Check eligibility.
Then prepare the documents.
Your residence, tax status and choice of cash or margin account affect what comes next.
Start with account preparationTICKWISE · GETTING STARTED WITH US STOCKS
Before your first
US stock trade.
Prepare the documents, work out how to fund the account, and understand how to get your money back. Start with the decisions that come before the trade.
Independent guides · English / 中文 · No sign-up to read
START WITH THE ORIGINAL SOURCEPRODUCT TERMS
One app can offer very different products.
Stocks, stock tokens and stock perpetuals: read the rights and terms behind the label.
The guide contains a promotional link. Crypto trading carries risk; this is not investment advice.
Source: Alpaca announcement, June 1, 2026What are you trying to do?
Choose the task in front of you. You do not need to learn every term first.
Check eligibility.
The account is open. I want to fund it.
Check the receiving details and supported transfer method, then the costs and deposit status.
Read the funding guideI already hold stocks. What am I paying?
Read your trade confirmation, currency conversion record and dividend statement together.
Check trading costsBefore money goes in,
know how it comes out.
Buying power, settled cash and withdrawable cash can differ. Read the withdrawal instructions before your first deposit.
Read the sale-to-withdrawal guide- Before sending
- Check the recipient entity, currency, account details and payment reference. Confirm that the sending account is accepted.
- After the deposit
- Distinguish received, available to trade and available to withdraw. Keep the bank receipt and deposit record.
- After selling
- Check the settlement date, any deposit hold and withdrawal review before estimating arrival at your bank.
Stablecoin funding applies only where a product explicitly supports it. A brokerage account may not accept an on-chain transfer.
Read the market with more context
All 13 guide topics
Source: Direxion QQQE. Captured September 8, 2026. Prices shown are dated, not live.
INDICES & ETFsSimilar names can hide different holdings.
Use a real fund page to distinguish the Nasdaq Composite, Nasdaq-100 and an equal-weight version, then work out overlapping exposure.
The market is still trading.
Why has my order not filled?
Follow a limit order through time-zone checks, eligible sessions, partial fills and cancellation status.
Read the extended-hours guideAccounts & money
- Before you open an accountDocuments, account types and eligibility
- Funding a brokerage accountCheck the sender, payment details and deposit status
- Withdrawing after a saleSeparate settlement, deposit holds and withdrawable cash
- What a trade actually costsInclude currency conversion and transfers alongside commission
- Why your dividend payment is smallerW-8BEN, withholding and statement checks
- Buying fractional sharesMinimums, order types and transfer limits
Markets & products
- S&P 500, Nasdaq and Dow: what each measuresIndex names, weighting and overlapping holdings
- What to read before choosing an ETFObjective, holdings, fees and tracking method
- Why an after-hours order may not fillTime zones, order duration, partial fills and cancellations
- Where to start with an earnings reportReporting period, revenue, EPS and guidance
- Before you place your first orderCheck the currency, trading session and borrowing settings
- Binance stocks or a brokerage account?Identify the product before comparing accounts and funding
- What does a stock token give its holder?Read the issuer, custody terms and holder rights
Run the numbers
before you confirm.
Use your own amounts, fees and time zone. These tools calculate from your inputs; check those inputs against your account or the official page.
Trading cost calculatorEstimate funding, spread and trading feesMarket hours converterCheck regular trading hours in your local timeDividend withholding calculatorCompare net payments using your chosen tax ratesProfit, loss and break-evenInclude costs when calculating break-evenRecurring investment calculatorExplore contributions and assumed returns
Understand the choice.
Then make it yours.
Tickwise explains accounts, money transfers, trading and product terms in practical guides. Sources, calculation assumptions and limits are stated in context. We do not provide trading signals.
About Tickwise and our editorial approachA few questions before you begin
I have never bought a stock. Where should I begin?
Start with the account-opening guide. Check whether the provider accepts your residence and tax status, prepare its required documents, and compare account types. Read the funding instructions before sending money.
I already use a crypto exchange. Do I need another account?
That depends on the product you want and your eligibility. A listed stock, a tokenized security and a stock perpetual can give you different rights. Check the product name, legal provider and custody terms before deciding.
Can I use the figures in the articles as live prices or fees?
No. Calculation examples are labelled as examples. Public webpage screenshots show what was captured on the stated date and can become outdated. Check the current product page, fee schedule and your order confirmation before acting.
Does using an invitation link change the advice?
Tickwise may receive a referral commission when a reader uses an invitation link. Registration does not guarantee access to stock trading or any particular benefit. You can read the guides and use the tools without registering.