Do investments always have to happen via a bank? I'm really new to investing and read that one can at the very least start out with ETFs - but does that happen via a bank or just via CDP?

Hey there, well not really. It just happens that banks also have brokerages services like DBS Vickers, Maybank Kim Eng, UOB Kay Hian. There are other brokerages such as Philips POEMs that offer the same service.

CDP is like your stock savings account - whatever stock you purchase via your brokerage will be stored in your CDP account.

On where to start, the super basics, I literally started from Hardwarezone Money Mind. There are quite a few sticky threads on investing for beginners. But HWZ do have some trolls sometimes.. Alternatively, you are exactly where you are right now - Seedly! They have very comprehensive guides in just about anything related to personal finance! In addition, you can pick up some finance books such as 100 Baggers by Christopher Mayer, just to build up that knowledge first :)

No, investments don't have to start with a bank.

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To your second part of your question, it is via CDP

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For basic tips or resources into starting into investing, consider taking up accountancy course to learn the basics of finance. Following which you can read some books such as "One Up on Wall Street" By Peter Lynch.

Other online forums with a wealth of knoweldge are seeking alpha and valuebuddies.com​​​