Before you start

Stocktrade offers an execution only Sharedealing service. This means you won't receive any advice from Nationwide or Stocktrade. Once a simple online registration process is completed you can buy and sell shares online or over the phone.

There are two main types of account available for customers who would like to register and want to deal online or over the phone with Stocktrade; these are either a Nominee or CREST account. If you don't want to register, and are only interested in dealing over the phone, there is also the option an unregistered Certificated account.

Nominee account

This account may be of interest to people who want to deal more frequently and in a wider range of investments including foreign securities and Unit Trusts, and is available to either individuals or joint applicants.

This type of account means:

• All the shares you deal in are held in Stocktrade’s Nominee Company name on your behalf
• Your name will not appear on the shareholders register for each of the companies you invest in and you remain the beneficial owner of the shares held in the nominee account
• All the administration is handled by Stocktrade’s Nominee Company on your behalf, so there is no paperwork involved
• Any dividends that are paid will be credited to your account with Stocktrade
• Transactions will be settled on a minimum of 3 business days from the date you deal

CREST account

This account may be of interest for customers who are looking to deal on a regular basis, and is available to individuals or joint account holders. CREST is the electronic settlement system through which the London Stock Exchange settles deals, and all participating shares are held electronically meaning no share certificates change hands.

This type of account means:

• Your name will appear on the shareholders register for each of the companies you invest in
• You will have voting rights, receive company information direct from the Registrars to your home address and receive dividends to a nominated bank account or to your home address
• Transactions will be settled on a minimum of 3 business days from the date you deal

Certificated account

This account may be of interest if you only want to deal over the phone. This allows individuals or joint applicants who are resident in the UK to hold their own share certificates.

This type of account means:

• Your name appears on the share register for each of the companies you invest in
• You receive company information direct from the Registrars to your home address
• You have voting rights in the companies you buy shares in
• Transactions will be settled on a minimum of 10 business days from the date you deal, this is to allow sufficient time for share certificates to change hands following the deal

For more information on any of these accounts, please read the Terms and Conditions.

Find out more about using the Sharedealing service on an unregistered basis.