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The comparison reads the same evidence fields used by broker profiles, so users can scan scores, regulation, costs, platforms, withdrawals, and caveats side by side.
Broker 1
Broker 2
| VS field |  |  |
|---|---|---|
Decision summary | ||
| Overall score | 82 | 91 |
| Trust score | 82 | 100 |
| Cost score | 78 | 92 |
| Platform score | 78 | 94 |
| Withdrawal score | 74 | 89 |
| Best for | Australian investors wanting CHESS-sponsored ASX holdings · AU/NZ investors wanting simple U.S. stock/ETF access · Beginner-to-intermediate self-directed investors who value simpl… | Best suited for U.S.-centric investors and active traders who want a large, bank-affiliated multi-asset brokerage with $0 online listed stock/ETF commissions, strong platform dept… |
| Watch out | Needs verification | Needs verification |
Trust & regulation | ||
| Regulators | Australia: ASIC via AFSL/authorised representative; New Zealand: FMA financial advice licence and FSP registration; U.S. partner DriveWealth is SEC/FINRA regulated and SIPC member. Source | SEC; FINRA; SIPC; CFTC; NFA; FDIC Source |
| License numbers | AU FSG lists Stake AR 1241398, Stakeshop AFSL 548196, DriveWealth SEC No. 8-69161 and FINRA CRD 165429, FinClear Execution AFSL 246842, FinClear Services AFSL 338364, Airwallex AFSL 487221. NZ site lists NZBN 9429047452152 and FSP774414. Source | Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. CRD 5393; SEC 801-29938 and 8-16514 Source |
| Regulated entities | Stake is an authorised representative of Stakeshop AFSL Pty Ltd; services use FinClear for Australian execution/clearing, DriveWealth for U.S. securities, Airwallex for payments/FX and K2 for Stake Accumulate. Source | Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.; Charles Schwab Futures and Forex LLC; Charles Schwab Bank, SSB; Charles Schwab Premier Bank, SSB Source |
| Negative balance protection | Not disclosed in checked official pages; because this is not a CFD/forex broker claim, human review is needed before assigning a regulatory protection label. Source | Not disclosed as retail brokerage negative balance protection; futures/forex are leveraged and losses may exceed initial investment. Source |
| Investor compensation | U.S. securities are held through DriveWealth, a SIPC member; Stake also states DriveWealth sweeps uninvested USD cash to Citibank where FDIC coverage may apply. AU FSG says Stake holds Professional Indemnity Insurance for AFSL activities. Source | SIPC protection up to $500,000 including a $250,000 cash limit for brokerage account assets; futures accounts are not protected by SIPC. Source |
| Restricted countries | Public official sources reviewed clearly support Australia and New Zealand availability but do not provide a full restricted-country list. AU terms reserve the right not to open accounts for residents outside Australia; NZ terms restrict account opening to NZ resident individuals. Source | Not all products, services, or investments are available in all countries; Schwab is not registered outside the United States and products/services may not be registered in a user's jurisdiction. Source |
Costs & account conditions | ||
| Minimum deposit | No general minimum deposit was found in checked official pricing, FSG, withdrawal and terms pages; trade/funding minimums apply by product/market. Source | $0 minimum for standard U.S. brokerage and IRA accounts; Schwab One International accounts require a minimum deposit but amount is not disclosed in checked official pages. Source |
| Spread from | Not applicable for listed securities brokerage; Stake discloses brokerage and FX fees rather than spreads for share/ETF trades. Source | Not applicable to this stock/ETF investment broker profile; no CFD/FX spread schedule identified as a core product in reviewed sources. Source |
| Commission | Stake charges flat brokerage on AU and U.S. equity trades, with percentage pricing above 30,000 in the relevant currency. Source | stock_commission: $0 online commission for listed stocks and ETFs; OTC equities $6.95; broker-assisted service charge $25; etf_commission: $0 online commission for listed U.S.-exchange ETFs; options_commission: $0 online base commission plus $0.65 per options contract; futures_commission: $2.25 per contract, per side, for futures and futures options; exchange, regulatory, overnight, NFA, and market-data fees may apply; mutual_fund_commission: $0 on thousands of Schwab Mutual Fund OneSource funds; all other mutual funds up to $74.95 per purchase; bond_commission: New-issue bonds/CDs: $0 online/selling concession included; Treasuries online $0; most other secondary bonds $1 per bond with $10 minimum and $250 maximum; forex_commission: $0 commission; forex trade costs are reflected in the bid/ask spread Source |
| Maximum leverage | No maximum leverage was disclosed in checked public Stake pages; Stake is primarily a listed securities platform rather than a CFD/forex leverage broker. Source | Not disclosed as a single broker-level maximum; leverage/margin depends on product, account approval, and regulatory/product requirements. Source |
| Deposit fee | AU FSG lists card funding fees: debit 0.5%, credit 2.5%. General bank-transfer deposit fee was not disclosed in checked sources. Source | $0 for funds entering a standard brokerage account; banking deposit services generally no monthly/account minimum fees, but certain services can have fees Source |
| Withdrawal fee | AU support: Stake AUS withdrawal fee free; Wall St no withdrawal fee charged by Stake, but FX fees may apply. NZ support: no withdrawal fee charged by Stake, FX fee 1% minimum $2. Source | No fee for routine withdrawals from standard brokerage per FAQ; full outbound ACAT $50 and outgoing wire $25; Schwab Bank Investor Checking has unlimited ATM fee rebates for cash withdrawals worldwide, subject to conditions. Source |
| Inactivity fee | Stake support says no inactivity fees nor account keeping fees regardless of portfolio size, cash balance or time away. Source | $0 annual maintenance/inactivity fee for standard brokerage accounts Source |
Markets, platforms & payments | ||
| Tradable assets | AU customers can trade 2,500+ ASX-listed securities and 9,500+ U.S. stocks/ETFs/government bonds/OTC securities; homepage says 12K+ stocks and ETFs; Stake Accumulate is an income investment fund. Source | Stocks; fractional shares; ETFs; mutual funds; bonds/CDs/fixed income; money market funds; options; futures; futures options; forex; international stocks/ADRs/foreign ordinaries; cash products; annuities; alternatives; crypto ETPs/securities/futures. Source |
| Trading platforms | Stake supports web trading at trading.hellostake.com and mobile apps on iOS/Android; minimum OS requirements are iOS 16 and Android 12. Source | Schwab.com; Schwab Mobile; thinkorswim desktop; thinkorswim web; thinkorswim mobile; paperMoney Source |
| Account types | AU terms define Joint Account to include account types other than individual including company, trust and SMSF; NZ terms say NZ accounts can be opened by New Zealand resident individuals over 18. Source | Individual Brokerage; Joint Brokerage; Schwab One Brokerage; Investor Checking-linked brokerage; Futures Account; Global Account; IRAs; custodial, education, trust, estate, organization, and business retirement accounts; Schwab Intelligent Portfolios. Source |
| Deposit methods | Stake discloses Airwallex wallet/payment services and card funding via debit/credit cards including Apple Pay and Google Pay; bank-transfer deposits must be from an account in the customer's own name. Source | ACH/electronic transfer/MoneyLink; wire transfer; check/mail check; Schwab Mobile Deposit for checking; direct deposit for checking; account transfer/ACAT; branch/in-person deposit where available. Source |
| Withdrawal methods | Withdrawals go to one linked bank account in the account holder's name and cannot be sent to third-party accounts; AU withdrawals are paid in AUD. Source | Transfer to linked bank/checking; wire transfer; check; ATM/debit card for Schwab Bank Investor Checking; ACAT outbound account transfer. Source |
| Withdrawal processing time | Recent deposits, transfers or sell proceeds need to clear first, usually 2-3 business days; processing times may vary. Source | Cash moved from brokerage to linked Investor Checking is generally available in seconds, but weekend/after-hours transfers may not be available until the next business day; other withdrawal methods vary/not fully disclosed on checked pages. Source |
BrokerVS provides broker comparison research only. Scores and evidence can vary by country, account type, and legal entity; users should verify source links before opening an account.