Share Trading comparison
CMC Invest vs Totality Wealth
CMC Invest is built for low-cost, high-frequency ASX investing with $0 brokerage on first daily buys under $1,000, while Totality Wealth targets active traders who want multi-market access, tighter FX spreads, and a true USD account. The biggest practical difference: CMC is CHESS-sponsored (you get your own HIN), whereas Totality uses a custodian model for most holdings — a meaningful distinction for anyone who values direct share ownership.
Choose
CMC Invest
if…
- ›You want $0 brokerage on ASX trades up to $1,000 per security per day — ideal for dollar-cost averaging into ETFs or blue chips
- ›You insist on CHESS sponsorship and holding shares under your own HIN for maximum control and transparency
- ›You need a kids / minor account to invest for children under 18
- ›You want built-in CGT reporting and a distribution component breakdown to simplify tax time
- ›You value a demo-free, no-nonsense platform with free real-time market data included
Choose
Totality Wealth
if…
- ›You trade US stocks regularly and want a true USD account to avoid FX conversion on every trade
- ›You want the lowest ASX brokerage floor at just $3 (vs CMC's $11 minimum)
- ›You need access to bonds, CFDs, or a demo account for practice trading
- ›You prefer flexible funding via credit card, debit card, PayPal or Wise — not just bank transfer and BPAY
- ›You want zero inactivity fees and a slightly tighter FX spread (0.0045% vs 0.006%)
Where they differ
| Fact | CMC Invest | Totality Wealth |
|---|---|---|
| CHESS sponsorship | CHESS-sponsored (own HIN) | Mixed model — custodian for most holdings |
| ASX brokerage minimum | $11 (or $0 on first daily buy under $1,000) | $3 |
| USD account | No USD account | Yes, holds USD |
| Minimum initial deposit | $500 | $0 |
| Inactivity fee | $15 | $0 |
Verdict
Choose CMC Invest for low-cost CHESS-sponsored ASX investing; choose Totality Wealth for cheaper US trading and multi-asset flexibility.
Cost calculator
What would CMC Invest vs Totality Wealth actually cost you?
Punch in your trade size and frequency. We'll do the full brokerage + FX + fees maths.
All data points side-by-side
Every verified fact for both platforms. Differences are highlighted.
| Field | CMC Invest | Totality Wealth |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | chess | mixed |
| Individual HIN | Yes | Yes |
| Individual account | Yes | Yes |
| Joint account | Yes | Yes |
| Company account | Yes | Yes |
| Trust account | Yes | Yes |
| SMSF account | Yes | Yes |
| Kids / minor account | Yes | No |
| asset coverage | ||
| ASX shares supported | Yes | Yes |
| ASX ETFs supported | Yes | Yes |
| US shares supported | Yes | Yes |
| US ETFs supported | Yes | Yes |
| Other markets supported | United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Singapore, Hong Kong, New Zealand | US, GB, HK, JP, DE, FR, CA, SG, CH, NL, IT, ES, BE, AT, DK, SE, NO, FI |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | No | No |
| Options trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFDs supported | No | Yes |
| Managed funds | Yes | No |
| Bonds supported | No | Yes |
| IPO access | Yes | No |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.6% | 0.45% |
| FX spread (other currencies) | 0.6% | 0.45% |
| Holds USD account | No | Yes |
| FX currency switch trick | — | No |
| Market data fees | $0/month | $0/month |
| Conditional order fees | $0 | $0 |
| Phone trade surcharge | $59.95 | — |
| Corporate action fees | — | Custodian processes corporate actions; proxy voting subscription EUR 30/year + EUR 5 per vote; new instrument requests USD 200 for Platinum / free for VIP legacy tiers; reporting fee USD 50 for Classic email reports. |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $11 | $3 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 0.1% | 0.08% |
| ASX brokerage threshold | $1,000 | $3,750 |
| ASX free trade conditions | $0 brokerage on first ASX buy order per security per day for trades up to $1,000 (excludes margin loan settled trades and sells) | — |
| US brokerage minimum | US$0 | US$1 |
| US brokerage percentage | 0% | 0.08% |
| Monthly platform fee | $0/month | $0/month |
| Annual platform fee | $0/year | $0/year |
| Inactivity fee | $15 | $0 |
| Withdrawal fee (AUD) | $0 | $0 |
| Off-market transfer fee | $0 | $50 |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | CMC Markets Stockbroking Limited | Totality Wealth Limited (formerly Saxo Capital Markets (Australia) Pty Ltd) |
| AFSL number | 246,381 | 280,372 |
| Year founded | 1,989 | 2,012 |
| Parent / ownership | CMC Markets plc (LSE: CMCX) | DMA (Johannesburg, South Africa) 80.1% / Saxo Bank A/S (Denmark) 19.9% |
| Country of incorporation | AU | AU |
| Public company status | public | private |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $500 | $0 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | $0 | $0 |
| Deposit methods | PayID, Bank transfer (EFT), BPAY | bank_transfer, BPAY, credit_card, debit_card, PayPal, Wise |
| Settlement period | T+2 for ASX; T+1 for US | T+2 ASX, T+1 US |
| Withdrawal time | 1-2 business days | 1-3 business days |
| platform ux | ||
| iOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Android app | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop platform | Yes | Yes |
| Demo account | No | Yes |
| Free real-time market data | Yes | No |
| Free research reports | Yes | Yes |
| 2FA support | authenticator app | app |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, live chat | phone, email, live_chat |
| Support hours (AU time) | Monday-Friday, business hours AET (approx 8am-6pm) | Mon-Fri 08:30-17:30 Sydney time |
| Education content | structured courses | extensive |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | No |
| Distribution component breakdown | Yes | No |
| CGT calculator / report | Yes | No |
| Sharesight / Navexa integration | Yes | Yes |
| trading mechanics | ||
| Market orders | Yes | Yes |
| Limit orders | Yes | Yes |
| Stop loss orders | Yes | Yes |
| Conditional orders | Yes | Yes |
| Auto-invest / DCA | Yes | No |
| Auto-invest sophistication | single asset | none |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | Yes | Yes |
| After-hours / overnight trading | No | No |