Trade international stocks online commission free
No commission on any international trade (FX rate of 1.25% still applies).
When?
You can trade commission free online on international stocks from now onwards. FX charges still apply (1.25%).
Register for Internet Banking to see your share dealing account alongside your other Bank of Scotland accounts.
Are you set-up to trade US shares?
If you’re looking to trade US shares you’ll need to complete a couple of forms, we explain what you need to do to get started.
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What you'll need
- Download a W-8BEN form (PDF, 61KB)
- How to complete a W-8BEN (PDF, 284KB)
- Further information on completing a W-8BEN (PDF, 177KB)
Where to send
- You can email a form to us. Please note, we can only accept completed forms from the email address you have registered with us.
- Or you can return it by post to the below address:
Customer Registration Department
Bank of Scotland Share Dealing
Lovell Park Road
Leeds
LS1 1NS
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Once the W-8BEN form has been registered on your account, you can place your international trade.
- Simply log in to your share dealing account, select dealing from the right hand menu and choose the International tab.
- The first time you trade a NYSE stock you’ll be asked to complete a NYSE subscriber agreement.
- Once you've completed the form and confirmed that you are not a professional investor, you will be able to trade immediately.
The NYSE agreement will only appear the first time an international trade is placed and if your circumstances change you will need to contact us.
Research the market
You can use our research centre to find international stocks, view risers and fallers and see the most traded stocks on the market. You can either search for a specific stock by name, or choose the stock market you’d like to invest in – for example, if the stock you’re looking for is listed in Paris then you can select the CAC40. A full list of the indices for each stock market can be found in the drop-down below.
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To qualify for the offer the stock has to be placed on the international tab on our dealing page.
Opening hours of international stock markets
We cannot give advice but we have provided some examples of companies you could gain access to.
Stock Exchange
Index
UK Times
Examples of companies
Stock Exchange
New York
Index
NYSE, Dow Jones, S&P, NASDAQ
UK Times
14:30 - 21:00
Examples of companies
e.g. Microsoft, Amazon, Tesla
Stock Exchange
Frankfurt
Index
Xetra Dax
UK Times
08:00 - 16:30
Examples of companies
e.g. ADIDAS, Deutsche Bank, Siemens
Stock Exchange
Paris
Index
CAC40
UK Times
08:00 - 16:30
Examples of companies
e.g. L’Oréal, BNP Paribas, Renault
Stock Exchange
Amsterdam
Index
AEX
UK Times
08:00 - 16:30
Examples of companies
e.g. Aegon, Unilever, Heineken
Stock Exchange
Brussels
Index
BEL 20
UK Times
08:00 - 16:30
Examples of companies
e.g. Ageas, Anheuser-Busch
Stock Exchange
Milan
Index
Index search unavailable (Milan stocks can still be found using the stock name search)
UK Times
08:00 - 16:25
Examples of companies
e.g. Telecom Italia, Unipol Gruppo, Unicredit Spa
Spreading your risk
You may not want to put all your eggs in one basket. Investing in a range of assets in different sectors and markets can help to balance out the ups and downs of the stock market, as any poor performance by some investments may be offset by gains in others, which may reduce the risk of loss.
What are the risks involved with international shares?
Dealing on foreign markets will involve different risks from UK markets - in some cases the risks may be greater.
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Culture
Language and cultural differences between the UK and foreign markets may mean that there is a lack of information, or difficulty in obtaining information you may consider important to your trading decisions.
Currency Risks
Any potential profit or loss from your trade in foreign markets may be affected by fluctuations in foreign exchange rates.
Economy and Politics
Economic or political factors such as inflation or interest rate fluctuations in the UK could affect overseas markets. The general economic outlook and market conditions may differ considerably between the UK and foreign markets causing them to be less – or more – favourable.
Emerging Markets
Emerging markets tend to be less developed than in the UK leading to greater volatility in securities pricing. The value of your investments could, as a result, change quickly.
Shareholder Rights
You may find, as a shareholder, you are excluded from some shareholder rights and benefits because you are resident in a different jurisdiction from that of the company you have invested in. An example would be participating in corporate events such as a Rights Issue. You may find you are not treated in the same way as other shareholders and could suffer losses as a result.
Taxation
Tax laws overseas differ from those in the UK. Tax authorities in many countries will take a larger amount of tax than they would in the UK because of higher rates. Remember that ISAs and SIPPs will only shelter you from UK tax. How tax is calculated abroad could therefore affect the value of, and returns from, any foreign investments.
Trading and Settlement
Foreign markets may trade at a lower volume than in the UK and this reduced liquidity may make it more difficult to sell shares you have bought. It could also cause delays with settlement.
Bank of Scotland Share Dealing Service is operated by Halifax Share Dealing Limited. Registered in England and Wales No. 3195646. Registered Office: Trinity Road, Halifax, West Yorkshire HX1 2RG. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under registration number 183332. A Member of the London Stock Exchange and an HM Revenue & Customs Approved ISA Manager.