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As someone who takes regulatory standing and reliable service very seriously, my experience with E*TRADE left me with reservations. First and foremost, the regulatory status of E*TRADE is a major concern for me. According to my research, their NFA license appears to be suspicious and potentially a clone, with no valid regulation currently in place. This lack of oversight immediately makes me cautious, as it can have direct implications for fund safety and recourse in case of disputes. When it comes to customer service, I noticed issues that would give any prudent trader pause. Communication is limited to phone support, which, in practice, doesn’t always provide the responsiveness or accountability I expect. I’ve observed reports from others where account transfers and fund withdrawals became protracted or unresolved. For instance, the anecdote of a client unable to resolve a transfer for years, while extreme, amplifies my concern about escalation procedures and support reliability. Platform reliability is another point I examine closely. Although E*TRADE’s trading platforms, particularly Power E*TRADE, offer advanced charting and analysis features, I have seen feedback indicating potentially problematic account interventions and unexpected position closures. For me, unexplained closures or interventions directly undermine trust, especially absent strong regulatory assurances. In summary, while E*TRADE offers a robust suite of trading tools, I believe their customer service limitations and the unresolved regulatory questions make it difficult for me to rely on them, especially for substantial or long-term asset management. I strongly advise careful due diligence and suggest prioritizing regulated brokers when possible.