Shares on Bursa Malaysia

To hold shares listed on Bursa Malaysia, an investor needs a Central Depository System account, known as a CDS account.

Bursa Malaysia's help centre says an individual can open a CDS account only if they have reached 18 years of age as of the application date.

The same page lists the other types of applicants, such as companies, cooperative societies and trustees. It does not set out a separate route for people under 18.

Private Retirement Scheme (PRS)

The Private Retirement Scheme is a voluntary retirement savings scheme. It is administered by the Private Pension Administrator Malaysia, or PPA.

PPA's FAQs say anyone aged 18 and above is eligible to contribute to PRS. The age is checked as of the date the private pension account is opened.

PPA says PRS is open to Malaysians and non-Malaysians.

EPF

EPF says registration as a member is open to people aged 14 to below 75. Malaysian citizens, permanent residents and certain non-Malaysian employees can register.

Through i-Simpan, registered members who are Malaysian citizens or permanent residents and below 75 can make voluntary contributions. The minimum is RM1, and the maximum is RM100,000 a year across all voluntary contribution types.

EPF says others, such as parents, a spouse or siblings, can also contribute to a registered member's account.

EPF's pages do not set out separate rules for children. For a specific case, contact EPF directly.

How to check who is offering a product

Whatever the age of the investor, a useful first step is the same: check who is offering the product.

The SC Investment Checker at sc.com.my/investment-checker lets you check whether a person or company is authorised by the Securities Commission Malaysia to offer or sell capital market products. You can search by name or company registration number.

Names on the SC Investor Alert List also show up in Investment Checker results. The SC describes that list as unauthorised websites, investment products, companies and individuals, and says it is not exhaustive.

So a name missing from the alert list does not prove a firm is licensed. Look for a valid licence in the Investment Checker instead.

SmartChecker shows register records and reviews for the companies it lists, so you can compare what a firm says about itself with what the official registers show.

Common questions

Can a 16-year-old open a CDS account? No. Bursa Malaysia's help centre sets the minimum age at 18 as of the application date.

Can someone under 18 contribute to PRS? No. PPA says contributors must be 18 or older on the date the account is opened.

Can a teenager be an EPF member? Yes, from age 14. EPF says registration is open to people aged 14 to below 75.

Does a name missing from the SC Investor Alert List mean the firm is licensed? No. The SC says the list is not exhaustive. Use the Investment Checker to confirm a licence.