Armenia isn’t exactly an oasis of brokerage options, but the handful of banks that do offer investment services meet solid standards for security, online account management, and in some cases even educational resources for clients getting into global markets for the first time.
It’s also worth noting that a holder of an Armenian residence permit or passport can open an account directly with a foreign broker like Interactive Brokers or E*Trade.
Ameriabank
Ameriabank offers access to the Armenian Stock Exchange, the over-the-counter market, and a range of international trading venues.
Through Ameria Global Trading, clients can invest in stock and commodity exchanges across the US, Canada, Mexico, the UK, Austria, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Japan, Hong Kong, and more — over 20 countries in total.
Advantages include mobile trading, two-factor authentication for account security, competitive fees, margin trading, and a wide range of instruments — stocks, futures, options, and forex. The platform is available both in-browser and through the Handy Trader / Tablet Trader mobile apps for iOS and Android.
Available operations include:
- Margin trades
- Short sales
- Stocks
- Options
- Futures
- Warrants
- Forex
With trading-hour limits (09:00–20:00) also available:
- Stocks
- Warrants
- Bonds
- Mutual funds
The bank charges a brokerage transaction fee rather than a separate account-maintenance fee. Depositary services come bundled in, billed at 5,000 AMD per year. There’s no minimum initial deposit required.
You can fund a brokerage account online through internet banking, in person at any Ameriabank branch, or by transferring from an account in your own name at another bank.
Full details on Ameriabank’s brokerage fees are available on Ameriabank’s official brokerage page.
Reviews of Ameria Global Trading are scarce, but here’s one:
“Asked about brokerage services at Ameria recently — here’s what I can share:
— They have both a ‘brokerage’ account and a ‘terminal’ account. The first is more of a call-or-message setup, the second comes with an app. The first lets you trade on the local AMX exchange; with the second, they used to act as a proxy in front of Interactive Brokers for access to global markets. They’re currently switching that IBKR partner out for someone else, and on the other end building out terminal access to AMX directly — so eventually the two are expected to merge into one unified app. Right now, though, you can only open a brokerage account and trade manually on AMX. That said, as noted above, nothing stops a residence-permit or passport holder from opening an account directly with something like Interactive Brokers for global market access.
— To open a brokerage account, you first need a regular account at Ameria.
— AMX lists both government and corporate bonds and stocks. Trading volume isn’t huge, but market makers are active, so there’s generally always something to buy or sell. You can check prices for pretty much everything listed on the exchange at amx.am/en/market_data for any past trading day. Bond yields there currently run around 10-11% in dram, for example.
— No forex on AMX, despite what their website claims.”
Evocabank
Evocabank offers brokerage and depositary services (including acting as an intermediary for the Central Depository of Armenia) both within Armenia and on international securities markets.
Evocabank has a partnership with a leading German investment bank, giving access to securities listed on the London, New York, Frankfurt, Tokyo, and other major stock exchanges.
Investment services on the Russian securities market are offered through a partnership with the brokerage firm BCS (BrokerCreditService), with real-time data on securities and quotes from the Moscow Interbank Currency Exchange (MICEX).
Evocabank’s brokerage and depositary services operate under the bank’s standard rules and fee schedule. A current account with the bank is a prerequisite for using its investment services.
Learn more about opening an account at Evocabank in our Evocabank review.
ACBA Bank
Through ACBA’s brokerage services, you can invest in securities listed on the Armenia Stock Exchange, as well as securities traded on Armenia’s unregulated securities market.
Learn more about opening an account at ACBA in our ACBA review.
US and International Brokers
If you’re living in Armenia and can provide sufficient documentation to prove your country of residence, it’s possible to open an account with a US or European broker — E*Trade, Interactive Brokers, and Charles Schwab International, among others.
US brokers tend to offer a wider range of instruments, lower (sometimes zero) fees, and the added benefit of your funds sitting in a jurisdiction with more developed securities regulation and investor-protection law.
If you’ve relocated to Armenia, it’s worth making sure the address on file with any international broker or financial service actually reflects your new location. An outdated address tied to your previous country of residence can sometimes cause service disruptions, extra verification requests, or compliance holds — even when nothing else about your account has changed.
This process is generally called “proof of residence” (confirming your country of residence) or “proof of address” (confirming a specific address). It typically requires a set of documents in English, or with a notarized translation.
Broker support may ask for clarification on documents submitted. It’s particularly worth checking the address associated with your bank profile in Armenia — for many people who’ve relocated, this still shows their previous country by default. Going through the proof-of-address process with your Armenian bank to update it can help.
Doing this avoids confusion and, in practice, can speed up cross-border transfers, since your account won’t carry any lingering association with your previous country of residence.
Remember: banks and brokers are legally required to hold a certain amount of information about their clients (KYC — “know your customer”) as part of anti-money-laundering (AML) regulation.
Armenia is an attractive base for working across various financial markets, but it’s worth paying close attention to the requirements both of the country you’re in and of the specific brokers you use. If you’ve been active in markets for a while and plan to stay in Armenia long-term, it’s worth going through the address-update process with every financial institution you use, and getting a residence permit sorted — it tends to simplify life considerably, both within Armenia and when dealing with institutions elsewhere.
FAQ
Which Armenian banks offer brokerage services? Ameriabank, Evocabank, and ACBA Bank are the main options, each offering slightly different market access and services.
Can I access US and international markets through an Armenian broker? Yes — Ameriabank in particular offers access to over 20 countries’ exchanges through a single account, and Evocabank offers access to major European and Asian markets through its German banking partner.
Can I open an account directly with a foreign broker like Interactive Brokers instead? Yes — holders of an Armenian residence permit or passport can generally open accounts directly with brokers like Interactive Brokers or E*Trade.
Is there a minimum deposit for a brokerage account in Armenia? Ameriabank, for example, doesn’t require a minimum initial deposit for its brokerage service.
What is “proof of address” and why does it matter for brokerage accounts? It’s the process of confirming your current country/address with a broker or bank. Keeping it updated after you relocate helps avoid compliance holds and can speed up transfers.
Do brokerage accounts in Armenia require a regular bank account too? Yes — a current account with the same bank is generally required before you can open or use a brokerage account.
