Fidelity FX fees: Charges and how to avoid

Disclaimer: The information in this article is for reference purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. All investment decisions should be made after thorough research and consultation with a qualified financial advisor. Remember that investments, even in low-risk funds, are never guaranteed, and your capital is at risk.

If you’re interested in global investments, you’re going to need to know about foreign exchange (FX) fees. Along with dealing fees and commissions, these
can make a big difference to the overall cost of trading on international stock markets.

This guide takes an in-depth look at foreign exchange fees with Fidelity International, the global investment company popular with UK investors.

Read on to find out how much Fidelity FX fees are, when they’re charged and how to minimise or avoid them altogether using multi-currency solutions such as Wise.

➡️ Learn more about the Wise account

When investing, your capital is at risk. The value of your investments can go down as well as up and you may get back less than you put in. Tax treatment depends on your individual circumstances and may be subject to future change. The content of this article is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to be, nor does it constitute, any form of personal advice.

Investments in a currency other than GBP are exposed to currency exchange risk. Currency exchange rates are constantly changing, which may affect the value of the investment in GBP terms. You could lose money in GBP even if the stock price rises in the currency of origin. Stocks listed on overseas exchanges may be subject to additional dealing and exchange rate charges, and may have other tax implications, and may not provide the same, or any, regulatory protection as in the UK.

What are Fidelity’s foreign exchange fees?

Fidelity FX fees apply to currency conversions when buying and selling international shares, as well as when dealing in offshore funds that are not in sterling.

The fee varies by the value of the trade, and is lower for larger transactions. Let’s take a look:¹

It’s also worth noting that there may be additional government and local stock exchange charges when trading on certain international markets. You’ll see these charges when you place the deal.

Does Fidelity have any other fees?

Fidelity also has other fees, alongside its FX charges.

Here are some of the other costs you might need to know about:¹

When would I be charged a foreign exchange fee when investing?

In most cases, investment platforms in the UK offer accounts denominated in British pounds (GBP). If you want to buy or sell investments in other countries (such as to buy US stock, for example), a currency exchange will be required.

This will usually mean having to pay a foreign exchange fee, as your GBP will be converted to USD (for example) or vice versa.

It may also apply if you hold funds in a multi-currency account with your investment platform (not available with Fidelity) and want to convert or withdraw them, or if you receive dividends from an investment in another currency.

It’s really important to check foreign exchange fees before joining a platform and starting to buy shares or other investments. This fee may only seem small, but alongside other fees it can make a big difference to the overall cost of investing.

How to avoid Fidelity foreign exchange fees

There are a few ways to potentially avoid or at least minimise foreign exchange fees when using Fidelity to manage your investments.

Stick to UK (GBP) investment products

If you’re only buying UK shares in GBP, such as if you only buy FTSE 100 shares for example, there’ll be no need for a currency conversion. This means no extra FX fees to pay.

However, for many investors, this option will be too limiting.

Time larger transactions to benefit from FX fee discounts

Fidelity offers lower FX fees for larger investment amounts. So rather than making lots of smaller trades and paying the higher fees, it could be an idea to consolidate them into carefully timed larger trades - and take advantage of the lower FX fee.

You should only do this though if it’s part of a carefully considered investment strategy. If in doubt, get professional advice.

Use Wise to avoid Fidelity FX fees

One of the best ways to avoid Fidelity foreign exchange fees altogether is to use a multi-currency solution like Wise.

If you’re planning to invest in overseas stocks - whether it’s NASDAQ, the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE) or Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) - you’ll need to watch out for those extra currency conversion costs.

Wise offers a way to avoid or minimise many foreign exchange fees when investing.

Open a Wise account and you can access local account details in USD, EUR, GBP, AUD and more. This means you can hold funds in your chosen currency until you’re ready to invest, then use your Wise account to fund your transaction on Fidelity or your chosen investment platform.

You can even set up exchange rate alerts so that you can wait for the time and the rate that suits you.

💹 Set up rate alerts

Use your local account details with Wise to withdraw money from Fidelity - directly in that currency.

To convert currencies within Wise, you’ll get the mid-market exchange rates and low, transparent fees starting from just 0.24%*.

This gives you full control over FX when investing and trading, and could end up saving you money.

➡️ Learn more about the Wise account

FAQs

How much does Fidelity charge for international trading?

Fidelity charges £7.50 for UK and international share deals placed online. It also has service fees based on the value of your investments, and foreign exchange fees which vary depending on the value of the trade.

What is the FX charge on Fidelity?

Fidelity charges an FX fee of 0.75% for trades under £10,000. The fee drops to 0.50% for trades between £10,000+ and £20,000, and to 0.25% for deals over £20,000.

What is the best trading platform in the UK?

Each platform is different when it comes to features, products, customer reviews and pricing, so you need to compare options to find the best one for you.

Get started with our guides to XTB, eToro, Interactive Brokers (IBKR), Webull, IG and Hargreaves Lansdown.

sources used:

1. Fidelity - Fees and charges

Sources last checked 21-Jul-2026