Best International Brokerage Account
Non-US residents who are interested in trading stocks and other securities on the US exchanges have
only a few brokerage firms to choose from. One of these is Zacks Trade. Here’s why we think Zacks Trade is a good pick for non-US residents:
1) Accounts for non-US residents. Although this one may sound obvious, it’s important to point out straight away as most brokerage firms in the United States do not open accounts for residents of foreign countries. In most cases, permanent residency inside the United States is required to open an account. This is not the case at Zacks Trade, which is the first reason we are defending Zacks on this issue.
2) Long list of supported countries. Not only does Zacks Trade offer international accounts, it
actually has a very long list of supported countries. This, too, is rather unusual as lists of
supported regions at other international broker-dealers can be rather short. At Zacks Trade, we found
many countries:
Belgium, China, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea,
Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, Singapore, Taiwan, United Kingdom (Great Britain),
Argentina, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus,
Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Canada, Cayman Islands, Chile, Colombia, Comoros,
Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq,
Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Monaco, Mongolia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Pakistan,
Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Romania, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia,
South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam.
3) Easy to create an account. Zacks Trade’s account application is completely digital, which means it can easily be filled out and submitted online from any location in the world. It’s really easy to complete and took us only a few minutes.
4) Many tax structures. A variety of tax structures are available through Zacks Trade. These include joint, individual, trust accounts, custodial, advisor accounts, professional accounts, and more. Although IRAs are available, these can only be opened by US residents.
5) Multi-language support. The application on the Zacks Trade website can be used in several languages, including English, Chinese, French, Arabic, German, and Italian. Look for the language selector in the upper-right corner on the second page of the application (the first page is only in English).
6) Multiple asset classes. Once an account is open, it will have access to a wide range of financial products to trade. These include cryptocurrencies, mutual funds, debt instruments, ETFs, stocks, and options.
7) Access to American and non-American exchanges. Both US and non-US residents have access to the same crypto and securities exchanges. This means both US and foreign securities exchanges are available to all clients. The London Stock Exchange is one example of a foreign stock exchange that is available, in addition to the big US exchanges. An account does need to request permission to trade on foreign exchanges.
8) Regulation by American authorities. Whatever the domicile of an account and whatever exchanges it chooses to trade on, it will be protected by the securities watchdogs in the United States. These include FINRA, the SEC, and SIPC, the major insurer for securities accounts.
9) Decent pricing. Trading fees will vary by exchange. Equity transactions on the American exchanges cost 1¢ per share with a $1 minimum commission. If the stock price is under $1, the commission is 1% of trade value. Zacks Trade is one of the few brokerage firms that imposes no surcharges on broker-assisted trades. It also has no fees on option exercises and assignments.
10) Good margin program. Zacks Trade has some of the best margin rates in the business (8.83% to 7.83% right now). And it offers portfolio margin, too.
11) Excellent software. Zacks Trade borrows software from Interactive Brokers, which means trading tools are on a very high level. The desktop program has all sorts of gadgets and gizmos that provide a really high-powered trading experience. There are advanced tools for options and equities traders. Both charting and order entry are on a pro-level. A mobile app makes trading-on-the-go a reality. Here, there are many advanced features, including a trade ticket with a simulated-mode for extra practice.
12) Several data bundles. Because Zacks Trade caters to day traders, it offers a variety of data bundles on both American and non-American exchanges. These provide real-time quotes on a variety of financial instruments. Most of these data packages do carry monthly fees, although advanced traders will definitely want to check them out.
ZacksTrade Website
Visit ZacksTrade Website
Alternative for Europeans
Another great U.S. company for European investors is called Firstrade.
It offers $0-commissions, but it is available in fewer countries than Zackstrade.
Learn more Firstrade Review.
Open Firstrade Account
Visit Firstrade Website
Best Broker For Non-US Citizen Recap
With the professional trading tools, the lowest margin rates, and great pricing on mutual funds, ZacksTrade is definitely one of
the very best brokers for non-U.S. residents looking for an American online investing firm.
Updated on 4/22/2025.
Chad Morris is a financial writer with more than 20 years experience
as both an English teacher and an avid trader. When he isn’t writing
expert content for Brokerage-Review.com, Chad can usually be found
managing his portfolio or building a new home computer.
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