【2025.10 Update】This account now has an extra bonus. If you have BofA Platinum Rewards, you can get up to $1,000 by using the link below.
This is a pretty good bonus, so we’ve also added it to our investment account rankings.
Deposit the required amount within 45 days of opening the account and keep it there for 90 days. The top tier is a $1,000 bonus for $250,000. The bonuses on the other tiers are also better than the standard offer, so it’s worth comparing them with the $600 promotion.
The standard account bonus is below. Simply meet the deposit requirement within 45 days to earn up to a $600 bonus!
Details are as follows:
- Deposit more than $20,000, get a $100 bonus
- Deposit more than $50,000, get a $150 bonus
- Deposit more than $100,000, get a $250 bonus
- Deposit more than $200,000, get a $600 bonus
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About Merrill Edge
Merrill Edge is the self-directed brokerage platform from Merrill Lynch / Bank of America, and it supports commission-free trading for most stocks and exchange-traded funds. One especially important point is that you do not need to invest the deposit right away, which helps avoid falling short of the required balance because of market fluctuations.
Opening Bonus
See the beginning of the article.
About Premium Accounts
If you deposit a larger amount, you can also qualify for Platinum Honors at Bank of America and enjoy benefits such as fee waivers.
Key Terms
- After opening the account, you must fund it with new assets within 45 days and maintain the balance for at least 90 days (assets transferred from Bank of America, MLPF&S, and 401(k) accounts do not count as eligible new assets).
- At account opening, you must enter promo code 600ME in the online application, or call 888.MER.EDGE (888.637.3343) to register with a Merrill Edge financial advisor.
- Each account holder is limited to one Cash Management Account and one IRA, for a maximum of two accounts in total. (If you can open both a Cash Management Account and an IRA, the deposit requirements can be tracked separately, so you may even be able to earn the opening bonus on both accounts.)
Fees
If you open a self-directed account, there is no monthly fee and no minimum investment requirement. Trading stocks and ETFs is free.
About Investment Accounts
Many investment and stock accounts now offer very high opening bonuses. You can pick a few good ones to open. These account openings do not affect your credit score, so you can safely open several if you want.
Stock Investing Basics
- Introduction to the basics of U.S. stocks
- U.S. Stock Basics: What Are ETF/ETN, and How to Buy and Invest in Them
- How to invest in Chinese concept stocks in the U.S.? (Using Moomoo as an example)
- How to invest in Hong Kong stocks from the U.S.
- Introduction to paper trading for U.S. stocks (2026 update)
- How beginners can pick U.S. stocks: a step-by-step guide!
- Side-by-side review of U.S. stock trading platforms: which one is the strongest?
- How to transfer stocks between investment platforms (ACATS)
- How should you file taxes on U.S. stock investing?
- Introduction to Chinese-owned brokerages in the U.S.
Below are a few commonly used U.S. stock brokerages and their signup bonuses
| Overview | Signup Bonus | Quick Take |
|---|---|---|
| Moomoo (Futu) | Get $1,030 in stock +8.1% APY | Professional, no commissions, and free Level 2 market data. Good for both beginners and advanced users. Chinese-language customer service available. Requires SSN |
| TradeUp (Tiger Brokers) | 50 shares of NVDA + chance to win 5 shares + 4% for three months | No commissions, supports U.S. and Hong Kong stocks, and offers WebTrading. Chinese-language customer service available. Available globally. |
| Webull | $100 Amazon +12 fractional shares +1 month of Premium membership | No commissions, with frequent deposit-for-stock promotions |
| BBAE | Up to $650 reward | 0 commission, 0 fees; Chinese-friendly, and you can open an account without SSN/ITIN |
| Robinhood | 1 free stock | No commissions, with an interest-bearing cash account. Simple interface that is beginner-friendly |
| Interactive Brokers | Up to $1,000 | Wide product coverage. Professional, comprehensive trading platform, and high cash interest rates. |
| TradeStation | $250 | Professional trading platform with a full set of supporting tools |
| Schwab | Up to $1,000 | Professional and easy to use. Global ATM fee-free withdrawals, and $0 stock commissions |
| Fidelity Brokerage Account | Sign-up link | Well-established brokerage, no trading fees, and TurboTax included |
| BIT (formerly Matrixport) | Deposit and trade to get $210 | Supports direct crypto deposits and withdrawals, no China CRS, and you can register directly with an ID card |
| SoFi Invest | Get $75 for opening an account | No commissions, supports Stock Bits |
| WealthFront | Manage up to $5,000 for free | Automated investing and wealth management |
| M1 Finance | Deposit funds and get $10 | No commissions, with automatic investing based on your portfolio |
If you do not have SSN/ITIN but still want to trade U.S. stocks, take a look at the brokerages/platforms below. All of them allow registration using a full set of Chinese documents, and you can sign up with just an ID card or passport. None of them participate in China CRS
- BBAE: Chinese-friendly; you can open an account without SSN/ITIN.
- BIT (formerly Matrixport): You can open an account with just an ID card, and approval can be completed within a few hours.
- Bitget: Identity verification can be completed with an ID card/Chinese passport.
If you want to invest in U.S. stocks from mainland China, see this summary
Application Link
- Merrill Edge Application Link (up to a $600 bonus)