBKR Pro with tiered or fixed pricing, so budget for commission rather than assuming it away. That changes the calculus at small contribution sizes: a €0 commission is worth a great deal on €200 a month and almost nothing on a single €20,000 purchase a year, which is why the practical threshold for Interactive Brokers sits around €10,000 rather than at the bottom of the market.
What actually happens to my money if the broker fails?
Your securities are held segregated from the firm's own assets at every EU broker on this page, so a failure is not supposed to touch them. Behind that sits investor compensation of up to €20,000 per client — and note what it is for: failures of the firm, not market losses. Nothing compensates you for a fund that fell. Two further points. The scheme that covers a Lithuanian bank's securities services is investor compensation, not the €100,000 deposit guarantee people assume applies to everything at their bank; those are different schemes covering different things. And the entity you are protected by is the one you contracted with rather than the brand on the app — Trading 212 Markets Ltd in Cyprus, IB Ireland Ltd under the Central Bank of Ireland, Freedom Finance Europe Ltd in Cyprus. Verify the licence at lb.lt or the relevant national register before you fund anything.
Next Steps
- How investing in Lithuania works — the investicinė sąskaita explained in full
- Investment calculator — what the deferral is actually worth over 20 years
- Filing your Lithuanian tax return
- Opening a bank account — including the non-resident fees
Disclaimer
Investing in stocks, ETFs and other financial instruments carries the risk of loss of capital. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. HowToLithuania.com is an informational publisher, not a licensed broker or financial adviser, and nothing here is personal investment advice. For anything involving significant sums, or if you are a US person, speak to a licensed adviser or accountant.
Disclosure
Nothing on this page is paid placement, and what a link pays never affects the ordering. It does not affect what we recommend or how we rank. Three things on this page demonstrate that better than the promise does: we recommend against Revolut here while recommending it elsewhere on the site; the three Lithuanian banks pay us nothing and are listed anyway; and we have published the SEC position of a broker we recommend. We also excluded a broker entirely rather than guess at whether it supports the investment account regime.
Disclaimer. Investing in stocks, ETFs and other financial instruments carries the risk of loss of capital. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. HowToLithuania.com is an informational publisher, not a licensed broker or financial adviser. No link on this page earns us a commission.
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