This guide walks you through becoming a shareholder in Malaysia from zero: which accounts you need, how to choose them, what each trade costs and how to place your first order. It replaces our older version written for the M+ Online app, which was scheduled to end on 31 October 2025 and stopped working on 19 December 2025.
What do you need to own shares in Malaysia?
- A CDS account. The Central Depository System, run by Bursa Malaysia Depository, is the official record of who owns which shares. Every Bursa investor needs one.
- A trading account with a licensed stockbroker. This is where you deposit cash and place buy and sell orders.
- A bank account in your own name for deposits and withdrawals.
- Your MyKad, and you must be at least 18 years old.
Most brokers now open the CDS account and the trading account together in one online application.
Step 1: Should you choose a Direct CDS or a nominee account?
With a Direct CDS account, the shares are registered in your own name. You receive dividends and corporate-action notices directly, can attend AGMs and can apply for IPOs in your own name. With a nominee account, the broker holds the shares in its name on your behalf. Both are legal, but a Direct CDS account gives you the clearest ownership, so it is the one we recommend for most investors. The full comparison is in Direct CDS vs Nominee Account: Which Owns Your Shares.
Already hold shares in a nominee account elsewhere? You can move them into a Direct CDS account with Bursa Anywhere’s securities transfer feature. See Share Transfers with Bursa Anywhere.
Step 2: Which online trading account should you open?
Brokers usually offer three types:
- Cash upfront: you can only buy with cash you have already deposited. Simplest and safest for beginners.
- Contra (cash) account: you get a trading limit based on your cash and shares as collateral, and pay by the settlement date (T+2).
- Margin account: the broker lends you money to buy shares and charges interest on the loan.
How each works, and the risks, are explained in Types of Trading Accounts in Malaysia. If you are new, start with cash upfront.
Step 3: How do you choose a broker and a remisier?
Compare three things: the brokerage rate and minimum fee (the minimum matters more if your trades are small), the markets you can trade (Bursa only, or also the US and Hong Kong), and the support you get. With a remisier, a licensed dealer’s representative, you have one named person to call about your account, IPO applications and corporate actions. Compare fees in Best Stock Broker in Malaysia 2026 and see How to Choose a Remisier in Malaysia.
Step 4: How do you open the accounts online?
For most brokers, you download the app, register with your phone number, complete eKYC with your MyKad and a selfie, and choose your CDS and account type. The account is approved after the broker’s checks. Our screen-by-screen walkthrough is in How to Open a CDS and Trading Account in Malaysia (2026).
Step 5: How do you buy your first shares?
- Deposit cash by FPX online banking from a bank account in your own name.
- Search for the stock by name or stock code.
- Enter the quantity in board lots. One lot on Bursa is 100 shares, so a RM2.00 stock costs RM200 per lot before fees.
- Set a limit price (the most you are willing to pay), check the order summary and confirm.
- Trade during market hours: Bursa’s sessions run from 9:00 am to 12:30 pm and 2:30 pm to 5:00 pm, Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays.
Your trade settles on T+2, two market days after the trade date. From then, the shares show in your CDS account under your name.
What does each trade cost?
| Cost | How it is charged |
|---|---|
| Brokerage | A percentage of the trade value, with a minimum fee per trade (varies by broker) |
| Clearing fee | 0.03% of trade value, capped at RM1,000 |
| Stamp duty | RM1 per RM1,000 of trade value, capped at RM1,000 |
Clearing fee and stamp duty are the same at every broker, so brokerage is the part to compare. For example, at 0.05% with an RM8 minimum, any trade below RM16,000 pays the RM8 minimum. See the worked examples in our M+ Global Review 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum age to open a CDS account in Malaysia?
18. Parents who want to invest for a child usually hold the shares in their own account. See Investing for Your Child in Malaysia.
How much money do I need to start?
There is no fixed minimum set by Bursa. You need enough for one lot of 100 shares plus fees, so a few hundred ringgit is enough for many stocks. Because of minimum brokerage fees, very small trades cost proportionally more.
Can I buy US and Hong Kong shares too?
Yes, if your broker offers foreign markets. M+ Global, for example, covers Bursa, the US and Hong Kong in one app. For US trading times in Malaysia, see US Stock Market Hours in Malaysia Time.
Key Takeaways
- You need a CDS account and a trading account; both can be opened online with your MyKad from age 18.
- A Direct CDS account keeps the shares in your own name.
- Beginners should start with a cash upfront account.
- Bursa shares trade in lots of 100 and settle on T+2.
- Compare brokers on brokerage and minimum fee; clearing fee and stamp duty are the same everywhere.
If you would like to open an M+ Global account with Malacca Securities, you can use invitation code UBZQ.
Disclosure: Dexter Chia is a licensed dealer’s representative (DR code R336) at Malacca Securities Sdn Bhd, which operates M+ Global. This guide is for education only and is not investment advice. Fees and procedures change; check with your broker before you trade.
