How to buy AMD (AMD) shares from Australia

By   |   Verified by David Boyd   |   Updated 27 Sep 2023

Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (NASDAQ: AMD) is an American multinational semiconductor company that serves both consumer and business markets by developing computer processors and related technologies. It is headquartered in Santa Clara, California, United States. It was founded in 1969 and went public in 1972.

If you want to buy shares in a company at the forefront of the microchip industry, this step-by-step guide will take you through the process.

New to trading the US markets? Read our complete guide to buying US stock.

About the company

AMD overview

As a global semiconductor company, AMD produces x86 microprocessors (CPUs), accelerated processing units (APUs), discrete graphics processing units (GPUs), semi-custom System-on-Chip (SoC) products and chipsets for the personal computer (PC), gaming, and data centre markets.

Of AMD’s two key business segments, the Computing and Graphics segment includes desktop and notebook processors and chipsets, GPUs, data centre and professional GPUs, and development services. The Enterprise, Embedded, and Semi-Custom segment includes server and embedded processors, semi-custom SoC products, development services, and technology for game consoles.

Subsidiaries of AMD include Advanced Micro Ltd., AMD Corporation, AMD Malaysia LLC, and AMD (EMEA) LTD. AMD Far East Ltd., AMD International Sales & Service, Ltd., and AMD Latin America Ltd., are all based in the US. AMD also has more than 30 other international subsidiaries.

Unsure about what trading platform to use?

Where to buy AMD shares

eToro

On website

Highlights

  • Trade and invest in top financial instruments, including a wide selection of stocks.
  • eToro is regulated by CySec, FCA, and ASIC.
  • Your funds are protected by industry-leading security protocols.
  • Earn up to 5.3% annual interest on your balance.
Saxo Markets

On website

Saxo Markets

Highlights

  • Invest in 23,500+ stocks from ASX, New York, Hong Kong, and 50+ other global markets.
  • No platform fees, no inactivity fees, and no FX fees on each trade.
  • Analyse, improve and manage your risk using intuitive trading tools.
Pearler

On website

Highlights

  • Enjoy low, transparent fees.
  • An option to Autoinvest. Set-and-forget your investment strategy.
  • Simply invest into any ETF from one of Pearler's ETF managers for at least one year, and it's free.
  • Clearing House Electronic Sub-register System (CHESS) sponsored.
Superhero

On website

Highlights

  • Open an account with just $100 and start investing today with a $5 flat-free brokerage ($0 on US shares) on share trades.
  • Buy and sell US shares & ETFs with $0 brokerage plus trade unsettled funds.
  • Fund your account in minutes with PayID and enjoy realtime FX transfers for fast US share trading.
Tiger Brokers

On website

Highlights

  • Available for ASX, US & HK stocks trading, ETFs, and US options trading.
  • Free market data for ASX and US stocks.
  • More accessible investment to all with a demo account.
Webull

On website

Webull

Highlights

  • Trade AU & US stocks, ETFs, and Options with $0 commission for the first 30 days.
  • Provides intuitive and powerful advanced charts, multiple technical indicators, and premier Level 2 Advance (Nasdaq TotalView).
  • Regulated by ASIC.

Pros

  • Invest from as little as US$5.
  • No deposit or withdrawal fees.
  • Allows you to trade fractional shares.
  • Access to advanced trading tools.

Cons

  • Scarcity of instructional resources for investors.
  • Supports AU and US markets only.
Moomoo

On website

Moomoo

Highlights

  • Trade blue-chip stocks in AU and US markets.
  • Trade multi-markets and multi-products with a lower commission. No custodian fee.
  • Regulated by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).

Compare online brokers on Finty. Research fees, commissions, tradable assets, markets, etc.

First time buying?

How to buy AMD shares

Step 1: Find a broker

Find an online broker that allows you to trade shares listed on US markets. There are many options available in Australia.

These are just some of the factors to be aware of when looking for a broker.

Trades without commissions

You can trade commission-free on several platforms in Australia, which can save you plenty over time. Take a look at Stake and eToro if this is an important feature for you.

Access to the US market

AMD is listed on the NASDAQ in New York. Whatever broker you decide to use will need to have access to this market if you want to invest in AMD.

Fractional shares

Brokers who offer fractional shares can let you buy a fraction of the share, instead of buying the entire share. This makes it easier to diversify your holdings, and may be worth considering since AMD shares are currently trading above US$100 each.

Easy trading interface

It shouldn't take long to trade shares. Make sure you choose a broker that has an intuitive interface you can use with no steep learning curve.

Research and analysis

A trading platform with a robust research and analytics section allows you to make decisions based upon price history, market updates, and quarterly earnings reports. Some brokers even offer analyst recommendations.

Step 2: Transfer funds to your trading account

You will need to fund your account before you can start buying shares. You should be aware that funds can take time to clear. This means that it’s unlikely you will be able to trade immediately.

Step 3: Set a budget for investing

Because shares can be volatile, you should only allocate money you are willing to lose.

You might consider investing in fractional shares. This gives you more freedom and you won't need to spend more than your budget allows.

Step 4: Decide whether to purchase shares or invest via ETFs

An Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) is regarded as a diversified investment and safer than investing in a single share.

ETFs with exposure to AMD include Invesco Dynamic Semiconductors ETF (PSI), VanEck Vectors Video Gaming and eSports ETF (ESPO), Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ), SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY), iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV), and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO).

Step 5: Spec your order

There are many order types you can choose from, and you can customise the price and time for each share. Consider these different order types.

Market order

Market orders are orders which can be bought or sold at current market prices. However, the actual price you receive at execution may be different from the one that was offered to you at the time you placed the order.

Stop limit

This type of order allows you to automatically sell your shares at a price you nominate, or higher, but not lower. However, if the market is moving quickly against you, the order may not be executed if the price falls past your limit price.

Stop loss

This allows you to decide a low price at which, if reached, you would prefer to exit your investment. It is used often to defend a trade position from market volatility. A stop loss could be set at US$32 per share, for instance. Your stop loss order is executed automatically if the price falls below this level and your order will be filled at the next available market price.

Step 6: Submit the order

Once you've chosen a broker, and determined how you want to invest in your shares, you are ready to place your order.

After you buy

What moves AMD's share price

Whether you invest in shares with a speculative motive or to hold them over the long term, you need to keep track of the company’s performance and its share price movements.

Watch for developments in the semiconductor industry

Because AMD is a global company in a highly competitive field, you need to monitor what goes on in the semiconductor industry.

AMD has focused on investing in manufacturing capacity and seeking potential suppliers to mitigate disruptions, giving it capacity in an industry that has been plagued by shortages.

Continuing success may be disrupted by a deterioration of the relationship between Taiwan (where its key supplier is based) and China.

Competition

AMD's key competitors are Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) and NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA). Intel competes with AMD in microprocessors and NVIDIA in GPUs. Other competitors of AMD include Marvell Technology, Qualcomm, and Synopsys.

In the longer term, large tech companies including Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) and Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) may follow Apple's (NASDAQ: AAPL) lead in developing their own SOCs.

Disclaimer: We put our customer’s needs first. The views expressed in this article are those of the writer’s alone and do not constitute financial advice. Advertisers cannot influence editorial content. However, Finty and/or the writer may have a financial interest in the companies mentioned. Finty is committed to providing factual, honest, and accurate information that is compliant with governing laws and regulations. Do your own due diligence and seek professional advice before deciding to invest in one of the products mentioned. For more information, see Finty’s editorial guidelines and terms and conditions.