How to invest in Nasdaq from Australia

Liven up your stock portfolio with the Nasdaq - home to some of the biggest and best stocks in the world.

3 ways to invest in NASDAQ How to get started
Choose a trading platform Start investing now

Key takeaways

  • The Nasdaq is a tech-focused US stock exchange based in New York.
  • Of the 10 largest companies in the world, 6 of them are listed on the Nasdaq.1
  • You can now trade Nasdaq stocks with zero brokerage on some platforms.

How can I invest in the Nasdaq in Australia?

It's relatively simple to invest in the Nasdaq from Australia these days.

All you really need is an account with a share trading platform or broker that lets you trade the US stock market.

Once you have a trading account, there are actually a few different ways you can exposure to the Nasdaq exchange:

1. Buy a Nasdaq exchange-traded fund (ETF)

An ETF is a low-cost and convenient way to buy multiple Nasdaq stocks with a single investment.

When you buy an ETF, you're actually buying small amounts of all the stocks that make up the fund.

For example, you could invest in a Nasdaq-100 index fund, which tracks the performance of the 100 largest non-financial companies on the Nasdaq exchange.

ETFs are arguably the most effective way for most investors looking to get exposure to the Nasdaq.

What are the best Nasdaq ETFs in Australia?

Here are some of the best-performing ETFs that you can invest in from Australia.

All these ETFs track some or all of the stocks on the Nasdaq and are ranked based on their performance in 2024 (last updated 20 November 2024):

  1. iShares Global 100 ETF (ASX: IOO) - Year-to-date performance: 29.18%. Management fee: 0.4%. p.a.
  2. Betashares NASDAQ 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ) - Year-to-date performance: 25.96%. Management fee: 0.48% p.a.
  3. Global X US 100 ETF (ASX: U100) - Year-to-date performance: 12.73%. Management fee: 0.24% p.a.

2. Invest in individual Nasdaq stocks

If you only want to gain exposure to certain companies on the Nasdaq you can do so by buying individual stocks.

The Nasdaq is famously home to high-growth tech stocks like Apple, Amazon, Tesla, Meta, Netflix, Nvidia and Google (Alphabet).

Any trading platform or broker that offers access to the US stock market should allow you to buy Nasdaq stocks.

What are the best Nasdaq stocks you can buy from Australia?

These are the best-performing stocks from the Nasdaq 100 in 2024 (last updated 20 November 2024):

  1. Applovin Corporation (APP) - Year-to-date performance: 715.00%
  2. NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) - Year-to-date performance: 198.53%
  3. Constellation Energy Corporation (CEG) - Year-to-date performance: 101.53%

These are the best-performing stocks from the Nasdaq Composite in 2024 (last updated 20 November 2024):

  1. GeneDX Holdings Corp (WGS) - Year-to-date performance: 2,531.11%
  2. Bright Minds Biosciences Inc (DRUG) - Year-to-date performance: 2,387.92%
  3. Fitell Corporation (FTEL) - Year-to-date performance: 2,013.16%

3. Trade CFDs

You can also trade the Nasdaq by buying contracts for difference (CFDs) on the futures market.

If you choose this approach, you do not own the index or individual shares, but instead are trading derivative products that are based on future prices.

It's important to understand that CFDs are the riskiest way to gain exposure to the Nasdaq.

In most instances, retail investors lose their capital when investing in CFDs, and this method should really only be used by experienced investors.

How to get started investing in the Nasdaq

  1. Choose a broker or trading platform. Different platforms have different fees and account options, so it's important you pick the one that best suits your investing needs. You can compare a range of share trading platforms that let you invest in Nasdaq below.
  2. Open a share trading account. Once you've selected which broker or platform you'd like to use, you'll need to open an account with a share trading platform or broker to start investing.
  3. Deposit funds. All brokers will let you deposit in AUD, then will either convert your funds into USD or leave it as AUD. If your funds are left in AUD, it's likely you'll need to pay an FX fee on each trade, which can end up costing more overall.
  4. Buy Nasdaq shares or funds. Once your account is set up and funded, you can begin buying and selling shares or index funds.

Compare Nasdaq share trading platforms

Name Product AUFST Standard brokerage for US shares Currency conversion fee Asset class
eToro
Exclusive
eToro logo
US$2
150 pips
ASX shares, Global shares, US shares, ETFs
Exclusive: Get 12 months of investment tracking app Delta PRO for free when you fund your eToro account. T&Cs apply.
Trade stocks, commodities and currencies from the one account and get access to social trading.
Tiger Brokers
Finder AwardExclusive
Tiger Brokers logo
US$1.99
55 pips
ASX shares, Global shares, Options trading, US shares, ETFs
Finder exclusive: Get 10 no-brokerage US or ASX trades in the first 180 days, plus US$30 NVDA shares (+US$30 TSLA shares ) when you deposit AU$2000 or more. Get 7% p.a. on uninvested cash for 30 days. T&Cs apply.
Trade US, Asian and CHESS-sponsored ASX stocks and US options.
CMC Invest
Finder AwardExclusive
CMC Invest logo
US$0
0.60%
ASX shares, Global shares, Options trading, US shares, ETFs
Finder exclusive: Get $100 trading credit when you transfer $10k+ of either Australian or international stocks to CMC Invest. Only available for the first 50 new clients to participate. Use promo code “100CMC”. T&Cs apply.
Trade over 45,000 shares and ETFs from Australia and 15 major global markets. Plus, buy Aussie shares or ETFs for $0 brokerage up to $1,000 (First buy order of each security, each day - excludes margin loan settled trades).
Moomoo logo
US$0.99
55 pips or 0.0055 AUD/USD
ASX shares, Global shares, Options trading, US shares, ETFs
Finder exclusive: Unlock up to AUD$4,000 AND US$4,000 in $0 brokerage over 60 days. T&Cs apply.
Trade US, Asian and CHESS-sponsored ASX stocks and get access to social trading
Superhero logo
US$2
65 bps
ASX shares, US shares, ETFs
Sign up with code ‘finder24’ and get US$10 of Nvidia stock when you fund your account with $100 or more within 30 days. T&Cs apply.
Enjoy US$2 brokerage (other fees may apply) on US stocks and buying ETFs as well as $2 fee to trade Australian shares up to $20,000.
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Important: The standard brokerage fee displayed is the trade cost for new customers to purchase $1,000 of either Australian or US shares. Where a platform charges different fees for both US and Australian shares we show the lower of the two. Where both CHESS sponsored and custodian shares are offered, we display the cheapest option.

Disclaimer: General information only. All forms of investments (and in particular, trading CFDs, commodities and forex) carry significant risk, including the risk of losing more than the invested amounts, market volatility and liquidity risks. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Such activities are not suitable for most investors.
Product AUFSA-CFD Minimum Opening Deposit Minimum Opening Deposit Commission - ASX 200 Shares Available CFD markets Platforms
Pepperstone CFD
Finder Award
Pepperstone logo
$0
$0
$5 or 0.07%
Australian Stocks, Commodity CFDs, Cryptocurrency CFDs, ETFs, Forex, Global Stocks, Indices (CFDs only)
MetaTrader 4
MetaTrader 5
cTrader
TradingView
Pepperstone Trading Platform
Disclaimer: CFD Service. Your capital is at risk.
Get access to more than 90 forex and CFD markets when you sign up with this award-winning Australian broker. Plus, access the new advanced TradingView charts platform.
$50
$50
No commission
Commodities, Cryptocurrencies, ETFs, Forex, Global Stocks, Indices (CFDs only)
MetaTrader 4
MetaTrader 5
TradingView
Disclaimer: CFD Service. Your capital is at risk.
Vantage has some of the lowest CFD trading fees in Australia including $0 commissions on all Gold trades. Plus you can find global trends and place trades through the new TradingView charts platform.
$100
$100
No commission
Commodities, Cryptocurrencies, ETFs, Forex, Global Stocks, Indices, Options (CFDs only)
Plus500 Trading Platform
Disclaimer: CFD service. Your capital is at risk.
Trade CFDs on Australian and International shares, indices, cryptocurrencies, commodities and more.
$50
$50
No commission
Australian Stocks, Bonds, Commodities, Cryptocurrencies, ETFs, Forex, Global Stocks, Indices, Metals (CFDs only)
MetaTrader 4
MetaTrader 5
Disclaimer: CFD Service. Your capital is at risk. Trade over 2,000 products across CFDs, forex, indices, metals, shares, commodities and cryptocurrency, starting from as low as $50 a trade.
CMC Markets
Finder Award
CMC Markets logo
$0
$0
0.10% with a $7 minimum
Australian Stocks, Bonds, Commodities, Cryptocurrencies, Forex, Global Stocks, Indices (CFDs only)
CMC Next Generation, MetaTrader 4
Disclaimer: CFD Service. Your capital is at risk.
Share CFD and forex ideas with other traders and take your strategy to the next level with over 115 technical indicators and charts on CMC’s mobile-friendly Next Generation platform.
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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.

What is the Nasdaq?

The National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (Nasdaq) is the second-largest stock exchange in the world, behind the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).

It's very technology-heavy and the home to all of the FAANG stocks, and more recently, the "Magnificent Seven" stocks.

As long as you've got a trading account that lets you trade US stocks, you can invest in the Nasdaq from Australia.

The Nasdaq lists more than 3,300 stocks, but investors generally focus on the 100 largest non-financial stocks, which make up the Nasdaq-100 index.

Thomas Stelzer's headshot
Our expert says: Why invest in the Nasdaq?

"There's a pretty simple answer to this: the Nasdaq is home to some of the biggest and best-performing stocks in history. Think Apple, Microsoft, Tesla, Amazon and Nvidia."

Publisher

Is the Nasdaq a good investment?

The Nasdaq-100 is one of the best-performing stock indices in the world.

It's heavily weighted towards technology, consumer services and health care, which have seen it outperform the US benchmark index, the S&P 500, in 11 out of the last 15 years.2

Over the last 5 years, the Nasdaq-100 is up 149.28%, compared to 89.63% for the S&P 500. In 2024, the Nasdaq-100 is up 18.32% (as of 3 September 2024).

Both markets have outperformed Australia's ASX 200 over the last decade.

What's the difference between the Nasdaq-100 and S&P 500?

As we've already mentioned, the Nasdaq-100 is an index that tracks the performance of the 100 biggest non-financial stocks on the Nasdaq exchange. This primarily includes tech and healthcare stocks.

In comparison, the S&P 500 tracks the performance of the 500 largest companies on the Nasdaq and NYSE. While it features many of the same stocks as the Nasdaq-100, it also includes a lot of additional financial, banking, retail and consumer companies.

Both indices are weighted towards the largest stocks by market capitalisation.

How much does it cost to invest in Nasdaq?

Some brokers or trading platforms in Australia will charge you a commission on every trade, while others may only charge you an FX fee when you initially deposit AUD and then charge no commission on trades.

It's important that you understand the fee structure of each platform before using it to trade.

Certain brokers or platforms will suit different types of investors but may prove to be expensive if you're only investing small amounts.

If you're investing via an index fund, you should also look at what the fund's management fees are. In Australia, these are typically known as MER fees.

Which stocks are on Nasdaq?

There are over 3,300 stocks available on Nasdaq, including many of the largest companies in the world by market capitalisation. It's likely you'll have heard of many of them:

  • Alphabet (GOOG)
  • Amazon (AMZN)
  • Apple (AAPL)
  • eBay (EBAY)
  • Facebook (FB)
  • Microsoft (MSFT)
  • Netflix (NFLX)
  • Nvidia (NVDA)
  • Tesla (TSLA)

According to the NASDAQ Composite Index, which tracks all 2,500+ companies on the Nasdaq, the exchange is currently composed of the following industries3:

  1. Technology (61.94%)
  2. Consumer discretionary (16.62%)
  3. Health care (6.49%)
  4. Industrials (3.85%)
  5. Financials (3.20%)
  6. Telecommunications (2.37%)
  7. Consumer staples (2.12%)
  8. Basic materials (1.10%)
  9. Utilities (0.80%)
  10. Energy (0.77%)
  11. Real estate (0.76%)

Nasdaq Composite

The Nasdaq Composite (IXIC) is a stock market index that tracks all common stocks and securities on the Nasdaq.

The Nasdaq-100 is an index that tracks a subset of the top 100 non-financial stocks on Nasdaq.

You can invest in these indices by buying an ETF that specifically tracks the performance of the stocks in the index.

What time does the Nasdaq open in Australia?

Nasdaq is open during regular US market hours, which are 9:30am to 4pm ET, Monday to Friday.

This means the Nasdaq major trading hours occur during the night and early morning in Australia.

However, it's now possible to get "24/5" access to the Nasdaq, which means you can trade it 24 hours a day, including the pre-market, after-hours and overnight trading sessions.

Important information: Powered by Finder.com.au. This information is general in nature and is no substitute for professional advice. It does not take into account your personal situation. This information should not be interpreted as an endorsement of futures, stocks, ETFs, CFDs, options or any specific provider, service or offering. It should not be relied upon as investment advice or construed as providing recommendations of any kind. Futures, stocks, ETFs and options trading involves substantial risk of loss and therefore are not appropriate for most investors. You do not own or have any interest in the underlying asset. Capital is at risk, including the risk of losing more than the amount originally put in, market volatility and liquidity risks. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Tax on profits may apply. Consider the Product Disclosure Statement and Target Market Determination for the product on the provider's website. Consider your own circumstances, including whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money and possess the relevant experience and knowledge. We recommend that you obtain independent advice from a suitably licensed financial advisor before making any trades.
Jason Loewenthal's headshot
To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Jason Loewenthal as part of our fact-checking process.
Thomas Stelzer's headshot
Written by

Publisher

Tom Stelzer is a publisher and writer for Finder, covering investing and cryptocurrency. He previously worked for Finder as a writer in Australia and the UK, covering things like personal finance, loans, investing, insurance as well as small business and business loans. He has a Master of Media Arts and Production and Bachelor of Communications in Journalism from the University of Technology Sydney. See full bio

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2 Responses

    Default Gravatar
    FirstQNovember 26, 2024

    Hi,

    Is there any Aussie company or companies that will allow me to buy a NASDAQ PUT option (or CALL) – this is distinct from a NASDAQ share trade? I’d be willing to look at any platform providers etc – but first I’m wondering if there are any?

      AvatarFinder
      AngusNovember 28, 2024Finder

      Our guide to options trading includes information on this.

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