Investing in the global share market is pretty straightforward these days. This guide explains what to look for in an international share trading account, how to open one and what to do with the account once you've opened it.
Then, the global share market will be open to you to start trading.
It's important to be aware of the fees and risks when you invest in new shares and markets, so make sure to learn about the basics of trading if it's new to you.
Read the rest of the guide below for an in-depth breakdown of each step.
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There are 3 main ways that you can access global shares from Australia.
You can invest directly in shares listed overseas, such as Meta and Apple, by using a broker with an international share trading platform.
Alternatively, investors can purchase a global-themed exchange traded fund (ETF) or managed fund.
The third way Australians can gain international exposure is through contracts for difference (CFDs) that track global shares. (Note: This isn't the same as buying shares directly but instead you are tracking price movements. Investing in CFDs comes with more risk.)
If you want to buy international shares, you'll need to find the right broker that allows you access to foreign markets.
But before you sign up, it is worth comparing brokers on the following:
How much commission does the account charge for the execution of a trade? There may be a flat rate, a percentage rate or even no brokerage fee at all.
Make sure when you are buying international shares that your broker aligns with where you want to buy. This sounds obvious but signing up to a foreign broker won't automatically gain you access to all international markets. The big ones are the US markets like the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (Nasdaq), which most providers will allow you to access, but not every account will let you trade everywhere in Europe and Asia.
How long does it take for a transaction to be executed? Timeliness can be important when buying international shares.
How big is the buffer? Most international share trade orders will have a "buffer" applied to them by the share trading platform provider. The buffer is a percentage of the order value that is added to the cost of the order to protect the provider from currency fluctuations while the trade clears, ensuring that they don't lose money on routine trades.
How much of a cut does your provider take? When converting currencies, the provider may take a cut in the form of a percentage fee on currency converted. Often brokers that charge $0 commission will charge a higher foreign exchange (FX) fee.
Does the provider charge any fees for opening an account? The benefits it offers may not always be worth it.
What investment research tools are available? Are you seeing real-time market information or is there a delay? Are the research tools free to use or do they cost extra? It's a lot easier to buy low and sell high when you've done your research, rather than relying on luck alone.
Does your provider have a share trading mobile app or desktop access only? Can you contact the provider outside of business hours? What are your options for getting in touch? Is it known for being helpful or not so much? When you open an international share trading account, you're using a service and you should expect a certain level of customer assistance.
Do you have to spend more than you want or not as much as you want? One of the main restrictions to look out for when choosing an account is the presence of limits, which may be minimums or maximums that apply. You may not be able to make trades above or below a certain dollar value.
| Response | |
|---|---|
| Australia | 83.23% |
| US | 29.94% |
| UK | 5.39% |
| China/Hong Kong | 4.79% |
| Other | 4.79% |
| Canada | 3.59% |
| Europe (EU) | 3.59% |
| Japan | 3.59% |
| NZ | 2.99% |
| Singapore | 2.4% |
| India | 1.5% |
| Africa & Middle East | 0.3% |
Once you've decided on an online broker, you can open your share trading account. If you already have a bank account with that provider, then you can usually sign in via its online banking portal. If not, you will have to open a new account.
To open an international share trading account, you'll generally need to meet the following eligibility criteria:
As part of the application process, you will typically need to provide the following:
When opening the account, you'll be asked to choose whether you'll be trading as an individual, with a joint account (for example, with your partner), as a company or organisation or on behalf of a trust, like a self-managed super fund (SMSF). Because share trading has income and tax implications, you must provide details of your income and occupation. Along with your personal information, you may be required to disclose the source of your income and the origin of your financial position.
After you've provided your personal details, you're up to the account set-up stage. This involves providing the details of your linked bank account, setting up financing options if applicable and choosing from the various options that may be available. Once you've confirmed everything and double-checked your details, you're ready to load your cash management account and start trading.
Sometimes, providers will require that you open an account for local shares and a separate account for international shares. Since you're already signed up to the broker, most of your information will already be saved, meaning buying international shares should be a simpler process.
If you want to start trading right away, you'll need to make sure you have enough funds in your linked account to execute the trades, plus any broker fees that will apply. Remember that when you transfer funds into your linked foreign currency account, you'll usually have to pay a currency conversion fee. It can take a few days for your funds to be loaded into the cash account, so keep this in mind when you decide you'd like to make a trade.
Once you've set everything up, you can trade online through your new international share trading account. Expect to see a dashboard with features such as current share prices and changes over time and options to buy, sell or research. With the big banks and other trading accounts geared towards beginners, you may find tutorials and introductory material to help acquaint you with the available features.
Important: Share trading can be financially risky and the value of your investment can go down as well as up. “Standard brokerage” fee is the cost to trade $1,000 or less of ASX-listed shares and ETFs without any qualifications or special eligibility. If ASX shares aren’t available, the fee shown is for US shares. Where both CHESS sponsored and custodian shares are offered, we display the cheapest option.
Trading CFDs and forex on leverage is high-risk and you could lose more than your initial investment. It may not be suitable for every investor. Refer to the provider’s PDS and consider the risks before trading.
Investors are being urged to think globally as some of the largest opportunities are listed abroad.
Many of the household names that you would be familiar with, such as Google, Apple, Tesla, McDonald's, Ford, Unilever and Pfizer, are all foreign-owned and listed overseas despite their prevalence in Australia. All of these businesses are listed on either the S&P 500, the Nasdaq Composite or the Dow Jones.
International shares go beyond just America and can represent any country outside of Australia.
And while there's no denying the Australian market offers opportunities to investors, it is less than 2% of global trade.
As a smaller market, if you exclusively focus on buying Australian shares, you could increase your exposure to Australian economic factors. For example, if Australia goes into a recession that does not impact the rest of the world, your exposure will be negatively impacted compared to an investor who buys shares in both Australia and in overseas markets.
Despite the massive opportunities overseas, there is still a myth that investing overseas from Australia is more time-consuming and expensive. In fact, it is the complete opposite, with the cheapest brokerage and smaller minimums often being on foreign brokers.
The rest of this guide will help dispel some of these myths and help you buy international shares from Australia.
When trading shares, you can choose to do it domestically or internationally.
The Australian share market is made up of businesses listed on either the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX), the National Stock Exchange (NSX) or the Chi-X.
While not every business has to operate in Australia to list here, the majority do. Investors on the ASX trade between 10am and 4pm (Sydney time), Monday to Friday, with Australian investment options overall making up around 2% of the global trade.
You can trade shares from global markets around the world 24 hours a day, subject to local market hours. You'll gain access to more options, but you'll also experience new risks and challenges.
International stock exchanges include the London Stock Exchange (LSE), the NYSE, Nasdaq and many others.
Compared to domestic trading, there are both advantages and disadvantages to trading shares internationally.
Making big trades? Look for lower exchange rates, research tools that allow you to make more reliable investments and flat broker fees rather than percentage rates. Where applicable, it may be worth accepting higher flat fees in exchange for lower percentage rates. Avoid low maximum limits that might constrain your trading.
Making a lot of small trades? You may want to avoid flat fees that take a big chunk out of the potential profits of each trade and stick to percentage rates that will cost you less. Low maximums are less of an issue, but high minimums might be a problem.
How will you diversify your portfolio? Not all accounts will give you the same options. Plan what kind of trades you want to make and consider whether a given account will let you trade CFDs, whether you can trade ETFs and if you are able to do forex trading through the same platform.
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