How to Invest in US Stocks From Argentina: A Permissionless Approach
Discover how Argentinian investors can access US stocks and ETFs through tokenized assets on GM Markets. Navigate local economic volatility with a permissionless, cost-effective, and secure platform.
How to Invest in US Stocks From Argentina: A Permissionless Approach
Investors in Argentina have consistently sought stable, dollar-denominated assets to preserve value against local currency fluctuations. While Argentina has undergone significant reforms to its capital controls, the need for efficient and accessible pathways to global markets remains a priority. We offer a modern, permissionless solution for individuals in Argentina to invest directly in US-listed stocks and ETFs as tokenized assets, simplifying access to global equities.
Our platform provides direct access to US equities, enabling you to diversify your portfolio and participate in global economic growth from Argentina. We aim to make US stock market participation more transparent and cost-effective.
The Investment Landscape for Argentinian Investors
Argentina's economic history has presented unique challenges for individuals seeking to invest internationally. The impact of past capital controls and currency restrictions, known as the "cepo cambiario," has significantly influenced investment strategies. Capital controls were notably imposed by a previous administration in 2019, with amendments announced in late February 2021.
Under President Javier Milei's administration, Argentina has progressively eased capital controls. These measures are part of a broader economic stabilization agenda supported by an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). While the process of fully lifting restrictions continues, these reforms aim to improve access to foreign currency and investment opportunities.
Despite these reforms, the persistent need for stable, dollar-denominated assets remains. Argentina's annual inflation rate, as reported by the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (INDEC), reached 33.2% in May 2026, a decrease from 47.3% in April 2025. This follows an annual average inflation rate of 178% in 2024, and 211.4% in December 2023, underscoring the importance of preserving purchasing power.
Traditional methods for Argentinians to access US markets can still involve complexities and costs. Local brokers often provide access through instruments like CEDEARs (Argentine certificates backed by US equities), which trade in Argentine pesos. Brokers such as Balanz may charge up to US$0.03 per CEDEAR conversion, plus VAT, or up to US$0.05 per ADR conversion, with additional market rights and registration fees. Cocos Capital charges 0.25% for legal entities and 0.45% for human persons for buying/selling assets with USD liquidation or CEDEARs, though some plans like "Cocos Gold" may offer 0.0% commission for certain operations, potentially with a 0.15% monthly fee on assets under management.
International brokers, while offering direct US stock access, can involve currency conversion fees and varying custody fees. Saxo Bank commissions start from $1 for US stocks and ETFs, plus a currency conversion fee of no more than +/- 0.25%. They have removed inactivity fees, but custody fees vary by country of residence. Interactive Brokers offers tiered pricing for US stocks and ETFs from USD 0.0005 to USD 0.0035 per share, or a fixed rate of USD 0.005 per share (with a minimum of $1.00 and a maximum of 1% of trade value). While their IBKR Lite plan offers $0 commissions on US listed stocks and ETFs, it is exclusively for US residents and not applicable to investors from Argentina. Traditional brokerage accounts can still present a slower onboarding and funding experience compared to permissionless crypto rails, and may incur additional wire withdrawal fees ($10 after the first free monthly withdrawal) and FX auto conversion fees (3 basis points).
Tokenized US Stocks: A Modern Approach to Global Markets
We believe that tokenized US stocks offer a compelling alternative for investors in Argentina. Tokenized stocks are 1:1 backed representations of real, US-listed shares, settled on-chain. Each token corresponds directly to a share held in a segregated customer account at a regulated broker-dealer, providing a direct claim to the underlying asset. You can verify this backing on our Proof of Reserves page.
Our platform's permissionless nature enables access from eligible jurisdictions, including Argentina, allowing individuals to connect an external wallet or create an embedded wallet to begin trading. This approach bypasses many traditional financial intermediaries and their associated frictions. You can invest from as little as $1, making fractional ownership of major US companies and ETFs accessible to a broader range of investors.
These tokens provide economic exposure to the underlying US stocks and ETFs, reflecting price movements and incorporating dividends through a total-return Net Asset Value (NAV) model. This means that while you gain the financial benefits of holding the asset, you avoid the complexities of managing traditional brokerage accounts or navigating international wire transfers. Our platform is currently in public beta, with core flows fully functional and backed by 1:1 custody.
Investing in US Stocks with GM Markets from Argentina: Step-by-Step
Investing in US stocks through our platform is designed to be straightforward and efficient. Here is how you can begin:
When considering any investment, it is important to understand the associated risks. Markets can move against you, and you may lose money. Tokenized stocks carry settlement, counterparty, smart-contract, and custody risk. We do not provide financial, investment, tax, or legal advice. For more details, please review our Legal and Risk Disclosures. We do not offer services to users in the United States or other restricted jurisdictions.
1. Onboard Seamlessly
You can connect to our platform using an existing external wallet or create a new embedded wallet. We facilitate embedded wallet creation via Google or an email magic-link, with security managed by Privy using multi-party computation (MPC). This ensures that no single party, including GM Markets, holds your complete private key, enhancing your security and control.
2. Deposit Funds with Stablecoins
To fund your account, you can deposit stablecoins such as USDC or USDT. These stablecoins are then unified into USDF, your primary balance on the platform. We abstract away native gas fees, meaning you never need to hold a native chain token. The smart account covers the gas, billing the equivalent in USDF from your balance, simplifying the deposit and trading process across settlement chains like Base, Arbitrum, Ethereum, and Optimism.
3. Browse and Select US-Listed Assets
Once your account is funded, you can browse a wide range of US-listed stocks and ETFs. Our selection includes popular tech giants like Apple (AAPL), Tesla (TSLA), and Microsoft (MSFT), as well as broad market ETFs such as SPY, VOO, and QQQ, providing diverse investment opportunities.
4. Execute Trades Transparently
We use a Request-For-Quote (RFQ) execution model. Regulated market-making partners provide real-time quotes against the live underlying market. Our trading fee, which ranges from 10 to 20 basis points (0.10% to 0.20%), is included in the quoted price. The "You will receive" line is the final amount, ensuring complete transparency with no hidden fees. Deposits and withdrawals are free.
5. Understand Dividends and Corporate Actions
We operate on a total-return NAV model. When dividends are issued for an underlying stock, they are reinvested into additional shares, which in turn increases the token's on-chain NAV. This means you benefit from dividends as an increase in your token's value rather than receiving a separate cash payout. Similarly, corporate actions such as stock splits, mergers, or spin-offs are absorbed into the token's NAV, ensuring your economic exposure precisely tracks the underlying asset.
Key Advantages for Argentinian Investors on GM Markets
Our platform offers distinct advantages for investors in Argentina, particularly given the local economic environment and the evolution of financial regulations.
Navigating Capital Movement
While Argentina has eased many of its historical capital controls, the use of crypto rails provides an alternative and often more efficient path for capital movement. By leveraging stablecoins for deposits and withdrawals, you can access foreign assets without relying solely on traditional banking channels that may still present various hurdles. This approach aligns with the growing adoption of stablecoins in Argentina.
Inflation Protection
Argentina's inflation rates make holding dollar-denominated assets a critical strategy for wealth preservation. Tokenized US stocks on our platform provide direct exposure to the US dollar economy, offering a direct way to manage local currency depreciation. Argentinians have increasingly turned to stablecoins, which account for 61.8% of crypto transaction volume in the country, significantly above the global average of 44.7% (Chainalysis, July 2023 - June 2024), demonstrating a clear preference for digital dollars.
Cost-Effectiveness and Transparency
Our fee structure is designed to be competitive and transparent. We charge a single trading fee of 10 to 20 basis points (0.10% to 0.20%), with no additional custody, inactivity, dividend, or FX markup fees. This contrasts with traditional brokers that may impose various charges, including currency conversion fees or annual custody fees, which can impact your returns.
Security and Trust
Trust is paramount. Every token we issue is backed 1:1 by a real share held in a segregated customer account at regulated broker-dealers, Interactive Brokers or Alpaca Markets. Our reserves are independently attested on-chain in real time by Accountable, providing verifiable proof of backing on our Proof of Reserves page. Your embedded wallet security is managed by Privy using multi-party computation (MPC), ensuring your keys are never held by a single entity. Our smart contracts have been audited by leading firms including Sherlock, Halborn, Cantina, and Cyfrin, with SOC 2 Type II in progress. More details are available on our Security page.
Composability
Unlike traditional stock holdings, our tokenized assets are standard ERC-20 tokens. This means they are composable across the decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem. You can use your tokenized stocks for lending and borrowing on protocols like Aave and Morpho, supply them as liquidity on Uniswap or Curve, or use them as collateral on perps protocols. This creates additional opportunities for potentially earning yield on your equity exposure.
Frequently asked questions
Is GM Markets available for users in Argentina?
Yes, our platform is available to users in Argentina. We do not offer services to users in the United States or other restricted jurisdictions. Argentina is not a restricted jurisdiction.
What are the fees for trading US stocks on GM Markets?
We charge a single trading fee ranging from 10 to 20 basis points (0.10% to 0.20%). The default is 20 bps, which can decrease to 10 bps based on your 14-day trading volume through our VIP ladder. All deposits and withdrawals are free, and there are no custody, inactivity, dividend, or FX markup fees. You can find more details on our Pricing page.
How are my tokenized stock holdings protected?
Your tokenized stock holdings are protected by 1:1 backing with real shares held in segregated customer accounts at regulated broker-dealers. Reserves are independently attested on-chain in real time by Accountable, verifiable on our Proof of Reserves page. In the event our operations cease, a designated security agent works with the custodian to redeem outstanding tokens, a path enforced by the on-chain contract and independent of GM Markets.
Can I withdraw my funds back to Argentina?
Yes, you can withdraw your funds from the platform as stablecoins, which can then be converted to Argentine pesos using various local crypto on/off-ramps. Argentina has a robust ecosystem of peer-to-peer exchanges and crypto debit cards that facilitate stablecoin conversions and spending.
What are the tax implications of trading tokenized stocks in Argentina?
Profits generated from the sale of digital currencies in Argentina are generally subject to income tax. While Argentina has introduced frameworks for digital assets, users are responsible for understanding and complying with their individual tax obligations. We recommend consulting a qualified tax advisor in Argentina for personalized guidance on the tax implications of trading tokenized stocks.
Global Access for Argentinian Investors
GM Markets provides a transparent and accessible solution for individuals in Argentina seeking to diversify their portfolios into US equities. By leveraging the efficiencies of tokenized assets and blockchain technology, we enable you to manage local economic volatility and participate directly in the global stock market.
Our commitment to security, transparent pricing, and user control ensures you have a reliable platform for your investment journey. We invite you to explore our platform, learn more about the specific US-listed stocks and ETFs available, and discover how we can help you achieve your financial goals. You can start by visiting our Learn section for more information on tokenized assets.
