How to Buy Your First ETF
Opening an account, choosing the right ETF and placing your first order — without unnecessary jargon.
Buying an ETF isn't, in practice, any different from buying a share: you need an account with an authorised broker, available funds in that account, and then you place a buy order on the exchange where the ETF is listed.
1. Open an account with a broker
The first step is choosing a regulated broker with access to the exchange you want. Key criteria: cost per order, any custody fee, and support in your preferred language.
2. Choose the ETF based on your goal
Before looking at a specific product, ask yourself what you want to achieve: long-term capital growth (equity ETFs), more stability (bond ETFs), or targeted exposure to a specific sector. Each category has different risk characteristics.
3. Check the key product data
Before buying, always check: the TER (the fund's annual cost), the replication method (physical or synthetic), the distribution policy (accumulating or distributing) and the fund's size. You'll find all of this on each ETF's fund sheet on our site.
4. Place the order
Once you've chosen the ETF, you place the order specifying the ISIN or ticker, the quantity (or amount), and the order type — a market order executes immediately at the current price, a limit order only if the price reaches a level you set.
5. Consider automating with regular investing
If you want to invest with regular contributions instead of a single lump sum, many brokers offer a regular investing plan that automates the purchase at set intervals — see the dedicated guide.