Selma Finance Review - My Guide to the easiest Investing approach in Switzerland
The Clueless Investor Era (aka Me 3 Years Ago)
With the stock market behaving like a rollercoaster on a windy day these days, now feels like the perfect time to talk about investing. My own investment journey kicked off about two or three years ago, and let me tell you, I was completely clueless. Seeking the best way to invest my very few but hard-earned snowboarding dollars, I stumbled upon the Selma Finance platform.
What Is Selma Anyway?
If you live in Switzerland and want to start investing but don't know where to begin, Selma could be your go-to. It’s a Swiss robo-advisor that helps you invest in ETFs (exchange-traded funds) without needing a finance degree or the daily market stress.
I know, “A robot handling my money? No thanks.” But hear me out. Selma is like having a digital financial manager with the smarts of an expert and the calm consistency of a Swiss watch. It automatically spreads your money across things like stocks, bonds, and gold. If you're a beginner and want a hands-off way to invest that matches your goals, Selma might just be your new financial buddy.
Fees: What You Actually Pay
With Selma, you pay a yearly fee based on how much money you’ve invested, not how often you trade. That’s great because traditional brokers often charge you for every little thing. Trades, documents, even support.
Selma wraps most of this into one clear fee and even helps you out when it’s tax time. You still pay small product costs (called TERs) for the ETFs, but that’s the norm across all platforms.
Why I Picked Selma
Selma isn’t just another robo-advisor. It looks at your whole financial picture and builds a plan that adapts to your life. If the market dips or you have questions, their support team is ready to help. There's a helpful FAQ section and a live chat for quick answers.
Getting Started Is Easy
You can start investing with just CHF 2,000. The yearly fee ranges from 0.42% to 0.68%, depending on how much you invest. ETF costs average around 0.22% extra. You can invest a lump sum or set up monthly contributions. Feeling super Swiss? You can even invest through the pillar 3a retirement plan, though I just use Selma for regular investing.
A Quick Look at Selma
Selma was founded in 2016 and got its FINMA license in 2023. It’s now a favorite among Swiss investors aged 20 to 40. The onboarding process is 100% digital and super smooth, just a few clicks and you’re in.
They also offer sustainable investing options, like clean tech and renewable energy. Recently, Selma added the ability to focus more on Swiss companies and real estate. This lets you invest up to 50% of your equity in Swiss stocks and convert real estate holdings to Swiss properties if you like that local touch.
Selma’s Smart AI
Selma has a built-in AI that gives you custom advice right in the app. You can ask stuff like, “How’s my portfolio doing?” or “Does this match my goals?” and get simple, helpful answers. It also keeps you up to date on your sustainable investments.
Signing Up
It starts with a friendly chat about your money goals and how much risk you’re cool with. After about 20 minutes, you get a personalized plan and see the exact fees. You sign everything via video call, and there’s even a demo mode if you want to test things first.
Taxes Don't Have to Suck
Each March, Selma gives you a clean, easy-to-read tax report. You only need three numbers from it to finish your return.
Wondering What’s in Your ETFs?
Selma shows exactly where your money is going. You can even look up the ETFs by their ISIN codes to see every company inside, like Nestlé or Roche. Full transparency, no surprises.
Final Thoughts
Selma is ideal if you’re just starting out or don’t want to micromanage your money. I started with a one-time deposit and now do monthly transfers. Selma handles the rest. Diversification, portfolio tweaks, support - all of it.
I’ve been using Selma for a while and really like it. After learning more about investing, I tried managing a second portfolio myself to see if I could beat Selma. I barely managed to match its performance and just very rarely surpassing it.
I also joined their early crowdfunding round and have had the chance to acquire a small stake in their company, which shows how much I believe in what they’re doing.
Have fun investing and see you on the golf course.
Jeremy
Learn more at selma.com