Examined Sep 25, 2026 $10,000 minimum Earned after one year No link we may carry Firstrade's referral bonus is $100 to $1,000, it starts at a $10,000 deposit, and none of it is yours until that money has stayed a year.
The landing page tells the referred friend they get “Up to $1,000.” The $1,000 needs $500,000. At the $10,000 minimum the bonus is $100, which is 1% of the deposit, paid after a year.
What pays what
| Net deposit of $10,000 to $29,999 in the first 30 days | $100 |
|---|---|
| $30,000 to $99,999 | $400 |
| $100,000 to $499,999 | $700 |
| $500,000 or more | $1,000 |
| Under $10,000, an IRA, or you already had a Firstrade account | $0 |
| Withdrawals leave under $10,000 during the year, or you close the account | $0 |
| Referred by a family member, or by anyone at your address | $0 |
| No link: moving an account of $2,500 or more from another broker by ACATS | That broker's transfer fee back, up to $250 |
| No link: a first wire of $2,500 or more within 30 days of opening | The wire fee back, up to $25 |
At the bottom of each tier the bonus is 1%, about 1.3%, 0.7% and 0.2% of the deposit. None is large for a year's commitment. The FAQ says the two fee rebates apply separately, so a referred client who funds by wire or ACATS may claim those too.
Do this, in this order
- Check you qualify, and that the link does. The terms pay only people who “were not a Firstrade account holder prior to the date of receipt of the referral invitation”. Firstrade’s referral page, not the terms, adds that the client whose link you use needs an individual or joint account worth at least USD 2,000 with one securities trade placed. Apply through their unique link, or you are not eligible.
- Open an ordinary brokerage account. An IRA or other tax-advantaged account, an entity account, or an account tied to a financial advisor does not earn this bonus.
- Make the net deposit within 30 days of approval. The clock starts at approval, and the money must go into the account you enrolled with. The terms define the figure: cash or the net fair market value of assets deposited, less what you withdraw in those 30 days. “Cumulative Deposit Value minus Withdrawal Value is the ‘Net Deposit.’” Money that arrives later does not help: “The Projected Bonus will not increase with additional deposits after the Calculation Date.”
- Claim the fee rebates on their own clocks. For the transfer fee, send Firstrade your old broker's statement showing the charge within 60 days of the transfer date. For a wire, claim through your Firstrade account within 30 calendar days of the funds arriving.
- Leave the net deposit alone for the year. After each withdrawal, Firstrade subtracts everything you have withdrawn that year from your original net deposit, and “The Projected Bonus is reset to the tier amount corresponding to the Remaining Net Deposit per Figure 1 above.” It can only go down. It is lost entirely if “the Remaining Net Deposit falls below $10,000 (i.e., below the minimum threshold for Tier 1); or the Referee's account is closed.” A market fall does not count, since the formula uses only withdrawals, but shares you move out count at their market value.
If a Referee originally deposited $120,000 (Tier 3, $700 bonus) and withdraws $100,000 during the Retention Period, bringing the Remaining Net Deposit to $20,000 (Tier 1), the Projected Bonus will be adjusted downward to $100.
Where the terms say more than the page
“Any new Firstrade brokerage account” is not quite true. The FAQ says “Any new Firstrade brokerage account is eligible”, and the landing page says your friend's tier is “locked in” by the first 30 days. The terms narrow both: only people who were not already clients qualify, and the tier is locked only against going up.
The terms contradict themselves on family. Their exclusions withhold bonuses from “family members or others living at the same exact physical address.” Their payment clause then counts “friends or family”. The FAQ repeats the ban, so do not count on a family referral paying.
Tax, clawback and arbitration. “For U.S. tax residents, the bonus is treated as ordinary income in the year the Projected Bonus vests”. To cover any withholding, Firstrade may take account cash or sell your securities. If it later finds a condition unmet, even through error, “we may reclaim the amount credited”. Disputes go to arbitration, and “Program participants waive any right to a jury trial”.
No end date. The terms carry only the form code FT08.2026, and “Firstrade reserves the right to close the Program to new Participants at any time.” The transfer fee terms are effective from 8/18/2025 and the wire fee terms from 01/05/2026; both may end without prior notice. Residents of mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Spain, Portugal, Japan, Denmark, Israel and Poland cannot take part.
The transfer rebate can be taken back. “If, within 12 months of account opening, the account balance falls below $2,500 due to withdrawals or outgoing transfers, Firstrade may reverse the transfer rebate at the time of withdrawal.” It covers ACATS fees only and excludes mutual funds and fixed income products.
Hands off after the referral. The terms bar the client whose link you used from helping set up your account, training you, placing orders, or acting as a go-between. Firstrade's separate affiliate program is not this client program.
Is it worth your time?
Only as a small extra on a move you had already decided to make. If $10,000 or more is going to Firstrade anyway and will sit there, applying through an eligible client's link costs nothing and pays $100 to $1,000 about 13 months later. Do not move money for it: $100 is 1% of the smallest qualifying deposit, and one withdrawal in the year can cut it or wipe it out.
If you refer someone yourself, the $200 Firstrade's headline promises you is real but slow: it is paid after your friend's year ends, and only if they keep the money in and your own account is in good standing. The family and same-address ban rules out the people most of us would ask first.
