Investing in US shares through Kernel is straightforward - you can use the same Kernel Wallet you're familiar with, and we handle the currency conversion behind the scenes.
Top up your Kernel wallet
Top up your Kernel Wallet using direct bank transfer
Funds typically clear within 1-2 business days
Once cleared, your NZD balance is available for trading
Buying Shares and ETFs
Log in to your Kernel account
Navigate to the 'Shares and ETFs' tab
Search for US company or ETF from the list
In the bottom right corner, click 'Buy'
Enter the amount you'd like to buy in NZD. The minimum order is $1.
Review your order
Example: If you want to invest NZ$1,000 in Apple shares, you'll see the total cost in NZD (including FX fees) before confirming your order. There's no need to manually convert currencies or maintain separate USD balances.
Placing Your trades
During Market Hours: When you buy Shares and ETFs while the market is open, it will be filled at the best available price at that moment.
Outside Market Hours: If you place an order when the US market is closed (e.g., during the NZ daytime), it will simply join a queue and execute when the market next opens. Weekends and public holidays may affect this.
Track Your Order: You can easily see the status of your order in real-time on your dashboard.
So, even though the US market operates while many Kiwis are asleep, you can manage your investments anytime, and your orders will be ready to queue when the market opens!
Partially filled trades
Sometimes, when you place a trade, it might not complete all in one go. Instead, it could fill in smaller chunks over a few separate trades. Occasionally, it might not fill entirely. Don't worry if this happens! You usually have the option to cancel the part of the trade that hasn't been filled yet.
Cancelling Your orders
If you place an order during market hours, your order may be filled instantly. So you may not have the ability to cancel. So you'll need to sell out of the holdings.
However, if you place an order outside of market hours you'll be able to cancel the trade within the Activity tab.
Important points
All your holdings and performance are displayed in NZD
Dividends will be sent to your wallet and are automatically converted to NZD
You can view your available Kernel Wallet balance at anytime