Questions
Answers
All new and existing CMC Markets Stockbroking accounts which have a linked cash account have this feature enabled by default and can be traded on our desktop platforms and mobile apps.
Please note, this feature is not available to phone only or margin lending accounts.
To accommodate the addition of international shares to our standard platform, we have made some changes to the way you navigate the standard platform and some of our platform features. These changes include:
Please note, this feature is not available to phone only or margin lending accounts
Placing an international shares order is much like placing one for domestic shares.
To place an international shares order, open an order ticket in the usual way, enter the stock code, select either Buy or Sell and fill in the required information as you would for domestic stocks.
This function is available on both our standard and Pro platforms. For further assistance you can contact our Client Services support team online with live chat.
Our international shares offering gives you access to trade on major exchanges in eleven different countries, including the US, Canada, UK, Japan, Swiss and Germany.
No, international shares are available and automatically enabled for all new and existing CMC Markets Stockbroking clients. Simply log in to the platform and search for an international stock.
Applicable if you invest in US shares, the W-8BEN form is a legal document required by the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) in order to declare your tax status. It’s only required if you’re a non-U.S. resident and by completing the form you may be able to claim a reduced rate of withholding tax.
If you do not complete the form, you may be subject to the US Treasury withholding tax on US investments held on your share trading account.
A W-8BEN is a US Treasury form that allows foreign investors to claim special tax treaty benefits, including a reduced rate of withholding tax. It is valid until 31 December; three years from the year, you signed the form.
All international share orders placed on our stockbroking platforms are executed by Morgan Stanley.
International securities are held on your behalf by CMC Markets Stockbroking’s appointed sub-custodians detailed on this page.
Local Jurisdiction Specified Sub-Custodian
Belgium BNP Paribas Securities Services, Brussels/Paris
Canada RBC Investor Services, Toronto
France BNP Paribas Securities Services, Paris
Germany BNP Paribas Securities Services, Frankfurt
Hong Kong SAR BNP Paribas Securities Services, Hong Kong
Japan Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corp Limited, Tokyo
Netherlands BNP Paribas Securities Services, Amsterdam/Paris
Singapore BNP Paribas Securities Services, Singapore
Switzerland BNP Paribas Securities Services, Zurich
United Kingdom BNP Paribas Securities Services, London
USA BNP Paribas, New York
A custody fee is for:
A fee of 0.50% p.a. is applied monthly based on your foreign asset holdings value excluding cash. This fee is waived for clients in the Active Investor or Premium Investor tier or if the account has placed a trade on International Securities in the previous 12 months.
The minimum number of shares per order can vary across different markets; if an order is unacceptable to the relevant exchange, you will be notified on the order ticket of the changes you need to make to process the order.
The exchange rate for international transactions is calculated at the time of execution and is based on the best available bid/offer exchange rates, plus a spread of just 0.60%.
The 2% Foreign Exchange (FX) buffer is not an additional fee
The buffer acts as a cushion against currency movements ensuring there are sufficient available funds in your account to fill your order
When your order fills, excess funds are automatically added back to your ‘available funds’ value on the platform
Buffer funds are not withdrawn from your settlement account, but only locked in the ‘available funds’ calculation until your order has filled
The buffer only applies to ‘buy’ orders
Impact
For international buy orders a 2% FX buffer is added to the trade value at the time the order is placed. This ensures you have sufficient funds in your account to cover any foreign exchange fluctuations between the time your order is ‘placed’ and when it is ‘filled’ on the international market.
Any excess buffer will be unlocked on the execution or cancellation of that order.
The FX conversion rate is determined as the order fills on the overseas stock exchange in real-time.
*The FX buffer currently applied to international buy orders is 2% of the trade value and is subject to change.
Example
Jane submits an order to buy US$1,000 of US shares at 10:30 am Sydney time.
At the time she places her order the exchange rate is 1.489 and the US market is closed. The estimated AUD value of the order is $1,489.00 + $19.95 brokerage = AUD $1,508.95.
The trading platform applies a buffer of AUD 30.17 (2%) to the order as protection against exchange rate fluctuations.
By the time the US market opens the exchange rate has moved to 1.481 and the order is submitted and executed immediately. The AUD value of the order at execution is $AUD1,481 + $AUD 19.95 = $AUD 1,500.95.
The buffer is now released from Jane’s Available to Trade value on the trading platform.
The minimum transfer amount for international shares is AU$10,000.
If you currently hold international shares with another broker, we can transfer those shares to your CMC Markets account if the value of the shares are over AU$10,000.
All share certificates will need to be dematerialised (where physical records are replaced with a paperless computerised system) prior to being transferred in. We cannot accept share certificates.
US and Canadian listed products Online Orders
Value Of Shares (AUD) Brokerage fee/rate (AUD)
$0-$5,000 $19.95
$5,001-$10,000 $29.95
Over $10,000 0.31%
Online orders for listed products outside Australia, US and Canada
Value Of Shares (AUD) Brokerage fee/rate (AUD)
All* $59.95 or 0.59%
*Brokerage is the greater of the dollar value or the percentage amount shown
Exchange fees - will show on Order ticket
Country Transaction Tax Stamp Duty Trading Fee Clearing Fee GST
USA - - - - -
UK - 0.5% - Buys only - - -
Singapore - - 0.0075% 0.0325% 7%
Hong Kong 0.0027% 0.1% 0.005% - -
Germany - - - - -
Canada - - - - -
France - - 0.3% - Buys only - -
Belgium - - - - -
Switzerland - - - - -
Netherlands - - - - -
Japan - - - - -
Service Fees & Charges (Including GST)
Electronic transfer (in) $20 per holding
Physical transfer (in) $50 per holding
Transfer (out) $100 per holding
Custody Fee 0.50% p.a. minimum $10
Currency Conversion Displayed on platform
FX spread Up to 0.60%
"Account documentation fee
(applied to relevant accounts
that have not supplied a W-8 or W-9 form. " $50
US Markets SEC fee 0.00231% on sell Orders
Stamp Duty Displayed on the platform if applicable
Exchange Code Local time at exchange
Hong Kong Stock Exchange HKEX 12:00 – 13:00
Singapore Exchange SGX 12:00 – 13:00
Tokyo Stock Exchange TSE 11:30 – 12:30
Please click here to view other helpful information about International share trading.
You can now complete the W-8BEN and other US tax forms on the platform. Simply navigate to the ‘US Tax Forms’ page from the ‘Support’ dropdown menu. If you are an eligible account owner, you will be able to update and lodge the form. To view eligibility requirements, visit the US tax forms page on the platform.
Our US tax form solution is provided by Thompson Reuters.
Yes, we provide four different forms through our online solution. Depending on your account type and your responses to initial questions, Thompson Reuters will automatically select the appropriate form.
W-8BEN – to be completed by individuals. A separate form is required for each account owner in the case of joint accounts.
W-8BEN-E – to be completed by a company, complex trusts (e.g. superfund accounts) where the recipient entity is the beneficial owner of the dividend.
W-8IMY – to be completed by entities where investment income is received in an intermediary capacity and is subsequently distributed to beneficiaries (e.g. Discretionary trusts).
W-9 – to be completed by US Persons.