2026: Which is better—securities firms or banks? A comparison of brokerage accounts and bank stock accounts.

If you want to start investing in stocks, the first step is, of course, opening a stock account. When choosing an investment platform, many investors struggle between traditional banks and brokerage firms—so which one should you pick? As an investor, it's essential to carefully compare and thoroughly understand each platform's services, fees, and reliability, then select the one that best suits your needs. If you're looking to trade stocks and securities across major global markets, or even dive into the cryptocurrency market, Futubull is an excellent choice! As Hong Kong's No. 1 tech‑driven brokerage*, Futu not only offers Hong Kong and U.S. stocks, A‑shares, ETFs, options and futures, U.S. Treasuries, Cash Plus, and more, but also Japanese stocks, Singaporean stocks, cryptocurrencies, and principal‑protected structured products. With a single app, you can access over 30 types of global investment products—perfect whether you're a beginner or a seasoned investor!

Overview of Investment Products Offered by Banks and Brokerages

The global market offers a variety of potential opportunities, such as the Japanese stock market breaking through the 40,000-point mark in 2024 to reach a new all-time high. Coupled with the rise of emerging assets like cryptocurrencies, the range of investment options is expanding, transcending traditional boundaries in the Hong Kong and U.S. markets. Futu has consistently broadened its reach across diverse investment markets to meet investors' needs; today, it not only adds Japanese and Singaporean stocks but also provides access to the cryptocurrency market, enabling investors to truly achieve "one account, invest in major global markets"!

Futu is a licensed tech brokerage that offers virtual asset trading services, providing investors with a secure trading environment. When buying cryptocurrencies on Futu, you can directly use Hong Kong dollars or U.S. dollars, eliminating the need to purchase USDT and mitigating exchange rate volatility risks. Moreover, the investment threshold is low—starting from as little as HKD 80 or USD 10—you can buy Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other cryptocurrencies. If you already hold Bitcoin, Ethereum, or USDT*, you can even deposit these assets on Futu for crypto‑fiat trading. *USDT is available only to professional investors (PI).

Compared with other investment platforms, Futu also offers a variety of derivatives for investors to choose from. Futu's latest retail principal-protected structured products include shark-fin structured notes and binary structured notes, providing 100% principal guarantee at maturity, up to 8% annualized returns*, and an entry threshold as low as HK$100,000! [Limited-time offer] For first-time subscriptions of retail structured products before June 22, you can enjoy a HK$200 fee waiver (issued in the form of a cash coupon)!

*The maximum annualized yield of 8% (with an actual yield of 4% from a 6-month-term product) refers to the highest annualized yield offered among the structured products on the Futu platform, with data as of May 22, 2025. Yield information is for reference only; past performance does not guarantee future results. Annualized yield = actual yield / lock-up period in months × 12. The annualized yield is purely hypothetical and does not represent actual returns.

If you want to diversify your asset allocation, Futu, as one of the most comprehensive and one-stop tech-driven brokerage platforms on the market, is an excellent choice!

Which stock account is best? Futu offers zero commissions on Hong Kong stocks for life and $0 commissions on fractional U.S. stock trades.

In addition to comparing investment options, if you want to know which platform is right for opening a stock account, you can also compare the trading hours, commissions, investment tools, and more offered by different platforms. Futu's advantage is its lower fees compared to traditional banks: it offers lifetime zero‑commission trading on Hong Kong stocks and $0 commission for fractional U.S. stock trades*, helping you save even more on your investments! Moreover, Futu's order execution is lightning fast—orders can be placed in as little as 0.0037 seconds, making market entry quicker than ever. When you trade U.S. stocks with Futu, you get 24/5 trading access and free Level 2 real‑time quotes, enabling you to seize favorable price opportunities!

The Hong Kong stock market's "one‑year commission‑free" offer is subject to the account‑opening terms and conditions. U.S. stock after‑hours trading involves risks; before investing, please fully understand the characteristics of this service and its associated risks, and seek professional advice if needed.

^U.S. stock fractional shares refer to U.S. stocks traded in quantities less than one share. Trading in fractions of a share is commission-free, with no exchange‑imposed fees.

Comprehensive upgrade of stock accounts

Futu has now upgraded its accounts to a unified "Comprehensive Account." After the upgrade, users can conduct various trades across major global markets using just one account, making your investing even more convenient!

Latest market news, investment discussions, and investment education

Futubull integrates traditionally separate functions—such as stock‑watching apps, stock‑trading apps, stock‑news apps, investment‑learning apps, and investment‑discussion‑forum apps—into a single app. One Futubull app delivers multiple features! If you're a novice investor, you can learn various investment skills in the classroom, connect with different investment KOLs or seasoned experts in the Bull Circle, or practice selecting your favorite stocks through simulated trading exercises. If you're an experienced investor, you can leverage Futubull's advanced trading tools, such as algo trading and the three‑step option‑strategy builder.

Customer Service

Futu provides users with 24/7 telephone and online customer service. If you encounter any issues or difficulties, feel free to contact our customer service managers at any time; Futu's support team will respond promptly to help resolve your problems as quickly as possible!

How do I open a stock account with Futu?

Opening an account with Futu takes as little as 3 minutes, and the entire process is handled online!

Register a new account on the official website.>>Register Now<<, and open a comprehensive account. [New Customer Offer] Currently, opening an account with Futu entitles you to welcome rewards of over a thousand!>>Open an Account Now<<Currently, Futu offers eDDA instant fund deposits, allowing users to authorize Futu Securities to directly transfer funds from a designated bank account into their securities account. This process eliminates the need to switch to the bank's app or upload additional transfer receipts. You can also choose to viaBank-Securities TransferTransfer bank funds into your Futu securities account.

• Supports 24/7 fund deposits, with funds expected to be credited within 5 minutes.

• Transfer fees are completely waived.

• Providing fast currency exchange services