We found 11 online brokers that are appropriate for Trading Short Term Investments.

Short term investments are temporary places where I park money that I may need soon but still want to earn something on. These investments are highly liquid, meaning they can be converted into cash quickly without losing much value. In my experience, most short term investments are held anywhere from a few weeks to a few years, usually between three months and five years. For example, in late 2025 I moved £10,000 into a high yield savings account paying 4.6 percent interest to earn about £460 over a year while keeping the funds accessible.
Some common short term investments I have personally used or tracked include money market accounts, certificates of deposit, Treasury bills, government bonds, and high yield savings accounts. For instance, in October 2025 I saw a 12 month CD offered at 5.1 percent interest, meaning a £5,000 deposit would earn roughly £255 after one year.
Short term investments are usually high quality and low risk assets. Companies also rely on these instruments to manage cash flow efficiently. On a balance sheet, short term investments appear under current assets and are typically sold within a year when cash is needed. I have seen businesses use this strategy during uncertain economic periods to stay flexible, such as selling £20 million in short term government bonds to fund operations.
The main goal of short term investments is capital protection while still earning a return. I personally treat them as a safer alternative to letting money sit idle. Treasury bill funds, for instance, have been especially popular recently with three month T bills yielding around 5.3 percent in mid 2025, so a £100,000 investment earned over £5,000 in annualized yield.
Companies with strong cash reserves often report short term investments on their balance sheets. Instead of keeping excess cash in a basic bank account, they invest in bonds, short term securities, and cash equivalents. I have followed several tech companies doing this to earn yields of 4 percent to 5 percent instead of near zero rates seen a few years ago, turning £500 million in cash into an extra £22 million in earnings over a year.

Below are some common short term investment options that I have either used personally or seen companies use strategically:
Certificates of deposit are offered by banks and pay higher interest when money is locked in for a fixed period. In 2025, many online banks offered one year CDs at around 5.1 percent. If I locked in £10,000 at that rate, I expected about £510 in interest after one year. These are FDIC insured up to $250,000 or equivalent protections in the UK/Europe, which makes them very safe.
Money market accounts usually offer better interest rates than regular savings accounts but require a minimum balance. I currently use one that pays about 4.6 percent on balances above £5,000, so a £20,000 balance earns around £920 annually. These accounts are FDIC insured, unlike money market mutual funds, which carry some risk.
Treasuries include Treasury bills, notes, floating rate notes, and inflation protected securities. In recent Treasury auctions, three month T bills have been yielding around 5.3 percent. If I purchased £50,000 in a 3 month T bill at £98.7 per £100 face value, I would receive £100 at maturity, earning over £1,500 annualized.
Bond funds are managed by investment firms and hold diversified bonds with shorter maturities. Short term bond funds in 2025 have averaged returns between 3.2 percent and 4.1 percent. For example, investing £25,000 could yield about £875 to £1,025 over a year while offering daily liquidity.
Municipal bonds are issued by local or state governments and often offer tax free income. I saw short term municipal bonds yielding 3.8 percent in mid 2025. A £100,000 investment in these could generate around £3,800 in tax free interest for residents in higher tax brackets.
Peer to peer lending platforms match lenders with borrowers. I experimented with this option and earned around 6.5 percent annually in 2024 on a £5,000 portfolio, generating about £325 in interest. However, defaults can happen and returns are not guaranteed.
Roth IRAs allow contributions to be withdrawn at any time without taxes or penalties. While they are usually long term accounts, I have used them for short term needs by keeping part of the funds in money market investments within the account, earning around 4.4 percent on £8,000.
In more recent years, companies have continued to rely heavily on short term investments. For example, Microsoft reported holding over $85 billion in short term investments in 2025, largely in US government securities and high grade corporate bonds. At an average yield of 4.8 percent, that could generate over $4 billion in interest income over a year.
Apple also continued this strategy, reporting more than $160 billion in short term investments during 2025. Most of this was allocated to US Treasury securities and corporate bonds. With yields near 5 percent, Apple could be earning more than $8 billion a year while keeping funds liquid.

Short term investments are easy to liquidate and can usually be converted to cash within three to six months, although some may last up to five years. In this article, I covered several short term investment options such as certificates of deposit, money market accounts, and Treasury bills, along with how they are used by individuals and large companies.
The core objective of short term investments is capital protection combined with better returns than traditional savings accounts. For example, moving £30,000 into a short term Treasury bill at 5.3 percent could earn about £1,590 annually compared to near zero in a basic checking account.
From personal experience, short term investments are ideal for emergency funds, upcoming expenses, or excess cash. Companies also use them strategically to earn income while keeping funds accessible. When managed properly, they play a crucial role in both personal and corporate financial planning.
We have conducted extensive research and analysis on over multiple data points on Short Term Investments to present you with a comprehensive guide that can help you find the most suitable Short Term Investments. Below we shortlist what we think are the best short term investments after careful consideration and evaluation. We hope this list will assist you in making an informed decision when researching Short Term Investments.
Selecting a reliable and reputable online Short Term Investments trading brokerage involves assessing their track record, regulatory status, customer support, processing times, international presence, and language capabilities. Considering these factors, you can make an informed decision and trade Short Term Investments more confidently.
Selecting the right online Short Term Investments trading brokerage requires careful consideration of several critical factors. Here are some essential points to keep in mind:
Our team have listed brokers that match your criteria for you below. All brokerage data has been summarised into a comparison table. Scroll down.
When choosing a broker for short term investments trading, it's essential to compare the different options available to you. Our short term investments brokerage comparison table below allows you to compare several important features side by side, making it easier to make an informed choice.
By comparing these essential features, you can choose a short term investments broker that best suits your needs and preferences for short term investments. Our short term investments broker comparison table simplifies the process, allowing you to make a more informed decision.
Here are the top Short Term Investments.
Compare short term investments brokers for min deposits, funding, used by, benefits, account types, platforms, and support levels. When searching for a short term investments broker, it's crucial to compare several factors to choose the right one for your short term investments needs. Our comparison tool allows you to compare the essential features side by side.
All brokers below are short term investments. Learn more about what they offer below.
You can scroll left and right on the comparison table below to see more short term investments that accept short term investments clients.
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IC Markets
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Roboforex
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eToro
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XTB
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XM
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Pepperstone
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AvaTrade
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FP Markets
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EasyMarkets
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SpreadEx
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FXPro
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| Regulation | International Capital Markets Pty Ltd (Australia) (ASIC) Australian Securities & Investments Commission Licence No. 335692, Seychelles Financial Services Authority (FSA) (SD018), IC Markets (EU) Ltd (CySEC) Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission with License No. 362/18, Capital Markets Authority(CMA) Kenya IC Markets (KE) Ltd, Securities Commission of The Bahamas (SCB) IC Markets (Bahamas) Ltd | RoboForex Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Commission (FSC) of Belize under licence No. 000138/32, under the Securities Industry Act 2021, RoboForex Ltd is an (A category) member of The Financial Commission, also RoboForex Ltd is a participant of the Financial Commission Compensation Fund | FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) eToro (UK) Ltd (FCA reference 583263), eToro (Europe) Ltd CySEC (Cyprus Securities Exchange Commission), ASIC (Australian Securities and Investments Commission) eToro AUS Capital Limited ASIC license 491139, CySec (Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission under the license 109/10), FSAS (Financial Services Authority Seychelles) eToro (Seychelles) Ltd license SD076, eToro (ME) Limited (ADGM) Abu Dhabi (UAE) number 220073, eToro (Europe) Ltd (AMF) Autorité des marchés financiers as a digital assets provider France | FCA (Financial Conduct Authority reference 522157) XTB Limited, CySEC (Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission reference 169/12), DFSA (Dubai Financial Services Authority XTB MENA Limited licensed 8 July 2021), FSA (Financial Services Authority Seychelles license number SD148), FSCA (Financial Sector Conduct Authority XTB Africa (Pty) Ltd licensed 10 August 2021), KNF (Komisja Nadzoru Finansowego Polish Financial Supervision Authority) | Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) (49976) XM ZA (Pty) Ltd, Financial Services Commission (FSC) (000261/27) XM Global Limited, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) (license 120/10) Trading Point of Financial Instruments Ltd, Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) (number 443670) Trading Point of Financial Instruments Pty Ltd | Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin), Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA), Capital Markets Authority of Kenya (CMA), Pepperstone Markets Limited is incorporated in The Bahamas (number 177174 B), Licensed by the Securities Commission of The Bahamas (SCB) number SIA-F217 | Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) Ava Capital Markets Australia Pty Ltd (406684), South African Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) Ava Capital Markets Pty Ltd (45984), Financial Services Agency (Japan FSA) Ava Trade Japan K.K. (1662), Financial Futures Association of Japan (FFAJ) Ava Trade Japan K.K. (1574), Abu Dhabi Global Markets (ADGM) / Financial Regulatory Services Authority (FRSA) Ava Trade Middle East Ltd (190018), Central Bank of Ireland (C53877) AVA Trade EU Ltd, Polish Financial Supervision Authority (KNF) AVA Trade EU Ltd (branch authorisation), British Virgin Islands Financial Services Commission (BVI) Ava Trade Markets Ltd (SIBA/L/13/1049), Israel Securities Authority (ISA) ATrade Ltd (514666577) | CySEC (Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission) (371/18), ASIC AFS (Australian Securities and Investments Commission) (286354), FSP (Financial Sector Conduct Authority in South Africa) (50926), Financial Services Authority Seychelles (FSA) (SD 130) | Easy Forex Trading Ltd is regulated by CySEC (License Number 079/07). Easy Forex Trading Ltd is the only entity that onboards EU clients, easyMarkets Pty Ltd is regulated by ASIC (AFS License No. 246566), EF Worldwide Ltd in Seychelles is regulated by FSA (License Number SD056), EF Worldwide Ltd in the British Virgin Islands is regulated by FSC (License Number SIBA/L/20/1135) | FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) (190941), Gambling Commission (Great Britain) (8835), licence in Ireland as remote bookmaker for fixed odds betting licence number 1016176 | FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) (509956), CySEC (Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission) (078/07), FSCA (Financial Sector Conduct Authority) (45052), SCB (Securities Commission of The Bahamas) (SIA-F184), FSA (Financial Services Authority of Seychelles) (SD120) |
| Min Deposit | 200 | 10 | 50 | No minimum deposit | 5 | No minimum deposit | 100 | 100 | 25 | No minimum deposit | 100 |
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| Used By | 200,000+ | 730,000+ | 40,000,000+ | 2,000,000+ | 15,000,000+ | 830,000+ | 400,000+ | 200,000+ | 250,000+ | 60,000+ | 11,200,000+ |
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| Platforms | MT5, MT4, MetaTrader WebTrader, Mobile Apps, iOS (App Store), Android (Google Play), MetaTrader iPhone/iPad, MetaTrader Android Google Play, MetaTrader Mac, cTrader, cTrader Web, cTrader iPhone/iPad, cTrader iMac, cTrader Android Google Play, cTrader Automate, cTrader Copy Trading, TradingView, Virtual Private Server, Trading Servers, MT4 Advanced Trading Tools, IC Insights, Trading Central | MT4, MT5, R Mobile Trader, R StocksTrader, WebTrader, Mobile Apps, iOS (App Store), Android (Google Play), Windows | eToro Trading App, Mobile Apps, iOS (App Store), Android (Google Play), CopyTrading, Web | MT4, Mirror Trader, Web Trader, Tablet, Mobile Apps, iOS (App Store), Android (Google Play) | MT5, MT5 WebTrader, XM Apple App for iPhone, XM App for Android Google Play, Tablet: MT5 for iPad, MT5 for Android Google Play, XM App for iPad, XM App for iOS (App Store), Android (Google Play), Mobile Apps | MT4, MT5, cTrader,WebTrader, TradingView, Windows, Mobile Apps, iOS (App Store), Android (Google Play) | MT4, MT5, Web Trading, AvaTrade App, AvaOptions, Mac Trading, AvaSocial, Mobile Apps, iOS (App Store), Android (Google Play) | MT4, MT5, TradingView, cTrader, WebTrader, Mobile Trader, Mobile Apps, iOS (App Store), Android (Google Play) | easyMarkets App, Mobile Apps, iOS (App Store), Android (Google Play), Web Platform, TradingView, MT4, MT5 | Web, Mobile Apps, iOS (App Store), Android (Google Play), iPad App, iPhone App, TradingView | MT4, MT5, cTrader, FxPro WebTrader, FxPro Mobile Apps, iOS (App Store), Android (Google Play) |
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| Learn More |
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Up with pepperstone |
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Up with spreadex |
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Up with fxpro |
| Risk Warning | Losses can exceed deposits | Losses can exceed deposits | 46% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. | 69% - 80% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. | CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 74.48% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. | 72-95 % of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs | 57% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider | Losses can exceed deposits | Your capital is at risk | 62% of retail CFD accounts lose money | 74% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs and Spread Betting with this provider |
| Demo |
IC Markets Demo |
Roboforex Demo |
eToro Demo |
XTB Demo |
XM Demo |
Pepperstone Demo |
AvaTrade Demo |
FP Markets Demo |
easyMarkets Demo |
SpreadEx Demo |
FxPro Demo |
| Excluded Countries | US, IR, CA, NZ, JP | AU, BE, BQ, BR, CA, CW, CZ, DE, ES, EE, EU, FM, FR, FI, GW, ID, IR, JP, LR, MP, NL, PF, PL, RU, SE, SJ, SS, SL, SI, TL, TR, DO, US, IT, AT, PT, BG, HR, CY, DK, FL, GR, IE, LV, LT, MT, RO, SK, CH | ZA, ID, IR, KP, BE, CA, JP, SY, TR, IL, BY, AL, MD, MK, RS, GN, CD, SD, SA, ZW, ET, GH, TZ, LY, UG, ZM, BW, RW, TN, SO, NA, TG, SL, LR, GM, DJ, CI, PK, BN, TW, WS, NP, SG, VI, TM, TJ, UZ, LK, TT, HT, MM, BT, MH, MV, MG, MK, KZ, GD, FJ, PT, BB, BM, BS, AG, AI, AW, AX, LB, SV, PY, HN, GT, PR, NI, VG, AN, CN, BZ, DZ, MY, KH, PH, VN, EG, MN, MO, UA, JO, KR, AO, BR, HR, GL, IS, IM, JM, FM, MC, NG, SI, | US, IN, PK, BD, NG , ID, BE, AU | US, CA, IL, IR | AF, AS, AQ, AM, AZ, BY, BE, BZ, BT, BA, BI, CM, CA, CF, TD, CG, CI, ER, GF, PF, GP, GU, GN, GW, GY, HT, VA, IR, IQ, JP, KZ, LB, LR, LY, ML, MQ, YT, MZ, MM, NZ, NI, KP, PS, PR, RE, KN, LC, VC, WS, SO, GS, KR, SS, SD, SR, SY, TJ, TN, TM, TC, US, VU, VG, EH, ES, YE, ZW, ET | BE, BR, KP, NZ, TR, US, CA, SG | US, JP, NZ | US, IL, BC, MB, QC, ON, AF, BY, BI, KH, KY, TD, KM, CG, CU, CD, GQ, ER, FJ, GN, GW, HT, IR, IQ, LA, LY, MZ, MM, NI, KP, PW, PA, RU, SO, SS, SD, SY, TT, TM, VU, VE, YE | US, TR | US, CA, IR |
You can compare Short Term Investments ratings, min deposits what the the broker offers, funding methods, platforms, spread types, customer support options, regulation and account types side by side.
We also have an indepth Top Short Term Investments for 2026 article further below. You can see it now by clicking here
We have listed top Short term investments below.
eToro is a multi-asset platform which offers both investing in stocks and cryptoassets, as well as trading CFDs.
Please note that CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 46% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
This communication is intended for information and educational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice or investment recommendation. Past performance is not an indication of future results.
Copy Trading does not amount to investment advice. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk.
Crypto investments are risky and may not suit retail investors; you could lose your entire investment. Understand the risks here.
Don't invest unless you're prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment, and you should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong. Take 2 mins to learn more.
eToro USA LLC does not offer CFDs and makes no representation and assumes no liability as to the accuracy or completeness of the content of this publication, which has been prepared by our partner utilizing publicly available non-entity specific information about eToro.
Losses can exceed deposits