BBAE has updated its user rewards. The threshold for the new-user bonus is now higher, but the $50 bonus applied through our channel has not changed. Users who registered earlier will be calculated under the previous rules (check the coupon in your own benefits section for details).

BBAE currently has a new-user deposit bonus, with up to $400 available. In addition, there is a channel referral bonus that can be stacked for an extra $50. Asset transfers also come with a $150 subsidy. See the details below. Opening a BBAE account does not require an SSN/ITIN; you can open an account with a Chinese ID card, which is very convenient. (Submitting the application requires a non-Mainland China IP address.)

  • BBAE signup link (register through the link, or download the app yourself and enter invite code stic4skdx)

After registration, you will automatically receive three coupons that can be used directly. The three bonuses of $400+$50+$150 can be stacked, but make sure to pay attention to the specific requirements for each bonus. In my view, the best value is depositing $2,000 to get a $50 bonus.

[First tier: New-user bonus] The tiers are below. You need to complete the required cumulative net deposits within 90 days after registration. Once you meet a tier, the reward will be issued automatically.

  • Cumulative net deposits of $5,000 – $19,999: $20 cash bonus
  • Cumulative net deposits of $20,000 – $499,999: $60 cash bonus
  • Cumulative net deposits of $50,000 – $99,999: $150 cash bonus
  • Cumulative net deposits of $100,000+: $400 cash bonus

[Second tier: Exclusive referral bonus] Register for BBAE through our exclusive link now to get an extra $50 bonus.

  • Make a one-time deposit of $2,000 and get an extra $50 bonus. You need to make one deposit of $2,000+ via ACH or wire within 90 days after registration (it does not have to be your first deposit).

[Third tier: Deposit/asset-transfer bonus] New users can also get additional rewards for deposits or asset transfers, with up to $150 extra. These three subsidies can only be redeemed once. This subsidy can be stacked with the new-user $400 bonus and our $50 channel bonus. Details are as follows:

  • International wire deposit of $5,000 or more: $30 subsidy
  • Domestic (within the U.S.) wire deposit of $5,000 or more: $10 subsidy
  • Asset transfer of $10,000 or more: $150 subsidy

Also, if you plan to make a large first deposit, you may want to consider the other exclusive bonus below, which has a higher cap. New accounts and account transfers are both eligible.

  • When registering, enter referral code stestu867.
  • If your first deposit meets the requirement, you can get up to a $100 bonus. After 90 days from registration, your first net deposit of $2,500 – $9,999 earns a $10 bonus; $10,000 – $49,999 earns $25; $50,000 – $99,999 earns $50; $100,000 – $499,999 earns $75; $500,000+ earns $100. You can only redeem one tier, and the coupon disappears once you qualify.

About BBAE Beibei

BBAE Beibei is a U.S.-based brokerage managed and operated by BBAE Holdings LLC, with two subsidiaries: Redbridge Securities LLC and BBAE Advisors LLC. Redbridge Securities LLC is registered with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC) in the United States. It is the sole provider of all securities and investment opportunities on the BBAE platform. It operates on a fully self-directed basis, so there is no upstream channel; instead, customer order flow is sent directly to the trading venue.

In fact, the most important thing when choosing a brokerage is compliance. As a U.S.-based broker, BBAE has fairly complete qualifications, and at the moment relatively few brokerages offer advisory services, or they set relatively high barriers. BBAE is more friendly to beginners. BBAE has also recently launched a web platform, so there is no need to download software. Just enter the URL directly in your browser: https://trading.bbae.com/zh-CN/trends. Use the QR-code scan function in the mobile app to log in directly, and you can trade stocks. The next web release will also add options trading.

Unlike U.S. brokerages such as Interactive Brokers, BBAE has set up a mainland China dedicated line, so when you go back to China during holidays, using a mainland network for registration and trading is smooth. You do not need to worry about IP changes causing your account to be restricted. Also, if you use the China App Store, you can download BBAE directly; the U.S. App Store version is BBAE Pro.

BBAE's advantages are summarized below:

  • No SSN or ITIN required to register and claim the bonus
  • Lifetime commission-free trading and no platform fee (options have fees; platform fees will apply after 2026.7.1)
  • Direct U.S. dedicated-line connection, smooth app experience
  • Chinese interface, good user experience
  • Supports spot Bitcoin ETF purchases
  • Fast account opening process
  • Low-minimum advisory services
  • Free real-time quotes (for accounts with balances above $200)
  • Dedicated Chinese-speaking customer service manager

Account-opening bonus

BBAE now offers a new-user deposit bonus, with a maximum of $400. In addition, there is a referral bonus that can be stacked, for an additional $50-$100 at most. See the top of the article for details.

  • BBAE sign-up link (register through the link, or download the app yourself and enter referral code stic4skdx)

Exclusive group

If you open a BBAE account through our site link, you can also join our exclusive BBAE group, where a dedicated senior customer service manager will handle questions and help solve issues. You need to register and complete a $2,000 deposit before you can join. Contact the Meika 101 assistant for details.

Account opening process

You can register through the link below, or download BBAE or BBAE Pro yourself and enter referral code stic4skdx.

The steps are as follows:

  • Open the BBAE app, tap "Register", choose "I have a referral code", and enter referral code stic4skdx
  • Fill in your personal information, including your pinyin name, detailed address, marital status, number of dependents, and occupation (for record-keeping only; nothing will be mailed and no verification will be performed)
  • Complete identity verification and risk disclosure
  • Confirm the investment overview and account-opening information; non-professional investors should choose "No"
  • Complete the Market Data Agreement and the Application Agreement
  • Upload the front and back of your ID card and complete the pinyin signature to submit
  • Note: if you submit using a China IP, you may see a message saying service is not available. Just switch to an IP from another country or region using a VPN and submit again

Note: if you register with a Chinese identity, you can enter your ID card, full Chinese identity information, and a Chinese address. If you register with a U.S. identity, you need to provide your SSN/ITIN and U.S. address. At the moment, they do not require proof of address or additional identity verification.

Note: if you use a China IP and an ID card, a pop-up will appear when you submit the application saying that account opening is unavailable. Just switch to another IP and submit again. After that, use is not restricted by IP. If you are using a foreign identity, there is no IP restriction.

For detailed steps, see the official summary on the website; it is very detailed.

Account approval usually takes 1-2 business days. You will receive an email once it is approved.

Account types and funding

Account type selection

Choose a margin account (a financing and securities-lending account), which supports advanced account features and margin borrowing/lending capabilities. For citizenship, choose Mainland China or your actual country/region.

Funding methods

Three funding methods are supported:

  • ACH funding (U.S. banks/Wise): free, fastest
  • Wire transfer (non-U.S. banks): fee of $1-$30; a deposit of $3,100 or more is recommended
  • Multi-currency funding: Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Mexico, Colombia, and more; minimum $50

BBAE now supports Plaid funding, which is much faster. We recommend everyone use this method! If you link your bank account through Plaid, the full deposit amount can be used immediately as instant buying power.

Wire funding process

For wire funding through a Hong Kong card or a non-U.S. bank, funds usually arrive in 1-2 business days. Be sure to transfer from an account under your own name.

  • Receiving bank name: BMO Harris Bank
  • Bank address: 111 West Monroe St., Chicago, IL 60603
  • ABA: 071000288
  • SWIFT: HATRUS44 or HATRUS44XXX
  • Receiving account: Apex Clearing Corporation and BBAE account number (example: 7XJ12345)
  • Beneficiary address: One Dallas Center, 350 N. St. Paul, Suite 1300, Dallas, TX 75201
  • Memo: your name and BBAE account number

For deposit tutorials for specific banks, see the official document below.

Fees

BBAE's fees are shown below. Small trades have relatively higher costs, so try not to make frequent small trades.

BBAE APP

BBAE's app is called BBAE. After you finish opening an account, you can tap the corresponding app store for your phone system on the page to download it. If you download it in Mainland China, it will be BBAE. BBAE has a dedicated line in Mainland China that connects directly to the U.S., so everyday app trading and other functions are relatively smooth; if you download it overseas, it will be BBAE Pro, which uses a different line from the one in Mainland China. So in practice there is not much difference between the two. The region matches the line, making trading smoother and avoiding issues like those with Interactive Brokers, where connections can often fail. One thing to note is that if you use BBAE Pro, linking a bank account for ACH funding supports instant-transfer linking, while BBAE uses micro-deposit verification. Of course, it also depends on the bank; if a bank does not support instant linking, you can only use micro-deposit verification.

Alternative Investments and Pre‑IPO Features

Another feature of BBAE is that it offers Pre-IPO

  • Alternative investments: investments other than stocks and bonds, such as private equity, Pre‑IPO, venture capital, and real estate. These are characterized by high risk, low liquidity, long lock-up periods, and limited disclosure.
  • Investment objectives: diversify a portfolio, pursue high returns, access unique opportunities, and hedge against inflation.
  • Pre‑IPO: investing in equity of unlisted companies, with potentially high returns but possible loss of principal.

Investment process:

  • Submit an IOI (non-binding indication of interest)
  • Read the offering documents
  • Sign the subscription agreement (funds are frozen)
  • Invest through a pooled SPV

Risks and restrictions:

  • Low liquidity and long cycles
  • Opaque valuations and possible total loss of principal
  • Not protected by FDIC/SIPC
  • Investors must complete a suitability questionnaire and meet the project’s minimum investment threshold

For more details, see

My Thoughts

Although BBAE is not as large as Moomoo, TradeUP, or Webull, it focuses more on the Chinese-speaking market and does a pretty good job supporting Chinese-language pages and Chinese users. It also does not require SSN or ITIN for account opening, which is very friendly for ordinary international students; you only need an ID card to open an account. In addition, it does not require the usually troublesome proof of address or visa proof, so the overall account-opening process is quite smooth. The current account-opening bonus is also pretty good, so if you have spare cash, you can take advantage of the bonus and try out their platform and trading.

Stock Basics

Below are introductions and sign-up bonuses for several commonly used U.S. stock brokerages.

Review Sign-up bonus Quick take
Moomoo (Futu) $200 stock card + $1,000 NVDA + 8.1% APY Feature-rich, with a good Chinese-language experience. Market data, Level 2, options, and cash management are all practical, making it suitable for everyone from beginners to active traders.
TradeUp (Tiger Brokers) 50 NVDA shares + chance to win 5 shares + 4% for three months Good for active trading. Trading fees and margin are relatively competitive for U.S. tax residents, and it supports Web Trading, Level 2, and Chinese-language customer service.
Webull 12 fractional shares + 1 month of Premium membership Strong market-monitoring and active-trading features, with relatively complete charts, technical indicators, options, and pre-market/after-hours trading. Best for users who trade frequently.
BBAE Up to $650 bonus Relatively convenient account opening for Chinese users, and you can apply without an SSN/ITIN. Chinese-language support is good, but there is currently a Platform Fee, so it is not ideal for small-balance high-frequency trading.
Robinhood Chance to get 1 stock Simple interface and easy to use, suitable for beginners buying U.S. stocks for the first time. Gold users also get a high yield on idle cash and a lower Margin Rate.
Interactive Brokers Up to $1,000 Highly professional, with support for global markets and multiple currencies. Margin costs are competitive, and it also supports account opening for Chinese residents, making it suitable for advanced and global investors.
TradeStation $250 Geared more toward professional and active trading, with strong advanced charting, strategy backtesting, and automated trading features. Ordinary long-term investors may not need it.
Schwab Up to $1,000 Good for long-term investing and larger asset balances, and convenient for buying ETFs and CDs. Checking and worldwide ATMs are also strengths, but the default interest rate on idle cash is relatively low.
Fidelity brokerage account Sign-up link A long-established full-service brokerage, suitable for long-term investing, ETFs, and retirement accounts. Cash management is also solid, making it a good primary brokerage for the long run.
BIT (formerly Matrixport) Deposit and trade to get $210 Suitable for Chinese users and digital-asset users. You can use funds such as USDT/USDC to allocate to U.S. stocks. It is not a traditional U.S. brokerage, so fees and the asset custody structure need to be reviewed separately.
SoFi Invest Open an account to get $75 Simple to use and supports Stock Bits, making it suitable for small-balance and long-term investing. Professional market data and trading tools are limited, so it is not suitable for frequent trading.
M1 Finance Invest Deposit money to get $10 Focuses on Pies and automated investing. It is suitable for long-term recurring investments after setting your stock and ETF allocations, but not for users whose main focus is active trading.

If you do not have an SSN/ITIN but still want to trade U.S. stocks, you can consider the brokerages/platforms below. They can be registered entirely with Chinese documents, using either an ID card or passport. None participate in China's CRS.

  • BBAE: Chinese-user-friendly; you can open an account without an SSN/ITIN.
  • BIT (formerly Matrixport): You can open an account with an ID card, and approval can take just a few hours.
  • Bitget platform: Identity verification can be completed with an ID card or Chinese passport.

If you are in mainland China and want to invest in U.S. stocks, see this summary:

Referral Link

Right now BBAE has a new-user deposit bonus, with up to $400 available. In addition, there is a referral bonus that can be stacked, for up to $100.

  • BBAE referral link (register through the link, or download the app yourself and enter invitation code stic4skdx)