Singapore's investment landscape is among the most tightly regulated in Asia. Every retail investment platform operating here must hold a Capital Markets Services (CMS) licence issued by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), which also mandates strict client asset segregation, annual audits, and compliance with the Securities and Futures Act 2001. That regulatory baseline means you can invest with confidence. But it doesn't tell you which platform is right for your goals, fee tolerance, or portfolio strategy.
In 2026, the choice has never been wider. Robo-advisors like Endowus, StashAway, and Syfe have democratised low-cost passive investing, while self-directed brokerages such as moomoo, Tiger Brokers, and Interactive Brokers give active traders direct market access to SGX, Nasdaq, NYSE, HKEX, and beyond. The challenge is knowing where each platform excels, and where it falls short. This review ranks all ten on fees, fund selection, regulatory standing, platform usability, and suitability for different investor profiles.
Key Takeaways
- Best overall: Endowus, the only MAS-licensed platform that accepts CPF OA/SA, SRS, and cash in a single interface
- Best for beginners: StashAway, zero minimum investment, automated risk management, transparent tiered fees
- Best for low-cost passive investing: Syfe, Core portfolios from 0.35% p.a. with full SGX REIT exposure
- Best trading platform: moomoo, real-time Level 2 data, paper trading, CDP-connected, from SGD 0.99/trade for SG stocks
- Best for advanced traders: Interactive Brokers Singapore, lowest margin rates globally, 150+ markets
- Fee range across all platforms: 0% (Webull US trades) to 0.80% p.a. (robo-advisors at lower AUM tiers); brokerage commissions from 0.03%
- Regulatory note: All ten platforms hold valid MAS CMS licences; Endowus, StashAway, and Syfe are additionally licensed as Registered Fund Management Companies (RFMCs) or hold full LFMC status
โญ Top Pick
Endowus
Pros
- โOnly MAS-licensed platform accepting CPF OA, CPF SA, SRS, and cash: all in one account
- โAccess to institutional share classes of Dimensional, PIMCO, BlackRock, and Amundi funds not available on retail platforms
- โTrailer fee rebates passed back to investors, no hidden distribution income
- โLow, flat access fee of 0.25โ0.60% p.a. regardless of fund type
- โFund Smart feature lets you build a custom portfolio from 300+ vetted funds
- โCash Smart account earns 3.5โ4.3% p.a. with daily liquidity
Cons
- โNo self-directed stock or ETF trading, pure fund and portfolio investing only
- โCPF withdrawals and top-ups subject to CPF Board processing times
- โNo mobile trading features for active traders; platform designed for buy-and-hold
- โSome Dimensional funds require USD conversion with a small FX spread
How We Ranked These Investment Platforms
Our rankings are based on six criteria weighted to reflect what actually matters to Singapore investors in 2026.
Fee transparency and total cost of ownership. We calculated the all-in annual cost for a SGD 50,000 portfolio on each platform, including management fees, fund expense ratios, FX conversion spreads, and any custody or withdrawal fees. Platforms that rebate trailer fees scored higher.
Regulatory standing. We verified each platform's MAS licence status, licence type (CMS, RFMC, LFMC), and whether client assets are held in segregated trust accounts. Platforms with no regulatory infractions on MAS's public register scored maximum marks.
Investment universe. We assessed the breadth of accessible instruments, including unit trusts, ETFs, individual stocks, bonds, REITs, CPF-eligible funds, and alternative assets, and weighted this against the likely needs of the target investor profile.
CPF and SRS compatibility. Singapore's CPF and SRS schemes offer meaningful tax advantages. Platforms that integrate these accounts natively score significantly higher, as CPF-investing is a high-value differentiator that most international platforms cannot replicate.
Platform usability. We evaluated onboarding friction, mobile app quality, charting and research tools, customer support responsiveness, and the availability of paper trading or simulation modes.
Returns and portfolio methodology. For robo-advisors, we examined the underlying portfolio construction methodology, historical performance relative to benchmark, and rebalancing approach. For brokerages, we assessed execution quality, order types available, and margin lending rates.
Our Top Picks
1. Endowus: Best Overall
Endowus is the standout investment platform in Singapore for one reason that no competitor can match: it is the only MAS-licensed platform authorised to accept investments from all three pools of Singapore money, specifically CPF Ordinary Account (OA), CPF Special Account (SA), SRS, and personal cash, through a single, unified interface. For Singaporeans looking to maximise tax-advantaged investing while also growing their cash portfolio under consistent fund management, this is transformative. Founded in 2017 and holding a full MAS Capital Markets Services licence (Licence No. CMS101261), Endowus operates as a Licensed Fund Management Company (LFMC) and is one of the few robo-advisors regulated to manage CPF monies.
The fund selection is genuinely institutional. Rather than retail share classes of popular index funds, Endowus negotiates access to lower-cost institutional tranches from Dimensional Fund Advisors, PIMCO, BlackRock, Amundi, and Schroders, funds typically restricted to family offices and institutional investors with minimums in the millions. Critically, Endowus rebates 100% of trailer fees (also called fund retrocessions) back to investors. In practice, this means the effective fund expense ratio you pay through Endowus is often lower than what you would pay buying the same fund directly through a retail platform or bank. The access fee of 0.25โ0.60% p.a. (sliding scale by AUM) is charged on top of the fund's expense ratio, but once trailer rebates are factored in, total cost of ownership is highly competitive.
Endowus is best suited to long-term, passive investors, particularly those with significant CPF balances who want to move OA funds out of the 2.5% guaranteed rate and into a globally diversified equity portfolio. The Cash Smart account, which allocates to money market and short-duration bond funds, currently yields 3.5โ4.3% p.a. with T+1 liquidity, making it a compelling alternative to bank savings accounts. The Fund Smart feature allows self-directed investors to construct custom portfolios from over 300 vetted funds. The platform does not offer direct stock or ETF trading, so active traders will need a separate brokerage account.
2. StashAway: Best for Beginners
StashAway launched in Singapore in 2017 and quickly became the default recommendation for investors starting out, for good reason. There is no minimum investment amount, you can start with SGD 1, and the onboarding process, which takes under ten minutes, is genuinely one of the smoothest in the market. StashAway is licensed by MAS as a Registered Fund Management Company (RFMC) and holds a CMS licence for fund management (Licence No. CMS101657).
The core investment methodology is the Economic Regime-based Asset Allocation (ERAA) framework, a proprietary macroeconomic model that dynamically adjusts portfolio allocations based on prevailing economic conditions, specifically the combination of GDP growth and inflation signals. In practice, this means the portfolio composition shifts between risk-on and risk-off configurations as the economic regime changes, rather than simply rebalancing to a fixed target. StashAway's portfolios are built entirely from low-cost ETFs (iShares, Vanguard, SPDR) listed on US exchanges, which provides broad global diversification. Fees are tiered: 0.80% p.a. on the first SGD 25,000, declining to 0.50% for SGD 25,001โ50,000, 0.40% for SGD 50,001โ100,000, and 0.20% for AUM above SGD 1,000,000.
For beginners, StashAway's biggest advantage is simplicity combined with genuine sophistication under the hood. You set a risk level, deposit money, and the platform handles everything else. The Simple Guaranteed account (currently ~3.3โ3.8% p.a. on cash, capital guaranteed) provides a safe place to park emergency funds while still earning more than most bank savings accounts. StashAway does not support CPF or SRS investing, which is a meaningful gap for Singaporean investors with large tax-advantaged balances. SRS investing was added in late 2024 and rolled out gradually. Verify current availability in-app.
3. Syfe: Best for Low-Cost Passive Investing
Syfe holds a MAS Capital Markets Services licence (Licence No. CMS101736) and operates as a Registered Fund Management Company. Founded in 2019, it has grown rapidly on the back of ultra-transparent fee structures and a product range specifically designed around Singapore investor preferences. Three portfolio products define the offering: Core (globally diversified ETF portfolios ranging from 100% bonds to 100% equities), REIT+ (concentrated exposure to Singapore REITs with smart beta factor weighting), and Cash+ (a high-yield cash management portfolio currently returning 3.4โ4.0% p.a.).
Fees are among the most competitive for smaller portfolios: 0.65% p.a. on AUM up to SGD 20,000, 0.50% for SGD 20,001โ100,000, and 0.35% for amounts above SGD 100,000. There is no minimum investment requirement. The REIT+ portfolio is a distinctive product, providing exposure to Singapore-listed REITs (CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust, Mapletree Pan Asia Commercial Trust, Keppel DC REIT, and others) via a smart beta methodology that weights constituents by quality and momentum factors rather than simple market capitalisation. For investors who want Singapore REIT income exposure without picking individual counters, this is one of the most efficient ways to access it.
Syfe also supports SRS investing for the Core and REIT+ portfolios, giving it an edge over pure cash-only robo-advisors in terms of tax planning. The platform does not accept CPF funds. Customer service is primarily digital, with a live chat function in-app that typically responds within a few hours during business days. For investors with SGD 100,000+ who want low-cost passive exposure across equities, bonds, and Singapore REITs without touching individual stocks, Syfe's fee structure and product depth make it the most cost-efficient robo-advisor at scale.
4. moomoo (Futu Singapore): Best Trading Platform
moomoo is the retail trading brand of Futu Holdings (Nasdaq: FUTU), a Tencent-backed fintech group. Futu Singapore Pte. Ltd. holds a MAS Capital Markets Services licence (Licence No. CMS101000) for dealing in capital markets products, and Singapore-listed securities are traded through a direct CDP (Central Depository Pte. Ltd.) connection, meaning SGX shares are held in your CDP account, giving you full legal ownership and corporate action rights. US and Hong Kong market access is also available through the platform.
What distinguishes moomoo from every other retail broker in Singapore is the quality of the trading tools provided for free. Real-time Level 2 order book data for US stocks, which costs USD 20โ30/month on most other platforms, is included in the standard moomoo account at no charge. The charting suite includes over 100 technical indicators, multi-timeframe analysis, and a paper trading simulator that mirrors live market conditions, which is invaluable for new traders developing a strategy without risking real capital. Commission rates for Singapore stocks start from 0.03% with a minimum of SGD 0.99 per trade, among the lowest for CDP-connected trading in Singapore. US stock trades are charged at USD 0.0049 per share with a minimum of USD 0.99.
moomoo is best suited to self-directed investors who want serious analytical tools, whether they are technical traders or fundamental researchers. The app's financial data layer includes earnings calendars, analyst ratings, institutional shareholding changes, and SEC filing access for US-listed companies. Margin lending is available at competitive rates for those who qualify. The main limitation is that moomoo does not offer CPF or SRS investing, and its fund selection is limited compared to dedicated robo-advisors. For active trading of SGX, US, and HK equities, it is the most fully featured platform available to retail investors in Singapore in 2026.
New account holders can use referral code J84CDGMM to earn welcome rewards on sign-up. See our moomoo referral code guide for full details.
5. Tiger Brokers Singapore: Best for New Investors
Tiger Brokers' Singapore entity (Tiger Brokers (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.) is Nasdaq-listed (TIGR) and holds a MAS Capital Markets Services licence (Licence No. CMS101181). The platform supports multi-currency trading accounts in SGD, USD, and HKD, allowing investors to hold and trade assets in their native currency without forced conversion. CDP connectivity means Singapore-listed securities are held directly in your CDP account, not in a nominee structure.
Tiger Brokers positions itself as more accessible than moomoo for absolute beginners, with a cleaner onboarding flow and a lower account opening friction. Commission rates for Singapore stocks are comparable to moomoo: 0.08% with a minimum of SGD 1.99. US stocks are charged at USD 0.005 per share (minimum USD 1.00). Options trading is available for US-listed options, and fractional US shares are offered from USD 1. A stand-out feature for new investors is the Tiger Academy in-app education module, which provides structured learning paths from basic investing concepts through to technical analysis and derivatives.
New investors signing up through a referral link earn up to USD 150 in welcome rewards. See our full guide to Tiger Brokers promo codes Singapore for current referral code details and step-by-step instructions. Tiger Brokers does not support CPF or SRS investing. Customer support is available via in-app chat and email, with a Singapore-based team. For investors who want CDP-connected access to SGX and US markets with a lower learning curve than moomoo, and who will benefit from structured in-app education, Tiger Brokers is the natural starting point.
6. Interactive Brokers Singapore: Best for Advanced Traders
Interactive Brokers (IBKR) is the global benchmark for professional retail and institutional trading infrastructure. The Singapore entity (Interactive Brokers Singapore Pte. Ltd.) holds a MAS Capital Markets Services licence (Licence No. CMS100917) and is backed by the publicly listed IBKR group (Nasdaq: IBKR), one of the largest electronic brokerages in the world by daily average revenue trades. The IBKR platform provides access to over 150 markets across 34 countries, covering equities, options, futures, forex, bonds, funds, ETFs, and CFDs.
The defining advantage for sophisticated traders is margin lending rates. IBKR offers the lowest published margin rates of any retail broker globally: as of mid-2026, USD margin rates start at approximately 5.83% p.a. for standard accounts (IBKR Lite) and can go lower for IBKR Pro accounts with large balances, significantly below the 7โ10%+ charged by most Singapore brokers. This makes IBKR the preferred venue for options selling strategies, leveraged ETF portfolios, and sophisticated hedging programmes. The Trader Workstation (TWS) desktop platform is the most feature-rich trading interface available, with algorithmic order types (VWAP, TWAP, Iceberg), portfolio risk analysis tools, and direct API access for quantitative traders.
For Singapore SGX stocks, IBKR connects to CDP so shares are held in your CDP account. The commission for SGX stocks is 0.05% (minimum SGD 2.50). US equity commissions under IBKR Lite are zero-commission (payment for order flow model), while IBKR Pro charges USD 0.005/share with price improvement. The platform's complexity and breadth make it unsuitable for beginners. The learning curve for TWS alone can take weeks to navigate effectively. But for experienced traders and investors managing large, multi-asset portfolios across global markets, no retail platform in Singapore comes close to IBKR's capabilities or cost efficiency.
7. Webull: Best for US Stocks
Webull Singapore (Webull Securities (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.) holds a MAS Capital Markets Services licence (Licence No. CMS101383) and has built a strong following among Singapore investors who primarily trade US-listed equities and ETFs. Its headline differentiator is genuinely zero-commission trading on US stocks and ETFs, not a rebate model or monthly fee model, but zero additional trading commission on top of the underlying market spread. Fractional share investing starts from just USD 5, making it accessible for investors who want exposure to high-priced US large caps (Nvidia, Amazon, Meta) without committing to a full-share purchase.
The Webull app is polished and fast, with a clean charting interface that includes technical indicators, extended-hours trading (pre-market and after-hours sessions), and real-time stock alerts. Research tools include earnings calendars, analyst consensus ratings, financial statement data, and short interest indicators. Paper trading is available for strategy testing. Webull does not integrate with CDP, meaning Singapore-listed SGX shares are held in a nominee (custodian) structure rather than your personal CDP account, a material difference for investors who want direct share ownership, dividend rights in their own name, and participation in rights issues without intermediary involvement.
Webull is best for investors who focus on US market investing, want zero-commission execution, and are comfortable with nominee custody. It does not support CPF or SRS, and its SGX market coverage is secondary to its US offering. For the specific use case of accumulating a portfolio of US ETFs or individual US stocks at the lowest possible transaction cost, Webull is hard to beat in Singapore's current brokerage landscape.
8. FSMOne (Fundsupermart): Best for Funds & ETFs
FSMOne is operated by iFAST Financial Pte. Ltd. (SGX: AIY), a Singapore-listed wealth management platform that holds both a CMS licence (Licence No. CMS100294) and a Financial Adviser's licence. Founded in 2000 and listed on SGX in 2014, iFAST is one of Singapore's most established independent investment platforms with over SGD 22 billion in assets under administration across Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and China as of 2025.
The unit trust selection on FSMOne is unmatched among retail platforms: over 1,000 unit trusts from major fund houses including Fidelity, Franklin Templeton, Nikko Asset Management, Lion Global, and Aberdeen. ETFs listed on SGX are available for direct purchase, as are bonds from SGX's retail bond market and Singapore Savings Bonds. The Regular Savings Plan (RSP) feature allows monthly investments from as little as SGD 50/month into any fund on the platform, making it one of the few platforms that accommodates very small periodic investment amounts in a broad range of instruments. SRS investing is supported, and certain CPF Investment Scheme (CPFIS)-approved unit trusts are available for CPF OA investment.
Sales charges on unit trusts are significantly discounted versus bank channels: FSMOne typically charges 0โ1.5% upfront (versus 3โ5% at banks), and wrap fees or platform fees are not charged on most direct fund holdings. The tradeoff is that FSMOne's user interface, while functional, is less polished than newer fintech platforms. The experience reflects its origins as a desktop-first platform that has been mobile-adapted over time. For investors who want a wide fund selection, SRS compatibility, low-cost RSP investing, and the credibility of a Singapore-listed operator, FSMOne is the best dedicated fund platform available.
9. DBS Vickers: Best for SG Investors Wanting Bank Integration
DBS Vickers Securities (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. is the brokerage arm of DBS Bank, Singapore's largest bank by assets. It holds a MAS Capital Markets Services licence (Licence No. CMS100196) and has been operating since 1986. For Singaporeans who already bank with DBS, DBS Vickers offers a level of integration that no standalone brokerage can replicate: share trading is accessible directly within the DBS digibank app and iBanking portal, and funds transfer between your DBS current or savings account and your CDP-linked trading account is instant with no transfer fees.
CDP connectivity is full and native, and all SGX shares purchased through DBS Vickers are deposited directly into your CDP account. Market coverage includes SGX, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX), and major US exchanges (NYSE, Nasdaq). The DBS Invest-Saver programme offers commission-free monthly investment into two STI ETFs (Nikko AM STI ETF and SPDR STI ETF) and the ABF Singapore Bond Index Fund, with a minimum of SGD 100/month, making it one of the simplest and cheapest ways to accumulate Singapore index exposure passively.
Commission rates for online Singapore stock trades are 0.12% (minimum SGD 10), higher than moomoo or Tiger Brokers, but in line with traditional bank-backed brokers. US and HK market commissions are broadly competitive. The DBS Vickers platform is not designed for active or professional traders. It lacks Level 2 data, advanced charting, and options trading. Its strength is reliability, deep integration with Singapore's banking infrastructure, and simplicity for the DBS customer who wants to start investing without opening an account at a separate fintech provider. CPF investing is not available through DBS Vickers; DBS does offer CPF-linked investment products through its separate digiPortfolio robo-advisor product.
10. POEMS (Phillip Securities): Best Established Local Broker
Phillip Securities Pte. Ltd. is one of Singapore's oldest and most comprehensive brokerages, having operated continuously since 1975. It holds a MAS Capital Markets Services licence (Licence No. CMS100145) and is part of the Phillip Capital Group, which has offices across 15 countries including China, Japan, Australia, and the US. The POEMS (Phillip Online Electronic Mart System) platform offers the broadest instrument range of any retail broker reviewed here: equities, bonds, unit trusts, ETFs, CFDs, futures, options, forex, and structured warrants, all accessible through a single account.
CDP connectivity is full for SGX securities. Market access covers SGX, NYSE, Nasdaq, HKEX, Bursa Malaysia, Tokyo Stock Exchange, and more through the POEMS 2.0 platform. CPFIS (CPF Investment Scheme) investing is supported for eligible unit trusts and stocks, making Phillip Securities one of a small number of brokerages that facilitates CPF OA investing in individual equities and CPF-approved funds, a feature that Endowus's fund-only model does not cover. SRS investing is also supported.
Commission rates for online Singapore stock trades start from 0.08% (minimum SGD 8), comparable to Tiger Brokers. The margin financing rate for POEMS Share Financing is approximately 5.25โ6.88% p.a. depending on the currency and tranche size. The POEMS platform's depth and breadth come at the cost of interface complexity, the desktop platform in particular has a functional but dated UI that newer fintech platforms have left behind aesthetically. For investors who need access to the widest possible range of instruments, want CPF equity investing capability, or require futures and options alongside equity trading in a single Singapore-regulated account, POEMS remains the most complete local broker available.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which investment platform is best for CPF investing in Singapore?
Endowus is the only platform that accepts CPF Ordinary Account (OA) and Special Account (SA) funds alongside SRS and personal cash. For CPF equity investing in individual stocks, Phillip Securities (POEMS) and several traditional brokers participate in the CPF Investment Scheme (CPFIS). Note that CPF SA monies can only be invested in CPFIS-eligible products, which excludes most overseas ETFs and equities. Always verify CPFIS eligibility on the CPF Board website before transferring funds.
Are robo-advisors safe in Singapore?
All MAS-licensed robo-advisors in Singapore are required to hold client assets in segregated trust accounts with licensed custodian banks, meaning your money is legally separate from the platform operator's own assets and is protected in the event of the operator's insolvency. Endowus, StashAway, and Syfe all use DBS Bank or State Street Bank as their Singapore custodian. They are also subject to MAS annual audits and capital adequacy requirements. The risk is investment risk (market volatility), not counterparty risk to the platform itself.
What fees should I expect to pay on an investment platform in Singapore?
Costs fall into two categories. For robo-advisors, you pay a platform/management fee (0.20โ0.80% p.a. depending on AUM tier) plus the underlying fund's expense ratio (typically 0.10โ0.50% p.a. for ETF-based portfolios). For brokerages, you pay per-trade commissions (0.03โ0.12% for SGX stocks, with minimums of SGD 0.99โ10.00) and potentially custody fees for foreign-listed securities. Platform fees, inactivity fees, and FX conversion charges vary by provider. Always read the fee schedule before funding an account.
Do I need a CDP account to invest in Singapore stocks?
You do not strictly need a CDP account. Nominee custody brokers like Webull and some overseas-connected accounts hold shares on your behalf. However, CDP ownership gives you direct legal title to your shares, which means you receive corporate actions (dividends, rights issues, AGM notices) directly from the company's registrar. CDP-connected brokers in this review include moomoo, Tiger Brokers, Interactive Brokers, DBS Vickers, and POEMS. Opening a CDP account is free and takes five minutes at any SGX counter or online at cdp.sgx.com.
What is the minimum amount needed to start investing in Singapore?
Minimum investment requirements vary significantly. StashAway and Syfe have no minimum investment requirement. Endowus requires SGD 1,000 for cash portfolios and SGD 10,000 for CPF investing. Most stock brokerages have no minimum account balance but require at least enough to purchase a board lot (100 shares) of your chosen stock, which varies by share price. FSMOne's RSP allows SGD 50/month into unit trusts. The most accessible entry points for beginners are StashAway or Syfe for passive investing, or Webull for US fractional shares from USD 5.
Related Resources
If you are considering Tiger Brokers as your brokerage of choice, our dedicated guide covers all current referral codes, welcome bonuses, and step-by-step instructions for maximising your sign-up rewards: Tiger Brokers Promo Codes Singapore 2026.
For investors comparing CPF investment options specifically, the CPF Board maintains an updated list of CPFIS-eligible investments at cpf.gov.sg/member/investments. MAS's public register of CMS licence holders can be searched at eservices.mas.gov.sg/fid, a useful first check before depositing funds with any investment platform.



