If you have decided that you want to buy an Irish-domiciled UCITS ETF, the next question is simple:

Which broker should you actually use?

Many Irish-domiciled ETFs commonly used by Singapore investors trade on the London Stock Exchange (LSE).

Examples include:

  • CSPX — iShares Core S&P 500 UCITS ETF
  • SPYL — State Street SPDR S&P 500 UCITS ETF
  • XNAS — Xtrackers Nasdaq 100 UCITS ETF
  • CNDX — iShares Nasdaq 100 UCITS ETF
  • VWRA — Vanguard FTSE All-World UCITS ETF

The problem is that not every Singapore brokerage offers the same access, fees, recurring-investment features or trading currencies.

Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. Broker fees, supported markets and product availability can change, so always check the broker’s latest pricing and platform before opening an account or placing a trade.

The Quick Take

BrokerLSE / UCITS AccessRecurring InvestingMain Appeal
IBKR Singapore✅ Yes✅ Eligible securitiesBroad global access + flexibility
Saxo Singapore✅ Yes✅ 100+ ETFs through AutoInvestSimple interface + easy automation
FSMOne✅ Yes✅ Selected LSE ETFs through RSPFamiliar Singapore platform
POEMS✅ YesMore manualTraditional local brokerage with LSE access

My current view:

IBKR is the most flexible overall option for investors who want broad access to global markets and Irish-domiciled ETFs.

However, that does not automatically make it the best broker for everyone.

If you value a simpler interface or easy monthly automation, Saxo or FSMOne may also be worth considering.

Why LSE Access Matters

An ETF being Irish-domiciled does not mean it has to trade in Ireland.

Many popular Irish-domiciled UCITS ETFs are listed on the London Stock Exchange.

For example, a Singapore investor may buy an LSE-listed share class of an Irish-domiciled ETF.

This means there are two separate ideas:

Domicile = where the fund is legally based.

Listing = the stock exchange where you buy and sell it.

An Irish fund can therefore be traded on the London Stock Exchange.

This is why LSE access is important when choosing a broker for UCITS ETFs.

1. Interactive Brokers Singapore

For this specific purpose, Interactive Brokers (IBKR) is currently the broker I would look at first.

Why I like IBKR

IBKR Singapore provides access to a very large number of global markets through one account.

It also directly supports trading on the London Stock Exchange, including ETFs.

Other useful features include:

  • Global market access
  • Multiple trading currencies
  • Fractional trading on eligible securities
  • Recurring investments on eligible US, Canadian and European securities
  • Stocks, ETFs, options, bonds and other products in one account

For someone who plans to invest internationally over the long term, this flexibility is useful.

Recurring investments

IBKR’s Recurring Investments feature lets investors automatically invest on a:

  • Daily
  • Weekly
  • Monthly

schedule.

It uses fractional trading for eligible securities, meaning you can invest a fixed dollar amount instead of always purchasing whole shares.

However, not every security is necessarily eligible for recurring or fractional investing.

So if your plan is to automatically buy a specific ETF such as SPYL or XNAS, check the exact security inside IBKR before assuming that recurring investment is supported.

My view

For someone who wants to build a long-term global portfolio containing:

  • Irish UCITS ETFs
  • US shares
  • Singapore shares
  • Other international investments

IBKR is currently the most flexible all-round option to me.

The trade-off is that the platform may feel more complicated than simpler retail-focused brokers when you first start using it.

2. Saxo Singapore

Saxo is another strong option for Singapore investors who want access to international ETFs.

Saxo states that its ETF platform provides access to ETFs across more than 30 global exchanges.

For UK-listed ETFs, its standard ETF pricing currently starts from a minimum commission of GBP 3, although actual costs depend on your account and trade.

AutoInvest

One of Saxo’s biggest advantages is AutoInvest.

AutoInvest allows Singapore investors to set up a monthly Regular Savings Plan using a selection of more than 100 ETFs.

Saxo currently states that AutoInvest offers:

  • Monthly automated investing
  • Fractional ETF investing
  • No commission on ETF purchases made through AutoInvest
  • No minimum or maximum monthly investment amount

Importantly, its current AutoInvest ETF list includes LSE-listed UCITS ETFs such as:

  • CSPX
  • CNDX
  • IWDA
  • VWRA
  • VUAA

However, the list can change and not every UCITS ETF available for normal trading will necessarily be available through AutoInvest.

My view

Saxo is particularly interesting if you want:

A simpler way to automatically invest into a supported UCITS ETF every month.

For someone who finds IBKR unnecessarily complicated, Saxo may provide a cleaner experience.

But always check whether the specific ETF you want is included in AutoInvest rather than assuming every LSE ETF can be automated.

3. FSMOne

FSMOne also provides access to the London Stock Exchange.

Its official LSE launch information states that investors can trade LSE-listed stocks and ETFs, and selected LSE-listed ETFs can also be purchased through its ETF Regular Savings Plan (RSP).

This makes FSMOne worth considering for investors who already use the platform for other investments.

One important limitation to check

FSMOne’s official LSE information states that the platform supports GBP-denominated LSE securities.

This matters because the same UCITS ETF can sometimes have multiple listings or trading currencies.

For example, an Irish-domiciled ETF might have:

  • A USD listing
  • A GBP listing
  • Sometimes an EUR listing

The fund domicile can remain the same even when the trading currency differs, but you still need to make sure the exact listing you want is available through your broker.

My view

FSMOne can be a convenient Singapore-based option, especially if:

  • You already use FSMOne
  • Your chosen ETF is supported
  • You want to use its RSP feature

But I would check the exact ticker, listing and trading currency before deciding.

4. POEMS

POEMS by Phillip Securities also provides direct access to the London Stock Exchange.

Its official LSE trading page confirms that LSE securities can be traded through POEMS.

The platform supports:

  • LSE trading
  • Stocks and ETFs
  • Trading lots from 1 share
  • Limit orders

This means POEMS is another possible route for purchasing London-listed UCITS ETFs.

My view

POEMS works, particularly for investors who already have a Phillip Securities account and prefer using a traditional Singapore brokerage.

However, for someone opening a new account specifically to build a long-term UCITS ETF portfolio, I would personally compare IBKR, Saxo and FSMOne first because of their automation and global-investing features.

Which Broker Would I Use?

This is how I would narrow it down:

If you prioritise…Broker I would look at
Broad global access and flexibilityIBKR
Simple monthly ETF automationSaxo
Singapore platform + ETF RSPFSMOne
Traditional local brokeragePOEMS

For my own comparison, IBKR would be my starting point because it combines global market access, LSE trading, multiple currencies, recurring investments and fractional trading.

But the “best” broker depends on how you invest.

Someone buying one ETF every month may value simplicity more than having access to dozens of global markets.

Before You Open an Account

Do not choose a broker based on commission alone.

I would compare:

  1. Does it support the exact ETF and listing I want?
  2. Does it support the trading currency I want?
  3. What are the trading commissions?
  4. What are the FX conversion costs?
  5. Can I automate recurring investments?
  6. Are fractional purchases available for that ETF?
  7. Are there custody, platform or other recurring charges?
  8. How easy is the platform for me to use consistently?

For long-term investing, small recurring costs such as FX spreads and minimum commissions can matter just as much as the ETF’s expense ratio.

One More Thing: Check the Exact Ticker

Before placing your first order, confirm:

  • ETF name
  • Ticker
  • Exchange
  • Trading currency
  • Accumulating or distributing share class
  • Fund domicile

Do not buy something simply because the ticker looks similar.

For example, the same fund can trade on multiple exchanges or in multiple currencies.

Always verify the fund, not just the ticker.

Bottom Line

If your goal is simply to gain access to Irish-domiciled UCITS ETFs from Singapore, you have several options.

My current shortlist is:

IBKR — strongest all-round global-investing platform
Saxo — strong choice for simple automated ETF investing
FSMOne — convenient local option with selected LSE ETF RSPs
POEMS — established local brokerage with LSE access

For someone planning to invest internationally for many years, I would personally start by comparing IBKR and Saxo, then check FSMOne if the ETF you want is available through its RSP.

The most important thing is not the broker’s name.

It is whether the broker gives you reliable access to the exact fund structure you actually want at a reasonable total cost.

Official Sources / Further Reading