POEMS by PhillipCapital lets you trade US stocks & ETFs with zero commission, settlement & platform fees

Have you consistently invested your monthly income?

Stuck to dollar cost averaging religiously?

Traded with conviction by buying when everyone was fearful and selling when everyone was greedy?

But no matter how markets print fresh highs and your investing journey gets more exhilarating, somehow you feel like something is off.

Did you invest enough?

Did you sell too early?

Has your strategy not been as effective as you predicted?

Or have you not done any of these before at all?

It is only when you pull up the profit and loss statement and take a good hard look at your portfolio, that it hits you.

The fees and commissions for each trade executed have indeed been eating away at your profits.

The good news?

There is such a thing as “zero fees” and it is available to Singapore investors trading U.S. securities, such as stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

They can find it on POEMS, the brokerage arm of PhillipCapital, which has been serving investors in Singapore for 51 years.

True zero-commission U.S. equities trading for retail investors started from 4pm, May 13, 2026.

Why are zero fees attractive?

Imagine you are a retail investor who only invests US$100 at a time, whether as part of a regular dollar-cost averaging plan or because it aligns with your risk appetite.

With traditional brokerage models that charge per transaction, fees can eat into your profits.

Sometimes fees can be as high as US$1.99 (S$2.56) per trade or more

On a US$100 investment, that is almost 2 per cent of your capital gone before your money even has the chance to grow.

For investors who practise dollar-cost averaging with smaller amounts, these costs can add up surprisingly quickly.

For someone who regularly invests S$100 per day, they could lose up to S$799 in a year from fees and the amount not compounded over time, assuming that the asset goes up 10 per cent in value over time.

In other words, the amount lost to fees is S$726, while the amount lost from fees that were not compounded over time is about S$73.

But with zero fees, it suddenly becomes beginner-friendly: Almost all your money actually goes into investing – and the returns on investments are left to compound over time.

How does POEMS by PhillipCapital compare to traditional brokers and discount brokers?

Traditional brokers

Traditional brokers usually charge brokerage commission, minimum fees, custody fees, and settlement fees.

For example, buying US$200 worth of stocks can incur hefty fees that range from US$10 to US$25 for traditional brokers.

This can be very expensive for small investors, who are simply not used to the volume and scope of trading that more seasoned and professional investors with larger portfolios perform.

Discount brokers

Over the last several years, discount app-focused brokers have become very popular as they have emerged as a serious alternative to traditional brokers for retail investors, with lower fees and greater accessibility to markets 24/7.

However, cheap is relative: Many such platforms still incur platform fees, small settlement fees, currency spreads, as well as other hidden charges.

In other words, the more you use these platforms to trade, the more money they can make as they charge per trade.

What’s the catch with “zero” fees?

Of course, there is no such thing as “absolutely free” trading.

Tiny costs are still incurred on trading platform POEMS by PhillipCapital, so it is good to understand what these are.

U.S. Regulatory Fees

Even though Phillip Securities waives its own fees, small mandatory fees which go to the U.S. government each time stocks are sold still apply.

These fees include:

• U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) fee
• Trading Activity Fee (TAF) fee

But these fees are usually extremely small.

Selling US$1,000 of stock will incur a regulatory fee of only a few cents and is unavoidable.

In other words, POEMS by PhillipCapital is not charging you brokerage-related fees in the US market.

This is strictly a transaction-based fee applied only when you sell a stock.

There is no SEC fee when you buy a stock.

Best of both worlds

Of course, low fees are only part of the equation.

After all, there is little point in saving on commissions if you end up compromising on platform features, research, market access, or support.

This is where POEMS by PhillipCapital aims to offer the best of both worlds.

Not only is PhillipCapital a Monetary Authority of Singapore-regulated company for over 50 years, it has an established trading platform that has been revamped.

At the same time, investors continue to enjoy access to research coverage, real-time market data, advanced charting tools, and a suite of trading features designed to support different investing styles.

Those who prefer a more personal touch can also tap on the support of their assigned investment specialist or dealing teams who understand their investment objectives and can assist when needed.

The human support for users at its offices mean POEMS by PhillipCapital is not only a self-serve platform: the app has also been redesigned to be more intuitive and provides the most up-to-date charting on the market for on-the-go trading.

This works for casual cost-sensitive beginners who might favour more passive, long-term ETF investing, as well as those who are into more active day trading to execute different investing strategies.

For more information, click to open an account with POEMS by PhillipCapital.

This branded article was brought to you by POEMS by PhillipCapital.

T&Cs apply. This advertisement has not been reviewed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore.