Interactive Brokers has expanded its global trading platform by adding access to Bursa Malaysia, one of Southeast Asia's largest stock exchanges. This move aims to offer investors the ability to trade Malaysian Ringgit-denominated equities and ETFs but also simplifies the process with automatic currency conversion.

Expanding Global Market Access

Interactive Brokers, known for providing a wide range of global investment options, has introduced trading access to Bursa Malaysia. The exchange, with a market capitalization of approximately USD 380 billion, is home to 970 companies across diverse industries such as financial services, manufacturing, and oil and gas.

Commenting about the new offering, David Friedland, the Head of APAC at Interactive Brokers, said: “Interactive Brokers offers clients worldwide superior market and product access, allowing them to create diversified portfolios across geographies and asset classes. Introducing stocks on the Bursa Malaysia allows our clients to add exposure to Malaysian equities Equities Equities can be characterized as stocks or shares in a company that investors can buy or sell. When you buy a stock, you are in essence buying an equity, becoming a partial owner of shares in a specific company or fund.However, equities do not pay a fixed interest rate, and as such are not considered guaranteed income. As such, equity markets are often associated with risk.When a company issues bonds, it’s taking loans from buyers. When a company offers shares, on the other hand, it’s selling pa Equities can be characterized as stocks or shares in a company that investors can buy or sell. When you buy a stock, you are in essence buying an equity, becoming a partial owner of shares in a specific company or fund.However, equities do not pay a fixed interest rate, and as such are not considered guaranteed income. As such, equity markets are often associated with risk.When a company issues bonds, it’s taking loans from buyers. When a company offers shares, on the other hand, it’s selling pa Read this Term with the benefit of having Interactive Brokers manage the cost associated with currency conversion.”

One key feature of this new offering is the automatic foreign exchange conversion between a client's base currency and the Malaysian Ringgit. This process uses real-time market rates to facilitate trades, eliminating the need for pre-trade currency conversions.

Simplifying the Trading Process

Interactive Brokers' clients can now add Malaysian equities to their portfolios without the complexity of manual currency conversions. In addition to Malaysian equities, Interactive Brokers offers clients the ability to trade a broad array of financial instruments, including Crude Palm Oil Futures and FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI Futures.

Interactive Brokers' platform now supports trading on 150 markets, with account funding and trading available in up to 27 currencies, including the Malaysian Ringgit. This latest addition reinforces Interactive Brokers' position as a leading global broker, offering unparalleled access to diverse markets and investment opportunities.

Last week, Interactive Brokers boosted its global bond offering through the IBKR Bond Marketplace. According to the company, the new features aim to facilitate client access to liquidity Liquidity The term liquidity refers to the process, speed, and ease of which a given asset or security can be converted into cash. Notably, liquidity surmises a retention in market price, with the most liquid assets representing cash.The most liquid asset of all is cash itself.· In economics, liquidity is defined by how efficiently and quickly an asset can be converted into usable cash without materially affecting its market price. · Nothing is more liquid than cash, while other assets represent The term liquidity refers to the process, speed, and ease of which a given asset or security can be converted into cash. Notably, liquidity surmises a retention in market price, with the most liquid assets representing cash.The most liquid asset of all is cash itself.· In economics, liquidity is defined by how efficiently and quickly an asset can be converted into usable cash without materially affecting its market price. · Nothing is more liquid than cash, while other assets represent Read this Term for global corporate bonds, European Government Bonds, and UK Gilts. Clients can now trade these bonds for up to 22 hours a day.