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CommSec
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryFinancial services
Founded17 July 1995
HeadquartersSydney, Australia
Area served
  • Australia
  • New Zealand
Key people
James Fowle
(Executive General Manager)
ProductsCDIA
CommSec Margin Loan
CommSec Pocket
ParentCommonwealth Bank
Websitewww.commsec.com.au

Commonwealth Securities Limited, or CommSec, is Australia's largest online stockbroking firm. It is a subsidiary of the Commonwealth Bank.

Though its Internet trading platform constitutes the vast majority of its business, it also offers a telephone based brokerage service, and investment advisory services.[1] In addition, CommSec also offers other peripherally related investment services, such as margin loan and cash accounts.

History

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The brokerage arm started operations in 1995 and launched its share trading website in 1997.[2][3]

CommSec initially offered only Australian equities trades, but has since expanded into derivative products, international equities, managed funds, self-managed super fund (SMSF) administration, contracts-for-difference (CFDs), margin lending and short-term deposits. The firm's large retail customer base has also allowed it to successfully market a number of initial public offering (IPO) fund raisings.

In 2008 CommSec became the first Australian brokerage firm to offer a brokerage website specifically designed for a portable-device.[4] It created CommSec iPhone Edition for the Apple iPhone, the first home-grown iPhone application in Australia. In 2008 the broker disbanded its Share Shops (face-to-face operations) closing the front in the Commonwealth Bank branch in Pitt Street, Sydney, following the earlier closure of the Melbourne Share Shop in Collins Street.

Mergers and acquisitions

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CommSec has retained and increased its already significant market share in retail broking through both CBA's acquisition of other banks and its own acquisition of other broking firms.[5] CommSec now performs broking operations for Colonial First State,[6] TD Waterhouse,[7] AOT,[8] Neville Ward Direct,[9][10] Auckland Savings Bank (ASB),[11] and IWL (Westpac Broking, Sanford and Avcol).[12] The acquisition of IWL in 2007 gave CommSec significant market share in wholesale broking to complement its existing retail presence.[13]

Cash management

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In 2008 CommSec diversified into the short term deposit sector with the introduction of its Cash Management product.[14] The product consists of two distinct accounts the CommSec Cash Account (CCA) and the CommSec Investment Account (CIA). The CCA is the source of funds for stock trading and also an everyday transaction account, with a linked debit Mastercard. The CIA earns interest and cash can only be transferred to and from the CCA.

In December 2012, CommSec announced plans to replace CCA and CIA accounts with a Commonwealth Direct Investment Account (CDIA), which is a settlement account that earns interest.[15]

References

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  1. ^ "Big is beautiful for online brokers". Sydney Morning Herald. 28 March 2006. Archived from the original on 3 November 2012. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
  2. ^ "Site Description for commsec.com.au". Alexa.com. Archived from the original on 6 May 2023. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
  3. ^ "Investment in 64-bit Intel ® Itanium 2 servers pays returns for CommSec" (PDF). Intel® and Microsoft®. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 October 2011. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
  4. ^ Tung, Liam (11 July 2008). "CommSec launches iPhone trading app". Cnet Australia. Archived from the original on 13 February 2012. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
  5. ^ James, Catherine (6 April 2006). "CommSec snaps up direct funds firm". InvestorDaily. Archived from the original on 21 October 2009. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
  6. ^ "Commonwealth Bank takes over Colonial Mutual". PM. Australia: ABC. 31 May 2000. Archived from the original on 26 March 2012. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
  7. ^ "TD Bank selling Australian discount brokerage operations". Canada: CBC News Business. 15 April 2003. Archived from the original on 13 November 2012. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
  8. ^ "Faqs For Aot Options Clients". CommSec. 23 January 2005. Archived from the original on 5 October 2011. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
  9. ^ "Commonwealth Securities Limited (Commsec) – acquisition of Neville Ward Direct Pty Limited". ACCC. 19 April 2006. Archived from the original on 26 September 2011. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
  10. ^ "Neville Ward Direct and CommSec – two strong teams united" (PDF). Neville Ward Direct. 29 March 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 October 2011. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
  11. ^ "Moving to New Zealand". Commonwealth Bank Group UK. Archived from the original on 14 August 2007. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
  12. ^ Kachor, Kate (19 December 2007). "CommSec takes over Sanford clients". InvestorDaily. Archived from the original on 3 March 2011. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
  13. ^ "Commsec unfazed in IWL purchase". News.com.au. 2 August 2007. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
  14. ^ Better cash management from CommSec
  15. ^ "Your cash account for trading". CommSec. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
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