Open an SBI Securities account before the year ends: referral link steps and how to start NISA
SBI Securities has no referral code to type in. Apply through a referral link and you get 100 SBI-only V Points (when you pick V Points on the form). Opening and maintaining the account is free.
Last checked: (SBI Securities’ official referral program, “Zero Revolution”, NISA setup and FAQ pages)
What this guide covers
- SBI’s referral works through a link, not a code, and a referrer can’t be added after you apply
- Apply via the link and choose V Points to receive 100 points
- The three choices on the form that confuse people: tax withholding, applying for NISA at the same time, and which points to earn
- Foreign residents must submit a residence card and apply by mail
- What to do this year so you can use next year’s NISA allowance from January, even if your NISA is elsewhere
Contents
- There is no SBI referral code: how the link works
- How to open an account through the referral link
- What’s different for foreign residents
- Three choices on the application form
- Two settings to change once your account opens
- Why so many people choose SBI Securities
- Getting ready to use NISA from January
- Pairing it with SMBC card investing
- Things to know before you apply
- FAQ
- Bottom line
There is no SBI referral code: how the link works
Plenty of people search for an “SBI Securities referral code,” but the program has no code to enter when you apply. Instead, the referrer issues a personal link, and the person being referred applies for an account from that link.
The official page is clear: if you apply from anywhere other than the dedicated link, the referral can’t be confirmed and no bonus applies. You cannot apply through the normal sign-up page and add a referrer afterwards.
| Program | SBI証券のポイント投資ご紹介プログラム (SBI Securities point-investing referral program) |
|---|---|
| What you get | 100 SBI-only V Points (if you select V Points under 「ポイント選択」 on the form) |
| What the referrer gets | 5,000 V Points per person (up to 5 people a year) |
| When the referrer is paid | When the referred person, within 60 days of the link being issued, opens a general account, registers a V Point card and opens a NISA account (confirmed by the tax office) |
| Eligibility | Individuals who are adults (children’s and corporate accounts excluded) |
SBI-only V Points can be used toward buying investment trusts or Japanese stocks (cash trades) at SBI Securities. It’s a small amount, but it’s a handy start toward your first fund purchase.
SBI actually has three referral programs
SBI Securities runs three referral schemes, and all of them reward the person who does the referring. The button in this guide uses the point-investing referral program (ポイント投資ご紹介プログラム).
| Program | How you refer | What the referrer gets |
|---|---|---|
| ポイント投資ご紹介プログラム (the link in this guide) | Share a dedicated link | 5,000 V Points (up to 5 people a year) |
| NISAご紹介プログラム | Refer via LINE | Gift points (up to 5 people a year) |
| IPOフレンズプログラム | Register the friend’s name and email | IPO Challenge Points |
The only reward for the referred person stated on the official pages is the 100 points from the point-investing program when you choose V Points on the form.
How to open an account through the referral link
You can do the whole application on your phone. Japanese nationals with a My Number Card get verified fastest; for foreign residents the process differs slightly, as explained in the next section.
- Open the referral page from the button in this guideYou’ll see an SBI Securities page labelled 「被紹介者さま用専用ページ」 (page for referred customers). Continue from the apply button on that page. If you switch to the normal sign-up page in another tab, it won’t count as a referral.
- Register your email and enter the verification codeThis takes you to the application form.
- Fill in the formBesides your name and address, you choose the type of specified account, whether to apply for NISA at the same time, and which points to earn. The three tricky ones are explained in section 4. To receive the 100 points, choose 「Vポイント」.
- Submit your IDJapanese nationals usually photograph their My Number Card and upload it. Foreign residents must submit a residence card and use the mail option (see the next section).
- Wait for the account to open, then complete the initial setupLog in once you get the notice and finish the setup. SBI has a “provisional opening” system that lets you trade in NISA before the tax office review; with documents uploaded online, NISA trading can start in as little as two business days.
- Register your V member numberLog in on the PC site and go to 「MY設定」 → 「ポイント・外部ID連携」 → 「メインポイント設定」 to register your V member number, so you can earn and use V Points.
What’s different for foreign residents
According to SBI Securities’ official FAQ, foreign nationals can open an account if they live in Japan and can submit ID showing their Japanese address plus their My Number. The differences:
- You must submit a residence card or special permanent resident certificate with at least two months left before it expires
- Account opening is by mail only: you fill in the form online, but your ID goes through the mail process, which adds a few days compared with a phone upload
- US citizens, green card holders and US residents face restrictions on new purchases of some products
NISA itself has no nationality requirement: if you live in Japan, are 18 or older and have a My Number, you can open one. For what happens with NISA as a foreign resident, see our guide NISA for foreigners in Japan.
Three choices on the application form
1. Choose a specified account “with withholding” (源泉徴収あり)
This decides how tax is handled when you sell stocks or funds at a profit outside NISA. With 「特定口座（源泉徴収あり）」, SBI Securities deducts and pays the tax for you, so in principle you don’t need to file a tax return (確定申告). If you’re an employee or have never filed a return in Japan, this is the stress-free choice. Gains inside NISA are tax-free anyway.
2. Apply for NISA at the same time
Each person can hold only one NISA account across all financial institutions. If you haven’t opened NISA anywhere yet, applying together with the general account is the least hassle. If you already have NISA elsewhere, you’ll need to change institutions instead; see “Getting ready to use NISA from January” below.
3. Pick your points by how you’ll use them
SBI Securities asks you to choose one “main point”: V Points, Ponta Points, d Points, JAL Miles or PayPay Points. Points earned on your fund holdings also go to this main point.
- If you’ll invest with an SMBC card, keeping everything in V Points is the natural fit
- The 100 sign-up points (SBI-only V Points) require choosing 「Vポイント」 here
- d Points, JAL Miles and PayPay Points can’t be used for point investing (buying funds with points) at SBI Securities
Two settings to change once your account opens
1. Set dividends to 「株式数比例配分方式」 so NISA dividends are tax-free
This one is easy to miss. Even for Japanese stocks and ETFs held in NISA, dividends are taxed unless your dividend method is set to 「株式数比例配分方式」 (paid into your brokerage account in proportion to shares held). Change it on the PC site under 「My設定」 → 「お取引関連・口座情報」 → 「配当金受領サービス」. If you switch after a stock’s record date, that dividend won’t be tax-free, so do it before you buy.
2. Decide how often and how much to invest
For fund purchases paid from your account’s cash, you can choose daily, weekly, monthly, several set days a month or every other month, and add extra in bonus months. Credit card purchases happen once a month. Pick a monthly amount first, then decide whether to pay by card or cash.
Why so many people choose SBI Securities
¥0 commission on Japanese stocks
Under its “Zero Revolution,” online trades with electronic delivery of trade reports are commission-free regardless of size, including fractional shares (S株).
¥0 for US stocks and foreign ETFs in NISA
Buying and selling US stocks and overseas ETFs within NISA is free, for both regular and one-off purchases.
Points on card investing
Invest ¥100 to ¥100,000 a month in funds with an SMBC card and others, with no need to transfer cash into the account.
Points just for holding funds
You earn your chosen main point every month based on fund balances, and V Points or Ponta Points can be invested.
The SBI Group has more than 16 million securities accounts, including SBI Neotrade Securities and FOLIO (as of May 1, 2026, per SBI Securities). It also handles many IPOs, and each lost IPO lottery earns “IPO Challenge Points” that raise your odds next time.
Getting ready to use NISA from January
The new NISA allows ¥1.2 million in the tsumitate (regular investment) quota plus ¥2.4 million in the growth quota, ¥3.6 million a year, and it resets each calendar year. The lifetime tax-free limit is ¥18 million (up to ¥12 million of it in the growth quota). If you want your first January contribution to use the new year’s allowance, finish opening the account and setting up NISA before the year ends.
If you don’t have NISA anywhere yet
Apply for the general account and NISA together, and the provisional opening lets you start trading without waiting for the tax office. The NISA account review itself takes about two weeks, SBI says, so aim to finish in autumn rather than at the end of December. Foreign residents, who must send documents by mail, should start even earlier.
If you already have NISA with another provider
Moving NISA is called a “change of financial institution,” and the window runs from October 1 of the year before the change until September 30 of the year of the change. If you’ve bought anything in your current NISA during that year, you can’t switch that year. In other words, if you’re already investing through NISA this year, start the process on or after October 1 and you can use NISA at SBI Securities from January.
- Ask your current provider for a 「金融機関変更」 (change of institution) and receive the 「勘定廃止通知書」 (account closure notice)
- Open a general account at SBI Securities and apply for NISA, choosing 「郵送で口座開設」 (open by mail) for ID submission and enclosing the notice
- SBI Securities files with the tax office and your NISA account is opened
Pairing it with SMBC card investing
Funding your monthly fund purchases at SBI Securities with a credit card earns points based on the amount. The best-known option is the SMBC Card: ¥100 to ¥100,000 a month, usable for both NISA quotas. The earning rate depends on the card type and conditions, so check SMBC’s official page for the latest.
If you want to start with a no-fee card, see our SMBC Card (NL) guide. For the bigger picture on earning points through card investing, read credit card investing for foreigners in Japan.
Things to know before you apply
- No link, no referral: it can’t be added later, so start from the button in this guide
- It can’t be combined with a points site: applying through a points site (ポイントサイト) uses a different application page
- Choosing anything other than V Points means no 100 points: it depends on what you pick under 「ポイント選択」 on the form
- The NISA account review takes about two weeks: provisional opening lets you trade sooner, but leave time if you want to be ready for January
- The site and apps have a lot of screens: with so many products, it can feel hard to find what you need at first. For setting up regular investing, the smartphone app is enough
- Investing can lose money: NISA is a tax break, not a guarantee of your principal
FAQ
- Does SBI Securities have a referral code?
- No. The referral program works through a dedicated link issued by the referrer, and there is no field for a referral code on the application form.
- Can I add a referrer after opening the account?
- No. SBI Securities states that applications not made through the dedicated link can’t be confirmed as referrals and are not eligible.
- What do I get by applying through the referral link?
- If you select V Points under 「ポイント選択」 on the form, you receive 100 SBI-only V Points, usable toward buying investment trusts or Japanese stocks (cash trades) at SBI Securities.
- Can foreigners open an account at SBI Securities?
- Yes. According to the official FAQ, foreign nationals living in Japan can open an account if they submit ID showing a Japanese address and their My Number. A residence card or special permanent resident certificate valid for at least two more months is required, and accounts are opened by mail only.
- Can US citizens or green card holders open an account?
- SBI Securities says it restricts new purchases of some products for US citizens, green card holders and US residents. Check the official FAQ for which products before applying.
- Should I choose “with withholding” or “without” for the specified account?
- Choose 「源泉徴収あり」 (with withholding) if you don’t want to file a tax return. SBI Securities withholds and pays the tax, so in principle no return is needed.
- How long until I can trade in NISA?
- SBI Securities has a provisional opening system that allows NISA trading before the tax office review. It says trading can start in as little as two business days when documents are uploaded online, while the NISA account review itself takes about two weeks. Foreign residents must submit by mail, which takes a few days longer.
- I have NISA with another provider. Can I move it to SBI Securities?
- Yes. A change of institution must be completed between October 1 of the previous year and September 30 of the year you want to switch. If you’ve already bought in your current NISA that year, the change applies from the next year.
- Do I have to choose V Points as my main point?
- No, but the 100 sign-up points are only for those who choose V Points, and d Points, JAL Miles and PayPay Points can’t be used for point investing at SBI. If you’ll invest with an SMBC card, V Points is the natural choice.
- How many referral programs does SBI Securities have?
- Three: the point-investing referral program, the NISA referral program (via LINE) and the IPO Friends program. The link in this guide is for the point-investing program.
- How do I receive Japanese stock dividends tax-free in NISA?
- Set your dividend method to 「株式数比例配分方式」. With any other method, dividends are taxed even for shares held in NISA. Set it before the record date.
- Can I invest daily or weekly?
- With cash, yes: daily, weekly, monthly, several days a month or every other month. Credit card investing is once a month.
- Can I get a points-site reward and the referral bonus together?
- No. The referral only applies when you apply through the dedicated link, and a points site sends you to a different application page.
Bottom line
There’s no code to type for an SBI Securities referral: just apply from the referral link. Pick V Points and you get 100 points toward your first fund.
Once the account is open, switch your dividend method to 「株式数比例配分方式」 before buying any stocks. Don’t skip that step.
More importantly, the NISA allowance resets every January. To avoid a rush after New Year, open the account and set up NISA before the year ends. If your NISA is with another provider, start the switch on or after October 1 and you can move over from January. Foreign residents who apply by mail should give themselves extra time.
Sources: SBI Securities referral program (page for referred customers) / Zero Revolution / How to start NISA / FAQ: students and foreign nationals / FAQ: points usable for point investing / FAQ: tax-free NISA dividends / FAQ: investment frequency / NISA referral program / IPO Friends program / SMBC Card investing