In SmartWealth, we give you an investment plan composed of ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds), that corresponds to the risk score that you receive when you first sign up, with exposure to different asset classes, industries and geographies.
When selecting the ETFs, we take into account the following parameters (non-exhaustive):
High liquidity: how frequently securities are traded to ensure they are easy to buy and sell consistently when rebalancing your account or ensuring your money is readily accessible when you need it
Tax efficiency: ensuring that selected securities are in jurisdictions and domiciles that are most tax efficient for you
Low tracking error: historically, how have the ETFs returns performed relative to the benchmark or index it was meant to mimic
Low expense ratio: the cost ETF providers charge for their services to manage the ETF
Currency: ETFs that are denominated in stable currencies (e.g. USD)
While low fees are important, they aren’t everything. We won’t select a low-cost ETF at the expense of one of those other important factors.