Robo-advisers want to be more than a one-trick pony

INVESTING today feels quick and painless – a few clicks, and access to a bewildering array of funds, equities and bonds opens up. Paralysed by uncertainty? Robo-advisers are on hand to shape a portfolio based on your risk appetite and themes.

Personal investing has taken on an automated twist ever since robo-advisers arrived in Singapore in 2016.

Riding a wave of growing preference for passive investing, these platforms came on the scene bearing set portfolios that offered exposure to different markets and themes, at a fraction of the cost of individually buying across multiple funds. Even portfolio rebalancing is passive, automated to prevent concentration of allocations.