Accounts & headline costs
Sections ↑Citi Self Invest is the self-directed brokerage route within Citi Personal Wealth Management. The headline is deliberately simple: no published opening minimum and no online commission for eligible U.S. stocks and ETFs. The usable account is broader than that headline because mutual-fund expenses, fixed-income economics, optional services, transfers and the treatment of uninvested cash follow separate disclosures. The service is not the same as Citi Wealth Builder’s managed portfolio or a relationship with a human financial adviser.[1][2][3]
Account comparison01
Account and service routes at a glance
| Account or route | Customer scope | Headline condition |
|---|---|---|
| Self Invest brokerage | Eligible U.S. individual customers; self-directed | US$0 opening minimum; eligible online stock/ETF commissions US$0.Source 1Source 3 |
| Self Invest retirement account | Eligible IRA applicants; tax-wrapper rules apply | Account-level trading prices follow the eligible Self Invest schedule; distributions and transfers remain wrapper-specific.Source 1Source 4 |
| Citi Wealth Builder | Separate advisory/managed route | Portfolio-management charge and investment allocation are not Self Invest brokerage terms.Source 1Source 3 |
| Full-service CPWM brokerage | Separate representative-supported relationship | Brokerage recommendations, service model and charges can differ from unsolicited Self Invest orders.Source 2Source 3 |
Broker essentials02
Opening essentials
| Measure | Value | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Opening minimum | US$0 | Published Self Invest minimum; an investment still requires enough settled cash for the order.Source 1 |
| Online stock/ETF commission | US$0 | Eligible online transactions; leveraged/inverse ETFs and other products can be excluded or carry other charges.Source 1Source 4 |
| Primary account company | Citigroup Global Markets Inc. | The legal broker-dealer is distinct from Citibank, N.A. and from the Citi brand.Source 2Source 8 |
| Practice model | Self-directed | The customer chooses investments; public research and screens do not create a discretionary mandate.Source 3 |
The current promotional page also advertises a cash award of up to US$1,000 for qualifying new-to-Citi funding. The award is not a universal account balance or an immediate rebate. The band is determined by qualifying net new assets, and the stated funding and maintenance conditions apply before credit. A withdrawal during that process can reduce the award band.[1]
Products & platforms
Sections ↑Availability03
Products and what is actually held
| Product | Published access | Important boundary |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. stocks and ETFs | Online self-directed orders in eligible listed securities | US$0 commission does not remove bid/ask spread, regulatory fees, fund expenses or excluded-product charges.Source 1Source 4 |
| Fractional shares | Eligible securities may be purchased in fractions | Fractional availability, order handling, voting and transferability follow the disclosure; not every ticker or instruction is eligible.Source 5 |
| Mutual funds | Citi platform selection with fund-specific share classes | Fund expenses, sales loads, transaction fees and revenue-sharing disclosures can apply.Source 2Source 4 |
| Fixed income | Brokerage access to bonds and related products | Price can include a mark-up/mark-down and liquidation or service restrictions; it is not covered by the zero-stock-commission line.Source 1Source 4 |
| Options / margin distinction | Self Invest options marked N/A in the July 2026 schedule | Broader CPWM margin materials do not independently establish Self Invest borrowing availability.Source 11 |
Platforms & products04
Platforms and tools
| Platform or tool | Published capability | Boundary |
|---|---|---|
| Citi Online | Portfolio, research, order entry, documents and account administration | Displayed eligibility and order ticket govern; no independent uptime or execution test was performed.Source 1Source 2 |
| Citi Mobile | Mobile access to eligible investing functions | Feature availability can differ from desktop and depends on authentication and account permissions.Source 1 |
| Fractional order workflow | Dollar- or share-based eligible instructions | Fractional executions can be aggregated or handled differently from whole shares under the disclosure.Source 5 |
| Public API or copy trading | No retail Self Invest service established in reviewed sources | Do not infer programmatic or delegated authority from ordinary online access.Source 1Source 2 |
A ticker alone does not identify the economic product. A mutual fund, an ETF and a bond may appear in the same portfolio while using different price units, settlement conventions and embedded expenses. The profile therefore treats the US$0 commission as one transaction field, not as a statement that the entire account is cost-free.[1][4]
Fees & holding costs
Sections ↑Pricing & charges05
Core charges
| Charge | Published amount | Scope or trigger |
|---|---|---|
| Eligible online U.S. stocks and ETFs | US$0 commission | Self Invest online route; exclusions and pass-through charges remain.Source 1Source 4 |
| Account opening / ordinary minimum | US$0 | No required opening balance published for Self Invest.Source 1 |
| Mutual funds | Fund/share-class specific | Loads, expenses and transaction charges depend on the selected fund and share class.Source 2Source 4 |
| Fixed income | Dealer economics or service charge | Read the current quote and confirmation; a bond price can incorporate compensation.Source 4 |
| Margin borrowing | Separate CPWM lending schedule | A broad CPWM rate table is not proof that Self Invest supports the facility.Source 11 |
Pricing & charges06
Worked cost examples
| Example | Calculated amount | Assumptions |
|---|---|---|
| US$5,000 eligible online ETF buy | US$0 Citi commission | Excludes spread, fund expenses, regulatory charges and any future sale costs.Source 1 |
| US$50,000 qualifying promotional funding | $200 advertised award band | Current page band; all timing, new-money and maintenance conditions must be met.Source 1 |
| US$500,000 qualifying promotional funding | $1,000 advertised award band | The award is not investment return; withdrawals can reduce qualification before credit.Source 1 |
Pricing & charges07
Other costs and continuing charges
| Item | Published treatment | Practical consequence |
|---|---|---|
| Cash offer qualification | US$100 / US$200 / US$500 / US$1,000 bands | Published bands begin at US$10,000 of qualifying new-to-Citi assets; funding and maintenance periods apply.Source 1 |
| Fund and ETF expenses | Deducted within the product or charged under its terms | A commission waiver does not remove the underlying investment’s ongoing charges.Source 2Source 4 |
| Account event or exceptional service | Schedule-specific | Transfers, certificates, wire or representative services may carry charges under the applicable schedule.Source 4 |
| Uninvested cash | Sweep-program treatment | Bank-sweep and brokerage cash arrangements use different protection and interest terms.Source 7 |
Pricing & charges08
July 2026 CPWM schedule: Self Invest and account events
| Area | Published position | Practical detail |
|---|---|---|
| Options: Citi Self Invest column | N/A | The separate US$0.65-per-contract online rate belongs to other CPWM columns; it is not a Self Invest option price.Source 11 |
| Outbound account transfer | US$95 | CPWM selected-service charge; concessions can apply.Source 11 |
| Wire payment / currency wire | US$25 | Separate from any FX conversion, which the schedule allows up to 1% of notional.Source 11 |
| Retirement termination | US$95 | A closure/distribution event differs from an ordinary online securities order.Source 11 |
| Self Invest fixed-income pricing | Minimum column of the schedule for CZ4 accounts | Treasury/agency minimum sales credits are zero; corporates, CDs and municipals are 0.125% under one year and 0.25% at longer listed maturities. Pershing charges can remain in the price.Source 11 |
| Treasury auctions | US$35 administration/processing | Separate from secondary-market Treasury sales credit.Source 11 |
Execution & trading rules
Sections ↑Specifications09
Order handling and market access
| Rule or route | Published operation | Consequence |
|---|---|---|
| Market or limit stock order | Entered through the supported Citi ticket | A market instruction prioritises execution, while a limit can remain unfilled; exact validity appears on the live ticket.Source 1 |
| Fractional instruction | Eligibility and execution follow the fractional-share disclosure | Fractional pieces may not transfer in kind and may have limited corporate-action or voting treatment.Source 5 |
| Order recommendation | Self Invest orders are customer directed | Citi’s general information is not authority to trade without the customer’s instruction.Source 3 |
Trading & service hours10
Sessions, settlement and order timing
| Situation | Published treatment | Boundary |
|---|---|---|
| Regular U.S. session | Eligible securities during supported market hours | The public Self Invest page does not establish universal extended-hours access for every security.Source 1 |
| Settlement | Security-specific U.S. settlement cycle | Sale value and withdrawable cash are different until settlement and any hold are complete.Source 1 |
| Order validity | Shown on the order ticket | A public universal count or good-till-cancelled period was not established in the reviewed pages.Source 1 |
The reviewed public materials establish the product and online price more clearly than they establish detailed execution statistics. This profile does not infer price improvement, fill speed or outage performance from the size of the Citi group.[1][8]
Deposits, withdrawals & transfers
Sections ↑Transfer terms11
Funding and available cash
| Route | Published process | Restriction or timing |
|---|---|---|
| Linked Citi or external bank transfer | Fund through the approved account workflow | Account ownership, verification and available-funds checks apply.Source 1 |
| Transfer of securities | Eligible assets may move through the brokerage transfer process | Unsupported funds, fractional positions and proprietary products can require separate handling.Source 2 |
| Promotional funding | New-to-Citi assets within the offer window | Internal reclassification of existing Citi assets does not necessarily qualify as new money.Source 1 |
| Cash sweep | Uninvested balance follows the elected/default sweep | Interest and protection follow the actual destination, not the Self Invest name.Source 7 |
Transfer terms12
Withdrawals and transfers
| Action | Published process | What changes the timing |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary cash withdrawal | Only settled and unrestricted cash can leave | Pending orders, unsettled sales, debit balances and security checks can reduce availability.Source 1Source 6 |
| Withdrawal during cash-offer maintenance | Can reduce qualifying net new assets | The award band can fall or disappear before the conditions are completed.Source 1 |
| Outbound securities transfer | Asset and service eligibility apply | Fractional shares and restricted products may not move in kind.Source 5Source 4 |
| Retirement distribution | IRA process and tax reporting apply | A brokerage transfer is not the same as a taxable cash distribution.Source 4 |
A displayed portfolio value is not the same as cash available to send to a bank. The latter is reduced by unsettled trades, holds, open orders and liabilities. The current promotional award adds another distinction: an advertised amount can be conditional before credit even though a credited cash award may later be withdrawable under normal account rules.[1][6]
Protection & regulation
Sections ↑Essentials13
Legal entity and authority evidence
| Measure | Value | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Broker-dealer | Citigroup Global Markets Inc. | FINRA CRD 7059 and SEC registration shown in BrokerCheck.Source 8 |
| Service brand | Citi Self Invest | A product route within Citi Personal Wealth Management, not a separate legal broker.Source 1Source 2 |
| Account type | Securities brokerage | Investment products are not Citibank deposits and are not FDIC insured merely because the Citi name is used.Source 1Source 3 |
| Research date | 15 October 2026 | Dynamic prices and promotions require a fresh check before acting.Source 1 |
Protections & eligibility14
Protection depends on the asset and account
| Arrangement | Relevant scope | What it does not cover |
|---|---|---|
| SIPC member brokerage | Eligible missing securities/cash at a failed member, within SIPC rules | Does not cover market loss, unsuitable performance or every non-security.Source 9Source 8 |
| Bank sweep deposits | FDIC treatment only where placed at eligible member banks | Aggregates with the customer’s other deposits at the same bank and ownership category.Source 7 |
| Mutual funds, stocks and bonds | Custodied investments subject to issuer and market risk | A familiar bank brand does not guarantee their value.Source 3 |
The US$500,000 SIPC headline, including a US$250,000 cash sublimit under ordinary SIPC rules, is a failure-and-missing-property framework. It is not a promise that every account receives that amount, and it is not combined with FDIC insurance into a single larger investment guarantee.[9][7]
Opening an account & support
Sections ↑Process15
Application and account administration
| Stage | Published requirement | Operational detail |
|---|---|---|
| Eligibility | U.S. customer and identity/tax information | Citi can require verification and may decline an application.Source 1Source 3 |
| Choose service | Select Self Invest rather than managed or representative-supported service | The chosen service changes duties, authority and charges.Source 1Source 3 |
| Fund account | Link an approved bank or transfer eligible assets | Availability follows settlement and verification, not merely receipt.Source 1 |
| Product eligibility | Self Invest options are marked N/A in the published tariff | Do not import permissions or rates from an adviser-supported CPWM account.Source 11 |
Verified service routes
Self Invest and Citi investment supportWebsite
https://online.citi.com/US/ag/contactusSource 10
Scope Official routing page for authenticated and prospective-client support.
CGMI relationship disclosuresWebsite
https://www.citi.com/investorinfo/Source 2
Scope Fee schedules, Form CRS and product disclosures; not an order-entry route.
FINRA BrokerCheckWebsite
https://brokercheck.finra.org/firm/summary/7059Source 8
Scope Independent broker-dealer record and disclosure history.
A dedicated Self Invest emergency-dealing telephone number and guaranteed response period were not established from the public sources reviewed.
Process16
When the platform or device is unavailable
| Situation | Published route | Limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Cannot access Citi Online or Mobile | Use official Citi support and verify account/order status | The public product page does not promise telephone execution during every platform incident.Source 10 |
| Uncertain order state | Check orders, confirmations and statements before resubmitting | Duplicating an instruction can create an unintended second trade.Source 1 |
| Security or device recovery | Use Citi’s authenticated recovery route | Changing access credentials can trigger verification or temporary restrictions; exact withdrawal hold was not publicly established.Source 10 |
Additional services
Sections ↑Reference table17
Additional services and account controls
| Service | Published scope | Control or cost |
|---|---|---|
| Current cash offer | Tiered award for qualifying new-to-Citi funding | Conditional before credit; early withdrawals can reduce eligibility.Source 1 |
| Research and screens | Information inside the Citi investing interface | Does not create a personalised recommendation or discretionary mandate.Source 1Source 3 |
| Cash sweep | Automatic placement of eligible free credit balances | Interest, counterparty and insurance depend on the selected sweep.Source 7 |
| Managed investing | Citi Wealth Builder is available separately | Separate advisory agreement and charge; not a Self Invest feature.Source 1Source 3 |
Reference table18
Records, currency and technical access
| Account feature | Published outcome | Boundary |
|---|---|---|
| Statements and tax documents | Electronic account records and tax reporting form part of the brokerage relationship | Retain files before closure; the public page does not promise indefinite online availability.Source 2 |
| Currency handling | Self Invest is presented as a U.S.-dollar brokerage route | No public multi-currency cash wallet or universal direct foreign-exchange dealing service was established.Source 1 |
| API reach | No retail trading API documented for Self Invest | Do not automate through credentials or infer institutional connectivity.Source 1Source 2 |
| Order persistence | Exact order validity is ticket-specific | Confirm live duration and cancellation state rather than assuming device-local persistence.Source 1 |
Company background & evidence
Sections ↑Entities & regulation19
Company identity and evidence
| Item | Current evidence | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Legal broker | Citigroup Global Markets Inc. | FINRA CRD 7059; SEC-registered broker-dealer and investment adviser.Source 8 |
| Brand relationship | Citi Self Invest / Citi Personal Wealth Management | Brand and distribution channel do not replace the legal company in the agreement.Source 1Source 2 |
| Bank affiliate boundary | Citibank, N.A. is a separate bank affiliate | FDIC deposit rules and brokerage/SIPC rules should not be merged.Source 7Source 3 |
| Migration check | No current Self Invest entity migration established | This profile does not infer a transfer of accounts from a branding change.Source 1Source 2 |
Citi’s scale and range of banking products are relevant to integration, not to the result of a particular order. The strongest evidence for this profile is the current Self Invest page, CGMI disclosure hub and the named FINRA record.[1][2][8]
- Headquarters
- New York, United States — Citigroup Global Markets Inc. brokerage operation
Legal entities & licences
These are source-dated records, not a blanket assessment of the broker. Read each issuer, identifier, status and scope together.
Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
| Issuer & identifier | Recorded status | Date & scope |
|---|---|---|
| Financial Industry Regulatory Authority7059 | Registered | Checked 15 Oct 2026Current FINRA BrokerCheck record. SEC registration and other SRO memberships are separate fields in the record.Source 8 |
Additional Information
Sections ↑Sources & further reading
- Citi Self Invest account, products, pricing and current cash offer Citi · Accessed 15 Oct 2026
- CGMI relationship documents, brokerage disclosures and fee schedule hub Citi · Accessed 15 Oct 2026
- Citigroup Global Markets Form CRS Citigroup Global Markets Inc. · Accessed 15 Oct 2026
- Citi Personal Wealth Management pricing, commissions and fees Citi · Accessed 15 Oct 2026
- Fractional Share Disclosure Statement Citigroup Global Markets Inc. · Accessed 15 Oct 2026
- Margin Disclosure Statement Citigroup Global Markets Inc. · Accessed 15 Oct 2026
- Sweep Program Information Citigroup Global Markets Inc. · Accessed 15 Oct 2026
- Citigroup Global Markets Inc. — firm summary 7059 FINRA BrokerCheck · Accessed 15 Oct 2026
- What SIPC protects and its limits Securities Investor Protection Corporation · Accessed 15 Oct 2026
- Citi investment and account support entry points Citi · Accessed 15 Oct 2026
- CPWM pricing schedule, July 2026: Self Invest column and service charges Citi Self Invest · Accessed 15 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.