2026 US Stock Investment Platform Review Guide! The Complete Guide for Taiwanese Investors to Get Started Quickly

Increasing numbers of Taiwanese investors are starting to venture into the U.S. stock market. However, choosing among many U.S. stock trading platforms can often be confusing. Unlike Taiwan stocks, which can be traded directly through local brokers, U.S. stocks require international brokers or Taiwan brokers via cross-border agency trading (i.e., Taiwan brokers entrusting overseas brokers to execute orders) to trade. This article provides an in-depth analysis of well-known international U.S. stock platforms and Taiwan’s local agency trading options to help you quickly find the most suitable trading channel.

Comparison of the Top 5 International U.S. Stock Platforms

There are many U.S. stock trading platforms available, with significant differences in size, fees, and services. We consider trading costs, withdrawal fees, regulatory credentials, and available trading instruments to select five representative international brokers for easy comparison:

Data sourced from official platform information.

Detailed Analysis of International Brokers

1. Interactive Brokers: The Professional Trader’s Choice

Basic Info

• Founded: 1977
• Chinese support: Yes (no local Taiwan branch)
• Minimum deposit: $0
• Minimum account balance for margin: $2,000

Fee Structure Offers two billing modes: fixed $0.005/share or tiered based on monthly trading volume ($0.0005–$0.0035). More cost-effective for large-volume traders, but small investors should watch cumulative costs.

Main Features

• Extremely broad trading instruments: stocks, options, futures, forex, bonds, funds, etc.
• Wide international trading support: beyond US stocks, also supports UK, German, Japanese, Korean stocks, etc.
• Powerful platform but complex operation, suitable for experienced traders
• Supports account opening in multiple countries (Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, etc.)

Ideal for: Large capital, frequent traders, requiring complex derivatives trading.

2. Mitrade: Best Entry for Small Investors into U.S. Stocks

Basic Info

• Founded: 2011
• Chinese support: Yes (local Taiwan 24/5 customer service)
• Minimum deposit: $50
• Global users: Over 1 million

Fee Structure

• No commission, floating spreads as low as 0.01
• Withdrawal policy: free once per month for deposits under $10,000; over $10,000, two free withdrawals per month
• $5 fee per subsequent withdrawal

Leverage & Trading

• US stock leverage adjustable from 1-10x
• Minimum position: 0.01 lot, can open positions with just a few tens of dollars
• Uses CFD (Contract for Difference) mode, not traditional stock trading

Main Advantages

• Intuitive, user-friendly interface suitable for beginners
• Friendly for small capital: low entry barrier, supports TWD deposits/withdrawals
• Diverse assets: US stocks, indices, forex, gold, crypto, ETFs
• Efficient local customer service

Note

• Demo account valid for 3 months
• CFD trading involves leverage risk; operate cautiously

Suitable for: Investors with limited funds, beginners, small investors seeking diversified assets.

3. SogoTrade: Traditional Broker with Affordable Options

Basic Info

• Founded: 1986
• Chinese support: Yes
• Minimum deposit: $0
• Account opening promotions: often large bonuses for new clients

Fee Structure

• Under 100 shares: $2.88 per order
• Orders over $2,000: commission-free
• Not ideal for small, frequent traders

Platform Features

• Traditional US broker with relatively complete trading instruments
• Good promotional offers

Potential Risks

• Recent reports of scam websites; always use official domain

Ideal for: Medium to large investors, trading amounts over $2,000 per order.

4. Firstrade: Minimalist Choice for Laid-back Investors

Basic Info

• Founded: 1985
• Chinese support: Yes (no real-time online support)
• Minimum deposit: $0
• No minimum account balance

Cost Advantages

• Zero commission trading
• No hidden fees

Known Limitations

• Price quotes may lag
• Uses PFOF (Payment for Order Flow), potential hidden costs
• Customer service response may be slow; time zone differences (EST)
• Chinese support hours limited

Trading Instruments Supports US stocks, ETFs, options, mutual funds

Ideal for: Investors tolerant of delayed quotes, who don’t require extensive customer support.

5. Fidelity: Institutional-Level Choice for Experienced Investors

Basic Info

• Founded: 1946
• Minimum deposit: $0
• No minimum account balance

Service Limitations

• Taiwanese users cannot directly open accounts for US stocks; only for funds
• To trade US stocks, must open accounts in China, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore

Fee Structure

• No commission
• Free stocks and ETFs
• No recurring fees

Limitations

• High margin rates (5.5%–9.825%)
• Limited support for Taiwan market

Ideal for: Investors already holding Fidelity accounts overseas.

Overview of Taiwan’s Local Cross-Border Brokers

Cross-border agency trading involves Taiwan brokers executing orders via overseas brokers. Compared to direct international broker accounts, cross-border agency trading offers full Chinese support and TWD deposits. The five most established Taiwan brokers are:

Yuanta Securities

• Founded: 1961 (one of Taiwan’s oldest)
• U.S. stock fee: 0.5%-1%, minimum $35
• Regular investment: up to $1
• Features: Largest branch network, traditional strengths

Fubon Securities

• Founded: 1988
• U.S. stock fee: 0.25%, no minimum
• Regular investment: 0.2%
• Features: Supports 40+ bank integrations, consolidates Taiwan and overseas accounts

KGI Securities

• Founded: 1988
• U.S. stock fee: 0.5%-1%, minimum $39.9
• Regular investment: 1 TWD
• Features: Easy integration of Taiwan, overseas stocks, funds

Yuanta Securities (another branch)

• Founded: 1988
• U.S. stock fee: 0.2%, minimum $3
• Regular investment: 0.16%
• Features: Multi-bank account management

Mega Securities

• Founded: 1989
• U.S. stock fee: $0.1/share, minimum $1
• Regular investment: 0.25%
• Features: Per-share fee model, friendly for small trades

How to Scientifically Choose a U.S. Stock Platform?

Investors should evaluate based on these key dimensions:

1. Regulatory Credentials & Fund Security

Check if the broker is regulated by major authorities:

• FINRA: US Financial Industry Regulatory Authority
• SIPC: US Securities Investor Protection Corporation
• ASIC: Australian Securities and Investments Commission
• CySEC: Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission

Regulation ensures asset protection in case of broker insolvency.

2. Trading Cost Structure

• Per trade: suitable for frequent traders; consider cumulative costs
• Per share: good for large single trades
• Zero commission: watch out for spreads and hidden fees
• TWD deposit/withdrawal support: reduces FX costs

3. Trading Instruments Completeness

Different strategies require different instruments:

• Stocks + ETFs + Options: standard
• Cryptocurrencies: Mitrade, SogoTrade support
• Futures & derivatives: Interactive Brokers excels
• Forex & commodities: Mitrade covers comprehensively

4. Chinese Support Quality

• 24/7 live support: Mitrade, some Taiwan brokers
• Limited hours: Firstrade (due to time zone)
• Phone, email, online chat: determines emergency responsiveness

5. Capital Turnover Speed

• Deposit speed: affects position opening
• Withdrawal speed: affects liquidity
• Payment methods: credit card, wire transfer, third-party payment

Platform Recommendations Based on Investment Scale

Micro-investors ($100–$500)

Best choice: Mitrade

• Leverage 1-10x adjustable
• No commission
• TWD deposit/withdrawal
• Caution: leverage trading involves risk; start with low leverage

Small investors ($500–$5,000)

Recommended order:

1. Mitrade (lowest cost)
2. Yuanta/Taiwan brokers (0.2% fee, min $3)
3. Mega Securities (per-share fee $0.1, flexible)

Medium investors ($5,000–$50,000)

Recommended order:

1. Firstrade (zero commission, no fee limit)
2. Fubon cross-border (0.25%, no minimum)
3. Interactive Brokers (multi-asset support)

Large investors ($50,000+)

Recommended order:

1. Interactive Brokers (tiered fee, comprehensive international trading)
2. Yuanta/Taiwan brokers (scale advantage, support)
3. Specialized institutional services (KGI, Mega)

How to Open an Account: Three Steps to Start U.S. Stock Investment

Using Mitrade as an example:

Step 1: Create an Account

1. Visit the official website and click “Create Account”
2. Fill in basic info: email, password, base currency (USD/AUD)
3. Use Facebook or Google for quick login
4. After registration, get a demo account with $50,000 virtual funds for risk-free practice

Step 2: Real Name Verification & Account Upgrade

1. Complete personal info: country, name, ID type, DOB
2. Upload ID documents for KYC (all online)
3. After approval, upgrade to real trading account

Step 3: Deposit & Start Trading

1. Support multiple deposit methods: Skrill, Poli, Visa, MasterCard, wire transfer
2. TWD deposits supported for Taiwanese investors
3. Confirm deposit, then access nearly 400 financial products (US stocks, indices, forex, gold, crypto, ETFs)

Tip: Beginners should first use the demo account (valid for 3 months) to familiarize themselves before trading with real funds.

How Much Capital Is Needed to Start U.S. Stock Investment?

Account Opening Cost

Important: Opening a legitimate U.S. stock account through regulated institutions is usually free, with no hidden fees.

Minimum Trading Amounts

Traditional Stock Trading

• Minimum: 1 share
• Example: Meta (Facebook), current price ~$631, requires ~$631 to buy 1 share
• More accessible than Taiwan’s 1,000-share minimum

CFD Trading Mode

• Use leverage to control larger positions with less capital
• Mitrade supports 1-10x leverage
• Buying 1 Meta share at 2x leverage requires about $315
• Small-cap stocks can be traded with just tens of dollars

CFD Trading Cost Details

1. Spread

• Difference between buy and sell prices; main revenue source
• Mitrade offers competitive spreads
• Spreads widen with larger trade sizes

2. Commission

• Mitrade: zero commission
• Others may charge percentage or fixed fees

3. Overnight Financing

• Formula: position size × contract size × entry price × overnight rate (%)
• Example: Gold, Nov 11, 2025, overnight fee: buy -0.0168%, sell -0.014%
• Short-term impact minimal; long-term costs should be considered

Practical Tools Provided by U.S. Stock Platforms

Modern platforms like Mitrade offer advanced analysis tools:

Trading Strategy Analysis

• Based on fundamental and technical analysis
• Helps formulate data-driven strategies

Market Views & Sentiment Index

• Expert opinions on hot assets
• Market sentiment indicators (bullish/bearish ratios)
• Aid in contrarian decisions

Economic Calendar & Real-Time News

• Key economic data releases, Fed meetings, market holidays
• Coverage of forex, commodities, crypto, indices
• Ensures no critical event is missed

Real-Time Quotes & Multi-Dimensional Charts

• Zero-latency data feeds
• Multiple timeframes (minutes, hours, daily)
• Precise entry/exit timing

Risk Management Tools

• Take profit / stop loss: automatic profit locking or loss limiting
• Trailing stop: adjusts stop-loss as profit increases

Summary: How to Quickly Find the Most Suitable U.S. Stock Platform

There’s no absolute “best” platform; the key is matching your capital, trading style, and service needs:

Decision Tree:

• Capital <$1,000 + beginner → Mitrade (low entry barrier, simple)
• Capital $1,000–$10,000 + TWD needs → Yuanta/Taiwan brokers (cost-effective, local support)
• Capital >$10,000 + diversified assets → Interactive Brokers (broad instruments, tiered fees)
• Large-scale international expansion → Firstrade or Fidelity (no commission, institutional support)

Final reminder: Overseas investing involves FX risk, liquidity risk, policy risk, etc. Fully understand platform disclosures and assess your risk tolerance before investing. Start small, learn platform operation, then gradually increase your investment.

Wishing you a successful U.S. stock investment journey!