Sharesies NZ + AU + US Fractional shares FMA-regulated Sharesies — NZ's most-used retail investment platform
Updated Reviewed monthly
NZ + AU + US shares + ETFs in one app. NZ$0 minimum. Fractional shares. 1.9% brokerage with per-market fee caps (NZ$25 / AU$15 / US$5). FMA-licensed (FSP423884).
In 30 seconds: Sharesies is a NZ-based investment platform offering share + ETF trading across NZX, ASX, and US markets in a single account. Launched 2017, now serves over 500K NZ users. Brokerage is 1.9% with per-market fee caps (NZ$25 above NZ$1,316; AU$15 above AU$805; US$5 above US$264). Currency-exchange fee 0.5%. NZ$0 minimum, fractional shares supported. FMA-regulated (FSP423884). Also offers a KiwiSaver scheme.
- Markets: NZX + ASX + NYSE/NASDAQ in one account
- Brokerage: 1.9% — caps NZ$25 (>NZ$1,316), AU$15 (>AU$805), US$5 (>US$264)
- FX margin: 0.5% on NZD↔AUD and NZD↔USD
- Minimum: NZ$0 · Fractional shares: Yes
- Custody: nominee · Regulator: FMA (FSP423884)
- Extras: Sharesies KiwiSaver, NZ tax-reporting helper
- Cheaper alternatives: Kernel direct (Kernel funds zero fee), InvestNow (Smartshares zero fee), IBKR (US ETFs at scale)
What is Sharesies?
Sharesies is a New Zealand-based investment platform founded in 2017 in Wellington. It opened with a deliberately retail-friendly proposition: NZ$0 minimum to start, fractional shares (you can buy a slice of any company), and a single account covering NZ + Australian + US markets.
Sharesies operates as a custodial nominee — when you buy a share, it's held in Sharesies' nominee account on your behalf, segregated from Sharesies' own assets. The platform is licensed and regulated by New Zealand's Financial Markets Authority (FMA) under licence FSP423884. Settlement and custody arrangements are independently audited.
Beyond direct share + ETF investing, Sharesies operates a KiwiSaver scheme and a few additional products. This page focuses on the core share-investing service.
Sharesies fees — full breakdown
| Fee type | Amount |
|---|---|
| Brokerage rate (all markets) | 1.9% of order value |
| NZ-market fee cap | NZ$25 on orders above NZ$1,316 |
| AU-market fee cap | AU$15 on orders above AU$805 |
| US-market fee cap | US$5 on orders above US$264 |
| Currency exchange (NZD ↔ AUD / USD) | 0.5% |
| Minimum to open account | NZ$0 |
| Withdrawal fee | Free (1-2 business days to NZ bank) |
| Optional plans | NZ$3, NZ$7, NZ$15/mo for brokerage discounts |
Detailed cost worked examples + comparison with Hatch + IBKR + InvestNow live at /sharesies/fees/.
What can I buy on Sharesies?
NZX market
- • NZ listed shares (~150)
- • All Smartshares ETFs (~21)
- • Kernel-listed funds (NZ20, KSC, KGM, KGH)
- • NZ government bonds (some)
ASX market
- • ASX-listed shares
- • ASX-listed ETFs (IVV, NDQ, VAS, etc.)
- • Vanguard AU funds
US market
- • NYSE + NASDAQ shares
- • US ETFs (VOO, SCHD, JEPI, QQQ, VTI)
- • Fractional shares supported
See all funds you can buy on Sharesies for the categorised list.
Frequently asked questions
What is Sharesies? ▾
Sharesies is a New Zealand-based investment platform that gives retail investors access to the NZX (NZ shares + Smartshares ETFs), ASX (Australian shares + ETFs) and US markets (NYSE + NASDAQ). Founded 2017, FMA-regulated (FSP423884), with over half a million NZ users.
How much does Sharesies cost? ▾
Brokerage is 1.9% of the order, with per-market fee caps: NZ$25 on NZ orders above NZ$1,316, AU$15 on AU orders above AU$805, US$5 on US orders above US$264. Currency-exchange fee is 0.5% on NZD↔AUD and NZD↔USD. Optional subscription plans (NZ$3, NZ$7, NZ$15/month) buy down brokerage for higher-volume users. NZ$0 minimum to open an account.
Is Sharesies FMA-regulated? ▾
Yes. Sharesies Limited holds FMA licence FSP423884 as a custodial / market service provider. Shares and ETFs you buy are held by a nominee on your behalf — segregated from Sharesies' own balance sheet.
What can I buy on Sharesies? ▾
NZX-listed shares + ETFs (including all Smartshares ETFs + Kernel-listed funds NZ20, KSC, KGM, KGH), ASX shares + ETFs, US-listed shares + ETFs (VOO, SCHD, JEPI, QQQ, etc.), plus Sharesies KiwiSaver scheme. Fractional shares supported on all markets.
Sharesies vs Hatch? ▾
Sharesies covers NZ + AU + US with fractional shares; Hatch is US-only with whole shares and a flat US$3/trade. Sharesies is cheaper per trade under ~NZ$500 due to its brokerage cap. Hatch is cheaper above that. Full breakdown at /sharesies-vs-hatch/.
How are Sharesies investments taxed? ▾
NZ-domiciled Smartshares ETFs are PIE-taxed at your Prescribed Investor Rate (max 28%). NZ shares + ASX shares pay dividends taxed at marginal rate. US ETFs trigger Foreign Investment Fund (FIF) rules once your overseas-share holdings exceed NZ$50,000 cost-basis, plus 15% US withholding tax on dividends (file W-8BEN).
Does Sharesies offer KiwiSaver? ▾
Yes — Sharesies KiwiSaver is a fund-of-fund scheme that lets you allocate across multiple underlying funds. Separate from your share-investing account but in the same Sharesies app.
Can I lose money on Sharesies? ▾
Yes — Sharesies is a brokerage platform giving you access to share markets. The value of your investments rises and falls with the underlying shares + ETFs you buy. Sharesies is regulated for the platform, not the underlying assets. Your investments are subject to normal market risk.
How long does it take to withdraw money from Sharesies? ▾
Selling a NZX-listed share or ETF takes 2 business days to settle (T+2). ASX trades also settle T+2. US-market trades moved to T+1 settlement in May 2024 (one business day). Once cash is in your Sharesies wallet, withdrawal to your NZ bank account is usually 1-2 business days.
What is Sharesies' optional subscription? ▾
Three plans (NZ$3, NZ$7, NZ$15 per month) reduce brokerage for higher-volume users. Whether a plan is worthwhile depends on your monthly trade volume — for most retail investors making occasional trades, the no-subscription option is cheaper overall. Verify current plan details on sharesies.nz/pricing.
