Lightyear Review (2026):
Free ETF trading, Savings Vault rates, and who it fits
Lightyear is built by ex-Wise founders on a simple idea: transparent fees and real cash interest. Zero execution fees on ETFs, 0.35% FX, and some of the highest uninvested cash rates available at a European broker. The constraint: a smaller ETF catalogue and no fully automated savings plans.
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TL;DR
- Investors who already know which UCITS ETFs they want.
- Highest-yield uninvested cash — especially GBP and USD balances.
- Multi-currency investors who want to fund EUR, GBP, or USD wallets separately.
- Anyone who values transparent, direct-to-exchange execution over a wider app feature set.
- ~350+ ETFs only — a real constraint if you’re still selecting funds.
- No fully seamless savings plan automation (unlike Trade Republic or Trading 212).
- Investor protection capped at €20,000 — lower than Trade Republic’s €100,000 banking licence.
- 0.6% fee on card deposits — always use bank transfer.
What is Lightyear?
Founded in 2020 by ex-Wise employees — the same product-first philosophy that built Wise applied to investing.
Lightyear was founded by Martin Sokk and Mihkel Aamer, both former Wise (TransferWise) employees. The Wise background matters: Lightyear was built with a product-first mindset focused on transparent fees and frictionless currency handling — the same philosophy that made Wise a breakout product in international money transfer.
Lightyear Europe AS is authorised and regulated as an investment firm by the Estonian Financial Supervision Authority (EFSA). The UK entity, Lightyear UK Ltd, is authorised by the FCA. It is available in over 22 European countries.
A notable structural point: Lightyear routes orders directly to exchanges and does not use payment-for-order-flow (PFOF). This means execution quality is not subsidised by market makers rerouting your orders — a business model built on explicit, transparent fees rather than hidden execution revenue.
Fee structure: clear and competitive
No account fees, no inactivity fees, no withdrawal fees. The full cost picture comes down to three things: execution, FX, and card deposits.
Lightyear charges no execution fee on ETF trades. The only costs are the fund’s TER (built into NAV, not a Lightyear charge) and the 0.35% FX conversion if the ETF is priced in a different currency. Invest in EUR-denominated UCITS ETFs from a EUR account and your all-in execution cost is zero.
- US stocks: 0.1%, capped at $1 (min $0.10)
- EU stocks: €1 flat per trade
- UK stocks: £1 flat per trade
- Card deposit: 0.6% — always use bank transfer
| Fee type | Amount |
|---|---|
| ETF execution fee | Free |
| US stock fee | 0.1%, max $1 |
| EU stock fee | €1 flat |
| UK stock fee | £1 flat |
| FX conversion | 0.35% |
| Account fee | Free |
| Inactivity fee | None |
| Bank transfer deposit | Free |
| Card / Apple Pay deposit | 0.6% |
| Withdrawal | Free |
| ADR fee | $0.01–$0.05 per share |
Fees correct as of March 2026. Always verify at the Lightyear pricing page before investing.
Savings Vault: cash interest via BlackRock
Some of the highest uninvested cash rates available at a European retail broker — with an important caveat about what it actually is.
Lightyear’s Savings Vault invests your uninvested cash into AAA-rated BlackRock money market funds. Rates track ECB and central bank overnight rates and will fluctuate as monetary policy changes. Liquidity is same-day or next-day — not a fixed-term product.
These rates significantly outperform Trade Republic’s 1% p.a. on EUR and most competitors — especially on GBP and USD balances. For investors accumulating contributions between ETF purchases, the Vault is a meaningful return on what would otherwise be idle cash.
ETF catalogue: the main limitation
~350+ ETFs versus thousands at DEGIRO or Trade Republic. For most passive investors this is enough — but it matters if you’re still selecting funds.
- MSCI World UCITS ETFs (acc + dist)
- S&P 500 UCITS ETFs (acc + dist)
- FTSE All-World UCITS ETFs
- Emerging Markets trackers
- Major bond funds
- Core Vanguard, iShares, Amundi range
- Niche factor ETFs (value, quality, momentum)
- Specific sector or thematic funds
- Wide TER comparison across equivalent ETFs
- Fractional shares on EU/UK ETFs (US stocks only)
Multi-currency account: a real advantage
EUR, GBP, and USD wallets held simultaneously. The key benefit: fund the right wallet directly and avoid the 0.35% FX fee entirely.
Lightyear supports EUR, GBP, and USD accounts simultaneously. By funding the relevant currency wallet directly via bank transfer, you bypass the 0.35% FX fee entirely on trades in that currency. Most investors will still use the FX conversion for convenience, but the option to avoid it is a structural advantage over brokers that force conversion at every trade.
The multi-currency setup also benefits investors who receive dividends in multiple currencies — Lightyear holds them in the appropriate wallet rather than auto-converting and eroding value on each dividend payment. For UK investors in particular who want EUR-priced UCITS ETFs without friction, this is a genuinely useful feature.
Regulation and investor protection
- EU: EFSA (Estonia) — Lightyear Europe AS
- UK: FCA — Lightyear UK Ltd
- Client assets segregated at ABN AMRO + LHV Bank
- No PFOF — direct to exchange routing
- US securities via Alpaca (FINRA-registered, SIPC member)
- €20,000 — Estonian Investor Protection Fund
- $500,000 — SIPC on US securities via Alpaca
- Not a bank — no deposit guarantee scheme
- Compare: Trade Republic offers €100,000 under German banking law
Lightyear vs Trade Republic vs Trading 212
The three platforms most European buy-and-hold investors are choosing between.
| Feature | Lightyear | Trade Republic | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|---|
| ETF execution fee | Free | €1 flat | Free |
| FX conversion | 0.35% | 0.99% | 0.15% (free on Premium) |
| Cash interest (EUR) | 1.92% APY | 1% p.a. | Varies (~2–3%) |
| Cash interest (GBP) | 3.74% APY | N/A | Varies |
| Cash interest (USD) | 3.67% APY | N/A | Varies |
| Automated savings plans | Recurring orders (limited) | Free Sparpläne | AutoInvest (free) |
| ETF catalogue | ~350+ | Large (thousands) | Large (thousands) |
| Fractional shares | US stocks only | Yes (from €1) | Yes (from €1) |
| Multi-currency account | Yes (EUR/GBP/USD) | EUR only | Yes |
| Banking licence | No | Yes (BaFin) | No |
| Investor protection (cash) | €20,000 | €100,000 | €20,000 |
| Payment-for-order-flow | No (direct exchange) | Via LS Exchange | Market maker |
Lightyear wins on multi-currency flexibility and GBP/USD cash interest. Trade Republic wins on catalogue depth, savings plan automation, and banking-grade protection. Trading 212 wins on zero-commission stocks and fractional shares for EU-listed assets.
Who Lightyear fits — and who it doesn’t
- Investors who’ve already decided on one or two UCITS ETFs.
- Anyone holding significant GBP or USD balances who wants yield on uninvested cash.
- Multi-currency earners who want to fund EUR, GBP, or USD wallets separately.
- Cost-conscious investors who want direct-to-exchange execution with transparent pricing.
- Investors still comparing ETF options — the catalogue is too narrow for thorough research.
- Anyone who wants fully automated, frictionless savings plan execution.
- Large cash balances above €20,000 where deposit protection matters.
- Investors who need bonds, options, futures, or CFDs.
Interactive Brokers wins when you need institutional FX rates (from ~0.002% versus Lightyear’s 0.35%), access to bonds, options, and 150+ global markets, or a platform you genuinely won’t outgrow as your portfolio scales into six and seven figures.
The trade-off is setup complexity and a less polished mobile experience. If you’re willing to spend a couple of hours on account setup, IBKR saves real money at scale.
Ready to open an account?
Pick your 1–2 UCITS ETFs, fund via bank transfer (not card), and let the Savings Vault handle your uninvested cash. That’s the full workflow.
Go deeper
Frequently asked questions
Is Lightyear safe for European investors?
Lightyear is regulated by the Estonian Financial Supervision Authority (EFSA) and, for UK clients, the FCA. Client assets are held in segregated accounts at authorised custodians (ABN AMRO and LHV Bank) and are fully separate from Lightyear’s own balance sheet. Cash and investments are protected up to €20,000 by the Estonian Investor Protection Sectoral Fund. US securities held via Alpaca are covered up to $500,000 by SIPC.
Does Lightyear charge fees for ETF trading?
No. Lightyear charges zero execution fees on ETF trades. The only costs that may apply are the ETF’s TER (built into the fund’s NAV, not a Lightyear charge) and, if the ETF is denominated in a different currency than your account, a 0.35% FX conversion fee. Invest in EUR-priced UCITS ETFs from a EUR wallet and your all-in execution cost is zero.
How does the Lightyear Savings Vault work?
Lightyear’s Savings Vault invests your uninvested cash into AAA-rated BlackRock money market funds. As of early 2026, rates are approximately 1.92% APY on EUR, 3.74% on GBP, and 3.67% on USD. The Vault offers same-day or next-day liquidity. Note that this is a money market fund investment — not a bank deposit — and is not covered by a deposit guarantee scheme, though AAA-rated BlackRock funds carry extremely low risk.
How does Lightyear compare to Trade Republic?
Both offer free or very low-cost ETF investing. Lightyear’s zero execution fee and higher GBP/USD cash interest rates give it an edge on cost in those currencies. Trade Republic has a larger ETF catalogue, fully automated savings plans (Sparpläne), a banking licence with €100,000 deposit protection, and a Visa debit card. For passive investors who want full automation and maximum deposit protection, Trade Republic has more infrastructure. For investors who want maximum cash yield and fee-free ETF execution, Lightyear is compelling.
What is Lightyear’s FX fee?
Lightyear charges a flat 0.35% FX conversion fee when trading assets denominated in a currency different from your account wallet. Lightyear supports multi-currency accounts in EUR, GBP, and USD — if you fund the correct currency wallet directly via bank transfer, you can avoid the FX fee entirely on trades in that currency.
Does Lightyear offer automated savings plans?
Lightyear offers recurring investment functionality allowing you to set up regular purchases. However, it is not as seamlessly automated as Trade Republic’s free Sparpläne or Trading 212’s AutoInvest feature. For a fully hands-off, set-and-forget ETF savings plan experience, Trade Republic and Trading 212 remain better implemented options.
QuantRoutine provides educational content only. Nothing on this page is an offer, solicitation, or recommendation to buy or sell any security or to open an account with any specific broker. Investments can lose value, and past performance does not guarantee future results. You are responsible for your own investment, tax, and legal decisions. Always review each broker’s current terms, fees, and eligibility on their official website before opening or funding an account.