We’re licensed by the Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong (<a></a><a href="https://apps.sfc.hk/publicregWeb/corp/BQE542/details" target="_blank">CE No. BQE542</a>)

Help Center

We’re licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (License no.&nbsp;<a href="https://eservices.mas.gov.sg/fid/institution/detail/201134-ASIA-WEALTH-PLATFORM-PTE-LTD">CMS100604</a>).

We’re licensed by the Securities Commission Malaysia (Licence <a href="https://easy.seccom.com.my:8222/entityprofile/1ca93ae1-4c0e-4c55-90e0-1850600e54f6">eCMSL/A0352/2018</a>).

We’re licensed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (License no.&nbsp;<a></a><a href="https://market.sec.or.th/public/idisc/en/companyprofile/Intermediaries/0000031407" target="_blank">Lor Khor-0136-01</a>).

StashAway Management (DIFC) Limited is regulated by the DFSA (license number&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dfsa.ae/public-register/firms/stashaway-management-difc-limited">F006312</a>).

During the account opening process, we ask questions about your preferences to gain an understanding of your current financial situation. 
In the financial assessment that customers are required to complete before opening an account, we ask about risk preferences, goals, current financial situations, and investment experience. 
We use this information to make recommendations for you. 
For example, based on the information you provided when filling out your profile, our algorithm may cap your risk limit.
The financial knowledge assessment is designed to protect you from unnecessary risk. Depending on the outcome of your assessment, we may cap your risk level and you will not have access to our 3 higher-risk portfolios. In this case, you would only have access to our 9 core portfolios.
To access the higher risk portfolios, we highly recommend that you either watch our Investing Basics Presentation in our mobile app (available anytime) or attend our <a class="styles__ATag-sc-13s6wwe-0 iKPPDk" href="https://www.stashaway.sg/academy" target="_self" rel="undefined">Investing Basics Live Webinar which happens every few weeks.</a> They’re both free to watch and the presentation gives you insights into the following:
<ul class="wysiwyg-text-align-justify">
<li>
Understanding the risk and return relationship
</li>
<li>
What you should consider before making an investment
</li>
<li>
Understanding your personal risk appetite and preferences
</li>
<li>
Why your investment timeline is important
</li>
</ul>
We also have other <a class="styles__ATag-sc-13s6wwe-0 iKPPDk" href="https://www.stashaway.sg/academy" target="_self" rel="undefined">courses</a> you can watch that will help you better understand your financial and investment plan.
Once done, do email our Client Experience Team at support@stashaway.com and we will be able to open up all risk levels for you.

How is my portfolio personalised for me and how does the outcome of the financial assessment affect my portfolio risk settings?

Your unique reference code is for linking all of your deposits (to any and all goals) to your StashAway account. Including your reference code in all deposits (one-time or monthly) will expedite this process, allowing us to invest your money more quickly.
Your unique reference code can be found on the “Transfer” page for the Mobile Application and under “Manage Deposits” tab when you log in via a Web Application. 
A copy of the transfer instructions is also available.
For detailed instructions on how to set up transfers and where to include your unique reference code, please refer to "Transfer Instructions" under Transfer Information on the Transfer page.
Your funds will be allocated to your portfolios based on the amount(s) you enter in the Deposit Plan in your StashAway account. In the case that we receive an amount different from your deposit plans, we will allocate the funds proportionally based on how much you indicate to go towards each portfolio, first to one-time transfers, then to monthly transfers.

How should I use my unique reference code? Where can I find it? 

Frequently asked questions about opening an account and the app

Getting Started

<span data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"StashAway offers different investment products for investors. StashAway has the General Investing Portfolio, Responsible Investing Portfolio, Thematic Portfolios, and Flexible Portfolios that are guided by ERAA® (Economic Regime-based Asset Allocation). To find out more about ERAA®, click here. General Investing powered by BlackRock that provides investors with the broadest market exposure. To find out more about General Investing powered by BlackRock, click here."}' data-sheets-userformat='{"2":897,"3":{"1":0},"10":0,"11":4,"12":0}'>StashAway offers different investment products for investors. StashAway has the General Investing Portfolio, Responsible Investing Portfolio, Thematic Portfolios, and Flexible Portfolios that are guided by ERAA® (Economic Regime-based Asset Allocation). To find out more about ERAA®, click here. General Investing powered by BlackRock that provides investors with the broadest market exposure. To find out more about General Investing powered by BlackRock, click here.

What products do StashAway offer? What is your investment strategy?

StashAway offers an intuitive digital platform that intelligently keeps tracking your portfolios with personalised low-cost investment services  directed  to your financial background and goal;  we’re a more systematic and efficient alternative to traditional advisors, who charge high fees and offer one-size-fits-all investment packages.
We aim to maximize your risk-adjusted returns through sophisticated algorithms. With the advanced technology, designed by our expert investors, you could always enjoy personalized portfolios that consider your financial situation and goal, all economic-regimes, and market performances.

How is StashAway different from other financial advisors?

<span data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"We invest in the most liquid and most cost-effective ETFs in the world, and those are listed in the US markets and denominated in USD. For the same reasons, we now also invest in UK-domiciled ETFs listed on the London Stock Exchange, and will continue to source suitable ETFs to further optimise your portfolios."}' data-sheets-userformat='{"2":897,"3":{"1":0},"10":0,"11":4,"12":0}'>We invest in the most liquid and most cost-effective ETFs in the world, and those are listed in the US markets and denominated in USD. For the same reasons, we now also invest in UK-domiciled ETFs listed on the London Stock Exchange, and will continue to source suitable ETFs to further optimise your portfolios.

Why does StashAway invest in US-domiciled ETFs?

General questions about how StashAway works

General Enquiries

<span data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Re-optimisation refers to changes in your portfolio’s target asset allocation. When this happens, new ETFs may be introduced, and/or the weightage of existing ETFs will be changed in your asset allocation.\r\n\r\n To learn more about our investment methodology, visit ERAA.\r\n\r\n Were you looking for rebalancing instead? Click here for Rebalancing."}' data-sheets-userformat='{"2":1049473,"3":{"1":0},"10":0,"11":4,"12":0,"23":1}' data-sheets-textstyleruns='{"1":0}{"1":264,"2":{"2":{"1":2,"2":1136076},"9":1}}{"1":268}{"1":331,"2":{"2":{"1":2,"2":1136076},"9":1}}{"1":342}' data-sheets-hyperlinkruns='{"1":264,"2":"https://www.stashaway.hk/stashaways-asset-allocation-framework"}{"1":268}{"1":331,"2":"https://www.stashaway.hk/help-center/900005433863-what-is-rebalancing"}{"1":342}'>Re-optimisation refers to changes in your portfolio’s target asset allocation. When this happens, new ETFs may be introduced, and/or the weightage of existing ETFs will be changed in your asset allocation. To learn more about our investment methodology, visit <a class="in-cell-link" href="https://www.stashaway.hk/stashaways-asset-allocation-framework" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ERAA</a>. Were you looking for rebalancing instead? Click here for <a class="in-cell-link" href="https://www.stashaway.hk/help-center/900005433863-what-is-rebalancing" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Rebalancing</a>.

What is re-optimisation?

<span data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Rebalancing a portfolio involves adjusting the composition of a portfolio by buying and/or selling specific assets to re-align a portfolio to its target composition in the case that market changes influence your portfolio's asset allocation.&quot;}" data-sheets-userformat='{"2":897,"3":{"1":0},"10":0,"11":4,"12":0}'>Rebalancing a portfolio involves adjusting the composition of a portfolio by buying and/or selling specific assets to re-align a portfolio to its target composition in the case that market changes influence your portfolio's asset allocation.

What is rebalancing?

Our system automatically reinvests any dividends you may earn. All dividend payments are reflected in your "Transactions" tab.

Where do dividends go?

The portfolio returns on our website and app are benchmarked against the MSCI All Country World Index (MSCI ACWI) for equities and the FTSE World Government Bond Index for bonds.
 
These benchmarks apply for the following portfolios:
<ul class="wysiwyg-text-align-justify">
<li>General Investing powered by StashAway</li>
<li>General Investing powered by BlackRock®</li>
<li>Responsible Investing</li>
</ul>
Like our General Investing and Responsible Investing portfolios, the MSCI ACWI includes exposure to equities in both developed markets (such as the US, Western Europe, Australia, and Japan) and emerging markets (such as China, Brazil, and India).

What are the benchmarks StashAway uses?

Questions about our portfolios and investment framework

Investments

Absolutely!
 
For Web App users:
Step 1: Log in to your Account and select the goal you  wish to update under "My Investments"
Step 2: Go to "More option" on your right-hand side.
Step 3: Select "Adjust Risk / Rename Portfolio” and make changes to the portfolio as you wish by moving the slider.
Step 4: Click "Confirm" to update the portfolio.
 
For Mobile App users: 
Step 1: Log in to your Account and select the goal you  wish to update under "My Investments"
Step 2: Click the 3 dots on your top right screen and select "Adjust risk".
Step 3: Make changes to the portfolio as you wish by moving the slider
Step 4: Click "Confirm" to update the portfolio.

Can I change my investment plan later? 

You can make any changes to your account by logging into your StashAway account.
To make changes to your goal or to delete it, you can do the following:
 
For Web App users:
Step 1: Select the Portfolio you would like to edit
Step 2: Go to “More actions”
Step 3: Select “Delete portfolio” to delete your goal
 
For Mobile App users:
Step 1: Select the Portfolio you would like to Edit
Step 2: Click on the 3 vertical dots on the top right-hand corner of your screen
Step 3: You can proceed to delete or make the changes you want
 
Note that if you choose to make changes to the monthly deposit amounts, you must also indicate those changes in your bank account standing instructions.

How do I make changes or delete my goal?

Questions about our General Investing and Goal-based portfolios

General and Goal-Based Investing

Both General Investing portfolios are designed to deliver long-term outperformance of their benchmarks. Where they differ is in their asset allocation strategy. 
 
General Investing powered by StashAway keeps a portfolio’s risk exposure constant while optimising for long-term returns, which means you can expect occasional deviation from how the markets are doing in order to keep your risk level constant. 
 
General Investing powered by BlackRock® provides broader market exposure, which means you can expect ups and downs that follow market trends. 
 
BlackRock® is a registered trademark of BlackRock, Inc. and its affiliates (“BlackRock”) is used under license.  BlackRock is not affiliated with StashAway and therefore makes no representations or warranties regarding the advisability of investing in any product or service offered by StashAway. BlackRock has no obligation or liability in connection with the operation, marketing, trading or sale of such product or service nor does BlackRock have any obligation or liability to any client or customer of StashAway. 
 
For StashAway General Investing portfolios that are powered by BlackRock, BlackRock provides StashAway with non-binding asset allocation guidance. StashAway manages and provides these portfolios to you, meaning BlackRock does not provide any service or product to you, nor has BlackRock considered the suitability of its asset allocations against your individual needs, objectives, and risk tolerance. As such, the asset allocations that BlackRock provides do not constitute investment advice, or an offer to sell or buy any securities.

What’s the difference between General Investing powered by StashAway and General Investing powered by BlackRock®?

BlackRock® receives the total expense ratio of the ETFs purchased by StashAway clients.  
Although BlackRock provides the investment strategy and asset allocation, the management fee for all General Investing portfolios covers all trade execution, deposits, withdrawals, rebalancing, and customer support, which are all handled by StashAway. 
 
BlackRock® is a registered trademark of BlackRock, Inc. and its affiliates (“BlackRock”) is used under license.  BlackRock is not affiliated with StashAway and therefore makes no representations or warranties regarding the advisability of investing in any product or service offered by StashAway. BlackRock has no obligation or liability in connection with the operation, marketing, trading or sale of such product or service nor does BlackRock have any obligation or liability to any client or customer of StashAway.

Does BlackRock make money out of the General Investing portfolios powered by BlackRock®?

All General Investing portfolios available on StashAway are suitable for long-term investors. They are designed to outperform their respective benchmarks in the long term. 
 
So how are the General Investing portfolios different? 
 
In the pursuit of long-term returns, the objective of General Investing and Responsible Investing powered by StashAway is to keep a portfolio’s risk constant so that the investor is never overexposed to risk when seeking returns. What this could mean is that a StashAway-powered portfolio might behave better or worse than market conditions at times in order to keep risk constant. 
 
In contrast, General Investing powered by BlackRock® provides an investor broader exposure to the market, which results in an investing experience that generally follows the ups and downs of the markets. 
 
So which one should you have? You may want to ask yourself whether you prefer a risk-first approach or a strategy that follows the markets. Given that they have different approaches to achieving long-term results, some clients may prefer to diversify their investment strategies by having both. 
 
Remember, whichever you choose, these are long-term investment strategies. Successful investing depends on deposit behaviour, so we highly recommend dollar-cost averaging to get the most out of any General Investing portfolio. 
 
BlackRock® is a registered trademark of BlackRock, Inc. and its affiliates (“BlackRock”) is used under license.  BlackRock is not affiliated with StashAway and therefore makes no representations or warranties regarding the advisability of investing in any product or service offered by StashAway. BlackRock has no obligation or liability in connection with the operation, marketing, trading or sale of such product or service nor does BlackRock have any obligation or liability to any client or customer of StashAway. 
 
For StashAway General Investing portfolios that are powered by BlackRock, BlackRock provides StashAway with non-binding asset allocation guidance. StashAway manages and provides these portfolios to you, meaning BlackRock does not provide any service or product to you, nor has BlackRock considered the suitability of its asset allocations against your individual needs, objectives, and risk tolerance. As such, the asset allocations that BlackRock provides do not constitute investment advice, or an offer to sell or buy any securities.

How should I choose between General Investing powered by BlackRock® and General Investing powered by StashAway?

StashAway and BlackRock® have partnered to offer a suite of globally diversified multi-asset model portfolios that are built from BlackRock’s analytics and ETFs, which are managed by StashAway. The portfolios will be available to investors via the StashAway app. 
 
BlackRock provides clients all insights and asset allocations to StashAway for General Investing powered by BlackRock. StashAway manages the trade execution, deposits, withdrawals, rebalancing, and customer support. 
 
BlackRock® is a registered trademark of BlackRock, Inc. and its affiliates (“BlackRock”) is used under license.  BlackRock is not affiliated with StashAway and therefore makes no representations or warranties regarding the advisability of investing in any product or service offered by StashAway. BlackRock has no obligation or liability in connection with the operation, marketing, trading or sale of such product or service nor does BlackRock have any obligation or liability to any client or customer of StashAway. 
 
For StashAway General Investing portfolios that are powered by BlackRock, BlackRock provides StashAway with non-binding asset allocation guidance. StashAway manages and provides these portfolios to you, meaning BlackRock does not provide any service or product to you, nor has BlackRock considered the suitability of its asset allocations against your individual needs, objectives, and risk tolerance. As such, the asset allocations that BlackRock provides do not constitute investment advice, or an offer to sell or buy any securities.

What is the relationship between BlackRock® and StashAway?

You can buy individual ETFs from their brokers but what we offer that isn’t available with a broker is the rebalancing and re-optimisation that only comes with professionally-managed portfolios.

I can access these ETFs on my broker. Why wouldn’t I just buy them there?

Questions about General Investing powered by BlackRock®

General Investing powered by BlackRock®

Thematic Portfolios are a long-term investment product which allows you to invest in what you believe could transform the world. They are aimed to maximise exposure to promising long-term trends within your risk preference. Thematic Portfolios are grouped around different promising trends and are composed of exchange-traded funds (ETFs), as well as balancing assets (non-thematic instruments). You can learn more <a href="https://www.stashaway.hk/r/introducing-thematic-portfolios" target="_self">here</a>.

What are Thematic Portfolios? 

Our annual management fee for Thematic Portfolios ranges between 0.2% and 0.8%, average expense ratio charged by ETF fund managers is 0.52%. However, there's no minimum investment amount and no subscription, switching, and rebalancing fees. Learn more about our pricing <a href="https://www.stashaway.hk/pricing" target="_self">here</a>.

What are the fees involved in Thematic Portfolios?

Our approach with Thematic Portfolios ensures maximum exposure to the selected themes while keeping your risk preferences in mind. In addition, the composition of our portfolios is designed to bring extensive diversity to your portfolios. Each Thematic Portfolio is intelligently diversified with ETFs that provide you exposure to multiple sub-themes.

Why should I invest in Thematic Portfolios with StashAway instead of doing it myself?

Responsible Investing is an ESG-optimised (Environmental, Social, and Governance) portfolio. When you invest in this portfolio, you are supporting a broad range of companies that make a positive social and environmental impact on society, and consider factors such as sustainability, diversity, inclusion, transparency, and community as part of their business operations. In other words, it is industry-agnostic. Through this portfolio, you have the option to build your core wealth with ESG aligned principles. 
In contrast, Environment and Cleantech focuses on the environment industry specifically. It is a thematic portfolio that invests in  innovative low-carbon technologies and sustainable solutions to fight climate change, such as solar energy. The companies in this portfolio have business operations that are directly relevant to clean energy, green growth, clean water, and sustainable waste management. As with our other Thematic Portfolios, Environment and Cleantech provides an option to diversify your investments.

What is the difference between the Responsible Investing Portfolio and the Environment and Cleantech Thematic Portfolio?

We don’t share expected returns or projections because thematic investing is inherently very volatile. In other words, projections based on historical returns for Thematic Portfolios could be misleading. What’s most important is to pick the most suitable SRI for your risk preferences: There will be short-term ups and downs, and riding them out is the key to capturing the large potential returns that can come with thematic investing.

What are the expected returns on Thematic Portfolios?

The composition of Thematic Portfolios can possibly change after some time. Thematic Portfolios, as with all our investment products, are subject to re-optimisation. The basis of our investment strategy is to build portfolios with particular asset allocations that are optimal for four different economic cycles. When our investment team identifies and signals a change in the economic cycle, our technology automatically re-optimises all portfolios' asset allocations. Re-optimisation is applied to keep your risk profile constant while maximising long-term returns. You can learn more about it <a href="https://www.stashaway.hk/faq/900004458306-What-is-re-optimisation-" target="_self">here</a>.

Will the composition and asset allocation of Thematic Portfolios always stay as it is right now?

There’s no minimum amount to start investing in Thematic Portfolios. However, SFC requires a minimum of HK$10,000 deposit for new accounts.

What’s the minimum amount required to invest in Thematic Portfolios?

Thematic Portfolios

Responsible Investing is a more socially or ethically responsible form of investing that filters for companies and funds with high ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) scores. It takes ESG factors into account, and invests in companies deemed to have positive social impact relating to sustainability, diversity, representation, corporate governance, and community. It also means reducing exposure from companies whose business operations have a negative social impact such as the sale of weapons, or may profit from unsustainable environmental practices such as the use of coal or fossil fuels. 
Since Responsible Investing is an ESG-focused adaptation of our classic General Investing Portfolios, it is optimised for both performance and ESG. In other words, it provides an option to build your core wealth with ESG aligned principles, making it ideal for long-term financial goals such as saving for retirement.

What is Responsible Investing?

StashAway uses two leading ESG scoring models to screen the portfolios’ underlying funds: the <a href="https://www.msci.com/our-solutions/esg-investing/esg-ratings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MSCI ESG rating</a>, which consists of 7 rating categories; and the <a href="https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/knowledge/trading-investing/morningstar-sustainability-rating/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Morningstar Sustainability Rating</a>, which consists of 5 rating categories. Based on an average of the two scoring models, the Responsible Investing portfolios have high ESG scores, ranging between 3.88 and 4.14 out of a score of 5.

How does StashAway calculate ESG scores?

Your returns are not compromised when you invest in our ESG-optimised Responsible Investing Portfolio. They are similar to our classic General Investing Portfolios, which optimise for returns, but do so using ESG aligned principles. This makes them ideal for building your core wealth, or for working towards long-term financial goals such as saving for retirement. 
Global momentum has been huge for socially responsible investing recently, with assets estimated to reach US$53 trillion by 2025, a third of global AUM, according to Bloomberg. This is not only because investors have become more socially-conscious, but also because some companies with strong ESG ratings may do better in the long run by staying committed to the ‘triple bottom line’, which takes into account not just profit, but also people and the planet.

Will my returns be affected for the Responsible Investing Portfolio?

Questions about our ESG-focused General Investing portfolios

Responsible Investing (ESG)

With Flexible Portfolios, you get the freedom to customize portfolios the way you want. You can choose which asset classes to include and adjust their allocations according to your preferences. You’ll also be able to create a portfolio from scratch or start with one of our standard, template portfolios. What’s more? You can edit your Flexible Portfolio anytime, even after it has been created and funded!

What are Flexible Portfolios?

Flexible Portfolio templates allow you to customise your portfolio from a pre-built template curated by our investment team. We currently offer 3 different templates: Risk-focused, Passive Income, and World Index Tracking. Whichever template you chose, you can decide which assets to include or remove, and adjust their allocations according to your preferences

What are the Flexible Portfolio templates?

The Risk-focused template is designed to build the foundation of your wealth with globally-diversified assets that align with your risk appetite. It offers 5 different Risk Levels and has exactly the same composition as our signature General Investing powered by StashAway portfolios. But with the template, you’ll be able to adjust assets and their allocations based on your preferences. Do note that if you decide to make changes to your template portfolio, your overall portfolio risk might change, too. You will be able to see it in the app.

What is a Risk-focused template and what does it comprise of?

The Passive Income template offers a 99% exposure to a variety of bond assets. This template may suit you if you’d like to create an additional income stream. You can choose from 2 risk levels that offer different risk-reward ratios. Do note that if you decide to make changes to your template portfolio, your overall portfolio risk might change too

What is Passive Income template and what does it comprise of?

Tracking market indexes is a popular method of long-term wealth accumulation, since they typically cover a broad range of diversified assets. For instance, global market indexes provide investment exposure to the whole world, reducing the impact of volatility from being overexposed to one region or industry. The World Index Tracking template offers 3 different Risk Levels.

What is World Index Tracking template and what does it comprise of?

Yes, we’ll rebalance templates just like any other Flexible portfolio. Rebalancing a portfolio involves maintaining the target allocation that you set. We rebalance your portfolios because market movements can affect the price of assets, which in turn affects their proportions within your portfolio.

Will my templates be rebalanced?

No, we won’t reoptimise your templates, just like any other Flexible Portfolio.. Reoptimisation refers to the changes we make to other portfolios managed by us, in order to keep our clients’ risk profile constant during shifts in economic conditions. When this happens, we may introduce new ETFs or change the weightage of existing ETFs in our clients’ asset allocation.

Will my templates get reoptimised? 

Yes, there’s no limit to how many template portfolios you can have.

Can I have multiple template portfolios?

Our annual management fee for Flexible Portfolios ranges between 0.2% and 0.8% p.a. There's no minimum investment amount and no subscription fees, switching fees, nor rebalancing fees. Learn more about <a href="https://www.stashaway.com/pricing">our pricing</a>.
 
You can also get free investing until 30 June 2023 on any fresh funds deposited into Flexible Portfolios with <a href="https://www.stashaway.hk/help-center/8356047715865-what-are-the-terms-and-conditions-of-the-launch-promotion-for-flexible-portfolios">our launch promotion</a>.

What are the fees for Flexible Portfolio templates?

We manage your portfolio by always maintaining your asset allocations according to the proportions you set. We’ll also notify you if there are any major changes to your Flexible Portfolio’s Risk Level. This means we won’t re-optimise your Flexible Portfolios on your behalf when market conditions change.

How does StashAway manage my Flexible Portfolio?

We do this by maintaining the target allocations set by you. When market changes influence the asset allocation of your portfolio, we will re-align it to its target proportion (weightage) by buying and/or selling specific assets. Your portfolio is also rebalanced when you make a deposit, request a partial withdrawal or make a change in the allocations within your portfolio. Rebalancing is important, even if the asset class is performing well because it allows an investor to stay on target with his or her original investing strategy.

How does StashAway rebalance my Flexible Portfolio?

No. Flexible Portfolios will not be re-optimised by StashAway, so we’ll maintain your asset classes and allocations in the proportions you set them even if there are changes in economic conditions. However, the underlying individual ETFs within each asset class may be subject to being replaced by more cost-efficient or preferable funds in the market.

Will StashAway re-optimise my Flexible Portfolio?

Your Flexible Portfolios will be rebalanced by us, but will not be re-optimised when economic conditions change. 
 
<ul>
<li>
Rebalancing a portfolio involves maintaining the target allocation set by you. This is done because market movements affect the price of assets, which in turn affects their proportions within your portfolio. 
</li>
<li>Re-optimisation refers to the changes we make to other portfolios managed by us, in order to keep our clients’ risk profile constant during shifts in economic conditions. When this happens, we may introduce new ETFs or change the weightage of existing ETFs in your asset allocation.</li>
</ul>

What is the difference between rebalancing and re-optimisation?

We choose the largest, most liquid, most tradable, and most cost-effective ETFs with the lowest tracking error to their indexes, and those with a sufficiently long track record. 
We choose simple ETFs, which means they have no leverage or complex payoffs, and have no ETNs to avoid credit risk of issuers. You can find our fund selection criteria <a href="https://www.stashaway.hk/r/how-stashaway-selects-etfs">here</a>.

How does StashAway choose ETFs for each asset class?

The underlying ETFs within each asset class may change. Our investment team carefully selects each individual ETF, and they may be replaced by more cost-efficient or preferable funds in the market.

Will the underlying ETFs under the asset classes always remain the same?

We keep at least 1% of your assets in cash for rebalancing and your platform fees.

Why can’t I remove cash from my Flexible Portfolio?

It's really up to you! You can create as many Flexible Portfolios as you want depending on your needs and preferences.

How many Flexible Portfolios can I create?

1% is the minimum.

What is the minimum allocation per asset class within a Flexible Portfolio?

There’s no minimum amount to start investing with Flexible Portfolios.

What’s the minimum amount required to invest in a Flexible Portfolio?

Our annual management fee for Flexible Portfolios ranges between 0.2% and 0.8%. There's no minimum investment amount and no subscription fees, switching fees, nor rebalancing fees. Learn more about our pricing <a href="https://www.stashaway.hk/pricing">here</a>.

What are the fees involved in creating a Flexible Portfolio?

No, however, you may create a new Flexible Portfolio with your desired asset classes, and then transfer the funds from your existing portfolio(s) to the new Flexible Portfolio.

Can I convert an existing portfolio to a Flexible Portfolio?

The Risk Level is a measure of risk, expressed as a percentage, whereby in any given year, there is a 99% probability that you won’t lose more than this percentage in terms of the portfolio’s value.
 
These are the Risk Level brackets for Flexible Portfolios.
<ul class="wysiwyg-text-align-justify">
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Very Conservative: Up to 7%</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Conservative: 8-13%</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Moderate: 14-19%</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Balanced: 20-25%</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Aggressive: 26-32%</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">
Very aggressive: 33% and more 
</li>
</ul>
For example, in a worst-case scenario, there's a 99% chance a Balanced portfolio won't lose more than 25% of its value in any given year. Generally, a higher Risk Level percentage denotes a more risky portfolio, and thus should be accompanied with a longer term investment horizon.
 
We calculate the Risk Level by looking at long-term asset class return and assumptions, and we update these calculations.
 
Your portfolio's Risk Level could change for one of two reasons: In the case that the quarterly update calculates a new Risk Level, or in the case that our investment team replaces a particular ETF in favour of a similar, more cost-efficient or preferable one in the same asset class.

How is the Risk Level calculated for Flexible Portfolios?

Questions about Customizing your own portfolios

Flexible Portfolio

Short-dated US Treasuries are also known as Treasury bills (T-bills). They're debt securities issued by the US government with a maturity of one year or less, making them highly liquid.

What are short-dated US Treasuries?

Everyone. Since US Treasuries are ultra-low risk and liquid, it’s a great way to grow your cash.
Managing your cash should be part of any financial plan, no matter your net worth and risk tolerance. A low-risk, rate-earning cash management portfolio protects your money from losing too much of its value to inflation. It also protects your money from any sudden market dips just as you might need to withdraw it.

Who is the USD Cash Yield portfolio good for?

US Treasuries are backed by the US government, making them virtually one of the safest investments around. The US government has a long history of meeting its debt obligations since it can pay off its debts by raising taxes or printing more money. The only credit risk would come from the highly unlikely scenario that the US government would default.

How risky are US Treasuries?

We offer USD Cash Yield as part of our Flexible Portfolios offering, which allows you to build and customise your portfolio. You can adjust it any time and make the portfolio unique to your preferences by adding or removing asset classes. For example, you could add exposure to Emerging Markets or local government bonds. It’s free to make any changes, any time you want.

Can I customise my USD Cash Yield portfolio?

There are a few key differences between a classic fixed deposit account at a bank and USD Cash Yield.
<div>
<table style="width: 100%;">
<colgroup>
<col>
<col>
<col>
</colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td> </td>
<td>
Fixed deposit
</td>
<td>
USD Cash Yield
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Description
 
</td>
<td>
An account opened at a bank that pays a guaranteed interest rate after a stipulated time period.
</td>
<td>
A portfolio that invests into short-term US Treasury Bills. 
 
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
The rate
</td>
<td>
You lock a guaranteed rate.
</td>
<td>
The rate is a projection and moves along with US Treasury Bill rates. 
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Lock-in period
</td>
<td>
Varies from 3 to 12 months on average.
</td>
<td>
None
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Minimum amount
</td>
<td>
Usually requires $20,000+ of new funds to earn preferential interest rate 
</td>
<td>
None.
 
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Deposit insurance
</td>
<td>
Insured under Hong Kong’s Deposit Protection Scheme for up to $500,000 HKD per depositor per scheme member.
</td>
<td>
Uninsured.
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>

How is the USD Cash Yield portfolio different from fixed deposits?

The returns will reflect in your portfolio daily. You can view your returns on USD Cash Yield’s Portfolio Details page on your app or review your monthly statement (look for a column Total Returns (Incl. Dividends)) for detailed information.

How often will I earn the returns with USD Cash Yield portfolio?

USD Cash Plus invests in short-term US Treasury Bills, which are ultra-low-risk investments. US Treasury Bills are fully backed by the US government, which guarantees that your interest and principal payments will be paid on time. Their short maturities of 1–3 months make them less sensitive to interest rate movements and highly liquid, meaning that they can easily be converted to cash. The only risk associated with USD Cash Yield would come from the highly unlikely scenario that the US government would default.

How is USD Cash Yield ultra-low risk?

StashAway only charges one fee and it’s the management fee, which is calculated as a percentage of your total assets at StashAway. From now till 30 June 2023, the fee has been waived and starting from 1 July 2023 a fee of 0.3% p.a. will be charged. 
In addition to the StashAway management fee, ETF managers also charge a small management fee of 0.14% p.a. for USD Cash Yield. Do note that if you deposit in HKD, StashAway’s custodian bank charges a small one-off currency conversion fee of 0.10%. This is because it is a USD-denominated portfolio and the fee is very competitive in comparison to most retail banks which charge between 0.35 - 0.7%.  To summarise: Total fee for USD Cash Yield = StashAway management fee (0.3%p.a. From 1 July 2023) + ETF manager fee of 0.14% p.a. + currency conversion fee 0.10%.

What are the fees for USD Cash Yield portfolio?

Questions about USD Cash Yield, as part of Flexible Portfolio

USD Cash Yield

As we can only trade when the market is open, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to sell your assets for cash at the exact moment that you opt to withdraw your funds (which you can do anytime). Therefore, the value of your portfolio may fluctuate within those few hours. In order to ensure that we have sufficient assets in the case of a market change, any withdrawal request that exceeds 90% of assets under management will result in a full withdrawal to buffer against sudden changes in the market.

Why is 90% withdrawal converted into a full withdrawal of the portfolio's assets?

The withdrawal process usually takes up to 2 to 4 business days, as we will need to first sell the securities during US market hours on your behalf (same night if the withdrawal is received before 6pm). Then, we will perform the necessary checks, and then wire the funds from our trust account in Singapore to Hong Kong and to your bank account.

When will my withdrawn funds from StashAway appear in my bank account?

As part of the guidelines from the Securities and Futures Commissions of Hong Kong (SFC), withdrawals can only be made to designated bank accounts - bank accounts under your name where you have initiated an initial deposit of over HK$10,000 (or HKD equivalent).

Can I withdraw to a bank account that is different from the one I originally made the deposit from?

Questions about the Deposit and Withdrawal

Deposits and Withdrawals

Absolutely! We were founded on the belief that high-quality financial advice should not come at a prohibitive price, and that low fees are a key ingredient to our customers' long-term financial success. We are committed to keeping our fees low.

Will prices always remain at these low levels?

Fees

All dividends of US-listed securities are subject to 30% dividend withholding tax and the QII (Qualified Interest Income) rule. The latter rule applies to US-domiciled funds, especially US government bonds, of which some of the dividend withholding taxes can be claimed back. 
Our broker will do this on your behalf.
These taxes are applicable as long as you own US-listed assets, regardless of whether the assets were bought through StashAway, or via your own broker.
Additionally, these taxes are held at source and would have already been deducted from the dividend payments shown on your 'Transactions' tab.

Do my dividends get taxed?

For non-US tax residents, a 30% withholding tax (subject to QII rule) is applied on all dividends earned. 
Capital gains are taxed according to tax regulations of the country of your tax residency. A statement issued by StashAway at the end of the year can be used for your tax filing. We recommend that you consult a tax advisor for tax-related questions.

How do the securities in my portfolio get taxed?

Questions relating to capital gains and dividend taxes on your portfolios

Taxes

We do not outsource customer service to third party providers. All our staff are trained in-house so that we have tighter controls over the onboarding process, and our Client Experience team does not forward customer documents to any other department in the company.
Access to our corporate network is only for authorized personnel and specific devices.  We practice the Principle of Least Privilege, where we only assign just enough access for a staff to perform his or her job. Hence, only very limited staff has access to customer information.
We are fully compliant with the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance in Hong Kong and Securities and Futures Commissions (SFC) <a href="https://www.sfc.hk/-/media/EN/assets/components/codes/files-current/web/guidelines/management-supervision-and-internal-control-gu/management-supervision-and-internal-control-guidelines-for-persons-licensed.pdf">Guidelines</a>.

Who has access to my information?

You may, at any time, withdraw your consent to the collection, use, or disclosure of personal data from us. One way to withdraw your consent is to click “Unsubscribe”, available on all marketing or newsletter emails that you may receive from us. 
Otherwise, you may contact our Data Protection Officer at dataprotection@stashaway.com, should you require more assistance. We will strive to process your withdrawal request within 10 business days and will inform you accordingly should we need more time. 
We also strive to inform you of any likely consequences as a result of your withdrawal request.

How do I withdraw consent previously given in relation to my Personal Data?

The categories and suggestions below, many of which may apply to your home as well as your office, are some suggestions which you can and should adopt to ensure a secure online experience:
 
Protect your computer
<ul class="wysiwyg-text-align-justify">
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Install anti-virus software and the latest security patch on the computer you use to access StashAway.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Set it so that it performs automatic updates.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Remove file and printer sharing, especially when connected to the Internet.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Consider the use of encryption technology and perform regular backups to protect critical data.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Only allow trusted USB drives into your computer.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Get in the habit of locking your account whenever you step away from your computer.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Only use trusted devices and access trusted websites.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Do not install or run programs that are not from trusted websites.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Delete junk or chain emails.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Do not access sensitive online sites or perform financial transactions over the public Internet.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Clear browser cache after each online session.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Log off after each online session.</li>
</ul>
 
Protect your mobile device
<ul class="wysiwyg-text-align-justify">
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Always update your device to the latest available OS version; these patches normally carry security and bug fixes that will help secure your device and the information stored on it.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Do not attempt to ‘jailbreak’ or ‘root’ your device.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Keep your laptop, mobile phone, and other portable devices that contain sensitive information with you at all times.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">We would strongly advise against logging in via public wifi networks.</li>
</ul>
 
Protect your network
<ul class="wysiwyg-text-align-justify">
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Set a strong password for your WiFi network.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">
Do not allow anyone to connect to your network without permission. 
</li>
</ul>
You can also learn more about protecting your data and finances in our article <a href="https://www.stashaway.hk/r/12-ways-to-protect-your-data-and-finances-">here</a>.

How should I protect my Devices and Computer Systems?

Digital certificates provide security to websites by encrypting sensitive data and verifying the identity of the websites that are secured. 
SSL problem messages and warnings are often displayed in an attempt to protect website users from potentially compromising situations. 
If you ever encounter an SSL-related warning (such as a security certificate mismatch, certificate not trusted, or secure and non-secure items) while visiting StashAway’s site, you may want to hold off on entering your login details until you can make sure you are not in a compromising online situation. 
To resolve a problem that you may be having, the first thing that you may want to check is that your computer's time and date are accurate. Because expired or not-yet-valid security certificates throw up warnings, having the date on your machine wrong could potentially cause security errors on many secure sites that you access. 
Additionally, if you have recently enabled new secure settings in a website, try disabling those settings and see if the warning messages go away. While this is not a fix, it can give you a point to work from when communicating with our Client Engagement Team and help them to provide more details for our team of experts to fix the issue faster. 
If the problem persists, contact us via email at support@stashaway.hk and our team of experts are available to help resolve the issue.
Reference: <a href="https://www.digicert.com/ssl-problems.htm">https://www.digicert.com/ssl-problems.htm</a>

I received an SSL Server Certificate warning, what should I do?

Security

The following prescribed thresholds apply in order to be eligible to be treated as a PI:
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Any trust corporation having been entrusted under the trust or trusts of which it acts as a trustee with total assets of at least $40 million HKD or its equivalent in any foreign currency; </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Any individual (either alone or with his spouse or children on a joint account) having a portfolio of at least $8 million HKD or its equivalent in any foreign currency;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">
Any corporation or partnership having either a portfolio of at least HK$ 8 million or total assets of at least $40 million HKD or its equivalent in any foreign currency; and
</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Any corporation whose sole business is to hold investments and which is wholly owned by an individual who (either alone or with his spouse or children on a joint account) falls within the description in paragraph (b) above.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">StashAway is entitled and obliged, pursuant to the Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong, to provide an annual confirmation of the Professional Investor to ensure the eligibility.</li>
</ol>

How do I qualify for PI status?

A Professional Investor may generally have access to a wider range of financial products and services. Some financial institutions may not offer certain products and services to persons who are non-PI.
To be eligible to be treated as a PI, you must first meet eligibility criteria (please refer to "How do I qualify for PI Status?" below) and you must opt in to be treated as a PI.

What does it mean to be a Professional Investor (PI)? 

What does it mean to be a Professional Investor (PI)

Professional Investor

<h3>Terms and conditions of the promotion</h3>
Lucky draw for lifetime free investing
<ul>
<li>The lucky draw campaign is open to new and existing customers who make a cumulative deposit of at least $50,000 HKD during the promotion period.</li>
<li>The promotion only applies to new deposits into USD Cash Yield or any other portfolio under Flexible Investing. That is, it doesn’t apply to deposits made between StashAway portfolios.</li>
<li>Each eligible customer will receive one entry into the lucky draw.</li>
<li>The lucky draw will take place on 7 July 2023 in the StashAway Hong Kong Limited office.</li>
<li>8 winners will be randomly drawn from eligible clients for the lucky draw, who will receive a lifetime management fee waiver for their first $1,000,000 HKD investment with StashAway.</li>
<li>Winners will be notified through their registered email address or phone number. The result will also be announced in StashAway’s social media and will be posted to both Sing Tao Daily and The Standard newspapers on 14 July 2023. The winner’s full name and first 4 digits of their mobile number will be featured. </li>
<li>The prize is non-transferable and cannot be exchanged for cash to any third party.</li>
<li>In the event that a winner cannot be contacted or does not respond within 7 days of notification, the prize will be forfeited and no substitution draw will be conducted.</li>
<li>Employees of the company and their immediate family members are not eligible to participate in the lucky draw.</li>
<li>Trade Promotion Competition Licence No.: 56972</li>
</ul>
Additional $200 HKD cash coupons for new clients
<ul>
<li>New customers who make a cumulative $50,000 HKD during the promotion period will receive a $200 HKD cash coupon. A cash flow of $50,000 HKD or more must be maintained in your StashAway account for 90 days to be eligible for the offer.</li>
<li>The promotion only applies to new deposits. That is, it doesn’t apply to deposits made between StashAway portfolios.</li>
<li>The cash coupon will be mailed to the client’s registered address within 4 weeks after they have maintained a cash flow of HK$50,000 for 90 days</li>
<li>The coupons cannot be exchanged for cash.</li>
</ul>
Management fee waiver for USD Cash Yield portfolio, as part of our Flexible Portfolios offering 
<ul>
<li>The promotion only applies to new deposits made into your investment portfolios in USD Cash Yield and/or our Flexible Portfolios. That is, transfers from other StashAway investment portfolios are not valid.</li>
</ul>
For above promotions
<ul>
<li>The promotion code can only be applied once during the period of  20 April 2023 to 30 June 2023. </li>
<li>The minimum deposit amount of $50,000 HKD is required by 30 June 2023 to be eligible for the promotions.</li>
<li>StashAway reserves the right to cancel or amend the promotion and its terms and conditions without prior notice.</li>
</ul>

What are the Terms and Conditions of the launch promotion for USD Cash Yield?

Explore our ongoing promotions to save on fees as you invest with us