Best International Brokerages for Expats in 2024

Investing in stocks, bonds, and ETFs as an expat requires the right tools. The challenge with most brokerages around the world is that they’re not designed for the particular context of expats.

For example, many brokerages will shut down your account after you move out of the country where you signed up for the account. Others will only allow you to invest in a limited set of domestic ETFs/funds, charge high transaction and currency exchange fees, or not play well with cross-border money flows.

We have curated a list of the best international brokerages tailored to suit the needs of overseas professionals like you. You’ll discover options used by expats in Singapore, the United States, Australia, and more.

Our carefully selected international brokerages offer a broad range of global investment options, low fees, and are familiar with expats’ unique mobility needs.

📢 Disclaimer: Content may contain affiliate links or sponsored content — I will never work with a brand that I don't personally use or believe in.

Interactive Brokers

Price: 
$0 account fees (earn up to $1,000 with affiliate link)
Countries:
Global

Review

My go-to international brokerage. Founded in 1977, Interactive Brokers is an American multinational brokerage (Nasdaq: IBKR)—and one of the largest in the world. It serves customers from over 200 countries, providing access to products in 150+ markets and 27 currencies worldwide. Its offerings include trading in stocks, options, futures, forex, bonds, ETFs, and more. The platform has been consecutively rated as the #1 Best Online Broker by Barron's for four years.

When asked about brokerages, I generally recommend Interactive Brokers for expats and people living overseas for a few reasons:

  • Trusted platform. Long-standing track record (regulated in the US, UK, Singapore, and 7 other countries). Solid solvency, with equity capital far in excess of regulatory requirements and no long-term debt.
  • Broad selection. Buy stocks, ETFs, bonds, futures, forex, and mutual funds in over 150 markets across 33 countries.
  • Excellent geographic coverage. IBKR has clients in over 200 countries. After you relocate countries, Interactive Brokers also makes it easy to transfer your account to the new country (instead of closing down your account like many brokers).
  • Low fees. Commissions start at $0 for US residents or $0.005 per share. Exchanging currency 0.002% with a minimum of $2.
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Saxo

Price: 
$0 account fees
Countries:
Global

Review

Saxo is a top-tier online brokerage, trusted by over 1 million clients worldwide. It provides a secure and regulated trading environment with access to over 71,000 financial instruments, including stocks, shares, ETFs, currencies, commodities, and more. Saxo offers a variety of trading platforms and tools to suit a variety of investors, from beginners to experienced professionals.

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Carry Finance

Best for Solo 401(k)s
Price: 
Starts at $299/year
Countries:
United States

Review

Carry Finance is my Self-Directed Solo 401k provider. I use their platform to manage my Solo 401k tax-advantaged accounts and investments as an LLC business owner. What I've appreciated about Carry is its simple user experience, flexibility to invest in a variety of asset classes, and useful educational resources on taxes for business owners.

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