Share Trading comparison
Interactive Brokers Australia vs Totality Wealth
Interactive Brokers and Totality Wealth both offer ASX and international trading, but the biggest difference is structural: Totality gives you a CHESS-sponsored HIN (your shares are held in your name), while Interactive Brokers is a custodian model (shares in IBKR's name). That distinction shapes everything from fees to features. IBKR is also a global giant with 24/7 support and 135+ markets; Totality is a smaller, Australian-licensed broker with a cleaner local feel.
Choose
Interactive Brokers Australia
if…
- ›You want the absolute lowest brokerage on US stocks — IBKR charges just 0.05% (min $1 USD) vs Totality's 0.08% (min $1 USD)
- ›You trade global markets beyond the usual US/UK/HK — IBKR offers direct access to 135+ markets including India, China Stock Connect, South Korea and South Africa
- ›You want automated investing with recurring buys at multiple levels (dollar-cost averaging into specific ETFs or stocks)
- ›You need after-hours trading in US markets, or you trade options and conditional orders extensively
- ›You want near-zero FX spreads (0.00002%) when converting AUD to USD — far cheaper than Totality's 0.0045%
Choose
Totality Wealth
if…
- ›You want your ASX holdings under your own HIN via CHESS sponsorship — Totality offers individual HINs, IBKR does not
- ›You want to pay as little as $3 brokerage on smaller ASX trades (vs IBKR's $6 minimum)
- ›You want dividend reinvestment plans (DRP) on your ASX holdings — IBKR doesn't offer DRP at all
- ›You prefer depositing via credit card, debit card, PayPal or Wise — Totality supports all of these; IBKR is limited to bank transfer, BPAY and SWIFT
- ›You want a simpler, locally-regulated broker with standard business-hours phone support and an extensive education library
Where they differ
| Fact | Interactive Brokers Australia | Totality Wealth |
|---|---|---|
| CHESS sponsorship | Custodian model — no individual HIN | Mixed model — individual HIN available |
| ASX brokerage minimum | $6 | $3 |
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.00002% | 0.0045% |
| Auto-invest / DCA | Yes — multi-level recurring buys | No |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | No | Yes |
Verdict
Choose Interactive Brokers for ultra-low-cost global trading and automation; choose Totality Wealth if CHESS ownership and DRP matter more.
Cost calculator
What would Interactive Brokers Australia vs Totality Wealth actually cost you?
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All data points side-by-side
Every verified fact for both platforms. Differences are highlighted.
| Field | Interactive Brokers Australia | Totality Wealth |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | custodian | mixed |
| Individual HIN | No | Yes |
| Individual account | Yes | Yes |
| Joint account | Yes | Yes |
| Company account | Yes | Yes |
| Trust account | Yes | Yes |
| SMSF account | Yes | Yes |
| Kids / minor account | No | No |
| asset coverage | ||
| ASX shares supported | Yes | Yes |
| ASX ETFs supported | Yes | Yes |
| US shares supported | Yes | Yes |
| US ETFs supported | Yes | Yes |
| Other markets supported | US, Canada, UK, Ireland, Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Poland, Czechia, Hungary, Israel, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, China (Stock Connect), South Korea, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Mexico | US, GB, HK, JP, DE, FR, CA, SG, CH, NL, IT, ES, BE, AT, DK, SE, NO, FI |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | Yes | No |
| Options trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFDs supported | Yes | Yes |
| Managed funds | No | No |
| Bonds supported | Yes | Yes |
| IPO access | No | No |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.002% | 0.45% |
| FX spread (other currencies) | 0.002% | 0.45% |
| Holds USD account | Yes | Yes |
| FX currency switch trick | No | No |
| Market data fees | — | $0/month |
| Conditional order fees | $0 | $0 |
| Corporate action fees | Corporate action processing is generally fee-free for standard events (dividends, splits, mergers). Some voluntary corporate actions and ADR pass-through fees apply per the published fee schedule. Mandatory reorganisations are processed at no charge. | Custodian processes corporate actions; proxy voting subscription EUR 30/year + EUR 5 per vote; new instrument requests USD 200 for Platinum / free for VIP legacy tiers; reporting fee USD 50 for Classic email reports. |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $6 | $3 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 0.08% | 0.08% |
| ASX brokerage threshold | — | $3,750 |
| US brokerage minimum | US$1 | US$1 |
| US brokerage percentage | 0.05% | 0.08% |
| Monthly platform fee | $0/month | $0/month |
| Annual platform fee | $0/year | $0/year |
| Inactivity fee | $0 | $0 |
| Withdrawal fee (AUD) | $0 | $0 |
| Off-market transfer fee | $0 | $50 |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | Interactive Brokers Australia Pty Ltd | Totality Wealth Limited (formerly Saxo Capital Markets (Australia) Pty Ltd) |
| AFSL number | 453,554 | 280,372 |
| Year founded | 1,978 | 2,012 |
| Parent / ownership | Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: IBKR) | DMA (Johannesburg, South Africa) 80.1% / Saxo Bank A/S (Denmark) 19.9% |
| Country of incorporation | AU | AU |
| Public company status | public | private |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | $0 | $0 |
| Deposit methods | Bank transfer (EFT), BPAY, International wire (SWIFT) | bank_transfer, BPAY, credit_card, debit_card, PayPal, Wise |
| Settlement period | T+2 for ASX, T+1 for US equities | T+2 ASX, T+1 US |
| Withdrawal time | 1-3 business days for AUD EFT; same day possible for AUD instant transfers within Australia | 1-3 business days |
| platform ux | ||
| iOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Android app | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop platform | Yes | Yes |
| Demo account | Yes | Yes |
| Free real-time market data | No | No |
| Free research reports | Yes | Yes |
| 2FA support | authenticator app | app |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, live chat, in-app secure message | phone, email, live_chat |
| Support hours (AU time) | 24 hours, Monday to Friday (Sydney) — local AU phone support during business hours; global desks cover overnight | Mon-Fri 08:30-17:30 Sydney time |
| Education content | video + courses | extensive |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | No |
| Distribution component breakdown | No | No |
| CGT calculator / report | Yes | No |
| Sharesight / Navexa integration | Yes | Yes |
| trading mechanics | ||
| Market orders | Yes | Yes |
| Limit orders | Yes | Yes |
| Stop loss orders | Yes | Yes |
| Conditional orders | Yes | Yes |
| Auto-invest / DCA | Yes | No |
| Auto-invest sophistication | multiple | none |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | No | Yes |
| After-hours / overnight trading | Yes | No |
Visit
Interactive Brokers Australia
www.interactivebrokers.com.au
Visit
Totality Wealth
www.totality.com.au