Wealthsimple Inc. has launched a new service to offer retail investors exposure to private equity.

Wealthsimple launches private equity offering for retail investors - BNN Bloomberg

Toronto-based FinTech startup Wealthsimple has launched a new private equity offering, adding to its alternative investing options for retail investors.

Wealthsimple rolls out private equity offering for retail investors | BetaKit

Like the private credit fund Wealthsimple launched in March with Sagard, the private equity fund is open-ended, with quarterly redemptions up to a limit of 5% of the fund’s assets. The management fee is 1.5%, with a 12.5% performance fee that kicks in at an 8% hurdle.

Product news: Wealthsimple launches private equity fund | Advisor.ca

The humorous campaign aims to reacher larger audiences with a household name and outside agency support, marking a departure from Wealthsimple's reliance on in-house advertising.

Wealthsimple comes up Short in new awareness play -

Playing an indolent, super-diva version of himself, funnyman Martin Short flubs his line while filming a commercial within a commercial for Canadian fintech company Wealthsimple. Naturally, he's too prissy and precious to do a re-take.

Martin Short 'Couldn't Care Less' About Shilling for Wealthsimple | Muse by Clio

CMO at money management platform outlines approach to Canadian icon, how humour can help connect the industry with investors

What Wealthsimple's new ad with Martin Short can teach advisors | Wealth Professional

Today during trading, Wealthsimple Na Socially Resp Index ETF shares closed at $33.68 after opening the day at $33.68. prices ranged from a low of $33.68 to a high of $33.68. Shares advanced 0.72 percent from the previous day's close of $33.44. During the ...

Closing Bell: Wealthsimple Na Socially Resp Index ETF up on Tuesday (WSRI)

Detailed price information for Wealthsimple Na Socially Resp Index ETF (WSRI-T) from The Globe and Mail including charting and trades.

Closing Bell: Wealthsimple Na Socially Resp Index ETF up on Monday (WSRI)

Wealthsimple VP and chief compliance officer Hanna Zaidi joins for a wide-ranging conversation on what's impeding financial services modernization.

Wealthsimple’s Hanna Zaidi on the “lack of political will” harming FinTech innovation

Ryan Reynolds has built an impressive entrepreneur empire when he is not on the big screen, including investing in Wrexham AFC, and recently landed him the deal of a lifetime

Ryan Reynolds has astonishing list of companies after $1bn deal and Wrexham cash injection

Wealthsimple

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It’s hardly a secret that for companies to scale their business and amass any amount of success, quality marketing is an utmost priority. In this realm, Padraig O’Connor, an inspirational marketing executive, is celebrated for his exceptional skills and original marketing strategies. From his humble beginnings in rural Kerry, Ireland, O’Connor’s journey to becoming a marketing thought leader is evidence of his extreme resilience, creativity, and staunch dedication. Merely taking a look into his early life and inspirations is a journey in itself. O’Connor’s passion for marketing was first ignited during his university days when he secured an internship at Dairymaster, a global leader in dairy farming equipment. Although the business had zero advertised internship opportunities, O'Connor used his initiative and determination to reach out and secure a position. This early experience exposed him to the vast expanse of digital marketing, where he saw much potential and growth opportunities, and armed with his enthusiasm and fresh ideas, he laid the foundation for his future. Nonetheless, O'Connor's initial inspiration stems from his parents, who ran their own garden allotment business. O’Connor actively participated in marketing activities for the family company, honing his skills in advertising, website development, and social media management. This early exposure resulted in a deep appreciation for the power of marketing and how it influences customer behavior and drives business growth. Despite feeling inspired, however, his path to the top of the marketing industry was cluttered with obstacles. Diagnosed with dyslexia at a young age, he initially faced difficulties with reading and spelling. Still, he leaned in with perseverance and hard work, overcoming this challenge to excel in the field of marketing. “Dyslexic people are experts at failing. I can’t tell you how many spelling tests I failed growing up, but they taught me to be resilient, and that’s an important skill in growth marketing because amongst the successes are many failures.” Additionally, growing up gay in rural Ireland posed its own set of challenges, as representation and acceptance were limited. O'Connor has since become a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion in marketing, ensuring that his campaigns reflect the diversity of the world we live in. “I believe that everyone deserves to see their authentic selves reflected in marketing. And as marketers we have the power to make the world feel included. Advertising should positively reflect the diversity of the world we live in. Because if we don’t intentionally include, we will unintentionally exclude.” O'Connor has built a career marked by his exceptional ability to scale both private and public companies. At HubSpot, a software as a service company, he focused on customer acquisition marketing, driving website traffic, and optimizing customer signups. O'Connor played a pivotal role in the growth of Wealthsimple, a financial services provider, and Brightwheel, an education software platform. At both companies, he played a pivotal role in their customer acquisition efforts and fueled an integral part of each company’s growth. Today, the Globe & Mail says Wealthsimple is starting to look like one of Canada’s largest banks and Brightwheel is on its way to reaching unicorn status. O’Connor’s journey from rural Ireland to becoming a marketing thought leader is a story of strength, creativity, and a passionate drive for excellence. It’s hardly a secret that for companies to scale their business and amass any amount of success, quality marketing is an utmost priority. In this realm, Padraig O’Connor, an inspirational marketing executive, is celebrated for his exceptional skills and original marketing strategies. From his humble beginnings in rural Kerry, Ireland, O’Connor’s journey to becoming a marketing thought leader is evidence of his extreme resilience, creativity, and staunch dedication. Merely taking a look into his early life and inspirations is a journey in itself. O’Connor’s passion for marketing was first ignited during his university days when he secured an internship at Dairymaster, a global leader in dairy farming equipment. Although the business had zero advertised internship opportunities, O'Connor used his initiative and determination to reach out and secure a position. This early experience exposed him to the vast expanse of digital marketing, where he saw much potential and growth opportunities, and armed with his enthusiasm and fresh ideas, he laid the foundation for his future. Dairymaster, Dairymaster, Nonetheless, O'Connor's initial inspiration stems from his parents, who ran their own garden allotment business. O’Connor actively participated in marketing activities for the family company, honing his skills in advertising, website development, and social media management. This early exposure resulted in a deep appreciation for the power of marketing and how it influences customer behavior and drives business growth. Despite feeling inspired, however, his path to the top of the marketing industry was cluttered with obstacles. Diagnosed with dyslexia at a young age, he initially faced difficulties with reading and spelling. Still, he leaned in with perseverance and hard work, overcoming this challenge to excel in the field of marketing. “ Dyslexic people are experts at failing. I can’t tell you how many spelling tests I failed growing up, but they taught me to be resilient, and that’s an important skill in growth marketing because amongst the successes are many failures. ” Dyslexic people are experts at failing. I can’t tell you how many spelling tests I failed growing up, but they taught me to be resilient, and that’s an important skill in growth marketing because amongst the successes are many failures. Additionally, growing up gay in rural Ireland posed its own set of challenges, as representation and acceptance were limited. O'Connor has since become a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion in marketing, ensuring that his campaigns reflect the diversity of the world we live in. “ I believe that everyone deserves to see their authentic selves reflected in marketing. And as marketers we have the power to make the world feel included. Advertising should positively reflect the diversity of the world we live in. Because if we don’t intentionally include, we will unintentionally exclude. ” I believe that everyone deserves to see their authentic selves reflected in marketing. And as marketers we have the power to make the world feel included. Advertising should positively reflect the diversity of the world we live in. Because if we don’t intentionally include, we will unintentionally exclude. O'Connor has built a career marked by his exceptional ability to scale both private and public companies. At HubSpot, a software as a service company, he focused on customer acquisition marketing, driving website traffic, and optimizing customer signups. HubSpot, HubSpot, O'Connor played a pivotal role in the growth of Wealthsimple, a financial services provider, and Brightwheel, an education software platform. At both companies, he played a pivotal role in their customer acquisition efforts and fueled an integral part of each company’s growth. Today, the Globe & Mail says Wealthsimple is starting to look like one of Canada’s largest banks and Brightwheel is on its way to reaching unicorn status. O’Connor’s journey from rural Ireland to becoming a marketing thought leader is a story of strength, creativity, and a passionate drive for excellence. Wealthsimple, Wealthsimple, Globe & Mail Globe & Mail reaching unicorn status. reaching unicorn status.

Marketing Expert Padraig O’Connor Shares His Journey to the Top

Developing the expertise of software developers is crucial to your team’s success. When your team has the opportunity to learn and develop new skills, they become more efficient and productive, resulting in faster projects, better quality work, and less technical debt to address later on. What’s more, engineers who are invested in their own growth and development are likely to be more motivated and engaged in their work. They may be more willing to take risks and experiment with new approaches, which can lead to innovative solutions and product improvements. At Wealthsimple, we organized a two-day event for our R&D team to focus on their professional development. Before the event, I asked our executive team, engineering managers, and the developer tools team to identify the key skills to focus on. With their input, we crafted customized workshops aimed at enhancing these skills. The result? 82% of folk said they learned or enhanced relevant skills for their current roles and day-to-day. To quote one engineer, “Understanding more about the technologies Infraplat uses lets me better self-serve and not burden that team in the future!” However, you don’t need a dedicated event to develop your team. As an engineering manager, how can you elevate your team and keep your engineers motivated and engaged? First, Assess Your Team’s Skill Gaps Start by assessing the skills your team needs to improve, or which areas require deeper expertise. For instance, are you migrating to a new technology, with only a few members experienced with it? Or is your team working in a legacy code base and unfamiliar with the latest features and best practices of Ruby on Rails? Maybe you’ve been encouraging difficult issues to debug, and you need to enhance the team’s knowledge of debugging and observability techniques. Or perhaps you need to invest in improving performance for the first time, as users are complaining about the experience. Identifying skill gaps is essential to ensure that any learning and development you invest in will also improve your team’s results. Now that you have a solid understanding of which skills to invest in, here are four methods to help you level up your team and develop its software engineers. Method 1: Design a Custom Program Using Books, Online Tutorials, And Courses Collaborate with individual team members to identify skills they’d like to enhance that will contribute to the team’s success. Then, work with them to choose suitable books, online tutorials, and courses to deepen their expertise. Hold them accountable for doing it; they’re more likely to make the time and focus on the areas that are the most beneficial and relevant. For example, one developer at Shopify spent an hour each Monday reading a book we’d identified together on the latest version of Ruby on Rails. She then used what she learned to review the code of more experienced developers that didn’t know the latest best practices. This proved to have an immediate impact on the quality of the code we were writing. If you’re migrating to a new language or adopting new libraries and frameworks, consider learning together as a team. Various teams I’ve worked with have established book clubs and lunch-and-learn sessions. Create a fun name and establish a recurring touch point, either as a meeting or as an async check-in where everyone shares what they learned. One leader at Wealthsimple curated videos and tutorials to help develop his team’s expertise with Ruby on Rails. They followed these together because previously they’d mostly been developing in Java. When we hired a few developers with limited experience in Ruby on Rails, a different developer adapted the curriculum to run a Ruby on Rails club open to anyone at Wealthsimple. They’d watch, read, or complete the tutorials weekly, then meet to discuss what they learned and get help where they got stuck. Eventually, I invested in getting access to LearnEnough, and they completed the relevant courses together. These initiatives often have an impact beyond what can be immediately seen or measured. The engineer who spearheaded the initiative had this to say: It deepened our knowledge on our main tech stack and reduced “ramp up time” for engineers new to the company. A side effect was meeting and getting to know other engineers across the org so we had direct contacts to reach out to for cross domain projects. By implementing a custom program tailored to each team member’s needs and learning together as a team, you can not only deepen individual expertise but also foster cross-domain collaboration and reduce ramp-up time for new hires. Method 2: Pair Programming Pair programming is a great way to enable one developer to learn from another that’s more experienced with a specific skill they’re looking to develop. In pair programming, two developers work together on the same problem. Usually, one person writes the code, while the other person provides input and reviews it in real time. More advanced dedicated pair programming software such as makes it possible for both developers to control the mouse and keyboard. Tuple This is an effective method for deepening knowledge such as learning the latest best practices, advanced debugging techniques, or navigating a specific area of the codebase that isn’t well documented. These are the types of things a developer might not even think to research or proactively try to learn about since they have ways that are working for them already. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve overheard someone say something about a quick script or hack they learned after completing a pair programming session. As a manager, if you haven’t used this technique before, an incremental way to get started is to identify someone with expertise in the skill you want to help your team member learn. If that person doesn’t report to you, you’ll want to vet it with their manager to verify that it’s a good match and to ensure they create the time for it. Then, ask your team member to proactively set up pair programming for a set amount of time. I usually like to recommend 1 test session, followed by 1 hour a week for 4–6 weeks if they both agree that it’s a good match after the first session. If you’re an engineer that hasn’t tried pair programming before, an easy way to start is to proactively identify who will likely review the PR you’re currently working on. Then, ask to set up a session with them to get feedback when you’ve completed the high-level outline of what you’re implementing, but are nowhere near done. If you’re actively working to develop a specific skill, let them know to pay extra attention to it so that they elaborate in relevant areas and don’t hold back any feedback. Method 3: Mentorship Building on the above, mentorship can leverage additional methods to help someone develop or enhance a skill. In a mentorship program, the mentor and mentee are also matched based on their skills, interests, and goals. To make the most of a mentorship program, I recommend that mentors and mentees have a formal kick-off session where they agree on the objectives of the relationship, how often they will meet and for how long, and whether they will collaborate between sessions. Mentors can participate in whiteboarding sessions, complete code reviews, and answer questions. They can also provide regular feedback to help guide additional learning. It’s important to set expectations with your team members that it is their responsibility to lead and take ownership of their development in order to get the most out of the mentorship experience. This can be paired with other materials, such as books and tutorials, using the sessions to answer specific questions and to review the mentee’s work. In addition to formal mentorship programs, you can also leverage more informal mentorship to address gaps in skills or context on your team. For example, when working on draft orders for Shopify, we scheduled whiteboarding sessions with experts on how the checkout component worked to brainstorm and get feedback on aspects of the designs, and then relied on ad hoc code reviews for additional feedback. This led to one member of the team developing much deeper expertise in checkout and orders, so we didn’t need to rely on another team after the initial project. What’s more, by building a relationship with the checkout team, we were able to influence the APIs that they were designing at the time and launched more consistent APIs that were easier to interpret and use as a result. Method 4: Create a Stretch Assignment Stretch assignments are tasks and projects that challenge team members to learn and apply new skills. Offering these opportunities helps team members gain valuable knowledge, skills, and experience beyond their current job responsibilities. Stretch assignments can level up your team by increasing motivation and engagement, encouraging creativity and innovation, and fostering collaboration and teamwork, all while building new skills. “72% of high-performing teams report that they are given stretch assignments, compared to only 34% of low-performing teams.” — Deloitte For many developers, these opportunities exist within the scope of the team and projects or issues that are already on the roadmap. Some examples might be: Lead the technical design and prototyping of a project or feature. Automate repetitive development tasks, such as local setup and linting, to save the team time. Set up the scaffolding for automated tests and test data for a project, making it easy for everyone to create tests as part of their daily pull requests. Collaborate with a customer to fix an issue they reported. Improve the performance of a critical flow for users of your app. These types of stretch opportunities are often great candidates to pair with any of the above methods, to ensure that they have the tools and support to learn the new skills they’re practicing. For more experienced software developers, you might challenge them instead to solve problems that have an impact beyond your immediate team. This is of particular importance for senior developers that aspire to become staff engineers. Some ideas to get you started: Identify and solve a problem or repetitive task affecting the entire development team. Develop a new tool or library that can be used across the org. This can involve researching, designing, and implementing the first use cases leveraging it. If your organization needs to start investing in performance, conduct the first load test to identify bottlenecks, vulnerabilities, and capacity constraints. Join or establish a working group to take ownership of a particular part of the tech stack; create a backlog of issues to start working on. Lead an initiative to improve the experience of members of an employee resource group. Developers often have great ideas for issues and opportunities that can be used as stretch assignments but may need mentoring on which will have the most significant impact, when to work on them, and how to scale them effectively. For example, our products team at Shopify spent a large amount of time debugging performance issues, which often were solved by optimizing individual queries. This proved particularly problematic for calls made via our REST API, which used an outdated pagination strategy that translated to very expensive SQL queries. While improving individual queries was providing short-term gains, we’d eventually need an exponential improvement — one that could be provided by changing our overall pagination strategy. One of our developers recognized this issue and pointed out that our current optimizations wouldn’t be sufficient in the long run. However, addressing this problem was a challenging task that required learning when to begin and how to navigate through prototyping, implementation, and eventual release of a major, breaking, API change. This was a stretch assignment that required the developer to build and collaborate on a solution that impacted over a dozen teams and hundreds of public apps. Start Now Developing the expertise of the software developers on your team is crucial to achieving success in today’s fast-paced and constantly evolving technology landscape. By proactively assessing your team’s skill gaps and adopting a range of proven learning and development strategies — such as books, tutorials, courses, pair programming, mentorship, and stretch opportunities — you can effectively level up your team, drive greater productivity, boost quality, and foster innovation. Moreover, investing in your team’s professional growth and development can have a profound impact on their engagement and motivation, ultimately leading to higher retention rates and a more cohesive, high-performing team. It doesn’t matter what you try. Like all things engineering, just pick one method, and iterate!

Level Up Your Team: Proven Methods for Developing Software Engineers and Driving Results

Between 2020 and 2022, the US Federal Funds rate was 0.25% for two years. A mixture of expansionary monetary policy to spur spending along with a reliance on quantitative easing and high debt levels meant that low interest became the new normal. That was until a European war brought on an energy crisis and worryingly high levels of inflation. Rates shot up almost every month in the US until they . The UK followed suit, albeit a little bit behind the US, and has now reached 3%, whilst the EU has only just reached 2%. Even though these figures lag behind inflation in real terms, psychologically, it’s been the first time in years that high-interest savings accounts are an appealing number with substance. reached 4% in November For this reason, the term “neobank” is slowly being introduced to more people. When searching for which bank has the highest savings rate - a search that would seem nihilistic only last year - neobanks often arise in the searches because of their growing popularity and strong savings rates. What are neobanks Neobanks are what many dub a “challenger bank” or “online bank”, a fintech firm that focuses on its software and apps to streamline a more modern online banking experience. Usually, without any high street presence whatsoever, overheads are kept low, services are kept to a minimum, and efficiency, user-friendliness, and low cost are at the forefront of the business model. Neobanks sound like the future, but they’ve been around for a while. The likes of Starling and N26 were founded in 2014 and 2013, respectively, around the same time as many others. But since then, they only have around for personal current accounts in the UK, which is a similar story in other countries. 8% market share The reason for this could be a few things. Firstly, the older generation is technologically illiterate, and such neobanks are impossible to use without a smartphone and a basic understanding of how they work. Secondly, they are limited in what they can offer; many do not provide mortgages, lines of credit, overdrafts, and so on. Finally, there’s an element of familiarity with a high street bank - some people have been with their local branch for 30 years and do not see the need for change. That is, until now… More and more people use the internet to find the best services available to them, even if it’s non-tech local services like banking and insurance. And, in the current environment of central banks trying to encourage saving. The search for “best savings account” has gone up by 300% in volume on Google in the US since last Christmas. The last time the US Fed Funds Rate was this high was in 2008, a time when neobanks didn’t really exist. So, whilst neobanks have been around for a while and some people have stumbled upon them, this may be the first time when masses of people are looking to change banks since their creation. And, if customers find them to offer not just better interest rates but have a slicker user interface and overall experience, this could become the catalyst for a more substantial shift in market share. Comparing saving account interest rates between neobanks and high street banks Below is some research into the idea that neobanks do in fact offer higher savings rates, and as a result could see an influx of customers during the coming months. Bank interest rate US The average APY among high street banks in the US is around 3%. For example, Barclays, Capital One, and Marcus (Goldman Sachs) are all 3%. The current savings account bank interest rate for leading neobanks, however, is 2% at Chime, 4% at Current, 5% for Plus members at Aspiration, and between 2-5% at Varo. Bank interest rate UK For the UK, Lloyd’s Monthly Saver is 4.50% (0.70% for the current account), 1.2% for Co-ops Online Saver ( ), and for HSBC there are a comically vast number of accounts with savings rates . 2.31% for the 1yr Fixed Term Deposit ranging from 0.4% to 3.45% Out of the British neobanks, Starling doesn’t have a savings account (0.05% AER for the current account), 3.46% at Monzo, and 1.95% at Revolut. Bank interest rate Australia In Australia, AMP Bank’s Saver Account has up to 3.6 p.a. Ongoing variable bonus rate, whilst ANZ offers 2.15% for the ANZ Online Saver members. Ignoring the introductory 3.5% rate for 5 months at the Commonwealth bank, the standard GoalSaver account earns 2.55 p.a. When it comes to Australian neobanks, Up, Xinja, Volt Bank, and 86 400 are the noteworthy challengers to the big 5. Up Savers get a straightforward 2.85% p.a. once activated, whilst Xinja customers are getting 1.8-2.25% and 86 400 customers are getting 2.50%. Bank interest rate Canada Canada’s major banks include the Toronto-Dominion Bank, Bank of Montreal, Royal Bank of Canada, Canadian Imperial Bank, and Scotiabank. can be found, but watch out for the small print. Interest rates of 3% and even 4% Toronto-Dominion Bank offers a 1.40% interest rate to customers, whilst Bank of Montreal isn’t much better at . At the Royal Bank of Canada, customers get 4.2% for 3 months but it soon drops down to their default savings rate, which is 1.3%. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce has a regular interest of 1.40% and a smart interest of 0.75%. a 1.60% rate There are some higher rates, like the Scotiabank Momentum PLUS savings account, which is 4.50%, but this is limited to 5 months and has $5 transaction fees. For the Canadian neobanks, Neofinancial has a 2.25% interest rate and 1.5% at Wealthsimple. There are a couple of other grey-area neobanks (because, whilst they act as a neobank would, they are owned by a financial institution, thus making them not a challenger bank). These include EQ Bank, which offers 2.50% interest, and 1% at Tangerine. Are Neobanks really better? The above can appear quite confusing and conflicting, which is partly because banks around the world operate differently under different laws and within different markets - plus, the base rate is different too across the board. Some neobanks appear to have better savings rates than high street banks, but there are many cases of the opposite being true too. However, there are some other factors to consider here in regards to the prediction of neobanks gaining market share. Whilst the interest rates may not be always higher, they tend to be more transparent and straightforward. Looking at the UK’s Co-operative Bank and HSBC websites, there are around 40 accounts with different interest rate and fee structures, whilst most neobanks pursue a very clear and upfront deal. Right away, this makes signing up for neobanks easier. But, it’s not just the clarity, the process is also faster because it’s digitalised. Signing up to high street banks often requires a trip to a physical outlet along with presenting physical copies of your identity and address. Neobanks, on the other hand, usually require a selfie video plus a PDF copy of your identity and address, then await a day (though this can depend) and you’re approved. Finally, high-interest bank accounts aren’t always what they appear to be. Almost all of the accounts that stand out as being a very high savings rate come with many disclosures. For some, it’s that you only get this 4%+ rate for a few months before it drops down (in which you need to search through the small print to find). Secondly, these accounts often want you to lock in your deposits, which can come with withdrawal penalties, or they may have transaction fees and limits, as well as other fees. For example, the commonly applauded Scotiabank savings account has an unnecessary $5 transaction fee. Concluding thoughts Neobanks are better in many ways. Generally, it’s their low costs, low fees, and good exchange rates that are more impressive than their savings rates, but when aggregated together, many neobanks do work better as a savings rate (particularly if it’s one that has lots of activity). When depositing a large amount of money for a short space of time, some cash-rich high street banks may offer an advantage here, if you don’t mind the signing up process and reading the small print. So, whilst it may seem counterintuitive to claim that rising interest rates will cause people to flock to neobanks, it may be the case simply because more people are looking for alternatives right now due to the changing market. Currently, business accounts dominate the use of neobanks in the UK, but this trend is set to . shift slightly back towards savings accounts The US market size of neobanks is set to explode to over $45 billion, with payments and money transfers being the key driver. Still, if customers can achieve great exchange rates with fast transfer on a slick app and a competitive savings rate - even if it’s not the best on the market - then this creates a compelling reason to endure their very fast signing-up process.

Are Rising Interest Rates Going to Propel Neobanks? 

¿El aumento de las tasas de interés impulsará a los neobancos?

La hausse des taux d'intérêt va-t-elle propulser les néobanques ?

क्या बढ़ती ब्याज दरें नियोबैंक को बढ़ावा देने वाली हैं?

金利の上昇はネオバンクを推進するつもりですか?

O aumento das taxas de juros vai impulsionar os neobancos?

Lãi suất tăng có thúc đẩy Neobanks không?

利率上升会推动新银行吗？

In this post, we discuss the NFT market conditions: what has happened, what is going on, and explain why the NFT space is still going as strong as ever, despite the recent drop in the market. It’s easy for those who live and breathe NFTs to forget they are a relatively new technology that can leave the average person scratching their head. The NFT evolution is an entirely new way of thinking about ownership, possession, and value transfer. Unless you are a crypto head or a techie and have fully bought into a decentralized future, NFTs take some getting used to. While NFTs were invented in 2014, it really wasn’t until 2017 that people started to sit up and take notice of them when CryptoKitties started selling tradable NFT cats. Like many innovations that came to be as a result of the rise of blockchain technology, NFTs suffered through the 2018 and 2019 Crypto Winter. However, in 2021 NFTs became . In 2022, NFTs have become a over last year. To compare, in . Collins Dictionary’s word of the year $17 billion industry which is up an incredibly 21,00% 2020, the NFT industry was only worth about $82 million In this report, we attempt to break down what’s been happening in the NFT industry, how we got where we are today, and some predictions about the future. We will look at some of the major trends, what major players are saying and doing, and what it all means for creators, collectors, and investors. How We Got Here There is little doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic played a key role in the rise of NFTs. When access to travel, museums, movie theatres, and stadiums was restricted, people had to find other outlets and communities online. The result was a boom in the digital realm. NFTs and crypto were beneficiaries, but other digital platforms were high in demand as well. Netflix, for example, added during the pandemic. 16 million new subscribers Another reason for the popularity of NFTs can be attributed to the media frenzy surrounding them. Of course, it all started when Beeple’s, “Everydays” sold for $69 million, seemingly out of nowhere, becoming the to be ever sold by a living artist. This, of course, became a massive news story. Almost every article in the mainstream media became about how some young teenager or a broke artist made millions of dollars selling NFTs, which fueled the flames, even more, causing more hype, and driving up prices. It didn’t take long before the frenzy was feeding on itself, taking on a life of its own. third most expensive work Objectivity In The Markets Explained While more volatile, crypto has generally followed the trends of traditional markets. Bitcoin’s popularity rose out of the , and from 2009 to 2010, Bitcoin’s price rose despite the economic depression felt around the world. For those early adopters who saw Bitcoin’s potential, it was a welcome reprieve from traditional markets that were taking a beating. However, according to the well-known financial blog , since 2017, crypto and crypto assets have seen their market correlated with the stock market. They follow the up and down market trends, just like other traded commodities. When the economy is bad, crypto is down, and when the economy is doing well, the crypto market is up. Financial experts call what we are now in a when the economy is in depression and a bull market when the economy is thriving. subprime mortgage crisis Investopedia “bear” market If you’ve been paying attention to the financial markets in general over the last twenty years, what we are seeing in the crypto and NFT market is nothing out of the ordinary. This is according to a released late last year. Bloomberg studied the financial markets and, using models, has concluded that the crypto market is well within normal parameters. Bloomberg News whitepaper The key is looking at the data objectively over time. To give an example,  most people won’t remember that in 2018, the stock market had its worst December since 1931. when a trade war intensified between China and the United States, and the government . Yet most people forget about the stock market, only remembering that Bitcoin fell by about 65% that year. The S & P fell more than 11% raised the interest rates Since the beginning of the pandemic, governments all across the world have been propping up their economies with bailouts, loans, and low-interest rates to ensure that people were financially stable as businesses had to close down and borders were shut. Now that the pandemic is winding down and borders have opened up, we are seeing the effects – namely high inflation, but also supply chain issues resulting from the shutdowns. That’s not to say everything could have been foreseen. The war in Ukraine and the sanctions NATO has put on Russia have increased the pressure on world economies, especially with gas prices which have certainly caused financial markets to drop. This has had a huge impact on the financial markets all over the world and of course, impacted investors. The Current State of NFTs If you look at the crypto and crypto asset markets in isolation, it hasn’t been a good year. The so-called algorithmic stablecoin , and at the time of this writing, trading has stopped, and it has been depegged from the US dollar. There have been calls to investigate what happened. Bitcoin prices have fallen steadily for the last two months. Declining nearly . This has caused huge ripples throughout the crypto and blockchain industry resulting in a decrease in trust and hesitation among investors. Crypto has seen a staggering $1 trillion wiped from its market cap. TerraUSD crashed 60% from November’s all-time high Some venture capitalists and investors are understandably nervous. However, overall, perception has shifted as crypto is more globally accepted. This recession is different from 2018 in a few key areas. During the 2018 downturn, the conventional wisdom on Wall Street was that crypto would die out and that investors were seeing the beginning of the end. Of course, that didn’t happen. Now, you almost never hear any serious investor say that, despite the drop in crypto assets. Some investors like might disagree with the basic ethos of crypto, but even they cannot deny that technology is here to stay. Today it’s hard to find a major financial institution that doesn’t offer some kind of crypto product or service. The major financial company Fidelity investment now offers employers the ability for their workers to put Bitcoin into their 401k. Financial apps like and both offer simple ways for regular non-technical investors to get into crypto. Robinhood went further and just announced a new Web3 Wallet that allows its users to stake, yield farm, and buy NFTs without ever leaving its own ecosystem. This new wallet is aimed at more advanced crypto-savvy users. Charlie Munger and Warren Buffet WealthSimple Robinhood Paypal and Square (which is now called Block because of its shifting focus to blockchain technology) are allowing people to pay with crypto. Brazil’s largest digital bank began offering to customers and plans to invest 1% of its treasury into cryptocurrency. Bitcoin trading Many mainstream companies across many industries took interest in cryptocurrency and blockchain in 2021. AMC, the entertainment company, for example, announced it will be able to accept by the end of this year. And recently, the Japanese investment banking company . Bitcoin payments for tickets Nomura announced a new 100-person unit devoted to working within the cryptocurrencies, DeFi and NFT spaces Here in Canada, the leading contender for the top spot of the conservative party is a strong supporter of cryptocurrency and, if elected, plans to make Canada . Meanwhile, Bitcoin’s global mining power continues to surge toward all-time highs, indicating that miners are optimistic about the future. a leader in cryptocurrency All this indicates that major investors – both in governments and large institutions – are increasing their investments in blockchain technology and getting ready for the future. ‍ To NFT Infinity and Beyond Where will the NFT market go from here? Believe it or not, this incredible decline has created a real opportunity for serious investors and could even be seen as good for the industry as a whole. The sudden dip in the prices of NFTs means those creators and investors who weren’t serious about the technology or just got into the NFT space to make a quick buck will likely be dissuaded from continuing. This includes scammers and hackers who also wanted to capitalize on the hype in the space. For collectors and investors who can stick it out, it means that the projects that are doing well are strong and stable and will be able to survive these tough market conditions. This year, the projects that were overhyped and underdeveloped have likely collapsed or simply disappeared altogether. With , investors don’t have to look as hard to find good projects and won’t have to worry about bottoming out. fewer projects This new phase of the NFT market is not necessarily bad for the industry, according to an article in . As a whole, if investors tighten their purses it often makes projects and creators better. No longer can just anyone get money for a half-hearted or lazy project. The projects now really have to earn the money that is invested in them – and the money is there for the taking. This is good for everybody from investors, to creators, and collectors. Yahoo Finance While the money might not be as free-flowing as it was last year, venture capitalists are still seeing lots of opportunities within the space. A string of mega-rounds of funding has been given out totaling close to half a billion dollars. This is despite the continual downward slide of Bitcoin, cryptocurrencies, and NFTs. Promising NFT projects are still getting funded and there is still money flowing into the industry. One such example is the The fund is the firm's fourth cryptocurrency and Web3 fund. Three billion dollars from the fund is earmarked for venture investments, with the remaining $1.5 billion is for seed investment. VC firm Andreessen Horowitz has raised $4.5B for its largest cryptocurrency and blockchain fund yet. In one of the latest fundraises, to bring NFTs for kids on the Flow Blockchain. This is despite the challenging market circumstances, and that building an NFT project for young kids, who probably don’t understand the technology, is especially daunting, according to TechCrunch. Cryptoys raised$23 million with partners Dapper Labs On a smaller scale, but still significant, an app named Floor which aims to make NFTs more accessible to the average investor just raised , according to CoinDesk. The app offers NFT-specific portfolio tracking, real-time alerts, and multi-wallet support, making it easier than ever to buy and sell NFTs. $8 million in a Series A round What Does This Mean for the Industry? There are lots of opportunities within the NFT space that will eventually fuel the metaverse. Strategic Market Research believes that the while a separate report by Morgan Stanley said luxury NFTs could generate as much as . metaverse could be worth $1.6 trillion by 2030 $56 billion in the metaverse by 2030 In the technological life cycle of blockchain, NFTs, the Metaverse and cryptocurrencies, it’s still early days. While NFTs might not be the fad that they were at the beginning of the year, the NFT marketplace has already grown to and are close to passing conventional art sales, according to Chainalysi, a blockchain research company. $41 billion this year There will also be a continuation of of NFT Technology. This year, Samsung will introduce the world’s first TV screen-based NFT marketplace aggregator, a platform that lets you browse, purchase, and display your favorite NFTs. The fashion giant Gucci announced its big move into the NFT space with the SuperGucci collection, which features ten collaborative pieces. is also creating its first-ever NFT project on OpenSea. As large corporations continue to develop precedence in the NFT space, this will likely see more brands utilizing digital ownership and creating new strategies for integration and interaction, according to an article published on . big brand adoption Coca-Cola TheStreet ‍ The Next Market Cycle If we look at the adoption cycle of NFTs, we can find correlations and similarities between the and what is happening now.  Back then everybody rushed to create anything and everything online, thinking that it would turn into a moneymaker. Many of these ventures failed including Pets.com and eToys.com. These companies made the mistake of thinking that by simply having a great domain they could be sold for millions or even billions of dollars. dot-com boom However, only a handful of companies found successful business models that helped make the internet a more compelling experience. These include many online shopping sites, Google's search engine and its profitable approach to keyword-based advertising, as well as eBay's auction site, Priceline discount travel company, and Amazon all became stronger and more resilient. These companies paved the way for even more successful, disruptive companies like Shopify, Airbnb and Uber. While the market is down, many businesses are getting ready for a crypto future. In a recent , they polled 2,000 senior executives at retail organizations from a variety of industries about digital assets. More than 85% of the executives polled say their businesses are giving high priority to accepting crypto payments. Of those executives, nearly 75% of the respondents say, their organizations planned to accept crypto payments within the next two years, only proving further adoption of this technology. study by Deloitte ‍ What’s Next for NFTs? While we can’t predict which NFT projects will survive, believes the larger, better-funded projects like CryptoPunks, Bored Ape, and Doodles will be resilient and are likely safe long-term investments.  According to NonFungible’s of the most trusted names in the space, there was a significant decline in total NFT market volume, with a drop of almost 50% in sales. However, this drop was also accompanied by a much smaller 5% drop in the volume of dollars traded. This is largely driven by an increase of almost 80% in the price of NFTs between Q4 2021 and Q1 2022. While larger projects have declined with the rest of the industry, there is no lack of interest, and trading is just as active as it ever was. Just recently, Yuga Labs, the creator of Bored Apes, raised about in the sale of its virtual land this year. This demand for this virtual land was so huge, it disrupted other activities on the Ethereum blockchain. DapperRader, which tracks NFTs, Q1 2022 report, one $320 million worth of cryptocurrency With nearly $8 billion traded in the first quarter of 2022, the market cannot really be considered to have collapsed, according to NonFungible’s Quarterly report. Continuing only in the report, it states: ‘we are seeing more of a form of stabilization, in line with the last quarter of 2021.’ Estimates by NonFungible suggest that around a quarter of a million people still actively trade NFTs every month on OpenSea's platform. Despite the drop in prices, that’s still a large number of active traders and there is lots of reason to be optimistic about the near future. One example is crypto payment services provider MoonPay which announced the launch of a new platform called that enables large companies and brands to create, manage, and mint utility NFTs at scale, which will integrate the technology further into everyday usage. HyperMint Until recently, NFTs have almost exclusively been used as collectibles. However, as the technology becomes more established, businesses are starting to understand that the long-term viability of NFTs requires them to have functional uses beyond this collectible element. For example, NFTs can be used to create a powerful customer loyalty program. Each customer can be issued an NFT and, with it, a permanent and unique blockchain entry. This NFT then serves as the customer’s proof of being part of the programs, and relevant data about visits and discounts can be handled digitally too. Cash-strapped museums which have been hit hard by the pandemic are using NFTs to regain some of their lost revenue. A group of Italian museums, including the iconic Uffizi Galleries in Florence, have recently of six famous Italian masterpieces. The British Museum also recently launched NFT collections with prices for some NFTs starting at $5,660 while the first-ever NFT-only museum . This is only the beginning of what will be a fully virtual museum experience, giving patrons the opportunity to visit in person or having the same experience virtually.. released NFTs launched in Seattle ‍ Final Thoughts No matter what type of markets you follow, they will always go up and down based on a variety of , including supply, demand, inflation, and other economic conditions. It’s important to remember that cycles end and new cycles take hold, and we will continue to see fluctuations just as we’ve seen throughout history. complex factors Bear markets, like the one we are seeing now, often have some amazing opportunities and savvy creators, entrepreneurs, and investors are less swayed by short-term market activity and more focused on building amazing, sustainable businesses that create and deliver value, and positively impact the world. Regardless of whether you’re an investor, an entrepreneur or a creator, you need to start with the fundamentals. Because the NFT space moves so fast, it can be tempting to jump in now and ask questions later, but it pays to stop and examine your reasons for getting in, what sort of value you want to create, deliver, and or extract from the market. Do your research and act cautiously.  Some may be able to run before they can walk, but many who jump in without having a purpose and an end in mind, even if that changes in the future, get caught up in the excitement surrounding the space and risk losing everything. There will be challenges, including scams, fakes, forgeries, and, of course, bubbles. But at the end of the day, NFTs are facilitating the human need for collecting, exploring, and earning and that is not going away, according to . Yohann Calpu, the VP of CryptoSlam The cycle will continue to spin and there will be more bull and bear markets to come. Now is as great of a time as ever to get more involved in the NFT space as long as one stays true to the fundamentals of building a great business. There is strong data as demonstrated in this report, that NFTs, while losing value, are going to be an important component of future innovation which is why we are still seeing investment within the industry. Also Published here ‍

NFTs: Where do we Go From Here?

make investing easy, even automatic. If you’re a set-it-and-forget-it type person, you’ll love how robo-advisors make investing simplified. You don’t need to understand the market or even choose your investments. Robo-advisors The platform does everything for you. After you answer questions about your goals and time and link your bank account, the platform handles the rest. But you have many options, hundreds of robo-advisors to choose from. Which platform is best for you? We’ve provided our top picks for the best robo-advisors of 2021 below. Why Should You Use a Robo-Advisor? The great thing about robo-advisors is that practically anyone can use them. You can have a quality investment portfolio created for you based on your goals and timeline for a relatively small cost. In the past, most people used to have to be either rich or knowledgable to gain access to the top investments, thankfully today, that is no longer the case. Robo-advisors have so many great benefits compared to , with the most notable one being that your emotions are left out of decisions. When you invest yourself, it can be hard to avoid emotional decision making. If the market crashes, it can cause sheer panic among most investors, leading to irrational decisions. DIY investing Robo-advisors can help avoid those irrational decisions through automatically reallocating your portfolio. Although a crash may feel daunting at first, you should feel safe knowing that the algorithms and computer programmes know the best course of action. If you're new to investing, then a robo-advisor is an excellent way to dip your toes in the stock market. They're low-cost, automated and don't require in-depth knowledge of the markets. Many great robo advisors are out there so don't get too caught up on which one is the best. If you don't like how your account performs or how the platform allocated your funds, then it's very straightforward to change advisors. How to Choose the Right Robo Advisor Before you look at your options, knowing how to pick the right robo advisor is still an important task. Ask yourself: How much do I have to invest? Each platform has a minimum investment requirement. Some are $0, which is great for beginners, but others are as high as $50,000. What is my risk tolerance? Ask yourself what would happen if you lost 10 per cent or more of your portfolio? Could you stomach it? What are your goals? Your timeline plays an important role in what you invest in. The longer your timeline, the more risk you can take and vice versa. Betterment Pricing: 0.25 percent of assets under management annually This is one of the original robo-advisors. Betterment lead the pack with its robo advisor platform and it’s still popular today. We love its options – taxable and retirement accounts, not all platforms offer both. Betterment invests in ETFs after you answer the basic questions about your risk tolerance and goal timeline. You can even open ‘sub-accounts’ if you have multiple goals which makes goal tracking simple. Pros Access to advisors via mobile message even with its ‘basic plan’ You can open a free checking and savings account with your brokerage account (includes a debit card) Automatically rebalances your portfolio Uses tax loss harvesting to minimise tax liabilities SIPC insured 5 portfolio options (including a ‘flexible portfolio’ that allows you to choose your investments Cons Limited investment options You must sign up for the premium account if you want full-service advisor support (0.4 per cent annual fee versus 0.25 per cent for the digital plan) 8topuz Wealth Fintech Pricing: (free) Perfomance Based 8topuz offer are a leading , robo-advisor style software, for trading the FX market. AI-Based trading The 8topuz software is delivering an average yearly ROI of 21% over the last 3 years. They have a range of products to suit retail investors, institutions and traders who wish to diversify risk. Pros Solid Audited ROI of 21% per year for the last 3 years (up to 2021). Easily apply the software to any MT4 platform (MT5 coming) with guidance for those new to trading on how to do this. Trade the FX market using AI-Software. Totally hands-off and where needed, risk-managed (by humans, not Octopuses). Start with as little as $500. Cons You need an existing or new FX trading account with MT4 (MT5 coming) access to benefit from the system. Medium-long term investment outlook. Highest performing product (Dynamic) starts at $10,000. Wealthfront Pricing: 0.25 per cent of assets under management annually Wealthfront is another leader of the pack and was one of Betterment’s toughest competitors when robo advisors first came around. Wealthfront offers a feature Betterment doesn’t – financial planning. Wealthfront’s ‘Path’ programme is free. It helps you get control of your personal finances and carve a ‘path’ to retirement. Anyone can use Path but you’ll get better results if you also use Wealthfront for investing to reach your goals. Wealthfront automatically creates and maintains your portfolio, and provides plenty of advice to help you along the way. Pros Only a $500 minimum opening balance requirement Wealthfront diversifies across eight asset classes Automatically rebalances portfolios according to your goals and timeline Uses daily tax-loss harvesting Taxable and retirement accounts available Cons You can’t pick your own investments No access to human advisors Wealthsimple Pricing: 0.5 per cent of assets under management annually Wealthsimple started in Canada but is now available in multiple countries including the US. Like other robo-advisors, Wealthsimple invests your funds in low-cost ETFs to diversify your risk and meet your financial goals. They offer 3 portfolio types, which is somewhat limited compared to other options but they’re straightforward – Conservative, Balance, and Growth. It’s easy to see where you’d fit in the portfolios, but Wealthsimple still walks you through the process to make sure. Like most robo advisors, they use the to minimise risk and maximise reward. Modern Portfolio Theory Pros No minimum balance requirement Offers social responsibility investment options Automatically rebalances your portfolio if/when needed Automatically reinvests dividends to compound your earnings faster Access to human advisors when you need it Cons Higher pricing structure than most robo advisors No clear goal setting feature to help you stay on track to meet your goals Vanguard Personal Advisor Services Pricing: 0.3 per cent of assets under management annually You probably know Vanguard for its low-cost mutual funds, but today they are so much more. Vanguard has a great robo advisor, which is a cross between a traditional robo advisor and human financial services. If you’re a somewhat passive investor who wants more involvement in your portfolio, Vanguard Personal Advisor Services may provide it.  Unlike a traditional robo advisor, the sign up process with Vanguard starts with an interview with a human advisor. They work as fiduciaries (in your best interest) and help set up a portfolio that meets your risk tolerance and goal timeline. Pros 24/7 access to your account and an advisor is just a phone call or email away Customised portfolio based on your individual needs/wants, rather than fitting you into one of a few pre-made portfolios Invests in both stocks and bonds Have multiple accounts for different goals Cons You need at least $50,000 to use Vanguard Personal Services Commission fees are often higher since they invest in more than ETFs What Is the Right Robo Advisor for You? Think about the big picture. How much involvement do you want? Are you comfortable with a robo-advisor picking everything for you or do you want some say? Watch the fees closely and see how they’d affect your bottom line. Fees are inevitable on any platform, it’s how they stay in business, but the complexity of the platform and their investment options determine how much you pay. Determine your in making decisions and/or letting a platform do everything for you and choose with these situations in mind. If tax loss harvesting is a key factor for you, inquire about it before signing up with a robo-advisor as not all platforms offer it. investment risk level There aren’t any set contracts for any of the above robo-advisors so you could try a few, but it’s nice when you find one you’re comfortable with and can use for the foreseeable future.

The Best Robo Advisors for 2021

What is a Robo Advisor? First and foremost let’s get our definitions together. Robo Advisors a.k.a automated investment advice tools are online platforms that through a digital risk assessment questionnaire determines the risk suitability of investors and based on that risk category, they propose an appropriate investment portfolio. These investment portfolios are for example constructed using , a Nobel prize-winning method introduced by Harry Markowitz. Then via online portals or mobile apps, investors get to receive a real-time valuation of investment portfolios. mean-variance Most Robo Advisors charge based on a percentage of the assets they are managing, i.e. 0.75% of portfolio value. This practice is regulated and requires a license. The first Robo Advisor was introduced by John Stein, the CEO and co-founder of . The firm is one of the most successful and well-known Robo Advisors up to this day. Betterment Initially, Robo Advisors were designed to automate the process of investment management with a passive approach to it. Robo Advisors aims to reduce the operational costs hence the fees investors pay for portfolio management. They did successfully accomplish that. According to reports Robo Advisors’ market share by 2020 is expected to be USD 2.2 trillion. What is the current situation worldwide? Robo Advisors as a service has been used on a global scale. Though, there is definitely a different scene running in different parts of the world, for instance comparing the US market with Europe. The US retail market has shown much more interest and trust in using these computer programs to manage their money. This has alone made the US the source of innovation for Robo Advisors considering the competition between some heavyweight financial institutions trying to take a bite from the market share such as Vanguard or Charles Schwab and very bright startups such as Betterment, Wealthfront and Acorns. In Europe, not so much, yet. The UK is perhaps the leading market with the presence of Nutmeg, Moneyfarm and Wealthsimple. Across other countries in Europe, German’s Scalable Capital is the biggest player, with EUR 1 billion in assets under management compared to USD 16.1 billion (EUR 14.47 billion) managed by Betterment. Industry experts speculate that 2020 is to be the year when there will be more launches of hybrid and fully automated Robo Advisors in Europe. Whether they will be successful really depends on their go-to-market plan and learn the hard reality from the Robo Advisors graveyard that customer acquisition COSTS. Startups vs Incumbents Though we have witnessed more retails banks getting involved and launching an automated investment management service for mass affluent investors (customers with having less than USD 100K of investable funds). The service is being delivered as part of the online/mobile banking app. Another entry channel that can be seen with the market is the joint cooperation between some of the neobanks with online advice tools. N26 customers can integrate their accounts with Ovalmoney and invest their funds into some Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs). Although Ovalmoney is not providing financial advice per se, it makes investment portfolios (ETFs) available for its users, but the concept of such collaboration potentially could be seen more across the market. Robo Advisor for Cryptocurrencies? The past, present and future of Robo Advisors are analyzed by research institutes and there are already many research papers and market analyses available. We want to answer a more challenging question: does the Cryptocurrency market also need a Robo Advisor? One common attribute amongst all Robo Advisors is the passive nature of them, they are meant to be managing investors’ assets very cautiously with minimizing the risk to maintain a solid, continuous and long term returns for investors. This statement alone could reject the idea of having Robo Advisors in the crypto world, considering the wild nature of Cryptocurrencies with high volatility and unexpected fluctuations. But hold on, there is more to it. Robo Advisors in the capital market are hugely bundled with ETFs. All ETFs contain a basket of investments that can include stocks and bonds. An ETF typically tracks an underlying index such as the S&P 500 but can follow an industry, sector, commodities, or even currency. An ETF price can increase and decrease just like other investments. These products trade throughout the day just as a stock would trade. ETFs are put together to have controlled risk and provide underlying shares to investors with lower costs and lower fees than the assets included in the basket. All together, Robo Advisors and ETFs were a match made in heaven and each contributes to one another’s growth. So you are probably thinking about it already, we need to wait until we have ETFs-like investment vehicles in the Cryptocurrency market and then we can say Robo Advisors can enter the Cryptocurrency world. No, this is not when we end this article. What if there are ETFs-like instruments in the Cryptocurrency market? Digital Asset tracking instruments There are very similar products to ETFs that are called (ETPs). These instruments track underlying securities, an index, or other financial instruments. ETPs also trade across exchanges like stocks meaning their prices can fluctuate from day-to-day and intraday. Exchange Traded Products ETPs can be benchmarked to myriad investments including commodities, stocks, bonds or Cryptocurrencies. However, the prices of ETPs are derived from the underlying investments that they track. The low-cost structure of ETPs has contributed to their popularity. In December 2019 a series of regulated cryptocurrency ETPs have been listed for investors. Amun technology a company focused on creating digital asset tracking has received the required license to list their cryptocurrency-based ETPs. Investors can invest in crypto ETPs easily, safely and in a regulated framework. EU member state regulator has cleared a base prospectus filed by the firm. With that, EU retailers who have access to the Swiss SIX and Germany’s Boerse Stuttgart exchanges can now trade various crypto-based ETPs offered by Amun. One challenge that remains for the market and the ETP providers is to keep liquidity for the indices they launch. Market liquidity across Cryptocurrencies, especially alternative coins (all non-bitcoin coins). There are specialized parties, called market makers using sophisticated tools for providing offers for both sides of order book. The tool, called also makes sure make sure such coins or indices have sufficient liquidity to attract investors or financial advisors. market making bot Regarding the trading automation in crypto space this is developing very rapidly with many different that improve the trading operations of this alternative asset class. crypto trading bots What about technology? A well-integrated, modular platform that has an open mechanism for further integration and customization might be needed to finally push this idea of crypto Robo Advisor. It sounds complicated, but the solutions already exists. The integration to the market as well as the ability to include a variety of financial instruments within the custom made portfolios are what is required to deliver cryptocurrency-based instruments. With the likes of Empirica’s white-label Robo Advisory solution that is built on top of algorithmic trading platform that plays the role of a bridge that connects our Robo Advisory solution to broker/custodian and market data providers. Technically all portfolio management configuration, risk assessments and rebalancing are done through the Robo Advisor components and through the it automatically sends the orders for designated investors and once successfully executed. Then the algorithmic trading platform sends the information back through our APIs and portfolios are updated. algorithmic trading software Price measures(a sale above the bid price, or a buy below the offer price) is also very important for automated portfolio management. Robo Advisor technologies that are equipped with monitor execution of all orders across different trading venues and determine whether investors receive the best possible price at the time the trade is placed. smart order routing What about custody? Each Robo advisors have a custodian bank that actually holds investors’ money. Custodians add an extra level of security and regulation. Custodians are specialized financial institutions responsible for safeguarding a firm's or individual's financial assets. Is there any custodian that supports Cryptocurrency? There are cold storage custody services in the Cryptocurrency market. Most famous ones are offered by rather bigger Cryptocurrency exchanges such as Coinbase and Gemini. There are two main issues with such custody services, one is that within the traditional market custody services providers allow third-party systems like Robo Advisors to create custody accounts for investors via API and Custodies like Gemini and Coinbase do not. The second issue comes with API enabled executions which cold storages at this point do not provide that access, yet. With the news of crypto ETPs on Six Group from Switzerland, we know the custody service from here is also sorted out. SIX SIS is the central securities depository for the Swiss financial market, while also acting as a depository for international securities. It also offers issuer, clearing and settlement services as well as asset servicing in a variety of combinations. On the other side of the world, the Japanese bank Nomura has also been preparing to launch a custody service for digital assets in partnership with Ledger. Their solution is predicted to launch next year. Germany also recently passed a law, effective Jan. 1, 2020, which would allow authorized companies to offer crypto services, including custody. Final words The three main criteria for Cryptocurrency Robo Advisors to operate are listed in this article: - risk-controlled and low cost instruments like the ETPs, - the technology with an open mechanism for integration and portfolio construction and - custodial service to run secure and regulatory-friendly operations. Seems like the pieces are there to complete the puzzle. Ideally, a combination of digital ETPs and traditional ETFs into a single portfolio would be the goal to balance out the risk as well as not missing the opportunity on the exciting Cryptocurrency market. We do think the crypto market needs a Robo Advisor, perhaps the entrance could be either a new launch with a combination of assets with non-digital assets or the current Robo Advisors will start including Cryptocurrencies as part of their portfolio offerings. ( Disclaimer : The authors, Hanif and Michal, are working at Empirica)

Does the World Need a Cryptocurrency Robo Advisor?

Tips, Tricks, and Tough Lessons Learned. 👇 As a founder, you’re naturally scrappy. You’ve probably done everything (from the financials to the hiring and product decisions) yourself. But lately, something feels different. Maybe you’re months behind on hiring the key people that you need, or your current team members are asking for career plans.You know you want to be a great place to work, but you don’t think you’re big enough to hire HR. What next? In this guide, I’ll walk you through some of my favourite tools and tricks to build a solid HR foundation on your own — no hire required. I’ll also tell you exactly when it’s time to give up the solo act and bring in a professional. PS: Note that this guide focuses on Canadian startups, but should be generally applicable anywhere. PPS: Keep reading for a special announcement! Problem: You’re in administration overload Maybe you’re running payroll yourself, or, as more than one CEO has confessed to me, keeping all your contracts in a box. You’re furiously googling safety policies and laws on paying out vacation. Or, maybe you’re not doing any of this at all, and are praying nothing bad will happen (because it hasn’t yet, right?). You don’t run the rest of your business based on chance, so why put your head in the sand? Get started: Let’s get you out of the banker box of shame- you need HR software. A good system stores and reports on employee information, helps with benefits and payroll, keeps contracts handy, and even tracks vacations. Two great options are the Toronto-founded and easy to use , and the slightly more feature-heavy . If you’re over 10 people, this software is essential. Collage BambooHR You need policies on things like health and safety, and standardized employment contracts. Open source policies are a thing if you to look and have the time to adapt and customize them. know where When to get HR: HR software is generally easy to set up, but it does require you to have an idea of the guidelines you want it to handle. It also requires you to keep its information current and relevant. When the record upkeep becomes too time consuming and when you want customized programs and policies, hire a pro. If you’re getting tapped on the shoulder too often with questions about benefits, it’s time. Problem: Recruiting isn’t going fast enough. You’ve secured funding and defined your product roadmap. You figure you’ll hire a few developers, maybe a designer and product manager. You post some jobs on your website, but somehow the applications aren’t rolling in. Your managers are too busy doing manager stuff, and the process with the candidates you have takes forever. do Get started: Get in sales mode. What’s different and unique about working for your company? Wealthsimple, an innovator in the fintech space, offers benefits suited to financial wellness. FreshBooks highlights its quirky culture by publishing its annual halloween festivities. This isn’t a list of daily tasks we’re writing- it’s a piece of marketing! Once you have a draft, is a tool I love. It uses machine learning to help you craft the best posting possible. Textio Posting your newly-amazing job on your careers page won’t be enough. Be sure you’re on specialized sites such as , , , and . StartupNorth TechVibes AngelList Stack Overflow Host meetups and events in your own space (it makes you memorable to attendees) and send your best people to speak at other events. People want to work with other smart people who can teach them new things. Now that you’ve got them, how to manage all those candidates? and are at the top of the game when it comes to organizing your recruiting. They’ll also give you an idea of key metrics like which sources are bringing you the best hires, and how long it’s taking each team to interview. Greenhouse Lever Repeat after me: no hiring over coffee or beers! We all think we’re much better judges of character than we are. To make a real weighed decision, you need a more scientific process. Not sure how to design a great interview? is an amazing resource. This Re:Work guide from Google Found the right person, but not sure what to pay? Aside from chats with your fellow founders, , and have salary tools that are useful. PayScale Glassdoor LinkedIn When to get HR: If you still aren’t getting the right candidates, or if your managers are too busy to do all of this effectively, level up. Recruiting is a lot of work, and you’ll need to move quickly. A pro can also help you develop a better interview process, a full compensation strategy, and help you craft the hiring plan you’ll need to achieve your product goals. Problem: You’re no longer flat. In the early days, it’s likely that no one thought about reporting structures. You were proud of being flat. It posed no problem- issues could be worked out easily with a chat across the table. Suddenly, you’re hearing that people want growth plans and career paths . Your leadership team is overwhelmed and can no longer manage 10+ people each while executing and playing visionary. The right thing to do is to get more people into management, but your top performers have no experience with that. How can you help them? Get started: Don’t be afraid to ditch the flat structure. Well-trained, empathetic managers are key to driving performance. If you’re in Toronto, is a great place to send newly promoted engineering managers. For startup focused manager training in all disciplines, Melissa and Johnathan of are the go-to’s. In the meantime, Google’s on management and countless books are there for inspiration. How about a manager book club? UpSpark’s tech lead training Raw Signal re:Work guides When to get HR: When those managers need an ongoing partner and guidance. When people are asking for defined career paths and formal feedback, like reviews. In my experience, this is all likely to happen around a headcount of 50, or shortly after leaving the “flat” zone. Problem: You’re scared of being the next Uber. You’ve read about the scandals, and they terrify you. You don’t have a harassment policy, but you don’t think it will happen at company. You want to be inclusive, but aren’t sure how to get more diverse candidates to apply. your Get started: My advice is to make sure you have an inclusive culture first, before diving into recruiting. In fact, Here’s more on how: I wrote a whole post on it. Open source some policies on harassment and on parental leave. Great resources include the TWG/Tech Girls Canada collaboration “ ”, and the newly launched . Change Together Parental Leave Playbook Facebook has also open sourced some videos. You can watch these with your whole team and discuss them afterwards. great unconscious bias training Be sure to have an anonymous feedback process that goes straight to you- even a google form will do. If you have employees that are also interested in making an impact here, consider forming a task force. One idea I really love is building an apprenticeship program to develop a pipeline of engineers from less traditional backgrounds. is a great example, run and managed by employee members of their diversity guild. Rangle.io’s Bridge program When to get HR: This is a tricky area, and one where I really recommend at least having an occasional onsite professional (like a part time contractor) on hand. Some people will never be comfortable talking to you or their manager about tough issues. If you do have absolutely any harassment complaint arise, seek help immediately. Ideally, have a professional assess and strategize your policies, processes, and benefits anything goes wrong. before Problem: You don’t know what people think at all. You used to have the pulse on everything- now you’re not so sure. Maybe because you’re so busy or because you’re “the boss”, you feel like people come to you less and less. It’s lonely at the top, and you’re worried about missing key information. Get started: Keep it personal. You can’t meet with every team member every week, but you can hold the occasional . skip level Collect some data! is my favourite tool for surveys. I use it for everything from measuring happiness to seeing how a training program affected performance. I’m nerdy about people data, and I find it’s the best at catching trends. Other options are , which gives you less but more frequent data, and Toronto-based . CultureAmp TinyPulse Fortay When to get HR: The tough thing about asking people how they feel and want they want is that you have to follow up. If it surfaces that everyone wants 360 reviews or a formal mentorship program, you’ll need the time and expertise to carry that out. Otherwise, you’ll risk losing their trust. Why should they give you feedback when nothing’s ever done about it? If it’s more work than you can handle, bring in professional help. What next? With so many great tools available, bootstrapping your startup’s HR has never been easier. If you have the time and the will, you can begin to build bedrock on your own. However, for those without the luxury of time, or reaching the next step in their growth, it won’t be enough. Companies need someone experienced that they can trust, and who understands the unique challenges of a startup’s culture. That’s why, after years of building HR at top startups (like and ), I’m launching . Wealthsimple FreshBooks Bright + Early is a modern HR consultancy that’s laser focused on helping early to midstage startups, part time. We use design thinking and an iterative, inclusivity-focused approach to do work that grows people, teams and companies. No culture compromise required. If you’ve realized you need a little bit of help (or a lot of it), 🚀 Bright + Early let’s talk about working together. Happy building! *Illustration by Laura Callaghan Side note: For any readers who are already HR pros, I’m looking for my replacement to lead the People Operations team at Wealthsimple . This is a really exciting opportunity to take a company beyond the stage I describe above: specifically, from a midsize company to a global one. It’s a VP level role working with an absolute rocketship of a team. If you’re experienced with and passionate about taking companies from 200 to infinity, contact me directly.

How To Bootstrap Your Startup’s HR (And When Not To)

I’ve worked on Wall Street, I’ve been a professional angel investor and now I’m a venture capitalist. Throughout my career I’ve been surrounded by people who are focused on the “exit”. And even if their primary motivation wasn’t exit, the dynamics of their activities lent themselves to a culmination that was, in substance, exit. But the fascinating thing I’ve witnessed on many occasions, across an array of bright and successful people who made money a variety of different ways, is that once they’re faced with an exit, they are paralyzed about what to do with their new-found wealth. I suppose this is why brokers scan headlines for M&A and activity, and deluge senior members of the exiting teams with lots and lots and lots of calls (and emails and Fedexes and toys and…) offering their services. The problem is both who to trust, and the feeling that doing nothing isn’t the right thing, so feeling pressured to do something. the an IPO My goals for those who have or are about to exit are five-fold: Stop, breathe and think: there is no rush to do anything. Focus on getting the 80% right: this is not the time for optimization. Stay simple, stay cheap. Only work with those whom you trust either directly or through a trusted referral, and who are aligned with you (no commission-driven brokers). Get a referral to a great Trusts and Estates attorney, and don’t skimp. As an investor, I’m always looking for information asymmetry: (1) what do I believe, (2) that my founders believe, (3) that no one else believes, (4) . ”, and it is a beautiful thing when you and your founders are aligned on these secrets and these secrets unlock multi-billion dollar opportunities. But as a newly rich-and-liquid professional, whose business is the business of money, the information asymmetry is heavily stacked against you. I’ve seen brilliant technologists and businesspeople of different stripes manipulated by far less intelligent people who happen to know the investing lingo and know how to sell. They’ll prey on your ego by making you feel smart, and ingratiate themselves in myriad ways in order to gain your trust. I have three words for those who find themselves speaking to such a person: . It will damage their feelings far less than it will damage your pocketbook. and we’re right and everyone else is wrong I’ve previously referred to this asymmetry as having “secrets not investing just say no The most important thing to do at this point is to focus on : first principles How much money do you need, in cash, to sleep well at night? Is there something that you absolutely, positively, want to buy with your new-found wealth? Do you want to commit some amount of money to passion projects and charitable donations? Everybody has their “number”, but is often hard to discern. It is important to go through an exercise with a friend or trusted advisor who can help you hone in on the answer. But the number should be the amount that if everything else went to zero, you’d be ok because you have this money safe and sound. If you are in a state with high tax rates, a good answer is often a 3–5 year duration high grade municipal bond portfolio, where you’re getting most of the benefits of the slope of the yield curve while still staying fairly short. In english, what this means is achieving the highest yield possible per unit of price risk. The goal of this part of your asset allocation isn’t achieving the highest return, but achieving safety and an acceptable return in a tax-efficient manner. With this, now you can sleep. Next: you’ve had an exit. Congratulations! For some it is important to mark the moment by paying off long-standing debts. For others it could be buying the car you’ve long wanted but felt was frivolous. Regardless, if there is an amount of money you know you want to spend, that you feel you deserve to spend, and that isn’t stupid relative to your overall take (say not more than 5%), then by all means do it. Separate but related are amounts you’d really like to give to important charities or causes, and now that you have the resources you can write those checks or donate that stock that previously felt irresponsible. But this is something that has some complexity to it, as there are more efficient ways of giving than simply writing a check, e.g., Donor Advised Funds, Charitable Remainder Unit Trusts, etc. etc. etc. But for now, set aside some money for simple check writing, and you can figure out the more structured solutions later. Now you may well have a bunch of money left. What to do? The first step is to reach out to a few financially successful and sophisticated friends, who perhaps have been in your same situation some years prior, and get referrals to a few great Trusts and Estates attorneys. The good ones will ask you for a ton of information about your personal balance sheet and income statement, push you on your number, ask about your long-term goals in terms of wealth creation, wealth transfer and charitable giving, and offer a recommendation that ties together your will, trusts for children and other loved ones, and long-term giving plans. I’m not talking about offshore accounts or complex (and often risky) tax structuring, I’m talking about straight-down-the-middle-of-the-fairway estate planning that fits neatly within the tax laws but can lead to different decisions on how to gift what assets to whom and when. I won’t belabor the point but the importance of this step cannot be emphasized enough. Too few people think critically about their wills and their estate plans, partly because it feels so far off, and often because it just seems so macabre. My answer to this: too freaking bad. With wealth comes responsibility and obligation, and a “head in the sand” approach will ultimately hurt your loved ones and the causes you hold dear. Because getting caught in probate is no fun. Make a plan, make your intentions clear, and keep these documents updated for major life events and material changes in the tax code. Once you’ve got your number, you’ve segregated your immediate fun-and-giving money and developed a long-term plan, you can invest the balance of your assets in a diversified set of equity index funds across geographies and market capitalizations. Nothing fancy. Build the initial portfolio over a 12 month period by investing 1/12th in the set mix in each of the accounts you’ve established through the estate planning process. There is no need to rush this. First get the estate plan in place, and then gradually build the equity portfolio for the long-term. Now, if you have particular access to great alternative asset managers (essentially people who run hedge funds and venture funds) or direct investment opportunities (like real estate partnerships or portfolios of assets run by family offices), take perhaps up to 10% of this money and slowly build a portfolio of alternative investments, but only if you truly have special access and enjoy managing these kinds of investments. If not, forget it. Life is too short, and this likely isn’t the highest and best use of your time, energy and money. If this all seems overwhelming, it’s only because it’s new to you. And remember, it’s a luxurious problem to have, because if any of this resonates with you it’s because you’ve done something amazing. Take the time to let it sink in, the enormity of what you’ve accomplished. But once that’s done, it’s time to take a sober look of how you’re going to use that wealth for good, without getting your face ripped off in the process. If you follow this basic road-map, you are almost assured of creating a simple, straightforward financial life that will work for you over the long run. is how hackers start their afternoons. We’re a part of the family. We are now and happy to opportunities. Hacker Noon @AMI accepting submissions discuss advertising & sponsorship To learn more, , , or simply, read our about page like/message us on Facebook tweet/DM @HackerNoon. If you enjoyed this story, we recommend reading our and . Until next time, don’t take the realities of the world for granted! latest tech stories trending tech stories

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