Bursa or US? See where your ringgit goes.

"0 commission" ads leave things out. Here is every fee and tax, for your situation.

You buy once and hold for years.

You investChecked 9 Nov 2026 · Sources
years
Bursa total costRM34
RM1 under RM100, RM2.88 to RM9,999, 0.10% to RM99,999, RM100 flat above. Website · Fee source
US total costRM474
0.10%, minimum USD 0.88, maximum USD 25. Website · Fee source
Bursa costs RM440 less
  • Biggest US costs
  • US dividend taxRM234
  • Currency conversionRM192
  • Brokerage & platformRM24
See all 7 costs, side by side
More options
What you buy
  • Every fee and tax, sourced
  • Fees checked 9 Nov 2026
  • No affiliate links. Facts, not advice.

Every broker for your plan, cheapest first

Same plan, every broker we track, ranked by total cost. A ranking of costs, not a recommendation: check each broker's licence and service too.

  • WM Webull MYBursaLowest total cost RM21
  • MM moomoo MYBursa+RM1 vs cheapest RM22
  • CI CGS iTrade (via CIMB Clicks)Bursa+RM6 vs cheapest RM27
  • HV HLeBroking (Value Trade)Bursa+RM8 vs cheapest RM29
  • MO M+ OnlineBursaFees unverified+RM8 vs cheapest RM29
Show all 11 brokers
  • WM Webull MYBursaLowest total cost RM21
  • MM moomoo MYBursa+RM1 vs cheapest RM22
  • CI CGS iTrade (via CIMB Clicks)Bursa+RM6 vs cheapest RM27
  • HV HLeBroking (Value Trade)Bursa+RM8 vs cheapest RM29
  • MO M+ OnlineBursaFees unverified+RM8 vs cheapest RM29
  • RT Rakuten TradeBursa+RM13 vs cheapest RM34
  • IB Interactive BrokersUSNot SC-licensed+RM373 vs cheapest RM394
  • WM Webull MYUS+RM430 vs cheapest RM450
  • MM moomoo MYUS+RM445 vs cheapest RM466
  • RT Rakuten TradeUS+RM454 vs cheapest RM474
  • MG M+ GlobalUS+RM454 vs cheapest RM475

Totals use each broker's published fees for your amount, years and habit above.

Where your ringgit goes

Every point where money leaves your pocket, on each route. The same number means the same fee.

In short: Investing RM12,000 for 5 years (buy and hold, ETFs) costs about RM34 on Bursa with Rakuten Trade and RM474 in the US with Rakuten Trade. Bursa is cheaper by RM440. Most of the US cost is the 30% US dividend tax (RM234) and currency conversion (RM192).

BURSA ROUTEYou put inRM12,000noneCurrency1−RM24Brokerage2−RM7.20Clearing3−RM2.50SST4noneStamp duty5noneUS fees6noneDividend tax7Total cost−RM34US ROUTEYou put inRM12,000−RM192Currency1−RM24Brokerage2noneClearing3noneSST4−RM24Stamp duty5−RM0.26US fees6−RM234Dividend tax7Total cost−RM474
BURSAUSYou put inRM12,000You put inRM12,0001Currencynone−RM1922Brokerage−RM24−RM243Clearing−RM7.20none4SST−RM2.50none5Stamp dutynone−RM246US feesnone−RM0.267Dividend taxnone−RM234Total cost−RM34Total cost−RM474
Cost over 5 yearsBursaUS
Changing money
1Currency conversionRM to USD, and back at the end

Changing RM to USD and back. Malaysian brokers don't publish this spread; we assume 0.8% each way (Wise: 0.63%).

NoneRM192
Buying and selling
2Brokerage & platformPer order, plus any platform fee

What the broker charges per order, plus any platform fee.

RM24RM24
3Clearing fee0.03% per trade on Bursa

Bursa's clearing house charges 0.03% per trade, capped at RM1,000.

RM7.20None
4SST8% on ETF brokerage and clearing

8% service tax on brokerage and clearing for ETFs, since 1 Oct 2025. Ordinary shares are exempt.

RM2.50None
5Stamp dutyRM1 per RM1,000 traded

RM1 per RM1,000 on Bursa share trades; ETFs exempt 2026 to 2028. Malaysian brokers also stamp US trades, up to RM200 for ETFs.

NoneRM24
6US regulatory feesSEC and FINRA, on US sales

SEC and FINRA fees on US sales. Usually a few sen.

NoneRM0.26
While you hold
7US dividend tax30% of every US dividend

30% of every US dividend is withheld before you get it. Malaysia has no tax treaty with the US.

NoneRM234
TotalRM34RM474

Your habit matters more than your broker

Same RM12,000, same brokers, 5 years, four ways of investing.

How you investBursaUS
Buy and holdYou
RM34
RM474
Monthly top-ups
RM206
RM701
Trade weekly
RM8,761
RM12,973
Trade daily
RM42,120
RM60,747

Three things most people miss

The costs and rules that "0 commission" ads don't mention.

30%

US tax on every dividend. Withheld before you get it. Malaysia has no tax treaty with the US.

Source: IRS treaty list
0.6–0.8%

Lost each way on currency. Converting RM to USD and back. Wise charges about 0.63%; Malaysian brokers don't publish theirs.

Source: Wise pricing
USD 60k

US estate tax threshold. Above this, the US can tax US assets a non-US person leaves behind.

Source: IRS: estate tax for nonresidents

Common questions

Short, factual answers. Nothing here tells you what to buy.

Is "0 commission" really free?
No. Commission is one of seven possible costs. For buy-and-hold, currency conversion and the 30% US dividend tax usually cost more than commission.
Is it cheaper to invest on Bursa or in the US?
For buy-and-hold, Bursa is usually cheaper because it has no currency conversion and no dividend tax. For frequent trading the gap depends on the brokers; the calculator shows both for your numbers.
How much US tax do Malaysians pay on dividends?
30% of every US dividend is withheld at source, because Malaysia has no tax treaty with the US.
Is a foreign broker safe or legal for Malaysians?
Brokers here are grouped by whether the Securities Commission Malaysia licenses them. Check any firm on the SC Investment Checker. Foreign brokers are regulated in their home country, not by the SC.
What is the W-8BEN form?
A US tax form saying you are not a US person. Brokers ask for it when you open a US account; it lasts about three years.
What is US estate tax?
If a non-US person dies holding over USD 60,000 of US assets, the US can tax the excess.
What if the ringgit gets stronger?
US assets are priced in USD. A stronger ringgit lowers their value in RM; a weaker one raises it. This calculator shows costs, not currency gains or losses.

What to check next

The usual steps people take, in order. Facts only.

  1. Check your broker's licenceSC Investment Checker · about a minute
  2. Know your dividend taxUS-listed vs Ireland-listed funds Tool soon
  3. Check US estate tax exposureMatters above USD 60,000 Tool soon
  4. Compare what you pay todayPick your current broker in the calculator

Our view: for most people, how often they trade decides their costs more than which broker they use.A general opinion, not advice for your situation.

How it's calculated, and sources

Method

  • Bursa: brokerage per broker, clearing fee 0.03% capped at RM1,000, stamp duty RM1 per RM1,000 capped at RM1,000 for shares. ETFs pay no stamp duty from 2026 to 2028 but pay 8% SST on brokerage and clearing.
  • US: broker commission and platform fees, US regulatory fees on sells (SEC and FINRA), and Malaysian stamp duty charged by Malaysian brokers (up to RM200 for ETFs).
  • Currency is converted once into USD and once back at the end; money stays in USD in between.
  • US dividends lose 30% to US tax. Bursa dividends are single-tier (not taxed for most individuals).
  • Half of all orders are sells. "Adding monthly" means 12 buys a year, each 1/12 of the amount. Fees are added up over the whole period; for very frequent trading the total can exceed the amount invested.