Which brokers let you trade US stocks with low fees in the UAE?
Verdict
- Pepperstone is our low-fee pick for trading US stocks as CFDs in the UAE: commission is a published $0.02 per share per side with no minimum, and there is no inactivity or account-keeping fee.
- A per-share commission is cheapest on high-priced stocks: $20,000 of a $500 stock costs $0.80 a side, while $20,000 of a $20 stock costs $20.
- Funding through Mashreq Bank or Barclays in the UAE has no minimum and avoids an international wire, which Pepperstone's international site prices at $20 for withdrawals.
- Capital.com and XS publish no US share commission in our data; Capital.com is still our second choice for its UAE CMA licence and swap-free option.
Low fees on US stocks depend on more than the commission line. The full bill is commission, spread, overnight financing, currency conversion and the cost of moving money in and out. Pepperstone is our pick because it publishes most of these and keeps them low. Below is each fee, worked out for a UAE trader.
Pepperstone's fee sheet for US share CFDs
On its published fee pages, Pepperstone charges $0.02 per share per side on US share and ETF CFDs, with no minimum. Its UK fee page notes that the commission-free Standard account still pays commission on shares, so the rate applies whichever account you choose. There is no inactivity or account-keeping fee, though accounts holding under 10 currency units and unused for three months or more may be archived. Deposits by Visa and Mastercard start at $10; Apple Pay, Google Pay and Mashreq or Barclays transfers have no minimum.
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Why the share price changes your commission
The same $20,000 position costs 25 times more in commission on a $20 stock than on a $500 one. For cheap stocks, a percentage commission can work out lower; for large-cap technology names priced in the hundreds, per-share pricing is hard to beat.
| Share price | Shares | Commission per side | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| $20 | 1,000 | $20.00 | $40.00 |
| $100 | 200 | $4.00 | $8.00 |
| $500 | 40 | $0.80 | $1.60 |
The fees after the commission
- Spread: the gap between buy and sell prices, set by the market for each stock.
- Overnight financing: charged on positions held past the daily rollover. UAE residents cannot use Pepperstone's swap-free account, so this applies to every overnight position.
- Currency: US shares are priced in dollars. A USD base account avoids converting each profit and loss; an AED account suits deposits from a UAE bank.
- Withdrawals: Pepperstone's UAE page lists cards within 1 business day, Apple Pay and Google Pay as immediate, and local bank transfers within 2 business days. Its international costs page lists a $20 fee for international bank-wire withdrawals.
How Capital.com and XS compare on fees
Capital.com's Dubai company is licensed by the UAE CMA (20200000176), its minimum deposit is $20, and it publishes LEAN open-banking deposits in AED and USD for the UAE. It says withdrawals are usually handled within 24 hours but can take up to 5 business days. XS publishes card deposits from $20, Skrill and Neteller from $15 and bank transfers from $300, with card withdrawals taking 7 to 10 working days; it reserves the right to charge up to 3% on withdrawals where there has been no trading activity. Neither firm's US share commission is in our verified data, so place a demo order and read the cost before you choose.
Sources
Does Pepperstone charge an inactivity fee?
No. It lists no inactivity or account-keeping fee, though small, unused accounts may be archived.
Is the Standard account commission-free for US shares?
No. Standard is commission-free on forex, but share CFDs pay commission on both Standard and Razor.
Can I deposit in dirhams?
Yes. Pepperstone offers AED as a base currency and local transfers through Mashreq Bank and Barclays.
Low fees do not reduce the risk of leveraged trading: share CFDs can lose you money quickly. Fees change, so check the broker's current schedule. This page is not investment advice.