Our platform and services are built around what we think are good investment principles for individuals putting their money to work in the stock market (and smaller companies seeking to make more from their reserves). These principles include:
Invest for the long term
While stock markets can go up or down in the short-term, in the long term they tend to rise. So investing for the long-term makes sense. It’s less risky, and means you’re more likely to end up with a good return that beats cash savings and outpaces inflation.
Keep costs down
Costs matter in investment, especially over the long term. Simply put, the less you pay the more of your investment gains you get to keep. Don’t assume that paying more will give you better performance.
Spread risk
As with putting eggs in one basket, we think it’s risky to have all your money in a single share or investment. Investing in a diversified portfolio helps reduce risk and smooth your returns. Among the reasons we like ETFs, which commonly hold hundreds of shares or bonds, is their inbuilt diversification.
Suit yourself
We want you to invest in a way that suits you: how involved you want to be in managing your investments and how much risk you’re comfortable taking. It’s why we offer a choice of DIY investing and Managed portfolios. Our DIY service has a range of free tools and features to help investors manage their own portfolios, from automating investing to one-click rebalancing. If you’d rather use our Managed service, there’s a straightforward online questionnaire to help you find a suitable portfolio.
Stick to the plan
As markets rise and fall, the investments held in a portfolio can get out of line with their original weights, changing the amount of risk you’re exposed to. That’s why our Managed service includes regular rebalancing of your investments to reset your portfolio, keeping it on track to meet its objectives. For DIY investors, our one-click rebalancing tool is a convenient way to realign your portfolio.