Intro to Smart Invest 

What is Smart Invest?

SmartInvest by Chaka is the easiest way to save and invest in dollars. SmartInvest portfolios are diversified and managed by an expert wealth manager to help you meet your financial goals, save time, and invest smarter.

SmartInvest is the only platform that offers you a dollar mix of US Stocks, International Bonds, Real estate, and Commodities all in one portfolio.

How does it work?

1. 1. You answer a few questions to help our experts understand your goals, timeline, risk profile
2. 2. Our expert wealth manager recommends a portfolio tailored to your risk profile and goals
3. 3. Fund your portfolio and watch your money work!

And there's more. Your expert wealth manager will monitor, rebalance and manage your portfolio to offer you better returns over the long term.

All globally verified Chaka users can skip the verification process.

If you are not verified to trade global stocks, you can do so by: 

1. Sign up/log in to the Chaka app
2. Navigate to your account settings 
3. Start global verification 
4. Enter your NUBAN/BVN 
5. Confirm your personal details 
6. Answer verification questions
7. Upload your Proof of ID (Please note NIMC slip is not accepted)
8. Upload your Proof of Address

Am I downloading a separate app?

No, Smart Invest is accessible on your current Chaka app. Tap the button circled in the image below to access it.

Funding, Redemption and Fees 

How do funding and redemptions work?
When you fund your SmartInvest wallet, your funds are automatically invested in the portfolio of your choice. Similarly, when you redeem your investment, we sell out from your portfolio and deposit the equivalent amount in Naira in the bank account you have provided. 

How do I fund my SmartInvest portfolio?

Follow the steps in this guide to easily fund your portfolio.

Yes, however, the process is manual and might take longer than regular exchanges. Please reach out to the support team to initiate the transfer of funds via support@chaka.com.  

Is there a maturity plan or lock-in period?
No, your money is available to withdraw at any time. However, we recommend that you adopt a long term mindset for optimal results.

How much does it cost?
Chaka charges a wrap fee of 1.7% of your account per year. No commissions, no surprises.

This fee is billed at the end of each month on the average account value of your portfolio for the month.

So let's say you started investing $100, you will pay us around 14c per month for our service, monitoring and rebalancing included!

Are there any rebalancing, account maintenance or closing fees?
No, you don't pay any additional fees. It's all included in your plan and part of the management fee.

Investing

What asset classes do you invest in?
The beauty of this product is that all portfolios are globally diversified. We do not invest in single stocks like Apple or Tesla so this means that if the price of a single stock is down, your portfolio is not affected. Instead, your portfolio consists of the best-in-class ETFs in the market. Your portfolio would give you adequate exposure to bonds, real estate, US and international equities to protect against volatility in any one sector or market. 

We invest in the following asset classes: Cash, US Government Bonds, International Government Bonds, US Corporate Bonds, International Corporate Bonds, US Developed Equities, International Developed Equities, Emerging Market Equities, Global Real Estate.

What is an ETF?

Can I view the Individual stocks and assets in the portfolio selected for me?
You can view your equities, bonds and real estate portfolio performance at any time. 

What is portfolio rebalancing?
Portfolio Rebalancing is Chaka’s method of maintaining your specific portfolio allocation. Market fluctuations may cause some of the securities in your portfolio to appreciate or depreciate in value. When this occurs, we use automatic rebalancing to bring your portfolio back to its specified allocation. This ensures that the securities in your investment account are proportioned correctly.

How often will a portfolio be rebalanced and what is portfolio rebalancing all about?
Portfolios are rebalanced at least once every quarter. Each quarter your portfolio is assessed to check that your asset mix does not exceed the threshold for your portfolio type. If an asset is above this threshold we will automatically sell out of the position and spread the proceeds across your portfolio so that it maintains the desired mix. 

Can I reinvest my dividends?
Yes, dividends are automatically reinvested through our Dividend Reinvestment Program (DRIP). Dividend reinvestment means these cash pay-outs are automatically reinvested to purchase additional shares. The main advantage of reinvesting dividends is maximizing the benefits of compound interest instead of leaving cash idle in your account.

Can a market crash take my account to a negative value?
Returns change according to market conditions but the real winners are investors that stay the course and reap the rewards of compounding. 

What returns can I expect?
This is one of the most common questions we receive. Your portfolio return depends on the portfolio type as well as the time frame of investment. Generally the riskier the portfolio the more volatility (both positive and negative). 

Portfolio returns also depend on shocks and market sentiment. That's why we advise that instead of focusing solely on returns, you should focus on what you can control:

Costs: Keep your costs low. A lot of traditional investment advisors have expensive and hidden fee structures. We don't. 

Time horizon: The longer the better. Have a medium-long time horizon (5-10+ years) and stick to your plan.

Your risk (and the emotions that come with it): Don't try to time the market as study after study shows that it's impossible to do that. Instead, find a suitable risk profile and contribute regularly to your plan to benefit from dollar-cost averaging. When you invest fixed sums at regular intervals, you pick up more units when the prices are low and fewer units when the prices are high. If you need to talk to someone, our advisors will be available to help. 

Can I retake my Investor Profiler test after I invest?
The Investor Profiler test is designed to match you with a profile that suits your investment goals. Once you take the test, we recommend a portfolio we think is suitable for your goals and risk profile. You’ll also get the chance to see a summary of the portfolio before you select it. If you think another portfolio suits you, you have the option to retake the questionnaire. However, you will not be able to directly pick a portfolio at this time. 

Can I invest in multiple portfolios? 
At the moment, you are only able to invest in one portfolio at a time. 

Can I change my portfolio after I get started? 
Portfolios are constructed to match your risk profile, goals, current income and timeline. However, if you insist on changing your portfolios, please contact support@chaka.com and we will walk you through the process.

Other Information

Is the Smart Invest portfolio insured like Chaka stocks?
Yes, all your dollar assets and funds on Chaka are SIPC-insured up to $500,000

Is SmartInvest Available for Local Stocks?
Portfolios are constructed to give you a mix of the best assets from all over the world. This includes Emerging Market Equities, some of which may be Nigerian stocks, or indexed to the Nigerian economy. 

What is compound interest? And why does it matter?
It is the process of earning interest on your interest. Thanks to compounding, someone who is starting to save in their 20s is going to have significantly more money than someone who started to save the exact same amount in their 30s.

Here’s an example to explain further:

Take two friends: One starts investing $5,000 a year at the age of 25, and the other starts investing the same amount at the age of 35.

They both retire at the age of 65. The one who started earlier would have a net amount of approximately $1 million*, while the one who started at 35 would have a net amount of approximately $500,000*. This $50,000 invested over the years ($5,000 x 10 years) will translate to a difference of approximately $500,000 between the two.

*Assumes $5,000 annual contribution, 7% annual return.