More corporates are going online to invest, UOB Asset Management (UOBAM) said on July 12. The number of users in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand on UOBAM Invest – its digital investment portal for corporate investors – has more than quadrupled over the last 18 months. Their total assets under management (AUM) on the online portal also surpassed S$1 billion.

About 60% of UOBAM Invest users were new customers to the banking group, and many are small- and medium-sized enterprises. The growth may reflect the increasing demand from corporate investors for round-the-clock access to digital solutions, the bank said.

Such tools also allow flexibility for corporate clients to make real-time changes to their investments and personalized portfolios. Since the start of this year, the number of transactions made on the UOBAM Invest online portal to date has been more than 60% of all those made in 2020.

UOBAM has seen strong demand from corporate investors for bond funds that offer stable returns. Its flagship United SGD Fund, which focuses on global short-term, high quality investment-grade bonds, had AUM of more than S$200 million on UOBAM Invest as at June 30, 2021.

UOBAM Invest’s Digital Adviser, which the bank says is the first robo-advisory service dedicated to corporate investors in Singapore and Malaysia, features an algorithm-based portfolio planner. With it, users can invest in customised portfolios of UOBAM’s funds and global exchange-traded funds.

UOBAM has also made available more funds that allows corporates to invest in the environment, social and governance – or ESG – theme.

The Business Times