tastytrade Australia: What’s Happening and What to Do Next
If you’re an Australian options trader using tastytrade, you likely received an unexpected email this week.
If you missed it, here’s what it said, and what it means for your trading.
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On June 12, 2026, tastytrade sent the following notification to all Australian account holders:
“Effective from 10 business days from date of communication (end of US trading day June 12, 2026), Australian residents will not be permitted to place any new opening orders on the tastytrade platform until further notice. After this time, accounts of Australian residents will be designated as closing only and tastytrade will only accept instructions given by you through the Platform to close out existing positions. Australian residents cannot open new accounts with tastytrade at this time. tastytrade is conducting a strategic review of its operations and we will update you about the future of tastytrade’s offering to Australian clients as soon as possible.”
To translate that into plain English:
- From approximately June 26, 2026, you cannot open any new positions on tastytrade
- Your account becomes closing only — you can close existing trades but not enter new ones
- New Australian accounts cannot be opened at this time
- tastytrade has not given a timeline for resolution or confirmed whether Australian operations will resume
If you have open positions right now, nothing changes immediately.
ou have until the end of US trading on approximately June 26 to manage them normally.
After that deadline, you can still close existing positions but cannot roll them into new trades, open new spreads, or add any new positions.
For traders running ongoing income strategies — iron condors, the wheel, credit spreads— this effectively ends your ability to continue the strategy on tastytrade. You can manage existing positions to expiration or close them early, but you cannot replace them with new trades.
The “strategic review” language is deliberately vague.
It could mean tastytrade is restructuring its Australian entity, navigating a regulatory issue, or winding down Australian operations entirely.
They haven’t said.
At this point, it’s wise to plan as though the closure is permanent and migrate your setup accordingly.
tastytrade hasn’t provided a specific reason, and I won’t speculate beyond what they’ve communicated.
What we do know from their public filings is that tastytrade Australia Pty Ltd has been operating as a subsidiary since the second quarter of 2019, funded in part through an expense-sharing agreement with the US parent company.
Running a compliant, separately licensed Australian entity (tastytrade Australia holds AFSL 508867) involves ongoing regulatory and operational costs that may not be commercially justified at their current Australian client volumes.
Whatever the underlying reason, the practical outcome for Australian traders is the same — you need a new home for your options trading.
Interactive Brokers — The Clear Primary Alternative
If you need a direct, fully-functional replacement for tastytrade as an Australian options trader, Interactive Brokers is the answer.
It’s the broker I’ve personally used for years and the platform I recommend to serious options traders in Australia without hesitation.
Here’s why IB is the right move:
Full Australian entity. Interactive Brokers Australia Pty Ltd is regulated by ASIC. You’re dealing with a locally licensed entity, not a US broker trying to service international clients on the side.
Complete options functionality. Spreads, condors, the wheel, naked puts, covered calls — all available with full multi-leg order entry. Nothing is restricted that you’d be used to on tastytrade.
US and ASX markets. Unlike tastytrade which was US-only, IB gives you access to both US-listed options and ASX-listed options from the same account.
No exercise or assignment fees on US options. This matters if you’re running the wheel strategy or regularly getting assigned on cash-secured puts.
Competitive commissions. Starting at $0.65/contract for US options, dropping to $0.15/contract at volume. For most retail income traders the starting rate applies, which matches Schwab and Fidelity.
Professional-grade risk management tools. The IBKR Trader Workstation is more complex than tastytrade’s platform, but the risk analytics, Greeks display, and portfolio margin tools are genuinely professional-grade.
The honest trade-off: IB’s platform has a steeper learning curve than tastytrade. The Trader Workstation is powerful but not as clean or intuitive as tastytrade’s purpose-built options interface. Most traders coming from tastytrade find they need a week or two to get comfortable. It’s worth the adjustment.
Where to start: Open an account at interactivebrokers.com.au — allow 2–3 business days for approval.
Charles Schwab International — For Traders Who Want thinkorswim
If what you’re specifically going to miss about tastytrade is the platform quality, Charles Schwab International is worth considering.
Australians can open a Schwab One International account which includes full thinkorswim access and options trading at $0.65/contract.
Important caveats: the international account is USD-only, US ETFs are not available, and the application process requires uploading passport, proof of address, TFN, and employment documentation.
It’s a more involved setup than IB Australia.
But if the thinkorswim charting and analysis tools appeal to you, it’s a viable option.
Apply at international.schwab.com.
Moomoo — For Cost-Conscious Traders
Moomoo is fully available in Australia with commission-free US options trading ($0/contract) and free Level 2 market data, which is typically a paid add-on elsewhere.
The platform is less specialised for options income strategies than tastytrade or IB, and multi-leg order entry is more basic.
But for traders running simpler strategies or wanting to minimise costs while they rebuild their setup, it’s worth a look.
If you’re a serious options income trader — running credit spreads, iron condors, the wheel, or similar systematic strategies — migrate to Interactive Brokers.
It’s the most complete solution available to Australian traders and the platform serious options traders should be on regardless of what’s happened with tastytrade.
If you haven’t opened an IB account already, do it now.
Even if tastytrade’s Australian operations eventually resume, having IB as your primary broker gives you access to a more powerful platform with better market access and lower margin rates.
For a full comparison of all six brokers currently available to Australian options traders, see our updated Best Options Brokers guide.
Rebuilding Your Options Setup?
If you’re migrating from tastytrade and want a proven, systematic approach to options income trading that works on any broker, Options Income Mastery covers everything you need from credit spreads, iron condors, the wheel strategy, to position sizing, and trade management with exact rules you can apply from day one on Interactive Brokers or any other platform.
A broker transition is actually a good time to review your strategy and tighten your process.
If you’ve been trading somewhat intuitively on tastytrade, this is the opportunity to build something more systematic.
Here’s what to do in the next few days:
- Review your open tastytrade positions. Decide which to close early and which to hold to expiration within the closing-only window.
- Open an IB account immediately. Approval takes 2–3 business days — start the process now so you’re not sitting flat while waiting.
- Transfer any cash balance. Once your tastytrade positions are closed, initiate a withdrawal of your account balance.
- Check IB’s platform tutorial resources. The learning curve is real — IB has a dedicated education section and YouTube channel to get you up to speed. We also have a guide on Interactive Brokers Risk Navigator which is worth reading early.
- Check tastytrade’s FAQ page. They’ve indicated further detail is available there — worth monitoring for any updates on timeline or whether Australian operations will resume.
It’s worth acknowledging that tastytrade built one of the best options trading platforms available anywhere.
The clean interface, purpose-built options tools, free-to-close commissions, and the tastylive education ecosystem were genuinely differentiated.
Australian traders who used it had access to a world-class product, and losing that access is a real setback regardless of what replaces it.
IB’s platform is more powerful in terms of raw functionality, but it doesn’t have tastytrade’s elegance or its education ecosystem.
That’s a genuine trade-off, not something to gloss over.
When exactly do new orders stop?
10 business days from June 12, 2026 — which lands at the end of US trading on approximately June 26, 2026.
Until that date your account operates normally.
Can I still close my existing positions after the deadline?
Yes.
After the deadline your account is “closing only” — you can close existing positions but cannot open new ones.
Will tastytrade come back to Australia?
Unknown. tastytrade stated they are conducting a strategic review and will update clients “as soon as possible.”
There is no timeline given and no commitment to resuming Australian operations.
Can I transfer my tastytrade account directly to IB?
Options positions cannot be transferred between brokers — they need to be closed on tastytrade and new positions opened on IB.
Cash balances can be withdrawn and deposited to IB separately.
Does IB offer the same strategies as tastytrade?
Yes — all options strategies available on tastytrade (credit spreads, iron condors, the wheel, covered calls, naked puts, butterflies, calendars) are available on IB with no additional restrictions for Australian accounts.
Is there a minimum deposit for IB?
No minimum deposit is required to open an account, though IB recommends at least $2,000 for a margin account.
This situation is evolving. If tastytrade makes a public announcement about the future of its Australian operations, I’ll update this article.
If you’re in the Options Trading IQ community and want to discuss your transition or get help setting up on IB, post in the community forum.
If you have any questions, please send an email or leave a comment below.
Trade safe!
Disclaimer: The information above is for educational purposes only and should not be treated as investment advice. The strategy presented would not be suitable for investors who are not familiar with exchange traded options. Any readers interested in this strategy should do their own research and seek advice from a licensed financial adviser.
