Investing in international shares
Important information - the value of investments and the income from them can go down as well as up so you may get back less than you invest. When you are thinking about investing in shares, it’s generally a good idea to consider holding them alongside other investments in a diversified portfolio of assets. Tax treatment depends on individual circumstances and all tax rules may change in the future. Withdrawals from a Junior ISA will not be possible until the child reaches age 18. This information is not a personal recommendation for any particular investment. If you are unsure about the suitability of an investment you should speak to an authorised financial adviser of your choice.
Buying US and European shares
You can now own a slice of some of the world's biggest brands with our award-winning share dealing service. Search, compare and select overseas shares and deal quickly and easily in a Stocks and Shares ISA, Investment Account or Junior ISA. Start your search today.
Award-winning online share dealing
Clear and simple pricing
Pay just £7.50 for each deal placed online or through our app.
Research tools
Market and shares data, comprehensive research tools and daily insights to help you on your way.
A wealth of choice
As well as international shares, our wide selection also includes investment trusts, ETFs and UK shares.
Best Execution-Only Broker
We’re proud to have been awarded Best Execution-Only Broker at the Shares Awards - two years running.
Find out more about this awardHow to get started
Open an account
You’ll need to open a Stocks and Shares ISA, Investment Account or Junior ISA to invest in international shares with us.
Choose your investments
When you're ready, visit Investment Finder to search, compare and select US and European shares.
Buying US shares
If you want to invest in US shares, you'll need to complete a W-8BEN form first for US regulatory reasons. Don't worry, it's quick and easy to do this online.
A CREST Depository Interest (CDI) is a UK investment that represents an investment listed on an overseas exchange, such as the US's Nasdaq. We use CDIs to enable you to trade international shares in your Fidelity account. When you buy or sell an international share, CREST (Certificate Registry for Electronic Share Transfer) issues a CDI, which can then be traded in the UK market.
Transferring accounts and investments
If you'd like to transfer your ISA, Junior ISA or Investment Account to Fidelity our transfer process is straightforward. Plus, we’ll cover any exit fees your current provider may charge, up to £500 per person. *T&Cs apply.
If you have US shares in any of these accounts, you’ll need to complete a new W-8BEN form within two weeks of the date you submitted the transfer instruction. Fidelity is required by the US to have a new W-8BEN form even if you submitted a form with your previous provider.
Exchange rates
When you buy an international share, the share price is converted into British pounds (sterling) at the current exchange rate.
Changes in the exchange rate will affect the sterling value of your international shares.
For further information, please refer to Doing Business with Fidelity
Fees and charges
When you buy/sell (deal) an international share, you'll pay a foreign exchange (FX) charge and Fidelity's standard dealing charge.
Fidelity dealing charge
Buy online
A flat fee of just £7.50 a trade when buying or selling shares online.
Lower fee for regular savings plan
A lower fee of £1.50 when dealing shares as part of a regular savings plan, or for dividend re-investments.
Buy over the phone
You can also deal shares over the phone for £30 a trade.
Depending on which account you have with us you could also pay a service fee. It is typically 0.35%, but depending on how much money you hold in your personal accounts, it can be as little as 0.2% and is not charged on investments over £1m.
Foreign exchange charge
Foreign exchange (FX) charges are tiered based on the amount you are dealing. So larger trades pay a lower percentage.
You'll pay a charge of 0.75% on any amount up to £10,000, 0.50% on any amount over £10,000 up to £20,000, and 0.25% on any amount over £20,000.
| Value of investment | FX charge |
|---|---|
| £0 to £10,000 | 0.75% |
| £10,000.01- £20,000 | 0.50% |
| £20,000.01 + | 0.25% |
Example of Fidelity total dealing charges for an international share
| Investment of £15,000 | FX Charge tiers | Charge |
|---|---|---|
| £0 - £10,000 | 0.75% | £75.0 |
| £10,000.01 - £15,000 | 0.50% | £25.0 |
| Fidelity standard dealing charge for each deal placed online. | £7.5 | |
| Total | £107.5 |
In addition to these charges there may be additional government and local stock exchange charges for certain international markets. You can see these charges when you place the deal and on your contract note.
Share prices and market data
Get the latest share prices, market data, news, factsheets and performance charts for your international shares.
FAQs
Open an account
Open an account today to start investing in international shares with us. They're easy to open in just a few steps.
If you’re an existing customer, when you log in to open an account, we’ll fill in your details so it’ll be easier for you.
Stocks and Shares ISA
A tax-efficient way to save and pay no income tax or capital gains tax on returns.
Investment account
Hold investments outside an ISA or pension, with no limit to how much you can invest. Our service fee is not charged on shares held in Investment Accounts.
Junior ISA
Start from as little as £25. Friends and family can gift money too.
Exit fees terms and conditions
In order to request exit fees re-imbursement you will be required to complete an exit fees re-imbursement form which you can download by clicking here, or request over the phone by calling us on 0333 300 3351.
Terms and conditions for re-imbursement of exit fees
This offer does not apply to any investments linked to an Adviser / Intermediary or third party.
Fidelity will reimburse the exit/redemption fees charged to a customer by their former provider/s when they move their investments (minimum of £100) to Fidelity Personal Investing, up to a maximum amount of £500 per customer.
An exit fee is an administration charge which is imposed by the former provider and arises directly as a result of processing the transfer or re-registration of the customer’s investments to Fidelity. Fidelity will not reimburse the customer for any loss of investment returns, loss of interest, dealing charges, penalties for transferring investments before their maturity dates or any other charges associated with your transfer or re-registration.
Where a re-registration or transfer is not possible and the customer chooses to sell their investments held through another provider and subsequently make new investment/s (minimum £10,000) through Fidelity Personal Investing, Fidelity will cover any account closure fees charged by the customer’s former provider (excluding any dealing charges) of up to £500 per customer. Fidelity will not cover any bid-offer spreads or any capital gains tax liability arising as a result of these transactions.
Exit and account closure fees reimbursement must be claimed within a 6 month period from date of transfer of the customer’s investments to Fidelity. Exit fees will be reimbursed for transfers and re-registrations and account closure fees will be reimbursed provided the conditions above are met. Products included: ISAs, Investment Accounts, EBS SIPP, Fidelity Personal Pension, Fidelity SIPP, Unit Trusts, OEICs, SICAVs, Exchange Traded Funds, Investment Trusts and Shares.
To qualify for the reimbursement, the fees from the customer’s former provider must have been triggered as a direct result of the transfer or re-registration to Fidelity Personal Investing, or the closure of an account where the customer has subsequently (within 6 months) invested at least £10,000 through Fidelity Personal Investing. If the customer is transferring investments to more than one provider from their former provider at the same time, Fidelity will only reimburse the fees which are incurred as a result of direct transfer or re-registration to Fidelity. Other fees or charges unconnected with the transfer will not be reimbursed.
The completed Exit Fee Reimbursement Form and documentary evidence of the charge will need to be provided in order for the exit fees to be reimbursed to the customer. To claim the reimbursement of any account closure fees, documentary evidence of the closure fee levied will need to be provided to Fidelity, along with confirmation that a minimum of £10,000 has been invested with Fidelity within 6 months of incurring such closure fee.
The documentary evidence referred to above, must be either a copy of the charge confirmation letter from the former provider or a statement showing the charge being deducted.
Payment will be made to the customer by BACS when a bank mandate is held on the account. Alternatively, payment will be made by cheque.
