Chin Yi Xuan

Rakuten Trade US stock trading review

Rakuten Trade US Stock Trading Review: What I like, and what's lacking

In the past, investing in the US stock market via Malaysia-regulated brokers has always been complex and expensive.

This caused many investors to opt for overseas brokers to invest in the US market. However, all this changed when Rakuten Trade launched its much-anticipated US stock trading service.

So, is it good?

Right off the bat, I'd say Rakuten Trade is one of the best local brokers for Malaysian investors to invest in the US market. However, it is not without aspects that I wish could be improved upon.

Intrigued to know why? Wonder how Rakuten Trade stands against competitors like Moomoo and Webull?

Let’s find out in this full review!

RELATED POST:

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Highlights of Rakuten Trade US Stock Trading

  • Affordable fees: Rakuten Trade allows users to invest in the US market in either MYR or USD, with commissions from as low as RM1 (MYR trading) or USD0.88 – USD25 (USD trading). This is one of the lowest among Malaysia-regulated platforms.

Rakuten Trade 2025 new brokerage rate

  • RM1/USD0.20 flat brokerage: For newly-activated foreign trading accounts, Rakuten Trade is now offering a RM1/USD0.20 flat brokerage for up to 3 months - making it more affordable to trade the US market!

  • Powerful features: Rakuten Trade users get perks such as Fractional share trading, FREE live datafeed, and a transparent conversion rate while investing in the US market.

  • Access to 3 major markets: Trade the Bursa Malaysia, US, and Hong Kong stock market with Rakuten Trade!

  • Room for improvements: No short-selling, no margin trading, and a lack of order execution feature (eg. Market order) means there is room for improvement for Rakuten Trade.

  • In short, Rakuten Trade is a great option for investors looking to access the US market at an affordable price.  

Rakuten Trade US stock trading review

Open a Rakuten Trade account today!

Rakuten Trade US stock trading fees

Let’s start by addressing the elephant in the room: Is Rakuten Trade’s fee affordable?

For this, it is helpful to know that there are 3 kinds of regulated brokers in Malaysia offering access to overseas market, namely:

  • Traditional investment banks that offer expensive brokerage fees, usually too shy to display their fees transparently on their website. (eg. Maybank)

  • Dedicated brokers trying to disrupt the local brokerage scene with ‘affordable’ fees. Unfortunately, they are still far from affordable, especially for investors with small capital. (eg. FSMOne)

  • Lastly, we have Rakuten Trade, which offers a fee structure that is sensible for Malaysian investors to access the US stock market.

Rakuten Trade Brokerage for the US market

Even without any promotion, Rakuten Trade offers a brokerage fee from as low as RM1/trade. This makes it very fee-friendly to trade with a small amount on Rakuten Trade.

Rakuten Trade 2025 New Brokerage Rate

Comparing trading value side-by-side, this is how much platform fee you’ll be paying using each Malaysia-regulated platform to buy US shares (assuming exchange rate of RM4.35 per USD1):

Rakuten Trade vs Moomoo vs Webull fee comparison in Malaysia
Note: Other non-platform trading fees apply.

For scenarios where your trade value is below $10,000 (~RM2,350), Rakuten Trade offers a more flexible and affordable fee structure for investors without incurring heavy commissions.

Personally, I think Rakuten Trade’s fee structure is game-changing among local brokers.

Now, investors can access the US stock market via a Malaysia-regulated broker at a fraction of the cost, especially for beginner investors with small capital.

Trading experience (Features) 

#1 US Trade Amalgamation - Cost-saving feature for Intraday US trades

In trading, amalgamation is a process where multiple buy or sell orders for the same stock, placed on the same trading day, are combined into a single transaction for settlement purposes.

In other words, instead of being charged separately for each order, you will be charged a single brokerage fee based on the total amalgamated trade volume.

US Trade Amalgamation is a smart cost-optimization tool for savvy and active traders:

  • Encourages more intraday US trades without worrying about stacking multiple brokerage fees.

  • Makes experimenting with higher trading frequency less intimidating for retail traders.

Here's how it works:

Assuming USD 1 = RM4.50

In this scenario above, investors save USD75 in brokerage fees from just four trades. You can save even more if you buy the same stock multiple times in a day, because you’ll only be charged USD25 once for all buy trades made on that day.

Do note that:

  • US trade amalgamation only applies to the same stock bought or sold on the same trading day.

  • The consolidated price will be calculated based on the weighted average price of all trades.

#2 Schedule & automate your investments with Raku-Invest

Raku-Invest as a smart, low-commitment way to build wealth in US markets.

From RM100, you can schedule and automate your investment routine easily in the US market - be it weekly or monthly.

#3 FREE Live Datafeed (*scroll down further for an important update)

Another plus point with Rakuten Trade is all US stock prices are quoted live (ie. Real-Time) on Rakuten Trade.

For many platforms, you’ll usually have to pay for live data, else you’ll only receive a 15-mins delayed datafeed. This is the case for MIDF Invest, another Malaysia-regulated broker that offers US stock trading. 

MIDF Invest only offer delayed pricing, where you have to pay for real-time datafeed.
MIDF Invest only offers delayed pricing, where you have to pay for real-time datafeed.

Hence, it’s great to see Rakuten Trade offering free live datafeed for users. This means that the price displayed for a stock will always be at-the-moment stock price.

Rakuten Trade offers live datafeed for free
Rakuten Trade offers live datafeed for free

*Update 31/3/2023: Subscribe to continue to get FREE live datafeed for US stock market!

Starting April 2023, users who wish to get access to FREE real-time US stocks datafeed will have to subscribe to it at Dashboard -> Setting -> 'Apply for real-time US datafeed'.

Thereafter, you will continue to enjoy FREE real-time US stocks datafeed - just remember to resubscribe every year!

Rakuten Trade US free datafeed subscribe

#4: Buy US stocks in MYR or USD – your choice!

Newly launched in August 2022, Rakuten Trade users can now store USD in their Rakuten Trade account.

This allows users the flexibility to trade US stocks and ETFs with either MYR or USD.

Furthermore, users also have the choice to receive USD or MYR when selling their US stocks.

Related Post: When to buy US stocks in MYR, and when to buy in USD?

Rakuten Trade Buy US stocks in USD
Trade US stocks in MYR or USD - your choice!

#5 Live Conversion + Tight MYR-USD Exchange Rate

Rakuten Trade offers a relatively tight MYR-USD spread for users to easily convert between both currencies within the platform.

Furthermore, the conversion process happens real-time, enabling users to convert MYR to USD (and vice versa) with the latest rate and trade right away.

Lastly, unlike certain brokers, there are no extra fees involved in currency conversion (aside from the spread) so there are no worries about hidden fees.

Rakuten Trade MYR to USD currency conversion rate
Rakuten Trade MYR to USD currency conversion rate

#6 Fractional Trading for the US market

Starting May 2023, Rakuten Trade launched its Fractional Share Trading for US stocks and ETFs.

With fractional trading, Malaysians can buy US shares from 0.01 units instead of the full unit, while selling shares at 0.0001 units. This is a much-awaited feature and it’s great to see it landed on Rakuten Trade.

READ MORE: How to buy fractional shares with Rakuten Trade

Rakuten Trade Fractional Shares Trading

3 Areas of Improvement & why this might not be for active traders

With the launch of US stock trading service, Rakuten Trade is set to disrupt the Malaysia brokerage scene.

That said, I think there are some areas of improvement for Rakuten Trade. Below are 5 key areas that I think Rakuten Trade should strive to improve on to serve users better:

(a) Only support Limit Order and Amount Order for trade execution

Rakuten Trade’s US stock trading platform currently supports 2 execution methods:

  • Limit Order: Limit Order lets investors specify a target price (or better) at which to buy or sell; ideal for those aiming for precise entry or exit levels.

  • Amount Order: (sometimes called “Mount Order”) allows users to invest via a specified Ringgit amount. Rakuten Trade will automatically match that amount to the best available share price in the market. This is available only for US trades placed in MYR.

Personally, I'd like to see Market Order being made available as well. Market Order is an execution feature that allows investors to buy or sell shares at the immediate best price. 

Market Order vs Limit Order
Market Order vs Limit Order

(b) Limited stocks to trade (but it’s improving!) 

Secondly, despite offering access to the US market, Rakuten Trade does not actually offer all of the stocks listed in the US market.

That said, Rakuten Trade has been gradually adding new US stocks and ETFs since its launch. As of 2025, Rakuten Trade offers about 925 stocks, 44+ ADRs & 315+ ETFs listed on the NYSE and Nasdaq exchanges. 

So, I think most investors would not have an issue, as well-known US stocks (eg. Apple, Tesla, Microsfot) and ETFs (eg. VOO, QQQ, VTI) are available to be traded.

[Note]: If you have a stock that you want to trade on Rakuten Trade, you can email your request to Rakuten Trade on the matter.

(c) No short selling and margin trading

Short selling and trading with margin are not available on Rakuten Trade too.

Essentially, this means that the only direction that you can execute on Rakuten Trade is for a stock to go up in price.

Also, you are only able to trade US stocks with the cash that you have in your Rakuten Trade account without access to margin facilities.

While this may turn off some stock traders, it shouldn’t be an issue for most long-term investors.

Regardless, having all these features will certainly help Rakuten Trade serve the needs of different retail participants in the market. 

Who should use Rakuten Trade to trade US stocks?

While imperfect, Rakuten Trade has offered something that all local brokers failed to do: Access to the US stock market at a truly affordable fee via a Malaysia-regulated platform.

In my opinion, Rakuten Trade is a great option if you are:

  • Seeking for a Malaysia-regulated broker to invest in the US stock market.

  • Looking to access the US market at a truly affordable fee.

  • Looking for a user-friendly platform to invest in the US stock market.

At the same time, it may not suit people who are:

  • Active day traders that require market execution (instead of limit order) or more advanced execution features.

  • Traders that need access to margin and the ability to short-sell stocks.

  • Investors or traders that want exposure to more exotic stocks that are not within Rakuten Trade’s list of tradable stocks.

In short, unless you are an active trader, chances are you’ll like what Rakuten Trade has to offer.

Summary: Is Rakuten Trade a good platform to invest in the US market?

As a whole, Rakuten Trade has offered Malaysians a game-changing manner to invest in the US stock market via a locally-regulated broker.

An affordable fee structure, user-friendly interface, and transparent conversion rate should convince many investors to forgo the need to open a foreign brokerage account (and experience all the hassle of funding & withdrawals).

Unless you are an active day trader or you require access to less familiar stocks, I am sure you’ll be happy with what Rakuten Trade has to offer.

If you are keen to open a Rakuten Trade account, consider using my referral link by clicking on the button below!

Open A Rakuten Trade Account Today!

How to sign up to trade US stocks via Rakuten Trade

(A) How to sign up for US stock trading if you are new to Rakuten Trade:

Step 1: Sign up for Cash upfront account

If you are new, you’ll have to sign up for a Rakuten Trade Cash Upfront account.

Consider using my Rakuten Trade referral link by clicking the button below, and you’ll get 1000 RT points (RM10) which can be used to offset your brokerage fee! 

Open A Rakuten Trade Account Today!

If you need help, click HERE for my step-by-step guide to open a Rakuten Trade account.  

Step 2: Get your Rakuten Trade account within 2 working hours

Your Rakuten Trade account will be activated within 2 working hours.  

Step 3: Log in to your Rakuten Trade account and apply for Foreign Stock Trading

Log in to your Rakuten Trade account either via the website or Rakuten Trade’s iSpeed app. You can locate the Foreign Trading activation button easily within the Rakuten Trade platform.  

Activate Foreign Equity Trading Account on Rakuten Trade

Step 4: Submit your application for US stock trading

Spend 1 minute to share some info required to trade the US stock market. Then, submit your application. 

Activate Foreign Equity Trading Account on Rakuten Trade

Step 5: Your Foreign Trading account will be enabled within 2-3 working days

(B) How to sign up for foreign trading if you are an existing Rakuten Trade user:

If you are an existing Rakuten Trade user, just follow Step 3 to Step 5 above and you’ll be good to go!

Disclaimer:

This post contains affiliate links, which afford No Money Lah a small referral (and in return, support this blog) if you sign up for an account using my referral link. The information stated above is based on my personal experience and for purpose of sharing such experience only. It is not intended as professional investment advice. Please contact Rakuten Trade for more information.

by Chin Yi Xuan

Versa Cash & Cash-i Review (2026): Great Alternatives to Fixed Deposit!

Fixed Deposit, or FD, has always been people’s go-to way to save or deposit extra cash. The problem is, it locks your money in for a long time, or requires a high initial deposit to start with.

In this article, let’s look into Versa Cash and Versa Cash-i, a great alternative to FD in Malaysia. Personally, I've been using Versa since 2021 and I absolutely love it!

In this post, let's explore if Versa is for you! 

[NEW: Earn 4% p.a. Nett for New Cash-Ins! Find out more at the end of this post!]

Highlights of Versa Cash & Versa Cash-i

Introduced in 2021 and 2023 respectively, Versa Cash & Versa Cash-i are digital cash management services that provide users competitive returns like FD, but without the troublesome restrictions:

  • Regulated: Versa is regulated by the Securities Commission (SC) of Malaysia.

  • Conventional & Shariah-compliant version: Versa Cash is a conventional fund, while Versa Cash-i is a Shariah-compliant fund.

  • Competitive Return: Through Versa Cash and Cash-i, users can earn a base net return between 3.24% - 3.69% per annum, which is on par with the rates of Fixed Deposit (FD).

  • Low Risk: The underlying funds of Versa Cash and Cash-i are money market funds from AHAM Capital (formerly known as Affin Hwang). These funds invest users’ money in highly liquid & low-risk cash instruments.

  • Flexible & Low Barrier of Entry: Malaysians aged 18 and above can start saving or investing via Versa from as low as RM1. Withdraw anytime without being charged penalty fees.

Versa Cash and Versa Cash-i provide competitive returns on par to FD.

Open a Versa account today!

How do Versa Cash & Versa Cash-i work?

So, how exactly are Versa Cash and Cash-i able to deliver returns that are on par with FD?

This is possible because Versa helps invest users’ cash into money market funds (MMF). MMFs are funds that invest in Fixed Deposits and highly liquid, short-term cash equivalent instruments called Money Market Instruments:

  • Essentially, Money Market Instruments are short-term debts issued by banks to accumulate short-term cash-pile to make up for the shortfall in their daily deposit reserve.

  • Simply put, MMFs are lending money to banks when they buy these Money Market Instruments.  

These instruments are relatively low-risk as they are backed by the banks. Moreover, they are highly liquid with short maturity periods. Regular redemption of matured Money Market Instruments allows MMF to provide a similar rate to FDs without having to lock up users’ capital.

For Versa Cash & Cash-i, the underlying MMFs that they invest in respectively are:

In short, through Versa Cash and Cash-i, you can earn a similar rate to FD through low-risk MMF without having to lock up your funds, unlike conventional FDs.

It is a great choice if you are looking for a competitive and flexible alternative to FDs.

Versa Homepage
Versa Cash and Cash-i provide competitive returns on par with FDs. (Source: Versa's website)

Is Versa Cash Safe to Use?

When it comes to regulation, Versa is regulated by the Securities Commission (SC) of Malaysia. This ensures that Versa is always operating in Malaysia as per the guidelines from the local authority. 

As for the safety of funds, the cash deposits from users are held by a third party (trustee), which is HSBC (Malaysia) Trustee.

In other words, your deposits to Versa are separate from Versa’s company finances. As such, this ensures no deposits can be used for fraudulent purposes and you will always have full access and claim to them no matter what happens to Versa.

Versa Cash Fees & Charges

As a digital cash management platform, Versa Cash and Cash-i do not charge a fee to users. That said, both underlying MMFs do charge reasonable annual fees, as shown below:

Versa Cash (% per annum) Versa Cash-i (% per annum)
Management fee per annum

-0.30%

-0.30%

Trustee fee per annum

-0.05%

-0.05%

Base net return per annum (AFTER fees)

3.89%

3.54%

Next question: Are there any fees on fund withdrawal via Versa?

Unlike FDs, there are no charges when you withdraw your funds from Versa. Withdrawals are expected to be reflected:

  • Versa Cash: Within 1 business day if withdrawal is done before 3pm

  • Versa Cash-i: Within the same day if withdrawal is done before 10am

At this point, perhaps a question that you have in mind is “So how does Versa make money?”.

Aside from Versa Cash and Versa Cash-i (which is free to use), Versa also offers investment services via Versa Invest. Through Versa Invest, Versa will charge a small management fee which is their key income source. 

READ MORE: Versa Invest Review

3 things I like about Versa Cash & Versa Cash-i

#1 Performance on par with conventional Fixed Deposits (FDs)

Through Versa Cash and Cash-i, interests are compounded daily and interest payout is made every month, which is re-invested into the user’s fund.

All of this combined, Versa Cash and Cash-i offer a base net return of 3.69% and 3.24% return per annum (AFTER fees) for users, as of December 2023.

*Returns as of Jan 2025 (please refer to Versa's app for the latest base return figure)

#2 Flexible & Low barrier of entry

2 amazing features of Versa Cash and Cash-i are:

  1. Low barrier of entry: You can start investing or saving with Versa from as low as RM1. Even better, using my exclusive referral code VERSANML4, you can get RM10 credited into your Versa account when you make a minimum deposit of RM100!
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  2. Flexible: There are no charges to open a Versa account. In addition, you can withdraw your funds anytime and there are no fees for withdrawal.

Combined, both these features make a compelling edge against conventional FDs. Reason being, FDs usually have higher minimum deposits & they tend to lock in users for a period of time (and charge a penalty for early withdrawals).

#3 Simple & clean user experience (suitable even for my retired mom!)

Perhaps my favorite experience with Versa is their simple and clean user interface.

As a simple financial platform, I enjoy the design of the app that clearly shows the capital invested and payout.

In fact, when my retired mom was looking for a better FD alternative to save her idle cash, I recommended Versa Cash without hesitation. This is because I know she can navigate the app with clarity & confidence.

Versa UI 2
Versa provides a simple and intuitive user experience that anyone can understand easily.

Risks + What You Need to Know Before Investing in Versa Cash & Cash-i

In this part, let’s look at 3 things that you need to be aware of while investing your money with Versa Cash and Versa Cash-i:

#1 Market risk

While being a relatively stable investment, investing in Money Market Fund (MMF) via Versa still presents exposure to market risk.

One such risk is the fluctuation in interest rates. As an example, if Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) increases interest rates, MMF is likely going to generate higher returns. On the flip side, if BNM reduces interest rates, it’ll also affect the returns of MMF as a result. 

#2 Not protected by PIDM

While investing in Versa, it is important to remember that your fund is not protected by Perbadanan Insurans Deposit Malaysia (PIDM).

PIDM is an organization that protects deposits kept in banks and financial institutions that are a member of PIDM. Conventional bank FDs are usually protected by PIDM.

Eligibility + Is Versa Cash for You?

Versa is open to Malaysian citizens who are 18 years old and above with an NRIC/MyKad. This means that even young Malaysian adults can start building good financial habits by saving/investing from their phones – neat!

That said, are Versa Cash and Cash-i for you?

To answer this question, it is best to first know what Versa Cash and Cash-i are NOT:

  • Versa Cash and Cash-i do not invest in stocks/equities (ie. Higher risk assets). Hence, do not expect mutual fund/robo-advisors-like returns.

  • Versa Cash and Cash-i do not guarantee returns. Even though it invests in low-risk MMF, returns are still subjected to market fluctuation.

Hence, in my opinion, Versa Cash and Cash-i are great for:

  1. People looking for a flexible alternative to FD & typical savings account for general savings
  2. People looking to save for a specific goal (eg. house, car, wedding)
  3. People with extra cash and want to save it for the short-term

Versa Promo Code: VERSANML4

In collaboration with Versa, No Money Lah is bringing an exclusive deal for new users that are keen to start saving or investing with Versa!

Use my dedicated Versa referral code – VERSANML4, and you will get RM10 credited into your account* when you successfully make a minimum deposit of RM100 or more. That’s an instant 10% return on your investment.

Open a Versa account today!

Versa Promo Code - VERSANML4

How to open a Versa Account

Creating a Versa account is simple and straightforward:

Step 1: Click HERE to install the Versa app.

Remember to apply referral code 'VERSANML4' for an exclusive RM10 account-opening reward!

Open a Versa account today!

Step 2: Start your account opening process by keying in the necessary details such as a new display name, email address, and password. 

Versa Account opening
Versa Account Opening process is simple & straightforward

Step 3: You’ll go through a simple identification process where you’ll be asked to verify your mobile number, IC, and personal details. This is a required process by the regulators to make sure it’s the real you that’s opening an account.

Step 4: It’ll take about 2-3 business days to verify your account. Once that’s done, you can start investing in Versa by making your first deposit!

Versa Deposit
Once your account has been verified, you can start depositing funds to Versa!

Versa Cash, StashAway Simple or KDI save?

In terms of offering, Versa Cash and Cash-i’s closest competitor is certainly KDI Save and StashAway Simple. Both offer users flexible and low-barrier access to MMF that pays competitive FD-like rates.

I think this comparison deserves a full article on its own so I’ll attach a link HERE when I come out with a comparison article real soon! 

Personally, I use both Versa, KDI Save, and StashAway Simple to save for different purposes and I am happy with them as an alternative to FD (I think you will, too!).

READ: The Ultimate FD-Killer Showdown: StashAway Simple vs Versa vs KDI Save vs TNG GOinvest

No Money Lah’s Verdict

So there you have it, my review on Versa Cash and Versa Cash-i! If you are looking for an FD alternative to invest/save your cash, Versa is a platform that I can wholeheartedly recommend you to try.  

Personally, I enjoyed using the platform and I think you will, too! 

Open a Versa account today!

Disclaimers

Investment in a money market fund is not the same as placement in a deposit with a financial institution. There are risks involved and investors should consult a financial planner before making any investment decisions.

This post contains affiliate links/code that afford No Money Lah a small amount of commission (and help support the blog) should you sign up through my affiliate link/code.

by Chin Yi Xuan

Moomoo Malaysia Review

Moomoo Malaysia Review (2026): Almost perfect, with some room for improvements

The highly anticipated Moomoo MY is finally launched in Malaysia in late February 2024, allowing Malaysians to trade the US and Malaysia stock market at a highly competitive fee.

Personally, I’ve been using Moomoo MY since their launch.

So, what is it like to invest through Moomoo MY? How's their pricing/fees like compared to other local brokers?

Let’s find out!

Highlights of Moomoo MY

  • Locally-regulated broker: Moomoo MY is regulated by the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC). This ensures that Moomoo MY's operation and business are conducted within the rules set by the authority to protect Malaysian investors.

  • Access to US, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, and Malaysia stock markets + US options market: Invest in the US, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, and Malaysia stock markets + US options market within the moomoo app.

  • Best fee structure for Malaysia-regulated brokers: Moomoo MY offers the most competitive fees for the US and Malaysia stock markets among Malaysia-regulated brokers, with 0 commission trading for all moomoo users for the first 180 days.

  • Powerful features: Investors of all levels and experience will appreciate the useful features that will alleviate their investing experiences, such as fractional share trading, a powerful stock screener, 24/7 news, Moo community, and more.

  • (NEW) Moomoo AI: Moomoo AI makes it super easy for users to gather insights on a stock or ETF - making your research process a breeze.

  • Room for improvements: A rather lackluster Help section in the app, where you would not be able to find answers to many important questions.

Feb 2026 Moomoo Malaysia Promo Code
Mar & Apr 2026 Promotion

Referral Link: Open a Moomoo MY universal account! (Enter promo code 'NML01' when depositing for 2x RM20 Cash Coupon!)

How is Moomoo MY regulated + Safety of Funds

In terms of regulation, Moomoo MY (registered under the name Futu Malaysia Sdn. Bhd.) is regulated by the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC), with a Capital Markets Services License to operate a legal brokerage business:

Moomoo MY is regulated by Securities Commission Malaysia (SC).
Moomoo MY is regulated by Securities Commission Malaysia (SC)

This ensures Moomoo MY is operating under the best practices and guidelines set by the Malaysian authority.

In addition, clients' funds are kept separately from Moomoo MY's finances through a custodian bank account. Moomoo MY will not have access to your funds and assets, ensuring clear transparency to avoid fraud. This also ensures that if something happens to Moomoo MY (eg. Bankruptcy), your funds & assets will not be affected.

Furthermore, Moomoo MY clients' fund is protected by Capital Market Compensation Fund (CMC Fund), where clients can claim up to RM100,000 on eligible Malaysia securities/assets in the unlikely event that Moomoo MY is not able to pay clients due to bankruptcy.

Moomoo Malaysia (MY) is regulated by Securities Commission.
Source: Moomoo MY official site

Moomoo MY fees & pricing for the US, Malaysia, and Singapore stock markets

One of the reasons why Moomoo MY took the investing community by storm is its highly competitive pricing for the US, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and China stock markets.

For pricing, Moomoo MY charges a commission and platform fee respectively. The great news is, new Moomoo MY users will enjoy 0* commission for the first 180 days:

(a) Moomoo MY pricing for Malaysia stocks, ETFs, REITs, and Warrant:

Moomoo MY pricing for Malaysia stocks, ETFs, REITs, and Warrant
Commission RM0* for the first 180 days to new users (*0.03% x Transaction Amount thereafter)
Platform Fee RM3/trade

(b) Moomoo MY pricing for US stocks, ETFs, and REITs:

Moomoo MY pricing for US stocks, ETFs, and REITs
Commission USD0* for the first 180 days to new users (*0.03% x Transaction Amount thereafter)
Platform Fee USD0.99/trade

(c) Moomoo MY pricing for Singapore stocks, ETFs, REITs, Warrants, and DLCs:

Moomoo MY pricing for Singapore stocks, ETFs, REITs, Warrants, and DLCs
Commission SGD0* for the first 180 days to new users (*0.03% x Transaction Amount thereafter, min. SGD3/order)
Platform Fee 0.05% x Transaction Amount, min. SGD5/order

(d) Moomoo MY pricing for Hong Kong Stocks & ETFs

Moomoo MY pricing for HK stocks & ETFs
Commission HKD 0* for the first 180 days to new users (*0.03% x Transaction Amount thereafter, min. HKD 3/order)
Platform Fee HKD15/order

(e) Moomoo MY pricing for China Stocks & ETFs

Moomoo MY pricing for China stocks & ETFs
Commission CNH 0* for the first 180 days to new users (*0.03% x Transaction Amount thereafter, min. CNH 3/order)
Platform Fee CNH 15/order
Moomoo Malaysia commission and platform fees for Malaysia, US, Singapore, Hong Kong, and China stock market
Note: Other non-platform fees apply.

Referral Link: Open a Moomoo MY universal account! (Enter promo code 'NML01' when depositing for 2x RM20 Cash Coupon!)

(f) NEW: Moomoo MY pricing for US fractional shares:

May 2024: Fractional share trading for the US market is a newly launched feature by Moomoo MY.

It allows investors to buy and sell shares in fractional units instead of 1 whole unit. Check out the next section ('My Experience' section) as I cover more about fractional trading on Moomoo MY.

Fractional: Trade Size <1 Share Normal: Trade Size >= 1 Share(s)
Commission Waived USD0* for the first 180 days to new users (*0.03% x Transaction Amount thereafter)
Platform Fee 0.99% x Transaction Amount (capped at USD 0.99/trade) USD0.99/trade

Moomoo MY pricing vs other locally-regulated brokers:

Check this out as I put Moomoo MY's pricing structure in comparison to the likes of Rakuten Trade and Webull Malaysia:

(i) Moomoo MY vs Webull Malaysia vs Rakuten Trade fee comparison for the Malaysia stock market (Promo: First 180 days 0 commission trades for new users):

Moomoo vs Webull vs Rakuten Trade fees comparison (2026)
Note: Other non-platform trading fees apply.

(ii) Moomoo MY vs Webull Malaysia vs Rakuten Trade fee comparison for the US stock market (Promo: First 180 days 0 commission trades for new users):

Moomoo vs Webull vs Rakuten Trade fees comparison (2026)
Note: Rakuten Trade users can trade the US market via USD or RM (*Assuming RM1.00 = USD4.05). **Other non-platform trading fees apply.

Also, take note of other non-platform trading fees that are NOT charged by Moomoo MY while you trade the stock market:

  • Malaysia stock market

For more details, please refer to https://www.moomoo.com/my/pricing

  • US stock market:

For more details, please refer to https://www.moomoo.com/my/pricing

Referral Link: Open a Moomoo MY universal account! (Enter promo code 'NML01' when depositing for 2x RM20 Cash Coupon!)

My experience investing via Moomoo MY (Features):

The moomoo app is one of the most well-designed investing apps that I've used, which managed to combine useful features without compromising much on ease of use.

Below are some of my personal favourites while using the moomoo app to invest in stocks:

LATEST: Elevate your investing experience with Moomoo AI!

Moomoo AI makes it fast and easy to gather investing insights - be it on the overall market or a specific stock/ETF.

Moomoo AI review Malaysia

I like that it gives me quick insights on stocks with just a simple prompt. I can also get ideas on how to filter for stocks.

The ways to use Moomoo AI to elevate your investing experience are limitless.

#1 Real-time US and Malaysia price quotes (or price feed)

Moomoo users will be happy to learn that moomoo offers real-time level 2 US market data for FREE (where you usually have to pay on other trading platforms), as well as FREE level 1 MY market data.

Moomoo Malaysia (MY) users will be getting Free real-time price quotes for US and Malaysia stock markets.

What exactly is Level 2 market data?

Essentially, Level 2 market data allows you to see transaction details (ie. Buy & sell activities) across multiple price levels:

Moomoo MY Level 2 Real Time Price Datafeed

Having level 2 market data is equivalent to having an aerial view of the market. For instance, with Level 2 market data, you can detect in real-time if buyers are buying aggressively (or vice versa) and make better entry decisions.

In short, with level 2 market data, you can get a better gauge of market strength.

#2 Fractional share trading for the US market on Moomoo MY

Fractional share trading is a newly introduced feature by Moomoo MY. It allows users to invest in a fraction of a share from just $5.00 instead of buying the whole share.

Simply put, fractional share trading makes investing with a small capital much more friendly and flexible.

i. Example: Buy fractional share from just $5.00

1 unit of Apple share is worth $189.73/unit. With fractional share trading on Moomoo MY, I am able to buy 0.03 units of Apple share at $5.6919 ($189.73 x 0.03 units).

Moomoo MY US fractional share trading Malaysia

ii. Cost of Fractional Trading on Moomoo MY vs Rakuten Trade

At this point, Rakuten Trade is another locally-regulated broker that offers fractional share trading.

Let's compare which is better in terms of cost when it comes to fractional trading:

Moomoo Malaysia Fractional Share Trading Fees vs Rakuten Trade
Note: Rakuten Trade users can trade the US market via USD or RM (*Assuming RM1.00 = USD4.73). **Other non-platform trading fees apply.

iii. Conditions for Fractional Trading on Moomoo MY

  • Not all US stocks and ETFs support fractional trading. To see if a stock or ETF is eligible for fractional share trading, look for the 'Fractional Share' symbol:

Fractional share trading on Moomoo Malaysia

  • Only day orders are supported, and attached orders or short selling are not allowed

  • The minimum order size for fractional trading is 0.0001 shares on Moomoo MY. For fractional trading buying, the minimum order amount is $5.00.

  • Once submitted, the quantity of fractional shares orders is not allowed to be edited

  • Whole share orders are not allowed to be changed to fractional shares orders

  • Editing the price of a limit order for fractional shares is supported after submission and before the order is fully executed or closed.

Moomoo Malaysia Fractional Share Trading Price and Fees

#3 Visual information on stocks or ETFs within the app

In terms of app design, the moomoo app is also the best stock investing app I've tried so far which puts financial information into easily understandable visuals & charts.

From revenue breakdown, shareholders, dividends, and more, I can get a clear picture of a stock without having to visit other external websites:

Moomoo Malaysia (MY) review: Clear visual information on the financial status of a company.
Moomoo Malaysia (MY) review: Clear visual information on the financial status of a company.

#4 Complete trade order execution features, from basic to advanced executions

Having tried many locally-regulated brokerages, I come to appreciate the different trade order execution features that Moomoo MY is offering to users on the moomoo app.

Aside from the basic market and limit orders, I discovered various order execution features (eg. Stop order, Limit-if-Touched), which makes trade execution more versatile for investors and traders alike, regardless of style.

#5 Powerful screener & 24/7 news update

The stock screener within the moomoo app also impressed me. This screener can be super simple, or as sophisticated as you want.

From fundamental to technical filters, you can filter for stocks based on your preferred criteria:

Moomoo Malaysia (MY) review: Stock screener

It is also extremely convenient to get the latest financial news in the moomoo app.

Even better, the news is real-time and updated 24/7, making it easy for you to get in touch with the latest updates of the market and the companies that you are investing in.

Moomoo Malaysia (MY) review: Get 24/7 news update

#6 Moo community

Within the moomoo app, you'll find a vibrant Moo community, comprised of global moomoo users sharing their thoughts and insights on the market.

Moomoo Malaysia (MY) review: Enjoy the vibrant Moo community

Not to mention various live webinars that allow you to keep up with the most happening events in the market:

Moomoo Malaysia (MY) review: Enjoy the vibrant Moo community

#7 Earn up to 3.5%* per annum on your cash via Cash Plus (*T&C applies)

As a Moomoo MY client, you can also enjoy a low-risk, competitive return on idle cash when you sign up for moomoo's latest Cash Plus funds.

Benefits of Cash Plus:

  • Daily returns: Up to 3.5%* p.a. daily returns even on weekends. (*Based on 1-year past returns on Maybank Retail Money Market-I Fund and United Money Market Fund-Class R as of May 2024).

  • Low barrier of entry: Subscribe to Cash Plus from RM0.01. There is no maximum amount on how much you deposit in Cash Plus.

  • Flexible: Your Cash Plus deposits can be redeemed for stock trading at any time.

  • Zero Fees: All you earn is yours to keep

Moomoo Malaysia Cash Plus returns

3 types of Cash Plus funds:

2 of the Cash Plus funds are MYR money market funds, while there is 1 USD cash fund:

Moomoo Malaysia Cash Plus MYR and USD money market Funds

This means you have the choice to earn interest/returns in either MYR or USD, neat!

Check out how to subscribe to Cash Plus below!

How to subscribe to Moomoo Cash Plus

Referral Link: Open a Moomoo MY universal account! (Enter promo code 'NML01' when depositing for 2x RM20 Cash Coupon!)

Explore many more exciting and useful features that moomoo has to offer!

Aside from the features that I mentioned above, there are MANY more useful gems waiting for you and me to discover on moomoo!

Some other useful features include Market Position Overview, 'Concepts', and Short Sale Analysis, which I covered in my Moomoo MY feature review.

Moomoo Malaysia (MY) review: Market Position Overview
Moomoo: Market Position Overview shows where other shareholders got into their positions.

Personally, I am always discovering new features as I explore the moomoo app, and I will update this review as I come across features that I really like!

Referral Link: Open a Moomoo MY universal account! (Enter promo code 'NML01' when depositing for 2x RM20 Cash Coupon!)

What I wish could be improved

From my time using the moomoo app, there are a few things that I wish could be improved:

#1 Lackluster 'Help section'

As an online stock investing platform, I find the 'Help' section of moomoo's app to be lacking in important information compared to other competitors.

Simply put, I couldn't find answers to many commonly asked questions, such as:

Are there fees to corporate action, such as Dividend Reinvestment Plan (DRIP) and rights issue? What to do if I want to subscribe to corporate action?

Source: Moomoo MY Help Center

How is Moomoo MY regulated? Who/which bank is the custodian bank that Moomoo MY has appointed to hold customers' funds?

Is Moomoo MY a nominee or direct CDS account for investing in the Malaysia stock market?

Can I apply for an IPO? If yes, how?

Can I apply to join an AGM? If yes, how?

As such, from my time using moomoo, I find myself reaching out to Moomoo MY's customer support for help - which is a mixed-bag experience on its own - more in the next point.

#2 My experience with Moomoo MY's customer support is rather hit-or-miss

Thanks to a half-baked 'Help' section, I spent a fair amount of time reaching out to Moomoo MY's 24/5 customer support for help and clarification.

Moomoo MY offers 3 channels for users to reach out for help, namely: Livechat, Phone support (03-9212 0708), and email ([email protected]).

What I appreciate about Moomoo MY customer support:

  • Multiple channels to reach out for help.
  • 24-hour support for live chat and phone support on working days.
  • Simple questions that require standard answers are addressed quickly.

Simple questions are addressed quickly, though I wish the answers can be available in the 'Help' section instead.

What I wish could be better with Moomoo MY customer support:

  • As an existing Moomoo SG and Moomoo MY user, I am always directed to Moomoo SG chat agent before I am redirected to Moomoo MY support, where I'll need to readdress my questions. I wish Moomoo could streamline the system for both Moomoo MY and Moomoo SG users so it is easier for us to get help.

  • I also faced a difficult time trying to get answers to certain questions, such as which exact custody bank/trust is Moomoo MY using to store clients' assets (eg. funds, stocks).

As a whole, as an online investing/trading platform, I wish to see more improvements in Moomoo MY's Help section and customer support, as they are the only way users can seek assistance when they need help.

Regardless, since Moomoo MY is still relatively new to the local market, I shall revisit their Help section and customer support in the coming months and see if there are any improvements.

Verdict: Moomoo MY is providing the best value for money for Malaysia investors

The launch of Moomoo MY in Malaysia has certainly disrupted the brokerage industry with its attractive pricing & fee offering, coupled with a featureful investing platform.

Now, it is even more affordable for Malaysians to get access to the US, Singapore, and Malaysia stock markets thanks to Moomoo MY.

Despite missing a few features and a slightly lackluster customer support (which I think could be improved with time), I think all these are not dealbreakers for me to recommend Malaysians to give Moomoo MY a try.

Referral Link: Open a Moomoo MY universal account! (Enter promo code 'NML01' when depositing for 2x RM20 Cash Coupon!)

Step-by-step: How to open a Moomoo MY universal account & make your deposit

Opening a Moomoo MY universal account is one of the smoothest I've experienced among all the other investing platforms I've tried.

Step 1: Use my referral link HERE to open your Moomoo MY universal account, where you'll get to enjoy various account-opening perks.

Moomoo Malaysia Nov - Dec 2025 Promotion - Free Apple Shares

Referral Link: Open a Moomoo MY universal account! (Enter promo code 'NML01' when depositing for 2x RM20 Cash Coupon!)

Step 2: Fill in your personal details

Moomoo Malaysia (MY) Review: How to open an account

Step 3: Verify your identity through your IC

Moomoo Malaysia (MY) Review: How to open an account

Step 4: Provide your tax information, including your Tax Identification Number (TIN) (ie. LHDN number).

Moomoo Malaysia (MY) Review: How to open an account

Alternatively, if you do not have a TIN number (eg. you are a student), you can enter your IC accordingly.

Moomoo Malaysia (MY) Review: How to open an account

Step 5: Enter your employment details and financial information:

Moomoo Malaysia (MY) Review: How to open an account

Step 6: You'll be required to scan your face for verification purposes.

Moomoo Malaysia (MY) Review: How to open an account

Step 7: Read through the Customer's Declaration and proceed should there be no issue

Moomoo Malaysia (MY) Review: How to open an account

Step 8: If the application goes smoothly, your account should be approved within 1 - 3 business days. At the same time, you'll also receive an email once your account is approved.

Moomoo Malaysia (MY) Review: How to open an account

Step 9: Head over to 'Account' > 'More' > 'Deposit' to get instructions on how to make your deposit.

Essentially, the deposit process can be done through (i) FPX transfer (recommended, as deposit is usually done within 5 minutes) or (ii) Bank transfer.

As for deposit via (ii) Bank transfer, log in to your bank account and make the transfer to the Moomoo MY bank details as shown to you.

Moomoo Malaysia (MY): How to deposit funds

[Reminder] Remember to claim your account-opening perks! (Under 'Me' > 'Promotion' > Click to redeem your account opening and deposit reward)

Moomoo Malaysia (MY) account opening promotion

Moomoo MY FAQ (Answers extracted directly from customer support)

Ques: Can I attend AGM for the MY and US stocks that I invest in?

Answer: AGM for US stocks: Moomoo MY does not currently support US Shareholders Meeting

AGM for MY stocks: If you want to attend the MY Shareholders Meeting, kindly drop Moomoo MY an email at least 10 business days before the Shareholders Meeting date at [email protected], the email needs to include: 1. A description of the content: Live voting or E-voting. 2. Your Name, Moomoo ID, Contact Number, and Stock code for the meeting. 3. The address of current status quo residence. (in English) Upon receiving your email, Moomoo MY will reply to you with any details.

Ques: I am an existing Moomoo SG user, can I still use my Moomoo SG universal account after opening my Moomoo MY universal account?

Answer: Moomoo MY and Moomoo SG are two different independent brokerage, will not affect each others

Ques: Any fees for corporate actions like DRIP, and rights issue?

Answer: Moomoo MY does not charge any processing fees for corporate actions of stocks (except for handling General Meeting matters). However, any third-party/exchange charges are still applicable to client.

Ques: Is Moomoo MY a nominee or direct CDS account for investing in Malaysia stocks?

Answer: Nominee CDS account

Disclaimers:

All views expressed are the independent opinions of myself, which are not shared by Futu Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. ("Moomoo MY"). No content shall be considered financial advice or recommendation. Moomoo MY links are included in this post, through which referrals are made and I may receive certain commissions. Please contact Moomoo MY for more information.

by Chin Yi Xuan

Moomoo Malaysia regulation and safety - securities commission malaysia (SC)

I didn't trust Moomoo Malaysia (MY), until I learned that…

You've probably come to this article as you are unsure if you should use moomoo MY as your go-to platform to build your investment and trading portfolio.

Over the past 1 year since its launch in Malaysia, I've received many inquiries on moomoo MY.

In today's post, I'd like to address the most-asked question of all:

Is moomoo MY a trustworthy and reliable platform to invest and trade stocks?

In this post, I'll focus my research on the reliability of moomoo MY as a trading platform - let's go!

Related Links

Highlights: I didn't trust Moomoo, until I learned that...

  • It is a locally-regulated broker in Malaysia: Moomoo MY is regulated by the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC). This ensures that moomoo MY’s operation and business are conducted within the rules set by the authority to protect Malaysian investors.

  • My funds in moomoo MY are safe & protected: Moomoo MY clients’ fund is protected by Capital Market Compensation Fund (CMC Fund), allowing me to claim up to RM100,000 on eligible Malaysia securities/assets in the unlikely event that moomoo MY is unable to pay clients due to bankruptcy or fraud.

  • It is owned by a publicly-listed company: Moomoo MY's parent company, Futu Holdings is publicly listed in the US (NASDAQ: FUTU) with a market cap of over USD 16 billion as of Financial Year (FY) 2024.

  • Futu Holdings is a strong brand & reliable brand for securities trading: Aside from Malaysia, FUTU has a growing & strong presence in the US, Canada, Australia, Japan, Singapore, and Hong Kong, with over 25 million global users.

Feb 2026 Moomoo Malaysia Promo
Mar & Apr 2026 Promotion

Referral: Open a moomoo MY universal account (Enter code 'NML01' when depositing for 2x RM20 Cash Coupon!)

What is Moomoo Malaysia (MY)?

Moomoo MY (registered under the name Moomoo Securities Malaysia Sdn. Bhd.) is Malaysia's top one-stop trading platform that offers access to the stock market in addition to the most updated financial news, investment education, and community learning.

Its parent company, Futu Holdings, is listed in the US stock market (NASDAQ: FUTU).

Who are FUTU largest shareholders?

Founded in 2007, Futu Holdings is listed in the US stock market (NASDAQ) in 8th of March, 2019.

As of March 2025, FUTU 2 major shareholders are the CEO of FUTU, Mr Leaf Hua Li (36.6%), with backing from Tencent Holdings (20.55%) - the largest publicly-listed company in Hong Kong by market cap. Aside from that, BlackRock and Morgan Stanley also own a stake of 1.92% and 1.73% in FUTU respectively:

How is Moomoo MY regulated + Safety of Funds

(1) Regulated by Securities Commission Malaysia (SC)

In terms of regulation, Moomoo MY (registered under the name Moomoo Securities Malaysia Sdn. Bhd.) is regulated by the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC), with a Capital Markets Services License to operate a legal brokerage business:

Moomoo Malaysia is regulated by the Securities Commission of Malaysia (SC)
Source: Securities Commission Malaysia Investment Checker

(2) Member & trading participant of Bursa Malaysia

As a trading participant of Bursa Malaysia, Moomoo MY must adhere to just & equitable principles, act with due skill, care, and diligence, and ensure the market remains orderly and fair.

In other words, moomoo MY must ensure its business activities are run as per the best practices & rules set by the authority:

Moomoo Malaysia is a trading participant of Bursa Malaysia
Source: Bursa Malaysia

(3) Moomoo MY does not have access to your funds and assets

To ensure clear transparency and avoid fraud,  clients’ funds are kept separately from moomoo MY’s finances through a custodian bank account. 

This also ensures that if something happens to moomoo MY (eg. Bankruptcy), your funds & assets will not be affected.

(4) Your funds are protected by Capital Market Compensation Fund (CMC Fund)

As an additional layer of security, Moomoo MY clients’ fund is protected by Capital Market Compensation Fund (CMC Fund).

This allows clients to claim up to RM100,000 on eligible Malaysia securities/assets in the unlikely event that moomoo MY is unable to pay clients due to bankruptcy or fraud.

p.s. One thing to note is that just like all other brokerages in Malaysia, Moomoo MY is not covered under Perbadanan Insurans Deposit Malaysia (PIDM) which covers eligible deposits up to RM250,000 per depositor per member bank. Instead, moomoo MY's clients are covered under the Capital Market Compensation Fund as mentioned above.

How Moomoo MY is establishing a strong presence in the investing community

In this section, I'll take an aerial view and explore not just Moomoo MY, but its parent company, Futu Holdings, as a business:

Part 1: moomoo business in Malaysia

Moomoo MY is launched in Malaysia in late February 2024. At the time of this writing, it has been more than 1 year from the launch.

Moomoo MY started by offering access to the Malaysia and US stock markets, which then incrementally introduced features such as:

  • Access to Malaysia, US, Singapore, Hong Kong, and China stock markets

  • The first Malaysia-regulated broker to offer options trading for the US market

  • Cash Plus feature, consisting of low-risk, competitive yield funds for idle cash

  • Fractional share trading for US market and odd lots trading for Malaysia & Hong Kong markets

  • One-stop e-IPO subscription while offering margin facility to subscribe to IPO

  • And many more

For more in-depth review of moomoo MY features and pricing, check out my full review HERE.

Within 7 months of operation, moomoo MY has attracted 500,000 users, with an average of 2,300 new sign-ups daily, demonstrating strong market recognition.

Source: FUTU Q3 2024 results

Part 2: moomoo Business around the world

moomoo MY's parent company, Futu Holding (FUTU), has been established for 12 years and was listed on the NASDAQ exchange in 2019. 

FUTU is traded on the US stock market (NASDAQ)

Besides Malaysia, FUTU has securities businesses in the US, Canada, Australia, Japan, Singapore, and Hong Kong, with over 25 million global users.

Source: FUTU Q4 2024 Financial Report

In other words, the entities of FUTU are licensed & regulated by the respective authorities of the countries they are in:

  • US: Regulated by the US. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and National Futures Association (NFA) 

  • Singapore: Regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS)

  • Australia: Regulated by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC)

  • Canada: Regulated by the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO)

  • Malaysia: Regulated by the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC)

Is FUTU, Moomoo MY's parent company thriving as a business?

With growing presence globally, FUTU has achieved steady growth throughout the years.

That said, how does FUTU make money?

As of the latest Financial Year (FY) 2024, FUTU's key revenue comes from Interest Income (49.06%) and Brokerage Commission (44.48%).

While it is no secret that Interest Income and Brokerage Commission are 2 important sources of income for a brokerage business, FUTU's unique expansion strategy is what makes the company shine:

As of the Financial Year (FY) 2024, FUTU has acquired more than 25 million registered users globally.

By growing their presence via competitive fees and quality products & service, it has helped accelerate FUTU's customer acquisition. With this trajectory, I am optimistic about FUTU's growth as a company.

FUTU Q4 2024 Result

#1 Steady Revenue & Net Income Growth:

FUTU has delivered steady growth in revenue and net income over the years.

In Financial Year (FY) 2024, FUTU achieved a USD1.75B in revenue (+36.52% growth) and USD699.56M in net income (+27.66% growth) respectively.

#2 Steady growth delivered continuous value to investors

FUTU's steady growth has been rewarding to investors in return.

For instance, FUTU's Earning-Per-Share (EPS) continued to grow with time, hitting USD5.01/share in FY 2024, a 27.79% growth over the previous year.

FUTU's Return on Equity (ROE) has also been encouraging at 20.71% in FY2024 (+9.86% growth over previous year). A positive and growing ROE indicates that FUTU is utilizing investors' capital efficiently to grow the company.

#3 A healthy margin and efficient headcount

FUTU also runs its business at a healthy margin of 39% to 40+% over the years.

A key advantage of FUTU as a digital brokerage over traditional brokerages is the company's ability to:

  • Leverage on technology (eg. online account opening and customer support) and;

  • Rely less on physical space, resulting in a more efficient business which translates to a more profitable business model.

Despite the company's expansion, FUTU ensures that revenue continues to grow with every hire (headcount).

No Money Lah's Verdict: Featureful & reliable trading platform for all Malaysians

So there you have it - my walkthrough on Moomoo MY's background as a brokerage and the business of its parent company (FUTU).

I hope this gives you a clearer picture of moomoo and the progress the team made over the years, as a display of their commitment to serve the global community when it comes to wealth-building and investing.

If you have any questions, feel free to leave them at the comment section!

Referral: Open a moomoo MY universal account (Enter code 'NML01' when depositing for 2x RM20 Cash Coupon!)

Disclaimers:

All views expressed are the independent opinions of myself, which are not shared by Moomoo Securities Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. (“Moomoo MY”). No content shall be considered financial advice or recommendation. Moomoo MY links are included in this post, through which referrals are made and I may receive certain commissions. Please contact Moomoo MY for more information.

by Chin Yi Xuan

Interactive Brokers (IBKR) Review

Interactive Brokers (IBKR) Long-Term Review: The BEST broker in the world?

Interactive Brokers (IBKR) is a global broker that offers users access to different asset classes across 150 markets.

I've been an IBKR user for some time and in this review, let’s learn about IBKR, and if it is for you!

RELATED:

Highlights of Interactive Brokers (IBKR)

  • Strong regulation background: IBKR is a global broker regulated in 10 countries including the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Europe, Australia, Hong Kong, and Singapore.

  • Trade multi-assets with just one account: In addition, IBKR users also gain access to a huge variety of products/instruments such as stocks, bonds, ETFs, FX, futures, and options at a highly competitive commission.

  • For who: IBKR is a no-brainer for investors looking to gain access to global markets at a low commission. However, IBKR's downside (in my opinion) is a platform design and user experience that is not as beginner-friendly as other investing platforms around.

Regulation and Safety

With financial scams on the rise globally, it is crucial to choose a broker that is well-regulated and reliable.

IBKR is one of the most reliable global brokers in the world as it is regulated by financial authorities in over 10 countries. Regulation by the major financial authorities in the world ensures that IBKR users’ interests are always protected.

Some of the key regulations that IBKR has obtained include:

  • US: Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) and Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC)

  • UK: The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)

  • Australia: Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC)

  • Hong Kong: Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission

  • Singapore: Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS)

In addition, IBKR is a publicly-listed company in the US (NASDAQ: IBKR) with a strong presence globally. It handles over 2M client accounts worldwide.

View Interactive Brokers full list of regulations

4 reasons why IBKR is the best global broker

If you have been investing for a while, you should be familiar with Interactive Brokers (IBKR) among all other brokerages.

What exactly makes IBKR so well-known compared to other brokers in the market?

#1 IBKR offers a huge selection of markets + asset classes for new & seasoned investors

IBKR is truly a platform that accommodates the needs of beginners and experienced investors alike.

  • Multi-assets: Aside from the usual stocks, ETFs, and bonds, IBKR users will get access to instruments such as futures, forex, mutual funds, and options. With an IBKR account, you are almost certainly going to find an investment vehicle that suits your need.

  • Global market access: IBKR offers access to over 150 markets in 34 countries. Aside from the usual US market, you get access to markets in the UK, Europe, Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, and more with just one account.

IBKR offers global access to various markets.

Find out more about Interactive Brokers' tradeable markets

--

A personal note as an IBKR user:

The global access that IBKR brings to the table for everyday investors like myself is truly valuable. It brings a lot of flexibility to investors with investing options outside of the US.

Example: As a non-US citizen that wants to invest in the S&P500, in order to avoid the 30% withholding tax that the US government charges on dividends, I have to opt for Ireland-domiciled S&P500 ETF listed in the London Stock Exchange (eg. CSPX, VUAA) instead of US-listed S&P500 ETFs (eg. VOO, SPY).

Since most brokers do not offer access to the UK stock market, IBKR comes in as a solid choice. 

#2 Highly competitive commission plans

On top of global market access, IBKR offers these markets at a highly competitive commission.

In my opinion, IBKR is the platform to go for investors looking for affordable access to the global market.

Refer to the next commission section of this article for more detailed elaboration.

Explore Interactive Brokers commission

#3 Fractional Trading

IBKR offers access to fractional shares in the US and European stock market, which is a rare feature among brokers.

Fractional trading allows investors to buy stocks at a fraction of the price via smaller units. Hence, it makes owning expensive stocks much easier for everyday investors.

Explore Interactive Brokers Fractional Trading

IBKR Fractional Trading
IBKR offers fractional trading which is rare among brokers.

#4 Beginner + advanced trading platforms

To accommodate different investors, IBKR offers several trading platforms for users to select from. 3 of the more commonly used IBKR platforms are:

  • Client Portal (web)

Client Portal is the desktop interface that all IBKR users will come across when they log in to their IBKR account.

Client Portal offers a straightforward and featureful interface for users to view their portfolios and execute simple buy and sell orders.

Explore Interactive Brokers Client Portal

View your portfolio with ease on IBKR Client Portal

Investors who prefer a simple investing interface would find the Client Portal the most convenient way to navigate around IBKR.

Execute simple trades on IBKR Client Portal

  • IBKR Mobile

IBKR Mobile is the simplified mobile version of IBKR's Client Portal. It makes it easy for users to trade on the go via their mobile devices.

Explore IBKR Mobile

  • IBKR Trader Workstation (TWS)

TWS is IBKR’s dedicated trading platform for a more in-depth customization and trading experience.

Traders that require more in-depth charting and a platform that is highly customizable could opt for TWS as their go-to platform.

Explore IBKR TWS

IBKR Trader Workstation provides a customizable experience for seasoned traders.

IBKR Commission/Pricing for Stocks & ETFs

When it comes to commission, IBKR offers several commission plans - mainly Tiered or Fixed fees for non-US residents.

In other words, the commission you pay when you trade will differ based on the plans that you choose.

Let’s look at the commission plans for some of the familiar stock markets below:

Explore IBKR Commission & Pricing

US market:

Monthly Volume (shares) IBKR Pro - Tiered IBKR Pro - Fixed IBKR Lite (only for US residents)
≤ 300,000 USD 0.0035 USD 0.005 USD 0.00
300,001 - 3,000,000 USD 0.0020 USD 0.005  USD 0.00 
3,000,001 - 20,000,000 USD 0.0015 USD 0.005  USD 0.00 
20,000,001 - 100,000,000 USD 0.0010 USD 0.005  USD 0.00 
> 100,000,000 USD 0.0005 USD 0.005 USD 0.00 
Min. per order USD 0.35 USD 1.00 USD 0.00
Maximum per order 1% of trade value 1% of trade value USD 0.00
Additional 3rd party fees Regulatory fees, exchange fees, clearing fees, pass-through fees Regulatory fees Regulatory fees

Explore IBKR Commission for the US market

Canada market (for CAD-denominated stocks/ETFs):

Monthly Volume (shares) Tiered Fixed
≤ 300,000 CAD 0.008 CAD 0.01
300,001 - 3,000,000 CAD 0.005 CAD 0.01 
3,000,001 - 20,000,000 CAD 0.004 CAD 0.01 
20,000,000 CAD 0.003 CAD 0.01 
Min. per order CAD 1.00 CAD 1.00
Maximum per order 0.5% of trade value 0.5% of trade value
Additional 3rd party fees Regulatory fees, exchange fees, clearing fees None

p.s. Click HERE for IBKR's commission on USD-denominated CAD stocks/ETFs.

Explore IBKR Commission for the Canadian market

UK (GBP-denominated stocks/ETFs):

Monthly Trade Value (EUR) Tiered Fixed – IB SmartRoutine Fixed - Direct Routing
≤ 40,000,000 0.05% of trade value 0.05% of trade value 0.10% of trade value
40,000,000.01 - 80,000,000 0.03% of trade value 0.05% of trade value 0.10% of trade value 
80,000,000.01 - 400,000,000 0.02% of trade value 0.05% of trade value 0.10% of trade value 
> 400,000,000 0.015% of trade value 0.05% of trade value  0.10% of trade value 
Min. per order GBP 1.00 GBP 3.00 GBP 4.00
Additional 3rd party fees Regulatory, Exchange & clearing fee None None

UK (for USD-denominated stocks/ETFs):

Monthly Trade Value (EUR) Tiered Fixed – IB SmartRouting Fixed - Direct Routing
≤ 50,000,000 0.05% of trade value 0.05% of trade value 0.10% of trade value
50,000,000.01 - 100,000,000 0.03% of trade value 0.05% of trade value  0.10% of trade value 
100,000,000.01 - 500,000,000 0.02% of trade value 0.05% of trade value  0.10% of trade value 
> 500,000,000 0.015% of trade value 0.05% of trade value 0.10% of trade value 
Min. per order USD 1.70 USD 4.00 USD 6.00
Additional 3rd party fees Exchange & clearing fee None None

Hong Kong (HKD-denominated stocks/ETFs):

Monthly Trade Value (HKD) Tiered Fixed
≤ 15,000,000 Tier I - 0.05% of Trade Value 0.08% of Trade Value
15,000,000.01 - 300,000,000 Tier II - 0.05% of Trade Value 0.08% of Trade Value
300,000,000.01 - 900,000,000 Tier III - 0.03% of Trade Value 0.08% of Trade Value
900,000,000.01 - 2,000,000,000 Tier IV - 0.02% of Trade Value 0.08% of Trade Value
> 2,000,000,000 Tier V - 0.015% of Trade Value 0.08% of Trade Value
Min. per order Tier I - HKD 18.00
 Tier II - HKD 12.00

Tier III - HKD 8.00

Tier IV - HKD 6.00

Tier V - HKD 4.00

HKD 18.00
Maximum per order 0.5% of trade value 0.5% of trade value
Additional 3rd party fees Regulatory fees, exchange fees, clearing fees Regulatory Fees

p.s. Refer HERE for IBKR's commission on China RMB-denominated stocks/ETFs listed in Hong Kong.

Explore IBKR Commission for the Asian market

Singapore (SGD-denominated stocks/ETFs):

Monthly Trade Value (SGD) Tiered Fixed
≤ 2,500,000 Tier I - 0.08% of Trade Value 0.08% of Trade Value
2,500,000.01 - 50,000,000 Tier II - 0.05% of Trade Value 0.08% of Trade Value 
50,000,000.01 - 150,000,000 Tier III - 0.03% of Trade Value 0.08% of Trade Value 
> 150,000,000 Tier IV - 0.02% of Trade Value 0.08% of Trade Value 
Min. per order Tier I - SGD 2.50
 Tier II - SGD 1.60

Tier III - SGD 1.20

Tier IV - SGD 0.90

SGD 2.50
Additional 3rd party fees Exchange fees None

p.s. Refer HERE for IBKR's commission on USD, GBP, HKD, and EUR-denominated stocks/ETFs listed in Singapore.

Explore IBKR Commission for the Singapore market

IBKR Commission for Futures, Options, Forex, CFD, Mutual Funds, and more

Aside from stocks, IBKR also offers access to instruments such as Futures, Options, Forex, CFD, Bonds, Mutual Funds, and more.

Feel free to view IBKR's full list of commission below:

View Interactive Brokers Platform Fees

Which IBKR commission plan to choose?

As you can see, IBKR offers access to a lot of markets, alongside different plans, mainly Tiered and Fixed.

The question is, which IBKR fee structure should you choose?

In my opinion, IBKR’s Tiered plan makes the most sense for most investors. This is because it has a lower minimum commission per trade, and it gets cheaper as your trade value or trade volume increases.

While opening your IBKR account, you will be asked to select the kind of account (Tiered/Fixed) you are planning to open. But don’t worry, you can always change your account types once you open an account.

What I don’t like about IBKR

Despite all the good things about IBKR, it is not a perfect platform.

The irony is, IBKR's biggest downside stems from its pursuit of offering every market and feature available in the investing world to the users.

As a result, it makes IBKR rather not beginner-friendly to navigate around. As a new IBKR user, it is easy to feel overwhelmed to use IBKR.

You will most likely need to google for guides on most things relating to IBKR (in order to do it right) - from account opening, funding & withdrawals, how to make a trade, and more.

The bright side?

Resources and guides around IBKR are plentiful on the internet so it is not the end of the world.

However, the fact that I have to google around for guides just to navigate around the IBKR platform is still annoying at times.

Is Interactive Brokers (IBKR) for you?

In my opinion. IBKR is the most featured-packed investing platform that the investing world can offer so far.

As such, it is more than fair to say that IBKR is created for all investors and traders – beginners to seasoned alike.

If I need to be more specific, here are 3 reasons why you should consider IBKR over other brokers:

  • You want to have affordable access to global markets aside from the usual US market offered by all other brokers. (eg. I get access to Ireland-domiciled ETFs on the London Stock Exchange via IBKR)

  • You want to invest in a reliable platform that has gone through the test of time.

  • You want to trade different instruments (eg. Forex, futures, options) aside from the usual stocks and ETFs offered by most of the other brokers.

Open an IBKR account today!

How to open an Interactive Brokers (IBKR) account: A step-by-step guide

Before you open an account, you will need to create a username & password on IBKR.

Click the button below to start creating your username and password. Once done, you will need to verify your email address.

Create your Interactive Brokers username & password

Once done, login to IBKR and begin your application.

Step 1: Personal Information

Select your account type (Individual) and key in your personal information.

Interactive Brokers Account Opening Guide

You will also be required to key in your Tax Identification Number (TIN) [LHDN number if you are from Malaysia].

Interactive Brokers Account Opening Guide

Tips: Do not have a TIN?

If you are a student or do not have a TIN for some reason (eg. Housewife), click 'Not Applicable' and justify why you don’t have a TIN under ‘Other’ (eg. I am still a student).

Interactive Brokers Account Opening Guide

Next, select the base currency (USD) for your account.

This streamlines all the figures displayed in your IBKR account in USD. Don’t worry too much about this, as your IBKR account can hold other currencies and you can still trade in different currencies.

Interactive Brokers Account Opening Guide

Step 2: Configure your trading account.

Account type: Cash or Margin

In this step, you will be asked if you want to open a Cash or Margin account.

  • IBKR cash account: You will only be using your existing funds in IBKR to trade. Hence, you have to ensure that your funds cover the cost of the stocks and commission. A key downside is:

    • Trading limitation: You cannot trade products that require margin, such as futures. You also cannot day-trade US stocks.

  • IBKR margin account: You get access to margin and hence, can trade in margin (ie. loaned money). But it is not necessary to trade in margin even though you have a margin account. Upsides include access to more instruments and products and the ability to day-trade US stocks.

Personally, I opened a Margin account myself (even though I do not trade with margin) as there are certain product/service limitations with a Cash account. (eg. You need a margin account to day-trade US stocks)

Interactive Brokers Account Opening Guide

Income & Worth, Investment Objectives, Trading Experience:

Your answer to these questions determines the kind of products/markets you will gain access to. Don’t worry this can still be updated once you open your trading account.

Select the assets/instruments that you’d like to invest in or trade. Whether you are eligible to trade these assets depends on your income, investment objectives, and experience:

Interactive Brokers Account Opening Guide

Step 3: Regulation and Tax

Confirm that you are not a public figure with any conflict of interest.

Then, decide if you want to opt-in for IBKR’s Stock Yield Enhancement Program which will pay you interest by loaning your shares to IBKR. This is optional.

Interactive Brokers Account Opening Guide

Then, confirm your tax residence and whether you qualify for treaty benefits with other countries based on the country of your residence.

Interactive Brokers Account Opening Guide

Step 4: Review and sign agreements

Step 5: Upload documents & fund your IBKR account

Funding your IBKR account

Refer HERE to a full guide on how to fund your IBKR account.

Step 6: You will receive an email once your account is approved.

For me, my IBKR account is approved within 1 working day.

Verdict - IBKR is the only global broker you need (to get used to)

As an investor and reviewer, I have tried and used many brokers in my investing journey.

Of all, it is not exaggerating to say that IBKR is the most complete global broker that the investing world has to offer to everyday investors right now.

With just one account, IBKR allows me access to almost all tradable instruments in the financial market at an affordable price.

If you can get used to its overwhelming features, IBKR is THE account you must have as an investor in the global market.

Open an IBKR account today!

Disclaimer:

This review is purely based on my personal experience and is updated as of the time of writing.

This article may contain affiliate links that will earn the blog a small fee if you click on them. This comes at no extra cost to you as a reader.

by Chin Yi Xuan

No more 10% withholding tax rate for REITs - what this means for you:

Investing in Malaysia R

EITs (eg. SunREIT, IGB REIT, YTL REIT) for passive income?

Here's an important update that'll likely impact your REIT dividends:

It's official: No more preferential 10% withholding tax rate for REITs under the new LHDN guideline:

📍 Before this:

Dividends from REITs: 

No need to declare personal income tax, as the dividends are already deducted by the government with a 10% withholding tax before they reach our account.

➡️ New (2026):

Now, dividends from REITs have to be declared for personal income tax (kinda like rental income 🏠).

👉 What this means to you:

REIT investors earning RM50,000 or more in annual income, will be getting LESS dividend after tax deduction.

[Example]

(1) Jack earns RM120,000 in annual income.
(2) Dividend income from REITs: RM20,000

Total income: RM140,000

[🧮 Personal income tax calculation]

  • First RM100,000: RM9,400
  • Subsequent RM40,000 @ 25%: RM10,000

The tax rate for Jack's RM20,000 REIT dividend = 25%, which translates to RM5,000.

📌 Comparison: How much is Jack getting in NET dividend?

RM18,000 (after deducting 10% withholding tax) vs RM15,000 (after deducting 25% personal income tax rate)

My 2 cents:

Definitely NOT ideal for most REIT investors. Not to mention the hassle of tracking the income from REITs.

But fundamentally, the underlying business of REITs remains the same. The crowd is still there for most malls managed by REITs, and the hospitality sector has been picking up since Covid.

But as a REIT investor, are you willing to go through the hassle under this new arrangement?

Let me know what you think in the comment section!

Disclaimer:

Not buy/sell advice. Do your due diligence before investing.

by Chin Yi Xuan

How I track dividends on Interactive Brokers (IBKR)

Guide: How I track my dividends on Interactive Brokers (IBKR)

Have you ever wondered how much dividend you have received for the last month, quarter, or year?

As a dividend investor myself, I lose track of my dividends too when life gets too busy at times.

In this post, I'd like to show you how I keep track of my dividends from my Freedom Fund from my go-to broker, Interactive Brokers (IBKR).

RELATED POST:

Support this blog with a small gesture!

Dear friends, if you find this post helpful, I’d appreciate it if you can click on the button below to learn about IBKR via IBKR’s official site.

Doing so will help the earn the blog a small fee at no extra cost to you.

This will help supporting the blog in creating more useful content – thanks in advance my friends!

Learn more about IBKR today!

How much dividend did I make last month?

As a dividend investor, I'd always like to know how much dividend I made in the prior month (or quarter/year).

My personal habit is to track my monthly dividend based on the Ex-Date of the dividend announcement.

Dividend Ex-Date refers to the day you have to hold on to a company’s shares to be eligible for their announced dividend.

For instance, if a stock or ETF announces a dividend with an Ex-Date of 31/3/2025 with a Payable Date of 2/4/2025, I will consider this as part of the dividend I receive for March.

Interactive Brokers (IBKR) makes it easy to track your dividends:

Before we start, make sure you've logged in to your Interactive Brokers account HERE.

Log in to your IBKR account

Tracking your dividends on Interactive Brokers (IBKR)

Step 1 & 2: Under 'Performance & Reports', select 'Statements'.

Step 3: Select 'Realized Summary'

Step 4 & 5: Select your Period and Date for your report, then select your preferred format for viewing.

For this example, I will choose to view my dividend on a monthly basis for March 2025 - and to view it in HTML.

Step 6: Select 'Change in Dividend Accruals'

Step 7: Identify dividends with ex-date for March 2025 (or any period of your selection)

There are 3 'Date' columns:

  • (a) The first 'Date' column refers to the date of the change in dividend accrual.

  • (b) The second 'Ex-Date' column is the column that I'll usually refer to as I track my dividends. To recap, Ex-Date refers to the day you have to hold on to a company’s shares to be eligible for their announced dividend.

    So, for dividend tracking for March, I will consider all dividends with Ex-Date in the month of March as my March dividends.

  • (c) The third column, 'Pay Date' tells you the date your dividends will be reflected on your IBKR account.

'Po' and 'Re' in Interactive Brokers (IBKR) statement:

Column (d) shows the remark of the dividend information with 2 codes:

  • The postings (with code Po) are done for new accrual additions to the account. 

  • Meanwhile, reversals (with code Re) are done for the following three reasons: correction in dividend accruals, cancellation in dividend accrual, and reversal due to payout in cash.

For this example, I noticed 2 rows of dividends with Ex-Date in March to have a 'Re' code, which may indicate a reversal due to cancellation or correction.

As such, I will exclude them as I track my dividends:

What do 'Re' and 'Po' means in Interactive Brokers (IBKR) statement?

  • (e) Gross Rate also means 'Distribution Per Unit' (DPU) of your holding. It is the amount of dividend you receive per unit of share you own.

  • (f) Gross Amount (Gross Rate x Quantity of Shares Owned) refers to the total dividend you receive for the shares you own before considering tax in (g).

  • (h) Net Amount is the final dividend you'll receive after deducting tax (if any) from (g).

Finally, after sorting the details above, the dividends with Ex-Date in March 2025 is as below:

Interactive Brokers (IBKR) Message Center Notification: Receive Email Updates on Your Dividends

Aside from logging into my IBKR account, I also like the fact that IBKR will inform me via email whenever there's an upcoming dividend:

No Money Lah's Verdict: Track your dividends with ease on Interactive Brokers (IBKR)

As a dividend investor, I find it essential to have a reliable platform to track my dividends easily, in addition to the ability to execute my trades.

I hope this is helpful and let me know in the comment section if you have any questions!

Learn more about IBKR today!

Disclaimer:

This review is purely based on my personal experience and is updated as of the time of writing.

This article may contain affiliate links that will earn the blog a small fee if you click on them. This comes at no extra cost to you as a reader.

Promotional Relationship Disclosure:

This content is provided by a paid Influencer of Interactive Brokers. Influencer is not employed by, partnered with, or otherwise affiliated with Interactive Brokers in any additional fashion. This content represents the opinions of Influencer, which are not necessarily shared by Interactive Brokers. The experiences of the Influencer may not be representative of other customers, and nothing within this content is a guarantee of future performance or success.

None of the information contained herein constitutes a recommendation, promotion, offer, or solicitation of an offer by Interactive Brokers to buy, sell or hold any security, financial product or instrument or to engage in any specific investment strategy.  Investment involves risks.  Investors should obtain their own independent financial advice and understand the risks associated with investment products and services before making investment decisions. Risk disclosure statements can be found on the Interactive Brokers website.

Interactive Brokers is a FINRA registered broker and SIPC member, as well as a National Futures Association registered Futures Commission Merchant. Interactive Brokers provides execution and clearing services to its customers. For more information regarding Interactive Brokers or any Interactive Brokers products or services referred to in this video, please visit www.interactivebrokers.com.

The projections or other information regarding the likelihood of various investment outcomes generated by the Tools mentioned in this video are hypothetical in nature, do not reflect actual investment results, and are not guarantees of future results. It is important to understand that these projections are based on certain assumptions and models, and actual outcomes may differ significantly. Please note that results may vary over time.

Any trading symbols, entities or investment products displayed are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to portray recommendations.

The information in this podcast does not constitute tax advice and cannot be used by the recipient or any other taxpayer to avoid penalties under any federal, state, local or other tax statutes or regulations, or to resolve any tax issue.

Any discussion or mention of an ETF is not to be construed as a recommendation, promotion or solicitation. All investors should review and consider associated investment risks, charges and expenses of the investment company or fund prior to investing. Before acting on this material, you should consider whether it is suitable for your particular circumstances and, as necessary, seek professional advice.

by Chin Yi Xuan

Interactive Brokers (IBKR): Guide to buy your first share on IBKR!

Guide: How to make your first trade on Interactive Brokers (IBKR)

Interactive Brokers (IBKR) is my go-to platform to invest in the US stock market, as well as accessing other markets such as the London and Canadian stock market.

In this guide, let’s go through 2 of my favourite ways on how to make your first trade on IBKR, either via IBKR's Client Portal or IBKR Mobile!

USEFUL IBKR TIPS & GUIDE:

-

Help support this blog with a little gesture!

Dear friends, if you find this post helpful, I'd appreciate it if you can click on the button below to learn about IBKR via IBKR's official site.

Doing so will help the earn the blog a small fee at no extra cost to you.

This will help supporting the blog in creating more useful content - thanks in advance my friends!

Learn more about IBKR

Before you start: Fund your IBKR account

Make sure you have funded your Interactive Brokers (IBKR) account before placing your trades.

Check out my IBKR funding guide HERE.

Interactive Brokers (IBKR): how to deposit fund to your IBKR account - Wise, Instarem, SG bank account

#1 Placing trades via IBKR Client Portal

IBKR Client Portal is my favorite way to buy stocks/ETFs on IBKR as it is the most straightforward approach in my opinion.

Step 1: Log in to your IBKR Client Portal

Click HERE to log in to your IBKR Client Portal.

Step 2: Search for your stock/ETF

At the search bar, search for the stocks or ETFs that you want to invest in:

How to buy stocks on Interactive Brokers (IBKR)

As an example, let's say I am looking to invest in the share of Apple.

How to buy stocks on Interactive Brokers (IBKR)

Step 3: Next, click on the 'Buy' button.

How to buy stocks on Interactive Brokers (IBKR)

Step 4: Determine your order type

Within IBKR, there are a few order types available for investors to choose from while executing trades. Check out the bottom section of this post where I explain more about the different order types on IBKR.

Explore different order types on IBKR

For this example, let's say I want to set a buy limit order for Apple shares at $180.00. Meaning, instead of trying to buy Apple shares at its market price, I am lining up to buy the share when the price drops to $180.00.

Buying via limit order indicates that I may miss my entry IF the price goes up and never pulls back to $180.00, but I will get a better price if it does pull back to my desired price level.

How to buy stocks on Interactive Brokers (IBKR) - Order Types

Step 5: Determine the number of units of shares to buy, OR simply key in the amount to invest in:

  • 5a: Determine the number of shares you want to buy, and you'll be shown the amount required for you to buy the shares. In this case, buying 100 Apple shares at my limit price of $180.00 will require about $18,000 on my end (before commission).

How to buy stocks on Interactive Brokers (IBKR) - Setting quantity of shares to invest in.

  • 5b: Alternatively, you can key in the amount you want to invest in, and you'll be shown the number of shares that you can buy. In this scenario, for $1000, I would be able to buy about 5.56 units of Apple shares.

How to buy stocks on Interactive Brokers (IBKR) - Setting amount of money to invest in a share.

Step 6: Determine Time-In-Force of your trade order

Next, decide the Time-In-Force of your order. Time-In-Force determines how long your trade order will stay valid.

There are 4 types of Time-In-Force mechanisms in IBKR Client Portal, but I will go through 2 most common ones, namely:

  • Day: A 'Day' order will stay valid until the end of the trading session and cancel itself should the order is not filled. For instance, if my buy limit order of $180.00 for Apple share is not filled by the end of the trading session where I execute my order, my order will be canceled automatically.

  • Good till Cancel (GTC): A GTC order will stay valid until it is filled, or you cancel the order yourself.

Explore GTC order on IBKR

How to buy stocks on Interactive Brokers (IBKR) - Time-of-day order

Step 7: Fill outside Regular Trading Hours (RTH)?

Some markets tend to allow orders to be filled outside of RTH, such as pre-market open hours and after the market is closed.

Depending on your preference, you can allow your trade order to be filled outside RTH.

Explore trading outside of RTH on IBKR

How to buy stocks on Interactive Brokers (IBKR) - Fill outside RTH

Step 8: Preview and submit your trade order

Clicking preview before submitting your order allows you to see the commission that'll incur for the trade. Once all details are good on your end, submit your trade.

How to buy stocks on Interactive Brokers (IBKR) - Preview order

Step 9: Check your order and Modify the order if needed

Once you placed your trade, you can head over to 'Trade' and select 'Orders & Trades' to check the status of your trade.

How to buy stocks on Interactive Brokers (IBKR) - Check and modify order

Should you want to modify your trades while it is not filled, you can do so by clicking the 3 dots on the far right, and select 'Modify':

How to buy stocks on Interactive Brokers (IBKR) - Check and modify order

#2 Placing trades via IBKR Mobile

If you are investing on the go, installing the IBKR Mobile app is a must for you.

In this section, let's look at how you can place your trade via the IBKR Mobile app:

Step 1: Install IBKR Mobile app

Next, log in to your IBKR account HERE.

Click to log in to your IBKR account

How to buy stocks on Interactive Brokers (IBKR) Mobile app - Guide

Step 2: At the search bar, search for the stocks or ETFs that you want to invest in:

How to buy stocks on Interactive Brokers (IBKR) Mobile app - Search for stocks or ETFs

Step 3: Next, click on the 'Buy' button.

How to buy stocks on Interactive Brokers (IBKR) Mobile app

Step 4: Determine your order type

Within the IBKR Mobile app, the default order types are 'Market' and 'Limit' order.

Explore different order types on IBKR

How to buy stocks on Interactive Brokers (IBKR) Mobile app

That said, users who need more advanced order types can select 'Show More Options' to access the different order types within the app. Refer to the next section to learn about the meaning of different order types.

How to buy stocks on Interactive Brokers (IBKR) Mobile app - Different order types

Similar to the example in the prior section, let's say I want to set a buy limit order for Apple shares at $180.00.

How to buy stocks on Interactive Brokers (IBKR) Mobile app - Buy limit order

Step 5: Determine the number of units of shares you want to buy:

You'll be shown the amount required for you to buy the shares.

In this case, buying 5 Apple shares at my limit price of $180.00 will require about $900 on my end (before commission).

How to buy stocks on Interactive Brokers (IBKR) Mobile app - Determining quantity of shares to buy

Step 6: Determine Time-In-Force of your trade order

Next, decide the Time-In-Force of your order. Time-In-Force determines how long your trade order will stay valid.

The 2 most common Time-In-Force mechanisms are:

  • Day: A 'Day' order will stay valid until the end of the trading session and cancel itself should the order is not filled. For instance, if my buy limit order of $180.00 for Apple share is not filled by the end of the trading session where I execute my order, my order will be canceled automatically.

  • Good till Cancel (GTC): A GTC order will stay valid until it is filled, or you cancel the order yourself.

Learn about GTC order on IBKR

How to buy stocks on Interactive Brokers (IBKR) Mobile app - Time-In-Force

Step 7: Preview and submit your trade order

Clicking preview before submitting your order allows you to see the commission that'll incur for the trade. Once all details are good on your end, slide to submit your trade.

How to buy stocks on Interactive Brokers (IBKR) Mobile app - Preview order

Note: What is IBKR Mandatory Cap Price?

Upon placing your trade, you might come across a pop-up to seek your acknowledgment on IBKR Mandatory Cap Price.

IBKR Mandatory Cap Price refers to IBKR's initiative to avoid traders placing trades at price levels at are way outside the normal level capped by IBKR.

Learn about IBKR Mandatory Cap Price

One key benefit of IBKR Mandatory Cap Price is it helps traders avoid typo (by denying the order), such as me mistakenly typing my buy limit price of Apple shares at $18,000 instead of $180.

For me, I'll just go ahead and select 'Accept and Continue' when I get this pop-up while placing my trades.

How to buy stocks on Interactive Brokers (IBKR) - IBKR Mandatory Cap Price

Step 8: Cancel or Modify the order if needed

Once you placed your trade, you can adjust or cancel your trade if needed:

How to buy stocks on Interactive Brokers (IBKR) Mobile app - Modify or Cancel order

A beginner's Guide to Different Order Types on Interactive Brokers (IBKR)

While trying to place your trades on IBKR, you'll come across a variety of order types on the platform.

In this section, let's go through the 3 common order types that you may use while placing your buy trades on IBKR:

#1 Limit Order

A Buy Limit Order allows investors to line up their orders to buy shares at a specific price or better.

  • Example: As shown in the screenshot below, Apple’s share price is $184.70.

  • If you want to buy Apple shares at a lower price, say $180.00, then set your limit price to $180.00. Essentially, what you are doing is telling the system that ‘Execute Buy Order ONLY if the price drops to $180.00 or less.

Explore IBKR Limit Order

Interactive Brokers (IBKR) order types: Limit Order

#2 Market Order

A Buy Market Order allows investors to enter immediately at market price. In other words, to enter the market immediately, you as a buyer will need to accept whatever the Ask Price that the most immediate sellers are asking for.

  • Example: In the screenshot below Apple's share price is $184.70, with Ask Price at $184.79.

  • If you want to buy Apple shares immediately at market price, you will find yourself entering at the Ask price of $184.79, which is the price that the most immediate sellers are asking for.

Explore Market Order on IBKR

Interactive Brokers (IBKR) order types: Market Order

#3 Stop Order

A Buy Stop Order is an order that is triggered when the price hits a specific level defined by the investor.

  • For instance, Apple share price is priced at $184.70. I'd only like to buy the share once there is a bullish momentum that pushes the price above $190.00.

  • To do this, I'll set a Buy Stop order at $190.00. Once Apple's share price reaches $190.00, my Buy Stop order will be triggered and my order will be filled at the most immediate available price at that moment.

  • The downside of using a Stop Order is the execution price is NOT guaranteed. In a scenario where Apple's share price breaches above $190.00 in an aggressive market move where there are no sellers at $190.00, then I'd find my Buy Stop order being filled at a higher immediate price where there are sellers to meet my buy order (eg. $191, 192).

Explore Stop Order on IBKR

Interactive Brokers (IBKR) order types: Stop Order

Verdict – Use IBKR to access the global stock market!

So there you have it - a detailed step-by-step guide on how to buy your first stock or make your first trade via Interactive Brokers (IBKR) Client Portal or the IBKR Mobile app!

I hope this is helpful and if you have any questions just leave them in the comment section below!

Disclaimer:

This review is purely based on my personal experience and is updated as of the time of writing.

This article may contain affiliate links that will earn the blog a small fee if you click on them. This comes at no extra cost to you as a reader.

by Chin Yi Xuan

Interactive Brokers (IBKR) Wise Withdrawal Guide

Guide & Tips: How to withdraw funds from Interactive Brokers (IBKR) via Wise

In this post, let’s explore how to withdraw the funds from your Interactive Brokers (IBKR) account via Wise.

This is the fastest and most convenient way to withdraw funds from your Interactive Brokers (IBKR) account.

This guide is especially suitable for non-US residents (eg. Singapore, Malaysia, and more) – any questions feel free to leave them in the comment section at the end of this post!

RELATED:

Click here to read my IBKR review

Part 1: Withdraw funds from Interactive Brokers (IBKR) via Wise

In this guide, I will demonstrate how to withdraw USD from my IBKR account via Wise. Using Wise to withdraw funds from IBKR is the fastest and most convenient method.

Perk: 1x FREE Wise withdrawal every month

What's great about withdrawal with Wise is that 1x FREE withdrawal is allowed every calendar month.

Hence, you do not have to pay additional fees if you only withdraw occasionally from your IBKR account.

Any subsequent withdrawal within a calendar month will have a small charge of USD 1.

Interactive Brokers (IBKR) Wise withdrawal guide: 1x FREE withdrawal is allowed every month.
1x FREE Wise withdrawal is allowed every month.

Overall fee/cost involved for IBKR to Wise withdrawal:

  • Part 1: IBKR to Wise withdrawal: 1x FREE withdrawal every calendar month, USD 1 for each subsequent withdrawal.

  • Part 2: Wise to local bank account: Exchange rate + Wise fee.

Pre-requisite: Open a Wise account and make a deposit to your Wise balance

Before you begin, be sure to open a Wise account first if you do not have an account.

Open a Wise account today!

Step 1: Log in to your Interactive Brokers (IBKR) account, and select 'Withdraw'

Step 2: Select your withdrawal currency (USD, for this example), and select 'Transfer to Wise Balance'.

Step 3: Cross-check your Wise account details before proceeding.

Step 3 will be a one-time process. Once done, you will be able to skip this step in all your future IBKR-Wise withdrawals.

[Note for new Wise-IBKR users] If this is your first time using Wise with your IBKR account, you might not see the screenshot above. Don't worry, there is just an additional step that requires you to connect your Wise account with IBKR first, and you will be good to go.

To learn more about how to connect your Wise account to IBKR, check out Step 3 of my Wise-IBKR deposit guide HERE.

Next, you will be required to check and confirm your Wise account details again. Once done, leave your signature AND username & password to confirm the details.

Then, you'll be shown that your Wise bank account details have been confirmed. Select 'Finish'.

Step 4: Proceed with our IBKR withdrawal via Wise

Select 'Make a Withdrawal'.

Select 'Transfer to Wise Balance'.

Proceed to key in the amount you want to withdraw from your IBKR account.

For this demonstration, I will withdraw USD 55 from my account.

You will be shown the screen below once your IBKR-Wise withdrawal is done:

Step 5: Check your Wise withdrawal status under 'Transaction Status'

Step 6: Money arrived at your Wise account

It took about 1 working day for the withdrawal to reach my Wise account

Part 2: Transfer money from your Wise account to your bank account

Once your fund reaches your Wise account, the next thing is to transfer the fund back to your local bank account in your local currency.

For my case, I will have to convert & transfer my USD 55 IBKR withdrawal to Malaysian Ringgit (MYR) in order to send it back to my local bank account. But this method should work for most other currencies.

Step 1: Log in to your Wise account, and select 'Send'

Step 2: Choose to send money from your Wise balance (USD)

Step 3: Determine your transfer amount, check for the fees incurred (Wise fee + Exchange rate), and select 'Continue'

Step 4: Choose to send money to your local bank account.

Step 5: Review and confirm your transfer. You should receive your transfer in your bank account immediately once done.

Verdict - Withdrawing from your IBKR account is never easier

With platforms like Wise, it is extremely fast & convenient to withdraw from your IBKR account.

Do you have any other tips on how to withdraw from your IBKR account? Feel free to leave your tips and thoughts in the comment section below!

Click HERE to read my IBKR review

Disclaimer:

This review is purely based on my personal experience and is updated as of the time of writing.

This article may contain affiliate links that will earn the blog a small fee if you click on them. This comes at no extra cost to you as a reader.

by Chin Yi Xuan

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