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Directory · Broker

UOB Kay Hian (UTRADE)

Researched· 2026-06-08

Visit uobkayhian.com ↗ Last checked 2026-06-08

Based in
Singapore (UOB group)
Who can open an account
The Singapore entity accepts non-resident foreigners — even those not living, working or studying in Singapore — but only in person at a Singapore branch (no online onboarding for foreigners), with ID, proof of address, a reference letter from your bank or an existing UOBKH client, and a CDP account. Other markets run through separate regional entities (Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong).
US persons
Unconfirmed — ask; Singapore brokers commonly decline US persons under FATCA
Markets covered

Singapore (SGX), Malaysia (Bursa), Hong Kong (HKEX), Indonesia (IDX), Thailand (SET), Mainland China (Stock Connect), US (NYSE/Nasdaq/AMEX/Arca), Canada (TSX/TSXV), UK (LSE) — online for some, dealer-assisted for others.

SingaporeHong KongMalaysiaIndonesiaThailandChina

Non-resident foreigners can open via the Singapore entity — but only in person at a Singapore branch (no online onboarding for foreigners), with ID, proof of address, a bank/customer reference and a CDP account.

Client focus
Singapore/ASEAN retail-to-full-service brokerage
Recommendation
ASEAN regional broker (SG/MY/ID/TH/HK) — useful if you can open via a local entity
Market coverage9 markets · 6 profiled in this directory
Profiled here — click to open Covered (not profiled — mostly developed)

Status: Researched · 8 June 2026.

What it is

UOB Kay Hian is a long-established Singapore/ASEAN regional brokerage group (UTRADE platforms) — not a clean global cross-border broker like IBKR or Saxo. Its strength is ASEAN coverage plus traditional broker-desk capability: SGX, Bursa Malaysia, HKEX, IDX (Indonesia), SET (Thailand) and China Stock Connect, alongside US/UK/Canada.

Eligibility

It operates through separate regional entities (Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand) rather than one global onboarding funnel. The good news for foreigners: the Singapore entity accepts non-resident foreigners — even those not living, working or studying in Singapore. The catch is that you must apply in person at a Singapore branch (there’s no online onboarding for foreign clients), with ID, proof of address and a reference letter from your own bank or an existing UOBKH customer, plus a CDP account (opened via SGX online) for Singapore securities. Online foreign trading is narrower than the full list (e.g. SG/HK/US online, other markets dealer-assisted).

Best / poor use cases

Use UOBKH when: you can open through a Singapore or ASEAN entity and want regional (SGX/Bursa/IDX/SET/HKEX) coverage with a full-service desk.

Skip it when: you want a single globally-open account from anywhere — use IBKR/Saxo instead.

Verdict

An ASEAN regional broker worth knowing — especially for Indonesia/Thailand/Malaysia access with desk support — provided you’re eligible through one of its local entities. Confirm entity-by-entity onboarding for non-residents.

Sources

Public sources checked (June 2026):

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