Fidelity International account opening

Are you a new investor considering opening a brokerage account at Fidelity International but don't know how to do it? Are you wondering how long the process takes and how difficult it is?

Opening a brokerage account can seem daunting. Unfortunately, account opening is indeed not a great experience at Fidelity International, so if that keeps you from getting started, check some more user-friendly alternatives.

Opening an account at Fidelity International is not a rewarding experience

Opening an account at [Broker name] is not a rewarding experience

András Régely

Investments • Stock Market • Market Analysis

As a Broker Analyst at BrokerChooser, I'm dedicated to providing data-driven insights that simplify the world of investments. With a solid academic background, including an MSc in Accounting and Finance from LSE, I bring a deep understanding of financial markets to my role. My mission is to assist retail investors in finding the perfect broker fit by leveraging my trading experience and analytical skills. At BrokerChooser, I merge my passion for trading with a keen eye for market trends, helping clients navigate online brokers confidently and effectively.

Learn about our methodology

András Régely

Investments • Stock Market • Market Analysis

Together with my brokerage analyst colleagues, I have thoroughly tested the services of Fidelity International by opening a real-money account. Here’s what you need to know about account opening if you want to start investing with Fidelity International:

• Account opening at Fidelity International is fully online and takes 1 day.

• You will need to prove your identity and residency with documents.

• Choose an account type that suits your needs.

• The only available base currency is GBP.

• The minimum deposit at Fidelity International is $1,360.

• Browse the best brokers for beginners for some great alternatives.

Before we start, let's check if Fidelity International is available in your country:

No, you can't open an account at Fidelity International if you live in United States!

United States

Account opening at Fidelity International is fully online, meaning you can do it from the comfort of your chair. In fact, you don't even need a chair: you can simply do it on the go on your mobile phone.

See how we rated the account opening experience and how long it takes to get started at Fidelity International compared with its main competitors:

Opening an account is always free of charge, but the time it takes differs from broker to broker. At some brokers, it's as quick as signing up for a new Gmail account. At others, it might take a couple of days as they run a background check on your data. At Fidelity International, it usually takes 1 day to have your account up and running.

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Navigating the complexities of trading can be challenging. If you're a new investor, you'll need a broker with a user-friendly trading interface and robust educational materials. So where to find such brokers? Start with our toplist of brokers we rated as good for beginners.

First, you need to go to Fidelity International's website and fill a registration form to apply for an account. It takes the broker a bit of time to review and verify your application - usually 1 day - after which you can make your first deposit and start trading.

Opening a brokerage account is not unlike opening a bank account. As you go through the steps, you’ll find that it is a simple and familiar process. Once your brokerage account is set up, you’ll find that the experience is similar to what you get with a bank account that you use for savings and transactions. See, it’s just another way of managing your money!

The sign-up procedure is usually self-evident; just follow the instructions carefully. Here's what awaits you at Fidelity International:

Only UK residents can open an account, for whom the account opening process is usually simple. The whole thing takes about 10 minutes and only the most basic information is required. If they manage to verify your details electronically you won't even need to provide proof of ID or proof of address.
Things start to get complicated if electronic verification fails. Why would your verification fail? This can happen for a number of reasons, for example, if you have recently moved, either within or to the UK. For a definite answer, you will need to contact Fidelity International. In early 2021, the company added an online upload option for some documents, but none that relate to the account opening process; however, they plan to extend this service to cover other forms.
If your verification fails, then you will need to fill out a confirmation of identity form and post documents verifying your identity and your address. All in all, you will need to send the following:

• filled-in application form
• if you have a UK photocard driving license or valid UK passport, you can send a photocopy of one of these to confirm your identity. These do not have to be independently certified.
• if you do not have any UK ID documents, you can send a photocopy of your national ID card or EU Identity Card. These must be indepentently certified by a third person.
• to confirm your address, you need to send one of the following documents: UK driving licence (an old-style paper version); (non-UK) photocard driving license; national ID card (with address on the card); a statement issued in the past three months by a UK regulated financial services firm; a council tax bill for the current year; a utility bill issued in the last three months; a mortgage statement; a current tenancy agreement or rent book; a government-issued document about tax or entitlements; or a letter from a commanding officer confirming your residential address if you or your partner is a member of the armed forces.

The following steps are typical toward the end of the application process or after verifying your identity:

1. You'll have to fill out a trading experience survey. It might seem scary at first, but it is nothing to worry about. This is standard procedure, as brokers need to make sure that you have some basic financial knowledge and are aware of the risks of trading.

2. Next, you'll have to choose an account type and a base currency.

3. As a final step, you'll need to fund your account before you can start trading.

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Brokers usually provide multiple account types. When choosing an account, consider how experienced you are in trading, and pick an account that suits your needs. Some factors to take into account: your investment goals, risk tolerance, trading frequency, and any associated fees or account balance minimums.

If you're a beginner, we recommend selecting the most basic account offered by the broker, which is the standard account.

The above apply to retail accounts opened by private individuals. If you're looking to open a brokerage account for your company, see our overview of whether you can open a business investment account at Fidelity International and under what conditions.

Alternatively, find out more about Fidelity International's specific account types in our comprehensive Fidelity International review for 2024.

At Fidelity International, the only available currency is GBP. If possible, try to deposit money to your brokerage account in GBP.

Why is all this important? If you fund your trading account in the same currency as your bank account, you won't have to pay a conversion fee. Conversion fees apply if:

• You make a deposit in a different currency than the currency of your brokerage account.

• You trade assets denominated in a different currency than your brokerage account's base currency.

A convenient way to save on currency conversion fees is by opening a multi-currency bank account at a digital bank.

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Once you have filled out the registration form, uploaded your documents, finished the trading survey and selected your account type and base currency, Fidelity International will verify your account shortly. After successful verification, you need to fund your account to be able to begin trading.

• Choose your funding method.

• Enter the amount to be deposited and other necessary details for the transaction.

• Double-check if payment details are correct.

• If all looks OK, click to submit your deposit request.

At Fidelity International, the required minimum deposit is $1,360. This means that you have to put at least $1,360 in your broker account to be able to start trading.

Is that more than you're willing to commit at this point? See if you can start trading with less at other brokers.

At Fidelity International, you have multiple funding methods to choose from when you want to deposit money to your account. Check these options in the following table; and choose the one that's most convenient for you.

After successfully funding your account, you're all set to start trading.

To explore Fidelity International’s top competitors, head over to our top list of the best brokers for beginners, whose low fees and user-friendly features benefit new investors like you.

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