Fidelity’s retail brokerage offer combines a zero-minimum taxable account, retirement accounts, fractional U.S. shares, international local-market access and a new Trader+ platform family. The apparent simplicity of US$0 domestic equity commissions therefore sits beside materially different margin rates, local-market commissions, currency conversion and account-specific retirement rules.[1][2][3][5][6]
This profile follows Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC as the U.S. broker-dealer. The Fidelity brand also covers fund management, workplace benefits and other businesses, but those relationships should not be treated as one universal account or fee schedule.[7][1]
Accounts & headline costs
Sections ↑Fidelity essentials
| Measure | Value | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Brokerage opening minimum | US$0 | No minimum to open the standard Fidelity brokerage account.Source 1 |
| U.S. stocks and ETFs | US$0 online commission | Applies to online domestic orders within the stated scope.Source 2 |
| Fractional-share minimum | US$1 | Dollar-based orders for eligible U.S. stocks and ETFs.Source 4 |
| Active-trader platform | Fidelity Trader+ | Free platform family across desktop, web and mobile.Source 3 |
| Broker-dealer | Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC | FINRA firm 7784.Source 7 |
Fidelity account routes
| Account | Published use | Key distinction |
|---|---|---|
| Individual brokerage | Taxable investing across stocks, ETFs, funds, bonds and options | US$0 opening minimum; product-specific approval and feesSource 1Source 2 |
| Traditional IRA | Tax-deferred retirement account | Contribution and withdrawal rules follow retirement law and account termsSource 6 |
| Roth IRA | After-tax contribution route with qualified tax-free withdrawals | Eligibility and distribution conditions differ from Traditional IRASource 6 |
| Rollover IRA | Route for eligible workplace-plan assets | Transfer and tax treatment should be matched to the source planSource 6 |
| International trading-enabled brokerage | Direct local-market dealing in supported countries | Local commission, taxes and foreign-exchange treatment applySource 5 |
Practical account operations
| Operation | Published position | Reader consequence |
|---|---|---|
| Account opening | No standard brokerage minimum | Funding and product approval still determine what can be tradedSource 1 |
| Fractional order | Dollar amount from US$1 | Fractional execution and eligible-security rules applySource 4 |
| International activation | Separate account feature | The customer must enable international trading before local-market ordersSource 5 |
| Margin activation | Separate approval | Interest starts on the debit balance; maintenance rules can trigger liquidationSource 2 |
| Retirement account | Account-specific contribution and distribution rules | A brokerage feature does not override IRA tax rulesSource 6 |
Products & platforms
Sections ↑Trader+ platform family
| Route | Published capability | Operational scope |
|---|---|---|
| Trader+ Desktop | Multi-window active-trader environment | Supports advanced layout and monitoring on desktop systemsSource 3 |
| Trader+ Web | Browser access to active-trader tools | Shared Fidelity account without a local desktop installationSource 3 |
| Trader+ Mobile | Mobile trading and monitoring | Part of the same platform family with device-specific layoutSource 3 |
| Active Trader Pro Classic | Legacy desktop route remains available | Separate interface while Trader+ expandsSource 3 |
| Multi-monitor support | Up to four monitors | Published for the desktop active-trader setupSource 3 |
A US$1 Stock Slice and a direct Japanese-market order sit at opposite ends of the same platform. One is designed to lower the entry unit into an eligible U.S. security; the other adds local-market commission, foreign currency and market-specific settlement. Treating both as “stock trading” hides the operational difference.[4][5]
Fees & holding costs
Sections ↑Domestic commissions and margin rates
| Charge | Current published figure | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Online U.S. stocks and ETFs | US$0 | Domestic online orders under Fidelity’s commission scheduleSource 2 |
| Options | US$0 base + US$0.65 per contract | Per-contract fee; regulatory and exchange charges can applySource 2 |
| Margin US$0–US$24,999 | 12.075% | Effective rate based on a 10.825% base from 18 September 2026Source 2 |
| Margin US$100,000–US$249,999 | 10.575% | Tiered variable rateSource 2 |
| Margin US$500,000–US$999,999 | 8.00% | Tiered variable rateSource 2 |
| Margin US$1 million+ | 7.75% | Published standard rate; special rates may be availableSource 2 |
Fidelity’s rate ladder makes the financing unit explicit: the published effective rate falls as the debit balance rises. A customer should therefore compare the actual borrowing tier and expected duration, not quote the lowest million-dollar rate against a much smaller loan.[2]
Order and market access
| Route | Published term | Important boundary |
|---|---|---|
| Fractional U.S. shares | From US$1 | Eligible U.S. stocks and most ETFs; dollar-based orderSource 4 |
| Australia local market | AUD 32 online commission | Additional taxes, levies and currency conversion can applySource 5 |
| Canada local market | CAD 19 online commission | Direct local-market route, not U.S. OTC tradingSource 5 |
| Hong Kong local market | HKD 250 online commission | Market and settlement charges can be additionalSource 5 |
| Japan local market | JPY 3,000 online commission | Foreign-market order with local currency and rulesSource 5 |
| United Kingdom local market | GBP 9 online commission | Separate from trading a U.K. issuer’s U.S.-listed receiptSource 5 |
Execution & trading rules
Sections ↑In a cash account, purchases must be fully paid by settlement. Fidelity’s guidance describes most securities as T+1: a Monday trade normally settles Tuesday, excluding relevant holidays. Buying with unsettled sale proceeds and selling the new holding before those proceeds settle can create a good-faith violation. Cash available to trade therefore should not be treated as proof that the money is fully collected or withdrawable.[10]
Deposits, withdrawals & transfers
Sections ↑Cash transfers and available balances
| Subject | Published terms | Practical scope |
|---|---|---|
| EFT into Fidelity | Generally received in 1–3 business days; security hold follows | Buying availability can precede withdrawal availability.Source 9 |
| EFT withdrawal | Up to three transactions or US$100,000 per day | Applies to the cited electronic-transfer service.Source 9 |
| EFT deposits | US$250,000 daily limit; no stated transaction-count cap | Minimum US$0.01 for eligible brokerage accounts.Source 9 |
| Bank ownership | At least one account-owner name must match exactly | Trust/business and certain retirement routes have separate setup rules.Source 9 |
Published outbound transfer timing
| Subject | Published terms | Practical scope |
|---|---|---|
| EFT to bank | 1–3 business days | Available, collected cash required.Source 8 |
| Bank wire | Same business day | Fidelity states no wire fee; the other bank may charge.Source 8 |
| Paper cheque | 5–6 days | Delivery adds a different timetable from an electronic transfer.Source 8 |
| Between Fidelity accounts | Usually within minutes | Eligibility and account restrictions still apply.Source 8 |
Fidelity distinguishes receiving a bank transfer from releasing its security hold. Sending a wire or initiating a push from the external bank avoids the ordinary incoming Fidelity-initiated EFT hold described on its guide; a bank push generally processes in 1–2 days. The guide does not promise one universal hold duration for every EFT amount or customer.[8]
Protection & regulation
Sections ↑Company and service boundaries
| Company / service | Role | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC | U.S. broker-dealer | FINRA firm 7784; brokerage account and securities execution relationshipSource 7Source 1 |
| Fidelity Trader+ | Trading interface | Free software layer over eligible Fidelity accountsSource 3 |
| International stock trading | Local-market execution feature | Requires supported country, currency and account activationSource 5 |
| Fidelity retirement accounts | Tax-advantaged account wrappers | Different contribution, eligibility and withdrawal rulesSource 6 |
US brokerage and cash-protection map
| Subject | Published terms | Practical scope |
|---|---|---|
| Brokerage securities and cash | SIPC ceiling US$500,000, including US$250,000 cash | Covers eligible missing assets after broker failure; not market losses.Source 12 |
| Fidelity excess SIPC policy | US$1bn total aggregate capacity; US$1.9m customer cash sublimit | Operates after SIPC; no separate per-customer securities dollar limit is stated within the aggregate.Source 12 |
| Money-market fund core or overflow | A security, not an FDIC-insured deposit | SIPC custody protection does not guarantee fund value.Source 12 |
| Eligible bank-sweep core | FDIC rules at each programme bank | Other same-capacity deposits at the bank aggregate; placement depends on available programme capacity.Source 12 |
- Headquarters
- Boston, Massachusetts, United States — Fidelity group; brokerage supplied by Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC
- Founded
- 1946 (Fidelity group); brokerage company is a separate operating entity
Legal entities & licences
These are source-dated records, not a blanket assessment of the broker. Read each issuer, identifier, status and scope together.
Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC
| Issuer & identifier | Recorded status | Date & scope |
|---|---|---|
| Financial Industry Regulatory Authority7784 | Registered | Checked 9 Oct 2026FINRA BrokerCheck record for the broker-dealer.Source 7 |
Opening an account & support
Sections ↑Fidelity publishes telephone assistance 24/7, with live account/technical chat Monday–Friday 08:00–22:00 ET and weekends 09:00–16:00 ET. The automated assistant is available separately. Money-movement support identifies 800-343-3548; an account-specific transfer or hold question should be checked against the logged-in Activity & Orders record.[11][9]
Additional Information
Sections ↑Sources & further reading
- Fidelity brokerage account Fidelity · Accessed 9 Oct 2026
- Trading commissions and margin rates Fidelity · Accessed 9 Oct 2026
- Fidelity Trader+ platform suite Fidelity · Accessed 9 Oct 2026
- Fractional shares and Stock Slices Fidelity · Accessed 9 Oct 2026
- International stock trading fees and markets Fidelity · Accessed 9 Oct 2026
- Fidelity IRA overview Fidelity · Accessed 9 Oct 2026
- Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC — firm summary 7784 FINRA BrokerCheck · Accessed 9 Oct 2026
- Processing and hold periods Fidelity · Accessed 15 Oct 2026
- Electronic funds transfers and limits Fidelity · Accessed 15 Oct 2026
- Avoiding cash-account trading violations Fidelity · Accessed 15 Oct 2026
- Customer-service channels and hours Fidelity · Accessed 15 Oct 2026
- SIPC, bank sweeps and supplemental coverage Fidelity · 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.