How do non-US citizens invest in the US stock market?

General
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How do non-US citizens invest in the US stock market? Not just eTFs, but stocks overall as well?

I can easily invest in the US stock market because I am a citizen of the US and have banking and investment accounts. But I am not sure where to direct my friends from Asia, South America, or Eastern Europe who want to invest in US stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

Thus, how can one invest in the US stock market if they are not a resident of the US or if they do not have US-based investment accounts, banking accounts, or residence?

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2

My carrier pigeon has a note and several gold doubloons tied to it. I hope it makes it to the elderly stockmonger in Londinium.

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I am interested in this. Is there any chance the pigeon can refuse to deliver 0DTEs? I could really use that feature. :palm_up_hand:

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Many international brokerages provide access to US and other major markets, making it quite straightforward.

Although I am not American, nearly all of my investments are currently in the US market. :star_struck:

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Every other day, I travel my private aircraft from Zurich to the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). Once there, I just ask a stranger on Wall Street if they prefer gold or Swiss francs, and I have them invest my granny’s money in Intel stock.

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The stock seems a bit too low to invest in right now. Should I wait for it to rise before getting in?

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You need to find a US broker that accepts international clients, specifically from your country. I live in the Middle East and opened an account with TD Ameritrade when they still accepted clients from my country. Since Schwab acquired them, they no longer accept clients from my country, but they do still accept clients from other regions.

Alternatively, you can look for a local broker in your country that offers access to US equities.

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Without knowing the response, I responded.

You can use Baraka or something similar in the GCC.

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That seems like a bold claim, considering I was born and live in Bahrain, which is part of the GCC. I use Schwab, and a few of my friends use IBKR, both are US brokers. A local broker is an option, as I mentioned, but you will need to be prepared for their high transaction fees.