2025 Investment in US Stocks Guide: Comprehensive Review of Taiwanese Trading Platforms and Account Opening Fees Benchmark

As the global capital markets open up further, the attractiveness of the US stock market to Taiwanese investors continues to grow. However, for beginners, choosing the right trading platform can often be more confusing than the investment itself. This article starts from actual needs to help you quickly identify the most suitable US stock investment solution.

Five Core Factors You Must Clarify Before Investing in US Stocks

Before deciding which broker to choose, ask yourself a few questions: Are you a novice just starting out or an experienced trader? Do you have ample funds or are you starting with a small amount? Do you need a smooth experience on mobile devices?

With these questions in mind, the following five dimensions should become your evaluation criteria:

Safety First. No matter how favorable the trading fees are, fund security is fundamental. Check whether the broker is regulated by legitimate authorities, such as FINRA and SIPC in the US, ASIC in Australia, etc. Once a broker is a member of these organizations, your assets are protected even if the broker goes bankrupt.

Trading Instruments Determine Investment Freedom. Different brokers offer different tradable products. Some restrict options combinations, some prohibit short selling. Investors aiming for hedging should confirm these details on the official website in advance.

Fees and Promotions Directly Impact Returns. Most brokers charge per trade, but fee structures vary. Besides the apparent commission, watch out for hidden costs. Many platforms offer sign-up bonuses for new clients, which can significantly reduce initial investment costs.

Chinese Support Is Crucial for Non-English Speakers. Language barriers can cause trading difficulties. Today, most well-known brokers provide Chinese customer service and interfaces, which can be critical in emergencies.

Fund Transfer Speed Affects Trading Efficiency. The speed of deposits, withdrawals, and transfers directly impacts your capital operation efficiency. Delays can cause you to miss trading opportunities.

Overview of Fees and Features of Mainstream US Stock Platforms

To help you compare quickly, we selected five large, well-known US stock investment platforms and compared them across trading fees, withdrawal costs, regulatory safety, and tradable products:

In-Depth Analysis of Five Major US Stock Platforms

InteractiveBrokers: The Ultimate Tool for Professional Traders

Founded in 1977, InteractiveBrokers supports account opening in Taiwan, Mainland China, Hong Kong, and more, with no minimum deposit. Known for comprehensive features and a wide range of tradable products, it is the top choice for professional investors.

Flexible Fee Structure. Fixed fee is $0.005 per share; tiered pricing adjusts based on monthly trading volume (higher volume, lower per-share cost, minimum as low as $0.0005). Small investors may face higher costs, but large traders enjoy significant discounts.

Powerful Platform with a Steep Learning Curve. It covers major global markets including US, UK, Germany, Japan, Korea, and offers derivatives like futures, options, and forex. The interface is complex for beginners but a treasure trove for seasoned traders. Margin accounts require a minimum of $2,000.

Mitrade: The Best Entry Point for Small-Scale US Stock Investment

Founded in 2011, Mitrade has over a million users worldwide, with a large user base in Taiwan. It focuses on lowering investment barriers, ideal for small investors.

Zero Commission Design. No brokerage fees, only floating spreads (minimum 0.01), making it one of the lowest-cost options. Supports TWD deposits and withdrawals, with a low entry threshold of $50, allowing easy start for Taiwanese investors.

User-Friendly Interface. Mitrade offers 24/5 full Chinese customer service, with an intuitive website and app. Supports opening positions with 0.01 lot, up to 200x leverage, enabling small capital participation. Latest 2024 withdrawal policy: if total deposits are under $10,000, one free withdrawal per month; subsequent withdrawals cost $5 each. Over $10,000 deposits allow two free withdrawals per month.

Diverse Trading Products. Stocks, indices, forex, gold, oil, cryptocurrencies, ETFs, and CFD trading to meet various investment needs.

SogoTrade: Cost-Effective Choice for Large Capital Trading

Founded in 1986, supports account opening in Taiwan and several Asian regions, with no minimum deposit.

Higher Fees for Small Trades. Flat fee of $2.88 per trade for under 100 shares, but if the order exceeds $2,000, you can enjoy commission-free trading. Better suited for large investors; small to medium investors may find costs higher.

Generous Sign-Up Bonuses. New customers often receive attractive promotions, a key selling point. Be cautious of recent scam phishing sites; verify official channels before opening an account.

Firstrade: Quick and No-Barrier Entry

Founded in 1985, supports account opening in Taiwan and other regions, with no minimum deposit or minimum balance, and commission-free trading.

Lowest Costs with Hidden Charges. Completely free of trading commissions, very attractive for beginners. However, watch out for PFOF (Payment for Order Flow) costs and potential quote delays.

Limited Chinese Support. Offers Chinese app, but customer service operates in US Eastern Time, leading to time zone issues and sometimes slow responses.

Fidelity: Professional Platform for International Investors

Founded in 1946, a global asset management giant supporting account opening in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, and more.

Commission-Free for Individual Investors. Free stock and ETF trading, including Fidelity’s mutual funds with no expense ratios, and no recurring fees.

Taiwanese Investors Should Note Restrictions. Only supports trading; cannot open accounts directly. Margin rates are relatively high (around 5.5%–9.825%), not suitable for leveraged trading.

Domestic Taiwanese Brokers’ Cross-Agency Trading Options

If you prefer not to go through overseas account opening processes, Taiwanese investors can also invest in US stocks via domestic brokers’ cross-agency services. Cross-agency means local brokers delegate order placement to foreign brokers, allowing you to trade US stocks on familiar platforms.

Comparison of five major Taiwanese brokers’ cross-agency services:

Yuanta Securities, Taiwan’s oldest (established 1961), has the most branches, with a fee of 0.5%–1% of transaction amount, minimum $35.

Fubon Securities offers 0.25% fee with no minimum, supports over 40 banks for deposits/withdrawals, highly convenient.

KGI Securities consolidates Taiwan stocks, overseas stocks, and funds into one account, simplifying the process; cross-agency fee is 0.5%–1%.

Capital Securities offers industry-low fees of 0.2% (minimum just $3), supports sub-accounts, and multiple bank linkages.

Mega Securities, though smaller, innovates with $0.1 per share fee, minimum $1 per trade, providing a new option for small-scale investors.

How Much Capital Do You Need to Start Investing in US Stocks?

Opening a US stock account is usually free. Legitimate financial institutions do not charge for account opening. The real investment cost comes from purchasing stocks.

In Taiwan, the standard trading unit is 1,000 shares; in US stocks, trading is per share. This allows precise investment. For example, Facebook’s current price is $631. Using margin trading, you don’t need to pay the full amount; traditional cash trading requires full payment.

CFD trading is an alternative to lower entry barriers. CFDs use margin and leverage, allowing investors to control larger assets with less capital. Platforms like Mitrade offer up to 200x leverage, so $50 can start trading.

Main costs for CFD trading include:

• Spread: The difference between buy and sell prices, usually small but widens with larger trade sizes
• Commission: Some platforms charge a percentage or fixed fee per trade (Mitrade does not charge commission)
• Overnight Fees: Holding positions overnight incurs costs, calculated as: trade size × contract units × opening price × overnight rate

For example, gold on Mitrade has overnight rates of -0.016800% (buy) and -0.014000% (sell).

Three Quick Steps to Open an Account

Taking Mitrade as an example, opening an account online takes only three simple steps, with no complicated documents:

Step 1: Register an Account. Visit the official website, click “Create Account,” enter email, set password, choose base currency (USD/AUD, etc.), or quickly link via Facebook or Google. After registration, you get a demo account with $50,000 virtual funds for practice.

To open a real account, complete identity verification (residence, name, ID number, date of birth, phone). Mitrade’s KYC process is fully online, and support is available in Chinese or English.

Step 2: Deposit Funds. Supports Skrill, Poli, Visa, MasterCard, bank transfer, and TWD deposits/withdrawals, very convenient for Taiwanese investors.

Step 3: Start Trading. Mitrade offers nearly 400 financial products including stocks, indices, forex, gold, cryptocurrencies, ETFs. Search for your target asset and place orders.

Practical Tools Overview for US Stock Platforms

Modern US stock trading platforms go beyond simple order placement, offering rich analysis and decision tools. Mitrade exemplifies this with free access to:

Trading Strategy Tools. Based on recent asset trends, combining fundamental and technical analysis to forecast next moves, helping investors plan scientifically.

Market View Services. Aggregates expert opinions on hot assets and trend forecasts, reflecting market sentiment, useful for market psychology insights.

Economic Calendar. Highlights events that may impact prices (data releases, holidays, speeches), categorized by importance, aiding advance planning.

Real-Time News Aggregation. Covers forex, commodities, cryptocurrencies, indices, technical analysis, economic health, and countries, providing timely info regardless of asset class.

Live Quotes and Charts. Supports real-time, lag-free quotes with various chart tools for different timeframes, enhancing trend analysis accuracy.

Sentiment Index. Tracks the proportion of bulls and bears, helping investors gauge current market attitude across indices, forex, commodities, etc.

Risk Management Features. Offers take-profit and stop-loss services, including trailing stops that adjust with profit, allowing profit locking without constant monitoring.

Final Recommendations

The key to investing in US stocks is not the platform itself but choosing the solution that best fits your needs.

Beginners should prioritize simple operation, comprehensive Chinese support, and small starting amounts (like Mitrade). As experience grows, consider upgrading to more complex, feature-rich professional platforms (like InteractiveBrokers).

Large-capital investors with ample funds can directly choose overseas brokers for lower fees or use domestic brokers’ cross-agency services to maintain familiar trading habits.

Regardless of the path chosen, thorough platform research and risk assessment before investing are essential—careful decision-making is the top principle for overseas investments.