Update 3/30/25: The free stock deals are extended through 6/30/25. The 2% and 1% offers are valid through 5/31/25. (ht Tikky)
Update 3/6/25: Here’s another link (it’s apparently someone’s affiliate link, not ours) which adds a share of NVDA (current value $113) to the signup bonus as well. That’s on top of the 5 stocks and the 2%+1% promos.
Update 1/16/25: Extended through 3/31/25 (ht Jimmy J)
The Offer
TradeUp bonus offers – Use link above for a NVDA
TradeUp brokerage is offering the following three bonuses which stack together:
- New TradeUp brokerage who make an ACATS transfer from another brokerage into TradeUp by December 31, 2024 are eligible for 2% cashback on the transferred amount. Max $1,000 bonus (transfer $50k or more to get the max $1,000 bonus).
- Clients who transfer $100,000 or more to their TradeUP account and maintain their transferred assets for a year will receive an additional 1% match ($1,000 capped match).
- Those who signup with TradeUp also get some free stocks: 2 for $100 deposit, 3 for $2,500 deposit, 4 for $10,000 deposit, 5 for $100,000 deposit.
- Some affiliate links also add a share of Nvidia as well (current value $113).
Offer valid August 5 – December 31, 2024. You can find this offer on the TradeUp homepage scroll and mentioned on this page; find the terms on this page. You can find the 5 stock offer on this page and the terms on this page.
Important Notes
- There is a $50 fee for doing a full account ACAT-out, so keep that in mind if you aren’t sure that you’ll be staying with the brokerage forever.
- It appears these bonuses are all for new customers (“new clients“).
- Clients who transfer assets from a brokerage account that was originally opened through TradeUP Securities, Inc. and now clears exclusively through Interactive Brokers are not eligible for this campaign.
- This promotion applies exclusively to an account’s first ACAT transfer that qualifies for this promotion. Subsequent ACAT transfers will not qualify for this promotion.
- An account is said to have “maintained the value of the transferred assets” if it does not initiate any withdrawals or outgoing account transfers during the specified period. Transactions involving securities purchases and changes in asset valuation do not affect reward eligibility. However, withdrawals or account transfers will result in forfeiture of the reward.
- Cashback Distribution: Cashback will be distributed quarterly, with payments made on the last business day of each fiscal quarter. The maximum cashback amount per quarter is $350. The distribution schedule follows below: After the first 90 calendar days: Clients must maintain their account assets for a full 90 calendar days from the settlement date. The first cashback installment will be distributed at the end of the first full fiscal quarter after the 90 calendar day period. For example, if the settlement date is August 15, 2024, the first cashback installment will be distributed on December 31, 2024. Subsequent Quarters: Cashback will be distributed on the last business day of each subsequent fiscal quarter. For example, if a user completes an ACAT transfer of $50,000 and qualifies for a 2% cashback bonus, they will receive a total of $1,000. This amount will be distributed in installments of $350 for the first quarter, $350 for the second quarter, and $300 for the third quarter. If the transfer date is August 15, 2024, the first $350 installment will be distributed on December 31, 2024, with subsequent installments of $350 and $300 distributed on March 31, 2025 and June 30, 2025, respectively. By participating in this campaign and receiving the cashback bonus, you agree that the cashback bonus will not be issued until the end of the first full fiscal quarter after the 90 calendar day holding period is complete. The cashback bonus is subject to forfeiture if the account is transferred out within 90 calendar days of the cashback issuance. Certain restrictions may apply when you request withdrawal of the cashback bonus.
- Where required by applicable rules and regulations, the value of all TradeUP Securities Inc. offers received may be reported as Other Income on Form 1099-MISC. TradeUP Securities Inc. is not responsible for individual tax reporting related to this reward program.
Our Verdict
If you transfer in $50k you’ll get $1k bonus and around $40/$80 in free stock. If you transfer in $100k you’ll get $2k bonus and around $50/$100 in free stocks. And you can get up to $300 to cover any fees from your old brokerage company.
Overall this offer is from the better brokerage bonuses we’ve seen. We’ll add this to the list of Best Brokerage Bonuses.
Though the long hold times are a pain, I’m still thinking of hitting this one. I’ll signup on the offer landing page in the coming weeks and transfer $100k from my current brokerage account in a single ACAT transfer to TradeUp. I’ll get 5 free stocks right away which will be worth $50 or more. Then I’ll get $350 on March 31, 2025 and another $350 on June 30, 2025 and another $300 on September 30, 2025 to complete the $1k bonus for the 2% part. I’ll also get another $1,000 bonus for the 1% $100k match (it’s not clear in the fine print when that $1k bonus will payout; update: it’s possible the second $1k will pay out at $350 quarterly, in that case you’ll have to leave the $100k funds there for about two years total to get the max $2k bonus). I’ll then leave my funds there until at least the end of 2025 since the fine print mentions leaving funds until 90 days after bonus payout.
If anyone has used TradeUp in the past, kindly share your experiences with them in the comments below. Specifically I’d be interested in knowing whether cost-basis transfers over properly when transferring stocks from another brokerage.
Hat tip to reader Lrdx
I need to transfer from several brokers to reach the $100k amount. However, I would prefer to do a full transfer from a single broker to TradeUp to simplify things. Should I run into any problems if I do partial transfers from Brokers A&B to Broker C and then do a full transfer from Broker C to TradeUp?
the transfer bonus is available for ira’s now and apparently you can get 3 shares of sgov which is worth $300 and stack it on top of the transfer bonus by taking a screenshot of the image found on ninja’s post and sending it to tradeup’s email [email protected]
try to transfer asset in, but from the app or website, they only allow full transfer, does any one know how to do partial transfer
Chat with support.
On the website it says: If you would like to partially transfer specific positions or assets to TradeUP, please email [email protected] or reach out to our team on Live Chat.
Basically they’ll send you an ACAT form and you send it back to them with a recent statement.
I had to chat to get the Nvdia stock and they gave me few $9 stock for “drawing” . If i didnt chat, i dont believe i would get the nvdia. Lucky their chat support is pretty good, very easy to use
Apparently I had an account in the past, which I closed. Support says they aren’t “able” to let closed accountholders open new ones. Oh well.
Instead of a free draws, they just awarded me a couple of $10 stocks. Asking them for draws and they are telling by design I can’t get free draws because I did ACATS transfer.
They told me, to get the extra $1000 bonus, I need to maintain the fund for another 1 year.
SO basically
3/30/2025 $350
6/30/2025 $350
9/30/2025 $300
3/30/2026 $350
6/30/2026 $350
9/30/2026 $300
The above is example cs told me.
That contradicts what the terms say: “Clients who transfer $100,000 or more to their TradeUP account and maintain their transferred assets for a year will receive an additional 1% match ($1,000 capped match).” Note it does not say “2 years.” Hoping this is another case of the CSR being clueless.
That makes no sense. Why no payment on 12/31/25? I would think that the correct payment schedule would be $350 on 3/31/25, 6/30/25, 9/30/25, 12/31/25, 3/31/26 and $250 on 6/30/26
Got written confirmation of same as @WS. As well as the pause. Not sure it’s worth it to go above $50k now, even if buying a bond.
It’s not particularly clear when you say “another 1 year.”
Regardless, most of us who started this in late 2024 assumed we needed to hold about 1.5 years if timed well.
Their terms are a mess. Despite what AD notes on holding “for a year,” there’s also the terms:
3.7 If an Eligible Customer does not maintain the initial transfer amount at all times until the Final Offer Reward Payment Date, they will not be entitled to receive the full amount of the cashback reward.
&
4.12 By participating in this campaign and receiving the cashback bonus, you agree that the cashback bonus will not be issued until the end of the first full fiscal quarter after the 90 calendar day holding period is complete. The cashback bonus is subject to forfeiture if the account is transferred out within 90 calendar days of the cashback issuance. Certain restrictions may apply when you request withdrawal of the cashback bonus.
Can we withdraw the bonus right away or do we need to keep it in the account?
There is a 90 day claw back clause. IMO not worth doing any withdrawals until getting the full $2k. Just reinvest the funds.
Hi David, thank you for contacting TradeUP! Yes, you may withdraw the cash bonus, however, please kindly note that you would still have to maintain the transferred in assets during the entire payment period.
Got the first $350 bonus payment!
My first $350 posted to my Tradeup account as expected. No apparent way to see a transaction history (will probably be in statement though). I can simply see that my balance increased $350 from earlier today.
My ACATS of over $100K settled 12/27/24, so I just about timed it perfectly to start the payments ASAP. I’m also below $100K at this point. No withdrawals of course.
You can see the transaction history (on iOS) by going to Portolio tab > Click More under the “Estimated Total Assets” section > Click “Fund Details” under the Funds section.
It shows there on a delay. Wasn’t present until today (4/1) for me. Though oddly the transaction is dated 3/30!
did you do transfer for regular account or ira account? was there a message that confirmed you acats enough to hit the bonus or it just showed the first $350 bonus 3 months later?