Bursa Malaysia (KLSE) lists over 900 companies across the Main Market and ACE Market. Buying Malaysian shares requires a CDS account, a brokerage account, and an understanding of how Bursa fees work. Here is the complete beginner's guide to KLSE stock investing in 2026.
How to Open a CDS and Brokerage Account
1. Choose a stockbroker (Rakuten Trade, Mplus Online, Maybank Investment, CIMB Securities, RHB Trading). 2. Complete online registration with MyKad and bank account details. 3. A CDS (Central Depository System) account is automatically created alongside your trading account. 4. Fund your trading account via online transfer. 5. Start placing buy orders.
Malaysian Stock Brokers Comparison 2026
| Broker | Min Brokerage | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rakuten Trade | RM7 | 0.1% (min RM7) | Active traders, low cost |
| Mplus Online | RM8 | 0.1% (min RM8) | Active traders |
| Maybank Investment | RM8 | 0.42% (min RM8) | Existing Maybank users |
| CIMB Securities | RM8 | 0.42% (min RM8) | Research quality |
| RHB Trading | RM8 | 0.42% (min RM8) | Bursa market depth |
Understanding Bursa Market Hours
Bursa Malaysia trading hours: Morning session: 9:00amโ12:30pm. Afternoon session: 2:00pmโ5:00pm. Pre-opening: 8:30am (price discovery). Closed: weekends, Malaysian public holidays. All times are MYT (GMT+8).
Dividends and DRP
Malaysian listed companies frequently pay dividends (typically 2x/year). Dividends are tax-exempt for individual investors under single-tier taxation. Dividend Reinvestment Plans (DRP) allow reinvesting dividends in new shares at a discount โ an automatic compounding mechanism.
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Our editorial team specialises in Malaysian personal finance โ covering loans, taxation, insurance, EPF, and Islamic finance. Every article is fact-checked against Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), LHDN, and major Malaysian bank publications. We reference our calculators (which use industry-standard formulas) to ensure consistency between our written content and tools. Learn more about our methodology โ