How to Buy ETFs on DEGIRO
(Step by Step, 2026)
DEGIRO offers access to trading at exceptionally low costs. The platform is straightforward once you know the steps — but two decisions, choosing the right exchange and using a limit order, determine a lot of what you actually pay. This guide walks you through the full process, including Core Selection, what to do if an order doesn’t fill, and what to check after you buy.
Some of the links on this site are affiliate links, meaning we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you if you sign up through them. This does not affect our reviews or recommendations — we only feature products we genuinely believe are useful for investors. This site provides educational content only, not personalized investment advice. Investments can lose value and past performance does not guarantee future results. You are responsible for your own financial decisions and for confirming the tax and legal rules that apply in your country.
What to check before you open the order ticket
The order screen is the last step. These are the attributes that distinguish one ETF or share class from another, so you can tell which line in the search results is the one you meant. This is not investment advice. Which fund suits you is your decision, and DEGIRO is an execution-only broker that does not provide investment advice.
- Index: know what market the ETF tracks — a broad global equity index, a regional one, a bond index, or a narrower segment. The index determines what you are exposed to; the ETF is the wrapper around it. Both are named on the fund’s KID.
- Domicile: UCITS ETFs are commonly domiciled in Ireland or Luxembourg. Tax treatment of dividends varies by domicile and by your country of residence, so the same index can be taxed differently depending on the wrapper.
- Distribution policy: accumulating (Acc) ETFs reinvest dividends inside the fund; distributing (Dist) ETFs pay them out to you. Which is treated more favourably depends entirely on your country’s tax rules. See the acc vs dist tax drag study.
- Fund size and age: ETFs with very small assets under management, or that launched recently, carry closure and liquidity risk. Both figures are published in the fund’s factsheet and KID.
- Replication method: physical replication holds the underlying securities directly; synthetic replication uses swaps with a counterparty. Both are common in UCITS ETFs. Know which you’re buying.
- Trading currency vs fund currency: these are different. A fund can track a USD-denominated index and hold USD assets while trading in EUR on a European venue. You remain exposed to the underlying currency movements either way — the trading currency only determines whether DEGIRO applies its 0.25% AutoFX conversion to your order. Currency fluctuations can impact your returns.
- ISIN: use the ISIN when searching on DEGIRO, not the ticker. Ticker symbols are not unique across exchanges — the same ETF appears multiple times in search results. The ISIN is unique to each share class and eliminates ambiguity.
What you need before you start
Three things to have in place before placing your first order.
Your account needs to be open and your bank account linked and verified before you can fund it. Don’t have an account yet? Open a DEGIRO account →
Fund the account from a bank account held in your own name. The available deposit methods, any restrictions on them, and how long each takes to credit are shown under Deposit/Withdraw in the platform — check there before you plan an order date, because a deposit that has not landed cannot be traded.
Look up the ISIN beforehand — it uniquely identifies the fund and prevents selecting the wrong share class or currency variant in search results.
Buying an ETF on DEGIRO: the full process
Log in at degiro.eu or open the mobile app. On desktop, locate the Search product bar at the top of the screen. On mobile, tap the magnifying glass icon in the bottom navigation bar.
Confirm your cash balance is visible before proceeding. How long a deposit takes depends on the funding method used, so check the cash has actually landed rather than assuming it has. If a deposit has not appeared after several business days, contact the DEGIRO Service Desk.
Type the ETF name, ticker, or ISIN into the search bar. The ISIN is the reliable input: it is a twelve-character code beginning with a two-letter country prefix — Irish-domiciled UCITS ETFs start IE, Luxembourg-domiciled ones start LU, German-domiciled ones start DE. You will find it on the first page of the fund’s KID and factsheet, on the issuer’s own product page, and on your existing broker statements if you already hold the fund elsewhere.
Most widely held UCITS ETFs list on several European exchanges at once under a single ISIN, and DEGIRO shows a dropdown of available venues. The venue affects three separate things: whether an FX conversion applies, whether the listing is inside the ETF Core Selection (which means: whether it is on Tradegate), and whether the exchange is exempt from the annual connectivity fee on your country’s schedule.
| Exchange | Currency | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Xetra (XETRA) | EUR | The main listing venue for many UCITS ETFs. Exempt from the connectivity fee for German clients; not exempt on the Dutch, French or Irish schedules. |
| Euronext Amsterdam (AEX) | EUR | Carries a wide range of ETF listings. Exempt from the connectivity fee on the Dutch schedule; Euronext Paris and Brussels are the exempt venues on the French schedule. |
| Tradegate (TDG) | EUR | The Core Selection venue. Every ETF, ETC and ETN listed here is in the Core Selection, and none carries a connectivity fee. Compare the quoted bid and ask against the other venues before choosing. |
| London Stock Exchange (LSE) | GBP / USD | Buying a GBP or USD listing from a EUR account applies the 0.25% AutoFX conversion on each trade. On UK exchange transactions the handling fee is charged as GBP 1.00. Currency fluctuations can impact your returns. |
The order form asks for four things. On mobile, the Buy button appears at the bottom of the product screen — tap it to open the order form.
Before confirming, DEGIRO shows an order summary: ETF name and ISIN, exchange, number of shares, limit price, estimated total, and the transaction fee. Check this carefully — on the same ISIN, the fee shown in the summary is the authoritative number for that specific listing and venue.
Double-check the exchange and currency match your intention. On mobile, review the confirmation screen before tapping Place Order. Click or tap Confirm. The order moves to the Orders tab and executes once the market reaches your limit price. How quickly that happens depends on where you set the limit relative to the current ask and on trading activity in that ETF at that moment — it is not guaranteed within any particular time, and the order may not fill at all.
Once filled, the ETF appears in your Portfolio tab.
A limit order only fills if the market can match your price or better. If your limit is too low relative to the ask, the order stays open or expires unfilled.
- Day order: expires at market close if not filled. On mobile, check the Orders tab — expired orders disappear automatically.
- GTC (Good Till Cancelled): remains open into future trading sessions depending on the exchange and routing. Monitor it actively — you may forget it’s open.
- Partial fill: if there is not enough liquidity at your limit price, part of the order may execute while the rest remains open. Both scenarios show in the Orders tab.
- Check the executed price, exchange, currency, and number of units against what you intended.
- Confirm the ETF appears correctly in your Portfolio tab.
- Download or note the transaction confirmation if you track taxes manually — statements are in the platform inbox under Documents.
- Set a calendar reminder for your next monthly buy. DEGIRO does not automate orders, so the discipline is yours.
- Before the next order, check the commission label in the order ticket again — the fee shown there is always the authoritative number for that ISIN and venue.
DEGIRO Core Selection: how it actually works
The Core Selection is defined by where a product is listed, not by which fund it is. Here is what that means for what you actually pay.
- All ETFs, ETCs and ETNs listed on Tradegate Exchange — the definition is the venue, not a curated list
- Over 1,000 products, per DEGIRO’s own figure
- ETCs and ETNs are different instruments from ETFs, with their own structures and risks — read the KID for anything you have not held before
- No downloadable product list is published; use the platform filter to see what is currently in scope
- €0.00 commission per trade — but the €1.00 handling fee still applies, so a Core Selection trade costs €1.00 all-in. Currency or external product and spread costs may apply.
- The Tradegate handling-fee exemption covers stocks only, which is why the €1.00 still lands on an ETF trade
- The handling fee is charged in CHF on Swiss exchange transactions and in GBP on UK exchange transactions
- Core Selection pricing requires the Tradegate listing — the same fund bought elsewhere is priced normally
- Core Selection products carry no connectivity fee
Tips that reduce what you actually pay
Trading hours differ by venue, and some quote outside the main continental session. Quoted prices and spreads on the same ISIN can differ between venues and across the day, so check the bid and ask on the product screen at the moment you place the order rather than assuming a venue is priced the same all day. Each exchange publishes its own trading calendar and hours.
The bid-ask spread is an implicit cost on top of the commission, and it varies by fund, venue and time of day. DEGIRO shows the current bid and ask on the product screen — compare them across the venues carrying the same ISIN rather than assuming one is tighter. A lower commission on one venue can be offset by a wider spread on the same order. See our spread cost calculator.
DEGIRO’s AutoFX conversion costs 0.25% and applies whenever a trade settles in a currency other than your account’s base currency. For a euro account, the EUR listing on Xetra or Euronext Amsterdam avoids it where the LSE listing in GBP or USD does not. The 0.25% applies on the buy and again on the sell. Currency fluctuations can impact your returns, separately from the conversion cost. See the FX drag study for long-run data.
Accumulating (Acc) share classes reinvest dividends inside the fund; distributing (Dist) classes pay them into your account. The two are taxed differently, and which comes out ahead depends on the rules where you live — in some countries the distinction is significant, in others it is not. Check your own country’s treatment before choosing a share class. See the acc vs dist tax drag study.
EU retail investors cannot buy most US-listed ETFs (VOO, SPY, VTI) under PRIIPs rules, so the order cannot be completed. UCITS equivalents tracking the same indices are available instead; total cost differs by fund and includes the ongoing charge, withholding tax treatment and any currency conversion, so compare the specific pair rather than assuming parity. See our UCITS vs US ETF total drag comparison.
DEGIRO is execution-only, so every order is entered manually — there is no automated investing feature. The deposit side can be automated from your own bank: set a recurring transfer to DEGIRO at whatever frequency and amount you choose, so the cash is waiting when you place the order. Set a fixed day each month for the order itself. If automated investing matters to you, Trade Republic and Scalable Capital offer savings plan features.
On the Dutch schedule, transferring positions out of DEGIRO costs €20.00 per position plus external costs, which DEGIRO passes on. Those external costs are not published, vary by exchange, and are quoted by the service desk on request. Ten positions therefore cost €200.00 before external costs. The German schedule prices outgoing transfers at no charge, so check your own country’s schedule. An internal transfer between DEGIRO accounts is €7.50 per position.
Statements and reports covering your account activity, transactions and costs are available from the Documents area of the platform inbox and the app. Which reports exist, and the periods they cover, are set by DEGIRO and can change — check the platform rather than a list published elsewhere. DEGIRO does not provide tax advice, and you remain responsible for your own filing. Country guides: tax by country →
Ready to open a DEGIRO account?
DEGIRO offers access to trading at exceptionally low costs. With the ETF Core Selection you can trade over 1,000 products on Tradegate for just a €1 handling fee. Currency or external product and spread costs may apply. Investing involves risk of loss.
Go deeper
Frequently asked questions
Are ETF purchases on DEGIRO free?
Not all ETFs are free. The ETF Core Selection covers all ETFs, ETCs and ETNs listed on Tradegate Exchange, over 1,000 products, at €0.00 commission plus the €1.00 handling fee, so a Core Selection trade costs €1.00 all-in. Away from Tradegate, standard pricing is €2.00 commission plus €1.00 handling, or €3.00 per trade. These figures are identical on all six published DEGIRO fee schedules (rates from 01-01-2026), with two currency exceptions: the handling fee is charged in CHF on Swiss exchange transactions and in GBP on UK exchange transactions. Currency or external product and spread costs may apply. Always verify the fee shown in the order ticket before confirming.
Does the exchange I pick change what a Core Selection product costs?
Yes. The Core Selection is defined by venue, not by fund: it is everything listed on Tradegate Exchange. The same ETF often has listings on Xetra, Euronext and Tradegate under one ISIN, and only the Tradegate listing carries the €1.00 all-in Core Selection price. Buying the same fund on another venue costs €2.00 commission plus €1.00 handling. Currency or external product and spread costs may apply. Always check the commission label in the order ticket before confirming.
Which exchange should I choose when buying an ETF on DEGIRO?
Pick the exchange trading in your account’s base currency to avoid the 0.25% AutoFX conversion cost. Currency fluctuations can impact your returns. Two other things follow from the venue you pick: the Tradegate listing carries Core Selection pricing and other venues do not, and each exchange you use carries a connectivity fee of €2.50 per calendar year, capped at 0.25% of your total account value, whichever is lower, unless that exchange is exempt on your country’s fee schedule. Exemption lists differ by country, but every schedule exempts the ETF Core Selection, so Core Selection products carry no connectivity fee. Check the commission label in the order ticket before confirming.
Should I use a market order or a limit order on DEGIRO?
A limit order gives you control over price; a market order does not. A market order executes at the next available price, which can be higher than the quoted price — especially at market open, near close, or for ETFs with wide bid-ask spreads. A limit order caps what you pay, with the trade-off that it may not fill at all. Setting the limit at or slightly above the current ask makes a fill more likely than setting it below.
What happens if my limit order does not execute?
If the market never reaches your limit price, the order stays open or expires unfilled. A Day order expires at market close. A GTC (Good Till Cancelled) order remains open into future sessions depending on the exchange and routing — monitor it so you don’t forget it’s open. Your order can also be partially filled if there is not enough liquidity at your limit price; the remainder stays open as a separate open order.
Can I buy fractional ETF shares on DEGIRO?
No. DEGIRO supports whole-share trading only. If one ETF unit costs more than your available cash, the order will not go through. For monthly investors on a fixed contribution amount, this means part of your cash may sit uninvested each month until you accumulate enough for the next whole unit. If fractional investing matters to you, Trading 212 and Trade Republic both support it.
Why is my ETF visible on DEGIRO but not available to buy?
The most common reason is a missing KID (Key Information Document) in your local language, or the product not being authorised for sale in your country of residence. This frequently affects US-listed ETFs (VOO, VTI, SPY, QQQ) due to PRIIPs regulations — these are unavailable to EU and UK retail investors. If you see this, search for a UCITS equivalent tracking the same index: for most major indices one or more exist, and they will have a KID in your language. Cost and tax treatment differ between the US original and the UCITS version, so compare the specific pair rather than assuming they are equivalent on anything other than the index.
Can I set up automatic recurring ETF investments on DEGIRO?
Two separate things are worth splitting here. Automated investing is not offered: DEGIRO is execution-only and every order is entered manually. Automatic deposits are possible — you can set a recurring transfer from your own bank to your DEGIRO account at whatever frequency and amount you choose, so the cash arrives on schedule even though the order does not. Set a fixed date each month for placing the order. If automated investing is what you want, both Trade Republic and Scalable Capital offer savings plan features. See the Trade Republic vs DEGIRO comparison.
What is the minimum investment amount for ETFs on DEGIRO?
DEGIRO does not impose a minimum investment amount. You need enough cash to buy at least one whole unit of the ETF at its current market price, which differs by fund and changes daily — check the current price on the product screen before you fund the order. Because fractional shares are not supported, a contribution smaller than one unit cannot be invested until it accumulates.
Are my investments protected if DEGIRO fails?
Securities bought through DEGIRO are held by Stichting DEGIRO, a separate legal entity, so they are not part of DEGIRO’s own assets. Statutory deposit guarantee and investor compensation schemes apply to the failure of the institution only and do not cover investment losses; read DEGIRO’s own investor compensation documentation for the limits and conditions that apply to you. Your ETF can fall in value regardless of the broker’s financial position, and currency fluctuations can impact your returns. DEGIRO is the trading name of flatexDEGIRO Bank Dutch Branch, the Dutch branch of flatexDEGIRO Bank SE, primarily supervised by the German financial regulator (BaFin); the Dutch Branch is registered with DNB and supervised by AFM and DNB. DEGIRO is an execution-only broker and does not provide investment advice.
Does DEGIRO provide tax reporting documents?
Yes. Statements and reports covering your account activity, transactions and costs are available from the Documents area of the platform inbox and the app. Which reports exist and how far back they run is set by DEGIRO and can change, so check the platform rather than relying on a list published elsewhere. DEGIRO does not provide tax advice, and you remain responsible for calculating and filing your own taxes. For country-specific guidance, see our investing taxes by country section.
QuantRoutine provides educational content only. Nothing on this page is an offer, solicitation, or recommendation to buy or sell any security or to open an account with any specific broker. Investments can lose value, and past performance does not guarantee future results. You are responsible for your own investment, tax, and legal decisions. Always review each broker’s current terms, fees, and eligibility on their official website before opening or funding an account.