Are you looking for a broker that lets you invest in both Hong Kong and US stocks, but feel dizzy from all the information about Tiger Brokers online? Is Tiger Brokers easy to use? Are the fees expensive? And most importantly, is it safe? These questions are surely the biggest doubts in every potential investor’s mind.
Don’t worry, this article will provide you with the most comprehensive and in-depth Tiger Brokers review. I will start with its company background, security, and regulatory licenses, then break down its fee structure step by step, and give you a real feel for its powerful and user-friendly App. Of course, I’ll also be honest and point out the undeniable disadvantages of Tiger Brokers. Finally, I will compare it head-to-head with its main competitor in the market, Futu Bull, to help you make the most informed decision.
Key Highlights of This Article:
Before investing real money, it’s absolutely necessary to understand the platform’s background. The strength and compliance of a platform are directly related to the safety of our funds.
Yes, and a significant one at that. Tiger Brokers’ parent company is “UP Fintech Holding Limited,” which was listed on the NASDAQ in the United States as early as 2019, with the stock ticker TIGR. This means it must regularly disclose its financial statements and is subject to the strict supervision of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), making it far more transparent than a typical private company. This layer of protection is a crucial indicator of whether a brokerage operates legitimately.
Security is the cornerstone of investment. Tiger Brokers holds official licenses in several major financial centers worldwide, which means its operations in each location must comply with the strictest local financial regulations.
With so many heavyweight regulatory licenses, it can be said that Tiger Brokers has met the standards of a top-tier international brokerage in terms of compliance and security.
This is crucial! Your funds at Tiger Brokers are protected by a custodian bank system. Simply put, your money and securities are not held in Tiger Brokers’ own corporate account but are deposited in an independent third-party custodian bank. The brokerage itself cannot access client funds.
In the highly unlikely event that Tiger Brokers goes bankrupt, your assets will be safely segregated. Furthermore, depending on the regulatory requirements of different regions, investors are also entitled to corresponding protection funds. For example, brokerage accounts in the United States are covered by SIPC insurance up to $500,000. This “fund segregation” mechanism is the most important security promise that a legitimate brokerage gives to its investors.
Now that we’ve covered security, let’s look at what makes Tiger Brokers attractive and allows it to stand out in the competitive online brokerage market.
For investors looking to build a global portfolio, Tiger Brokers is undoubtedly a highly attractive platform. It truly achieves “one account, invest worldwide.”
This broad market coverage eliminates the hassle of opening accounts and transferring funds between different brokerages, greatly enhancing investment efficiency.
Trading costs are a key factor affecting final profits. Tiger Brokers offers a very competitive fee structure, especially in certain areas.
For Hong Kong stocks: Compared to many traditional banks or brokerages, Tiger Brokers’ trading commissions and platform fees for Hong Kong stocks are at a lower level.
For options: Its US stock options trading fees are also very competitive in the market. For investors who trade options frequently, this can lead to significant cost savings.
The Tiger Trade App is Tiger Brokers’ core weapon. Its interface is clean and its features are exceptionally powerful, making it easy for both beginners and experienced traders to get started.
As an online brokerage actively expanding its market, Tiger Brokers often offers very attractive account opening rewards. These rewards typically include: commission-free cards, free stocks, cash vouchers, and more. For new users, this is undoubtedly a very tangible “welcome gift” that can effectively reduce initial trading costs.
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No platform is perfect. To give you the most objective Tiger Brokers review, we must honestly discuss its shortcomings and areas to be aware of.
Although Tiger Brokers’ overall fees are competitive, it has not followed the “zero commission” trend for US stock trading. Currently, many brokerages that focus on the US market (like Firstrade, TD Ameritrade, etc.) have implemented zero-commission stock trading. In contrast, Tiger Brokers still charges a certain commission and platform fee for each US stock trade. For frequent traders, especially those making small-volume trades, these costs can add up.
The powerful functionality of the Tiger Trade App is a pro, but from another perspective, it can be a source of trouble for beginners. The app integrates a vast amount of market information, news, indicators, and community discussions. For novices who have not yet developed their own investment strategy, it’s easy to be distracted by all the noise and make impulsive trading decisions. As the saying goes, “what makes you can also break you”; the wealth of information requires users to have a certain ability to filter it.
In terms of funding and withdrawals, there is room for improvement in Tiger Brokers’ convenience.
Let’s break down the main fees for trading in different markets on Tiger Brokers in the clearest way possible. Please note that the fee structure may be adjusted at any time; please refer to the official announcement for the actual charges.
| Market | Fee Item | Fee Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Hong Kong Stocks | Commission | 0.029% of the transaction amount, min. HKD 15 per order |
| Platform Fee | HKD 15 per order | |
| Other Miscellaneous Fees | Stamp Duty, Trading Levy, Trading Fee, etc. (collected by the HK government and exchange) | |
| US Stocks / ETFs | Commission | USD 0.0039 per share, min. USD 0.99 per order |
| Platform Fee | USD 0.004 per share, min. USD 1 per order | |
| Other Miscellaneous Fees | SEC Fee, Trading Activity Fee (TAF) (collected by regulatory bodies) |
Quick Tip: Tiger Brokers often has commission-free promotions, especially for new users, which can significantly reduce initial trading costs. Be sure to check for the latest offers before opening an account.
When talking about Tiger Brokers, you can’t ignore its biggest competitor—Futu Bull. The two are very similar in terms of features, positioning, and user base, which often leaves many investors struggling to choose. Let’s do a comprehensive comparison.
| Comparison Point | Tiger Brokers | Futu Bull (Futu) |
|---|---|---|
| Background | NASDAQ-listed (TIGR), backed by Xiaomi, ZhenFund | NASDAQ-listed (FUTU), strategic investment from Tencent |
| US Stock Fees | Charges commission + platform fee | Charges commission + platform fee (similar fee structure) |
| Hong Kong Stock Fees | Commission + platform fee | Commission + platform fee (similar fee structure) |
| Platform Features | Broader international market coverage, advantage in options trading | Extremely active social feature (MooMoo Community), strong user stickiness |
| App Experience | Clean interface, strong information integration | Feature-rich, highly interactive, more like an investment community |
In summary, both are excellent one-stop investment platforms, and they are neck and neck in terms of core functionality and security. The final choice depends more on your personal investment habits and preferences.
Based on all the analysis above, Tiger Brokers is undoubtedly a trustworthy and powerful international online brokerage. Its biggest advantages are its extensive global market coverage and relatively low overall trading costs, making it especially suitable for active traders who want to manage global assets in one place and have a demand for Hong Kong stocks and US stock options.
Its status as a NASDAQ-listed company and its multi-national regulatory licenses provide a solid guarantee for the safety of investors’ funds. The powerful Tiger Trade App can also meet the analysis needs of users at different levels, from beginners to experts.
However, it is not without its flaws. The fact that it still charges commissions for US stock trades is a clear disadvantage compared to zero-commission brokerages. At the same time, the potential for information overload and the somewhat limited deposit/withdrawal channels are factors that potential users need to consider.
A: Absolutely not. Tiger Brokers is a NASDAQ-listed company (ticker: TIGR) and is strictly regulated by several major global financial regulatory bodies (such as the US SEC, Hong Kong SFC, and Singapore MAS). Client funds are held in segregated custodian banks and are protected by corresponding investor protection funds, putting its security on par with top-tier international brokerages.
Yes, they can. Tiger Brokers is an international online brokerage that provides services to clients from many countries and regions worldwide, including Taiwan and Malaysia. Users can complete the identity verification and account opening process online and use international bank wire transfers for deposits and withdrawals.
The account opening process is entirely online and very convenient, usually taking only 10-15 minutes to complete the application. You will need to prepare the following documents:
The whole process simply involves following the instructions on the app or website to upload the documents. Once your application is approved, you can deposit funds and start trading.
Currently, the primary method for depositing funds is via international wire transfer (T/T) from a bank. You need to wire funds (e.g., USD, HKD) from your personal bank account to the receiving bank account designated by Tiger Brokers. Before making the transfer, be sure to initiate a deposit notification within the Tiger Brokers App and strictly follow the provided payment information, including filling in the memo/remark field (usually with your account name and ID), to ensure the funds are credited to your brokerage account accurately and promptly.
