Real shares or stock CFDs: verify the product type
The distinction between owning shares and trading stock CFDs matters for costs, rights and risk. Share ownership can carry voting rights and direct dividend entitlements, while CFDs are leveraged contracts that track prices without ownership, typically with overnight financing charges and different tax treatment. Ask the broker in writing which form of stock exposure your entity offers, and read the legal terms of the product rather than relying on marketing pages.
- Ask whether stock products are physical shares, CFDs or both for your account entity.
- If CFDs are involved, confirm leverage limits, margin requirements and overnight financing costs.
- Check how dividends and corporate actions are handled for each product type.
- Read the product's legal terms, not just headline descriptions.

