The pandemic has changed the world's perspective on a lot of things. People are now more conscious about their choices, whether it's to do with personal decisions or how the future they envision.
The world of personal investment should also evolve alongside. When it comes to investing hard-earned money, investors are getting more financially literate these days and younger investors now seek greater control over their investment decisions. They are looking to be able to personalise investments according to their life stage, investment goals, viewpoints and beliefs.
Take for example lawyer Jolyn Ang, 30. In her line of work, she represents investors and companies on corporate transactions in the Asia-Pacific region. Ms Ang is passionate about climate change issues, and would like her investment portfolio to reflect her goal to create a sustainable environment.
Even though there are numerous funds on clean energy and environmental innovation in the market, these products can be complex for the average retail investor. Syfe's newest product, Syfe Select, has simplified the investment process and made decision-making more straightforward, allowing retail investors like Ms Ang to put her money where her beliefs are.
"I have always tried to keep up with the latest investment trends to make sure that my portfolio is diversified and up-to-date. I had also been searching for ways to align my investments more with causes that I believe in such as climate change and diversity. Ideally, I would like to support (with my capital) companies which share the same causes as me, or which I believe will further those causes with their products and/or services," Ms Ang said.
Syfe Select is Singapore's first fully customisable ETF portfolio builder. It requires no minimum investment, no lock-up periods and also offers automatic dividends reinvesting. With Syfe Select, investors like Ms Ang can choose to express personal beliefs through thematic investing, which is about identifying powerful, long-term global trends that could shape the future.
Select from 100+ ETFs
Users can select up to eight from over 100 best-in-class ETFs from leading asset management firms or go for five ready-made "themes" that reflect the world's megatrends.
"We customise most things these days, from our coffee order to sneakers. Why should we not be able to personalise something as important as our investment portfolio according to our unique goals, views and beliefs?" Mr Dhruv Arora, founder and chief executive officer of digital wealth manager Syfe, said.
Syfe Select sets out to do precisely that: deliver wealth management customisation that is quick and accessible based on each individual's preferences.
For the longest time, customisation in wealth management has been exclusive to the ultra-high net worth segment. Syfe Select aims to democratise investment by bringing institutional-level solutions to the masses.
The platform also makes the investing process easy. Users can adjust allocations, add or remove ETFs with a few clicks and review portfolios at a glance. The ease of use is a key differentiator, and Syfe's platform makes the entire experience of curating and customising a portfolio fuss-free and straightforward.
Ms Ang, who also holds other portfolios in Syfe Core Growth, Syfe Cash+, short-duration bond funds, and Syfe REIT+, enjoyed the convenience offered by the platform.
"Syfe Select provides me with a ready-made ESG (Environment, Social, Governance) ETF portfolio, while allowing me to customise the allocations to reflect my views on the sub-sectors within the broad ESG umbrella. It took me less than five minutes to construct my ESG portfolio and get it up and running," she said.
Five mega themes shaping the future
So, what are the five themes available in Syfe Select? According to Syfe, the most popular so far has been ESG and Clean Energy - perfect for investors like Ms Ang, who want to put their money behind a cause and help shape a more sustainable future. Currently, about half of Syfe Select's portfolio of ETFs are rated highly on all three ESG pillars and have holdings across the US, developed and emerging markets. The other half of the portfolio comprises ETFs that are closely aligned to clean energy and water sustainability.
Another popular theme is Disruptive Technology. This investment theme allows investors to back specific ETFs that are shaping technology as we know it: from robotics and gaming, to cloud computing.
Investments in healthcare have also gained traction in terms of interest, especially as more people become conscious of their well-being due to the pandemic. Syfe Select's Healthcare Innovation theme lets investors invest in the latest healthcare opportunities in genomics, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals.
Syfe Select also has a Global Income theme, consisting of a highly diversified global bonds portfolio that offers yields at 4.25 per cent per annum on average. The fifth theme is China Growth, which capitalises on China's new economy sectors such as its rising consumer class and fast-moving internet sectors.
Since its launch, two out of three Syfe Select users have chosen ready-made themes, while the remaining have opted for a fully DIY option, where they get choose the specific funds or allocations they prefer in their portfolios, regardless of theme.
"We've had a successful launch for Syfe Select with very positive feedback to date. Currently, a majority of our customers are kickstarting with thematic portfolios showing the interest and demand for investing in the biggest trends shaping our world today," Mr Arora said.
He added: "Covid-19 has accelerated some megatrends in the world, including but not limited to technology and healthcare innovation. We believe this is the right time to enable users to capture the potential of these structural trends within our portfolio, so that they can capitalise on that growth."
-
Find out more about Syfe Select at www.syfe.com.
Syfe is a digital wealth manager licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) under a Capital Markets Services (CMS) License for fund management. All forms of investments carry risks, including the risk of losing all of the invested amount. Past returns are not a guarantee for future performance. Such activities may not be suitable for everyone. This advertisement has not been reviewed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore.
