Hey bunqers 🌈,
Fractional shares let you invest in the companies you believe in without saving up for a full share first. If a single share costs €900 and you want to invest €20, you buy €20 worth of it — around 0.02 of a share — and you own that piece for real. This is how investing works by default in your Stocks tab, so you always get to decide on the amount you want to invest.
What is a fractional share?
A fractional share is a piece of a whole share. Because you choose an amount in euros instead of a number of shares, most of what you buy will be fractional.
Here's how it works in practice:
Go to the 📈Stocks tab
Tap Buy
Decide how much you want to invest and how to spread it across the Stocks and ETFs in your Basket
Tap Buy to confirm
If you invest €200 evenly across 10 Stocks in your Basket, each one gets €20. That €20 buys you a fraction of each Stock, however much €20 is worth at that moment. You never need to match the price of a full share to get started, and your minimum investment is €10 per Stock or ETF.
Can I buy whole shares too?
Yes! There's no separate option to choose between fractional and whole shares — it depends on the amount you invest. If you invest €900 in a Stock that costs €900 per share, you get 1 whole share. If you invest more than a share costs, you get whole shares plus a fraction of the next one.
How do I see how many shares I own?
You can check your exact quantity before you buy and any time after, so you always know what you're getting.
Before you confirm a purchase
Go to the 📈 Stocks tab
Select the Stock or ETF you want to buy
Tap Buy and enter your amount
Check the number of shares shown before you confirm
Any time after you’ve bought
Go to the 📈 Stocks tab
Select the Stock or ETF you want information on
Check Shares Owned to see how much of that Stock or ETF you hold
Your Basket overview shows the value of each holding rather than the number of shares, so open the individual Stock or ETF when you want the exact quantity.
Do I still get dividends?
Yes. Dividends on fractional shares are credited proportionally, which means you get the same share of the dividend as your fraction is of a whole share. If you own 0.25 of a share, you receive 25% of the dividend for 1 share. Dividends land in the Bank Account you picked in your Stocks settings, exactly as they do for whole shares.
What are the limits and risks of fractional shares?
Investing involves risk of loss, and the value of your investments can go down. That's true for whole and fractional shares alike. Here are a few things worth knowing before you invest in fractional shares:
Proxy voting needs a whole share. Voting rights attached to fractional holdings are generally not exercised, and fractional holdings in registered shares can't be entered into a company's share register. This means you can only take part in proxy voting once you own at least 1 full share of a company.
Some corporate actions exclude fractions. When a company does something like a merger, a spin-off, or a stock split, the company itself decides how fractions are treated. Sometimes your fraction is paid out in cash instead of converted into new shares. Neither bunq nor our custodian can influence this.
Moving fractions to another provider works differently. Fractional holdings usually can't be transferred to another broker the way whole shares can.
Price swings affect fractional shares in the same proportion. In case of high volatility, your fraction rises and falls by the same percentage as a whole share does.
How do fractional shares work with proxy voting?
You can vote once you own at least 1 full share of a company. Voting happens through proxy voting, which means you cast your vote online instead of attending a meeting in person.
Because you invest an amount rather than a number of shares, your holding in a company starts as a fraction and grows as you invest more. Until it reaches 1 full share, voting rights attached to it aren't exercised, and a fractional holding can't be entered into a company's share register. There's nothing you need to do about this, and it doesn't affect your dividends or the value of what you own.
To see where you stand with a company:
Go to the 📈 Stocks tab
Select the Stock you want to check
Look at Shares Owned — from 1 share upward, you're eligible to vote on that company
Once you're eligible, Upvest emails you whenever there's a vote, with instructions for casting it. Taking part is always optional, so you can ignore the email if you'd rather not vote. For the full steps, read How can I participate in proxy voting through bunq?
Who holds my fractional shares?
Your investments sit in a separate securities account managed by Upvest Securities, a custodian regulated by the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority. For fractional shares, you and Upvest hold the underlying share together, and your portion is legally defined and recorded — so your fractional or full share is yours.
What do fractional shares cost?
Fractional shares cost the same as whole shares. Fees are calculated on the amount you invest, not on the number of shares, and you see the full breakdown on the purchase screen before you confirm. Every trade also generates a document you can download.
Go to the 📈 Stocks tab
Tap ⚙️ Settings
Tap Documents
Download the document for the trade you want to check
For the current rates and your plan discount, read How are trading fees calculated?
Once your order goes through, your fraction shows up in your Basket alongside everything else you own, and you can sell any part of it whenever you want — you're never locked into holding until you reach a whole share.