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Before opening a custody account

Before you open your securities account via CapTrader, there are often a few questions that we would like to answer on this page. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact our award-winning customer support team.

You can reach our customer service every trading day from 08:30 - 20:00 here on the website via live chat, classic via E-mail and of course by telephone on the free hotline 0800-8723370 (international: 00800-08723370). Or have us call you at a time of your choosing: Callback service.

Also, please feel free to take advantage of our wide range of content and assistance on this website. To do this, take a look at our Help Center where you will find answers to a large number of common customer queries.

We are looking forward to your inquiries!

Contents Display

What kind of depot do I need?

CapTrader has the right account type for every requirement. As a private investor, you can choose between an individual custody account or a joint account. Or would you like to manage the securities accounts of your family members under one account structure? As a company, you can also trade via CapTrader by opening a company account. You don't want to actively trade yourself, but would like to use the expertise of an experienced portfolio manager for your securities account? Then the Managed Accounts might be right for you.

Find an overview of all account types at CapTrader on this page: Account types at CapTrader.

What documents are needed for opening?

  • Your personal Tax identification number
  • To open a private securities account, we require a valid proof of identity and a current proof of address from you. Please upload these directly in the online application. There is no need to go to the post office (PostIdent procedure).
Bestätigungsbildschirm auf Deutsch, der den Benutzer auffordert, seine Identität und Adresse zu bestätigen, mit einer Schaltfläche mit der Aufschrift „Identität überprüfen“.

You can choose the simplified procedure and verify yourself directly online or upload the document directly.

Screenshot eines deutschen Verifizierungsoptionen-Bildschirms. Zur Auswahl stehen eine vereinfachte Verifizierung oder ein manueller Dokument-Upload. Die Schaltfläche „Weiter“ befindet sich in der unteren rechten Ecke und „Schließen“ in der unteren linken Ecke.
Methode 1
Eine deutschsprachige Verifizierungsoberfläche zeigt Optionen zur Identitäts- und Adressverifizierung an, darunter eine vereinfachte Verifizierung und den manuellen Dokumenten-Upload. Es gibt jeweils einen „Schließen“-Button und einen „Weiter“-Button.
Methode 2

Please click on "Upload document manually"

Then take a photo of the front and back of your ID card using a mobile device, for example, and upload it securely. Click on "This document has a valid address" to also verify the address in one step.

Screenshot einer Seite zur Identitätsüberprüfung auf Deutsch. Der hervorgehobene Text bestätigt, dass das Dokument eine gültige Adresse hat. Auf der rechten Seite werden verschiedene persönliche Daten angezeigt, wie Name, Identifikationsnummer und Nationalität.

If the system cannot complete the check, submit it for manual checking with "continue"

Alternatively, you can upload a copy of your passport or a copy of your driving licence (must include an expiry date).

In addition, we then require proof of address - Proof of address :

a bank statement, a personal address confirmation from the company's bank or a utility bill
- all less than 6 months old

Screenshot einer deutschen Identitätsüberprüfungsseite, die einen Fehler bei der automatischen Systemverarbeitung eines Reisepasses anzeigt. Der Benutzer wird aufgefordert, ein korrektes Dokument bereitzustellen oder zur manuellen Verarbeitung zu wechseln.
Screenshot einer Webseite mit zwei Warnmeldungen, in denen der Benutzer aufgefordert wird, Dokumente hochzuladen, um seine Adresse und Identität zu bestätigen. Die blauen Schaltflächen tragen die Aufschrift „Dokument hochladen“.

What type of account should I choose, cash account or margin account?

Depending on the types of securities you wish to trade and whether you wish to invest beyond your credit balance, CapTrader generally offers you a choice of two account types.

The cash account (also called cash account) can be used from the age of 18 for all persons who meet the requirements for opening. Deposited funds can be fully invested and leveraged trading is excluded on a cash account. With the cash account, certain types of securities such as futures and options strategies as well as the Short Selling not possible.

The margin account can be used by anyone over the age of 21 who meets the requirements for opening an account. It is possible to invest in excess of the deposited balance (margin loan). All securities available via CapTrader can be traded with the margin account (Trading authorizations).

Find a detailed overview of the differences and the respective advantages and disadvantages of the account types on our site here: Cash and margin account

Which base currency should I choose?

Please always select the currency in which you pay in your tax residence as the base currency. This selection is important for your tax details later on. All custody account types via CapTrader are so-called multi-currency accounts. This means that you can hold various cash balances in different currencies in one custody account, as these are never automatically converted by the account. The base currency of your custody account is the currency in which all holdings are displayed.

The base currency can be set flexibly after opening a securities account in your account management (Client Portal) in the menu item > Account settings changeable.

On these pages we will show you how to convert your deposited currency into one of the many possible currencies:

Frequently asked questions before opening a securities account

How much is the initial deposit?

The initial deposit, i.e. the amount that is first deposited in your securities account, must be at least 2,000 euros or 2,000 USD (or 25,000€ for corporate securities accounts). How you subsequently dispose of your account via CapTrader is of course up to you.
Note: As an alternative to making an initial deposit, you can also make the minimum deposit (also pro rata) by transferring a securities account to us. Click here for more information on how to initiate a securities account transfer after successfully opening a securities account: Deposit transfer.
Important: Please keep in mind that if all funds (and securities) are withdrawn, the system will assume that you wish to close the account and will automatically close the account after a certain period of time.
We therefore recommend that you always leave a small balance on the deposit to avoid this automatic closure.

How can I capitalize my portfolio?

For the capitalization of your new deposit, please use a transfer from your personal account (current account). The account holder must be identical to the recipient. Cash deposits and transfers from third parties are not accepted. Your transfer in Euro will be made to an account in Germany with Citigroup in Frankfurt.
You can find more information about deposits on our site: Deposit money.

Which products/securities can I trade at CapTrader?

You can trade more than 1.2 million securities from 33 countries via CapTrader. You have a free choice between shares, ETFs, futures, options, SSFs, funds and many more.
An overview of the tradable security types and further information can be found on our site here: Tradable products.
In the application, you already select the types of securities that you would like to trade after opening. If you want to make changes here after opening, you can do this yourself and, for example, activate additional countries or types of securities for your trading.
For more information on how to extend your trading privileges independently, please visit our site: How do I apply for a trading authorization?

Do I need experience in securities trading to open a securities account?

Yes, due to the risk inherent in futures trading, all clients who wish to open a margin account must have appropriate experience in trading securities.

Employer/occupation details

Institutions must not only obtain certainty about the person and address of the authorized signatory and record the relevant information in a suitable form, but also query and check indications of potential money laundering risks as part of the due diligence obligations imposed by the Money Laundering Act. For example, there is an obligation to query the status of "Politically Exposed Person" (PEP), which is done on the basis of the employer/occupation query.

Any ambiguities when filling out the application?

When filling out the online application, please make sure that you do not use umlauts (ä, ö, ü or ß) or accents (é etc.).
If you have any questions while filling out the form, please do not hesitate to contact us. If you have any questions during the application process, you can reach us by calling 0049 (0) 211 740786 00 or via live chat on this page.

Email:

info@captrader.com

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Phone:

Hotline (Germany)
0800-8723370

Hotline (International)
00800-08723370

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