Think global

With CommSec, it’s easy to invest globally. A CommSec International Securities Trading Account gives you access to global share markets, including the New York Stock Exchange and the London Stock Exchange.

While the Australian share market offers some excellent investment opportunities, it makes up less than 2% of the world’s total by market capitalisation. So if you’re only investing in Australian shares, there’s still a whole world of investment potential you could be tapping into.

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 phone 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

Benefits

Access exchanges worldwide

Through CommSec, you can gain access to major international stock exchanges, such as the New York Stock Exchange, NASDAQ, the London Stock Exchange and the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

Diversification

Diversification is a key element of any successful investment strategy. With international trading, you can invest in markets worldwide, accessing sectors that may not be available in Australia.

Access to well-known brands

International trading allows you to invest in businesses and brands you know, such as Google, Microsoft, Apple and many others.1

Quotes and research for US markets

CommSec International Trading gives you access to market news, sector analysis, stock news and indices information for US markets, plus international watchlist and portfolio capability.

Risks

Currency risk

As international securities are denominated in a currency other than Australian dollars, the value of your investment may be affected by changes in currency exchange rates.

Political and regulatory risk

International shares are held by an international custodian, and are subject to risks relating to political, economic and regulatory changes in the country of the custodian or stock exchange.

Taxation risk

Taxation implications can be different from investing in Australian securities and may vary depending on your individual circumstances. You will be asked to complete a US Tax form as part of the application process. This form is valid for 3 years (unless there is a change in circumstances) and means that if you qualify for Australian treaty benefits, you will be charged 15% tax on dividend proceeds. If you do not have a valid form, you will be charged 30% on sale proceeds and dividends.

Rates and fees

Market

Brokerage1

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$10,0002,3

Canada

USD$39.95 or 0.40%, whichever is greater2,4,5,6

Taxes and market fees put through at cost

Asia Pacific

 

  • Japan
  • Hong Kong
  • Singapore

USD$39.95 or 0.40%, whichever is greater2,4,5,6

Taxes and market fees put through at cost

Europe and Middle East

 

  • London Stock Exchange (LSE)

USD$39.95 or 0.40%, whichever is greater2,4,5,6

A stamp duty of 50 basis points may apply to buy trades executed on the LSE

  • France
  • Germany
  • Italy
  • The Netherlands
  • Norway
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland

USD$39.95 or 0.40%, whichever is greater2,4,5,6

Taxes and market fees put through at cost

Alternative 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.

For 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.

Brokerage 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.

May be subject to additional local exchange fees.

Brokerage is applied individually for each trade regardless of whether multiple trades in the same stock occur.

Where 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

Exchange fees and other regulatory fees also apply. Exchange fees may be different for each exchange you trade on.

Fee Type

Amount

FX Fee on deposit and withdrawal7

0.60%

FX Fee per trade

NIL

Custody fee for inactive accounts8

USD$25.00 per year

For trades in currencies to which certain restrictions apply, currency must first be transferred from USD and will incur a small additional spread.

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 as a trade.

Frequently asked questions

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 or contact us on the CommSec International Trading Desk - 24 hours a day on US trading days.

Before you place a buy order on your International Trading Account, you will need to ensure that you have completed a W-8BEN 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?

You can trade in many of the leading share 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.

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.

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, please contact us on our International Desk (24 hours, US trading days).

The W-8BEN form is a requirement for setting up an International Trading Account. 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.

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.

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 Securities Trading Account varies from broker to broker. Once your shares have been transferred, you will be able to view your holdings online.

When the markets are volatile, understanding the differences between investing domestically and internationally is crucial. Learn more about the risks associated with investing in offshore markets.

Case study

Earn by investing in what you know

Becca prefers to invest in companies that manufacture products she likes and understands. Working in a marketing company, Becca uses Apple products every day, and loves using her iPhone and Airpods. She decides that since Apple’s products are well known and liked, the company may make a good investment and starts to research further. Read more about the benefit of investing in what you know.

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

Other Forms & Brochures

For all other forms & brochures regarding other financial services we offer.

If you are looking for administrative forms, please login and proceed to Support > Forms & Downloads.

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Important Information

The examples provided do not constitute advice to buy, sell or hold a security.

To be eligible, you must trade online, be CHESS Participant Sponsored with CommSec and settle your trades through either a Commonwealth Direct Investment Account (CDIA) or a CommSec Margin Loan.

The target market for this product can be found within the product’s Target Market Determination.

Investing in overseas markets exposes you to risks including those related to movements in foreign currency exchange rates and market prices.

 

© Commonwealth Securities Limited ABN 60 067 254 399 AFSL 238814 (CommSec) is a wholly owned but non-guaranteed subsidiary of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia ABN 48 123 123 124 AFSL 234945. CommSec is a Market Participant of ASX Limited and Cboe Australia Pty Limited, a Clearing Participant of ASX Clear Pty Limited and a Settlement Participant of ASX Settlement Pty Limited.

The information on this page has been prepared without taking into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. For this reason, any individual should, before acting on this information, consider the appropriateness of the information, having regards to their objectives, financial situation or needs, and, if necessary, seek appropriate professional advice.

CommSec does not give any representation or warranty as to the accuracy, reliability or completeness of any content on this page, including any third party sourced data, nor does it accept liability for any errors or omissions.

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