CDP vs Custodian Account? Which Should I Use and Why? (2024)

CDP vs Custodian Account? Which Should I Use and Why? (1)

Beginner InvestingInvestments

Cherie Tan

Note: We do not do sponsored content, so all opinions are of our own.

I am personally using DBS Vickers because the brokerage fees are competitive, but I was considering using Standard Chartered (SC) because ithas lower brokerage fees.

Editors Note: I made my comparison with the help of this Seedly article; hopefully, this will help you too.

With my understanding, the DBS Vickers holds my holdings in the Central Depositary account (CDP), whereas SC holds my holdings in their Custodian account. So…what’s the difference, you may ask?

We have also been getting the same few questions on our #SeedlyQnA.

What is the difference between a CDP account and a Custodian account?

  • Why do I need them?
  • What is a CDP account? Pros and Cons
  • What is a Custodian account? Pros and Cons
  • Which should I use?

Why do I need a CDP/ Custodian account?

  • What do they do?
  • And what are their features?

These were the first questions that popped up in my head when I received the letter that I had successfully opened a CDP account. (I should have done better research)

Simply put, it is where you hold your stocks at. Now that we are in this digital realm, we no longer receive paper certificates of ownership, as it is held electronically.

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What is a CDP account?

CDP vs Custodian Account? Which Should I Use and Why? (3)

The Central Depository account is a depository account that provides clearing, settlement and depository facilities for investors in Singapore. There are some costs that will incur for using the CDP, like brokerage fees, clearing fees, SGX trading fees.

  • Clearing fee: Paid to CDP for completing your transactions using their facilities
  • SGX Trading fee

Pros of CDP

CDP vs Custodian Account? Which Should I Use and Why? (4)

Stocks are purchased in your name. In other words, you are the legal owner of the stock and a shareholder of the company.

  • You will be invited to attend their Annual General Meetings (AGM), or makan sessions as some call it; and
  • You will be entitled to voting rights; and
  • You will receive the company’s annual reports; and
  • You will be notified of any announcements or actions made by the company (Rights Issue, Share buyback etc.)
  • Your stock is centralised in Singapore. Thus, you are able to use different brokerages. For example, you are able to buy a stock at DBS Vickers and go into UOB Kay Hian to sell that stock.

Cons of CDP

  • Clearing Fee (CDP imposed): 0.0325%
  • SGX Trading Fee: 0.0075%
  • A bit more costly as CDP charges brokerages a brokerage fee for using its services

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What is a Custodian account?

CDP vs Custodian Account? Which Should I Use and Why? (5)

Apart from holding your stock in the CDP account, you may have your stocks held with the brokerage that you use.

This means the stocks that you have purchased are held in custody. Note that all of the Robo-advisors are using custodian accounts for now.

Pros of Custodian

  • Lower brokerage fee: Holding your stock in their custody saves them from brokerage charges that CDP would impose for using CDP’s facilities. This enables them to offer competitive brokerage prices
  • They will cover you if you accidentally short-sell but at a fee
  • More Privacy
  • Your stocks are purchased through the nominee account, which is not under your name.

Cons of Custodian

CDP vs Custodian Account? Which Should I Use and Why? (6)

  • Stock purchases are not under your name, but your stock is held under a trust.
  • Because it is not purchased under your name, you are not a shareholder. So you will not be allowed to do anything a shareholder is able to.
    (Attend AGMs, voting rights, receive annual reports etc.) You can still attend AGMs held by the company. However, there are only limited available seats given to the Custodian, and the procedure itself is tedious
  • You will not be notified of any right issues or share buyback, or any announcements or actions made by the company
  • Many ‘hidden’ fees (Custody fees and Transfer fees).

CDP vs Custodian Account? Which Should I Use and Why? (7)

Custody Fee

A custody fee is an amount that you pay to the Custodian for holding your stock.

Here are the fees that I have gathered from the respective Custodians:

BrokerageCustody Fees
Standard CharteredNo Custody fees
SAXO Capital0.12% p.a. with a monthly min. fee of SGD 5 or equivalent
+ USD 5 per month (if SGX stocks are held or traded)
Citibank0.02% of your monthly average stockholding balance
(capped at SGD100 every 6 months)
FSMYearly management fee: 0.35%-0.50% +
Quarterly platform fee: 0.05%-0.1% for bonds but 0% for ETFs or stocks.

Transfer Fee

Transfer fees are imposed if you have bought stocks with a Custodian and you wish to transfer your shares out from the Custodian account to your CDP account.

For example, Standard Chartered Bank charges S$10 per counter per 1000 to transfer your stock from SCB to CDP.

These are the other miscellaneous fees that you should take note of that might erode your returns, and it is also why they are able to offer such competitive prices.

In this table, you can see the difference between having your stocks held in CDP vs the Custodian account:

Stock Brokerage/ Trading platforms (online) Fees Comparison in Singapore

Brokerages FirmMinimum Fees
(SGD)
Trading Fees (based on contract amount)
(SGD)
Up to $50,000 $50K to $100K $100K
Stock Holding: CDP
KGI Securities
(formerly AmFraser)
$250.275%0.22%0.18%
CGS-CIMB Securities$250.275%0.22%0.18%
DBS Vickers$250.28%0.22%0.18%
Maybank Kim Eng$250.275%0.22%0.18%
Lim & Tan Securities$250.28%0.22%0.18%
Phillips Securities (Poems)$250.28%0.22%0.18%
OCBC Securities$250.275%0.22%0.18%
UOB KayHian$250.275%0.22%0.20%
RHB Securities
(formerly DMG)
$250.275%0.22%0.18%
Stock Holding: Custodian
FSMOne.com$100.08%
Citibank$280.25%0.20%0.18%
Standard Chartered$100.20%
Saxo Capital Markets$50.08%

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What happens if the Custodian goes bankrupt?

CDP vs Custodian Account? Which Should I Use and Why? (8)

If my stock isn’t held under my name? What happens if they go bankrupt?

Since your stocks are held in trust, if the Custodian goes bankrupt, your stock would most likely be unscathed. But in some cases, it might take a while before your stock returns to your ownership.

It is quite a risk to take, so do only go to a custodian that you know has a reputable backing (but sometimes, our judgment may fail us. Sigh.)

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Which is better? And when should you use one over the other?

CDP vs Custodian Account? Which Should I Use and Why? (9)

Apart from my own research, I sought advice from the #SeedlyCommunity to see when I should choose a Custodian account over the CDP account.

This is what our #SeedlyCommunity thinks:

Hua WeiI’d rather pay more to own the shares outright in CDP. As your portfolio increases in value, you will realise these fees savings are not that important unless you are a low-value, high-frequency trader.

Kenichi XiSC is for small purchases and is not recommended for traders who want to make a fast trade (fast in, fast out). For ppl who invest, SC lowers the expenses, but it will cost you more when you decide to transfer your holdings to a CDP account, be it your own or inheritance to others. In short, use SC for short-term investment and CDP for long-term investment.

Gabriel Tham (cont. from Kenichi Xi)I also suggest overseas stock use SC cos other banks charge monthly custodian charges.

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CDP vs Custodian Account? Which Should I Use and Why? (10)

At the end of all theseefforts, I would go with openingan SCB brokerage account, however, not to replace my DBS Vickers account but to supplement it for trades at a higher frequency. My Vickers account would still hold for more long-term investment. What do you think?

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CDP vs Custodian Account? Which Should I Use and Why? (11)

About Cherie Tan

Turning finance into boba-sized pieces. One iced milk boba tea, please!

You can contribute your thoughts like Cherie Tan here.

CDP vs Custodian Account? Which Should I Use and Why? (2024)

FAQs

Is CDP or custodian better? ›

A custodian account is typically cheaper when compared to a CDP account. The main reason is that you are required to trade using the same brokerage account. This restriction reassures brokerage firms that you will use their services again in the future once you made an initial investment.

What is the difference between custodian and CDP account? ›

The key distinction between a CDP account and a custodian account lies in ownership. In a CDP account, the stocks are held directly under your name, giving you direct ownership and associated rights. In a custodian account, your stocks are held through the broker. You own the shares directly.

What is the advantage of CDP account? ›

One of the major benefits of a CDP is the ability to combine data from every touchpoint and use it to dynamically create experiences that match a customer's needs and behaviors. CDPs use actionable customer insights to activate experiences across relevant channels such as mobile, web, email, and social media.

Is CDP account necessary? ›

To start trading, you will need a Trading Account with a broker and a CDP Securities Account. Singaporeans/PRs may apply for your Individual CDP Securities Account using Myinfo.

Which trading account is best? ›

List of 10 Best Demat Accounts in India [Updated 2023] – Detailed Overview
  • Axis Direct Demat Account. ...
  • SAS Online. ...
  • SBICAP Securities Demat Account. ...
  • ICICI Direct Demat Account. ...
  • Kotak Securities Demat Account. ...
  • HDFC Securities Demat Account. ...
  • Zerodha Demat Account. ...
  • Upstox Demat Account.
Apr 12, 2023

What are the advantages of custodian services? ›

The main purpose behind availing of a custodial service is the safekeeping of financial products. It reduces the risk of theft or compromise of these products. Investment service providers like mutual funds, depository institutions, etc., keep the accounts created with them under custody.

Why are custodial accounts good? ›

Custodial accounts have enormous flexibility with no income or contribution limits, or withdrawal penalties. Custodial accounts do not require distributions at any point. Gifts to a custodial account are irrevocable, which means that they can't be adjusted or reversed.

What are the cons of a custodial account? ›

The chief disadvantage is that custodians lose control of the money once the minor reaches the age of majority. Having custodial accounts can also negatively affect the financial aid prospects of a child.

Are custodial accounts worth it? ›

A custodial account can be a great way to save up money for your child's future. A custodial account provides a lot of flexibility for how you want to invest and use the funds as opposed to a 529 account which has specific rules around how you can spend the money.

What is the disadvantage of CDP? ›

Disadvantages of Continuous Data Protection
  • Higher cost for high performance. CDP requires fast disk drive to offer fast performance. ...
  • Single point of failure. Commonly, CDP involves the use of server to save data. ...
  • Increases load on data resources.
Oct 24, 2022

What is the downside of CDP? ›

It's time-consuming and interrupts marketing automation on several levels. The requirement to consistently update the CDP yourself is a major downfall to consider before adopting this strategy.

Which CDP to choose? ›

To choose the right CDP, you need to define your use cases ahead of time. Take some time to think about what you want your CDP to help with. Then, talk to the other stakeholders about their ideal use cases. From there, try to identify three or fewer ideal use cases.

Do I need a CDP account to buy T bills? ›

Using Cash to invest in T-bills

You will also need an individual CDP account with Direct Crediting Services activated. This allows payments to be credited directly into your bank account. You cannot buy T-bills with a joint CDP account. However, you can pay for the application from a joint bank account.

Can CDP account be linked to multiple bank accounts? ›

Yes. Please ensure your particulars such as your name and identification number associated with the bank account matches the particulars provided in the CDP application in order for the Direct Crediting Service to be set up.

Is CDP account tied to a bank? ›

Under this same section, you can also find the details of the account that is linked to your CDP under the Direct Crediting Service (DCS). This is the bank account that your dividends will be paid to. Lastly, you can also turn on the notifications to receive updates from CDP via SMS or email.

What broker do most traders use? ›

Some traders only trade stocks and ETFs, others trade stocks and options, and some of the most fearless and well-capitalized might trade futures. In our 2023 Stockbroker Review, we found the five best platforms for day trading were Interactive Brokers, TD Ameritrade, tastytrade, TradeStation, and Fidelity.

What are the 3 types of brokerage accounts? ›

The basic types of brokerage accounts
  • A standard brokerage account is the most common. ...
  • A margin account is a special subset of a standard account. ...
  • A retirement account is a brokerage account that has special tax status, with money growing in the account tax-free.
Aug 26, 2022

What is the safest trading method? ›

Two of the safest options strategies are selling covered calls and selling cash-covered puts.

What is the risk of custodian? ›

custody risk means the risk of loss in the process of rendering custodial services.

Do I need a custodian? ›

It depends on your assets, the type of investments you want to make, and how much risk you take. A custodian will likely be required if you invest in stocks, bonds, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), or other registered securities.

What is the primary purpose of a custodian? ›

Custodians keep the building and grounds clean and neat, in a safe manner that meets company standards. They use cleaning chemicals to maintain equipment and other supplies while dusting, vacuuming, mopping and cleaning restrooms.

Why do banks use custodians? ›

A custodian bank is a financial institution that holds customers' securities for safekeeping to prevent them from being stolen or lost. The custodian may hold stocks, bonds, or other assets in electronic or physical form on behalf of its customers.

Who pays taxes on custodial accounts? ›

How Do Taxes Work with a Custodial Account? The child beneficiary technically owns the custodial account — not the custodian. It's the beneficiary's Social Security number that is attached to the account. Thus, the child is the one who technically needs to pay taxes.

Why do banks need a custodian? ›

Services provided by a bank custodian are typically the settlement, safekeeping, and reporting of customers' marketable securities and cash. A custody relationship is contractual, and services performed for a customer may vary.

Who owns the money in a custodial account? ›

In most cases, it's a brokerage account or savings account that an adult controls for a child under the age of 18. Once the child is of age, he or she assumes ownership and can control the account how he or she wishes. One of the most common types of custodial accounts is a Coverdell Education Savings Account (ESA).

Do you pay taxes on custodial accounts? ›

A portion (up to $1,250 in 2023) of any earnings from a custodial account may be exempt from federal income tax, and a portion (up to $1,250 in 2023) of any earnings in excess of the exempt amount may be taxed at the child's tax rate, which is generally lower than the parent's tax rate.

Can you make withdrawals from a custodial account? ›

While you can technically withdraw money from a custodial account before your child reaches the age of majority, you can only do so for the direct benefit of the child. That means any purchases must be to help your child, like buying new school clothes or braces.

What is the best broker for custodial accounts? ›

Fidelity is our pick for the best online broker, which means it's also an outstanding choice for a custodial account. This financial industry stalwart is very well regarded for low fees, stellar customer service and in-depth research resources, as well as a vast range of investment options.

Can a custodian withdraw money from a custodial account? ›

As the custodian, you can withdraw money from a custodial account if you need to use it to pay for something that will benefit the minor. You can't take the money back yourself, or give it to someone else.

What is better 529 or custodial account? ›

In general, it's likely better to give money to people using custodial accounts because it's a gift that comes with no restrictions or strings attached. The heavy restrictions of a 529 are only worth dealing with if the tax benefits are very high and you're certain that the recipient will use the money for education.

Why would you disable CDP? ›

These commands are done at global configuration. A reason you would maybe want to disable CDP is it can be seen as a security concern. If you're in a highly secure environment, such as in a bank, you don't want people to be able to see what devices are plugged in there so you could disable CDP.

Is CDP a security risk? ›

CDP Security Issues

The CDP spoofing attack is one of the most common methods cybercriminals use to attack networks. CDP spoofing is the creation of forged packets to impersonate other network devices. This attack is a type of Denial-of-Service (DoS) attack that is used to overwhelm connected devices using CDP.

Is CDP vulnerable? ›

CDPwn is a series of vulnerabilities in Cisco Discovery Protocol due to improper validation of Cisco Discovery Protocol messages. By sending a specially crafted packet to a vulnerable device, an unauthenticated, adjacent attacker could achieve remote code execution or create a denial of service condition.

Why do companies use CDP? ›

CDP is a popular voluntary reporting framework that companies use to disclose environmental information to their stakeholders (investors, employees and customers). Reporting is completed on an annual basis, with the portal opening in April every year and submissions due in July.

What is the future of CDP? ›

A 2021 study by Fortune Business Insights even predicts that the CDP market will be worth over $5.5 billion by 2028, up from $942 million in 2020.

What is one major benefit of using a CDP in a company's marketing stack or strategy? ›

Using predictive insights, a CDP gives brands the ability to identify high-value customers and serve up the most relevant, personalized customer experiences — the kind that differentiate your brand from the competition and increase customer retention, loyalty, and ultimately, CLV.

What are the four paths to CDP? ›

The four paths are In-place Upgrade, Side-car Migration, Rolling Side-car Migration, and Migrate to Public Cloud.

How many companies use a CDP? ›

Join the 13,000+ companies disclosing through CDP to gain competitive advantage, tackle environmental risks and find new opportunities.

Is Snowflake a CDP? ›

Snowflake and Customer Data Platforms

You can build your CDP on top of a cloud data platform, or you can buy an out-of-the-box CDP from providers such as Segment, Simon, and AgilOne.

What is the downside of buying T-bills? ›

The biggest downside of investing in T-bills is that you're going to get a lower rate of return compared to other investments, such as certificates of deposit, money market mutual funds, corporate bonds, or stocks. If you're looking to make some serious gains in your portfolio, T-bills aren't going to cut it.

What is the T-bill rate today? ›

Stats
Value from The Previous Market Day5.07%
Change from The Previous Market Day0.39%
Value from 1 Year Ago1.54%
Change from 1 Year Ago230.5%
FrequencyMarket Daily
4 more rows

Should I use a broker to buy T-bills? ›

Investors who wish to purchase T-bills for individual retirement accounts (IRA) accounts must go through their broker, as it is not possible to fund an IRA via TreasuryDirect. Investors can also buy T-bills in the secondary market, although purchasing new issues is generally a wiser option.

How do I transfer shares from custodian to CDP? ›

Complete the Request for Transfer of Securities Form available in the CDP Forms. Email the signed form with the required supporting documents to asksgx@sgx.com with the subject title: “Video Call Request - Share Transfer”. Note: Transfer fee of S$10.80 (inclusive of GST) per security per transfer request is payable.

Can I change bank account for CDP? ›

Individual and Joint-Alternate account holders can apply or change your DCS bank account details online through CDP Internet. Joint-And and Corporate Accounts can complete the Apply for CDP Services form and mail the signed form to CDP's address indicated on the form.

Can I convert my CDP account to a joint account? ›

Yes. However, the joint applicant must be above the age of 18 years old and both the main and joint applicants must first open a joint CDP account at Central Depository Pte Ltd (CDP). No joint application if you are below 18 years old.

Is Tiger brokers a CDP or custodian bank? ›

Is a Tiger Brokers Singapore account a custodian account? Yes, all accounts opened via Tiger Brokers Singapore are custodian accounts. Singapore's DBS Bank is the custodian bank for your funds when you invest in any of the trading products available on their platforms.

How much does it cost to open a CDP account? ›

Starting a CDP account is free – simply complete an online application form and have your account ready within 15 minutes.

What's the highest paying custodian job? ›

High Paying Custodian Jobs
  • Night Custodian. ...
  • Janitorial Worker. ...
  • Janitorial Cleaner. ...
  • Cleaning Crew Member. ...
  • Plant Custodian. ...
  • Office Cleaner. Salary range: $26,500-$33,000 per year. ...
  • Custodial Aide. Salary range: $30,000-$32,500 per year. ...
  • Storage Facility Housekeeper. Salary range: $28,000-$32,000 per year.

What is the highest a custodian can make? ›

How Much Do Custodian Jobs Pay per Hour?
Annual SalaryHourly Wage
Top Earners$36,500$18
75th Percentile$32,000$15
Average$28,328$14
25th Percentile$23,500$11

What is the difference between a CSD and a custodian? ›

Whereas depositories may manage portfolios and make decisions on behalf of a client, custodians execute the wishes of clients but do not make investment decisions on their behalf.

What state pays the most to custodians? ›

Highest paying cities for Custodians near United States
  • New York, NY. $18.41 per hour. 131 salaries reported.
  • Brooklyn, NY. $18.19 per hour. 67 salaries reported.
  • Los Angeles, CA. $17.91 per hour. 173 salaries reported.
  • Chicago, IL. $16.61 per hour. 202 salaries reported.
  • Detroit, MI. $14.93 per hour. ...
  • Show more nearby cities.

Can a janitor make 6 figures? ›

It is rare for janitors to make six-figure salaries, as the average salary for a janitor in the United States is around $30,000 to $40,000 per year.

Who is the highest paid janitor? ›

Liang Zhao Zhang grossed $235,000 in 2015, more than four times his base salary of $57,945. Other pay and benefits brought Zhang to a total of $271,243, according to public compensation data released Tuesday by Transparent California.

Can you make a living as a custodian? ›

Some custodians can make around $40,000 a year. Salaries can vary somewhat depending on the level of experience.

What are the top skills for custodian? ›

Custodian Qualifications / Skills:
  • Knowledge of standard cleaning methods and procedures.
  • Ability to stand, walk, and bend for many hours.
  • Ability to perform repetitive motion for long periods of time.
  • Experience with using cleaning equipment, including vacuum cleaners, floor buffers, and cleaning solutions.

What are the risks of a custodian? ›

Custody risk is the risk of loss of securities held in custody occasioned by the insolvency, negligence or fraudulent action of a custodian or of a sub-custodian.

Can I buy stocks from CDP account? ›

Once you have set up an account with your preferred securities broking firm, they will link up your trading account to your CDP account. Once your trading account has been successfully linked (which may take up to two weeks), you will be able to start trading.

What is the world's largest custodian bank? ›

The below chart represents an in-depth overview of BNY Mellon's business segments. BNY Mellon is currently the world's largest custodian bank with over $43 trillion in assets under custody. Custodian banks are concerned with the protection of client assets.

What is the largest custodian bank? ›

BNY Mellon is the largest custodian bank in the world, with US$43 trillion assets under custody and US$1.9 trillion under management across 35 countries as of June 2022, according to its website.

Why do I need a custodian? ›

Often, a custodian bank does more than provide asset protection. It can manage customers' accounts and transactions, manage the settlement of financial transactions, account for the status of assets, and ensure compliance with tax regulations.

Who is a custodian and why do we need them? ›

A custodian, also known as a custodian bank, refers to a financial institution that holds the possession of customers' securities to reduce the possibility of theft or loss. The securities and other assets can be held in electronic or physical form.

What is an example of a custodian? ›

For example, a custodian of records refers to the finance department of a company. An individual might be put in charge of a school. Among various types, the most common example is an institution that safeguards physical assets.

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