Anyone has experience with capital gains tax in the US? Is it better to keep my money in local brokerages trading US stocks or trade with less costs there but with capital gains tax?

As a non U.S. resident You'll be paying only 30% (or 15% reduced, W-8BEN form, tax treaty with your country) withholding taxes on dividends.

When holding U.S. stocks there is one not so well known other fact regarding inheritances important to longterm planning and possibly valid not only for swiss investors outside USA:

https://www.swisspartners.com/en/partners_view/...

As a foreigner, you do not need to pay capital gain tax.

However, whether to declare in IRAS is up to you call.

As a Singaporean, you're not subjected to capital gains tax in the US. Local brokerages tend to have higher commission fees than brokerages like TD Ameritrade or Saxo Bank.

As gabriel mentioned, "if you are a Singapore resident trading US markets, you are subject to dividend withholding taxes, not capital gains taxes."

This is a fact. I have a friend who trades in the US and so far he has not been taxed on capital gains only dividens and it is taxed by USA, not singapore