In 2025, I’ve noticed that more and more Vietnamese friends are interested in how to buy U.S. stocks. Actually, it’s not that difficult, but you need to understand which options are right for you.

One thing I like about the U.S. stock market is that it’s transparent, reputable, and truly profitable. NYSE and Nasdaq are the two largest exchanges in the world, where big companies like Google, Tesla, and Apple are listed. Unlike the Vietnam market, where you can trade continuously with no midday closing, and the market is very large.

But the problem is: there are actually a few ways to buy U.S. stocks from Vietnam. If you want to own real shares, you must be a U.S. citizen or go through international brokers—which is quite complicated and requires a large amount of capital.

Instead, most Vietnamese traders choose to trade CFDs (contracts for difference) on online trading platforms. Why? Because you only need a small amount of capital, you can use leverage, and you can trade anytime and anywhere through an app. The profit rate can also be higher if you know how to manage risk.

There are 6 main ways to participate in the U.S. stock market:

1. Trade CFDs with leverage—this is the most popular option in Vietnam. You don’t need to own real shares; you only need to predict whether the price will go up or down. The advantage is that the capital required is low, leverage is flexible (1:1 to 1:200), and you can make profits when prices rise or fall. But the risk is also high if you don’t know how to manage it.

2. Buy IPO stocks—new stocks that list on the market can have potential to rise quickly. You will own real shares and receive dividends. However, you need a large amount of capital and must analyze carefully.

3. Invest in individual stocks—choose a company you trust and buy directly. The benefit is owning real shares, but since you can’t use leverage, you need huge capital.

4. Invest in indices (S&P 500, Dow 30, Nasdaq 100)—instead of picking individual stocks, you invest in a whole basket of stocks. It’s safer and more suitable for long-term investors.

5. ETF funds—this is also an indirect investment in stocks, but it’s managed by professionals. Long-term returns, with no need for detailed analysis.

6. Futures contracts—similar to CFDs, but with different rules. Leverage is also used, and the risk is high.

For specific ways to buy U.S. stocks, you need to understand the main indices. S&P 500 is the index of the 500 largest companies, reflecting the whole U.S. economy. Dow Jones represents the top 30 blue-chip companies. Nasdaq Composite includes technology companies, while Nasdaq 100 includes the 100 largest non-financial companies.

The major stocks you should know: Microsoft (technology; market cap of over 3 trillion USD), Apple, Amazon, Google, Meta, NVIDIA, Visa, Tesla, Walmart, Mastercard. These names are familiar in the portfolios of most investors.

As for exchanges, NYSE is the largest U.S. exchange, founded in 1792, with a market cap of 28 trillion USD. Nasdaq was founded in 1971, with a market cap of 13 trillion USD. AMEX is smaller and focuses on ETFs and hybrid securities. NYSE is an auction market, while Nasdaq is a dealer market.

Trading hours are also important. The U.S. market is open from 20:30 to 3:00 Vietnam time (9:30 to 16:00 ET). Outside of working hours, you can also trade from 3:00 to 5:30 Vietnam time. Before the market opens, there is pre-market trading from 19:00 to 20:00. The difference from the Vietnam market is that in the U.S., trading happens continuously and there is no midday closure.

If you want to get started, the first step is to understand clearly how to buy U.S. stocks that fit your goals. Do you want short-term trading or long-term investing? How much capital do you have? How much risk can you tolerate? These questions will determine your choice.

I recommend starting with a demo account and learning first before putting real money in. U.S. stocks are a great opportunity, but they also require knowledge and discipline. Choose a reputable platform, understand the rules, and manage risk well—that’s the key to success.