Investment services for international investors - any recommendations?

Manesova83

Hi all,

As I'll soon be leaving the UK and moving to another EU country, I am forced to either close or suspend my Vanguard S&S ISA, with suspend meaning I can still hold the investments and benefit from any future gains, but I can't do anything else.

The country to which I am moving doesn't have a Vanguard equivalent. I can invest through high-street banks, but the options are limited and the whole process seems a bit clunky, not to mention issues around language.

So, I'm looking for an international investment service that would allow me to invest in mutual funds and possibly buy and sell individual stocks, regardless of where I live.

So far I've come across the Swiss investment bank Strateo. Does anyone have any experience of this bank or opinions on it? Or perhaps any other alternatives or suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

EdSwippet

Manesova83 wrote: »

As I'll soon be leaving the UK and moving to another EU country, I am forced to either close or suspend my Vanguard S&S ISA, with suspend meaning I can still hold the investments and benefit from any future gains, but I can't do anything else.

Frustrating, isn't it? You may also have to suffer local country taxes on your ISA gains, since most countries don't recognise UK ISAs as tax-free. If that's going to be the case and you hold on to the ISA, consider selling and rebuying inside the ISA before you go to defuse any capital gains that the other country might seek to tax.

Also, beware of any local country equivalents to the UK's 'reporting status' funds tax regime. Vanguard ETFs in particular will be UCITS compliant, so should be relatively okay in most EU countries.

Manesova83 wrote: »

So, I'm looking for an international investment service that would allow me to invest in mutual funds and possibly buy and sell individual stocks, regardless of where I live.

Interactive Brokers (not to be confused with Interactive Investor -- no connection) has a good reputation among expats and other folk with an international lifestyle. They probably don't offer UK domiciled funds and OEICs, but you can readily buy Vanguard's UCITS Ireland domiciled ETFs through them on the LSE, so that should give you plenty of options. UCITS ETFs will probably also be little or no trouble if you ever return to the UK and continue to hold them.

Voyager2002

This is one that I used to use:

https://brokerchooser.com/broker-reviews/internaxx-review

Manesova83

Thanks to you both - I'll check those two brokers out.

Has anyone got an opinion on Strateo? I'm looking for something as uncomplicated as possible, and ideally with low minimum amounts for opening an account.