#swissquote user guide

[qocsuing]

Top Forex Brokers for 2024: A Comprehensive Guide

Top Forex Brokers for 2024: A Comprehensive Guide The forex market, known for its vast liquidity and 24-hour trading opportunities, continues to attract traders worldwide. As we step into 2024, selecting the right forex broker becomes crucial for success. This article delves into the top forex brokers for 2024, highlighting their unique features and why they stand out in the crowded market.To get more news about forex broker, you can visit our official website.

1. TastyFX - Best Overall in the US TastyFX has earned its reputation as the best overall forex broker in the US. It is CFTC registered and a member of the NFA, ensuring high regulatory standards. With over 80 forex pairs and competitive spreads, TastyFX offers an excellent trading platform that caters to both novice and experienced traders.

2. Exness - Best Overall for International Traders Exness stands out for its multiple account types and competitive trading fees. It supports MT4, MT5, and its proprietary Exness Terminal, providing traders with a versatile trading experience. The Exness Academy and research tools further enhance its appeal, making it a top choice for international traders.

3. FXTM - Best for Professional Traders FXTM is tailored for professional traders, offering ECN trading accounts and signals from Acuity Signal Centre. It supports MT4 and MT5 platforms, ensuring a robust trading environment. FXTM Invest copy trading feature allows traders to follow and copy the strategies of successful traders, adding another layer of flexibility.

4. Eightcap - Best for Cryptocurrency Trading For those interested in cryptocurrency trading, Eightcap is the go-to broker. It offers over 100 cryptocurrencies and supports MT4, MT5, and TradingView platforms. The Crypto Crusher dashboard and zero commission with low crypto spreads make it an attractive option for crypto enthusiasts.

5. IC Markets - Best Low Spreads IC Markets is renowned for its low spreads and low commissions. It supports MT4, MT5, and cTrader platforms, providing a seamless trading experience. With zero requotes and no minimum order distance restriction, IC Markets is ideal for traders seeking cost-effective trading solutions.

6. OCTA - Best for Beginners OCTA is perfect for beginners, offering a demo trading account and commission-free trading. Its extensive educational materials and regular live webinars help new traders build their skills and confidence. OCTA’s user-friendly interface makes it easy for beginners to navigate the forex market.

7. Swissquote - Best Forex Trading Platform Swissquote offers a comprehensive trading platform with access to MT4, MT5, and its Advanced Trader platform. It provides real-time pattern recognition and access to Autochartist and Trading Central. With over 3 million financial products available, Swissquote is a powerhouse in the forex trading world.

8. FP Markets - Best Forex Trading App FP Markets excels in mobile trading, offering apps for iOS and Android. It supports MT4, MT5, and cTrader mobile apps, providing a wide range of exotic and emerging market currency pairs. The app includes over 50 technical indicators, making it a robust tool for traders on the go.

9. FxPro - Best Execution Speed FxPro is known for its ultra-fast order execution, with speeds under 12 milliseconds. It supports the FxPro Platform, MT4, MT5, and cTrader, offering a wide range of CFD instruments. FxPro’s first-class in-house research and tools like Trading Central and LiveSquawk make it a top choice for traders seeking speed and reliability.

10. Tickmill - Best Research Tools Tickmill offers excellent research tools, including Acuity Trading and Signal Centre ideas. Its Market Sentiment dashboard covers over 80,000 instruments, and the trading signal plugin for MT4 and MT5 enhances its research capabilities. Tickmill Traders Club provides additional resources and community support.

11. ActivTrades - Best for Share CFD Trading ActivTrades is ideal for share CFD trading, offering over 1,000 global share CFDs and fractional shares. It supports MT4, MT5, TradingView, and ActivTrader platforms. With low minimum commissions and a wide range of trading tools, ActivTrades is a strong contender in the forex market.

Conclusion Choosing the right forex broker is essential for a successful trading journey. The brokers listed above have been meticulously evaluated for their regulatory compliance, trading fees, platform versatility, and unique features. Whether you are a beginner or a professional trader, there is a broker on this list that can meet your trading needs in 2024.

[jacobhinkley]

Bitstamp: An Overview of the Industry's Oldest Active Exchange

In this guide, we explore Bitstamp and its journey from humble beginnings seven years ago to becoming one of the most popular cryptocurrency exchanges in the world. We’ll also look at the various features of its platform, chiefly trading and acquiring cryptocurrency.

Snapshot

Operating since: August 2011

Location: London, Luxembourg, Slovenia, U.S.

Fiat pairs supported: USD, EUR

Notable cryptocurrencies supported: BTC, ETH, LTC, BCH, XRP

Countries served: Worldwide

Account verification: Proof of identity and address

Funding options: SEPA bank transfer, cryptocurrency, debit/credit card, international bank transfer, AstroPay

Withdrawal options: SEPA bank transfer, cryptocurrency, gold, international bank transfer

Fee structure: Scaled at various levels from 0.25 percent for under $20,000, to 0.10 percent for over $20 million.

A Brief History of the World’s Longest-Running Bitcoin Exchange

On August 22, 2018, Bitstamp celebrated its seventh year in operation as one of the largest bitcoin exchanges in the world. This anniversary makes it the longest-running bitcoin exchange in a sector of the crypto-economy plagued by hacks and exit scams. One of the most notable of these, Mt. Gox, was one of Bitstamp’s first competitors.

Started by Nejc Kodrič and Damijan Merlak in August 2011, the company’s first base was in a Slovenian garage with just a server, a couple of laptops and a thousand euros in capital.

Despite these humble beginnings, Bitstamp has grown into one of the world’s leading bitcoin exchanges, one that has played pioneer to a number of exchange security features and technical standards.

For example, Bitstamp was one of the first exchanges to implement multi-signature technology for its hot wallet. It was also an early adopter of Bitcoin’s SegWit soft fork for lower fees in 2017, and it instituted one of the first insurance funds, secured in cold storage, to reimburse its customers in the event of a hack.

After bouncing back from a theft of 19,000 bitcoins in January 2015, Bitstamp secured its status as a regulated exchange after it received a payment institution license from Luxembourg just over one year later. The license allows it to operate in any of the EU’s 28 countries thanks to the Union’s Single Market policy.

After becoming fully licensed, in July 2017, Bitstamp partnered with Swissquote, a well-respected analytical and finance firm to provide their customers BTC-USD and BTC-EUR trading pairs.

Security First

A great security feature of Bitstamp is that the warning to setup two-factor authentication is displayed on the account balances page as well as when you first sign up. You must also reset your password on the first log in.

Another encouraging aspect of Bitstamp is that the exchange’s internal processes, which includes IT infrastructure and data protection, are audited annually by one of the Big Four accounting firms.

All customer data is protected by using PGP for any uploaded documents, meaning that, even if hackers gain access to Bitstamp’s servers, the sensitive data is encrypted. Connections to their server are encrypted too, so make sure that you look for the green padlock in the URL tab of your browser when visiting the site.

Following the 2015 hack, Bitstamps hot wallets that hold customer funds are now multi-signature, meaning that an attacker would have to dupe more than one employee with a phishing attack, as multiple staff members will need to sign with their key to validate transactions (ote that the 2015 hack occured after a phishing attack on just one of Bitstamp’s staff members).

Liquidity

Bitstamp is one of the largest exchanges on the market, so users are always able to buy and sell cryptocurrencies with no hassle and without dramatically pushing the price up or down due to slippage.

The majority of the volume on Bitstamp, unsurprisingly, goes toward bitcoin, with ether a runner up, taking around 10 percent of the volume in recent days.

Source: https://coinmarketcap.com/exchanges/bitstamp/

While wash trading and fake volume are valid concerns within the wider crypto exchange market, a recent report from the Blockchain Transparency Institute found that Bitstamp’s reported volume was closely aligned with the researchers’ more accurate estimation of the true volume. Another update to the rankings is expected in September 2018.

Bitstamp is one of a handful of bitcoin exchanges where evidence of wash trading was not uncovered.

Reputation

As the longest-running exchange for bitcoin, Bitstamp has a pretty solid reputation. The fact that it is regulated as a payment institution in the EU also gives the exchange credibility and, in the event regulations are tightened, Bitstamp should be well-placed to overcome any difficulties.

In June 2014, Bitstamp was awarded the Best Virtual Currency Startup at the Europas, placing above U.K.-based bitcoin exchange Coinfloor, peer-to-peer marketplace Localbitcoins and blockchain analytics firm Elliptic.

Fiat-to-Crypto

Bitstamp allows you to convert fiat, namely EUR and USD, into the most popular cryptocurrencies and vice versa. All of the available cryptocurrencies are traded against BTC, EUR and USD.

If you are located in the European Union, SEPA bank transfers should take anywhere between 24 hours to three business days. International bank transfers will be much slower, in the range of two to five business days. SEPA transfers are free of charge; however, a small fee applies to international bank deposits of 0.05 percent.

The bank handling fiat transactions for Bitstamp is known as Gorenjska banka, a Slovenian financial institution founded in 1955. Gorenjska operates over a wide range of operations, including banking and financial services for individuals and corporations, along with a presence in the rental market for safety deposit boxes, insurance, real estate and forex markets. As Slovenia falls under the EU’s Single Market, Gorenjska follows the same standards as, and is regulated in a similar fashion to, German or French banks.

Bitstamp is one of the few major exchanges that does not rely on Tether. Whether or not the stablecoin is backed up by sufficient USD reserves is a story for another day, but there has been a lot of debate about whether USDT is genuinely backed up by U.S. dollars or whether it could be an elaborate ploy to manipulate the markets.

By not relying on Tether and not holding Tether reserves, Bitstamp will survive in the (unlikely) event of a market-wide panic should Tether collapse.

Gold Withdrawals

Crypto advocates and gold bugs often overlap, nevertheless, there are some that believe that crypto will make gold as a store of value obsolete. Others see the two assets as complementary.

Bitstamp’s gold withdrawal feature makes it truly unique. The feature was introduced in January 2016, with the precious metal sourced from the well-established firm Moro & Kunst d.o.o. To withdraw gold, you must be an EU resident and have a USD balance in your account. The rate is fixed at time of withdrawal and customers can expect to receive their gold bars in two to five business days.

Trading Interface

The trading interface on Bitstamp is eye-catching and provides detailed information about markets, such as the order book and market depth, and traders can apply technical indicators such as Bollinger bands.

In combination with a technical analysis, SMS price alerts may be a useful alternative to limit orders and market orders. For instance, you may be waiting for a breakout above a particular level and want to assess the situation if the breakout occurs instead of buying or selling once that level is hit. Using SMS price alerts, we can set these alerts at key resistances/supports and evaluate the situation as it unfolds before committing to a purchase or sale of cryptocurrency.

Using Bitstamp’s API feature, advanced traders can set up trading bots to automatically execute trades. For example, Stefan van As introduced the Nefertiti bot in 2017 which is compatible with Bitstamp, as well as the open-source trading bot Gekko. If you are well-versed in programming, then you might even be able to write your own trading bots using the functions here.

Fee Structure

Withdrawing crypto is free, unlike some exchanges like HitBTC which charge for both deposits and withdrawals. Other reputable exchanges often charge for withdrawals of cryptocurrency. As a crypto appreciates or depreciates, these withdrawal fees are not usually changed in line with price changes.

Fees are also relatively low for bank transfers: €0.09 for SEPA transfers for those in Europe, which is basically the same as Kraken.

Depending on your cumulative 30-day volume, fees on trading pairs when buying or selling in the market start at 0.25 percent declining to 0.10 percent if your 30-day volume exceeds $20 million, again similar to Kraken.

Altcoin Support

Only bitcoin, bitcoin cash, litecoin, ripple and ether are offered, which may be an indicator that Bitstamp is acting cautiously by not adding every coin under the sun.

Bitstamp also stopped adding bitcoin fork coins such as bitcoin gold and bitcoin private, after adding bitcoin cash. Thus, for altcoin traders, Bitstamp is probably not the exchange to go to, as many opportunities are not available. Binance, Bittrex and Poloniex can better serve altcoin traders, with a wider variety and more potential opportunities to profit.

KYC Verification Processes

The fact that the exchange requires you to identify yourself and provide a proof of address may be a downside for some. In this case, decentralized exchanges may be a better option, instead of submitting your identity and address.

The exchange has been working with Onfido, a KYC technology provider, since February 2018, to reduce and automate the time needed for verification.

Unlike other exchanges, there is only one verification level, so once you have submitted your documents, you will not need to do anything further, and you can expect the process to be completed within 48 hours. However, during the crypto frenzy toward the end of 2017, the verification time was delayed as demand far exceeded Bitstamp’s ability to take on new customers, and the exchange temporarily halted new sign-ups.

Trading

With platforms such as Kraken and BitMEX, users can leverage their positions to increase profit potential for their trades. WIth Bitstamp, there is no margin trading.

While some advanced traders might miss this feature, the fact that there is no margin trading may be a slight positive aspect for some who are not accustomed to taking such risky trades, and beginner/amateur traders may want to practice on Bitstamp using market/limit orders to buy/sell cryptos before trading with leverage.

Market and instant orders both buy/sell immediately at the best available price, and they differ only in that you can determine the quantity you wish to purchase with market orders. Limit orders allow you to set a level, or “limit,” you want to enter and exit a trade and is executed automatically once the market reaches the limit. Finally, stop orders allow you to limit your losses in case the market moves against you after you buy or sell or if you want to set up a trade to execute a buy/sell on a breakout.

Verdict

Overall, Bitstamp is a solid bitcoin exchange, ideal for European citizens. Despite not having margin trading, Bitstamp is a good choice for acquiring cryptocurrency due to its reputation, free withdrawals of cryptos and competitive fees. The ability to withdraw in gold is also a useful feature for those cryptocurrency investors who have not yet diversified into precious metals.

Margin trading and the addition of a handful more altcoins that have real-world utility could make this exchange even more potential for taking market share. Similarly, the addition of an autonomous exchange, in which cryptocurrency projects list their own crypto assets autonomously, similar to Huobi’s HADAX exchange, could be used as a preliminary stage before adding new cryptocurrencies to the main exchange.

This article originally appeared on Bitcoin Magazine.

Bitstamp: An Overview of the Industry's Oldest Active Exchange published first on https://medium.com/@smartoptions

[joshuajacksonlyblog]

Bitstamp: An Overview of the Industry's Oldest Active Exchange

In this guide, we explore Bitstamp and its journey from humble beginnings seven years ago to becoming one of the most popular cryptocurrency exchanges in the world. We’ll also look at the various features of its platform, chiefly trading and acquiring cryptocurrency.

Snapshot

Operating since: August 2011

Location: London, Luxembourg, Slovenia, U.S.

Fiat pairs supported: USD, EUR

Notable cryptocurrencies supported: BTC, ETH, LTC, BCH, XRP

Countries served: Worldwide

Account verification: Proof of identity and address

Funding options: SEPA bank transfer, cryptocurrency, debit/credit card, international bank transfer, AstroPay

Withdrawal options: SEPA bank transfer, cryptocurrency, gold, international bank transfer

Fee structure: Scaled at various levels from 0.25 percent for under $20,000, to 0.10 percent for over $20 million.

A Brief History of the World’s Longest-Running Bitcoin Exchange

On August 22, 2018, Bitstamp celebrated its seventh year in operation as one of the largest bitcoin exchanges in the world. This anniversary makes it the longest-running bitcoin exchange in a sector of the crypto-economy plagued by hacks and exit scams. One of the most notable of these, Mt. Gox, was one of Bitstamp’s first competitors.

Started by Nejc Kodrič and Damijan Merlak in August 2011, the company’s first base was in a Slovenian garage with just a server, a couple of laptops and a thousand euros in capital.

Despite these humble beginnings, Bitstamp has grown into one of the world’s leading bitcoin exchanges, one that has played pioneer to a number of exchange security features and technical standards.

For example, Bitstamp was one of the first exchanges to implement multi-signature technology for its hot wallet. It was also an early adopter of Bitcoin’s SegWit soft fork for lower fees in 2017, and it instituted one of the first insurance funds, secured in cold storage, to reimburse its customers in the event of a hack.

After bouncing back from a theft of 19,000 bitcoins in January 2015, Bitstamp secured its status as a regulated exchange after it received a payment institution license from Luxembourg just over one year later. The license allows it to operate in any of the EU’s 28 countries thanks to the Union’s Single Market policy.

After becoming fully licensed, in July 2017, Bitstamp partnered with Swissquote, a well-respected analytical and finance firm to provide their customers BTC-USD and BTC-EUR trading pairs.

Security First

A great security feature of Bitstamp is that the warning to setup two-factor authentication is displayed on the account balances page as well as when you first sign up. You must also reset your password on the first log in.

Another encouraging aspect of Bitstamp is that the exchange’s internal processes, which includes IT infrastructure and data protection, are audited annually by one of the Big Four accounting firms.

All customer data is protected by using PGP for any uploaded documents, meaning that, even if hackers gain access to Bitstamp’s servers, the sensitive data is encrypted. Connections to their server are encrypted too, so make sure that you look for the green padlock in the URL tab of your browser when visiting the site.

Following the 2015 hack, Bitstamps hot wallets that hold customer funds are now multi-signature, meaning that an attacker would have to dupe more than one employee with a phishing attack, as multiple staff members will need to sign with their key to validate transactions (ote that the 2015 hack occured after a phishing attack on just one of Bitstamp’s staff members).

Liquidity

Bitstamp is one of the largest exchanges on the market, so users are always able to buy and sell cryptocurrencies with no hassle and without dramatically pushing the price up or down due to slippage.

The majority of the volume on Bitstamp, unsurprisingly, goes toward bitcoin, with ether a runner up, taking around 10 percent of the volume in recent days.

Source: https://coinmarketcap.com/exchanges/bitstamp/

While wash trading and fake volume are valid concerns within the wider crypto exchange market, a recent report from the Blockchain Transparency Institute found that Bitstamp’s reported volume was closely aligned with the researchers’ more accurate estimation of the true volume. Another update to the rankings is expected in September 2018.

Bitstamp is one of a handful of bitcoin exchanges where evidence of wash trading was not uncovered.

Reputation

As the longest-running exchange for bitcoin, Bitstamp has a pretty solid reputation. The fact that it is regulated as a payment institution in the EU also gives the exchange credibility and, in the event regulations are tightened, Bitstamp should be well-placed to overcome any difficulties.

In June 2014, Bitstamp was awarded the Best Virtual Currency Startup at the Europas, placing above U.K.-based bitcoin exchange Coinfloor, peer-to-peer marketplace Localbitcoins and blockchain analytics firm Elliptic.

Fiat-to-Crypto

Bitstamp allows you to convert fiat, namely EUR and USD, into the most popular cryptocurrencies and vice versa. All of the available cryptocurrencies are traded against BTC, EUR and USD.

If you are located in the European Union, SEPA bank transfers should take anywhere between 24 hours to three business days. International bank transfers will be much slower, in the range of two to five business days. SEPA transfers are free of charge; however, a small fee applies to international bank deposits of 0.05 percent.

The bank handling fiat transactions for Bitstamp is known as Gorenjska banka, a Slovenian financial institution founded in 1955. Gorenjska operates over a wide range of operations, including banking and financial services for individuals and corporations, along with a presence in the rental market for safety deposit boxes, insurance, real estate and forex markets. As Slovenia falls under the EU’s Single Market, Gorenjska follows the same standards as, and is regulated in a similar fashion to, German or French banks.

Bitstamp is one of the few major exchanges that does not rely on Tether. Whether or not the stablecoin is backed up by sufficient USD reserves is a story for another day, but there has been a lot of debate about whether USDT is genuinely backed up by U.S. dollars or whether it could be an elaborate ploy to manipulate the markets.

By not relying on Tether and not holding Tether reserves, Bitstamp will survive in the (unlikely) event of a market-wide panic should Tether collapse.

Gold Withdrawals

Crypto advocates and gold bugs often overlap, nevertheless, there are some that believe that crypto will make gold as a store of value obsolete. Others see the two assets as complementary.

Bitstamp’s gold withdrawal feature makes it truly unique. The feature was introduced in January 2016, with the precious metal sourced from the well-established firm Moro & Kunst d.o.o. To withdraw gold, you must be an EU resident and have a USD balance in your account. The rate is fixed at time of withdrawal and customers can expect to receive their gold bars in two to five business days.

Trading Interface

The trading interface on Bitstamp is eye-catching and provides detailed information about markets, such as the order book and market depth, and traders can apply technical indicators such as Bollinger bands.

In combination with a technical analysis, SMS price alerts may be a useful alternative to limit orders and market orders. For instance, you may be waiting for a breakout above a particular level and want to assess the situation if the breakout occurs instead of buying or selling once that level is hit. Using SMS price alerts, we can set these alerts at key resistances/supports and evaluate the situation as it unfolds before committing to a purchase or sale of cryptocurrency.

Using Bitstamp’s API feature, advanced traders can set up trading bots to automatically execute trades. For example, Stefan van As introduced the Nefertiti bot in 2017 which is compatible with Bitstamp, as well as the open-source trading bot Gekko. If you are well-versed in programming, then you might even be able to write your own trading bots using the functions here.

Fee Structure

Withdrawing crypto is free, unlike some exchanges like HitBTC which charge for both deposits and withdrawals. Other reputable exchanges often charge for withdrawals of cryptocurrency. As a crypto appreciates or depreciates, these withdrawal fees are not usually changed in line with price changes.

Fees are also relatively low for bank transfers: €0.09 for SEPA transfers for those in Europe, which is basically the same as Kraken.

Depending on your cumulative 30-day volume, fees on trading pairs when buying or selling in the market start at 0.25 percent declining to 0.10 percent if your 30-day volume exceeds $20 million, again similar to Kraken.

Altcoin Support

Only bitcoin, bitcoin cash, litecoin, ripple and ether are offered, which may be an indicator that Bitstamp is acting cautiously by not adding every coin under the sun.

Bitstamp also stopped adding bitcoin fork coins such as bitcoin gold and bitcoin private, after adding bitcoin cash. Thus, for altcoin traders, Bitstamp is probably not the exchange to go to, as many opportunities are not available. Binance, Bittrex and Poloniex can better serve altcoin traders, with a wider variety and more potential opportunities to profit.

KYC Verification Processes

The fact that the exchange requires you to identify yourself and provide a proof of address may be a downside for some. In this case, decentralized exchanges may be a better option, instead of submitting your identity and address.

The exchange has been working with Onfido, a KYC technology provider, since February 2018, to reduce and automate the time needed for verification.

Unlike other exchanges, there is only one verification level, so once you have submitted your documents, you will not need to do anything further, and you can expect the process to be completed within 48 hours. However, during the crypto frenzy toward the end of 2017, the verification time was delayed as demand far exceeded Bitstamp’s ability to take on new customers, and the exchange temporarily halted new sign-ups.

Trading

With platforms such as Kraken and BitMEX, users can leverage their positions to increase profit potential for their trades. WIth Bitstamp, there is no margin trading.

While some advanced traders might miss this feature, the fact that there is no margin trading may be a slight positive aspect for some who are not accustomed to taking such risky trades, and beginner/amateur traders may want to practice on Bitstamp using market/limit orders to buy/sell cryptos before trading with leverage.

Market and instant orders both buy/sell immediately at the best available price, and they differ only in that you can determine the quantity you wish to purchase with market orders. Limit orders allow you to set a level, or “limit,” you want to enter and exit a trade and is executed automatically once the market reaches the limit. Finally, stop orders allow you to limit your losses in case the market moves against you after you buy or sell or if you want to set up a trade to execute a buy/sell on a breakout.

Verdict

Overall, Bitstamp is a solid bitcoin exchange, ideal for European citizens. Despite not having margin trading, Bitstamp is a good choice for acquiring cryptocurrency due to its reputation, free withdrawals of cryptos and competitive fees. The ability to withdraw in gold is also a useful feature for those cryptocurrency investors who have not yet diversified into precious metals.

Margin trading and the addition of a handful more altcoins that have real-world utility could make this exchange even more potential for taking market share. Similarly, the addition of an autonomous exchange, in which cryptocurrency projects list their own crypto assets autonomously, similar to Huobi’s HADAX exchange, could be used as a preliminary stage before adding new cryptocurrencies to the main exchange.

This article originally appeared on Bitcoin Magazine.

from Cryptocracken Tumblr https://ift.tt/2MJUdjk via IFTTT

[fxasker-blog]

Do JFX Guarantee The Safety Of My Deposited Funds In JFX?

Do JFX Guarantee The Safety Of My Deposited Funds In JFX? Read More http://fxasker.com/question/058aa97cd26e82ac/ FXAsker

[fmm85]

Bitcoin Price Index. 

While the cryptocurrency found dip demand on Monday, the seven-day average of the number of unique addresses active on the network, as sender or receiver, rose to 932,274 – the highest level since June 29, 2019, according to the data provided by blockchain intelligence firm Glassnode. 

Bitcoin active addresses

Source: Glassnode

The non-price metric has risen by nearly 40% from lows observed in March and likely represents an influx of bitcoin investors, according to analysts. 

“There is more media [attention] around the halving, which is causing more account openings; we’re seeing that on the retail side too,” Chris Thomas, head of digital assets at Swissquote Bank, told CoinDesk. 

Bitcoin is set to undergo its third mining reward halving next Tuesday, following which the rewards per block mined will drop to 6.25 BTC from the current 12.5 BTC. The impending supply cut has been hailed as a long-term bullish development by many analysts.

The hype surrounding the halving, coupled with the drop below $4,000 seen in mid-March, may have enticed existing investors to add more coins to their wallets and new investors to dip a toe in the cryptocurrency space. This is evidenced by the fact that unique active addresses began rising in the second half of March. 

“We have observed a significant increase in ‘new money’ entering the ecosystem. Several exchanges and retail platforms are reporting a surge in Bitcoin deposits, new signups, and credit card purchases since the low that took place on March 13,”  said Matthew Dibb, co-founder of Stack, a provider of cryptocurrency trackers and index funds.

While the ecosystem looks to be expanding, each unique active address does not necessarily represent a single investor or user. A single person or an exchange can hold multiple addresses. Large investors, popularly known as whales, could buy, say, 10,000 bitcoins and hold them in many addresses. 

Looking ahead, observers expect the number of active addresses to continue rising post-halving. “We’ll see higher account openings at the end of May if we go through $10,000,” said Thomas. 

If history is a guide, though, the cryptocurrency has potential to see a price pullback post-halving. It fell nearly 30% in the four weeks following its second halving on June 9, 2016.

Meanwhile, Dibb expects active addresses to reach levels seen during the height of the previous bull market in December 2017 on the back of continued retail demand and adoption by new entrants. The seven-day average of active addresses clocked a record high of 1,190,302 on Dec. 18, 2017, the day the cryptocurrency clocked a lifetime high of $20,000.

As far as the cryptocurrency’s price is concerned, volatility is expected to rise as we head into the halving. 

“The push above $9,000 seen this morning is positive and could be the first indication that we have now started the run into the halving. Parts of Asia (Japan and China) were off today, but when they return tomorrow we will be just a week away from the halving so we can expect to see an increase in volatility,” said Marcus Swanepoel, CEO of the cryptocurrency platform Luno, earlier on Tuesday. 

From a technical standpoint, the cryptocurrency’s repeated failure to keep gains above $9,000 is indicative of buyer exhaustion and suggests scope for a price pullback, possibly to $8,000, as discussed on Monday.

Disclosure: The author holds no cryptocurrency at the time of writing.

Disclosure strict set of editorial policies. CoinDesk is an independent operating subsidiary of Digital Currency Group, which invests in cryptocurrencies and blockchain startups.

Read More

The post Bitcoin Briefly Hits $9K, Investors Remain Bullish appeared first on Future Money Matters.

[ellahmacdermott]

Bitstamp: An Overview of the Industry's Oldest Active Exchange

In this guide, we explore Bitstamp and its journey from humble beginnings seven years ago to becoming one of the most popular cryptocurrency exchanges in the world. We’ll also look at the various features of its platform, chiefly trading and acquiring cryptocurrency.

Snapshot

Operating since: August 2011

Location: London, Luxembourg, Slovenia, U.S.

Fiat pairs supported: USD, EUR

Notable cryptocurrencies supported: BTC, ETH, LTC, BCH, XRP

Countries served: Worldwide

Account verification: Proof of identity and address

Funding options: SEPA bank transfer, cryptocurrency, debit/credit card, international bank transfer, AstroPay

Withdrawal options: SEPA bank transfer, cryptocurrency, gold, international bank transfer

Fee structure: Scaled at various levels from 0.25 percent for under $20,000, to 0.10 percent for over $20 million.

A Brief History of the World’s Longest-Running Bitcoin Exchange

On August 22, 2018, Bitstamp celebrated its seventh year in operation as one of the largest bitcoin exchanges in the world. This anniversary makes it the longest-running bitcoin exchange in a sector of the crypto-economy plagued by hacks and exit scams. One of the most notable of these, Mt. Gox, was one of Bitstamp’s first competitors.

Started by Nejc Kodrič and Damijan Merlak in August 2011, the company’s first base was in a Slovenian garage with just a server, a couple of laptops and a thousand euros in capital.

Despite these humble beginnings, Bitstamp has grown into one of the world’s leading bitcoin exchanges, one that has played pioneer to a number of exchange security features and technical standards.

For example, Bitstamp was one of the first exchanges to implement multi-signature technology for its hot wallet. It was also an early adopter of Bitcoin’s SegWit soft fork for lower fees in 2017, and it instituted one of the first insurance funds, secured in cold storage, to reimburse its customers in the event of a hack.

After bouncing back from a theft of 19,000 bitcoins in January 2015, Bitstamp secured its status as a regulated exchange after it received a payment institution license from Luxembourg just over one year later. The license allows it to operate in any of the EU’s 28 countries thanks to the Union’s Single Market policy.

After becoming fully licensed, in July 2017, Bitstamp partnered with Swissquote, a well-respected analytical and finance firm to provide their customers BTC-USD and BTC-EUR trading pairs.

Security First

A great security feature of Bitstamp is that the warning to setup two-factor authentication is displayed on the account balances page as well as when you first sign up. You must also reset your password on the first log in.

Another encouraging aspect of Bitstamp is that the exchange’s internal processes, which includes IT infrastructure and data protection, are audited annually by one of the Big Four accounting firms.

All customer data is protected by using PGP for any uploaded documents, meaning that, even if hackers gain access to Bitstamp’s servers, the sensitive data is encrypted. Connections to their server are encrypted too, so make sure that you look for the green padlock in the URL tab of your browser when visiting the site.

Following the 2015 hack, Bitstamps hot wallets that hold customer funds are now multi-signature, meaning that an attacker would have to dupe more than one employee with a phishing attack, as multiple staff members will need to sign with their key to validate transactions (ote that the 2015 hack occured after a phishing attack on just one of Bitstamp’s staff members).

Liquidity

Bitstamp is one of the largest exchanges on the market, so users are always able to buy and sell cryptocurrencies with no hassle and without dramatically pushing the price up or down due to slippage.

The majority of the volume on Bitstamp, unsurprisingly, goes toward bitcoin, with ether a runner up, taking around 10 percent of the volume in recent days.

Source: https://coinmarketcap.com/exchanges/bitstamp/

While wash trading and fake volume are valid concerns within the wider crypto exchange market, a recent report from the Blockchain Transparency Institute found that Bitstamp’s reported volume was closely aligned with the researchers’ more accurate estimation of the true volume. Another update to the rankings is expected in September 2018.

Bitstamp is one of a handful of bitcoin exchanges where evidence of wash trading was not uncovered.

Reputation

As the longest-running exchange for bitcoin, Bitstamp has a pretty solid reputation. The fact that it is regulated as a payment institution in the EU also gives the exchange credibility and, in the event regulations are tightened, Bitstamp should be well-placed to overcome any difficulties.

In June 2014, Bitstamp was awarded the Best Virtual Currency Startup at the Europas, placing above U.K.-based bitcoin exchange Coinfloor, peer-to-peer marketplace Localbitcoins and blockchain analytics firm Elliptic.

Fiat-to-Crypto

Bitstamp allows you to convert fiat, namely EUR and USD, into the most popular cryptocurrencies and vice versa. All of the available cryptocurrencies are traded against BTC, EUR and USD.

If you are located in the European Union, SEPA bank transfers should take anywhere between 24 hours to three business days. International bank transfers will be much slower, in the range of two to five business days. SEPA transfers are free of charge; however, a small fee applies to international bank deposits of 0.05 percent.

The bank handling fiat transactions for Bitstamp is known as Gorenjska banka, a Slovenian financial institution founded in 1955. Gorenjska operates over a wide range of operations, including banking and financial services for individuals and corporations, along with a presence in the rental market for safety deposit boxes, insurance, real estate and forex markets. As Slovenia falls under the EU’s Single Market, Gorenjska follows the same standards as, and is regulated in a similar fashion to, German or French banks.

Bitstamp is one of the few major exchanges that does not rely on Tether. Whether or not the stablecoin is backed up by sufficient USD reserves is a story for another day, but there has been a lot of debate about whether USDT is genuinely backed up by U.S. dollars or whether it could be an elaborate ploy to manipulate the markets.

By not relying on Tether and not holding Tether reserves, Bitstamp will survive in the (unlikely) event of a market-wide panic should Tether collapse.

Gold Withdrawals

Crypto advocates and gold bugs often overlap, nevertheless, there are some that believe that crypto will make gold as a store of value obsolete. Others see the two assets as complementary.

Bitstamp’s gold withdrawal feature makes it truly unique. The feature was introduced in January 2016, with the precious metal sourced from the well-established firm Moro & Kunst d.o.o. To withdraw gold, you must be an EU resident and have a USD balance in your account. The rate is fixed at time of withdrawal and customers can expect to receive their gold bars in two to five business days.

Trading Interface

The trading interface on Bitstamp is eye-catching and provides detailed information about markets, such as the order book and market depth, and traders can apply technical indicators such as Bollinger bands.

In combination with a technical analysis, SMS price alerts may be a useful alternative to limit orders and market orders. For instance, you may be waiting for a breakout above a particular level and want to assess the situation if the breakout occurs instead of buying or selling once that level is hit. Using SMS price alerts, we can set these alerts at key resistances/supports and evaluate the situation as it unfolds before committing to a purchase or sale of cryptocurrency.

Using Bitstamp’s API feature, advanced traders can set up trading bots to automatically execute trades. For example, Stefan van As introduced the Nefertiti bot in 2017 which is compatible with Bitstamp, as well as the open-source trading bot Gekko. If you are well-versed in programming, then you might even be able to write your own trading bots using the functions here.

Fee Structure

Withdrawing crypto is free, unlike some exchanges like HitBTC which charge for both deposits and withdrawals. Other reputable exchanges often charge for withdrawals of cryptocurrency. As a crypto appreciates or depreciates, these withdrawal fees are not usually changed in line with price changes.

Fees are also relatively low for bank transfers: €0.09 for SEPA transfers for those in Europe, which is basically the same as Kraken.

Depending on your cumulative 30-day volume, fees on trading pairs when buying or selling in the market start at 0.25 percent declining to 0.10 percent if your 30-day volume exceeds $20 million, again similar to Kraken.

Altcoin Support

Only bitcoin, bitcoin cash, litecoin, ripple and ether are offered, which may be an indicator that Bitstamp is acting cautiously by not adding every coin under the sun.

Bitstamp also stopped adding bitcoin fork coins such as bitcoin gold and bitcoin private, after adding bitcoin cash. Thus, for altcoin traders, Bitstamp is probably not the exchange to go to, as many opportunities are not available. Binance, Bittrex and Poloniex can better serve altcoin traders, with a wider variety and more potential opportunities to profit.

KYC Verification Processes

The fact that the exchange requires you to identify yourself and provide a proof of address may be a downside for some. In this case, decentralized exchanges may be a better option, instead of submitting your identity and address.

The exchange has been working with Onfido, a KYC technology provider, since February 2018, to reduce and automate the time needed for verification.

Unlike other exchanges, there is only one verification level, so once you have submitted your documents, you will not need to do anything further, and you can expect the process to be completed within 48 hours. However, during the crypto frenzy toward the end of 2017, the verification time was delayed as demand far exceeded Bitstamp’s ability to take on new customers, and the exchange temporarily halted new sign-ups.

Trading

With platforms such as Kraken and BitMEX, users can leverage their positions to increase profit potential for their trades. WIth Bitstamp, there is no margin trading.

While some advanced traders might miss this feature, the fact that there is no margin trading may be a slight positive aspect for some who are not accustomed to taking such risky trades, and beginner/amateur traders may want to practice on Bitstamp using market/limit orders to buy/sell cryptos before trading with leverage.

Market and instant orders both buy/sell immediately at the best available price, and they differ only in that you can determine the quantity you wish to purchase with market orders. Limit orders allow you to set a level, or “limit,” you want to enter and exit a trade and is executed automatically once the market reaches the limit. Finally, stop orders allow you to limit your losses in case the market moves against you after you buy or sell or if you want to set up a trade to execute a buy/sell on a breakout.

Verdict

Overall, Bitstamp is a solid bitcoin exchange, ideal for European citizens. Despite not having margin trading, Bitstamp is a good choice for acquiring cryptocurrency due to its reputation, free withdrawals of cryptos and competitive fees. The ability to withdraw in gold is also a useful feature for those cryptocurrency investors who have not yet diversified into precious metals.

Margin trading and the addition of a handful more altcoins that have real-world utility could make this exchange even more potential for taking market share. Similarly, the addition of an autonomous exchange, in which cryptocurrency projects list their own crypto assets autonomously, similar to Huobi’s HADAX exchange, could be used as a preliminary stage before adding new cryptocurrencies to the main exchange.

This article originally appeared on Bitcoin Magazine.

from InvestmentOpportunityInCryptocurrencies via Ella Macdermott on Inoreader https://bitcoinmagazine.com/articles/bitstamp-overview-industrys-oldest-active-exchange/

[tortuga-aak]

How to Build a Robo Advisor: Advice for Starting a Robo Advisory

MyPrivateBanking

With the tremendous growth in robo advisor assets under management (AUM), financial institutions are scrambling to figure out how to build and become a robo advisor.

Starting a robo advisor service combines financially savvy with big data analytics, as well as a comprehensive understanding to how robo advisors work.

How Do Robo Advisors Work?

Robo advisors are platforms that leverage algorithms to handle users' investment platforms. These services analyze each customer's current financial status, risk aversion, and goals. From here, they recommend the best portfolio of stocks available based on that data.

And these automated financial services are poised to transform the tremendous worldwide wealth management industry. 

MyPrivateBanking's report, Robo Advisor 3.0, takes an in-depth look at the basic challenge of every robo advisor: how to craft a presence that succeeds in convincing website visitors to sign up as investors and then remain on board.

In this data-driven assessment, the report looks at the characteristics, business models, and strengths and weaknesses of the top robo advisors around the world. The research was conducted on a total of 76 active robo advisors worldwide - 29 in the U.S. and Canada, 38 in seven European countries and nine in the Asia-Pacific region. We've compiled a full list of robo advisors analyzed below.

The exhaustive report provides comprehensive answers and data on how to optimize the individual onboarding stages (How it works, Client Assessment, Client Onboarding, Communication and Portfolio Reporting) and details five best practices for each stage. Furthermore, the report provides strategies to appeal to different segments such as Millennials, baby boomer investors approaching retirement, and high net worth individuals (HNWIs), and analyzes the impact of new technologies.

The report provides comprehensive analysis and data-driven insights on how to utilize robo advisors to win and keep clients:

What a robo advisor platform should offer to successfully convert prospects into happy clients.

Which robo advisor features work and why.

What are best practices for the different stages in the digital customer journey.

How long clients need to onboard on the surveyed robo advisors and which specialized offers are given.

What the client assessment process should include 

How client communication should be (inbound for customer service and outbound for news, education and commentary).

What good portfolio reporting looks like, so that it meets the information needs of the customer.

How B2B providers are positioned in the development of robo advisory services and what they offer.

How robo advisors should adopt their strategies to appeal to different segments such as Millennials, baby boomer investors approaching retirement, and high net worth individuals (HNWIs).

Which robo advisors provide specialized options such as micro-investing, rewards schemes or hedging strategies, and in what manner.

What the impacts of new technologies are, such as the use of artificial intelligence for client interaction and narrative generation on the robo advisor model.

How the future of digital success will look for robo advisors.

Appendix containing data on the web presences of more than 70 robo advisors alongside the digital customer journey process.

And much more.

>> Click here for Report Summary, Table of Contents, Methodology <<

Analyzed robo advisors in this report include:

North America: Acorns, Asset Builder, Betterment, Blooom, Bicycle Financial, BMO SmartFolio, Capital One Investing, Financial Guard, Flexscore, Future Advisor, Guide Financial, Hedgeable, iQuantifi, Jemstep, Learnvest, Liftoff, Nest Wealth, Personal Capital, Rebalance IRA, Schwab Intelligent Portfolios, SheCapital, SigFig, TradeKing Advisors, Universis, Wealthbar, Wealthfront, Wealthsimple, Wela, Wisebanyan 

Europe: AdviseOnly, Advize, comdirect, Easyfolio, EasyVest, ETFmatic, Fairr.de, FeelCapital, Fiver a Day, Fundshop.fr, GinMon, Investomat, KeyPlan, KeyPrivate, Liqid, Marie Quantier, Money on Toast, MoneyFarm, Nutmeg, Parmenion, Quirion, rplan, Scalable Capital, Simply EQ, Sutor Bank, Swanest, SwissQuote ePrivateBanking, True Potential Investor, True Wealth, Vaamo, VZ Finanz Portal, Wealth Horizon, Wealthify, WeSave, Whitebox, Yellow Advice, Yomoni, Zen Assets.

Asia-Pacific: 8 Now!, Ignition Direct & Ignition Wealth, InvestSMART, Mizuho Bank Smart Folio, Movo, Owners Advisory, QuietGrowth, ScripBox, StockSpot

Here's how you get this exclusive Robo Advisor research:MyPrivateBanking

To provide you with this exclusive report, MyPrivateBanking has partnered with BI Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, to create The Complete Robo Advisor Research Collection.

If you’re involved in the financial services industry at any level, you simply must understand the paradigm shift caused by robo advisors.

Investors frustrated by mediocre investment performance, high wealth manager fees and deceptive sales techniques are signing up for automated investment accounts at a record pace.

And the robo advisor field is evolving right before our eyes. Firms are figuring out on the fly how to best attract, service and upsell their customers. What lessons are they learning? Who’s doing it best? What threats are traditional wealth managers facing? Where are the opportunities for exponential growth for firms with robo advisor products or models?

The Complete Robo Advisor Research Collection is the ONLY resource that answers all of these questions and more. Click here to learn more about everything that's included in this exclusive research bundle. 

NOW WATCH: The CIO of a crypto hedge fund explains the value in cryptocurrency — and why the market will explode over the next 2 years

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[jmmgroup-blog]

ETFs do the hard work for expat investors like you

There is a revolution going on, one that is transforming the way ordinary investors build their wealth.

Exchange traded funds, or ETFs, have steadily been growing in popularity for years and are now hitting critical mass as people recognise their benefits

The total invested in ETFs and exchange traded products (ETPs) globally hit a new high of US$3.844 trillion at the end of February 2017, according to London-based research consultancy ETFGI. This followed record inflows of $68 billion in February.

Steve Cronin, founder of Wise (wiseuae.com), a non-profit organisation to help UAE residents invest their wealth, says ETFs have exploded in popularity with the main attraction being able to invest on your own. With a diversified portfolio, investors can sit back and take the passive approach.

“ETFs are great for expat investors,” says Mr Cronin.

“I like to keep my investing simple, so I can get on with the rest of my life – ETFs are ideal for this.”

ETFs allow you to build a flexible, low-cost portfolio of investment funds that you are free to buy and sell at any time. They are traded on the stock market like ordinary shares, quickly and easily, with standard share dealing charges.

BlackRock’s iShares is the biggest provider with $1.351tn of assets under management, followed by Vanguard with $675bn, State Street Global Advisors’ SPDR with $550 million and Invesco PowerShares with $120m, according to ETFGI.

ETFs may be traded like stocks but are passive investment funds that track a chosen index, sector, region, asset class or commodity, in fact pretty much anything you can imagine.

Private investors can build a balanced portfolio from thousands of ETFs which they can adjust at minimal cost as investment goals change.

You are not locked in at any stage or committed to funding a plan that no longer suits your needs, and there are no penalties when you sell.

You can make your own investment decisions or invest through one of the growing number of independent financial advisers who are switching on to ETFs. You will pay a fee for their advice but save money because your funds go into ETFs rather than pricier mutual funds or inflexible insurance-based plans.

Mr Cronin says that because ETFs can be traded like a share, it makes them easy to deal in. “There is always a price available and you can buy or sell them immediately.”

However, there is a bewildering choice of funds available. Most of the world’s ETFs are traded on exchanges – New York, Tokyo and in Europe – but increasingly they are popping up on smaller exchanges like Dubai and Cairo. The global ETF/ETP industry now has 6,699 products with 12,646 listings, offered by 298 providers on 65 exchanges in 53 countries, according to ETFGI.

Mr Cronin says 80 per cent of his core portfolio is invested in the Vanguard FTSE All-World UCITS ETF.

“For an annual fee of 0.25 per cent, it tracks the performance of 3026 stocks in 47 countries,” he says. “I might check the progress about once a month, sometimes less – it’s up 16 per cent from last year in dollar terms.”

And his advice for others: passive index tracking ETFs should make up the core of your portfolio. “This gives you exposure to an entire index in just one fund,” he adds.

Some ETFs let you invest in more than one index, giving you access to all the world’s major stock markets within a single trade.

You can invest in any major index for an annual charge of between 0.1 and 0.3 per cent per year, says Mr Cronin, ensuring your profits aren’t eaten up by fees.

You also have to pay a share dealing fee when you buy or sell, which ranges from $5 to $25, or a percentage charge, which differs according to the platform and trading package. You may also have to pay stamp duty on share transactions, which ranges from 0.15 per cent on a Swiss-based exchange to 0.5 per cent in the UK. There should be no other upfront fees or exit fees.

Overall fees are far lower than on most mutual funds, which carry initial charges of up to 5 per cent, plus an annual management charge of up to 1.5 per cent. You then have to pay advisory and platform commission or fees on top of that, while insurance plans can charge even more. Mr Cronin says that ETFs labelled “UCITS” are ideal for most UAE investors as they are based in the EU, whereas US-based ETFs may trigger an inheritance tax charge.

Andrew Hallam, author of The Global Expatriate’s Guide To Investing, recommends including a stock index from your home country as well as a global stock index, which provides exposure to stocks in every geographic sector.

“It would include developed and emerging market stocks,” says Mr Hallam. “Investors should also add a bond market ETF to add stability.” ​

You also have to choose a dealing platform; the UAE has several options, notably Interactive Brokers, Saxo Bank, Swissquote Bank and TD Direct Investing International. Alternatively, UAE-based independent financial advisers AES International also offers ETFs to clients, with advice.

And while too many mutual fund managers regularly underperform the stock market, the best can beat the market. Terry Smith at Fundsmith Equity has returned almost 170 per cent over the past five years.

Justin Modray, head of UK-regulated adviser Candid Financial Advice, therefore recommends using ETFs for exposure to heavily researched stock markets where outperformance is rare, such as the US S&P 500 and FTSE 100. “Reserve an actively-managed fund for specialist sectors such as smaller companies, technology, commodities or property.”

BROKERAGE OPTIONS

These five brokers all offer UAE investors access to ETFs. Here we compare the options:

Interactive Brokers (interactivebrokers.com) – online account

Currencies: There are multiple currencies on offer from the US dollar to sterling, the euro, Hong Kong dollar, Indian rupees and many more.

Account set-up: It’s all online and can be funded by wire transfer or bank automated clearing house transfer. You cannot fund an account with a debit or credit card.

Minimum balance: $10,000 or currency equivalent. Accounts showing no balance will be closed.

Investment range: Thousands of different ETFs across North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, emerging markets and the full range of specialist sectors.

Charges and dealing costs: Choice of fixed and tiered pricing. Minimum dealing charge is $1, with a maximum 0.5 per cent of any trade value. For US ETFs it charges a fixed rate of $0.005 per share. It also offers 41 commission-free ETFs. There is a $10 monthly fee for inactive accounts.

Site extras: Online webinars or trading education events with more than 400 planned for 2017 and new users have a free trial with virtual money.

Saxo Bank (saxobank.ae) – classic trading account

Currencies: Trade with US dollars, while clients with a Premium and Platinum account can request a sub-account in a different currency.

Account set-up: Either an online or paper application. You must fund using a bank transfer initially but can register a credit card afterwards.

Minimum balance: $10,000 or equivalent for Classic account. $100,000 for Premium service level and $500,000 for Platinum.

Investment range: More than 3,000 ETFs and exchange traded commodities (ETCs).

Charges: A range of charging options, depending on your personal usage patterns. Dealing costs can be charged either as a flat fee, percentage charge or both. Minimum commission ranges from €12 (Dh47) to $15, depending on the exchange. There are no account administration charges, the site also offers a six months’ inactivity “grace period” and an annual custody fee of 0.12 per cent.

Site extras: Investment seminars in local offices, simulation accounts, a free demo account, and equity research.

Swissquote Bank (swissquote.ae) – the expat account

Currencies: Multiple currencies including the US dollar, Swiss franc, euro, Mexican peso and South African rand.

Account set-up: New users can register an account via the website. They can fund the account with a bank transfer or credit card denominated in US dollars, euros or swiss francs.

Minimum balance: none.

Investment range: Global trading platform includes more than 2.7 million financial products including ETFs.

Charges: ETF trading costs 0.25 per cent of the invested amount, with a minimum fee of $35 but no maximum charge. You may also have to pay Swiss federal stamp duty of 0.15 per cent on some assets.

Site extras: Performance charts, Morning Star fund ratings, news, corporate calendar and currency calculator. The site combines an online bank account with a currency platform and global multi-asset trading service on a single platform.

TD Direct Investing International (tddirectinvesting.lu) – online investment account

Currencies: US dollar, euro, sterling, Canadian dollar, Swiss franc, Swedish krone, Australian dollar, Hong Kong dollar and Singapore dollar. Users can hold up to nine currencies at no extra charge in a multi-currency account. Foreign exchange fees start from 0.2 per cent.

Account set-up: New users can apply for an account online, funded by a bank transfer.

Invest and trade in more than 9,000 ETFs in 15 different countries including New York, London, Zurich, Singapore and Sydney.

Charges: Commission on US, UK and Canada trades start at €14.95 per trade plus a charge of 0.10 per cent, or just €14.95 if trading more than 10 times per month. No account administration fees for customers who place 12 or more trades over a three-month period. For clients who trade at least once (but less than 12 times) in a three-month period, the quarterly account maintenance fee is €25. Inactive clients pay a €45 quarterly fee.

Site extras: ETF selector and stock selector tool and Morning Star’s equity research. Its Active Trading platform offers technical analysis research. Portfolio X-Ray tool allows customers to identify their portfolio’s strengths and weaknesses.

AES International – The Index Account (aesinternational.com)

Currencies: US dollars, sterling and euros, with Swiss francs added soon.

Account set-up: Via a one-page application form, although online account opening is under construction. Funded by bank transfer.

Source: The National

ETFs do the hard work for expat investors like you was originally published on JMM Group of Companies

[martinfzimmerman]

ETFs do the hard work for expat investors like you

There is a revolution going on, one that is transforming the way ordinary investors build their wealth.

Exchange traded funds, or ETFs, have steadily been growing in popularity for years and are now hitting critical mass as people recognise their benefits

The total invested in ETFs and exchange traded products (ETPs) globally hit a new high of US$3.844 trillion at the end of February 2017, according to London-based research consultancy ETFGI. This followed record inflows of $68 billion in February.

Steve Cronin, founder of Wise (wiseuae.com), a non-profit organisation to help UAE residents invest their wealth, says ETFs have exploded in popularity with the main attraction being able to invest on your own. With a diversified portfolio, investors can sit back and take the passive approach.

"ETFs are great for expat investors," says Mr Cronin.

"I like to keep my investing simple, so I can get on with the rest of my life - ETFs are ideal for this."

ETFs allow you to build a flexible, low-cost portfolio of investment funds that you are free to buy and sell at any time. They are traded on the stock market like ordinary shares, quickly and easily, with standard share dealing charges.

BlackRock's iShares is the biggest provider with $1.351tn of assets under management, followed by Vanguard with $675bn, State Street Global Advisors' SPDR with $550 million and Invesco PowerShares with $120m, according to ETFGI.

ETFs may be traded like stocks but are passive investment funds that track a chosen index, sector, region, asset class or commodity, in fact pretty much anything you can imagine.

Private investors can build a balanced portfolio from thousands of ETFs which they can adjust at minimal cost as investment goals change.

You are not locked in at any stage or committed to funding a plan that no longer suits your needs, and there are no penalties when you sell.

You can make your own investment decisions or invest through one of the growing number of independent financial advisers who are switching on to ETFs. You will pay a fee for their advice but save money because your funds go into ETFs rather than pricier mutual funds or inflexible insurance-based plans.

Mr Cronin says that because ETFs can be traded like a share, it makes them easy to deal in. "There is always a price available and you can buy or sell them immediately."

However, there is a bewildering choice of funds available. Most of the world's ETFs are traded on exchanges - New York, Tokyo and in Europe - but increasingly they are popping up on smaller exchanges like Dubai and Cairo. The global ETF/ETP industry now has 6,699 products with 12,646 listings, offered by 298 providers on 65 exchanges in 53 countries, according to ETFGI.

Mr Cronin says 80 per cent of his core portfolio is invested in the Vanguard FTSE All-World UCITS ETF.

"For an annual fee of 0.25 per cent, it tracks the performance of 3026 stocks in 47 countries," he says. "I might check the progress about once a month, sometimes less - it's up 16 per cent from last year in dollar terms."

And his advice for others: passive index tracking ETFs should make up the core of your portfolio. "This gives you exposure to an entire index in just one fund," he adds.

Some ETFs let you invest in more than one index, giving you access to all the world's major stock markets within a single trade.

You can invest in any major index for an annual charge of between 0.1 and 0.3 per cent per year, says Mr Cronin, ensuring your profits aren't eaten up by fees.

You also have to pay a share dealing fee when you buy or sell, which ranges from $5 to $25, or a percentage charge, which differs according to the platform and trading package. You may also have to pay stamp duty on share transactions, which ranges from 0.15 per cent on a Swiss-based exchange to 0.5 per cent in the UK. There should be no other upfront fees or exit fees.

Overall fees are far lower than on most mutual funds, which carry initial charges of up to 5 per cent, plus an annual management charge of up to 1.5 per cent. You then have to pay advisory and platform commission or fees on top of that, while insurance plans can charge even more. Mr Cronin says that ETFs labelled "UCITS" are ideal for most UAE investors as they are based in the EU, whereas US-based ETFs may trigger an inheritance tax charge.

Andrew Hallam, author of The Global Expatriate's Guide To Investing, recommends including a stock index from your home country as well as a global stock index, which provides exposure to stocks in every geographic sector.

"It would include developed and emerging market stocks," says Mr Hallam. "Investors should also add a bond market ETF to add stability." ​

You also have to choose a dealing platform; the UAE has several options, notably Interactive Brokers, Saxo Bank, Swissquote Bank and TD Direct Investing International. Alternatively, UAE-based independent financial advisers AES International also offers ETFs to clients, with advice.

And while too many mutual fund managers regularly underperform the stock market, the best can beat the market. Terry Smith at Fundsmith Equity has returned almost 170 per cent over the past five years.

Justin Modray, head of UK-regulated adviser Candid Financial Advice, therefore recommends using ETFs for exposure to heavily researched stock markets where outperformance is rare, such as the US S&P 500 and FTSE 100. "Reserve an actively-managed fund for specialist sectors such as smaller companies, technology, commodities or property."

BROKERAGE OPTIONS

These five brokers all offer UAE investors access to ETFs. Here we compare the options:

Interactive Brokers (interactivebrokers.com) - online account

Currencies: There are multiple currencies on offer from the US dollar to sterling, the euro, Hong Kong dollar, Indian rupees and many more.

Account set-up: It's all online and can be funded by wire transfer or bank automated clearing house transfer. You cannot fund an account with a debit or credit card.

Minimum balance: $10,000 or currency equivalent. Accounts showing no balance will be closed.

Investment range: Thousands of different ETFs across North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, emerging markets and the full range of specialist sectors.

Charges and dealing costs: Choice of fixed and tiered pricing. Minimum dealing charge is $1, with a maximum 0.5 per cent of any trade value. For US ETFs it charges a fixed rate of $0.005 per share. It also offers 41 commission-free ETFs. There is a $10 monthly fee for inactive accounts.

Site extras: Online webinars or trading education events with more than 400 planned for 2017 and new users have a free trial with virtual money.

Saxo Bank (saxobank.ae) - classic trading account

Currencies: Trade with US dollars, while clients with a Premium and Platinum account can request a sub-account in a different currency.

Account set-up: Either an online or paper application. You must fund using a bank transfer initially but can register a credit card afterwards.

Minimum balance: $10,000 or equivalent for Classic account. $100,000 for Premium service level and $500,000 for Platinum.

Investment range: More than 3,000 ETFs and exchange traded commodities (ETCs).

Charges: A range of charging options, depending on your personal usage patterns. Dealing costs can be charged either as a flat fee, percentage charge or both. Minimum commission ranges from €12 (Dh47) to $15, depending on the exchange. There are no account administration charges, the site also offers a six months' inactivity "grace period" and an annual custody fee of 0.12 per cent.

Site extras: Investment seminars in local offices, simulation accounts, a free demo account, and equity research.

Swissquote Bank (swissquote.ae) - the expat account

Currencies: Multiple currencies including the US dollar, Swiss franc, euro, Mexican peso and South African rand.

Account set-up: New users can register an account via the website. They can fund the account with a bank transfer or credit card denominated in US dollars, euros or swiss francs.

Minimum balance: none.

Investment range: Global trading platform includes more than 2.7 million financial products including ETFs.

Charges: ETF trading costs 0.25 per cent of the invested amount, with a minimum fee of $35 but no maximum charge. You may also have to pay Swiss federal stamp duty of 0.15 per cent on some assets.

Site extras: Performance charts, Morning Star fund ratings, news, corporate calendar and currency calculator. The site combines an online bank account with a currency platform and global multi-asset trading service on a single platform.

TD Direct Investing International (tddirectinvesting.lu) - online investment account

Currencies: US dollar, euro, sterling, Canadian dollar, Swiss franc, Swedish krone, Australian dollar, Hong Kong dollar and Singapore dollar. Users can hold up to nine currencies at no extra charge in a multi-currency account. Foreign exchange fees start from 0.2 per cent.

Account set-up: New users can apply for an account online, funded by a bank transfer.

Invest and trade in more than 9,000 ETFs in 15 different countries including New York, London, Zurich, Singapore and Sydney.

Charges: Commission on US, UK and Canada trades start at €14.95 per trade plus a charge of 0.10 per cent, or just €14.95 if trading more than 10 times per month. No account administration fees for customers who place 12 or more trades over a three-month period. For clients who trade at least once (but less than 12 times) in a three-month period, the quarterly account maintenance fee is €25. Inactive clients pay a €45 quarterly fee.

Site extras: ETF selector and stock selector tool and Morning Star's equity research. Its Active Trading platform offers technical analysis research. Portfolio X-Ray tool allows customers to identify their portfolio's strengths and weaknesses.

AES International - The Index Account (aesinternational.com)

Currencies: US dollars, sterling and euros, with Swiss francs added soon.

Account set-up: Via a one-page application form, although online account opening is under construction. Funded by bank transfer.

from Personal Finance RSS feed - The National http://www.thenational.ae/business/personal-finance/etfs-do-the-hard-work-for-expat-investors-like-you

[breakingnewsandsports]

With the tremendous growth in robo advisor assets under management (AUM), financial institutions are scrambling to figure out how to build and become a robo advisor.

Starting a robo advisor service combines financially savvy with big data analytics, as well as a comprehensive understanding to how robo advisors work.

Robo advisors are platforms that leverage algorithms to handle users' investment platforms. And they are poised to transform the tremendous worldwide wealth management industry. 

MyPrivateBanking's report, Robo Advisor 3.0, takes an in-depth look at the basic challenge of every robo advisor: how to craft a presence that succeeds in convincing website visitors to sign up as investors and then remain on board.

In this data-driven assessment, the report looks at the characteristics, business models, and strengths and weaknesses of the top robo advisors around the world. The research was conducted on a total of 76 active robo advisors worldwide - 29 in the U.S. and Canada, 38 in seven European countries and nine in the Asia-Pacific region. We've compiled a full list of robo advisors analyzed below.

The exhaustive report provides comprehensive answers and data on how to optimize the individual onboarding stages (How it works, Client Assessment, Client Onboarding, Communication and Portfolio Reporting) and details five best practices for each stage. Furthermore, the report provides strategies to appeal to different segments such as Millennials, baby boomer investors approaching retirement, and high net worth individuals (HNWIs), and analyzes the impact of new technologies.

The report provides comprehensive analysis and data-driven insights on how to utilize robo advisors to win and keep clients:

What a robo advisor platform should offer to successfully convert prospects into happy clients.

Which robo advisor features work and why.

What are best practices for the different stages in the digital customer journey.

How long clients need to onboard on the surveyed robo advisors and which specialized offers are given.

What the client assessment process should include 

How client communication should be (inbound for customer service and outbound for news, education and commentary).

What good portfolio reporting looks like, so that it meets the information needs of the customer.

How B2B providers are positioned in the development of robo advisory services and what they offer.

How robo advisors should adopt their strategies to appeal to different segments such as Millennials, baby boomer investors approaching retirement, and high net worth individuals (HNWIs).

Which robo advisors provide specialized options such as micro-investing, rewards schemes or hedging strategies, and in what manner.

What the impacts of new technologies are, such as the use of artificial intelligence for client interaction and narrative generation on the robo advisor model.

How the future of digital success will look for robo advisors.

Appendix containing data on the web presences of more than 70 robo advisors alongside the digital customer journey process.

And much more.

>> Click here for Report Summary, Table of Contents, Methodology <<

Analyzed robo advisors in this report include:

North America: Acorns, Asset Builder, Betterment, Blooom, Bicycle Financial, BMO SmartFolio, Capital One Investing, Financial Guard, Flexscore, Future Advisor, Guide Financial, Hedgeable, iQuantifi, Jemstep, Learnvest, Liftoff, Nest Wealth, Personal Capital, Rebalance IRA, Schwab Intelligent Portfolios, SheCapital, SigFig, TradeKing Advisors, Universis, Wealthbar, Wealthfront, Wealthsimple, Wela, Wisebanyan

Europe: AdviseOnly, Advize, comdirect, Easyfolio, EasyVest, ETFmatic, Fairr.de, FeelCapital, Fiver a Day, Fundshop.fr, GinMon, Investomat, KeyPlan, KeyPrivate, Liqid, Marie Quantier, Money on Toast, MoneyFarm, Nutmeg, Parmenion, Quirion, rplan, Scalable Capital, Simply EQ, Sutor Bank, Swanest, SwissQuote ePrivateBanking, True Potential Investor, True Wealth, Vaamo, VZ Finanz Portal, Wealth Horizon, Wealthify, WeSave, Whitebox, Yellow Advice, Yomoni, Zen Assets.

Asia-Pacific: 8 Now!, Ignition Direct & Ignition Wealth, InvestSMART, Mizuho Bank Smart Folio, Movo, Owners Advisory, QuietGrowth, ScripBox, StockSpot

Here's how you get this exclusive Robo Advisor research:

To provide you with this exclusive report, MyPrivateBanking has partnered with BI Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, to create The Complete Robo Advisor Research Collection.

If you’re involved in the financial services industry at any level, you simply must understand the paradigm shift caused by robo advisors.

Investors frustrated by mediocre investment performance, high wealth manager fees and deceptive sales techniques are signing up for automated investment accounts at a record pace.

And the robo advisor field is evolving right before our eyes. Firms are figuring out on the fly how to best attract, service and upsell their customers. What lessons are they learning? Who’s doing it best? What threats are traditional wealth managers facing? Where are the opportunities for exponential growth for firms with robo advisor products or models?

The Complete Robo Advisor Research Collection is the ONLY resource that answers all of these questions and more. Click here to learn more about everything that's included in this exclusive research bundle. 

Join the conversation about this story »

http://read.bi/2i2YMBf

[tortuga-aak]

How to Build a Robo Advisor: Advice for Starting a Robo Advisory

MyPrivateBanking

With the tremendous growth in robo advisor assets under management (AUM), financial institutions are scrambling to figure out how to build and become a robo advisor.

Starting a robo advisor service combines financially savvy with big data analytics, as well as a comprehensive understanding to how robo advisors work.

How Do Robo Advisors Work?

Robo advisors are platforms that leverage algorithms to handle users' investment platforms. These services analyze each customer's current financial status, risk aversion, and goals. From here, they recommend the best portfolio of stocks available based on that data.

And these automated financial services are poised to transform the tremendous worldwide wealth management industry. 

MyPrivateBanking's report, Robo Advisor 3.0, takes an in-depth look at the basic challenge of every robo advisor: how to craft a presence that succeeds in convincing website visitors to sign up as investors and then remain on board.

In this data-driven assessment, the report looks at the characteristics, business models, and strengths and weaknesses of the top robo advisors around the world. The research was conducted on a total of 76 active robo advisors worldwide - 29 in the U.S. and Canada, 38 in seven European countries and nine in the Asia-Pacific region. We've compiled a full list of robo advisors analyzed below.

The exhaustive report provides comprehensive answers and data on how to optimize the individual onboarding stages (How it works, Client Assessment, Client Onboarding, Communication and Portfolio Reporting) and details five best practices for each stage. Furthermore, the report provides strategies to appeal to different segments such as Millennials, baby boomer investors approaching retirement, and high net worth individuals (HNWIs), and analyzes the impact of new technologies.

The report provides comprehensive analysis and data-driven insights on how to utilize robo advisors to win and keep clients:

What a robo advisor platform should offer to successfully convert prospects into happy clients.

Which robo advisor features work and why.

What are best practices for the different stages in the digital customer journey.

How long clients need to onboard on the surveyed robo advisors and which specialized offers are given.

What the client assessment process should include 

How client communication should be (inbound for customer service and outbound for news, education and commentary).

What good portfolio reporting looks like, so that it meets the information needs of the customer.

How B2B providers are positioned in the development of robo advisory services and what they offer.

How robo advisors should adopt their strategies to appeal to different segments such as Millennials, baby boomer investors approaching retirement, and high net worth individuals (HNWIs).

Which robo advisors provide specialized options such as micro-investing, rewards schemes or hedging strategies, and in what manner.

What the impacts of new technologies are, such as the use of artificial intelligence for client interaction and narrative generation on the robo advisor model.

How the future of digital success will look for robo advisors.

Appendix containing data on the web presences of more than 70 robo advisors alongside the digital customer journey process.

And much more.

>> Click here for Report Summary, Table of Contents, Methodology <<

Analyzed robo advisors in this report include:

North America: Acorns, Asset Builder, Betterment, Blooom, Bicycle Financial, BMO SmartFolio, Capital One Investing, Financial Guard, Flexscore, Future Advisor, Guide Financial, Hedgeable, iQuantifi, Jemstep, Learnvest, Liftoff, Nest Wealth, Personal Capital, Rebalance IRA, Schwab Intelligent Portfolios, SheCapital, SigFig, TradeKing Advisors, Universis, Wealthbar, Wealthfront, Wealthsimple, Wela, Wisebanyan 

Europe: AdviseOnly, Advize, comdirect, Easyfolio, EasyVest, ETFmatic, Fairr.de, FeelCapital, Fiver a Day, Fundshop.fr, GinMon, Investomat, KeyPlan, KeyPrivate, Liqid, Marie Quantier, Money on Toast, MoneyFarm, Nutmeg, Parmenion, Quirion, rplan, Scalable Capital, Simply EQ, Sutor Bank, Swanest, SwissQuote ePrivateBanking, True Potential Investor, True Wealth, Vaamo, VZ Finanz Portal, Wealth Horizon, Wealthify, WeSave, Whitebox, Yellow Advice, Yomoni, Zen Assets.

Asia-Pacific: 8 Now!, Ignition Direct & Ignition Wealth, InvestSMART, Mizuho Bank Smart Folio, Movo, Owners Advisory, QuietGrowth, ScripBox, StockSpot

Here's how you get this exclusive Robo Advisor research:MyPrivateBanking

To provide you with this exclusive report, MyPrivateBanking has partnered with BI Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, to create The Complete Robo Advisor Research Collection.

If you’re involved in the financial services industry at any level, you simply must understand the paradigm shift caused by robo advisors.

Investors frustrated by mediocre investment performance, high wealth manager fees and deceptive sales techniques are signing up for automated investment accounts at a record pace.

And the robo advisor field is evolving right before our eyes. Firms are figuring out on the fly how to best attract, service and upsell their customers. What lessons are they learning? Who’s doing it best? What threats are traditional wealth managers facing? Where are the opportunities for exponential growth for firms with robo advisor products or models?

The Complete Robo Advisor Research Collection is the ONLY resource that answers all of these questions and more. Click here to learn more about everything that's included in this exclusive research bundle. 

NOW WATCH: This is what you get when you invest in an initial coin offering

from Feedburner http://ift.tt/2bgHZKR

[tortuga-aak]

How to Build a Robo Advisor: Advice for Starting a Robo Advisory

MyPrivateBanking

With the tremendous growth in robo advisor assets under management (AUM), financial institutions are scrambling to figure out how to build and become a robo advisor.

Starting a robo advisor service combines financially savvy with big data analytics, as well as a comprehensive understanding to how robo advisors work.

How Do Robo Advisors Work?

Robo advisors are platforms that leverage algorithms to handle users' investment platforms. These services analyze each customer's current financial status, risk aversion, and goals. From here, they recommend the best portfolio of stocks available based on that data.

And these automated financial services are poised to transform the tremendous worldwide wealth management industry. 

MyPrivateBanking's report, Robo Advisor 3.0, takes an in-depth look at the basic challenge of every robo advisor: how to craft a presence that succeeds in convincing website visitors to sign up as investors and then remain on board.

In this data-driven assessment, the report looks at the characteristics, business models, and strengths and weaknesses of the top robo advisors around the world. The research was conducted on a total of 76 active robo advisors worldwide - 29 in the U.S. and Canada, 38 in seven European countries and nine in the Asia-Pacific region. We've compiled a full list of robo advisors analyzed below.

The exhaustive report provides comprehensive answers and data on how to optimize the individual onboarding stages (How it works, Client Assessment, Client Onboarding, Communication and Portfolio Reporting) and details five best practices for each stage. Furthermore, the report provides strategies to appeal to different segments such as Millennials, baby boomer investors approaching retirement, and high net worth individuals (HNWIs), and analyzes the impact of new technologies.

The report provides comprehensive analysis and data-driven insights on how to utilize robo advisors to win and keep clients:

What a robo advisor platform should offer to successfully convert prospects into happy clients.

Which robo advisor features work and why.

What are best practices for the different stages in the digital customer journey.

How long clients need to onboard on the surveyed robo advisors and which specialized offers are given.

What the client assessment process should include 

How client communication should be (inbound for customer service and outbound for news, education and commentary).

What good portfolio reporting looks like, so that it meets the information needs of the customer.

How B2B providers are positioned in the development of robo advisory services and what they offer.

How robo advisors should adopt their strategies to appeal to different segments such as Millennials, baby boomer investors approaching retirement, and high net worth individuals (HNWIs).

Which robo advisors provide specialized options such as micro-investing, rewards schemes or hedging strategies, and in what manner.

What the impacts of new technologies are, such as the use of artificial intelligence for client interaction and narrative generation on the robo advisor model.

How the future of digital success will look for robo advisors.

Appendix containing data on the web presences of more than 70 robo advisors alongside the digital customer journey process.

And much more.

>> Click here for Report Summary, Table of Contents, Methodology <<

Analyzed robo advisors in this report include:

North America: Acorns, Asset Builder, Betterment, Blooom, Bicycle Financial, BMO SmartFolio, Capital One Investing, Financial Guard, Flexscore, Future Advisor, Guide Financial, Hedgeable, iQuantifi, Jemstep, Learnvest, Liftoff, Nest Wealth, Personal Capital, Rebalance IRA, Schwab Intelligent Portfolios, SheCapital, SigFig, TradeKing Advisors, Universis, Wealthbar, Wealthfront, Wealthsimple, Wela, Wisebanyan 

Europe: AdviseOnly, Advize, comdirect, Easyfolio, EasyVest, ETFmatic, Fairr.de, FeelCapital, Fiver a Day, Fundshop.fr, GinMon, Investomat, KeyPlan, KeyPrivate, Liqid, Marie Quantier, Money on Toast, MoneyFarm, Nutmeg, Parmenion, Quirion, rplan, Scalable Capital, Simply EQ, Sutor Bank, Swanest, SwissQuote ePrivateBanking, True Potential Investor, True Wealth, Vaamo, VZ Finanz Portal, Wealth Horizon, Wealthify, WeSave, Whitebox, Yellow Advice, Yomoni, Zen Assets.

Asia-Pacific: 8 Now!, Ignition Direct & Ignition Wealth, InvestSMART, Mizuho Bank Smart Folio, Movo, Owners Advisory, QuietGrowth, ScripBox, StockSpot

Here's how you get this exclusive Robo Advisor research:MyPrivateBanking

To provide you with this exclusive report, MyPrivateBanking has partnered with BI Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, to create The Complete Robo Advisor Research Collection.

If you’re involved in the financial services industry at any level, you simply must understand the paradigm shift caused by robo advisors.

Investors frustrated by mediocre investment performance, high wealth manager fees and deceptive sales techniques are signing up for automated investment accounts at a record pace.

And the robo advisor field is evolving right before our eyes. Firms are figuring out on the fly how to best attract, service and upsell their customers. What lessons are they learning? Who’s doing it best? What threats are traditional wealth managers facing? Where are the opportunities for exponential growth for firms with robo advisor products or models?

The Complete Robo Advisor Research Collection is the ONLY resource that answers all of these questions and more. Click here to learn more about everything that's included in this exclusive research bundle. 

NOW WATCH: SCOTT GALLOWAY: Amazon is using an unfair advantage to dominate its competitors

from Feedburner http://ift.tt/2bgHZKR

[tortuga-aak]

How to Build a Robo Advisor: Advice for Starting a Robo Advisory

MyPrivateBanking

With the tremendous growth in robo advisor assets under management (AUM), financial institutions are scrambling to figure out how to build and become a robo advisor.

Starting a robo advisor service combines financially savvy with big data analytics, as well as a comprehensive understanding to how robo advisors work.

How Do Robo Advisors Work?

Robo advisors are platforms that leverage algorithms to handle users' investment platforms. These services analyze each customer's current financial status, risk aversion, and goals. From here, they recommend the best portfolio of stocks available based on that data.

And these automated financial services are poised to transform the tremendous worldwide wealth management industry. 

MyPrivateBanking's report, Robo Advisor 3.0, takes an in-depth look at the basic challenge of every robo advisor: how to craft a presence that succeeds in convincing website visitors to sign up as investors and then remain on board.

In this data-driven assessment, the report looks at the characteristics, business models, and strengths and weaknesses of the top robo advisors around the world. The research was conducted on a total of 76 active robo advisors worldwide - 29 in the U.S. and Canada, 38 in seven European countries and nine in the Asia-Pacific region. We've compiled a full list of robo advisors analyzed below.

The exhaustive report provides comprehensive answers and data on how to optimize the individual onboarding stages (How it works, Client Assessment, Client Onboarding, Communication and Portfolio Reporting) and details five best practices for each stage. Furthermore, the report provides strategies to appeal to different segments such as Millennials, baby boomer investors approaching retirement, and high net worth individuals (HNWIs), and analyzes the impact of new technologies.

The report provides comprehensive analysis and data-driven insights on how to utilize robo advisors to win and keep clients:

What a robo advisor platform should offer to successfully convert prospects into happy clients.

Which robo advisor features work and why.

What are best practices for the different stages in the digital customer journey.

How long clients need to onboard on the surveyed robo advisors and which specialized offers are given.

What the client assessment process should include 

How client communication should be (inbound for customer service and outbound for news, education and commentary).

What good portfolio reporting looks like, so that it meets the information needs of the customer.

How B2B providers are positioned in the development of robo advisory services and what they offer.

How robo advisors should adopt their strategies to appeal to different segments such as Millennials, baby boomer investors approaching retirement, and high net worth individuals (HNWIs).

Which robo advisors provide specialized options such as micro-investing, rewards schemes or hedging strategies, and in what manner.

What the impacts of new technologies are, such as the use of artificial intelligence for client interaction and narrative generation on the robo advisor model.

How the future of digital success will look for robo advisors.

Appendix containing data on the web presences of more than 70 robo advisors alongside the digital customer journey process.

And much more.

>> Click here for Report Summary, Table of Contents, Methodology <<

Analyzed robo advisors in this report include:

North America: Acorns, Asset Builder, Betterment, Blooom, Bicycle Financial, BMO SmartFolio, Capital One Investing, Financial Guard, Flexscore, Future Advisor, Guide Financial, Hedgeable, iQuantifi, Jemstep, Learnvest, Liftoff, Nest Wealth, Personal Capital, Rebalance IRA, Schwab Intelligent Portfolios, SheCapital, SigFig, TradeKing Advisors, Universis, Wealthbar, Wealthfront, Wealthsimple, Wela, Wisebanyan 

Europe: AdviseOnly, Advize, comdirect, Easyfolio, EasyVest, ETFmatic, Fairr.de, FeelCapital, Fiver a Day, Fundshop.fr, GinMon, Investomat, KeyPlan, KeyPrivate, Liqid, Marie Quantier, Money on Toast, MoneyFarm, Nutmeg, Parmenion, Quirion, rplan, Scalable Capital, Simply EQ, Sutor Bank, Swanest, SwissQuote ePrivateBanking, True Potential Investor, True Wealth, Vaamo, VZ Finanz Portal, Wealth Horizon, Wealthify, WeSave, Whitebox, Yellow Advice, Yomoni, Zen Assets.

Asia-Pacific: 8 Now!, Ignition Direct & Ignition Wealth, InvestSMART, Mizuho Bank Smart Folio, Movo, Owners Advisory, QuietGrowth, ScripBox, StockSpot

Here's how you get this exclusive Robo Advisor research:MyPrivateBanking

To provide you with this exclusive report, MyPrivateBanking has partnered with BI Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, to create The Complete Robo Advisor Research Collection.

If you’re involved in the financial services industry at any level, you simply must understand the paradigm shift caused by robo advisors.

Investors frustrated by mediocre investment performance, high wealth manager fees and deceptive sales techniques are signing up for automated investment accounts at a record pace.

And the robo advisor field is evolving right before our eyes. Firms are figuring out on the fly how to best attract, service and upsell their customers. What lessons are they learning? Who’s doing it best? What threats are traditional wealth managers facing? Where are the opportunities for exponential growth for firms with robo advisor products or models?

The Complete Robo Advisor Research Collection is the ONLY resource that answers all of these questions and more. Click here to learn more about everything that's included in this exclusive research bundle. 

NOW WATCH: The head of investment themes at UBS explains the big trends every investor should know

from Feedburner http://ift.tt/2bgHZKR

[tortuga-aak]

How to Build a Robo Advisor: Advice for Starting a Robo Advisory

MyPrivateBanking

With the tremendous growth in robo advisor assets under management (AUM), financial institutions are scrambling to figure out how to build and become a robo advisor.

Starting a robo advisor service combines financially savvy with big data analytics, as well as a comprehensive understanding to how robo advisors work.

How Do Robo Advisors Work?

Robo advisors are platforms that leverage algorithms to handle users' investment platforms. These services analyze each customer's current financial status, risk aversion, and goals. From here, they recommend the best portfolio of stocks available based on that data.

And these automated financial services are poised to transform the tremendous worldwide wealth management industry. 

MyPrivateBanking's report, Robo Advisor 3.0, takes an in-depth look at the basic challenge of every robo advisor: how to craft a presence that succeeds in convincing website visitors to sign up as investors and then remain on board.

In this data-driven assessment, the report looks at the characteristics, business models, and strengths and weaknesses of the top robo advisors around the world. The research was conducted on a total of 76 active robo advisors worldwide - 29 in the U.S. and Canada, 38 in seven European countries and nine in the Asia-Pacific region. We've compiled a full list of robo advisors analyzed below.

The exhaustive report provides comprehensive answers and data on how to optimize the individual onboarding stages (How it works, Client Assessment, Client Onboarding, Communication and Portfolio Reporting) and details five best practices for each stage. Furthermore, the report provides strategies to appeal to different segments such as Millennials, baby boomer investors approaching retirement, and high net worth individuals (HNWIs), and analyzes the impact of new technologies.

The report provides comprehensive analysis and data-driven insights on how to utilize robo advisors to win and keep clients:

What a robo advisor platform should offer to successfully convert prospects into happy clients.

Which robo advisor features work and why.

What are best practices for the different stages in the digital customer journey.

How long clients need to onboard on the surveyed robo advisors and which specialized offers are given.

What the client assessment process should include 

How client communication should be (inbound for customer service and outbound for news, education and commentary).

What good portfolio reporting looks like, so that it meets the information needs of the customer.

How B2B providers are positioned in the development of robo advisory services and what they offer.

How robo advisors should adopt their strategies to appeal to different segments such as Millennials, baby boomer investors approaching retirement, and high net worth individuals (HNWIs).

Which robo advisors provide specialized options such as micro-investing, rewards schemes or hedging strategies, and in what manner.

What the impacts of new technologies are, such as the use of artificial intelligence for client interaction and narrative generation on the robo advisor model.

How the future of digital success will look for robo advisors.

Appendix containing data on the web presences of more than 70 robo advisors alongside the digital customer journey process.

And much more.

>> Click here for Report Summary, Table of Contents, Methodology <<

Analyzed robo advisors in this report include:

North America: Acorns, Asset Builder, Betterment, Blooom, Bicycle Financial, BMO SmartFolio, Capital One Investing, Financial Guard, Flexscore, Future Advisor, Guide Financial, Hedgeable, iQuantifi, Jemstep, Learnvest, Liftoff, Nest Wealth, Personal Capital, Rebalance IRA, Schwab Intelligent Portfolios, SheCapital, SigFig, TradeKing Advisors, Universis, Wealthbar, Wealthfront, Wealthsimple, Wela, Wisebanyan 

Europe: AdviseOnly, Advize, comdirect, Easyfolio, EasyVest, ETFmatic, Fairr.de, FeelCapital, Fiver a Day, Fundshop.fr, GinMon, Investomat, KeyPlan, KeyPrivate, Liqid, Marie Quantier, Money on Toast, MoneyFarm, Nutmeg, Parmenion, Quirion, rplan, Scalable Capital, Simply EQ, Sutor Bank, Swanest, SwissQuote ePrivateBanking, True Potential Investor, True Wealth, Vaamo, VZ Finanz Portal, Wealth Horizon, Wealthify, WeSave, Whitebox, Yellow Advice, Yomoni, Zen Assets.

Asia-Pacific: 8 Now!, Ignition Direct & Ignition Wealth, InvestSMART, Mizuho Bank Smart Folio, Movo, Owners Advisory, QuietGrowth, ScripBox, StockSpot

Here's how you get this exclusive Robo Advisor research:MyPrivateBanking

To provide you with this exclusive report, MyPrivateBanking has partnered with BI Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, to create The Complete Robo Advisor Research Collection.

If you’re involved in the financial services industry at any level, you simply must understand the paradigm shift caused by robo advisors.

Investors frustrated by mediocre investment performance, high wealth manager fees and deceptive sales techniques are signing up for automated investment accounts at a record pace.

And the robo advisor field is evolving right before our eyes. Firms are figuring out on the fly how to best attract, service and upsell their customers. What lessons are they learning? Who’s doing it best? What threats are traditional wealth managers facing? Where are the opportunities for exponential growth for firms with robo advisor products or models?

The Complete Robo Advisor Research Collection is the ONLY resource that answers all of these questions and more. Click here to learn more about everything that's included in this exclusive research bundle. 

NOW WATCH: RAY DALIO: Bitcoin is a speculative bubble

from Feedburner http://ift.tt/2bgHZKR

[tortuga-aak]

How to Build a Robo Advisor: Advice for Starting a Robo Advisory

MyPrivateBanking

With the tremendous growth in robo advisor assets under management (AUM), financial institutions are scrambling to figure out how to build and become a robo advisor.

Starting a robo advisor service combines financially savvy with big data analytics, as well as a comprehensive understanding to how robo advisors work.

How Do Robo Advisors Work?

Robo advisors are platforms that leverage algorithms to handle users' investment platforms. These services analyze each customer's current financial status, risk aversion, and goals. From here, they recommend the best portfolio of stocks available based on that data.

And these automated financial services are poised to transform the tremendous worldwide wealth management industry. 

MyPrivateBanking's report, Robo Advisor 3.0, takes an in-depth look at the basic challenge of every robo advisor: how to craft a presence that succeeds in convincing website visitors to sign up as investors and then remain on board.

In this data-driven assessment, the report looks at the characteristics, business models, and strengths and weaknesses of the top robo advisors around the world. The research was conducted on a total of 76 active robo advisors worldwide - 29 in the U.S. and Canada, 38 in seven European countries and nine in the Asia-Pacific region. We've compiled a full list of robo advisors analyzed below.

The exhaustive report provides comprehensive answers and data on how to optimize the individual onboarding stages (How it works, Client Assessment, Client Onboarding, Communication and Portfolio Reporting) and details five best practices for each stage. Furthermore, the report provides strategies to appeal to different segments such as Millennials, baby boomer investors approaching retirement, and high net worth individuals (HNWIs), and analyzes the impact of new technologies.

The report provides comprehensive analysis and data-driven insights on how to utilize robo advisors to win and keep clients:

What a robo advisor platform should offer to successfully convert prospects into happy clients.

Which robo advisor features work and why.

What are best practices for the different stages in the digital customer journey.

How long clients need to onboard on the surveyed robo advisors and which specialized offers are given.

What the client assessment process should include 

How client communication should be (inbound for customer service and outbound for news, education and commentary).

What good portfolio reporting looks like, so that it meets the information needs of the customer.

How B2B providers are positioned in the development of robo advisory services and what they offer.

How robo advisors should adopt their strategies to appeal to different segments such as Millennials, baby boomer investors approaching retirement, and high net worth individuals (HNWIs).

Which robo advisors provide specialized options such as micro-investing, rewards schemes or hedging strategies, and in what manner.

What the impacts of new technologies are, such as the use of artificial intelligence for client interaction and narrative generation on the robo advisor model.

How the future of digital success will look for robo advisors.

Appendix containing data on the web presences of more than 70 robo advisors alongside the digital customer journey process.

And much more.

>> Click here for Report Summary, Table of Contents, Methodology <<

Analyzed robo advisors in this report include:

North America: Acorns, Asset Builder, Betterment, Blooom, Bicycle Financial, BMO SmartFolio, Capital One Investing, Financial Guard, Flexscore, Future Advisor, Guide Financial, Hedgeable, iQuantifi, Jemstep, Learnvest, Liftoff, Nest Wealth, Personal Capital, Rebalance IRA, Schwab Intelligent Portfolios, SheCapital, SigFig, TradeKing Advisors, Universis, Wealthbar, Wealthfront, Wealthsimple, Wela, Wisebanyan 

Europe: AdviseOnly, Advize, comdirect, Easyfolio, EasyVest, ETFmatic, Fairr.de, FeelCapital, Fiver a Day, Fundshop.fr, GinMon, Investomat, KeyPlan, KeyPrivate, Liqid, Marie Quantier, Money on Toast, MoneyFarm, Nutmeg, Parmenion, Quirion, rplan, Scalable Capital, Simply EQ, Sutor Bank, Swanest, SwissQuote ePrivateBanking, True Potential Investor, True Wealth, Vaamo, VZ Finanz Portal, Wealth Horizon, Wealthify, WeSave, Whitebox, Yellow Advice, Yomoni, Zen Assets.

Asia-Pacific: 8 Now!, Ignition Direct & Ignition Wealth, InvestSMART, Mizuho Bank Smart Folio, Movo, Owners Advisory, QuietGrowth, ScripBox, StockSpot

Here's how you get this exclusive Robo Advisor research:MyPrivateBanking

To provide you with this exclusive report, MyPrivateBanking has partnered with BI Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, to create The Complete Robo Advisor Research Collection.

If you’re involved in the financial services industry at any level, you simply must understand the paradigm shift caused by robo advisors.

Investors frustrated by mediocre investment performance, high wealth manager fees and deceptive sales techniques are signing up for automated investment accounts at a record pace.

And the robo advisor field is evolving right before our eyes. Firms are figuring out on the fly how to best attract, service and upsell their customers. What lessons are they learning? Who’s doing it best? What threats are traditional wealth managers facing? Where are the opportunities for exponential growth for firms with robo advisor products or models?

The Complete Robo Advisor Research Collection is the ONLY resource that answers all of these questions and more. Click here to learn more about everything that's included in this exclusive research bundle. 

NOW WATCH: THE RAY DALIO INTERVIEW: The billionaire investor on Bridgewater’s 'radically transparent' culture and how to bet on the future

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