Disclaimer: This content includes financial promotions. We will be paid a referral fee if you open an account and deposit funds through some of the links on this page.
Lightyear is an investment platform founded in 2020. Although it is younger than most brokers, it has a modern, intuitive app and low, transparent fees.
Its offer is focused on US, European and UK stocks, ETFs and money market funds, with more than 6,000 stocks and ETFs available, as well as crypto for EU clients.
In the EU, Lightyear Europe AS is regulated by the Estonian Financial Supervision Authority, and client assets are covered up to €20,000 by the Estonian Investor Protection Sectoral Fund. In the UK, Lightyear UK Ltd is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
The good news: Lightyear has a welcome offer for new users. Sign up on the Lightyear website or app, enter the code FINTECHFINDER and deposit at least €100/£100, and you’ll receive a free fractional share or ETF worth up to €100. We explain how it works below.
Lightyear promotion
New users who sign up to Lightyear with the promo code FINTECHFINDER and deposit at least €100/£100 get a free fractional share or ETF worth between €10 and €100.
The value of the reward is assigned at random. Most users (85%) receive a reward worth €10 to €15, and only a small share of users receive the higher values.
| Promotion | Details |
|---|---|
| Welcome reward | Free fractional share or ETF worth €10 to €100 (most users get €10 to €15) |
| Condition | Deposit at least €100/£100 within 15 days of completing onboarding |
| Promo code | FINTECHFINDER |
| Account | Reward paid into a General Investment Account (GIA) |
| Withdrawal | The reward value can only be withdrawn after 6 months |
Promotion terms checked in September 2026. Capital at risk. T&Cs apply.
How to activate the Lightyear promo code
The Lightyear promo code is easy to use. Follow these steps to get your free share:
- Download the Lightyear app or sign up on the website.
- Enter the promo code FINTECHFINDER during sign-up, or later in the app under Settings, then Promotions.
- Verify your identity with your ID card or passport and a selfie.
- Make sure you have a General Investment Account (GIA), and deposit at least €100/£100 within 15 days of completing onboarding.
- Choose your free fractional share or ETF from the list available in the app.
Please note that you can only withdraw the value of the reward after 6 months, even if you sell the share earlier, and that withdrawing your initial deposit during that period can lead Lightyear to remove the reward. Each user can only use one Lightyear promo code, and the promo code cannot be combined with Lightyear’s referral programme.
Capital at risk. T&Cs apply.
Is Lightyear a good platform for beginners?
Yes. Lightyear is a good choice for beginners who want to invest in stocks and ETFs on their own, with a simple app and low costs.
One of the big advantages is that you don’t need a large amount of money to start: there is no minimum deposit (apart from the €100 needed for the welcome reward), and you can buy fractional shares of expensive US stocks.
When you search for a company, you also get useful information, such as the company’s market capitalisation, earnings per share and dividends, and related news, so you can make an informed decision before investing.
What are the main products offered by Lightyear?
- Stocks: thousands of US, European and UK stocks, with fractional shares on US stocks, so you can invest in expensive companies with small amounts.
- ETFs: a wide range of ETFs, from broad market ETFs tracking the S&P 500 or world indices to thematic ETFs.
- Savings (money market funds): uninvested cash can be placed in money market funds, which invest in short-term debt from governments and financial institutions. Depending on your country, the EUR fund is managed by BlackRock (2.38% APY) or J.P. Morgan Asset Management (2.37% APY). Rates are net of fees, variable and were checked in September 2026. Money market funds are investment products, not cash deposits.
- Crypto: available to EU clients (not in the UK).
What are the costs of Lightyear?
Lightyear’s fees are simple and transparent. These are the main costs for EU accounts:
| Fee | Cost (EU accounts) |
|---|---|
| Monthly platform fee | None |
| ETFs | No commission (fund manager fees apply) |
| European stocks | €1 per trade |
| UK stocks | £1 per trade |
| US stocks | 0.1% (min. $0.10, max. $1) |
| FX fee | 0.35% |
| Money market funds | 0.10% per year on EUR and GBP funds, 0.15% on USD (already deducted from the rate shown) |
Fees checked in September 2026. UK accounts have a different fee schedule, including a lower 0.1% FX fee.
Why invest with Lightyear?
- Low costs: no commission on ETFs and a maximum of €1/£1/$1 per stock trade.
- Transparent fees: the platform clearly explains all its costs.
- Savings feature: a simple way to earn a return on idle cash through money market funds.
- Low entry barrier: no minimum deposit and fractional shares.
On the downside, Lightyear has no bonds, options or futures, no demo account and a shorter track record than more established brokers. For a full analysis, read our Lightyear review, or compare it with other platforms in our ranking of the best online brokers for European investors.
The bottom line
Lightyear is a good platform for beginners, with a very good app, low fees and a Savings feature. If you sign up with the promo code FINTECHFINDER and deposit at least €100/£100, you’ll receive a free fractional share or ETF worth up to €100.
Capital at risk. T&Cs apply.
Raimon es experto en finanzas y economía. Licenciado en Periodismo por la Universitat Pompeu Fabra de Barcelona, también ha estudiado cursos y posgrados relacionados con el mundo del posicionamiento web y redes sociales.
Con una larga experiencia en el sector, lleva años escribiendo artículos sobre inversiones y otros temas relacionados con las finanzas.
