Best Investment Brokerage Account for US Stocks 2020

Reasons to invest in US Stocks

Capital growth

The stock market is volatile where stock prices can change from yearly to even in minutes. A way to profit off stock investments is to sell the stock when the share price increases. The profits made is known as “capital gains”. On the other hand, a loss made is termed as “capital loss”. The US stock exchange allows for high potential returns as some of the big companies worldwide such as Apple and Alphabet (Google) are US companies and their stocks are listed on the US stock market.

Diversification

Investors invest in foreign stocks for various reasons such as diversification in terms of geographic location and to expand their investment portfolio to include exposure into the different markets around the world. One common market that investors would consider would be the US stock market, where typically you can trade on NYSE, NASDAQ and sometimes AMEX too.

US Stocks Brokerage Fee Comparison

Broker Name	Minimum Fees (USD)	Contract Value Fees (below $30,000)
Interactive Brokers	$1	US$ 0.005 per share
Saxo Markets	$3	US$ 0.01 per share
TD Ameritrade	$10.65	US$10.65 per trade
Philips Securities (POEMS)	$10.88	$10.88 per trade
CGS-CIMB Securities	$20	0.30%
OCBC Securities	$20	0.30%
DBS Vickers	$25	0.18%

US Stocks Brokerage Account Opening Requirements

Broker Name	Minimum Fund (USD)	Myinfo Linked Account
Saxo Markets	-	Yes
Philips Securities (POEMS)	-	Yes
CGS-CIMB Securities	-	Yes
Interactive Brokers	-	No
OCBC Securities	-	No
DBS Vickers	-	No
TD Ameritrade	$3000	No

Popular Investment Products to Invest in US

Stocks

When owning shares, it indicates that you have partial ownership of the company you have invested in. You can earn returns from investing in shares via dividend paid out by the company or selling of the shares when the share price is higher than it is bought at.

ETFs

ETFs is a collective investment where you are investing in a basket of stocks (or bonds). An ETF aims to track a particular index. For example, the SPDR S&P 500 Trust ETF tracks the S&P 500 Index. The returns of an ETF are meant to match the index that it tracks. So for those who are unable to choose which stocks to invest in, you can consider investing in ETFs instead.

Mutual fund

Mutual fund (also sometimes known as Unit trust) is an actively-managed investment tool. It is a collective investment similar to an ETF. However, it does not track an index unlike an ETF. A mutual fund is a professionally managed investment fund that pools money from many investors into a common portfolio.

Top 10 Blue chip US Stocks to Invest in 2020

Company name	Share price (as of 22 May 2020)	Dividend yield
Berkshire Hathaway	US$175.00	0%
Facebook	US$231.39	0%
Johnson & Johnson	US$146.71	2.74%
Exxon Mobil	US$44.58	7.81%
Alphabet Inc.	US$1,402.80	0%
Microsoft	US$183.43	1.11%
Amazon	US$2,457.11	0%
Apple	US$317.21	1.04%
Visa	US$191.17	0.63%
JPMorgan Chase	US$89.37	3.99%

Costs Associated with Investing in US Shares

Withholding tax on dividends

When investing in US stocks, you have to fill in a declaration (Form W8-BEN) that you are a foreign beneficiary of income from those stocks to the US tax authority. Despite not having to pay capital gains tax on your stock investments, you will be subjected to a 30% withholding tax on your dividends.

Currency risk

This is not limited to US stocks but also applies to foreign stocks in general. When investing in the foreign stock markets, calculations are no longer as straightforward as compared to investing in Singapore stocks. Not only do you have to consider if your share price will increase or decrease, you need to take into account whether the currency in which the stock is denominated goes up or down against your base currency. In most cases of Singaporeans investing in the US stock market, it will be the US dollar against the Singapore dollar.

3 step guide: Investing in US stocks

Step 1Choose an investment brokerage firm

The first step in purchasing shares is to have a brokerage firm as the broker will help you execute your trades. You can choose from the local brokerage firms and US brokerage firms. Unlike investing in SG stocks, you do not need to have a central depository (CDP) account to invest in US stocks.

Step 2Funding your investment account

Before you can start investing, you would have to add funds into the brokerage account. Brokerages can have various payment methods such as bank transfers, cheque, etc. In the case of local brokerages, it may also include PayNow as a form of payment method.

Step 3Place your order

Place an order with your broker to buy or sell your shares. Before placing an order, decide what kind of order you will be placing, i.e. market order or limit order, and also how long the order is valid for, e.g. expires at the end of the trading day or valid till a specific date. Do review your investments from time to time so that you are able to change investment strategies based on market movements if necessary.

How to Choose the Best Investment Brokerage for You?

When you want to invest in US stocks, you will need to have an investment brokerage account. With some many brokerages in the market, it may be difficult to choose one. Here are some factors you can take into consideration before making your choice.

Market access

There are many stock exchanges worldwide and it can be a form of diversification when you invest in stocks from different countries. If you have plans to but do not want to be limited to the US stocks, you may prefer to find a broker that has access to not only the US market but also securities markets of other countries.

Platform's Ease of Use

Different brokerages have different platforms such as websites and mobile apps. It would be advisable to pick brokerages with platforms that you are more familiar or comfortable with. Do also take note of the interface and how user friendly are the platforms and it will affect your overall trading experience.

Scope of products

While selecting your preferred brokerage account, consider what you are planning to invest in. If you want to invest in other asset classes such as in currency (FOREX), CFDs, gold, bonds, you would then consider finding a broker that allows you to invest in these investments.

Fees

One of the most common concerns when choosing a brokerage firm is the fees. There are various types of fees but there are two that most would take note of. Firstly, it is the commission fee, which is the fee charged for every transaction. This is especially important for those who trade frequently. Another would be the minimum fee which is essentially the minimum fee charged regardless of the amount invested. This is usually a concern for small time investors.

Customer Service

While for the most part when using online brokerage, it is more of an independent task. However, at times there may be situations that arise where you require assistance and clarification so customer service comes in handy. One thing to note as due to the time difference between Singapore and the US, it can be helpful if the brokerage has 24/7 customer service such as a hotline or live chat.

Frequently asked questions

How can I invest in US stocks?: You can invest by purchasing the stocks through a brokerage firm. Alternatively, you can invest in ETFs that contains US shares such as the SPDR S&P 500 Trust ETF.
Is it worth buying 10 shares of a stock?: Instead of focusing on quantity, you should instead look into the company and the stock price to determine if it is worth owning. That being said, do note that when trading US stocks, you can even trade as little as 1 share.
Can Singaporeans buy stock in the US?: Yes as long as the brokerage account you have has access to the US stock market. Note that you would have to fill in a declaration (Form W8-BEN) that you are a foreign beneficiary of income from those stocks to the US tax authority.
Do I need different brokers for SG stocks and US stocks?: Not necessarily as some brokers allow you to buy both. So do check what are the markets that the brokerage has access to before opening an account.

Best Investment Brokerage Platform for US Stocks 2020

Refine Your Results

S$3,000

Saxo Markets

S$0

IG

S$0

PhillipCapital (POEMS)

S$0

CMC

S$0

CGS-CIMB Securities

US$3,000

TD Ameritrade