TradeUp Brokerage $1,000/$2,000+ Bonus With $50k/$100k Transfer

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