Brokerage bonuses come in two flavors: free-stock offers (worth $5–$200 depending on the lottery draw) and cash bonuses tied to deposit or transfer amounts. Accounts are SIPC-insured up to $500,000, and most bonuses require you to hold funded positions for 30–90 days.
| Institution | Bonus | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
Robinhood Gold SIPC-insured. Match forfeited if funds leave early. | 1–3% IRA transfer match | Transfer or roll over an IRA, hold 5 years |
Public.com Tiered: 1% back on transfers of $5k+, higher tiers for larger balances. | Up to $10,000 transfer bonus | ACAT transfer from another broker |
Webull Shares valued $3–$3,000 each (lottery-style). | Up to 20 free fractional shares | Open account + $500 deposit held 30 days |
Moomoo Fractional shares of blue-chip stocks. | Up to 15 free stocks | Deposit $100–$5,000+ in tiers, hold 60 days |
SoFi Invest Random stock reward between $5–$1,000. | Up to $1,000 in stock | Fund with $10–$500,000, hold 30 days |
M1 Finance Auto-invested into your pie. | $75–$500 bonus | Deposit tiers from $10k to $1M, hold 60 days |
Yes. Every U.S. brokerage on this list is SIPC-insured up to $500,000 (including $250,000 for cash claims). Your deposit isn't at risk from the broker failing — but the underlying stocks you buy can still lose value.
Usually just deposit and hold. Most brokers require you to fund the account with a minimum amount ($5–$500) and leave the balance for 30–60 days. You don't have to actively trade.
You'll get the share, but most brokers restrict selling for 30 days. Selling early forfeits the bonus. After the hold, you can sell and withdraw the cash.
Free stock is reported as miscellaneous income at its market value on the day it's granted (Form 1099-MISC). Cash transfer bonuses are treated the same way. Track the cost basis when you eventually sell.
Automated Customer Account Transfer — the industry system for moving stocks and cash between brokers without selling. Transfer bonuses require ACAT (not just an ACH cash deposit) to qualify.