Consequently, to protect IBKR and its customers, IBKR will increase margin requirements by as much as 35% above normal margin requirements leading up to the November U.S. election. To illustrate, consider a Reg. T margin account with stock XYZ having an Initial Margin requirement of 50% and a Maintenance Margin requirement of 25%. With the increase fully implemented, the new requirements would be 67.5% Initial and 33.75% Maintenance. Accounts subject to risk based margin will have their scanning ranges increased in a similar manner.
This will be implemented gradually each day, increasing Initial margin requirements from normal levels starting September 28th to a rate that will be 35% higher by October 23rd. Maintenance margin requirements will increase in a similar manner between October 5th and October 30th. The new requirements will be implemented each day, after the market closes in New York, and will be effective the next trading day.