StashAway’s ETF Selection

StashAway provides sophisticated portfolio solutions with strict ETF selection criteria. Our ETFs are vetted through with the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) before they are introduced to the platform. That means that all ETFs are reviewed by the MAS before we use them in our portfolios.

Our criteria:

• Credibility and reputation of ETF managers;
• Asset size larger than half a billion USD;
• ETFs at this size are liquid and highly tradeable because there is a lot of market participation in the ETF;
• Cost-efficient. Although ETFs can be very inexpensive vehicles, we focus on more on quality when selecting which ones to put in your portfolios. With that in mind, we choose top-quality investment products and do certainly consider costs. We know that good ETFs do not have to be expensive to be effective, but we also know that the least expensive ETFs aren't always the most effective;
• Simple;
• Provides straightforward exposure to underlying asset class, no leverage, and no inverse payoffs;
• Avoid credit exposure to issuers of ETF-like funds (e.g. ETN);
• At least 5-10 years of track record for the ETF itself or the underlying index;
• Effectiveness in tracking given index;
• High-performance per unit of risk.

These are the ETFs in which we invest:

ETF NAME	TICKER	ASSET CLASS	FUND MANAGER	EXPENSE RATIO
SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust	SPY	US Equities	SPDR State Street Global Advisors	0.09%
Vanguard Small-Cap Growth Index Fund	VBK	Small-Cap Growth	Vanguard	0.07%
Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund	XLY	Consumer Discretionary	SPDR State Street Global Advisors	0.14%
Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund	XLP	Consumer Staples	SPDR State Street Global Advisors	0.14%
Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund	XLK	Technology	SPDR State Street Global Advisors	0.14%
SPDR Euro STOXX 50 ETF	FEZ	European Equities	SPDR State Street Global Advisors	0.29%
iShares MSCI All Country Asia ex Japan	AAXJ	Asia ex-Japan Equities	iShares	0.72%
iShares MSCI Japan	EWJ	Japan Equities	iShares	0.48%
Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF	VWO	Emerging Market Equities	Vanguard	0.14%
iShares 1-3 Year Treasury Bond	SHY	US Govt Bonds (1y-3y)	iShares	0.15%
Vanguard Intermediate-Term Government Bond Index Fund	VGIT	US Govt Bonds (3y-10y)	Vanguard	0.07%
iShares 10-20 Year Treasury Bond	TLH	US Govt Bonds (10y-20y)	iShares	0.15%
iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF	TLT	US Govt Bonds (20y+)	iShares	0.15%
iShares Core US Aggregate Bond ETF	AGG	US Investment Grade 1	iShares	0.05%
iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF	LQD	US Investment Grade 2	iShares	0.15%
SPDR Bloomberg Barclays Convertible Securities ETF	CWB	US Convertible Bonds	SPDR State Street Global Advisors	0.40%
Vanguard REIT Index Fund	VNQ	US Real Estate	Vanguard	0.12%
SPDR Gold Trust	GLD	Precious Metals	SPDR State Street Global Advisors	0.40%
iShares TIPS Bond ETF	TIP	US Inflation-Linked	iShares	0.20%

 

NOTE: ETF expense ratios are NOT included in StashAway's management fee.