How to invest in US stocks from Chile in 2026: complete guide

TL;DR

To invest in US stocks from Chile in 2026 you have three paths: open an account with an international broker, use a local broker with access to the US market, or invest in tokenized stocks (xStocks) through Skipo, a digital investment platform registered in the CMF's Registry of Financial Service Providers. On Skipo you can buy tokenized stocks of companies like Tesla, NVIDIA, Apple or Alphabet from CLP 1,000, 24/7, commission-free and with instant settlement.

What will we cover in this article?

In this guide we explain what investing in US stocks from Chile means, which three paths are available today and how much each one really costs. We compare local platforms (Trii, Zesty and Racional) with Skipo's tokenized stocks, look at why more and more Chilean investors are choosing xStocks, walk you through getting started with Skipo step by step and answer the most common questions about dividends, withdrawals and taxes.

What does investing in US stocks from Chile mean?

Investing in US stocks from Chile means acquiring a stake in US companies listed on exchanges like the NYSE or Nasdaq, without residency, a bank or an account in that country. For an investor in Chile, this means crossing two barriers: a currency barrier (converting pesos into dollars) and an operational one (accessing an intermediary that trades in the US on your behalf or issues an equivalent instrument).

Historically, this access was the privilege of high-net-worth individuals with international accounts. As of March 2026, according to data published by Trii when announcing its partnership with Alpaca, more than 62% of Chileans report difficulties investing their money, citing a lack of knowledge about the available tools. That information gap explains why the Chilean retail market is still small compared with similar economies in the region.

The big change in recent years is the emergence of three different models for accessing those same stocks, with very different barriers to entry.

In short: investing in US stocks from Chile no longer requires a large net worth, but costs and ease of access vary enormously depending on the path you choose.

What are the 3 ways to invest in US stocks from Chile?

Today an investor in Chile can access the US market in three ways, each with its own logic of costs, timelines and operation:

• International brokers (such as Interactive Brokers or Charles Schwab). You open an account directly with a US brokerage. You convert your pesos into dollars separately (bank, currency exchange house or broker), deposit and trade in the US market during its regular hours. It is the most complete option in terms of instrument variety, but also the one with the most friction: declaring investments abroad, currency costs and, in some cases, minimum amounts for certain features (Interactive Brokers requires USD 2,000 for margin accounts, though not for cash accounts).
• Local brokers with access to the US market (Trii, Zesty, Racional). You open an account in Chile and the platform intermediates your access to the US market. Some operate through Alpaca Securities (Trii, Zesty), others through Vector Capital and DriveWealth (Racional). Access is simpler than with an international broker, but the total cost includes a per-trade commission and/or an exchange spread when converting pesos into dollars.
• Tokenized stocks (xStocks) on Skipo. You buy a digital token that tracks the price of the real share 1:1, directly in pesos, with no currency conversion and no foreign account. It trades 24/7 or 24/5 depending on the xStock, settles in seconds and charges no commissions. It is the path with the least operational friction and the lowest costs to get started, although the variety of instruments is smaller than at a traditional broker.

In short: international brokers offer maximum variety and maximum complexity; local brokers reduce friction but keep currency costs; tokenized stocks remove the dollar conversion and trade outside traditional hours.

What are the real costs of investing in US stocks from Chile?

When we talk about the costs of investing in US stocks from Chile, three components matter: the per-trade commission, the exchange spread when converting pesos into dollars and the settlement time when you sell. A platform with zero commission but a high exchange spread can end up more expensive than one that charges a visible commission but does not convert currency.

To compare, let's take a typical case: an investor in Chile who decides to invest CLP 100,000 in NVIDIA stock. This is what each local platform deducts before your money reaches the market:

With Skipo, the full CLP 100,000 goes into the asset. With Trii you pay CLP 100 in spread (0.1% on the conversion). With Zesty, on top of the 0.3% commission (CLP 300), there is an exchange spread of around CLP 8-10 per dollar, which raises the total operating cost when converting to USD. With Racional you pay CLP 990 for the 0.99% spread, with no per-trade commission but with the currency cost included.

Important: this exercise takes a single trade. If you make recurring monthly purchases, the currency cost adds up each time. Over a one-year horizon with monthly contributions, the difference between trading with or without a spread becomes material.

In short: in Chile local platforms have lowered or eliminated per-trade commissions, but the exchange spread is still the silent cost that sets the alternatives apart. Tokenized stocks are the only path that removes that cost completely, because you buy in pesos without converting to dollars.

Why are Chilean investors choosing tokenized stocks?

A tokenized stock (xStock) is a digital asset that represents a traditional stock and is backed 1:1 by the real share. Its price follows the underlying asset, but the instrument is a token on a blockchain. That gives it three features traditional stocks do not have: 24/7 or 24/5 availability depending on the xStock, settlement in seconds and the ability to be transferred immediately.

For an investor in Chile, this translates into concrete advantages. The first is time: US markets trade from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, which in Chile roughly corresponds to working hours. If you want to react to news on a Saturday night, with a traditional stock you have to wait until Monday; with an xStock that trades 24/7, like Apple or NVIDIA, you do not.

The second is cost. By buying directly in pesos, you eliminate the exchange spread, which in practice is the highest cost of investing in the US from Chile. On a CLP 100,000 investment, that saving can amount to several hundred pesos per trade, money that adds up with every buy and sell.

The third is access. On Skipo you can start from CLP 1,000 and buy fractions of any xStock, which makes it possible to build a diversified portfolio with small amounts, without a large initial capital.

Our view at Skipo

At Skipo we believe tokenized stocks are not a passing fad but the gateway for a new generation of Chilean investors who today do not take part in the US market because access seems complex, expensive or exclusive to them. Tokenization removes all three barriers at once. When buying a fraction of NVIDIA costs the same as a coffee and takes seconds from your phone, the question stops being "can I invest?" and becomes "what do I want to invest in?".

We do not think xStocks will replace traditional brokers for every profile. For those who need derivatives, options or access to thousands of smaller-cap companies, an international broker still makes sense. But for most Chilean investors who want exposure to the big tech companies and the main US indexes, xStocks offer the same underlying asset with less friction and lower costs.

In short: xStocks combine real exposure to US companies with the operational simplicity of an app, and solve the three historical problems of the Chilean retail investor: trading hours, currency conversion and minimum amounts.

Which US stocks can you buy on Skipo?

As of May 2026, on Skipo you can invest in nine xStocks covering the main US tech companies and the two most relevant market indexes: AAPLx, TSLAx, NVDAx, GOOGLx, MSTRx, HOODx, CRCLx, SPYx and QQQx.

• AAPLx: Apple
• TSLAx: Tesla
• NVDAx: NVIDIA
• GOOGLx: Alphabet (Google, Class A)
• MSTRx: Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy)
• HOODx: Robinhood Markets
• CRCLx: Circle Internet Group
• SPYx: SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (S&P 500 index)
• QQQx: Invesco QQQ Trust (Nasdaq-100 index)

The list includes direct exposure to individual companies like Apple and Alphabet (Google), and diversified exposure through the two most followed US market indexes: the S&P 500 (the 500 largest US companies) and the Nasdaq-100 (the 100 largest non-financial companies on the Nasdaq, heavily weighted toward tech).

How to invest in US stocks with Skipo: step by step

To start investing in US tokenized stocks with Skipo, the process has five steps and most take minutes:

1. Download the Skipo app. Available on the App Store and Google Play.
2. Create your account. Sign up with your email and verify your identity in minutes.
3. Deposit in pesos. Transfer from your bank account. The deposit shows up in your Skipo account in seconds.
4. Find the tokenized stock. In the app you can search for AAPLx, TSLAx, NVDAx, GOOGLx, MSTRx, HOODx, CRCLx, SPYx or QQQx.
5. Buy. Choose the amount in pesos you want to invest (from CLP 1,000), confirm, and the xStock is recorded in your balance instantly.

Unlike a traditional broker, you do not need to wait for the market to open for your purchase to execute. If you buy an xStock that trades 24/7 on a Sunday at 11:00 p.m., the trade is confirmed in seconds.

How are dividends handled in xStocks?

xStock dividends are automatically reinvested into your balance of the same asset. You do not receive them in pesos or dollars: they accumulate within the token itself through a mechanism called the multiplier.

The multiplier works like this: each xStock starts with a multiplier of 1.0, meaning each token equals one share of the underlying asset. When the company pays a dividend, the issuer reinvests it in the underlying asset and updates the multiplier. For example, if you hold 1 NVDAx and NVIDIA pays a dividend equivalent to 0.26 shares per unit, your multiplier goes from 1.0 to 1.26 and your balance shows 1.26 NVDAx. The number of tokens on-chain does not change, but the value they represent does.

This has two practical implications. The first is that you do not have to do anything to "receive" the dividend: the adjustment is automatic. The second concerns taxes: since the dividend is not paid in cash, it is not declared to the SII as income. The tax obligation only arises when you sell the xStock for pesos and realize the gain.

In short: xStock dividends are automatically reinvested through the multiplier, with no action from the user and no cash income to declare as long as you do not close the position.

What is the best option to start investing in US stocks from Chile?

The best option to start investing in US stocks from Chile depends on how much you value three things: simplicity, cost and trading hours. If you are just starting out, want to invest small amounts at first and prefer not to worry about currency conversion or exchange hours, tokenized stocks (xStocks) on Skipo are today the path with the least friction and the lowest costs. If you need access to thousands of small companies or advanced instruments, an international broker is still the most complete, though more complex, alternative.

On Skipo we give you direct access, in pesos, commission-free and 24/7, to some of the most relevant stocks in the US market, including Apple, Tesla, NVIDIA, Alphabet and the main indexes through SPYx and QQQx. You can start with CLP 1,000 and, if you decide to sell, withdraw to your bank in seconds. If you want to dig deeper into how Skipo compares with other local alternatives, see our full comparison of platforms for investing in stocks in Chile.

Download the Skipo app and start investing in US stocks today.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Asset prices can go up or down, and every investment involves risk. Before investing, assess your personal financial situation.

Frequently asked questions

How much do I need to start investing in US stocks from Chile?

It depends on the platform. On Skipo you can start from CLP 1,000 by buying a fraction of any xStock. At local brokers like Trii and Zesty the minimums are low, but more capital is usually recommended to offset commissions and spreads. At international brokers like Interactive Brokers there is no minimum deposit for cash accounts, but a margin account requires USD 2,000.

Are tokenized stocks taxed differently from traditional stocks?

Gains from selling are taxed much like any asset: when you sell an xStock for Chilean pesos on Skipo, the platform reports it to the SII and you must include that gain in your annual tax return. Dividends, since they are reinvested automatically and do not generate cash income, are not declared. If your case is complex or you trade large amounts, consult an accountant. To learn more, see our guide on income tax returns and cryptocurrencies in Chile.

Can I withdraw my money to the bank after selling?

Yes. On Skipo, when you sell an xStock for pesos, you can withdraw to your bank account in seconds. On platforms that trade traditional US stocks, withdrawals usually take between 1 and 5 business days depending on the provider and the market settlement periods (T+1 or T+2).

Do xStocks pay dividends like traditional stocks?

Yes. xStocks receive the dividends of the underlying asset and automatically reinvest them into your balance of the same stock through a mechanism called the multiplier. The number of tokens does not change, but the value each token represents increases to reflect the dividend paid.

What happens if I buy tokenized stocks on a Saturday night?

The purchase is executed instantly. Unlike traditional stocks, which can only be bought during exchange hours (the NYSE and Nasdaq trade Monday to Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET), on Skipo hours depend on each xStock: some, like Apple, NVIDIA, Tesla or the S&P 500, trade 24/7, and the rest 24/5, Monday to Friday. If you decide to buy SPYx or NVDAx on a Saturday, a Sunday or a holiday, the trade is confirmed in seconds.

Is it better to invest in the S&P 500 through xStocks (SPYx) or through a traditional broker?

It depends. SPYx on Skipo tracks the SPY ETF, is available 24/7, charges no commission and you buy in pesos with no exchange spread. A SPY ETF bought at a traditional broker follows the same index but only trades during market hours, requires converting to dollars (with a spread) and usually includes per-trade costs. For simple index exposure, SPYx removes most of the operational friction.

Glossary

• Tokenized stock (xStock): a digital asset that represents a traditional stock and is backed 1:1 by the real share, operating on a blockchain.
• Exchange spread: the difference between the price at which a platform buys dollars and the price at which it sells them to you.
• T+1 / T+2 settlement: the time between the trade date and the day the money or asset is actually available (one business day later in T+1, two in T+2).
• Multiplier: the xStocks mechanism that adjusts the value of each token to reflect corporate events such as dividends or splits.