【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

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 Market Basics

Here are some popular U.S. stock brokerages and their account-opening bonuses:

Overview Sign-Up Bonus Quick Take
Moomoo $200 in stock vouchers + $1,000 in Anthropic stock + 8.1% APY Feature-rich with a strong Chinese-language experience. Its market data, Level 2 quotes, options, and cash management features are useful for everyone from beginners to active traders.
TradeUp 50 shares of NVDA + a chance to win 5 shares + 4% for three months Well suited to active trading, with competitive trading fees and margin rates for U.S. tax residents. It supports Web Trading and Level 2 quotes and offers Chinese-language customer service.
Webull 12 fractional shares + one month of Premium membership Strong charting and active-trading features, including technical indicators, options, and premarket and after-hours trading. A good fit for frequent traders.
BBAE Up to $650 in rewards Convenient for Chinese users to open an account; applications are accepted without an SSN or ITIN. It offers good Chinese-language support, but currently charges a platform fee, making it less suitable for frequent trading with small amounts.
Robinhood A chance to win 1 share of stock Its simple interface is easy to use, making it suitable for first-time U.S. stock investors. Gold members also get a higher yield on uninvested cash and lower margin rates.
Interactive Brokers Up to $1,000 A highly capable broker with access to global markets and multiple currencies. Its margin costs are competitive, and Chinese residents can also open accounts. A good fit for experienced investors and those investing globally.
TradeStation $250 Geared toward professional and active traders, with powerful advanced charting, strategy backtesting, and automated trading tools. Most long-term investors may not need these features.
Schwab Up to $1,000 Well suited to long-term investing and larger portfolios, with convenient access to ETFs and CDs. Checking accounts and global ATM access are also advantages, but the default yield on uninvested cash is relatively low.
Fidelity Account opening link A long-established full-service brokerage suited to long-term investing, ETFs, and retirement accounts. It also offers good cash management, making it a solid choice as a primary long-term brokerage.
BIT (formerly Matrixport) Earn $210 by depositing and trading Suitable for Chinese users and digital asset investors. You can use funds such as USDT and USDC to invest in U.S. stocks. It is not a traditional U.S. brokerage, so review its fees and asset custody structure separately.
SoFi Invest $75 for opening an account Easy to use and supports Stock Bits, making it suitable for small investments and long-term investing. It has fewer advanced market data and trading tools, so it is not ideal for frequent trading.
M1 Finance Get $10 when you deposit Focused on Pies and automated investing. It is well suited to setting a stock and ETF allocation and investing regularly over the long term, but not to active trading.

If you don’t have an SSN or ITIN but still want to invest in U.S. stocks, consider the brokerages and platforms below. They accept a full set of Chinese documents, and you can register with a national ID card or passport. None participates in China’s CRS.

  • BBAE: Welcoming to Chinese users; no SSN or ITIN required to open an account
  • BIT (formerly Matrixport): Open an account with a national ID card; approval can take just a few hours.
  • Bitget: Complete identity verification with a national ID card or Chinese passport

If you’re in China and want to invest in U.S. stocks, see this overview:

Application Link