You can buy and own a portion of the brands you value when you open a stock trading account. Learn how to invest in stocks with us, without paying commission.1
To start investing in stocks, you’ll need an account with a stockbroker – like us. Our stock trading account enables you to buy and sell physical company shares.
To invest, you’ll place your orders with us, and we’ll execute them on your behalf. Dividends earned (if any) will be deposited straight into your stock trading account.
Open a stock trading account with us
Fund your account in minutes
Buy and sell shares on our platform or app
After opening an account with a stockbroker, you can use their trading platform to buy and sell shares and funds.
When investing, you have two main options: you can choose to purchase a specific number of shares in a company or fund, or you can decide on a fixed amount of money to invest.
For example, if a stock is trading at $ 0,50 per share, you could buy 100 shares for $50, or you could invest $250 to receive 500 shares. Keep in mind that these calculations don't include any associated fees, which vary by broker and should be factored into your investment decisions.
Take a look at the video below which shows how you can deal shares on our platform.
The main reason why you need a stockbroker is to access shares listed on an exchange (eg the London Stock Exchange, or LSE). That’s because only registered brokers can access the exchange, place orders and execute deals.
A stockbroker can be seen as the middleman between buyers and sellers of shares. Brokers often have high-performing technologies available to them that enable investors to get exposure to a variety of stocks; charging a fee for their service.
You will pay no fees on all US and UK shares up to 100 trades per month.
No commission, no FX converison fee, and no custody fee on all shares up to 100 shares per month.
Number of trades in a given month 0-100 | Number of trades in a given month 100+ | |
US shares | Free | $5 |
German shares | Free | €10 |
UK shares | Free | £8 |
Irish shares | Free | €10 |
How you open a stockbrokerage account will depend on the broker you choose. With us, you can open a stock trading account in just a few minutes. Here’s how:
You can usually log in to your stockbrokerage platform to fund your account, buy and sell shares, place market orders, and view statements. Not all accounts work in the same way, but with us it works as follows:
When you have a stock trading account with us, you’ll use it to buy and trade shares on our platform, as long as the markets are open. Note that we offer out-of-hours stock trading, extending the time during which you can trade.
You will pay no fees on all US and UK shares up to 100 trades per month. Your shares – and their value – will be stored in your account. You’ll be able to see the number of shares you own, as well as what they’re worth when you log in. If the value goes up or down in the stock market, this will reflect in your account, too.
Any dividends owing to you will also be paid into your stock trading account. So, any profits and losses, as well as earnings from dividends, will be kept here. You can reinvest these dividends – ie use the money to buy more shares, or you can withdraw it whenever you want, for free.
Our platform also offers content to power your investing journey, including real-time news from Reuters, expert analysis from our analysts, stock research from TipRanks and our economic calendar.
How do I fund my account?
You can fund your account using a variety of methods. The quickest way to place funds on your account is by credit or debit card if you are a professional client and by debit card only if you are a retail client. Successfully authorised payments by credit or debit card are allocated to your account immediately. You can also deposit funds through bank transfer into our account or using our mobile app. You can deposit money whenever you’re ready.
If you want to withdraw money from your stock trading account, you can do so at any time, for free. We’ll pay the money to you via the same card or account you used to fund. Bank transfers may take up to three business days to reflect, while card payments should reflect immediately.
Log in to your account and go to our stock trading platform. From there, you can invest in thousands of popular shares, from exchanges across the world.
Simply search for your preferred stock, ETF or investment trust on our platform, open its chart and place your deal in the deal ticket.
How much you should invest is completely up to you. There’s no minimum amount you’re required to invest with us, but there may be certain deposit requirements. You should only ever invest an amount that you’re willing to risk, as the markets could move against you.
Find out how to manage your risk before investing in any shares.
If you don’t want to invest in individual stocks, we also offer exchange trade funds (ETFs) .
Invest in a basket of assets and themes, such as tech stocks or green energy, from a single position
Invest in a basket of assets and themes, such as tech stocks or green energy, from a single position
There are different types of risks when investing in stocks. Some shares are riskier or more volatile than others. But one thing is certain – no matter the type of investment – there will always be a degree of risk involved.
This is the most general type of risk when you own shares. The price of the underlying asset can fluctuate based on supply and demand. This means the value of your investment can go down, and you could get back less than you put in. If you want to invest in stocks, consider how much you’re willing to risk before you place your deal.
As the name suggests, this type of risk affects the entire market, and not specific stocks. So, even if you have a diverse portfolio of shares, you could be exposed to market risk. It can be linked to general economic turmoil, natural disasters, interest rate changes, etc.
Some of the other risks to be aware of when investing include currency risk, liquidity risk and business risk. With currency risk, you’re at the mercy of the exchange rate between countries. Liquidity risk comes into play when there is low demand for (or supply of) a certain asset. Lastly, business risk is the risk that a company won’t generate a profit or stay afloat.
Note that this isn’t an exhaustive list– make sure you conduct thorough research on all possible risks before investing.
Here are a few ways you can manage your risk when investing in stocks:
Remember, while buying and owning shares can be risky, there are also possible rewards if the market moves in your favour.
It’s important to note that ‘stocks’ and ‘shares’ are related, but not entirely the same. A stock is a security that represents a collection of shares listed on an exchange. A share is a single unit of ownership.
Think about it this way – if Vodafone lists all its available shares on the LSE, it has listed its ‘stock’. Post-listing, the public can then invest in Vodafone shares.
Companies will issue shares for different reasons. Some may simply want to raise their public profile. Others might want to raise money to fund business expansion, pay debts, attract talent or monetise its assets.
A stock exchange is a marketplace where financial instruments, like shares, are bought and sold. The LSE is a popular example of a stock exchange. For a company’s shares to be listed on a stock exchange, it has to go through an initial public offering (IPO).
A stock exchange’s opening hours will depend on where in the world it’s located. We offer extended hours on over 70 US shares, even when the market is closed.
The stock market is a slightly more abstract concept than a stock exchange, as it’s not a specific place. Rather, it represents every exchange, and the space where all buyers and sellers participate in the financial markets.
So, as an example, if you hear news terms like ‘stock market crash’, it means that practically all financial assets and markets are facing a serious downturn.
Dividends are payments made to shareholders by the companies in which they’re invested. If a company makes a profit, and they choose to pay dividends, shareholders will receive a portion of the profit. Not all companies pay dividends.
You can reinvest your dividends – ie use the money to buy more shares in the company – or withdraw it as cash. With us, dividends received from your investments are paid directly into your stock trading account.
Many people choose to invest in stocks because it’s a way to own a portion of the brands you value. If you invest in shares, you can make a profit if you sell them for a higher price. You can also earn a passive income from dividends (if paid) and receive voting rights, enabling you to have a say in company matters.
When you invest in shares with us, you’ll get:
How can I start investing in stocks?
To start investing in stocks, you’ll need to open an account with a stockbroker. You can open a stock trading account with us within minutes and access 10,000+ stocks to invest in, including big names such as Apple, Netflix and Tesla. You have no obligation to fund the account until you’re ready to invest.
Can anyone invest in stocks?
Yes, anyone with a funded stockbrokerage account can invest in stocks. The main reason why you need a stockbroker to access listed shares is because only registered brokers can access an exchange, place orders and execute deals.
How much is the minimum I can invest in stocks?
There is no minimum – you can invest however much you can afford. Just remember that investments are risky and past performance is no guarantee of future results, so you could get back less than what you put in.
Do I need a stockbroker to buy shares?
Yes, you need a stockbroker to buy shares. You can’t buy or sell shares directly on an exchange – you’ll do so ‘over the counter’, using a broker. Only registered stockbrokers will have access to an exchange where shares are listed.
Is it expensive to invest in stocks?
Whether or not it’s expensive to invest in stocks is completely subjective. All shares have different values, and all investors have different amounts of capital on hand. You should only ever invest what you can afford to lose.
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