Hatch is a New Zealand platform that gives NZ investors access to US shares. Launched in 2018 and part of the FNZ Group (it is also backed by NZ investment and advisory group Jarden), it was one of the first NZ platforms to offer US stock investing to retail investors.
What it offers: Access to US shares on an FMA-regulated platform, with a flat $3 USD per trade. Limitations: $3 USD/trade and ~0.5% FX add up for frequent traders; Tiger Brokers and Interactive Brokers cost less for high-volume trading. No NZX access.
Hatch at a Glance
| Founded | 2018 |
| Owner | FNZ |
| FMA licensed | ✅ Yes |
| US broker | Drivewealth (SIPC-protected) |
| Platform fee | $0 |
| Transaction fee | $3 USD per trade ($0.50 for Kids Accounts) |
| FX fee | ~0.50% on NZD → USD conversion |
| Minimum deposit | $1 |
| Markets | NYSE, Nasdaq |
| NZX shares | ❌ No |
| Managed funds | ❌ No |
| Auto-invest | ✅ Yes (fees capped at 1% per order) |
| Fractional shares | ✅ Yes |
Fees in Detail
Transaction fee
$3 USD per trade — flat, regardless of trade size. Kids Accounts pay $0.50 per trade.
For very frequent small trades, the flat $3 USD fee is expensive. A $100 trade costs approximately 3% in brokerage alone.
FX fee
Hatch charges approximately 0.50% when converting NZD to USD. You can also deposit USD directly if you have a USD account, avoiding the FX fee on the way in.
Round-trip FX cost: Buy $5,000 USD of shares = $25 FX fee. Sell = another $25 FX fee. Total FX: $50 on a $5,000 investment. Plus ~$6 USD brokerage ($3 buy, $3 sell). Total round-trip: ~$56 USD on a $5,000 position.
Compared to Tiger Brokers (0.35% per NZD/USD conversion as at October 2026), Hatch costs more for currency conversion; the difference grows with how often you convert.
No platform fee
Hatch charges no ongoing platform or custody fee. You only pay when you trade.
What You Can Invest In
US shares (NYSE, Nasdaq)
Access to thousands of US-listed stocks and ETFs: the full range available on NYSE and Nasdaq. Examples include individual companies (Apple, Nvidia, Tesla) and US ETFs (SPY, VOO, QQQ, VTI).
Note on US ETFs vs NZ PIE funds: Buying a US ETF like VOO directly on Hatch means you hold a foreign investment — which counts toward your $50,000 FIF threshold. Buying an equivalent NZ-domiciled fund (e.g. InvestNow Foundation Series) does not trigger FIF. This is an important consideration as your balance grows.
Fractional shares
Like Sharesies, Hatch supports fractional share purchases — you can buy $50 of a $500 share. This is useful for expensive US stocks.
Auto-Invest
Hatch’s Auto-Invest feature lets you set up recurring purchases in specific shares or ETFs. For smaller, frequent investing, Auto-Invest is popular — fees are capped at 1% per order, which makes regular small purchases more cost-effective than paying the flat $3 USD trade fee each time.
This is useful for dollar-cost averaging into US positions — set a fortnightly buy of a US ETF and Hatch handles the currency conversion and trade automatically.
App and User Experience
Hatch has an NZ-focused app with fewer trading tools than Tiger Brokers. Key features:
- Watchlists and portfolio tracking
- Price alerts
- Research tools (price charts, company overview, news)
- Auto-invest management
Customer support is NZ-based; Tiger Brokers and Stake do not have NZ-based support.
Safety
Hatch is FMA-licensed and part of the FNZ Group (its company name is Hatch Invest NZ Limited). US shares are held through Drivewealth LLC, a US broker-dealer with SIPC protection up to USD$500,000 per customer (including USD$250,000 for cash).
Tax
US dividends are subject to 15% US withholding tax under the NZ-US tax treaty. Hatch automatically withholds this and you can claim a foreign tax credit on your NZ tax return.
If your total overseas investment cost exceeds $50,000, FIF rules apply. Hatch provides a transaction history export but does not generate FIF reports — use Sharesight for automated FIF calculation.
Set your PIR rate if holding PIE fund equivalents (most of what Hatch offers is non-PIE direct shares, so PIR is less relevant for Hatch specifically).
Hatch vs Competitors
| Hatch | Sharesies | Tiger Brokers | Stake | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US brokerage | $3 USD | 1.9% per trade (capped $5 USD) | From USD$1.99 | US$3 |
| FX fee | ~0.50% | 0.5% | ~0.20% | 1% deposit conversion; no per-trade conversion |
| NZX shares | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| ASX shares | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| NZ-owned | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| SIPC protection | ✅ (Drivewealth) | ✅ (Drivewealth) | Confirm in PDS | ✅ (US broker) |
Full comparison: Platforms for US Stocks NZ 2026
Features and Limitations
Features:
- FMA-regulated access to US shares
- Flat $3 USD brokerage per trade, regardless of trade size
- SIPC protection via Drivewealth
- Auto-Invest fees capped at 1% per order
Limitations:
- $3 USD/trade + 0.5% FX adds up at high trading volume
- No NZ shares (NZX)
- Tiger Brokers charges less on both brokerage and FX
Summary
Hatch gives NZ investors US share access with FMA licensing and SIPC protection through Drivewealth. For frequent trading it costs more than Tiger Brokers, which charges less on both brokerage and FX. Brokerage is a flat $3 USD per trade, Auto-Invest fees are capped at 1% per order, and support is NZ-based.
Where to check the latest data
Rates, fees and returns change often. Before deciding, check current figures yourself:
- Sorted Smart Investor: compares fees, returns and risk levels of KiwiSaver and managed funds.
- Disclose register: holds each fund's product disclosure statement and quarterly fund updates.
- Financial Service Providers Register: shows whether a provider is registered to offer financial services in New Zealand.
- The provider's own website: has its current rates, fees and full terms; these change more often than any comparison page.