Working with Schwab Singapore as an Accredited Investor

Schwab Singapore is pleased to provide Accredited Investors with access to U.S. markets through our best-in-class trading platforms, education, and investor support from experienced professionals from our local Singapore office and U.S.-based teams.

What do I need to know about becoming an Accredited Investor?

An Accredited Investor is an individual who meets one of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) requirements below and completes the process to receive Accredited Investor status:

Personal Income

A personal income in excess of S$300,000 per year (or its equivalent in foreign currency) in the last 12 months.

Net Personal Assets

Net personal assets in excess of S$2,000,000, of which the net value of your primary place of residence can only contribute up to S$1,000,000 (or its equivalent in foreign currency).

Net Financial Assets

Net financial assets in excess of S$1,000,000 (or its equivalent in foreign currency). Where 'financial asset' generally means: bank deposits, investments, or easily liquidated assets.

Benefits of being an Accredited Investor with Schwab

Accredited Investors have access to a full range of trading platforms and resources to maximize their U.S. investment goals, including: 

US$0 online commissions on  U.S.-listed equity trades

Reflecting Schwab's commitment to accessible investing

Leading-edge trading platforms

Featuring the award-winning thinkorswim® suite

Tools and education

Offering a wealth of insights and learning resources to help investors navigate the U.S. market

Comprehensive investment choices

Including stocks, ETFs, fixed income, options, futures, and more

Professional support

From Schwab's 50 years of experience serving U.S. investor needs

Robust account protection

Including SIPC insurance and SEC Rule 15c3-3 customer protection

How do I become an Accredited Investor and open an account with Schwab Singapore? 

If you meet the requirements to become an Accredited Investor, you can open an account by clicking the "Open an account" button below. Our online application will then walk you through the process.

Open a Schwab One International® Account Today

Schwab Accredited Investor Frequently Asked Questions

An Accredited Investor is an individual who meets the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) requirements below and has opted in to be treated as an Accredited Investor. In order to qualify, you must satisfy one of the below criteria and opt in to be an Accredited Investor:

  • Minimum Income: Minimum income of S$300,000 in the last 12 months (or its equivalent in a foreign currency); or
  • Net Personal Assets: Net personal assets exceeding S$2,000,000, of which the net value of your primary place of residence can only contribute up to S$1,000,000; or
  • Net Financial Assets: Net financial assets exceeding S$1,000,000 (or its equivalent in a foreign currency)

You will need to complete the Open an Account process and provide supporting evidence to prove that you are an Accredited Investor.

Depending on which criteria you meet to become an Accredited Investor, you will need to submit scanned copies of supporting evidence to validate that you meet the minimum income or asset level. For more details, please refer to the Declaration and Opt-In Form for Accredited Investor Status and Cross-Border Arrangement. Some of the common supporting documents required may include:

  • Latest income tax statement
  • Recent payslip(s)
  • Recent bank statement(s)
  • Title deed
  • Property ownership documents
  • Other brokerage statement(s)

Yes, multiple accounts are taken into consideration for the qualification assessment.

Only one individual account holder of a joint account is required to qualify as an Accredited Investor for the entire joint account to be designated as an Accredited Investor account. However, all joint account holders need to sign the opt-in form to acknowledge their treatment as an Accredited Investor.

Note: The individual account holder of a joint account who will identify as an Accredited Investor will be required to complete the Open an Account process first.

As an Accredited Investor, you will be establishing your account with our U.S. Foreign Related Corporation, Charles Schwab & Co. or Charles Schwab Futures & Forex, LLC for securities and futures trading respectively through the Singapore Cross Border Arrangement framework. Schwab Singapore Accredited Investors have access to U.S. markets through our best-in-class thinkorswim® trading platforms, education, and support from the Singapore office.

The first thing to remember is your securities — like stocks and exchange traded funds — held at Charles Schwab & Co. are yours. The U.S. Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) Rule 15c3-3, commonly known as the "Customer Protection Rule" or "SEC Rule 15c3-3", safeguards customer assets at brokerage firms by preventing firms from using customer assets to finance their own proprietary businesses.

At Charles Schwab & Co., clients' fully paid securities are segregated from other firm assets and held at third party depository institutions and custodians such as the Depository Trust Company and Bank of New York. There are reporting and auditing requirements in place by government regulators to help ensure all broker-dealers comply with this rule. In the very unlikely event that Charles Schwab & Co. should become insolvent, these segregated securities are not available to general creditors and are protected against creditors' claims.

Additionally, The Securities Investor Protection Act (SIPA) and its operating corporation, the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC), provide protection against lost brokerage securities in the amount of US$500,000 per customer. Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. also provides privately funded Excess SIPC coverage of US$600 million.

Your securities and funds are held in the U.S. Charles Schwab & Co. is a registered broker-dealer and transfer agent with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC); is a member firm of self-regulatory organizations, including the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), and the following depository and clearing agencies: the Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation (DTCC), National Securities Clearing Corporation (NSCC), and Options Clearing Corporation (OCC); and several U.S. exchanges. As a result, Schwab Singapore client accounts are subject to all applicable U.S. laws, rules, regulations, and customer protection provisions associated with fully disclosed accounts trading and settling in the U.S.

Understanding that your account would be held in the U.S., the below table provides a simple comparison of the protection afforded to your funds if they were held in Singapore vs the U.S. All Accredited Investor customers will be directly protected by the U.S. customer protection rules by opting in to become an Accredited Investor and opening an account with Charles Schwab International.

Singapore

  • Yes: Segregated Funds
  • Yes: Funds protected against insolvency
  • Yes: SDIC SGD 75,000 maximum*
  • No: SEC Rule 15c3-3 Customer Protection Rule
  • No: SIPC Insurance (up to a limit of US$500,000 including a US$250,000 limit on claims for cash)

United States

  • Yes: Segregated Funds
  • Yes: Funds protected against insolvency
  • No: SDIC SGD 75,000 maximum*
  • Yes: SEC Rule 15c3-3 Customer Protection Rule
  • Yes: SIPC Insurance (up to a limit of US$500,000 including a US$250,000 limit on claims for cash)

*SDIC only insures bank deposits in the event of failure of the bank (not broker) up to SGD $75,000 per account

As your funds and securities are held with our (Foreign Related Corporation) U.S. clearing and custodial firm's Special Reserve Account or SIPC protected brokerage account in the U.S., only U.S. cash and asset protection laws apply.  For more details on the difference between Singapore and U.S. protection please refer to Annex A of the Declaration and Opt-In Form for Accredited Investor Status and Cross-Border Arrangement.

Charles Schwab & Co.is a member of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC), which protects securities customers of its members (including you), excluding futures and options on futures, up to a limit of US$500,000, including a US$250,000 limit on claims for cash (against brokerage insolvency). SIPC protections are activated in the rare event that the broker-dealer fails (bankruptcy), and client assets are missing due to fraud or other causes.  There is no requirement that a customer reside in or be a citizen of the United States. A non-U.S. citizen with a Schwab account is treated the same as a resident or citizen of the United States with a Schwab account.   Please note that this does not protect against loss in market value of the securities. An explanatory brochure is available on request at www.sipc.org. 

Charles Schwab & Co. maintains an additional insurance policy through a group of London underwriters (with Lloyd's of London Syndicates as lead underwriter) to supplement the SIPC protection, which becomes available to Schwab Singapore clients in the event that the SIPC limits are exhausted. Charles Schwab & Co.'s Excess SIPC program has a US$600 million aggregate, (meaning the most the program will pay for the Excess SIPC portion of the losses). This policy provides coverage following brokerage insolvency and does not protect against loss in market value of the securities.

At this time, Schwab Singapore is only serving Accredited Investors.

Accredited Investors are assumed under law to be better informed and better able to access resources to protect their own interests, and therefore require less regulatory protection. Investors who agree to be treated as an Accredited Investor therefore forgo the benefit of certain regulatory safeguards.

By opting to become an Accredited Investor and entering into a Cross-Border Arrangement, you will not be subject to MAS' regulations, including MAS's retail customer moneys protection. All funds, securities, and derivatives to be held in your account are held for your benefit on a fully segregated basis and domiciled and maintained in the U.S. As a result, your account is subject to all applicable U.S. laws, regulations, and customer protection provisions.

In addition, please refer to Annex A in the Declaration and Opt-In Form for Accredited Investor Status and Cross-Border Arrangement for more details on the consequences of being treated as an Accredited Investor.

Have more questions? We're here to help.

Call

Phone: +65 6021 8070

 
Singapore support:
Monday – Friday, 9:00 am to 5:30 pm (SGT)

 
U.S. support:
24x5 Customer Service
Monday 1:00 am to Saturday 1:00 am (U.S. EST)

Email

Write to us

Visit Us

Charles Schwab SG Pte. Ltd.
8 Marina View
#12-01 Asia Square Tower 1
Singapore 018960


Office hours
Monday – Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm (SGT)