2025 US Stock Trading Platform Selection Guide: How Taiwanese Investors Can Buy US Stocks

As the global investment trend develops, more and more Taiwanese investors are turning their attention to the US stock market. But how to buy US stocks remains a common challenge for beginners—after all, US stock trading requires going through a licensed broker. This guide will help you gain an in-depth understanding of how to buy US stocks, compare fees across major platforms, and choose the most suitable trading channels for yourself.

US Stock Trading Channels: Two Main Options

How can Taiwanese investors buy US stocks? There are mainly two options:

Option 1: Open an account directly with an international broker
Trade US stocks directly through a US-based or international broker, enjoying global liquidity and lower fees, but communication requires English.

Option 2: Use Taiwanese brokers for omnibus delegation
Taiwanese brokers place orders with foreign brokers on your behalf, no need to go abroad, communication in Chinese is convenient, but the fees are relatively higher.

Five Core Criteria for Choosing a US Stock Broker

Before deciding how to buy US stocks, you must understand the key indicators for evaluating brokers:

1. Safety and Regulatory Qualifications

When investing abroad, the primary concern is fund safety. Legitimate brokers should be recognized by authoritative regulatory agencies such as FINRA, SIPC in the US, ASIC in Australia, etc. If these institutions go bankrupt, investors’ assets can still be protected.

2. Variety of Trading Instruments

Different brokers support different trading instruments. Some restrict options combinations, some prohibit short selling. Before investing, confirm on the official website whether the platform supports your trading needs.

3. Fee Structure and Hidden Costs

Most brokers charge per trade or per share, but attention should be paid to other potential fees. Compare all costs including commissions, withdrawal fees, overnight fees, etc. Some platforms may offer zero commissions but have spread costs.

4. Chinese Language Support

Language barriers can introduce operational risks. Quality brokers should provide Chinese websites and customer support to ensure smooth communication.

5. Fund Liquidity

Deposit and withdrawal speeds directly impact trading efficiency. Slow fund arrivals can affect turnover and even cause missed market opportunities.

International Broker Platforms Comparison: Five Major Choices

Based on the above criteria, we have selected and compared five large, well-known international US stock broker platforms:

1. Interactive Brokers—Preferred by Professional Investors

Chinese Support: Yes (no local Taiwan storefront)

Trading Fees:

• Fixed: $0.005 per share
• Tiered: $0.0005–0.0035 per share (decreasing with monthly trading volume)

Advantages:

• Powerful platform with comprehensive trading tools
• Cost-effective for large-volume trading
• Supports account opening worldwide with no minimum deposit
• Most diverse product offerings including stocks, futures, forex, etc.

Disadvantages:

• Complex interface, steep learning curve for beginners
• Higher costs for small trades
• Requires maintaining a minimum account balance (e.g., $2,000 for margin accounts)

Suitable for: Experienced traders with sufficient capital seeking diverse assets

2. SogoTrade—Evaluate cautiously for small and medium accounts

Chinese Support: Yes

Trading Fees:

• Under 100 shares: $2.88 per trade
• No commission for orders over $2000

Advantages:

• Attractive account opening promotions
• Supports multiple account openings across regions

Disadvantages:

• Relatively high fees for small trades ($2.88 per trade)
• Not suitable for frequent small transactions
• Beware of scam/phishing websites; verify official channels carefully

Suitable for: Investors making larger single trades

3. Firstrade—User-friendly for quick onboarding

Chinese Support: Yes (no real-time Chinese customer service)

Trading Fees:

• Individual investors: 0 commission
• Withdrawal fee: $25

Advantages:

• Zero commissions, no minimum deposit
• Simple account opening process
• Offers Chinese app

Disadvantages:

• Quotes may have delays
• Hidden costs from PFOF (payment for order flow)
• Slow response from Chinese customer service due to time zone

Suitable for: Beginners with low trading frequency wanting quick account setup

4. Fidelity—Convenient for international investors

Trading Fees: 0 commission

Advantages:

• No trading fees for individual investors
• No recurring fees
• Suitable for investors with accounts in other regions

Disadvantages:

• No US stock account opening support in Taiwan; only for trading existing holdings
• Higher margin interest rates (5.5%–9.825%)
• Taiwanese users can only buy funds

Suitable for: Taiwanese traders with existing accounts in other countries

5. CFD Platform—Entry point for small investments

Trading Fees: 0 commission + floating spread

Key Features:

• Low minimum deposit of $50
• Supports NTD deposits and withdrawals
• Leverage up to 200x, adjustable
• Open positions with as little as 0.01 lot

Cost Components:

• Spread: The buy-sell price difference, main revenue source, usually 0.01–0.1 USD
• Commission: Some platforms charge, others offer commission-free trading
• Overnight Fee: Paid if holding positions overnight, calculated as: lot size × contract units × opening price × overnight rate percentage

Advantages: Low-cost small investments, suitable for testing US stocks; flexible leverage, high capital efficiency

Risk Warning: Leverage amplifies both gains and losses; strict risk management is essential

Suitable for: Investors with limited funds wanting quick exposure to US stocks

Comparison of Omnibus Delegation Options with Taiwanese Brokers

Not wanting to open accounts abroad? Omnibus delegation via Taiwanese brokers is another option. Current mainstream Taiwanese brokers’ US stock omnibus delegation fees and features:

Advantages of Omnibus Delegation: Fully in Chinese, low risk, no international remittance needed
Disadvantages: Fees are 2–5 times higher than international brokers, slower trading speed

How to Buy US Stocks—Minimum Investment Amount

Common Misconception: Opening a US stock account requires high fees
Truth: Opening a US stock account at a legitimate financial institution is completely free

The main cost of US stock trading is the price of the stocks themselves, not the account opening fee.

Traditional Stock Trading Thresholds

In Taiwan, one “lot” (1000 shares) is standard for stocks; in the US, the minimum trading unit is 1 share. For example, Facebook (Meta) at a current price of $631, without margin, requires paying $631 to buy 1 share.

This means the entry barrier for US stocks is relatively flexible—small amounts can be accumulated share by share.

CFD Trading—Leverage Breakthrough

Besides traditional stocks, you can also invest in US stocks via CFDs (Contracts for Difference), using margin and leverage to trade with less capital.

Three types of CFD costs:

1. Spread: The buy-sell difference, usually as small as 0.01 lot
2. Commission: Some platforms charge, others are commission-free
3. Overnight Fee: Paid if holding positions overnight, calculated as: lot size × contract units × opening price × overnight rate percentage

Leverage risk warning: Leverage amplifies both profits and losses; strict stop-loss mechanisms are necessary

Trading Tools Comparison Across Platforms

Modern US stock brokers offer rich tools to assist decision-making:

• Trading Strategies: Combining fundamental and technical analysis to develop phased trading plans
• Market Views: Industry experts’ short- and medium-term forecasts on popular stocks
• Economic Calendar: Key dates for economic data releases, holidays, major speeches
• Real-time News: Coverage of forex, commodities, cryptocurrencies, indices, etc.
• Real-time Quotes: No-lag market data and multi-dimensional charting tools
• Sentiment Index: Market long/short positions to gauge market attitude
• Risk Management: Features like take-profit, stop-loss, trailing stops

Summary: How to Choose the Most Suitable US Stock Trading Channel

Step 1: Clarify your needs: beginner or advanced? Small or large capital? Stability or high returns?
Step 2: Use the selection criteria: safety, fee structure, service quality, trading instruments, fund liquidity
Step 3: Compare platform options: international brokers vs. Taiwanese omnibus delegation, direct trading vs. CFDs
Step 4: Make a cautious decision: before opening, verify regulatory status, fees, customer service quality, and user reviews

Core advice: There is no absolute answer to how to buy US stocks—only the most suitable choice. Conduct thorough research, evaluate carefully, and proceed step-by-step. Start with small amounts to familiarize yourself with the trading process, then gradually increase your investment scale—this is the rational approach.