Frequently Asked Questions

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US law requires your broker to know whether you’re a US person before it can apply the right tax treatment to your account. Without a valid W-8BEN, it has to treat you as a US person, which means:

  • Higher withholding: up to 24% backup withholding on dividends and even on the proceeds when you sell investments.
  • US tax reporting in your name, even though you have no US tax obligations.

With a valid W-8BEN:

  • Lower tax on dividends. If your country has a tax treaty with the US, you get the reduced rate on US dividends. For Swiss residents, that’s 15% instead of 30%, and you can generally claim it back against your Swiss taxes.
  • No US tax on capital gains. Non-US investors generally don’t pay US tax when they sell US stocks at a profit.
  • No US tax reporting. Your account isn’t reported as a US person’s account.

In short, it takes a few minutes and makes sure you’re taxed correctly as a non-US investor. Our onboarding process automatically fills out the form and you only need to sign. If you’re a US citizen or green-card holder, you’ll complete Form W-9 instead.

This information is general and isn’t tax advice. Please consult a tax adviser about your own situation.