How to start Investing? Spare change and micro-investing
Choice, the leading consumer advocacy group in Australia, has provided a very comprehensive and extensive explanation of all things Raiz. To read more, please go to their article – ‘Raiz: Spare change and smartphone investing’
Excerpt below:
Historically, two things have worked against young people investing in the stock market. First, a lack of knowledge about how to start investing.
Second, not having enough money available to be of interest to the businesses that facilitate such investments.
For example, if you chose to cut out the middleman and invest directly in the same ETFs, you would need hundreds of dollars to buy a single ‘unit’ in one of these funds.
Likewise, investment funds, financial advisers and stockbrokers are typically only interested in clients who have a substantial sum to invest.
Overcoming barriers
Raiz addresses both of these barriers to entry.
First, while Raiz does aspire to educate its customers, they don’t need to know anything about investing to get started.
Customers just download the Raiz app to their smartphone then link their Raiz investment account to their bank accounts and credit or debit cards.
Raiz then pools the deposits from its customers and buys units in ETFs.
For example, if 100 Raiz users deposit $9.50 each, Raiz will arrange the purchase of a $950 ETF unit and give each of those customers a one per cent stake in it.
When that ETF pays dividends and distributions, each of those customers receives a one per cent share.
Raiz isn’t an ETF (or a brokerage, or investment fund). It simply provides the platform that allows its customers to pool their money and invest in the stock market via ETFs.
Expert opinions
Raiz has attracted a lot of attention, including from the nation’s personal finance experts.
Noel Whittaker is a fan, having long dreamed of a product available to “anybody with a few dollars to invest, where investment could be automatic and your money placed in share-based investments without the hassle of going through a broker, paying brokerage or trying to save a big lump sum to get going”.
To read more, please go to their article – ‘Raiz: Spare change and smartphone investing’
For more information on Raiz fees, click here.
Don’t have the Raiz App?
Download it for free in the App store or the Webapp below:
Important Information
The information on this website is general advice only. This means it does not take into account any person’s particular investment objectives, financial situation or investment needs. If you are an investor, you should consult your licensed adviser before acting on any information contained in this article to fully understand the benefits and risk associated with the product.
A Product Disclosure Statement for Raiz Invest and/or Raiz Invest Super are available on the Raiz Invest website and App. A person must read and consider the Product Disclosure Statement in deciding whether, or not, to acquire and continue to hold interests in the product. The risks of investing in this product are fully set out in the Product Disclosure Statement and include the risks that would ordinarily apply to investing.
The information may be based on assumptions or market conditions which change without notice. This could impact the accuracy of the information.
Under no circumstances is the information to be used by, or presented to, a person for the purposes of deciding about investing in Raiz Invest or Raiz Invest Super.
Past return performance of the Raiz products should not be relied on for making a decision to invest in a Raiz product and is not a good predictor of future performance.
