Investing from within Taiwan

[Yeezy]

I'm having a hard time nailing down all the best answers for Taiwan; hoping to learn from your experience.

What's the most cost/tax efficient way to start investing in funds/stocks?
Open a bank account and do everything from within Taiwan? I'm keeping minimal ties with my home country for tax reasons.
Then use a local brokerage? Are there decent online options? What are the taxes on gains? And importantly, do I have to declare those gains alongside my income? I really don't want to be put into a higher bracket.

Thanks for the input.

[mukashi]

I am wondering about this too... I am sure somewhere here this questions where answered, but can't find it.

Recently I went to CitiBank here to ask about option of buying funds/stocks as a foreigner. the lady said it's possible but difficult and she wouldn't suggest me to do so. I gave up... still... I'd like to save/invest some money, and since I live and work here (an am not married to a Taiwanese) I have no idea how to start, where to go and ask or anything... any experience?

[Charlie Phillips]

I am wondering about this too... I am sure somewhere here this questions where answered, but can't find it.

Recently I went to CitiBank here to ask about option of buying funds/stocks as a foreigner. the lady said it's possible but difficult and she wouldn't suggest me to do so. I gave up... still... I'd like to save/invest some money, and since I live and work here (an am not married to a Taiwanese) I have no idea how to start, where to go and ask or anything... any experience?

The lady is talking bullshit about something she doesn't understand anything about. It's quite common here.

Go to HSBC.

[GuyInTaiwan]

The problem you're going to have is being able to actually analyse the companies. Many probably aren't particularly transparent. Those that are possibly use different accounting rules anyway. Then there's getting your hands on the financial documents for companies. Then there's that little inconvenience of them probably being entirely in Chinese (financial English is a whole other beast to normal English, so I imagine it financial Chinese would be hard even for most native speakers). Maybe it's possible to get all that in English, but I wouldn't count on it, and it seems like there could be all sorts of pitfalls in investing here.

[Charlie Phillips]

There's no need to assume that the OP wants to invest in local stocks/funds. The OP wants to invest FROM here and there's no problem in that respect.

[mukashi]

It's true, I was thinking to invest in the companies that keep English portfolios. I did study a little about finance in Taiwanese university here, I have a Taiwanese bf who could help me with some translations, but mostly the overseas companies would be a target. I have a certain industry in mind.

Seems the problem was the Citi bank online system for investors is all in Chinese, not the whole data even.

Other than banks, are there any companies helping you to invest? that will take over some of the procedures and thinking even, and at some risk level plan investment for you? Not sure how to explain in better,we have this kind of service companies in Europe.

[GuyInTaiwan]

Why not just set up a brokerage account abroad?

[mukashi]

Why not just set up a brokerage account abroad?

Does that not require keeping an account/money abroad?

I am not thinking of investing big money, so I think the transactions cost between Taiwan and abroad would be too costly.

[Abacus]

If you make lump sum deposits the transactions aren't that expensive (400NT plus 0.6ish %). If you want to put in 3000NT every month or move money back and forth then transaction costs will be very expensive.

[mukashi]

If you make lump sum deposits the transactions aren't that expensive (400NT plus 0.6ish %). If you want to put in 3000NT every month or move money back and forth then transaction costs will be very expensive.

Well, I am kind of thinking of the second option, to help me save monthly.

I am thinking to take off one day and visit HSBC (because of course Taiwanese banking hours are ridiculous... and I work in a total countryside, so can't even go in the lunch break :/)