StashAway, a Singapore-based regional investment platform, has expanded its wealth management offering for high-net-worth individuals, StashAway Reserve, to Hong Kong, extending the success that StashAway Reserve has seen in Singapore.
In line with its strategic growth, StashAway Reserve has also enhanced its private markets offering* to introduce private credit investment opportunities from a fraction of the traditional minimum investment required, StashAway said in a statement on Wednesday.
According to the statement, Hong Kong has long been one of the top ten wealthiest cities in the world. Yet, a significant proportion of its large high-net-worth population is still underserved by traditional financial institutions, where investment solutions are often plagued by costly fees, high minimum investment sums, and a lack of independent financial advisory.
To this end, StashAway Reserve offers unbiased wealth advisory and access to institutional-grade private market investments from global fund managers, such as Hamilton Lane, KKR, and Khosla Ventures, at low minimums and transparent, cost-effective fees.
This move will enable StashAway to better meet the needs of its high-net-worth clientele in Hong Kong, which, drawn in by the platform’s hassle-free, low-cost, and sophisticated investment approach, now constitute 65 percent of StashAway’s assets under management in Hong Kong.
“When we first launched StashAway Reserve in Singapore, the positive reception affirmed what we knew all along – there is a huge gap in the market for high-net-worth investors whose wealth creation needs are poorly met by premium and private banks,” said Michele Ferrario, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of StashAway.
“Private market investments shouldn’t be just for the ultra-wealthy; and wealth advisory that prioritizes clients’ interests, not commission fees, shouldn’t be the exception,
“We’re excited to bring StashAway Reserve to Hong Kong, offering unbiased wealth advisory and access to private markets at a much lower entry point,” he added.
Under StashAway Reserve, clients in Hong Kong can receive personalized and comprehensive financial advice from a dedicated Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) licensed Wealth Advisor.
Wealth advisory services include annual financial planning sessions and bi-annual portfolio reviews of investments within and outside of StashAway, ensuring that clients can obtain impartial guidance that is tailored to their individual needs.
It is noted that private credit offers an attractive option for investors looking to not only generate higher yields, but also diversify their portfolio from traditional fixed income.
Historically, private credit has demonstrated greater resilience against volatility, delivering stable returns and stronger downside protection compared to public bond markets.
The private credit market has also seen significant growth amid tighter lending conditions, increasing from $875 billion in 2020 to $1.6 trillion in early 2023.
However, individual investors are still often excluded from such investment opportunities due to high minimum investment requirements that traditionally start from $250,000.
With StashAway Reserve, Accredited and Professional Investors in Singapore and Hong Kong respectively can now invest in private credit from a much more accessible entry point.
In addition, StashAway Reserve offers other investment opportunities in private equity, venture capital, angel
investing, and crypto, on top of globally-diversified, exchange-traded fund (ETF)-based investment portfolios and a suite of cash management options available to retail and Accredited/ Professional investors.
StashAway is a digital wealth manager that offers investment portfolios and wealth management solutions for both retail investors and high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) and operates in Singapore, Malaysia, the Middle East and North Africa, Hong Kong, and Thailand.
As of January 2021, the company surpassed $1 billion in assets under management.
StashAway Reserve was first launched in Singapore in 2022. The firm has been operating in Hong Kong since 2021.