The Most Comprehensive US Stock Trading Platform Guide for 2026 | Comparison of Fees from 5 Major Brokers + Local Account Opening Options in Taiwan

Why Invest in US Stocks? Secrets to Choosing the Right Platform You Need to Know

In recent years, more and more Taiwanese investors are turning their attention to overseas markets, with US stocks becoming especially popular due to high liquidity and a wide selection. But here’s the question—there are so many US stock trading platforms, which one should you choose?

Investing in US stocks is like buying Taiwanese stocks—you need to open an account with a broker. However, this time it’s not a Taiwanese broker account, but an international broker or a Taiwanese sub-commissioned service. Many people get overwhelmed by the options. Today, we’ll review the mainstream US stock trading platforms on the market to help you find the one that suits you best.

Avoid Pitfalls When Choosing a US Stock Broker? These 5 Dimensions Are Most Critical

There are so many US stock trading platforms, but ultimately it comes down to these points. It’s recommended to consider them in order:

First: Funds Security

This is the prerequisite. Check whether the broker is regulated by reputable agencies such as the US Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC), or the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). If the broker encounters issues, your assets will be protected.

Second: Trading Instruments

Some platforms restrict options combinations, some prohibit short selling. If you want to hedge risks or have some experience, these restrictions can be annoying. Be sure to confirm on the official website before opening an account.

Third: Fee Structure

Most US stock trading platforms charge per trade or per share. On the surface, it seems similar, but hidden fees are the real killers—such as extra charges for exceeding trade limits, withdrawal fees, overnight fees, etc.

Fourth: Language Support

If English isn’t your native language, communication costs can be high if issues arise. Many platforms now offer Chinese language support, which can save you a lot of trouble.

Fifth: Funds Transfer Speed

From deposit to trading to withdrawal, every step goes through the broker. The faster your funds arrive, the more efficient your trading, and the lower your capital turnover risk.

International US Stock Trading Platforms Comparison｜Fees, Security, Trading Instruments All-Round Comparison

Based on the above 5 dimensions, we selected 5 large, well-known US stock trading platforms for detailed comparison:

In-Depth Analysis of 5 Major US Stock Platforms｜Which One Is Most Suitable for You?

Interactive Brokers (盈透证券) — The Ultimate Choice for Professional Traders

Platform Strength: Founded in 1977, supports account opening in Taiwan, Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, and more.

Fee Structure

• Fixed: $0.005 per share
• Tiered: ≤300,000 shares/month at $0.0035/share; over 100 million shares drops to $0.0005/share
• Minimum deposit: $0
• Margin account minimum: $2,000

Trading Instruments: Stocks, ETFs, securities options, futures, futures options, forex, mutual funds, covering markets in the US, UK, Germany, Japan, Korea, etc.

User Feedback ✅ Advantages: Powerful features, extremely rich trading instruments, cost-effective for large transactions, suitable for international investors ❌ Disadvantages: Complex platform operation, high learning curve for beginners, higher costs for small trades

Suitable for: Traders with some experience, large capital (over 100,000), professional investors aiming for global asset allocation

Mitrade — Friendly Entry Platform for Beginners and Small Investors

Platform Strength: Established in 2011, over 1 million global users, supports account opening in Taiwan, Australia, Vietnam, Thailand, and more.

Fee Structure

• Trading fee: $0
• Spread: Floating, as low as 0.01
• Minimum deposit: $50 to start trading
• Latest 2024 withdrawal policy: When total deposits are under $10,000, 1 free withdrawal per month, then $5 per withdrawal; deposits over $10,000 get 2 free withdrawals per month, then $5 each.

Trading Instruments: Stocks, indices, forex, gold, oil, cryptocurrencies, ETFs, etc.

Core Features

• Fully Chinese customer service, online support 24/5
• Supports TWD deposits and withdrawals
• Can open positions with 0.01 lot, leverage up to 200x
• Demo account with $50,000 virtual funds
• Free trading strategies, real-time news, economic calendar, risk management tools, etc.

User Feedback ✅ Advantages: Simple and easy-to-use interface, lowest costs for small investments, convenient deposits/withdrawals, comprehensive tools ❌ Disadvantages: Demo account validity only 3 months

Suitable for: Beginners entering the US stock market, limited funds (10,000–50,000), quick learners, small-scale investors

SogoTrade (索高证券) — Cost Optimization for Large-Volume Traders

Platform Strength: Founded in 1986, supports account opening in Taiwan, Mainland China, Hong Kong, etc.

Fee Structure

• Trading fee: $2.88 per trade under 100 shares; over $2,000 principal per trade is commission-free
• Withdrawal fee: $50
• Minimum deposit: $0

User Feedback ✅ Attractive sign-up offers, strong appeal ❌ Higher trading costs, not suitable for frequent small trades

Suitable for: Large-volume traders (over $2,000 per trade)

Risk Reminder: Recently there have been scam phishing websites. Be sure to confirm the official channels before opening an account.

Firstrade (第一证券) — Quick Start Free Solution for Beginners

Platform Strength: Established in 1985, supports account opening in Taiwan, Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, and more.

Fee Structure

• Commission: $0
• Withdrawal fee: $25
• Minimum deposit: $0
• Minimum account balance: $0

User Feedback ✅ Advantages: Completely commission-free, no minimum deposit, no minimum balance, app supports Chinese ❌ Disadvantages: Market quotes may have delays, hidden PFOF costs, slow customer service response

Suitable for: Newcomers wanting to start quickly, not demanding high trading speed

Fidelity (富达投资) — Extended Choice for Existing Overseas Account Holders

Platform Strength: Founded in 1946, a global asset management giant

Fee Structure

• Stocks and ETFs: Free trading
• Withdrawal fee: $10
• Minimum deposit: $0

Limitations: Only supports trading in Taiwan, no US stock account opening (only in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, etc.)

User Feedback ✅ Advantages: Free stock and ETF trading, no recurring fees ❌ Disadvantages: Cannot open accounts directly in Taiwan, high financing rates (5.5%-9.825%)

Domestic US Stock Trading Options in Taiwan｜Comparison of Sub-commissioned Fees

If you prefer not to open accounts abroad, Taiwanese traditional brokers also offer US stock sub-commissioned services (simply put, Taiwanese brokers act as agents placing orders with foreign brokers). We selected 5 mainstream Taiwanese brokers for cost comparison:

Advantages and Disadvantages of Sub-commissioned Trading

✅ Advantages: Familiar Taiwanese interface, easy deposits/withdrawals, full support in Traditional Chinese ❌ Disadvantages: Usually higher fees than international brokers, possible trading delays, limited trading instruments

How Much Capital Do You Need to Start Investing in US Stocks? Understanding CFD Trading Costs

Account Opening Fees: Completely Free

Many people misunderstand—opening a US stock account at a regulated financial institution costs nothing. The real costs come from trading itself.

Traditional Stock Trading Costs

The minimum trading unit for US stocks is 1 share (unlike Taiwanese stocks where 1 lot = 1,000 shares). For example, Facebook’s current price is $631. Without leverage, you need to pay $631 to buy 1 share.

CFD Trading Costs

This has become a popular investment method recently—trading US stocks, indices, precious metals, etc., with less capital through leverage. Costs include:

• Spread: The difference between buy and sell prices, increasing with trade size, is the main cost of CFDs
• Commission: Charged as a percentage of trade amount or fixed fee (Mitrade charges no commission)
• Overnight Fees: Calculated as Trade Size × Contract Size per lot × Opening Price × Overnight Fee Percentage

For example, gold on Mitrade (as of November 11, 2025):

• Buy overnight fee: -0.016800%
• Sell overnight fee: -0.014000%

Quick 3-Step Account Opening｜Using Mitrade as an Example

Step 1: Create an Account

Click to create an account, fill in email, password, select base currency (USD/AUD, etc.), or quickly connect via Facebook or Google. After completion, you get a demo account (with $50,000 virtual funds) to familiarize yourself risk-free.

Step 2: Upgrade to a Real Trading Account

Complete personal info (residence country, name, ID number, date of birth, phone, etc.), submit KYC verification. As an ASIC-regulated platform, all operations are compliant, and issues can be communicated via Chinese customer service anytime.

Step 3: Deposit and Start Trading

Supports Skrill, Poli, Visa, Mastercard, wire transfer, and more. After depositing, you can choose from nearly 400 financial products—stocks, indices, forex, gold, cryptocurrencies, ETFs, etc.

Essential Tools for US Stock Trading Platforms｜From Beginner to Expert

Modern US stock trading platforms are no longer just order execution tools—they also provide comprehensive analysis and decision support. Using Mitrade as an example, these free tools can significantly improve your trading success rate:

Trading Strategies: Conduct fundamental and technical analysis based on recent trends of different assets, formulate phased trading strategies

Market Views: Industry experts’ short- and medium-term outlooks and trend forecasts help you gauge market sentiment

Economic Calendar: Highlights all events that may impact prices—data releases, holidays, major speeches, etc., graded by importance

Real-Time News: Covers latest information across forex, commodities, crypto, indices, technical analysis, economic health, countries, etc.

Live Quotes & Charts: Supports tracking real-time quotes with no delay, offers various chart tools showing price movements over different periods

Sentiment Index: Combines market bullish/bearish ratios to help you judge investor attitudes toward specific assets

Risk Management Tools: Provides take-profit/stop-loss services, including trailing stops that automatically follow profits, so you don’t need to watch the screen constantly

Final Advice｜How to Choose Your US Stock Trading Platform

Beginners: Choose Mitrade—starting from $50, $0 fees, full Chinese support, demo account to practice

Small Investors with over 10,000: Between Mitrade and Firstrade—both are zero-commission platforms, Mitrade offers more tools, Firstrade is more lightweight

Active Traders with over 100,000: Consider Interactive Brokers—tiered fee structure is friendly for you, with the most comprehensive instrument selection

For Those Who Don’t Want to Tackle International Accounts: Use Taiwanese brokers’ sub-commissioned services—QunYee and Mega have the lowest fees, Fubon offers the smoothest experience

No matter which you choose, the key is: first clarify your needs, then evaluate based on safety, fees, instruments, and service. Investing in US stocks isn’t that complicated—finding a platform that suits you and sticking to your investment strategy is what matters most.