What is an international broker?

Any brokerage firm that accepts clients from more than one country and offers trading access to global stock exchanges is considered an international broker.

How do you open an international trading account?

To open an international trading account, you need to find a broker that: Will accept clients from your country. Can trade in the countries you want to trade in. Is able to execute orders in the instruments you prefer to trade in. Has the features you want. Then, follow the steps specified by the broker to open the account.

How do I buy stocks internationally?

To buy foreign stocks, you must first open a brokerage account with a broker that can trade in the country where you want to invest. Then, after funding your account, you may need to request access (including price data) for the exchange you want to trade. Alternatively, simply search for the specific symbol to see if it is available to trade from within your account. A symbol that works for one broker may not work for another. Example: A trader who wants to buy British Petroleum PLC (LSE: BP) would enter the symbol BP on the trading platform. If you enter this on the Interactive Brokers platform, BP will yield a few results, but the correct one if you want to buy it on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) is “BP PLC – LSE.” Companies can have multiple results because one company may have several securities and/or symbols. A foreign stock may be dually listed or trade as an American Deposit Receipt (ADR). There may also be derivatives such as contracts for difference (CFD) or options. Bottom line: you should know the exchange and symbol to buy an international stock.

Can a citizen of another country open an account with a U.S. broker?

If you reside outside of the United States and are not a U.S. citizen, you may still be able to open a U.S. brokerage account. As long as the online broker accepts applications from your country of residence, you may proceed.

Can a non-citizen resident open a U.S. broker account?

In many cases, if you are a legal resident in the U.S. but not a U.S. citizen, then proper identification may be enough to open a U.S. brokerage account. Expect the broker to ask for a Social Security number. When in doubt, call the broker.

Can a non-U.S. resident invest in U.S. stocks?

Yes, you can, and you may not need to open an account with a U.S. broker if you are living in a foreign country. Brokers in many countries are able to trade U.S. stocks. For example, while testing brokers in Canada , Australia and in the U.K. , we found U.S. markets to be easily accessible.

Which broker is best for international trading?

Interactive Brokers is the best U.S.-based international stockbroker because it provides you access to the most exchanges and supports clients from the widest variety of countries. Its Global Trader mobile app makes international investing easy for beginners, but its Trader Workstation is sophisticated enough to be an international trading platform for institutional investors.

Best International Brokers for Stock Trading in 2024

Written by Sam Levine, CFA, CMT
Edited by Carolyn Kimball
Fact-checked by Steven Hatzakis
Reviewed by Blain Reinkensmeyer

May 04, 2024

It’s not difficult for U.S. citizens to invest internationally, whether you’re an expat living outside the United States or you live in the U.S. and just want to add foreign exposure to your portfolio. First, get to know the different ways you can invest. Then, find a broker who can accept your business, trades what you’re interested in, and provides features, user experience, and pricing that appeals to you.

We rated the top three brokerage firms that allow U.S. citizens to trade foreign stocks. I considered availability of services, the number of countries U.S. clients can reside in and open an account, the overall user experience, and, of course, cost.

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