Share Trading comparison
Totality Wealth vs Westpac Online Investing
The biggest practical difference between Totality Wealth and Westpac Online Investing comes down to cost structure versus ecosystem. Totality Wealth offers near-zero brokerage (0.08% on ASX, minimum $3) and razor-thin FX spreads of 0.0045%, making it a clear choice for active traders. Westpac Online Investing charges a minimum $4.95 brokerage (0.11% above $4,500) and a 0.65% FX spread, but it's fully CHESS-sponsored, offers IPO access, and integrates seamlessly with a Westpac bank account.
Choose
Totality Wealth
if…
- ›You trade frequently and want ASX brokerage from just $3 and US brokerage from $1 USD
- ›You trade US or international stocks regularly and want FX spreads of just 0.0045% — over 100x cheaper than Westpac's 0.65%
- ›You want access to 18+ global markets including Japan, Hong Kong, and Europe from one account
- ›You trade options or CFDs and need a platform that supports both
- ›You want zero account-keeping fees, zero inactivity fees, and zero market data fees
Choose
Westpac Online Investing
if…
- ›You want full CHESS sponsorship with your own HIN and direct share ownership on the ASX
- ›You want to invest in IPOs and access managed funds alongside your shares
- ›You're already a Westpac customer and want same-day transfers between your bank and brokerage accounts
- ›You want a structured Australian tax statement and a built-in CGT calculator at tax time
- ›You want free real-time ASX market data without paying extra
Where they differ
| Fact | Totality Wealth | Westpac Online Investing |
|---|---|---|
| ASX brokerage minimum | $3 | $4.95 |
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.0045% | 0.65% |
| CHESS sponsorship | Mixed (custodian model available) | Full CHESS sponsorship with individual HIN |
| IPO access | Not available | Available |
| Minimum initial deposit | $0 | $500 |
Verdict
Choose Totality for ultra-low-cost global trading; choose Westpac for CHESS ownership, IPOs, and bank integration.
Cost calculator
What would Totality Wealth vs Westpac Online Investing actually cost you?
Punch in your trade size and frequency. We'll do the full brokerage + FX + fees maths.
All data points side-by-side
Every verified fact for both platforms. Differences are highlighted.
| Field | Totality Wealth | Westpac Online Investing |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | mixed | chess |
| Individual HIN | Yes | 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 | Yes |
| 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, GB, HK, JP, DE, FR, CA, SG, CH, NL, IT, ES, BE, AT, DK, SE, NO, FI | United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Switzerland, Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Austria, Portugal, Ireland, Hong Kong, Singapore |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | No | No |
| Options trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFDs supported | Yes | No |
| Managed funds | No | Yes |
| Bonds supported | Yes | Yes |
| IPO access | No | Yes |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.45% | 65% |
| FX spread (other currencies) | 0.45% | 65% |
| Holds USD account | Yes | Yes |
| FX currency switch trick | No | — |
| Market data fees | $0/month | $0/month |
| Conditional order fees | $0 | $0 |
| Phone trade surcharge | — | $50 |
| Corporate action fees | 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. | Corporate action processing (rights issues, takeovers, SPPs) is generally free for CHESS-sponsored clients — Westpac/AUSIEX passes elections to issuers/registries. Specific fees only apply in exceptional circumstances per the FSG. |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $3 | $4.95 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 0.08% | 11% |
| ASX brokerage threshold | $3,750 | $28,000 |
| ASX free trade conditions | — | No free brokerage offered. Lower brokerage tiers ($4.95 minimum) require settlement via linked Westpac Cash Investment Account; settling via other-bank accounts incurs $29.95 / 0.29% minimum. |
| US brokerage minimum | US$1 | US$4.95 |
| US brokerage percentage | 0.08% | 11% |
| 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 | $50 | $50 |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | Totality Wealth Limited (formerly Saxo Capital Markets (Australia) Pty Ltd) | Australian Investment Exchange Limited (AUSIEX); Westpac Securities Limited issues the branded service |
| AFSL number | 280,372 | 241,400 |
| Year founded | 2,012 | 2,010 |
| Parent / ownership | DMA (Johannesburg, South Africa) 80.1% / Saxo Bank A/S (Denmark) 19.9% | Brand: Westpac Banking Corporation (ASX: WBC); operator AUSIEX is wholly owned by Nomura Research Institute, Ltd. (TSE: 4307) |
| Country of incorporation | AU | AU |
| Public company status | private | public |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $0 | $500 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | $0 | $0 |
| Deposit methods | bank_transfer, BPAY, credit_card, debit_card, PayPal, Wise | Westpac Cash Investment Account (linked), External bank Direct Credit, BPAY, Internal transfer between Westpac accounts |
| Settlement period | T+2 ASX, T+1 US | T+2 (ASX), T+1 (US) |
| Withdrawal time | 1-3 business days | Same-day to 1 business day for Westpac-to-Westpac transfers; 1-2 business days to external bank accounts |
| platform ux | ||
| iOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Android app | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop platform | Yes | No |
| Demo account | Yes | No |
| Free real-time market data | No | Yes |
| Free research reports | Yes | Yes |
| 2FA support | app | SMS + authenticator app |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, live_chat | phone, email, live chat, in-app |
| Support hours (AU time) | Mon-Fri 08:30-17:30 Sydney time | Phone: 8am-7pm Sydney time Mon-Fri (domestic); 24 hours on US trading days for international; Live chat: 9:30am-5pm Sydney time Mon-Fri |
| Education content | extensive | structured courses |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | No | Yes |
| Distribution component breakdown | No | No |
| CGT calculator / report | No | Yes |
| 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 | No | No |
| Auto-invest sophistication | none | none |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | Yes | Yes |
| After-hours / overnight trading | No | No |