Researched 23 May 2026.
What it is
Singapore-headquartered traditional brokerage founded 1975, part of the PhillipCapital group. Its retail trading platform is POEMS (Phillip’s Online Electronic Mart System), launched in 1996 — the name most Singapore investors now know it by. Offices in Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, China, Japan, Australia, France, United Kingdom, United States, and India — 50+ years of operation across Asian markets. Backed by Philip Investment Corporation (privately held), which means lower institutional heft than bank-affiliated competitors but full operational independence.
Multi-asset across equities, futures, options, FX, bonds, unit trusts, and structured products. Phillip is one of the few brokers with access to all major Asian markets including Vietnam — a gap that fintech brokers Tiger, Futu, and moomoo do not fill.
My status with this broker
Researched — I have not opened an account. Assessment draws on Phillip’s public materials and broker comparisons; the app and customer service are generally described as decent and easy to use.
Who it’s for (and who should skip)
Good fit: Non-American investors who want a single brokerage relationship covering all major Asian markets, including Southeast Asian frontier equities (Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam) that fintech brokers don’t reach. Also investors who need bonds, structured products, or unit trusts alongside equities — Phillip’s multi-asset inventory through institutional relationships is a genuine differentiator. Commission rates (20–60bps tier) are competitive for the breadth offered.
Skip if: You hold a US passport or are a US tax resident — Phillip does not accept American clients, full stop. Also skip if your target markets are limited to HK, SG, US, or Australia, where Tiger or moomoo are cheaper with better apps. Phillip does not reach sub-Saharan Africa, Central Asia, BRVM, or other frontier markets outside Asia.
Account-opening friction
Traditional broker onboarding: relationship-manager assignment above certain account thresholds, standard documentation (passport, proof of address, source of funds). More relationship-mediated than self-service. Singapore residents have the smoothest path; non-resident foreign individuals should expect more documentation and may need to engage with Phillip’s foreign-client services group. Americans cannot open accounts regardless of documentation.
Known caveats
- No US clients — structural, not a policy that changes.
- Privately held parent — Philip Investment Corporation carries no public credit rating or S&P/Moody’s benchmark; lower institutional backing than DBS-backed or bank-affiliated brokers. See counterparty risk for how to weigh this.
- Cost all-in for Southeast Asian trades: budget 2–5% round-trip when adding 20–60bps commission plus 1–2% per-direction FX spread for non-base currencies; ~US$3–5 per dividend; ~SG$24/year custody charge for foreign shares. Note that published exchange rates may differ from actual settlement rates.
- Comparison context: among pan-Asian brokers, Boom/Monex is the marginally stronger pick for most non-American Asian investors — slightly better app, HK-based, similar market access — though Phillip has Vietnam where Boom does not.
- Frontier markets not reached: BRVM, sub-Saharan Africa, Central Asia (including Uzbekistan), and other non-Asian emerging markets are outside Phillip’s coverage regardless of asset class.
Sources
Verified personally: None — no account opened.
Public sources checked:
- Asian Century Stocks, “The best retail broker for Asia”: https://www.asiancenturystocks.com/the-best-asian-retail-broker/
- POEMS official site — 26 stock + 29 futures exchanges, product range, and the “not offered to U.S. Persons” notice: https://www.poems.com.sg
- Phillip Securities public materials and corporate website (https://www.phillip.com.sg)
- TradeSmart Hong Kong broker comparison (February 2026)