CommSec - International Share Trading Account

International Shares

With a CommSec International Trading Account, you can take advantage of investment opportunities across the globe, gain access to many of the leading global share markets, including the New York Stock Exchange, NASDAQ, Hong Kong Exchange and the London Stock Exchange.

CommSec’s International Trading Platform provides online access to a range of tools to monitor your portfolio and trade the US markets (including ETF’s), while staying up to date with market news, sector analysis, stock news and indices information for US markets (including live pricing). With a 24-hour customer service (on US trading days) team available for trading on all markets, it's easy to invest globally through CommSec.

How it works

CommSec has a partnership with Pershing LLC, a subsidiary of the Bank of New York Mellon, that provides you access to trade on US and non-US markets (including access to Exchange-Traded Funds – ETFs) through CommSec. Once you've opened a CommSec International Trading Account, placing a trade is simple:

Login to your CommSec Account
Transfer the funds into the relevant currency online or over the phones by contacting the International Trading Desk
Launch the international Trading platform to place a trade on US markets
Contact the International Trading Desk to place a trade on Non-US markets
View your trades and holdings online on your International Trading Account

Rates and fees

Brokerage Fees

Markets	Brokerage Fee¹	Other Costs
North America New York Stock Exchange NASDAQ American Stock Exchange Includes equities, foreign denominated bonds and managed funds	USD $19.95 for trades up to USD $5,000 USD $29.95 for trades up to USD $10,000 0.31% for trades above USD $10,000^2,3
US Exchange Traded Options Note: We are no longer accepting new applications for this product	USD $65.00 or 0.75%, whichever is greater^2,3	USD $1.10 per contract applies to US Option trades
Canada	USD $39.95 or 0.40%, whichever is greater^2,3	Taxes and market fees put through at cost
Asia Pacific Japan Hong Kong	USD $39.95 or 0.40%, whichever is greater^2,4,5,6	Taxes and market fees put through at cost
New Zealand Singapore	USD $39.95 or 0.40%, whichever is greater^2,4,5,6	Taxes and market fees put through at cost
Europe and Middle East London Stock Exchange (LSE)	USD $39.95 or 0.40%, whichever is greater^2,4,5,6	A stamp duty of 50 basis points may apply to buy trades executed on the LSE
Denmark France Germany Ireland Italy The Netherlands Norway Sweden Switzerland	USD $39.95 or 0.40%, whichever is greater^2,4,5,6	Taxes and market fees put through at cost
¹Alternative brokerage rates may be agreed from time to time and (if agreed to) will be payable under clause 23 of CommSec’s International Securities Trading Terms and Conditions. ²For all limit and market orders which are not fully executed in the same trading day, normal brokerage will be charged for the total portion executed per day. Brokerage charges may be converted and applied in the local currency. This may result in variances in the US dollar equivalent brokerage applied. Unless otherwise indicated, where a fee is expressed as a percentage, it refers to a percentage of the transaction value. ³Brokerage is charged on an aggregated (averaged out) basis for trades in the same stock, on the same account, on the same day and in the same direction (buy/sell). That is, brokerage is charged as if a single trade took place combining and averaging out each of these trades. Each such aggregation/combination will attract a separate brokerage charge. ⁴May be subject to additional local exchange fees. ⁵Brokerage is applied individually for each trade regardless of whether multiple trades in the same stock occur. ⁶Where an amendment is made to a partially executed order, the amended order is treated as a new order and normal brokerage will be charged upon execution.

Foreign Exchange

Fee Type	Amount
FX Fee on deposit and withdrawal⁷	0.60%
FX Fee per trade	NIL
⁷For trades in currencies to which certain restrictions apply, currency must first be transferred from USD and will incur a small additional spread.

Account Fees

Fee Type	Amount (USD)
Custody fee for inactive accounts⁸	$25.00 per year
Posted trade confirmation fee⁹	$1.80 per trade or trade combination
Posted statement fee	$1.80 per statement
⁸ Custody fees are charged to accounts defined as inactive; that is, accounts holding a security position for a calendar year (1 January to 31 December) without generating a trade, or margin interest of USD $100 or more. Systematic reinvestment activity in mutual funds and/or exchange activity in mutual funds will be considered as a trade. However, dividend reinvestment activity is not considered a trade. ⁹ One consolidated trade confirmation document is sent per trade day however the fee is not charged per document sent. Instead it is charged on every trade confirmed in the one document. The exception to this is trades on US Markets where there are multiple trades in the same stock on the same account on the same day and in the same direction. Here these trades are treated as one notional trade and attract only one fee.

Who can apply?

You can apply for a International Securities Trading Account if you are:

18 years or older with an Australian residential and postal address; or
An Australian registered or incorporated company; or
An Australian trust or SMSF; and
Have an existing CommSec Share Trading Account in the same name.

What you’ll need if you’re new to CommSec:

ID (e.g. driver’s licence or passport)
SMSF name and Australian Business Number (ABN)
Company details and Australian Company Number (ACN)
Certified copy of the Trust Deed (if applicable)

Get started

Open a CommSec International Share Trading Account for an Individual.

To trade International Shares with CommSec, you'll need a CommSec Share Trading Account that settles to a cash account.

Already a CommSec customer?

Not a CommSec customer?

To trade international shares you first need to apply for a CommSec Equities account. Please choose the CommSec Equities account type you would like to apply for to get started

I would like to apply for an Individual Commsec Equities account that:

Adds a CommSec cash account¹ to my application

Join Now >

Allows me to settle with an existing bank account

Join Now >

Frequently asked questions

Who is Pershing LLC?

Pershing LLC is a subsidiary of the Bank of New York Mellon. As our International Custodian, Pershing provides trade execution, clearing, settlement and custody of international securities for CommSec clients.

When you open an International Trading Account with CommSec, you access international markets through Pershing LLC via the CommSec website.

Do I need to do anything before I place a buy order on my International Trading Account?

Before you place a buy order on your International Trading Account, you will need to ensure that you have completed a W-8 BEN form and have cleared funds in the relevant currency in your International Trading Account. Funds must be transferred from a linked AUD bank account, which you can arrange via the online transfer form, or by calling the International Trading Desk, 24 hours on US trading days.

For information on transferring funds to your account, please see FAQ “How do I transfer funds to and from my International Trading Account?”

How do I log into my Pershing account?

To access the Pershing platform, you will first need to log into your CommSec account and navigate to Trading > International and by clicking on "Launch Platform".

Please note: An International Trading Account is required to access the Pershing platform, where you can access research and place trades on US markets. To find out more about our International Trading Account, navigate to Products > International Shares or click here.

For any further assistance please contact us (24 hours on US trading days).

What countries can I access through my International Trading Account?

You can trade in markets around the globe, including major markets such as the US, Canada, UK, Hong Kong, Japan and other countries in Europe and Asia.

For a full list of countries, see the International Securities Trading brochure.

How do I transfer funds to and from my International Trading Account?

There are two ways you can transfer funds between your International Trading Account and your linked Australian bank account.

1. You can submit your request online. To access the online transfer request form please log onto the CommSec website and navigate to Portfolio > Accounts then select your International Trading Account from the drop down menu and select the Transfers tab.

Simply enter the details of your transfer then review and submit your request. The exchange rate displayed during the online request is indicative only and when submitting a withdrawal request you cannot request an amount that will leave your Pershing account with a negative balance. The request must also be for the currency that you hold in your Pershing account and not the US dollar equivalent.

2. You can contact us on our International Trading Desk, 24hrs on US trading days. We must ensure you are an authority on the account before we can implement your instructions.

Please note: The request cut-off time for a transfer in all currencies to be made the same day is 11am (Sydney time) and transfers are generally processed between 11am and 1pm (Sydney time).

For transfers from Australian dollars to US dollars there is an additional request cut-off time of 2:00pm (Sydney time) for processing before 3:30pm (Sydney time). The exchange rate is determined at the time of processing. Transfer requests are processed each business day.

Funds may take up to two working days to reach your CommSec International Securities Trading Account as available funds.

How do I place a trade on my International Trading Account?

Trades on the US market can be placed either online or over the phone with one of our representatives.

To place a US trade online:

1. Log into CommSec with your Client ID

2. Navigate to Trading > International and click on "Launch Platform"

3. Click on Transact

4. Select the correct account (if you have multiple accounts)

5. Enter the trade details (transaction, symbol, quantity, order type, duration)

6. Click on Review Order

7. Confirm your order details are correct, then click on Submit Order

8. View your trade confirmation by navigating to Communications > All Communications > Trade confirmations (available 24 hours upon trade execution)

For all other countries (ie non-US shares) you will need to contact our International Desk and place your order over the phone.

If you are unsure of the country in which your shares are listed or require further assistance, contact us on our International Trading Desk (24 hours, US trading days).

Why do I need to complete a W-8BEN form when I apply for an International Trading Account?

The W-8BEN form is a requirement for Internal Revenue Service in the United States. A W-8BEN is a US Treasury form that allows foreign investors to claim special tax treaty benefits, including a reduced rate of withholding tax. Each W-8BEN form applies for three years unless there is a change of circumstances makes any information on the form incorrect.

If you do not complete the form, you may be subject to US Treasury withholding tax on investments held on your International Trading Account. In particular, any dividends and sale proceeds credited to your account may be subject to a withholding tax of 30%, rather than 15%. That means that 30% of any payments to your International Trading Account may be withheld to cover the US Treasury Withholding tax liabilities.

The W-8BEN remains in effect until 31 December three years from the year you signed the form, unless a change of circumstances makes any information on the form incorrect. We will send you a new form to complete before your existing W-8BEN expires.

For more information on the W-8BEN form and how to complete it, please contact us on our International Trading Desk 24 hours on US trading days.

How do I transfer international securities from another broker?

If you already have a CommSec International Trading Account, simply complete the account transfer form and return it to us.

If you don't have a CommSec International Trading Account, you will need to first establish an account. You will then need to complete the account transfer form and return to us with any supporting documentation.

Please note that the time taken to transfer your shares and/or cash from another broker to your CommSec International Trading Account varies from broker to broker. Once your shares have been transferred, you will be able to view your holdings online.

What are the differences between investing domestically and internationally?

When the markets are volatile, understanding the differences between investing domestically and internationally is crucial. For further information on the risks associated with investing in offshore markets, click here.

Pershing Financial Services Guide

The Pershing Financial Services Guide sets out information designed to assist you in deciding whether to use any of the financial services offered under the FSG.

Download the Financial Services Guide

International Securities Trading Terms and Conditions

For a complete outline of what your obligations are when you buy or sell shares through CommSec please review the International Securities Trading Terms and Conditions document.

Download the International Securities Trading Terms and Conditions