An increasing number of young investors are turning to the US stock market, but how should one evaluate brokerage features and commission structures when selecting a platform? To address this, we've curated a list of 10 most popular overseas US stock brokers, providing detailed comparisons of their characteristics, fee schedules, and pros/cons to help you make informed decisions.

Over the past year, the three major US indices repeatedly hit record highs despite inflation pressures and pandemic impacts. The S&P 500, Dow Jones, and NASDAQ gained 26.89%, 18.73%, and 21.39% respectively, demonstrating strong market confidence. This performance has sparked tremendous investor interest, making US stocks a highly sought-after asset class.

The rapid development of internet technology has revolutionized US stock investing. Traditional brokerages are transitioning online while tech-driven platforms emerge, significantly lowering barriers through fully digital services. From account opening to deposits, withdrawals, and trading, investors can now manage everything via smartphone or computer.

Below are our selections of 10 most reputable US stock brokers, most offering free online account opening, competitive commissions, stable trading systems, and Chinese/English interfaces. We'll detail each broker's strengths and weaknesses to help you choose wisely.

2024 US Stock Broker Rankings

Top 10 recommended US stock brokers:

① TD Ameritrade

② Interactive Brokers

③ Futu Moomoo

④ Longbridge Securities

⑤ Tiger Brokers

⑥ Webull Securities

⑦ Firstrade Securities

⑧ eToro

⑨ POEMS

⑩ Saxo Markets

Key selection criteria:

• Regulated by credible authorities to ensure fund safety
• Zero or minimal trading commissions to reduce costs
• Full online services with stable trading systems

📍 Generous sign-up bonuses are additional advantages.

Broker Comparison Table

Broker	Commission	Platform Fee	Minimum Deposit	Key Features
TD Ameritrade	$0	$0	$0	Market leader with lowest trading fees
Interactive Brokers	$0.005/share (min $1)	$0	$0	Global market access, ideal for professionals
Futu Moomoo	$0	$0.99/order	$0	User-friendly with rich market data
Longbridge	$0.0088/share (min $1.88)	$0	$0	Social investing features
Tiger Brokers	$0.005/share (min $0.99)	$0.005/share (min $1)	$0	Strong IPO access
Webull	$0	$0	$0	Instant account opening
Firstrade	$0	$0	$0	Excellent Chinese support
eToro	$0	$0	$50	Social/copy trading
POEMS	$3.88/order	$0	$0	Singapore pioneer
Saxo Markets	0.06%/share (min $4)	$0	$0	Forex specialist

【Related Reading】2025 US Stock Broker Comprehensive Comparison & Recommendation Guide | Essential for Beginners & Professional Investors

【Related Reading】2025 Best Forex Broker Recommendations: Complete Analysis of Regulatory Compliance & Trading Costs

Broker Features & Competitive Advantages

Below we detail the unique features and competitive advantages of these 10 US stock brokers.

1. TD Ameritrade

TD Ameritrade is one of America's largest brokerage firms, established in 1975 and listed on NASDAQ (AMTD) in 1997, currently serving over 28 million clients worldwide.

Regulated by SEC and FINRA, it offers diverse financial products including stocks, ETFs, bonds, mutual funds, US options, futures, forex, and ADRs. Its Thinkorswim (TOS) platform has undergone extensive testing for stability and optimal trading experience.

Key features include commission-free US stock/ETF trading with no platform fees or minimums; options cost $0.70 per contract with an exceptionally user-friendly interface.

Acquired by Charles Schwab in 2020, this merger hasn't affected TD Ameritrade's operations or service quality.

Features

• Zero-commission US stocks, low-cost options ($0.70/contract)
• 100% online account opening and trading
• Trades stocks, ETFs, bonds, mutual funds, options, futures, forex, ADRs
• Supports US IPO participation
• Advanced options/futures trading interface
• Comprehensive investment toolkit

Advantages

• True $0 commission stock trading
• No minimum deposit requirement
• Fast wire transfer processing
• Stable platform with Chinese/English interfaces
• In-depth data analysis and educational resources
• Pre-market & after-hours trading supported
• OTC market access
• Free $100,000 virtual trading account

Disadvantages

• Account approval takes 2-5 business days
• No fractional share trading
• Customer service response could be faster
• Mobile app interface needs improvement

2. Interactive Brokers

Interactive Brokers (IBKR) is the world's largest electronic trading platform, founded in 1977 and listed on NASDAQ (IBKR) in 2007, regulated by SEC and FINRA.

Its standout feature is global market access - one account trades stocks, options, futures, forex, bonds and funds across 135 markets in 33 countries using 23 currencies. The Trader Workstation (TWS) offers sophisticated tools for all trader levels.

Many institutions integrate IBKR's data (e.g. Bloomberg). Numerous smaller brokers use IBKR's infrastructure to provide trading services.

Features

• Ultra-low trading commissions
• Fully digital account management
• Global access to stocks, options, futures, forex, bonds, funds
• Supports US IPOs and pink sheet stocks
• Advanced trading tools for professionals

Advantages

• No minimum deposit
• Multi-language platform interface
• Most extensive product selection
• Professional-grade analytics
• Extended hours trading
• OTC market access
• Fractional share trading
• DRIP (Dividend Reinvestment) support
• Free $100k practice account

Disadvantages

• Not completely commission-free ($0.005/share min $1)
• Slow customer service response
• Steep learning curve for TWS platform

3. Futu Moomoo

Futu Securities (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., established in 2012, is a subsidiary of Nasdaq-listed Futu Holdings (Nasdaq: FUTU). Its investment platform "Moomoo" provides multi-market securities trading services, allowing users to invest in US, Hong Kong, China A-shares, and Singapore markets with a single account.

Futu Holdings holds 43 financial licenses across major global markets covering US stocks, Hong Kong stocks, A-shares, funds, futures, bonds, etc., serving over 14 million users.

Futu Securities (Singapore) is licensed by MAS (License No: CMS101000). Futu Securities (Hong Kong) is regulated by SFC (CE No: AZT137) holding Type 1,2,3,4,5,7,9 licenses.

Features

• Fully online account opening and trading
• Trades US/HK/China A-shares/Singapore stocks, options, funds, futures, ETFs, REITs, ADRs
• Supports US/HK/Singapore IPO participation
• Independent social platform "Moomoo Community"
• Known as "Tencent-affiliated" brokerage

Advantages

• Permanent $0 commission for US stocks
• No minimum initial deposit
• User-friendly interface with Chinese/English support
• Free US stock Level 2 market data
• Comprehensive financial data analysis with visualization tools
• Pre-market & after-hours trading
• $1 million virtual account
• 24/7 responsive customer service
• Sign-up bonuses including free stocks

Disadvantages

• No fractional share trading
• Currently doesn't support stock transfers out
• No Singapore bank account - wire transfers only with high fees

4. Longbridge Securities

Founded in March 2019 and headquartered in Singapore, Longbridge's core team comes from Alibaba, with strategic investments from PhillipCapital and Vision Plus Capital.

Regulated by Hong Kong SFC (CE No: BPX066) holding Type 1,4,9 licenses. Also registered as New Zealand financial service provider.

Single account access to US, HK, China A-shares, Singapore, Germany, Japan, UK, Australia markets including stocks, ETFs, REITs, money market funds, OTC funds.

Features

• Fully online operations
• Multi-market access (US/HK/China/Singapore/Germany/Japan/UK/Australia)
• Products: stocks, ETFs, REITs, money market funds, OTC funds
• US/HK IPO participation
• Known as "Alibaba-affiliated" brokerage

Advantages

• No platform fees
• No minimum deposit
• MYR deposits accepted (non-wire transfer) - convenient for Malaysians
• Intuitive interface with Chinese/English support
• Free US/HK Level 2 market data
• Rich financial data with visualization tools
• Pre-market & after-hours trading (comprehensive accounts only)
• Strong social features including live earnings calls
• Unique "Stock Lists" for investment ideas
• 24/7 responsive customer service
• Sign-up bonuses including free stocks

*Comprehensive accounts require HK bank cards; standard accounts otherwise

Disadvantages

• No fractional shares
• No demo account
• Higher US stock commissions ($0.0088/share, min $1.88/order)

5. Tiger Brokers

Founded in 2014 and listed on Nasdaq (TIGR) in 2019, Tiger serves over 4.3 million users globally with annual trading volume exceeding $10 billion.

Regulated by MAS, SEC, FINRA, SFC, ASIC. Platform provides access to US, HK, Singapore, China A-shares, Australia, London markets covering stocks, options, warrants, ETFs, REITs, futures, indices, metals, bonds, funds.

Features

• Fully online operations
• Multi-market access (US/HK/Singapore/China/Australia/London)
• Products: stocks, options, warrants, ETFs, REITs, futures, indices, metals, bonds, funds
• US/HK/Singapore IPO participation
• Known as "Xiaomi-affiliated" brokerage

Advantages

• No minimum deposit
• $100k virtual account
• User-friendly interface with Chinese/English support
• Free US Level 2 data
• No IPO fees for US stocks
• Comprehensive IPO calendar and information
• Advanced technical analysis tools
• Pre-market & after-hours trading
• 24/7 responsive customer service
• Sign-up bonuses including free stocks

Disadvantages

• No fractional shares
• Not completely commission-free ($0.005/share min $0.99 + $0.005/share platform fee min $1)

6. Webull Securities

Founded in 2016 under Xiaomi's financial ecosystem, Webull serves over 20 million users globally.

Entered Hong Kong market in 2020, regulated by Hong Kong SFC (CE No: BNG700) holding Type 1 license. Offers US/HK/China A-shares, ETFs, warrants, bull/bear certificates, funds.

Key feature: True $0 commission for US stocks, $0 platform fees, $0 commission for HK stocks, $0 IPO fees.

Features

• Lifetime $0 commission for US/HK stocks
• Fully online operations
• Access to US/HK/China markets
• Products: stocks, ETFs, warrants, bull/bear certificates, funds
• HK IPO participation

Advantages

• No minimum deposit
• Free demo account
• $0 commission/fees for US stocks, low HK platform fees (HK$10/order)
• Pre-market & after-hours trading
• 24/7 responsive customer service
• Sign-up bonuses including free stocks

Disadvantages

• Limited market access
• No fractional shares
• Not available for Malaysian investors

7. Firstrade Securities

Established in 1985, this online-only broker is a FINRA/SIPC member offering US stocks, ETFs, options, funds, bonds.

Key advantage: $0 commissions for US stocks/ETFs/options, no hidden fees, making it popular among international investors.

Features

• $0 commissions/fees for US stocks/ETFs/options
• Fully online operations
• Products: US stocks, ETFs, options, funds, bonds

Advantages

• $0 commissions/contract fees
• No minimum deposit
• Pre-market & after-hours trading
• DRIP (Dividend Reinvestment) support
• Free research from Morningstar, Briefing.com, Zacks, Benzinga
• Excellent Chinese-language interface

Disadvantages

• Limited market access
• No fractional shares
• No demo account
• Basic platform - good for execution but limited analysis

8. eToro

Founded in 2007 as forex broker, eToro now offers US/HK stocks, ETFs, indices, crypto, forex, commodities to over 10 million users across 140 countries. Features include social trading and CopyTrader.

Regulated by FCA, ASIC, CySec (varies by region). Went public via SPAC merger in 2021.

Features

• $0 commissions for US/ETFs (spread-based)
• Fully online operations
• Products: US/HK stocks, ETFs, indices, crypto, forex, commodities
• CopyTrader social trading
• Primarily CFDs (some physical assets)

Advantages

• $0 commissions for US/ETFs
• Intuitive multi-language interface
• $100k virtual account
• Fractional shares available
• Multiple deposit methods including cards/PayPal

Disadvantages

• Minimum deposit (e.g. $50 for Malaysia)
• Limited market access
• Thin liquidity for less popular assets
• No pre-market/after-hours trading
• No DRIP
• Assets cannot be transferred to/from other brokers
• $10 inactivity fee after 12 months
• Platform stability issues during volatility
• Slow withdrawals

9. POEMS

PhillipCapital (est. 1975), regulated by MAS, offers global trading across 26 markets including US, HK, Singapore covering stocks, ETFs, CFDs, forex, gold, futures, funds.

Features

• No platform/custody fees
• Fully online operations
• Products: stocks, ETFs, CFDs, forex, gold, futures, funds

Advantages

• No minimum deposit
• No platform/custody fees
• User-friendly platform with rich financial data
• Multi-market access

Disadvantages

• No fractional shares
• No demo account
• High US commissions ($3.88/order)

10. Saxo Markets

Saxo Bank (est. 1992) subsidiary holding 15 licenses across Denmark/Singapore etc., offering 85 global exchanges covering stocks, forex, futures, options, commodities, bonds, CFDs, funds, crypto via SaxoInvestor/TraderGO/TraderPRO platforms.

Features

• No platform fees
• Fully online operations
• Products: stocks, forex, futures, options, commodities, bonds, CFDs, funds, crypto

Advantages

• No minimum deposit
• No platform fees
• Multiple deposit methods
• Three platform tiers for different experience levels
• Extensive market access

Disadvantages

• No fractional shares
• No demo account
• Highest US commissions (0.06%/share, min $4/order)

How to Choose the Most Suitable Broker?

With numerous brokers available, how do you select the one that best fits your needs? Here are some recommendations:

Regulatory Oversight

Choosing a properly regulated broker is the most effective way to ensure fund safety. When selecting a broker, pay attention to which regulatory bodies oversee them. The credibility of these regulators directly impacts security - for example, the U.S. SEC and Singapore's MAS are highly recognized authorities.

Investment Products

Different investors have different needs, so it's important to understand what financial products a broker offers before opening an account. For instance, if you plan to trade US stock options, you must confirm whether the broker provides this service.

Commissions & Fees

Commission and fee structures significantly impact costs and ROI. Before opening an account, thoroughly research the broker's fee schedule and check for potential hidden charges like annual fees, inactivity fees, or custody fees.

Trading Platform Features

Platform stability is crucial to avoid issues like delayed quotes or failed orders. Only stable platforms can ensure smooth trading. Additionally, consider brokers that provide comprehensive financial data and research tools to help with market analysis and decision-making.

US Stock Broker FAQs

1. How to choose the right US stock broker?

Consider three key factors:

• Regulatory safety (prioritize SEC/FINRA-regulated brokers)
• Trading costs (commissions, platform fees)
• Feature requirements (pre/after-hours trading, fractional shares etc.)
• Beginners may prefer user-friendly platforms like Futu Moomoo or Webull, while professionals might value Interactive Brokers' advanced features.

2. What documents are needed to open a US trading account?

Typically required:

• Valid ID (passport/national ID)
• Proof of address (utility bill within 3 months)
• W-8BEN tax form (for non-US residents)
• Bank account information (for funding)
• Most brokers support fully online submission with 1-3 business day approval.

3. What hidden fees exist in US stock trading?

Watch for:

• Platform usage fees
• Currency conversion charges
• Withdrawal fees
• Real-time market data subscriptions
• Options contract fees
• We recommend truly $0 commission brokers like TD Ameritrade or Firstrade.

4. How is fund security ensured?

Reputable brokers provide:

• SIPC protection (up to $500,000 coverage)
• Segregated client funds
• Multi-factor authentication
• We recommend the 10 regulated brokers in this guide - avoid unregulated platforms.

5. What are US stock market trading hours?

Regular session:

9:30 AM - 4:00 PM ET (9:30 PM - 4:00 AM Beijing/HK time)

Pre-market: 4:00-9:30 AM ET (limited brokers)

After-hours: 4:00-8:00 PM ET

Note daylight saving time changes.

6. How to minimize currency conversion costs?

Strategies:

• Choose multi-currency account brokers (e.g. Interactive Brokers)
• Use low-cost FX services like Wise for large conversions
• Avoid frequent small conversions
• Some brokers (e.g. Longbridge) support direct MYR deposits

7. How are US stock dividends taxed?

For non-US investors:

• 10% withholding tax with W-8BEN form (default 30%)
• Capital gains tax depends on residence country
• Consult tax professionals for specific planning.

8. Why maintain multiple broker accounts?

Benefits include:

• Risk diversification
• Access to different platform features
• More sign-up bonuses
• Backup access during maintenance
• Recommend 1 main + 1-2 secondary accounts.

9. How to participate in US IPOs?

Requirements:

• Use IPO-supporting brokers (e.g. Tiger/Futu)
• Maintain sufficient cash balance
• Monitor IPO calendars
• Note popular IPOs may have limited allocations and volatile debuts.

10. How to resolve trading issues?

Step-by-step:

1. Screenshot transaction records
2. Contact broker via in-app support
3. Formal email complaint (keep records)
4. Report to regulators if needed
5. Choose brokers with responsive support (e.g. Moomoo's 24/7 bilingual service).

Conclusion

Choosing the right US stock broker is a crucial first step in your investment journey. Our recommended brokers each serve different needs: TD Ameritrade and Firstrade excel in cost efficiency, Interactive Brokers serves professionals, while Futu Moomoo and Longbridge offer superior user experience, with Tiger Brokers standing out in IPO access. Consider your trading frequency, capital size, and feature requirements when choosing, prioritizing large, strictly regulated brokers.

While broker selection matters, investment success depends more on knowledge and risk management. We recommend beginners:

• Practice with demo accounts first
• Start with small amounts
• Continuously learn fundamental/technical analysis
• Develop disciplined investment habits

The US market offers opportunities but carries risks. We hope this guide helps you find the right investment partner for sustainable wealth growth. For more investment knowledge, visit our finance portal.