Ciguli,
If you plan to daytrade US stocks, I'm afraid you're going to have to come up with $25,000.
Quote from ThinkOrSwim website:
What is a pattern day trader?
Effective September 28th, 2001 the NYSE and NASD imposed a $25,000 minimum equity requirement for 'pattern day traders.' Consistent with the new margin rules, if a thinkorswim customer's margin account falls under $25,000 and the customer has opened and closed positions on the same day four times within five days, the customer will not be allowed to open new positions until the $25,000 requirement is restored.
Additionally, for a designated 'pattern day trader' account, the customer is allowed on any day to open new positions up to a total of the account's Day Trading Buying Power (defined as four times account equity less maintenance margin requirements). The rule requires orders exceeding Day Trading Buying Power to be rejected."
EndQuote
It's certainly worth giving them a call to see if there's a way around it, but the rule was brought in after the DotCom crash to protect people (from themselves?).
Otherwise, check if it's legal in your country to run a spreadbet account.
Regards,
Joey