How to buy US stocks and ETFs from Ireland

This page lists the investment platforms whose own pages say they accept residents of Ireland, with their licences, fees and the deposit methods available here. We only count platforms that publish a list of the countries they accept: a company that does not say whom it accepts is left out, even if it might open an account for you. Being on the list is not a recommendation.

Some verified points for Ireland:

• Interactive Brokers names Ireland on its list of available countries and territories. One of its companies, Interactive Brokers Ireland Limited, is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland (reference number C423427) and, according to IBKR’s site, is a member of the Irish Investor Compensation Scheme. Its pages do not say which of its companies opens accounts for residents of Ireland, so check the company named in your client agreement. IBKR charges no fee for bank transfer deposits (your bank may), and after two free withdrawals a calendar month it charges a fee per withdrawal.
• The Central Bank of Ireland says: “Only firms authorised by the Central Bank of Ireland or a corresponding regulator in another EEA Member State can provide regulated financial services in Ireland.” Its Register of Authorised Firms shows whether a firm is authorised to do business in Ireland, and “If you engage with an unauthorised firm you lose the protections of regulation”.

The Investor Compensation Company (ICCL) pays “90% of the amount you have lost”, and “the most that we can pay each investor is €20,000”, when the Central Bank finds that a member firm cannot meet investors’ claims or a court ruling stops it returning their money or investments. The scheme does not cover “foreign firms selling their investment services into Ireland from abroad”, nor “losses caused by a fall in the value of your investment because of market or other economic forces”. Eligible deposits at banks, building societies and credit unions authorised by the Central Bank are protected by the Deposit Guarantee Scheme up to €100,000.

For US shares, the platform will ask you for Form W-8BEN. The IRS says most US-source income of a foreign person, dividends included, is taxed at 30% through a withholding tax unless a tax treaty or the tax code sets a lower rate. Ireland is on the IRS list of US income tax treaties, so a lower rate may apply. Ireland may tax the same dividend too, so ask Revenue or a qualified tax adviser. No investor compensation scheme pays for falling prices.