CDS Account Malaysia 2026 — How to Open It

You cannot buy a single share on Bursa Malaysia without one. Here is what it is, the ~RM10 cost, how to open it in minutes — and the direct vs nominee difference that decides whether the shares are in your name.

Quick answer

A CDS account holds your Bursa Malaysia shares; a trading account buys them. You need both. It costs a one-time fee of about RM10, paid by FPX, and you can open it yourself in the Bursa Anywhere app using MyKad eKYC and a facial scan — usually approved within a few business days. The choice that actually matters is direct CDS vs nominee: a direct account puts the shares in your own name on the company's register, while a nominee account holds them under your broker's name. Moomoo, Rakuten Trade and M+ Global are nominee; Maybank, CIMB, RHB, Public Invest, CGS and M+ Online are direct.

Opening fee

~RM10

Required to buy shares

Yes

Open via

Bursa Anywhere

Approval

1–3 business days

Direct CDS vs Nominee Account — the Real Difference

This is the part most guides skip, and it is the one decision you cannot easily undo later. Both are legitimate and both are used by licensed brokers — they differ in whose name the shares sit under.

	Direct CDS	Nominee
Shares registered in	Your own name at Bursa Depository	The broker's nominee company
On the shareholder register	Yes	No — the nominee is
AGM attendance & voting	Directly	Via a proxy form from the broker
Annual report	Sent to you	Through the broker
IPO application	Through your bank's app	Through the broker's in-app IPO system
Corporate actions	You handle them	Broker handles them for you
Opening speed	Slower — often a bank process	Fast, fully online
Trading fees	Typically higher	Typically lower

Which should you pick?

For most retail investors the nominee model is the practical choice — it opens in minutes, costs less per trade, and the broker deals with corporate actions. Choose a direct CDS account if you specifically want your name on the shareholder register, intend to attend AGMs and vote, or want to apply for IPOs straight from your bank's app. You can also hold both, which is what many active investors do.

Which Malaysian Brokers Give Direct CDS vs Nominee?

Direct CDS (6)

Maybank Investment (M2U)Apply for IPOs straight from Maybank2u
CIMB (CIMB Clicks)IPO application via CIMB Clicks
RHBBank-backed, branch support
Public InvestBank-backed
CGSBank-backed
M+ OnlineDirect ownership with an online-broker fee level

Nominee (3)

Moomoo MYFully online signup, no minimum deposit, Bursa IPO access in-app
Rakuten TradeFully online signup
M+ GlobalGlobal markets; separate from M+ Online

Sources: Bursa Malaysia CDS account FAQs and the Bursa Anywhere FAQ; broker account-type models cross-checked against DollarsAndSense and Dividend Magic broker comparisons. Verified September 2026. Brokers do change model and fees — confirm on the broker's own page before opening.

How to Open a CDS Account — Bursa Anywhere, Step by Step

Download Bursa Anywhere — Bursa Malaysia's own app, on the App Store and Google Play.
Register and select “Open CDS Account”.
Choose your broker as agent. Every CDS account is tied to a broker, so decide direct vs nominee before this step.
Complete eKYC — photograph the front and back of your MyKad, then complete a facial-recognition scan.
Pay the ~RM10 fee by FPX from your bank account.
Wait for approval, normally one to a few business days, then fund your trading account and buy.

The alternative: let the broker do it

You do not have to use Bursa Anywhere. Applying directly with a broker opens the trading account and the CDS account together in one flow, which is usually simpler for a first account. Nominee brokers in particular handle the whole thing in-app with no separate Bursa Anywhere step.

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Who Can Open One, and What You Need

Age 18 and above

The standard minimum age to hold a CDS account in your own name.

MyKad or passport

Malaysians use MyKad for eKYC. Foreigners can hold a CDS account too, using a passport, though the process is usually done through the broker.

A Malaysian bank account

Needed to pay the opening fee by FPX and to receive sale proceeds and dividends.

A trading account

The CDS account only holds shares. Orders are placed through the trading account with your chosen broker.

Is a CDS Account Shariah-Compliant?

The CDS account itself is a custody record — it holds whatever you put in it, so it is neither compliant nor non-compliant on its own. What determines Shariah status is which shares you hold. Bursa Malaysia publishes a list of Shariah-compliant securities, reviewed twice yearly by the Securities Commission's Shariah Advisory Council, and several brokers build a Shariah filter into their app so you can screen counters before buying. If compliance matters to you, check the filter exists before choosing a broker.

Next Steps

📈 Cara Beli Saham Malaysia

5 langkah lengkap selepas akaun CDS anda siap

🏦 Broker Saham Malaysia

Perbandingan komisyen broker Bursa

🧮 Bursa Brokerage Fee Calculator

Work out the real cost of each trade

🇲🇾 Akaun CDS Malaysia (BM)

Panduan penuh dalam Bahasa Malaysia

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a CDS account in Malaysia?

A CDS (Central Depository System) account is the account that actually holds your Bursa Malaysia shares in electronic form, maintained by Bursa Malaysia Depository. It is not the same thing as a trading account: the trading account places the buy and sell orders, and the CDS account is where the shares sit afterwards. You need both to invest in Malaysian shares, and you cannot buy a single Bursa-listed share without a CDS account somewhere in the chain.

How much does it cost to open a CDS account?

The standard one-time CDS account opening fee is about RM10, paid by FPX bank transfer when you register. That fee is the same regardless of which broker you pick as your agent. There is normally no annual maintenance charge on the CDS account itself, though your broker may charge its own fees for trading, custody or dividend handling — check the broker's own fee schedule, not just the CDS fee.

How do I open a CDS account online?

The fastest route is the Bursa Anywhere app from Bursa Malaysia. Download it, register, choose 'Open CDS Account', pick your broker as the agent, and complete eKYC by photographing the front and back of your MyKad and doing a facial-recognition scan. Pay the opening fee by FPX. Approval typically takes one to a few business days. You can also open a CDS account by applying directly through a broker or bank, which opens the trading account and the CDS account together.

What is the difference between a direct CDS account and a nominee account?

A direct CDS account registers the shares in your own name at Bursa Depository — you appear on the company's shareholder register, receive the annual report, and can attend and vote at the AGM. A nominee account holds the shares under the broker's nominee company on your behalf, so your name is not on the register; AGM attendance goes through the broker via a proxy form. Nominee accounts are usually faster to open, fully online, and cheaper to trade with. Direct accounts give you legal ownership visibility and let you apply for IPOs straight from your bank's app.

Which Malaysian brokers use nominee accounts?

Moomoo MY, Rakuten Trade and M+ Global operate on the nominee model. Bank-backed brokers including Maybank Investment, CIMB, RHB, Public Invest and CGS give you a direct CDS account, as does M+ Online. Neither model is 'better' in the abstract: nominee is faster and cheaper, direct puts your name on the register. Pick based on whether shareholder-register visibility and AGM access actually matter to you.

Is a CDS account Shariah-compliant?

The CDS account itself is just a custody record, so it carries no Shariah status either way — what matters is which shares you hold in it. Bursa Malaysia publishes a list of Shariah-compliant securities, reviewed twice a year by the Securities Commission's Shariah Advisory Council, and several brokers include a Shariah filter in their app so you can screen for compliant counters before buying.

Do I need a CDS account to apply for an IPO?

Yes. IPO shares are credited into a CDS account, so you must have one before you can apply. With a direct CDS account at a bank you can apply through the bank's own channel, such as Maybank2u or CIMB Clicks. With a nominee broker you apply through the broker's in-app IPO system instead. Either way the CDS account has to exist first, which is why people usually open it before an IPO they want rather than during the offer period.

Can I have more than one CDS account?

Yes. You can hold CDS accounts with several brokers at once, and many investors do — for example a direct CDS account at a bank for long-term holdings and IPO applications, plus a nominee account at a low-cost online broker for active trading. Each account is opened with its own agent and carries its own opening fee.