Accounts & headline costs
Sections ↑Bell Direct provides Australian share trading through Third Party Platform Pty Ltd. The settlement account changes both brokerage and cash handling: clients can use a Direct Investment Account (DIA) or a linked Macquarie Cash Management Account (CMA). Margin lending and U.S. trading have additional terms.[9][17]
Account comparison01
Account and service routes
| Route | Account structure | Main operating distinction |
|---|---|---|
| Personal, joint, company or trust | Account ownership follows the application documents. | Select DIA or Macquarie CMA settlement.Source 3Source 17 |
| SMSF | Account opened by the fund’s trustee. | Fund documents and authorized signatories are required.Source 3 |
| Margin loan | Approved lending relationship. | Separate brokerage schedule and borrowing interest.Source 1 |
| U.S. trading | Currently available to individual accounts using DIA or CMA. | Separate DriveWealth service.Source 6 |
Pricing & charges02
DIA online ASX equity brokerage: first ten trades each month
Pricing & charges03
Other Australian equity routes
| Route | Brokerage |
|---|---|
| DIA trades 11–30 in the month, value over A$3,000 | Greater of A$13 and 0.08%.Source 2Source 9 |
| DIA trade 31 onward, value over A$3,000 | Greater of A$10 and 0.08%.Source 2Source 9 |
| Macquarie CMA online, any order value | Greater of A$19.95 and 0.12%.Source 2 |
| Telephone, DIA / CMA | Greater of A$60 and 0.20% / greater of A$49.95 and 0.30%.Source 1 |
Products & investment scope
Sections ↑Specifications04
Investment menu
| Product | Current route |
|---|---|
| Australian securities | ASX shares, ETFs, warrants and listed interest-rate securities.Source 5 |
| Exchange-traded options | Activate options access; the product page describes opening and closing long positions online or by phone.Source 7 |
| New issues | Selected IPOs and other offers.Source 5 |
| U.S. securities | Shares, ETFs, ETNs and approved ADRs through DriveWealth.Source 6 |
| mFunds | Withdrawn from the ASX service on 31 May 2026; not an active product route.Source 5 |
Specifications05
U.S. service terms
| Item | Current condition |
|---|---|
| Brokerage offer | $0 for a limited introductory period; no closing date is specified on the page.Source 6 |
| Currency conversion | 60 basis points, equivalent to 0.60%.Source 6 |
| Minimum funding / purchase | AUD-to-USD transfer equivalent to US$300 / US$300 minimum buy.Source 6 |
| Share quantities | Whole and fractional shares in eligible securities.Source 6 |
| Changing an order | Cancel and submit a new order; direct amendments are unavailable.Source 6 |
Fees & holding costs
Sections ↑Pricing & charges06
Exchange-traded option charges
Pricing & charges07
Margin lending
Pricing & charges08
Data and occasional service charges
| Service | Published fee |
|---|---|
| Gold live snapshots | A$10/month; waived after five monthly trades.Source 1 |
| Platinum streaming | A$27.50/month.Source 1 |
| WebIRESS / WebIRESS with Platinum | A$79 / A$106.50 monthly.Source 1 |
| Change of beneficial ownership | A$55 per holding through an off-market transfer.Source 8 |
DIA cash rates are 1.70% p.a. for balances up to A$100,000 and 1.85% above A$100,000, effective 30 September 2026. These are variable investment-account rates. The account has no minimum balance requirement.[17]
Platforms, orders & execution
Sections ↑Platforms & products09
Trading and monitoring tools
| Tool | Published function |
|---|---|
| Web platform and mobile app | Trade, follow holdings and access market information.Source 4 |
| Multi-order pad | Prepare and place multiple orders.Source 4 |
| Charting and filters | Technical charts and stock-selection filters.Source 4 |
| Conditional orders | Activate through Orders, accept the terms and set the trigger and resulting order.Source 14 |
Process10
One-second placement guarantee
| Scope | Treatment |
|---|---|
| Eligible instruction | New ASX market-to-limit orders during the trading session, using supported online interfaces.Source 15 |
| Settlement account | The fee page limits the guarantee to DIA settlement.Source 1 |
| Remedy | Brokerage is waived when an eligible order is not placed within one second.Source 15 |
| Limit orders and execution | Limit orders are excluded; the promise concerns submission to the ASX, not a completed fill.Source 15 |
The FSG prohibits short selling: the seller must hold the relevant CHESS registration when entering the order. Trade instructions are accepted through supported trading channels or by telephone; email, fax and post are not order-entry channels.[9]
Funding, withdrawals & transfers
Sections ↑Process11
DIA deposits and market settlement
| Stage | Timing / route |
|---|---|
| Deposit instructions | My Account → Trading Account Information provides the EFT and BPAY details.Source 10 |
| Deposit credit | Generally one business day.Source 10 |
| ASX equity settlement | Normally T+2 business days; deferred-settlement securities can differ.Source 12 |
| Options settlement | Typically T+1 business day.Source 12 |
| Reuse of sale proceeds | A filled sale can support a new purchase before settlement; withdrawal requires settled funds.Source 13 |
Process12
DIA withdrawal workflow
| Step | Instruction or timing |
|---|---|
| Request | My Account → Funds Transfer; select the account, amount and nominated bank.Source 11 |
| Authorization | Confirm with the trading PIN.Source 11 |
| Processing cutoff | The published cutoff is 2:30 p.m.; later requests move to the next business day. The article does not specify the timezone.Source 11 |
| Bank receipt | Typically one to two business days.Source 11 |
| Available amount | Recalculated during processing; the payment may be reduced if available cash has fallen.Source 11 |
With Macquarie CMA settlement, trades debit or credit the linked CMA directly. Funding remains in the customer’s linked Macquarie account until needed for settlement.[10]
Transfer terms13
Moving Australian holdings
| Existing registration | Form and condition |
|---|---|
| Issuer-sponsored SRN starting I | Issuer Sponsored Conversion form.Source 8 |
| Broker-sponsored HIN starting X | Broker to Broker Transfer form.Source 8 |
| Matching ownership | Registration names must match the receiving account exactly.Source 8 |
| Different ownership | Use the off-market transfer process, for example company to individual.Source 8 |
Custody, regulation & client protection
Sections ↑Protections & eligibility14
Who operates each route
| Route | Legal structure |
|---|---|
| Australian brokerage | Third Party Platform Pty Ltd; FSG discloses AFSL 314341 and ASX/Cboe participation.Source 9 |
| DIA | Units in Bell Financial Trust, ARSN 164391119; an investment in a registered managed scheme.Source 18 |
| DIA responsible entity | The Trust Company (RE Services) Limited; Bell Potter Capital administers the trust.Source 18 |
| U.S. service | DriveWealth LLC under separate terms; idle USD is swept into the Dreyfus Treasury Securities Cash Management Fund (DARXX).Source 6 |
The DIA trust lends its money to Bell Potter Capital. Its obligations to the trust have security and a Bell Financial Group guarantee, but repayment still depends on those counterparties. The PDS expressly says the investment is not a bank deposit and does not carry statutory bank-depositor protection. Liquidity conditions can also restrict withdrawals.[18]
Protections & eligibility15
Compensation arrangements disclosed in the FSG
| Arrangement | Scope |
|---|---|
| Professional indemnity | Insurance arrangements satisfy the company’s stated statutory compensation requirement.Source 9 |
| National Guarantee Fund | A claim may be available in specified circumstances; this is not a general investment-return guarantee.Source 9 |
Support, complaints & security
Sections ↑Process16
Service and escalation
| Purpose | Contact or process |
|---|---|
| Client services | 1300 786 199; [email protected] for non-trade enquiries.Source 9Source 16 |
| Contact-detail changes | My Account → Contact Details; confirm the change with the trading PIN.Source 16 |
| Unresolved complaint | [email protected].Source 9 |
| External dispute resolution | AFCA; the FSG gives membership number 12602.Source 9 |
Special services & tools
Sections ↑Reference table17
Research and reporting
| Service | Published content |
|---|---|
| Broker and independent research | Bell Potter, Morningstar, Dow Jones and Trading Central material.Source 4 |
| Tax-time summary | Holdings, DIA information, transactions, brokerage, data costs and estimated dividends.Source 4 |
| Portfolio administration | Reports can support records supplied to an accountant or adviser.Source 17 |
Company, entity & operating context
Sections ↑The facts18
Bell Direct at a glance
| Measure | Value | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Operator | Third Party Platform Pty Ltd trading as Bell Direct. | Source 9 |
| Ownership | Wholly owned by Bell Financial Group Limited. | Source 9 |
| Incorporation | Third Party Platform incorporated on 14 August 2006. | Source 19 |
| Service launch | Bell Direct began trading in November 2007. | Source 19 |
| Retail service and adviser brand | Bell Direct serves retail clients; Desktop Broker is the group’s distinct adviser-facing brand. | Source 19 |
- Headquarters
- Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Founded
- 2006 (operator incorporated); Bell Direct launched November 2007
Legal entities & licences
These are source-dated records, not a blanket assessment of the broker. Read each issuer, identifier, status and scope together.
Third Party Platform Pty Ltd trading as Bell Direct
AustraliaSource 9
No separate licence entry is recorded in this panel.
Additional information
Sections ↑Reference table19
Opening and transfer documents
| Item | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Australian identity evidence | The opening page requests an Australian driver licence or passport.Source 3 |
| Bank details and ownership documents | Identify the settlement account and the individual, fund, company or trust applicant.Source 3 |
| Existing HIN or SRN | Select the correct share-transfer form and preserve the registered ownership name.Source 8 |
| DIA disclosure | Read the trust PDS alongside the brokerage agreement when selecting settlement cash.Source 18 |
Sources & further reading
- Current fees: options, margin, market data and service events Bell Direct · Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- Equity and ETF brokerage by settlement account Bell Direct · Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- Account opening and transfer requirements Bell Direct · Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- Research, reporting and platform features Bell Direct · Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- Current investment products Bell Direct · Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- U.S. trading eligibility, funding and order rules Bell Direct · Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- Exchange-traded option service Bell Direct · Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- CHESS and issuer-sponsored share transfers Bell Direct · Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- Financial Services Guide, 21 July 2026 Bell Direct · Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- Funding a Direct Investment Account Bell Direct · Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- Direct Investment Account withdrawal process Bell Direct · Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- Settlement timing for equities and options Bell Direct · Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- Reusing sale proceeds for a new order Bell Direct · Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- Setting up stop-loss and take-profit instructions Bell Direct · Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- One-second order-placement guarantee Bell Direct · Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- Contact-detail changes, PIN and client services Bell Direct · Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- Settlement account choices and DIA rates Bell Direct · Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- Bell Financial Trust Product Disclosure Statement, 17 December 2025 The Trust Company (RE Services) / Bell Potter Capital · Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- 2018 AGM: TPP incorporation and Bell Direct launch Bell Financial Group · Accessed 29 Oct 2026
This profile reports dated public information, including broker-published services and terms. It does not independently test or guarantee execution, pricing or withdrawals. Inclusion is not an endorsement. Permissions and protections apply only to the named legal entity, service and client category; check the current official records and your contract.