Understand your investment platform

Start with the questions that make platform documentation easier to understand.

Six terms to look up before you start

Account type

Check the purpose, eligibility and rules of the account you are opening. A tax-specific account is not interchangeable with a general investment account.

Fee schedule

The provider’s list of charges. Check the version for your country, account and transaction type.

Currency conversion

Changing one currency into another. Check the rate and any conversion charge before confirming.

Available cash

A displayed account balance and the amount available to withdraw may differ. Read the provider’s rules for settlement and pending transactions.

Portfolio transfer

Moving eligible investments between providers. Check both providers’ rules and whether each holding can be transferred.

Two-factor authentication

An additional verification step for account access. Keep recovery options up to date and follow your provider’s recovery guidance.