How to Buy US Stocks from Vietnam with Crypto: A Step-by-Step Guide
Discover how Vietnamese crypto holders can easily access US stocks and ETFs through GM Markets, bypassing traditional banking hurdles with tokenized assets and self-custody.
How to Buy US Stocks from Vietnam with Crypto: A Step-by-Step Guide
Accessing global equity markets from Vietnam has traditionally presented a unique set of challenges. Vietnamese citizens often face complex international banking processes, high minimum investment thresholds, and stringent foreign exchange regulations when seeking to invest in US stocks. These hurdles can deter individuals eager to diversify their portfolios and gain exposure to leading American companies.
For many in Vietnam who have embraced the digital asset economy, holding cryptocurrencies is common. However, bridging these crypto assets to traditional equity markets efficiently and without excessive friction has remained a significant barrier. We understand these difficulties, and our platform, GM Markets, provides a modern solution. We offer a permissionless, self-custodial way for individuals in Vietnam to gain exposure to US stocks and ETFs directly using their crypto assets, bypassing many of the complexities of traditional finance.
The Challenge: Accessing US Stocks from Vietnam
Traditional investment pathways into US markets for Vietnamese citizens are often convoluted. Vietnamese regulations permit individual investors to invest up to $50,000 annually in foreign securities. However, all such transactions must be conducted through licensed financial institutions and adhere to strict documentation and foreign exchange regulations set by bodies like the State Bank of Vietnam and the Ministry of Finance.
These requirements mean that every monetary transaction within Vietnam, with limited exceptions, must be in Vietnamese Dong, and foreign currency outflows for investments require specific authorization and clear statements of purpose. Recent regulations, such as Decree No. 329/2025/ND-CP, further underscore the stringent controls on cross-border investments, making indirect outward investment primarily suitable for financial institutions or professional investors. The process is often slow, costly, and opaque, with wire transfer fees ranging from $25 to $65 USD for traditional SWIFT transfers, plus additional exchange rate markups and potential receiving bank fees in the US.
Introducing Tokenized US Stocks: A Modern Solution
Tokenized stocks offer a transformative approach to global equity access. These are on-chain representations of real-world shares, fully backed 1:1 by underlying assets held in custody. They provide economic exposure to US-listed companies and ETFs without requiring direct ownership of the physical share or navigating the traditional brokerage system. This means that while you gain exposure to price movements, dividends (via Net Asset Value increases), and corporate actions, you do not acquire shareholder voting rights.
The advantages of tokenized stocks are significant. They enable fractional ownership, allowing you to invest in high-value US stocks with as little as $1. Trades can be placed 24/7, and settlement occurs on-chain, offering speed and transparency not found in traditional markets. Crucially, tokenized stocks support self-custody; the assets live in your own wallet, giving you direct control.
How GM Markets Enables US Stock Exposure from Vietnam
GM Markets provides a permissionless platform where users in non-restricted jurisdictions like Vietnam can trade tokenized US stocks and ETFs. We do not serve users in the United States or other restricted jurisdictions. Our platform simplifies the process, bridging the gap between crypto assets and US equities through a straightforward, step-by-step approach:
On-Chain Settlement and Self-Custody
Once your trade is accepted, your tokenized assets settle rapidly on-chain across networks like Base, Arbitrum, Ethereum, and Optimism. The tokens live in your self-custodial wallet, giving you complete control over your assets.
Place a Trade
Execute trades for any amount, starting from a $1 minimum. Our platform uses a Request-For-Quote (RFQ) model, where regulated market-making partners provide quotes against the live underlying market. Gas fees are abstracted, meaning you never need to hold a native chain token; the equivalent is billed in USDF from your balance. All trading fees are included in the quoted price, so the "You will receive" line is final.
Browse Available Tokenized US Stocks and ETFs
Explore a selection of tokenized US stocks and ETFs. These assets are fully backed 1:1 by real shares held in segregated customer accounts at regulated broker-dealers, including Interactive Brokers and Alpaca Markets. Our Proof of Reserves page provides real-time, on-chain attestation by Accountable, ensuring transparency in backing.Popular US stocks among international investors include Tesla (TSLA), Apple (AAPL), NVIDIA (NVDA), Alphabet (GOOGL), and Microsoft (MSFT). Many investors also seek broad market exposure through ETFs linked to indices like the S&P 500.
Deposit Crypto
Fund your account by depositing popular stablecoins such as USDC or USDT. These deposits are unified into USDF, our platform's stablecoin balance, which is backed 1:1 by USDC and USDT across various chains. Our deposit process is free, supporting stablecoin, Apple Pay, card, and bank transfers.
Connect Your Wallet or Create an Embedded Wallet
You can begin by connecting your existing external crypto wallet or by creating an embedded wallet directly on our platform. We use Privy for embedded wallets, which employs multi-party computation (MPC) for key management. This means no single party, including GM Markets, holds your complete private key. You can authenticate using familiar methods like Google or an email magic-link, secured by biometric or passkey authentication for trades and withdrawals above $10,000.
Key Benefits for Vietnamese Investors
For investors in Vietnam, GM Markets offers several distinct advantages:
- Accessibility: We empower you to bypass the complexities of traditional banking and geographical restrictions, providing direct access to the global equity market.
- Fractional Ownership: Invest in high-value US stocks and ETFs with as little as $1, making diversified portfolios more attainable.
- Self-Custody: Maintain full control of your assets within your own wallet. This is a core principle of on-chain finance, offering greater security and autonomy than traditional brokerage accounts.
- Composability: Your tokenized stocks are standard ERC-20 assets. This means you can use them across various DeFi protocols for lending, borrowing, supplying liquidity, or as collateral, potentially earning additional yield on your equity exposure.
- Transparency: Our real-time, on-chain proof of reserves, independently attested by Accountable, provides verifiable evidence that every token is 1:1 backed by an underlying share.
- Cost-Efficiency: We offer a transparent trading fee model (10-20 basis points), with no custody, inactivity, dividend, or FX-markup fees. Deposits and withdrawals are also free.
Understanding Fees, Security, and Dividends on GM Markets
We believe in transparent pricing and robust security measures. Our revenue model is based solely on a single trading fee, ranging from 10 to 20 basis points (0.10% to 0.20%). The default fee is 20 bps, which decreases to 10 bps as your 14-day trading volume grows, progressing through our VIP tiers. This fee is always included in the quoted price you see before confirming a trade.
Security is paramount. Our embedded wallets are secured by Privy using multi-party computation (MPC), ensuring that no single entity holds your full private key. Our smart contracts have undergone multiple audits by reputable firms including Sherlock, Halborn, Cantina, and Cyfrin, with SOC 2 Type II compliance in progress. Furthermore, the underlying shares backing your tokenized assets are held in segregated customer accounts at regulated broker-dealers, separate from our own operating funds, offering an additional layer of protection.
For dividends and corporate actions, we operate on a total-return model. Instead of separate cash payouts, dividends are reinvested into the underlying shares, which in turn increases the token's on-chain Net Asset Value (NAV). Similarly, corporate actions such as stock splits, spin-offs, mergers, and name changes are absorbed into the NAV, ensuring your economic exposure precisely tracks the underlying asset without requiring any action from you. We provide CSV export functionality from your portfolio to assist with your personal tax obligations; please consult a tax advisor for guidance in Vietnam.
It is important to understand that trading tokenized stocks carries inherent risks. These include settlement risk, counterparty risk, smart-contract risk, and custody risk. Markets can move against you, and you may lose money. We do not provide financial, investment, tax, or legal advice. Our platform is designed for informational purposes and to facilitate access to markets. Please remember that GM Markets is not offered to users in the United States or other restricted jurisdictions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the minimum and maximum trade sizes?
We support fractional ownership, allowing you to trade with as little as $1. There is no daily maximum on the default trading tier, providing flexibility for various investment sizes.
How are my assets protected if GM Markets ceases operations?
A designated security agent holds the authority to act for token holders. In the event GM Markets discontinues operations, this agent works directly with the custodian to redeem outstanding tokens against the underlying shares. This redemption path is enforced by the on-chain contract and operates independently of GM Markets' continued existence. Your assets are held in segregated customer accounts at regulated brokers, not on our balance sheet.
Can I withdraw my tokenized stocks to an external wallet?
Yes, your tokenized stocks are standard ERC-20 assets. You can withdraw them to any compatible external wallet on the supported settlement chains (Base, Arbitrum, Ethereum, Optimism), giving you full control over your assets and enabling their use across the broader DeFi ecosystem.
What are the tax implications of trading tokenized stocks in Vietnam?
While Vietnam's specific crypto tax framework is still evolving, the Ministry of Finance has indicated that capital gains or transaction-based taxes will be introduced. Currently, investment gains from both domestic and foreign sources are subject to tax obligations. As GM Markets operates a total-return model where dividends increase NAV rather than being paid out separately, this generally simplifies tax reporting for dividends. We recommend consulting a qualified tax advisor in Vietnam for personalized guidance on your specific tax obligations.
Which US stocks and ETFs are available for trading?
We offer a selection of major US-listed stocks and ETFs. Popular assets include technology giants like Apple (AAPL), NVIDIA (NVDA), Microsoft (MSFT), Tesla (TSLA), and Alphabet (GOOGL), as well as broad market ETFs like SPY, VOO, and QQQ that track indices such as the S&P 500. The full, live list of available assets can be found on our platform.
Your Gateway to US Equities from Vietnam
For individuals in Vietnam holding crypto assets, GM Markets offers a streamlined, secure, and cost-effective pathway to gain exposure to the US equity market. By leveraging tokenized stocks, we eliminate many traditional barriers, providing fractional ownership, self-custody, and the unique benefits of DeFi composability.
We simplify the process of diversifying your portfolio with leading US companies and ETFs, all while maintaining the transparency and efficiency of on-chain settlement. Explore the possibilities and discover the available assets on our platform. We encourage you to visit gm.markets to learn more and begin your journey into tokenized US stocks.
