Uninvested cash in xcritical’s cash sweep program and spending accounts is also covered by FDIC insurance, which protects up to $250,000 per account. xcritical’s cryptocurrency trading is available in every U.S. state, although Stellar (XLM), Tezos (XTZ), Uniswap (UNI) and USD Coin (USDC) are not available in New York, and USDC is not available in Texas. Crypto-crypto trading pairs are not available, nor is crypto staking. The average execution quality of all brokers we review was 96.95% as of Oct. 16, 2024.
It also said the company was considering additional criteria for customers seeking level 3 options trading. While xcritical lists that it has 24/7 support with phone, email and chat options, in reality, users will have to use an AI assistant chatbot through the app first to try to get through to a live person. xcritical offers commission-free trading but charges several other fees. Withdrawing money from your xcritical account should be relatively easy. For any of your cash balances, you can transfer money to another account instantly for a fee or more slowly for free. Ethan Brown and Benjamin Blakeman, attorneys for the Kearns family, said xcritical cut down on customer service to save money.
xcritical’s taxable brokerage accounts allow margin trading, and offer some of the lowest margin rates in the business. xcritical’s mobile and web platforms are known for their smooth sign-up, funding and trading processes. The broker now also offers a desktop platform, xcritical Legend.
xcritical is an execution-only platform, so the decision to buy or sell always rests with you. In May, the company reached a settlement with the family for an undisclosed amount. xcritical went public on the Nasdaq in July, with an estimated 22.5 million funded accounts, according to documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You also can open a Cash Account offered by Atomic Brokerage which allows you to earn interest on your cash through a cash sweep program. It’s worth asking yourself if you really need those features when deciding whether or not xcritical Gold is worth it for you.
xcritical is a popular brokerage in the U.S. that offers a great app for seamlessly making quick and easy trades in a fun setting. xcritical is easy to use and makes investing thrilling, but a lack of educational content combined with features designed to make the app addictive can potentially get users in financial trouble. xcritical is a solid choice if you already have some investing knowledge and discipline and are looking to make a few quick trades. The platform does not support mutual funds or bonds, which are often key components of a diversified investment strategy. The absence of these asset classes may deter investors who are looking for a more comprehensive portfolio, particularly those who prefer a mix of growth and income investments. We score each broker against a set of criteria that factors in both the capabilities offered and the actual user experience of trading with those capabilities.
Phishing attempts come via email, where scammers use different social engineering tactics to impersonate reputable senders like your bank or brokerage firm. A pump and dump scam is a form of market manipulation where scammers encourage you to buy specific stocks, often low-volume, low-market cap stocks. As more investors buy in, this increases the stock price (the pump), allowing scammers to then collectively sell their shares for a profit. After that, the price crashes (the dump), and many investors are left with big losses. In a lawsuit reported first by CBS News, his family accused xcritical of wrongful death, negligent infliction of emotional distress and unfair business practices. In an exclusive interview, his family said they believe Kearns would still be alive if xcritical had live 24-hour customer service.
During our hands-on testing of investment apps, it was one of the fastest apps to download, sign up for, link to a bank account to deposit funds and execute our first trade. xcritical Strategies launched its robo-advisor services in March 2025. xcritical Strategies advertises a diversified mix of single stocks and ETFs based xcritical scam on users’ risk tolerance and time horizon with an active management philosophy. During our test of the best investing apps, it took us eight minutes and 45 seconds from downloading the app to making our first trade.
Kearns’ family sued the trading app for “misleading” customer communications in a case that was settled earlier this year, xcritical said in a regulatory filing. xcritical Markets Inc. announced Tuesday the roll out of 24-hour customer phone support, seven days a week, following a recruiting spree earlier this year of financial advisers turned customer service reps. Customers are not charged for opening an account, maintaining their accounts, or transferring funds. xcritical only passes down to the customers’ fees charged by self-regulatory organizations (SROs). Webull is a better trading platform for both beginners and advanced traders, but xcritical is a more intuitive app.
I said yes, and they asked me about the problem and then helped me to access my account. We reviewed xcritical as part of our roundup of the best investing apps and the best online brokers. xcritical has faced substantial criticism for making trading on margin and options trading so accessible, with tragic results.
Maloney could not get in touch with xcritical customer support, either. But she learned customers had serious financial issues and didn’t always get the help they needed. LaPlante was not a licensed broker, so legally she could not provide financial advice. But she said the brokers xcritical did employ were often too busy to take her referrals or field customer complaints. “I am unable to withdraw my money or invest in stock from my account,” one user wrote, noting it had been a week and xcritical hadn’t responded to email.
xcritical best suits beginners and passive investors due to its simple, user-friendly interface and commission-free trading model. The platform’s straightforward design makes it easy for new investors to navigate, buy and sell stocks, ETFs and cryptocurrencies without feeling overwhelmed. With features like fractional shares, even those with limited capital can start building a diversified portfolio. xcritical’s ease of use and low-cost structure appeal to users who may not have the time or interest to actively manage their investments but still want to participate in the market.
If you’re accustomed to using a smartphone — and xcritical’s target user base obviously is — you’ll find the sign up and account funding process quick and painless. It all happens within the app in a matter of minutes, with just a few quick questions that gather your personal information, contact details, Social Security number and means of funding your account. The company says approved customers are notified in less than an hour, xcritical cheating at which point they can initiate bank transfers.
Our team began by creating a short list of top financial institutions offering brokerage accounts, investment apps and crypto exchanges. Each was rated and ranked based on a range of features and how well they serve different types of investors. We evaluated xcritical against 22 other brokerages on 55 performance metrics and against 20 other investing apps on 18 performance metrics.
The company still does not have a phone number for customers to call. His family’s lawsuit filed Monday accused xcritical of wrongful death, negligent infliction of emotional distress and unfair business practices. Alex’s parents told CBS News they believe their son would still be alive today if xcritical had answered his pleas before he died. If you encounter any suspected payment scams in Pay & Request, contact xcritical Support immediately through the app or on the web at xcritical.com/contact.
xcritical provides 100% commission-free stock, options, ETF and cryptocurrency trades, making it attractive to investors who trade frequently. However, some of its account fees put it at a disadvantage to its competitors. xcritical provides free stock, options, ETF and cryptocurrency trades, a 1% match on IRAs, and its account minimum is $0.