Schwab Global Account

The Schwab Global Account™ is designed for U.S. investors seeking to trade online through Schwab in international markets in their local currencies. 

What do I get with a Schwab Global Account?

Trade stocks directly online through Schwab in 12 of the top-traded foreign markets in their local currencies.

  • No account or trade minimum.
  • Get real-time quotes¹ during foreign market hours.
  • View multi-currency statement reporting.
  • Speak with a Global Investing Services specialist anytime between 5:30 p.m. ET Sunday and 5:30 p.m. ET Friday at 800-992-4685.

Ready to Get Started?

Download an application

Account fees and commissions

  • There are no fees to open or maintain an account. Other account fees, fund expenses, and brokerage commissions may apply
  • Account minimum: $0

Equity trading commissions in foreign currency¹

Trade commissions listed below in the foreign currency are fixed. The equivalent amount in U.S. dollars will fluctuate based on the current exchange rate.

Equity trading commissions in foreign currency

Equity trading commissions in foreign currency
  • Country and Currency
  • Online Trades*
  • Broker-AssistedTrades*
  • Country and Currency
    Australia - A$ (Australian dollar)
  • Online Trades*
    A$32
  • Broker-AssistedTrades*
    A$70
  • Country and Currency
    Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands - € (Euro)
  • Online Trades*
    €19
  • Broker-AssistedTrades*
    €50
  • Country and Currency
    Canada -C$ (Canadian dollar)
  • Online Trades*
    C$9
  • Broker-AssistedTrades*
    C$65
  • Country and Currency
    Hong Kong - HK$ (Hong Kong dollar)
  • Online Trades*
    HK$250
  • Broker-AssistedTrades*
    HK$600
  • Country and Currency
    Japan - ¥ (Japanese yen)
  • Online Trades*
    ¥2000
  • Broker-AssistedTrades*
    ¥6000
  • Country and Currency
    Norway - kr (Norwegian krone)
  • Online Trades*
    kr160
  • Broker-AssistedTrades*
    kr400
  • Country and Currency
    United Kingdom - £ (British pound)
  • Online Trades*
    £9
  • Broker-AssistedTrades*
    £30

Foreign Currency Conversion Fees

Foreign Currency Conversion Fees
  • Amount Converted
  • Currency Conversion Fee %
  • Amount Converted
    <$100K
  • Currency Conversion Fee %
    1.00%
  • Amount Converted
    $100K - $249K
  • Currency Conversion Fee %
    0.75%
  • Amount Converted
    $250K - $499K
  • Currency Conversion Fee %
    0.50%
  • Amount Converted
    $500K - $999K
  • Currency Conversion Fee %
    0.30%
  • Amount Converted
    $1M+
  • Currency Conversion Fee %
    0.20%

Foreign currency transactions are subject to a fee based on the amount of currency converted in a single transaction, as shown in the table above.

1.    Real-time quotes are not available to professional investors. 

2.    Standard online $0 commission does not apply to over-the-counter (OTC) equities, transaction-fee mutual funds, futures, fixed-income investments, or trades placed directly on a foreign exchange or in the Canadian market. Options trades will be subject to the standard $0.65 per-contract fee. Service charges apply for trades placed through a broker ($25) or by automated phone ($5). Exchange process, ADR, and Stock Borrow fees still apply. See the Charles Schwab Pricing Guide for Individual Investors for full fee and commission schedules. The list of countries and fees is subject to change without notice. See the pricing guide for country-specific fee details.

Have questions about global investing?

View our frequently asked questions and answers. If you have other questions, please call us at 800-992-4685.

Related Questions

Download an application

Need help with your application?
Call a Schwab Global Investing Specialist at 800-992-4685.

At Schwab, you can trade in international securities in more than 30 countries. A Schwab Global Account allows you to trade online in 12 of those countries using their local currency.

There are different ways you can make a deposit:

  • Transfer funds from your associated Schwab One account via Schwab.com (automatically available once your Global Account is opened).
  • Transfer funds or assets from an external account or another Schwab account.
  • Request a wire transfer to your account from another financial institution.

You can trade international securities in both accounts. The key benefit of the Global Account is that you can trade online using the foreign currency of each market you’re trading in, compared to the Schwab One brokerage account, where trades are placed by calling a Schwab broker and are settled only in U.S. dollars.

Generally, the Schwab Global Account is designed for investors interested in trading international securities who feel comfortable trading online in multiple currencies. If you prefer to trade foreign stocks in U.S. dollars and do not require online trading capabilities, the Schwab One brokerage account could be the right solution for you.

Please call a Global Investing Specialist at 800-992-4685 if you have a question about which account might best suit your individual investing needs.

We've got the resources you need to help you trade across 30 countries. With Schwab, you'll enjoy these global investing benefits:
 

Additional ways to trade international equities at Schwab:

ADRs and Foreign OTC Stocks
Trade foreign securities during U.S. market hours using American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) and the U.S. over-the-counter (OTC) market.

International Mutual Funds and Index ETFs
Choose from a wide variety of international mutual funds and international exchange-traded funds (ETFs) from Schwab and third parties.

More ratings on international stocks. Leverage our easy-to-use weekly ratings on over 4,000 stocks in over 25 countries with Schwab Equity Ratings International™.

In-person and online help. Talk to a Schwab Global Investing Specialist about your international investment choices, or learn on your own with our extensive online help.

Research and commentary. Access research and commentary from Schwab’s experts and third-party sources like the Economist Intelligence Unit, Credit Suisse, Ned Davis Research, Inc., and JPMorgan Chase.

Learn more about international stock trading at Schwab.

Dan Wellman Photo

Researching Foreign Investments

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Researching Foreign Investments

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At Charles Schwab I am a global investing specialist. My job in general is to help clients navigate the foreign markets. 
We work with any sort of client here at the global desk. We're just here to help them in achieving their financial goals.

So, I worked with a client who had been reading a pretty prestigious newspaper and he'd read about some securities that trade in Hong Kong, Australia and Canada. He had gone online and he tried to search for these companies and he was having some difficulty. So he called in asking, "How do I learn more about these companies?" We were able to use the resources on Schwab.com to actually find the Schwab equity rating reports. So I was able to take the time to review each individual report with him to make sure he understood what he was buying. We looked at three stocks he wanted to purchase. We reviewed the analyst ratings and the client called back and he wanted to make the trades. What we looked up was the liquidity on the different markets and where was the best market to send the trade to get the client the best overall price. He doesn't have to be placing a trade to call the global desk.

We're there to help educate clients, to explain things to clients, and although this client started off as a novice investor in the foreign markets, I can tell you now he's far from a novice investor. The number of conversations we've had, he's very competent in what he is doing and probably more competent than he knows.

To me, there is nothing more satisfying than having a client being able to call into a firm like ours and have a name that you can trust every time. And through the multiple conversations I've had with him, building that relationship and that trust is so important. It really gives me a good understanding of what they are trying to accomplish, which to me is the most important thing. 

I want to work with a firm that I can trust as an employee and I know clients want to work with a firm they can trust as a client. And I really am able to live up to that here at Charles Schwab.

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Schwab Global Investing Specialists discuss the help and support that they provide to clients.

Schwab Global Investing Specialist Dan Wellman discusses how he helped a client with researching foreign investments.