Singapore Online Stock Brokerage Account Fees in 2026

Understanding brokerage fees can make a meaningful difference to your long-term returns. While commission rates are often the first thing investors compare, they’re not the only costs involved. Depending on the platform you choose, additional charges such as FX spreads, custody fees or minimum commissions can quietly add up over time.

Before opening an account, it’s important to look at the total cost of trading — not just the headline “zero commission” promise.

A practical way to manage costs is to choose a brokerage that matches your trading style. If you trade frequently in small amounts, minimum commission fees can eat into returns. If you invest overseas, repeated currency conversions can result in recurring FX costs. Where possible, consider placing trades in larger batches and using multi-currency wallets to reduce unnecessary conversions.

Trading commissions and minimum charges

Every buy or sell transaction incurs some form of commission.

Newer digital brokers such as Moomoo often advertise zero commission for selected markets, particularly US stocks, and may run promotional periods for SGX trades. Platforms like Tiger Brokers typically charge a percentage-based commission combined with a platform fee, resulting in a low overall rate per trade.

Global brokers such as Saxo Markets and Interactive Brokers (IBKR) generally start from a few dollars per trade, depending on the market and account tier.

By contrast, traditional CDP-linked brokers such as DBS Vickers, POEMS and OCBC Securities usually charge a higher minimum commission for SGX trades — often around S$20 to S$25 per transaction. These higher fees reflect CDP linkage, physical share custody and traditional support structures.

If you trade small amounts frequently, minimum commissions matter more than percentage rates.

Custody and platform fees

Custody fees typically apply to custodian accounts, where shares are held under the broker’s nominee account rather than your personal CDP account. Some brokers may charge an annual custody fee for overseas holdings or for failing to meet certain conditions.

CDP-linked brokers generally do not charge custody fees for SGX shares because your holdings are registered directly under your name with CDP.

Platform fees, which are recurring monthly or annual account charges, are increasingly uncommon among digital brokers. Most major online trading platforms today do not impose separate platform maintenance fees for stock trading accounts.

Currency conversion and FX spreads

If you trade US or other foreign stocks, currency conversion becomes one of the most important hidden costs.

When converting SGD to USD or HKD, brokers apply an FX spread — essentially a markup on the exchange rate. Some global brokers are known for offering tighter FX spreads, while other platforms remain competitive at around 0.1% or slightly higher.

For investors who trade overseas markets regularly, choosing a broker that supports multi-currency wallets can help reduce repeated conversion costs. This allows you to convert funds once and reuse the foreign currency balance for future trades.

Inactivity and maintenance fees

In the past, some brokers charged inactivity fees if you did not trade for a certain period. Today, most major digital platforms no longer impose inactivity charges for stock accounts.

That said, it’s still worth reviewing the fee schedule before opening an account, as policies may differ for margin accounts or specific markets.

Settlement and exchange-related charges

For SGX trades, clearing and trading fees are applied at the exchange level. CDP-linked brokers typically pass on SGX clearing fees (currently around 0.0325% of trade value) and trading fees (around 0.0075%), along with GST.

Custodian platforms may present these charges differently. Some bundle exchange-related fees into their displayed commission structure, while others itemise them separately. Either way, these costs form part of the total transaction amount.

Even small percentage-based fees can compound if you trade frequently. That’s why understanding how each component works — commission, exchange fees, FX spreads and custody charges — is key to choosing the right brokerage account.