2025 Taiwanese Investors Must See: Comprehensive Evaluation of US Stock Trading Platforms and Account Opening Comparison Guide

Why Are More and More Taiwanese Choosing US Stock Trading Platforms?

The US stock market is becoming the preferred choice for Taiwanese investors to allocate overseas assets. Unlike traditional Taiwan stocks, which require a minimum of 1,000 shares per trade, US stocks can be bought starting from just 1 share. This means even small investors can participate in investments of top global companies. However, to access the US stock market, you must open an account through a legitimate US stock trading platform or broker.

This article will help you quickly understand the mainstream US stock trading platforms, compare their advantages and disadvantages, and choose the most suitable investment tool for yourself.

5 Core Criteria for Choosing a US Stock Trading Platform

There are many US stock trading platforms on the market, but not all are suitable for you. Before comparing platforms, you need to ask yourself these questions:

① Is your funds’ security guaranteed?

The first hurdle for overseas investment is fund safety. The key indicator of a reliable platform is whether it is regulated by reputable international authorities. Common regulatory agencies include:

• FINRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, USA)
• SIPC (Securities Investor Protection Corporation, USA)
• ASIC (Australian Securities and Investments Commission)

If a platform is recognized by these agencies, even if it goes bankrupt, your assets will be protected accordingly. This is the baseline for choosing a platform.

② Can you trade the products you want?

Different platforms support different trading products. Some restrict options combinations, others prohibit short selling. If you are an experienced investor needing hedging or complex trades, this is especially important. It’s recommended to confirm on the official website before opening an account.

③ Trading fees and promotional activities

US stock trading fees are mainly charged in two ways: per trade or per share. The differences are minor, but hidden costs may exist—such as additional charges after exceeding certain trading volume limits. Many platforms also offer periodic account opening bonuses, such as cash gifts or trial funds, which can significantly reduce your investment costs.

④ Is Chinese language support available?

Although English is becoming more internationalized, language barriers can cause unnecessary trouble. The good news is that most mainstream US stock trading platforms now offer full Chinese support, including Chinese customer service and Chinese websites, greatly reducing usage difficulty.

⑤ How fast are deposits and withdrawals?

Funds transfer speed directly affects trading efficiency. Slow deposit/withdrawal processes may cause cash flow issues, especially in fast-moving markets. This is particularly important for quick trades.

In-Depth Comparison of 5 Mainstream US Stock Trading Platforms

To help you make a quick decision, we evaluated the five largest and most well-known platforms. Here is a comparison of key indicators:

🎯 Platform 1: InteractiveBrokers

Chinese Support: Yes (no local branch in Taiwan)

Fee Standards:

• Fixed: $0.005 per share
• Tiered: $0.0005–0.0035 per share (based on monthly trading volume)

Main Advantages:

• Complete functionality, professional trading tools
• The broadest range of products (covering global stocks, options, futures, etc.)
• More competitive costs for large-volume trading
• Supports account opening in multiple regions (Taiwan, Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, etc.)

Points to Note:

• Complex platform interface, steep learning curve for beginners
• Higher costs for small trades
• Minimum margin requirement of $2000 to use margin accounts

Background: Established in 1977, a veteran in the industry. No deposit minimum, supports Chinese customer service.

🎯 Platform 2: Mitrade

Chinese Support: Yes (local customer service in Taiwan)

Fee Standards:

• 0 commission
• Variable spreads, as low as 0.01

Main Advantages:

• Simple and intuitive interface, ideal for beginners
• Very low trading costs, suitable for small investments
• Supports opening positions from as low as 0.01 lot, flexible leverage (1-200x)
• Rich product range including stocks, forex, indices, gold, cryptocurrencies
• Minimum deposit only $50

Points to Note:

• Demo account valid for 3 months

Background: Founded in 2011, with over one million global users. Supports account opening in Taiwan, Australia, Vietnam, Thailand, and more.

Regulation: Authorized by ASIC (AFSL license 398528), regulated by CySEC

Deposit/Withdrawal Policy: Supports NTD deposits and withdrawals. If total deposits are less than $10,000, one free withdrawal per month; over $10,000, two free withdrawals per month. Additional withdrawals cost $5 per transaction.

🎯 Platform 3: SogoTrade

Chinese Support: Yes

Fee Standards:

• Under 100 shares: $2.88 per trade
• Over $2,000 principal: commission-free

Main Advantages:

• Attractive account opening promotions
• Suitable for high-volume traders

Points to Note:

• Higher fees for small and medium trades
• Beware of phishing websites (official alerts issued)

Background: Founded in 1986, supports account opening in Taiwan, Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore. No deposit minimum, Chinese customer service available.

🎯 Platform 4: Firstrade

Chinese Support: Yes (but no real-time online Chinese customer service)

Fee Standards:

• No commission
• $25 withdrawal fee

Main Advantages:

• Suitable for quick beginners
• Products include stocks, ETFs, options, mutual funds
• No minimum deposit or account balance required

Points to Note:

• Quotes may have delays
• Watch out for PFOF (payment for order flow) hidden costs
• Customer service response may be slow

Background: Founded in 1985, supports account opening in Taiwan, Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore.

🎯 Platform 5: Fidelity

Main Advantages:

• No-commission trading for individual investors
• Free stock and ETF trading
• No recurring fees

Points to Note:

• Taiwanese users cannot open accounts, only buy funds
• Margin interest rates are high (5.5%–9.825%)
• Does not support direct US stock trading accounts

Background: Founded in 1946, supports account opening in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore.

US Stock Replication Trading Options Offered by Local Taiwanese Brokers

If you prefer to use familiar local brokers, many in Taiwan also offer US stock replication trading services. Replication means the Taiwanese broker delegates order execution to overseas brokers.

🔹 Yuanta Securities

• Founded: 1961 (one of Taiwan’s oldest brokers)
• US stock fee: 0.5%–1% of transaction amount, minimum $35
• Features: Most branches, wide coverage

🔹 Fubon Securities

• Founded: 1988
• US stock fee: 0.25%, no minimum
• Features: Supports over 40 bank integrations, convenient deposits/withdrawals

🔹 KGI Securities

• Founded: 1988
• US stock fee: 0.5%–1%, minimum $39.9
• Features: Integrates Taiwan stocks, overseas stocks, funds, easy account opening

🔹 Yuanta Securities

• Founded: 1988
• US stock fee: 0.2%, minimum $3
• Features: Supports sub-accounts, flexible bank linking

🔹 Mega Securities

• Founded: 1989
• US stock fee: $0.1 per share, minimum $1
• Features: Industry’s first per-share fee model, transparent costs

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

This is a common concern for beginners. First, dispel a misconception: Opening a US stock account at a legitimate financial institution is usually completely free.

The real costs come from purchasing stocks themselves.

Traditional Stock Trading Model

The minimum trading unit for US stocks is 1 share (compared to 1,000 shares for Taiwan stocks). For example, Facebook’s current price is about $631. To buy 1 share, you need to pay $631.

CFD Trading Model

Another option is investing via Contracts for Difference (CFD). CFDs use margin and leverage mechanisms, allowing you to control larger positions with less capital.

Main costs of CFD trading include:

1. Spread — the difference between buy and sell prices, the main cost for CFDs. Spreads widen with larger trade sizes

2. Commission — some platforms charge a percentage of the trade amount or a fixed fee. Platforms like Mitrade claim to charge no commissions

3. Overnight Fees — calculated as: number of lots × contract size per lot × opening price × daily overnight rate (%)

Example: Trading gold on Mitrade, overnight fee for a day might be buy -0.0168%, sell -0.014%

3 Quick Steps to Open an Account and Start US Stock Trading

Taking Mitrade as an example, the entire account opening process takes only 3 steps, all online, free of charge:

Step 1: Create an Account

Visit the official website, click “Create Account.” Fill in basic information including:

• Email address
• Password
• Base currency (USD/AUD, etc.)
• Or log in quickly with Facebook/Google

After completing registration, you will automatically get a demo account with $50,000 virtual funds for practice.

If satisfied with the demo, opening a real account is also simple. You need to provide:

• Residence country
• Name
• ID type and number
• Date of birth
• Phone number, etc.

Step 2: Deposit Funds

Supports multiple deposit methods:

• Skrill
• Poli
• Visa/MasterCard
• Wire Transfer

Step 3: Start Trading

Mitrade offers about 400 financial products, including stocks, indices, forex, gold, cryptocurrencies, ETFs, etc. Select your interested products and place orders based on real-time quotes.

Practical Tools Available on US Stock Trading Platforms

With the development of fintech, mainstream US stock trading platforms offer rich analysis tools. Taking Mitrade as an example:

✓ Trading Strategy Module

Generates strategy suggestions based on recent market trends, fundamental and technical analysis

✓ Market Views

Gather short- and medium-term opinions from industry experts on hot products, reflecting market sentiment

✓ Economic Calendar

Marks important events that may impact prices (data releases, market holidays, speeches, etc.) and grades their importance

✓ Real-Time News

Covers latest news across forex, commodities, cryptocurrencies, indices, technical analysis, economic health, countries, etc.

✓ Real-Time Quotes and Charts

Supports tracking real-time quotes without delay, with various chart tools showing price trends over different periods

✓ Sentiment Index

Integrates market short/long ratio data to help judge market attitude

✓ Risk Management Tools

Provides take-profit/take-loss functions and trailing stops to automatically lock in profits or limit losses

Final Recommendations

The core logic for choosing a US stock trading platform is: first clarify your actual needs and investment style, then comprehensively consider service quality, fee structure, and safety credentials.

Since overseas investment is relatively unfamiliar, your reliance on the platform is greater. Therefore, before investing, make sure to fully understand and carefully compare to ensure the platform is both safe and meets your trading needs.

Three quick steps to start US stock investing:

1. Register — fill in your details and submit
2. Deposit — choose a convenient method to fund quickly
3. Trade — identify opportunities and place orders swiftly