Best Investment Brokerage Platform for SG REITs 2026
Choose from MoneySmart's curated list of best brokerages to invest in Singapore REITs and Learn how to maximise returns.
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What are REITs?
Why invest in REITs?
Dividend yield
REITs dividend payouts can occur every six months, or quarterly. Payouts are calculated via Distribution per Unit (DPU) and yield. DPUs measure how much an investor gets for every share she has in the REIT. If the DPU is $0.0361 per share, for example, you would get ($0.0361 x 1,000) = $36.10 per lot of 1,000 shares. You can check DPUs for various REITs on the SGX portal.
Liquidity
REITs are bought and sold like shares. Hence, there is no lock-in period for your REITs. REITs can be readily traded on the exchange it is listed on. Also, it is fairly accessible to an average investor as the cost of buying REITs is not extremely high. The given price of a REIT is the price per share (or per unit) in the REIT. These are sold in lots of 100. So if a REIT has a listed price of $1.32, that means the minimum purchase would be ($1.32 x 1,00 = $132).
Transparency
REITs are required to disclose financial information to investors and also make timely reports on business developments and risks. Also, for listed REITs, investors can monitor their performance such as the listed price, PE ratio, dividend yield, etc.
Diversification
REITs tend to specialize in specific types of property. For example, CapitaMall Trust is a retail REIT (they manage malls) whereas Ascendas REIT handles office and industrial properties. Hence, you can choose between different types of REITs. Also, REITs typically have low correlation with stocks and bonds so it can be incorporated for your portfolio diversification.
Returns
Historically, REITs have shown good performance in the long run. The total long-term returns provided by REITs is similar to those of stocks. Hence, it is said to have competitive long-term returns. The typical yield for REITs is between 5% to 9%, but this is not a guaranteed figure.
Calculating a REIT’s yield
Top 10 REITs to invest in Singapore
| REIT | Listed price (as of 26 May 2020) | Dividend Yield |
|---|---|---|
| REITAscendas REIT | Listed price (as of 26 May 2020)$3.05 | Dividend Yield3.84% |
| REITMapletree Commercial Trust | Listed price (as of 26 May 2020)$1.95 | Dividend Yield1.91% |
| REITMapletree Industrial Trust | Listed price (as of 26 May 2020)$2.63 | Dividend Yield4.45% |
| REITCapitaLand Mall Trust | Listed price (as of 26 May 2020)$1.89 | Dividend Yield1.84% |
| REITKeppel DC REIT | Listed price (as of 26 May 2020)$2.45 | Dividend Yield3.18% |
| REITParkwayLife REIT | Listed price (as of 26 May 2020)$3.24 | Dividend Yield4.10% |
| REITFrasers Centrepoint Trust | Listed price (as of 26 May 2020)$2.25 | Dividend Yield3.82% |
| REITFirst REIT | Listed price (as of 26 May 2020)$0.82 | Dividend Yield9.24% |
| REITAscott REIT | Listed price (as of 26 May 2020)$0.865 | Dividend Yield9.78% |
| REITCapitaLand Commercial Trust | Listed price (as of 26 May 2020)$1.63 | Dividend Yield5.48% |
How to choose what REITs to buy?
Risk
The ratio of a REIT’s equity to its debt is called its gearing, and this is capped at 35% or 60% (depending on the REITs credit rating).Gearing is one factor in evaluating the risk of a REIT. The ratio of a REIT’s equity to its debt is called its gearing, and this is capped at 35% or 60% (depending on the REITs credit rating). You can also look at the yield and price to book value ratio of the REITs for further comparison and evaluation.
Management
REITs are run by appointed REIT managers. These people make guiding decisions for the REIT, such as which properties to add to a REIT, which assets to sell off, etc. Besides the REIT managers, REITs also employ property managers, who try to maximize rental yields. It’s the job of property managers to conduct asset enhancement initiatives, such as redesigning floors to hold more stores, finding the right mix of tenants, etc. As such, a REITs value and performance are dependent on the competence of its managers.
Type of property
REITs tend to specialize in specific types of property. For example, CapitaMall Trust is a retail REIT (they manage malls) whereas Ascendas REIT handles office and industrial properties*. Besides its management, a REIT is also gauged on the quality of its assets (owning a mall in town is probably worth more than owning a few scattered shop houses). Performance patterns based on specific types of REITs (hospitality, retail, office, and industrial).
How to invest in REITs in Singapore?
Open a brokerage account
A brokerage account enables you to purchase and sell publicly listed REITs. You have a wide range of brokerage options to select from. Some investors also have multiple brokerages but this is not necessary but based on your preference.
Open a CDP account
If you want to purchase Singapore REITs, you are required to open another account besides a brokerage account. Before you can purchase equities listed on the SGX exchange, you would need a central depository (CDP) account. A CDP account allows you to safekeep the Singapore REITs you have purchased.
Choose your REITs
With over 30 REITs listed on SGX to choose from, do research on the different REITs such as their yield, debt to equity ratio and price to book value ratio before making a purchase. You can also invest in REITs from other countries or alternatively, you can purchase a Unit trust or ETF that invests in REITs.
Using CPF to invest
You don’t always have to use cash for these investments. If you are 18 or above, and not an undischarged bankrupt, you might be able to use the CPF Investment Scheme (CPFIS) instead.
What do you need?
Above $20,000 in your Ordinary Account (OA) for CPFIS-OA investments Above $40,000 in your Special Account (SA) for CPFIS-SA investments Before investing your CPF money, note that you earn an extra 1% interest on the first $60,000 in your combined CPF accounts. The amount you can invest is a percentage of your investible savings. This is the sum of your OA balance,including any CPF funds you have withdrawn for investment and education.
What can you invest?
Up to 35% of investible savings can be put in: Shares, REITs and Corporate Bonds. Up to 10% of investible savings can be put into gold Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), or other gold products. There are also restrictions on which specific products you can invest in. These are mainly based on the risk level of the products. For more details, check with your broker (the list is updated regularly).
What happens to the returns?
Returns from your investment will go into your CPFIS account. From there they can either be invested again, or placed in your CPF. Assuming you meet the minimum sum and Medisave requirements, you can request to withdraw the money you make (and any investments) under CPFIS at the age of 55.