by TMR / graphic by TMR

RAKUTEN Trade Sdn Bhd stated local investors have traded some RM40 million worth of securities traded on the New York Stock Exchange and the National Association of Securities Dealers in its first month of its launch of foreign equity trading on its platform.

In the statement yesterday, Rakuten Trade CEO Kazumasa Mise stated more than 16,000 accounts have been activated to trade on the US equity markets with more than 88% of these trading first on Bursa Malaysia prior to trading US stocks.

“This reflects a growing acceptance by Malaysian investors to have a balanced yet diversified investment portfolio of stocks not just by sector but by market.

“The equity trading landscape is changing with a surge in retail investors in recent years supported by digitalisation granting greater access to foreign markets. More Malaysians with an aptitude for self-directed trading can take the next step towards becoming ‘global investors’ without high transaction fees and obstacles that were more prevalent even five years ago,” Kazumasa stated in a release yesterday.

Rakuten Trade’s dual markets trading options are available via its Cash Upfront Account which allows account holders to trade on both Malaysia and US markets at the low brokerage of RM7 to RM100.

The trading or investing activity can be done at competitive exchange rates that are better than most banks, free access to real-time stock prices, and access to research reports from their inhouse Research team, Rakuten Securities Inc (Research) and Motley Fool.