Best Stock Brokers in the Philippines
Investing in the stock market is one of the most efficient ways to earn passive income in the Philippines. Unfortunately, many Filipinos have limited knowledge of stock market investing, so they opt not to engage in this activity. Contrary to popular belief, investing in the stock market offers a relatively easy entry point as long as you work with the best online stock brokers in the Philippines.
This article will teach you about the best online stock trading platforms for all investor levels, especially for beginners. Choosing the best online stock broker is crucial if you want to grow your money to ensure the reliability and performance of your stocks.
How to Choose the Best Online Stock Broker
What makes a good online stock broker? You must consider specific characteristics when choosing a brokerage firm or platform online for your stock investing activities.
Here are some of the reasons why we have chosen the best online stock brokers below:
- Online Account Processing – You must choose an online stock broker that allows you to open your account online. This feature is highly convenient since you can process your account from home or anywhere, as long as you have a computer or smartphone.
- Starting Investment – The main advantage of investing through an online stock broker is the low investment capital requirement. Most of the online stock brokers we’ve listed here have a starting investment of PhP 10,000, which many interested Filipinos can afford.
- Mobile App – The availability of a mobile app for your chosen online stock broker is essential to monitor your stocks’ performance easily. You can also use the mobile app to make real-time trading orders.
- Physical Location – Despite the access to an online portal and a mobile app, your chosen online stock broker in the Philippines must have a physical location. The location will assure you that you can visit their branch anytime you have concerns or questions about your account.
- Various Investment Options – This is an additional feature and not an essential requirement when choosing an online stock broker. Ideally, they should offer other investment options like mutual funds, UITF, and bonds.
8 Best Online Stock Brokers in the Philippines
Now that you know the specific characteristics to look for in an online stock broker in the Philippines let’s get into the actual list of brokers. The information about each broker is provided to you here, but it is recommended that you conduct additional research to learn more about which broker fits your stock investing goals.
First Metro Securities Brokerage Corporation
First Metro Securities Brokerage Corporation, more commonly known as First Metro Sec, is the most well-known online stock broker in the Philippines. The company was established in 1994 and is an arm of the First Metro Investment Corporation under the Metrobank Group.
They are the top online stock broker in the Philippines because they have many features that are unique to the company. The stock trading platform allows dollar investing, conditional orders, tiered membership, and retail treasury bonds, among others. There is also a 7-day free trial period for those who want to test out the trading platform’s functionalities before committing to it.
You won’t need to set up a fund to open an account if you are a Metrobank client (for the starter version only). You can also invest in mutual funds through the platform. The best part is that it is easy to fund your account since you can do so via Metrobank, other banks (BDO, BPI, Landbank), Gcash, 7-Eleven, and more.
COL Financial
COL Financial is a familiar name for any Filipino who’s been into stock trading and investing. It is one of the top online stock brokers in the Philippines and is notable for its user-friendly platform. The online stock brokerage firm is easy to use and offers valuable information for its users, such as market data and statistics. Therefore, you can use the information to help you decide when performing stock trading and investing.
Like First metro Sec, COL Financial also offers mutual fund investing through its platform. You may register an account online. Visit their website and download a form. Once you have filled out the form, you can submit it to a COL Financial branch near your area. You must also submit the necessary documents to open a COL Financial account.
The commission rate through COL Financial is the lowest in the market. They also have a low minimum requirement to open an account (PhP 1,000). You can also access your online COL Financial account 24/7 to monitor your account performance anywhere and anytime. Meanwhile, you have a 7-day free trial period for your trading account.
Philstocks Financial Inc.
Philstocks Financial Inc., formerly Accord Capital Equities Corporation, is another top-performing online stock broker in the Philippines. The online trading platform offers an easy-to-use interface that is ideal for beginners. Founded in 2001, this online stock broker platform has a minimum opening account investment of PhP 1,000, which makes it easily accessible to more Filipinos.
To open an account, go to the Philstocks website and fill out a form (for individual accounts). You can also submit your documents along with the form. They also have a mobile app available for Android and iOS devices. It is a hub for both experienced and beginner investors.
BDO Securities
BDO Securities is an online stock trading platform that is a subsidiary of BDO Capital & Investment Corporation. It is one of the top online stock trading platforms in the Philippines, especially if you want to work with a reliable and stable company.
To open an account with BDO Securities, you can do so online or visit one of their offices across the country. No starting capital is required when you open an account through this trading platform, and automatic investment is allowed. They also have a mobile app that you can use to monitor your stock accounts. To fund your account, you can do so via any of the BDO branches nationwide.
BPI Trade
Like BDO, BPI is another major Philippine bank that offers an online stock trading platform. It is affiliated with the BPI Securities Corporation and benefits from the financial synergy with the Bank of the Philippine Islands.
It would help if you were an existing account holder with BPI to be able to open a stock trading account. If you do, any deposit won’t be required to open an account. You can also open your account online and complete the BPI Trade online application form and a few essential documents.
BPI Trade offers seven days of free trading through their platform. However, there is a monthly fee after that, which is charged through the trade settlement account. This fee is waived if the amount due is lower than PhP 1.
Unicapital Securities, Inc.
Established in the 1970s, Unicapital Securities Inc. is one of the best online stock brokers in the Philippines. The online stock trading arm is UNITRADE. Like most other stock brokers on this list, they have a free trial period of 7 days. If you prefer to have broker assistance on your account, you need to enroll in an Elite account.
The great thing about Unicapital Securities Inc is that you can create a stock investment program. This program allows you to periodically invest a specified amount in your stock account (such as monthly, quarterly, etc.).
The starting capital for a stock trading account is PhP 10,000. They have a mobile app you can use for real-time stock monitoring, and other investments are available such as mutual funds and fixed income securities.
UCPB Securities Inc
UCPB Securities is a stock trading platform under the United Coconut Planters Bank. The company was founded in 1990 and is one of the longest-running online stock brokers in the Philippines.
The online stock trading service by UCPB Securities Inc is called MyStocks. They have a 5-day free trial for those interested in trying this service. No starting capital is required for this online stock broker, and you can fund your account through UCPB.
iTrade.ph
DA’s Market’s Securities Inc offers this online stock broker. This service is designed to make investing accessible to more Filipinos, especially those seeking long-term investment opportunities.
The minimum fund for this online stock trading account is PhP 50,000. You can also download and use their mobile app to perform trade activities or monitor your stock performance online through your smartphone.
This is one of the newest platforms for online stock trading in the Philippines. And yet, it has received rave reviews from users because of its efficiency and reliability. The platform is supported by licenses and accreditation from the Securities and Exchange Commission.
