Choosing a Stock Broker in Singapore: What Should You Actually Compare?

Singapore punches well above its weight as a financial hub. The SGX lists over 700 listed companies, Hong Kong's Stock Connect provides access to mainland Chinese markets for investors with regional exposure, and US equities extend the trading day long after the Singapore market closes. For many investors here, a portfolio spans multiple exchanges — and the broker sitting in the middle of that picture matters considerably more than most people think when they first open an account.

The market for brokerage services has grown more competitive in recent years. Established institutions, digital-first platforms, and global names with regional offices all compete for the same investor base. When switching brokers, most people instinctively start with commission rates. That is a reasonable first step, but stopping there risks missing differences that matter more in practice.

The right broker comes down to fit — between your investment approach and what a platform is genuinely built to support. This guide breaks down five dimensions worth examining: regulatory standing, market access, trading costs, research and data tools, and AI capabilities — with a full comparison table to help you cut through the noise.

Regulatory Standing: The Starting Point, Not the Finish Line

Any brokerage platform offering securities services in Singapore must hold a Capital Markets Services (CMS) licence issued by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) under the Securities and Futures Act. This is non-negotiable, and should be the first thing you verify before opening an account.

MAS-licensed brokers are required to hold client assets in segregated accounts — meaning your funds are kept separate from the firm's own capital. You can confirm any platform's licence status directly through the MAS Financial Institutions Directory.

One distinction worth understanding early on: Singapore brokers operate either as CDP-linked or custodian accounts. With a CDP-linked account, shares are held directly in your name with the Central Depository (CDP), administered by SGX. With a custodian account, the broker holds shares on your behalf. Most digital platforms use the custodian model; CDP-linked accounts are more common among traditional brokers. For long-term investors who want direct ownership of SGX-listed shares, this distinction can matter.

Market Access: Can the Platform Keep Up With You?

Many Singapore investors hold positions across both local and US markets, with some also tracking Hong Kong equities, A-shares via Stock Connect, or ETFs listed across multiple exchanges. A broker that handles one market well but falls short on another creates friction at the worst possible time.

A reasonably complete platform should cover:

• SGX equities — including REITs, ETFs, and bonds listed in Singapore

• US equities — full market coverage including pre- and post-market sessions

• Hong Kong and other markets — for investors tracking regional exposure

• Derivatives — options coverage on both US and Singapore markets

• IPO subscriptions — access to new listings with margin financing where needed

The hidden cost of managing positions across multiple accounts is easy to underestimate. For active investors, consolidating markets under one roof makes a material difference to both efficiency and oversight.

Trading Costs: What Lies Beneath "Zero Commission"

Zero-commission offers have become standard marketing across the industry. But the full cost of trading extends well beyond the headline rate. A complete picture should account for:

A common misconception is that long-term investors are largely insulated from commission costs. In practice, every rebalance, every partial exit and re-entry, every position adjustment accumulates friction. Compounding works on costs just as it does on returns — and the longer the holding period, the more that friction adds up.

Here is how the main platforms in Singapore broadly position themselves on cost:

• Moomoo — Lifetime zero commission on US stocks, with a flat US$0.99 platform fee per trade. Free Level 2 data and a strong community layer. Promotions for SGX trading are time-limited; check current terms.

• Tiger Brokers — US$0.99 per US trade; competitive on SGX and other markets. Offers both CDP-linked and custodian account options, which is relatively uncommon among digital platforms.

• IBKR — Low tiered rates with one of the tightest FX spreads available. Margin rates are among the lowest in the industry. Platform complexity can be a barrier for less experienced users.

• Saxo Markets — Tiered pricing across Classic, Platinum, and VIP accounts; competitive for larger trade sizes. Commission fees vary by market and account tier.

• Phillip Securities (POEMS) — Commission from 0.08% on SGX trades; US$3.88 flat for US stocks. One of the few platforms supporting CPF and SRS investing. CDP-linked accounts available.

• Longbridge — Permanent zero commission on SGX and US trades, with no platform fee or inactivity charge. Overall cost structure is transparent.

Fee schedules change. Always confirm the current rates directly with each platform before opening an account.

Research and Data Tools: Where the Real Edge Lies

This is where the gap between established institutions and newer platforms tends to be most pronounced — and also where the pace of change has been fastest in recent years.

Retail investors have historically worked with lagging, fragmented fundamental data. Earnings analysis filtered through third-party media. Sector comparisons require multiple platforms. Supply chain dynamics and valuation models largely out of reach for individual investors.

Longbridge has invested significantly in closing this gap. Its Panorama Mode brings company fundamentals together in a structured visual format, giving investors a faster path to understanding a business. The Supply Chain Map charts upstream and downstream relationships across industries — particularly useful for investors tracking semiconductor, EV, or clean energy themes where the chain logic matters as much as individual stock performance.

The competition on data tools has quietly extended into AI — which brings us to the dimension evolving most rapidly right now.

AI Capabilities: Five Different Bets

AI has become the new competitive frontier for brokerages, but the approaches across platforms differ meaningfully — reflecting distinct views on where AI fits into the investment process.

Moomoo — Letting Your AI Drive Their Platform

Moomoo's API Skill allows users to connect preferred third-party AI agents — including Claude Code and OpenAI Operator — to its trading infrastructure via a local gateway. These agents can interpret natural language instructions, convert them into executable strategies, and run backtests against historical data. The underlying logic: Moomoo does not prescribe which AI you use; it positions the platform as the execution layer, letting your chosen tool drive it.

IBKR — Openness as Ecosystem

IBKR has no native AI assistant, but its long-standing TWS API has generated a developer community that has built extensively around it. Several community-developed MCP servers now allow users to connect Claude, Grok, and other AI models directly to their IBKR account, giving those models read access to portfolio positions, balances, and P&L data for analysis and research. This is not a feature IBKR has shipped; it is what years of API openness have made possible.

Tiger Brokers, Saxo Markets, and Phillip Securities — Established Strengths, AI Still Developing

Tiger Brokers, Saxo, and Phillip Securities each bring well-established strengths: Tiger on multi-market access and fractional shares; Saxo on platform depth and instrument breadth across 71,000+ products; Phillip on CDP-linked SGX trading and CPF/SRS investing. AI integration, however, remains at an early or peripheral stage across all three. Their competitive edge lies elsewhere — in heritage, coverage, or specific account structures — rather than in any current AI-specific capability.

Longbridge — Parallel Tracks: In-App and Open Ecosystem

Longbridge's approach runs on two tracks simultaneously. For everyday users, LongbridgeAI is embedded directly into the app as a Chatbox — supporting natural language queries on market data, earnings reports, and portfolio positions without any technical setup required. For developers, the platform exposes an OpenAPI and an AI-native CLI tool covering over 120 commands across quotes, positions, and order management. For investors exploring agentic AI workflows, the Longbridge Skill knowledge base is designed specifically for LLM integration, with MCP protocol support for compatibility with leading AI development frameworks.

The distinction matters: the Chatbox lowers the barrier so that investors who do not write code can still work with AI; the open platform gives technically capable users the infrastructure to build their own workflows on top of Longbridge's data and trading layer. This architecture earned Longbridge the AI-Brokerage category at the SBR 2026 Technology Excellence Awards.

A platform's openness to AI integration is increasingly a meaningful signal of its long-term technical ambition.

Account Opening and Client Service

This dimension tends to get considered last. In practice, it surfaces early.

For Singapore investors, the practical questions are concrete: Does the platform support Singpass MyInfo for remote verification? Are SGD deposits via PayNow or FAST available instantly? Is the trading infrastructure reliable during high-volatility sessions?

Longbridge supports account opening in under three minutes via Singpass MyInfo and offers multi-currency fund management across SGD and USD. PayNow and FAST transfers are supported for instant SGD deposits.

Longbridge vs Moomoo vs Tiger Brokers vs IBKR vs Saxo vs Phillip Securities: Side-by-Side Comparison

No single platform wins on every dimension. The table below summarises where each sits across the key criteria — use it as a reference, not a verdict.

Information based on publicly available data and official platform sources as of 2026. Fee structures are subject to change; verify current rates directly with each platform.

Interested in seeing LongbridgeAI in action? New account holders get full access to LongbridgeAI features, with permanent zero commission on SGX and US trades. Open an account

In Summary

No broker leads across the board, and each platform here has a clear constituency. Moomoo remains a well-rounded choice for investors who value community features and strong data tools. Tiger Brokers stands out for multi-market access — particularly for investors who want exposure to Hong Kong, A-shares, or Australian equities alongside SGX and US markets. IBKR is difficult to beat on margin rates and global reach, with an open API that has attracted a capable developer community, though the platform complexity is a genuine constraint for many users. Saxo Markets is the natural home for sophisticated investors who want depth across 71,000+ instruments across 70+ markets and professional-grade tooling. Phillip Securities remains the go-to for long-term SGX investors who want CDP-linked accounts, or those needing CPF and SRS investing access — a capability most digital platforms simply do not offer.

For investors focused on SGX and US markets who want research tools and AI capabilities alongside low trading costs, Longbridge's combination — permanent zero commission, multi-market coverage, structured fundamental data, and an AI ecosystem that serves both general users and developers — is worth a serious look.

An information advantage has never been a privilege reserved for institutions. It is something individual investors can actively pursue.

Ready to explore Longbridge? Download the Longbridge app and unlock the full LongbridgeAI feature set from day one. Permanent zero commission on SGX and US trades for all account holders. Get started

This article is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Investing involves risk. Please assess your own financial situation carefully before making any investment decisions.