Best 5 brokers for buying IBM shares
Fees for investing in IBM stocks
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Like most of us, you have probably imagined buying shares of a company that skyrockets in a couple of years in value, making you enough money to travel and chill for the rest of your life. Maybe even IBM was among your top picks for buying its shares, or it will be. In reality, investing is a bit more complex than waiting for the birds flying into your mouth ready roasted, but hey, you have to start somewhere right?
The good news is that unlike back in the days, today you can buy shares in companies like IBM fully online.
While we do not specifically advise to buy IBM shares, this article explains in layman’s terms how you can buy shares in companies in general, taking IBM as an example. Whether your first share to buy should be IBM or not it’s for you to decide. We strongly suggest to contact investment advisors as this article is not meant to be investment advice under any circumstance.
If you are interested in our guide about how to buy shares online, click here.
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How to buy IBM Stocks & Shares to Invest in IBM
Overview of IBM
IBM is a US Tech company, traded on the NYSE under the IBM ticker. It is famous as a multinational information technology company. If you’d like to buy its stocks you need to find a broker that gives you access to the NYSE because that’s the main exchange it’s traded on (hang tight, we’ll get into this in a bit).
All of this doesn’t mean that IBM is a good company or a bad one. As part of this example you might want to get reminded of what you are considering investing in though.
Let’s see the steps now!
How to buy IBM Stocks & Shares to Invest in IBM
Steps of buying IBM shares
Okay so for your own reasons you have decided you’d like to buy IBM. That’s a good start. Let’s see what lies ahead of you before you can officially state that you are a shareholder of IBM! The process is rather similar for any company shares and again, we only take IBM as an example.
Step 1: find a good online broker
One of the characteristics of an online broker is the exchanges they have access to. Not all brokers allow you to buy shares of IBM, simply because they don’t have access to the NYSE. Needless to say, you need a broker that gives you access to this exchange.
The next important thing with a broker is that it should fit you as well. Not all brokers allow every citizen to open an account with them; some brokers are super expensive if you just want to buy a couple of IBM shares every once in a while, some brokers can be absolutely free. You can actually get great recommendations on choosing the right broker using our questionnaire:
When recommending a broker, we take into account different factors, like the broker’s fees, trading platform, accessible markets to trade, and how easy it is to open an account. Safety is also highly important, but since we recommend only safe brokers, you do not have to worry about it.
Step 2: open your brokerage account
After finding your online broker, you need to open an account. This is much like a regular bank account and opening one is usually a fully online process. At some brokers it’s as quick as opening a new Gmail account, at some brokers it takes a couple of days until they do some background check on you. Instead of storing money on it you will store your shares on this though, so you definitely need this to buy IBM shares and to store them.
Step 3: deposit money to your account
You will pay cash to buy those IBM stocks. This cash first needs to be sent (deposited) to your broker. This is usually super easy and quick, actually even easier than opening your brokerage account.
The most common way you can deposit your money is bank transfer and using credit/debit card. At some brokers, you can deposit to your investment account even from different electronic wallets like Paypal, e.g. at eToro.
Step 4: buy the IBM share
You have the account, the cash, and the share target. The last step is to press the buy button! You log in to your online brokerage, search for IBM share, insert the number of shares you wish to buy, and click buy, which will initiate the purchase of shares (in trading lingo: execute the buy order).
A couple of hints around this: when placing an order, you can choose from different order types. The market order buys at the actual market price, while the limit order allows you to specify the exact price at which you want to buy the share.
Step 5: review your IBM position regularly
You are not finished after you purchased your IBM stock. Now it is key to monitor your investments. This basically means following your investment strategy. If you bought the IBM share for holding it for a longer term, you might participate in the annual meeting and collect all the news and information about the company.
If you plan to sell it shortly after you see some increase in the price, you might use different position management tools. E.g. you can set the target price at which you want to sell the share with a profit, or use the stop-loss to set a price at which you want to sell the share to avoid further losses.
Now that you have mastered the 5 steps of buying shares, take a moment to look at the top 5 brokers we have selected for you.
How to buy IBM Stocks & Shares to Invest in IBM
Best 5 brokers for buying IBM shares
| Interactive Brokers | Interactive Brokers is a US discount broker. It is listed on a stock exchange and regulated by several authorities, including top-tier ones like the FCA and the SEC. | Visit broker |
| Alpaca Trading | Alpaca Securities LLC is US-based broker providing commission-free API stock trading. The company is regulated by the top-tier SEC and FINRA: | Visit broker |
| TradeStation Global | TradeStation Global is an introducing broker of Interactive Brokers. This practically means that assets and cash are held with Interactive Brokers, but services like fees and customer support are provided by TradeStation Global. TradeStation Global is regulated by the top-tier UK FCA. | Visit broker |
| Zacks Trade | Zacks Trade is a US discount broker that also allows international clients to open an account. Zacks Trade is a division of LBMZ Securities, which is regulated by SEC and FINRA. Customers are protected by the SIPC scheme, up to $500,000 (including a $250,000 limit for cash). | Visit broker |
| Saxo Bank | Saxo Bank is a Danish investment bank. It is regulated by several financial authorities globally, including the top-tier UK FCA. | Visit broker |
How to buy IBM Stocks & Shares to Invest in IBM
Fees for investing in IBM stocks
You have to count with different kind of fees when you are trading with IBM shares.
Commission is a fee, based on the traded volume or a flat fee per trade. For example, 0.1% of €10,000, $5/trade or $0.005/share.
Needless to say, these are different at each broker. Let’s see the fees of trading with IBM shares at our recommended five brokers
| Saxo Bank | Fusion Markets | CMC Markets | Interactive Brokers | Capital.com | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EURUSD spread | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 0.6 |
| GBPUSD spread | 1.3 | 0.2 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 1.3 |
| AUDUSD spread | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 0.6 |
| EURCHF spread | 1.4 | 0.6 | 2.5 | 0.4 | 2.2 |
| EURGBP spread | 1.4 | 0.3 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 1.5 |
How to buy IBM Stocks & Shares to Invest in IBM
How to reduce risks
Risk Management Strategies for Investing in IBM
All investments involve a certain degree of risk, and buying shares in IBM is no exception. Being aware of these risks and knowing how to handle them can make a significant difference in your long-term results. Below are some practical tips to help you protect your investments. You can also explore topics like market risk and other common investment risks for a deeper understanding.
Be Alert to Scams
Risk:
Unfortunately, the online investing world includes many fraudulent “brokers” aiming to take advantage of unsuspecting investors. If you come across advertisements promoting binary options or automated trading systems that promise unusually high or guaranteed returns, treat them with caution—they are often red flags.
How to manage it:
When buying shares online, always choose a reputable and well-regulated broker. Stick with platforms that have been thoroughly tested and reviewed to ensure they meet safety and reliability standards.
Diversify Your Holdings
Risk:
Putting all your money into one or two stocks increases your exposure to potential losses. If IBM were to face serious difficulties or fail, your entire investment could be wiped out.
How to manage it:
Minimize this risk by spreading your investments across a variety of stocks instead of relying solely on IBM. Building a diversified portfolio—typically consisting of around 20 to 30 different holdings—can help improve stability and reduce overall risk.
How to buy IBM Stocks & Shares to Invest in IBM
Bottom line
How to purchase IBM shares online?
Just follow these five easy steps:
- find a broker
- open your account
- fund the account
- buy the share
- review your position
It may look tricky for the first time but all you need to do is progress step-by-step.
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