As Africans, land and real estate are often our most popular investment options. And that’s okay. Followed closely by more formal options such as good ole stocks, treasury bonds, T-bills, and fixed deposits.
Now here’s the thing.
These investment options are often big-ticket investments and require a significant cash outlay from investors. This means first-time investors—usually the younger population— can’t build wealth this way as they are either still dependent on their caretakers or simply don’t have enough disposable income to spare.
But that’s about to change
Fractional shares, the new kid on the investing block, are crucial to making investing in stocks easier and more accessible, especially for African countries with lower valued currencies.
“Today, we’re launching a revolutionary product, U.S. fractional stocks,” says Ham Serunjogi, CO-founder and CEO of Chipper Cash. “This product is probably our most impactful product since the launch of the original Chipper app just three years ago.”
“For the first time ever, Ugandans of all economic backgrounds will be able to invest as little as $1 or 3,500 Uganda Shillings in the world’s largest public companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange – when we talk about unlocking global opportunities, this what we mean. As a proud Ugandan, it means so much to me that we get to launch a product that will empower my fellow countrymen and women,” he continues.
With the launch of Chipper’s Global Stocks Investing product, Ugandans (both old and young) can easily invest in publicly traded global companies such as Facebook, Amazon, Tesla, Netflix, etc.
Chipper Cash is the first company to offer fractional stock investing in Uganda. And the African fintech startup is licensed and regulated by the Capital Markets Authority.
There has been an uptick in the awareness and demand for safe investments by Ugandans in recent years. And while goal-based saving has taken center stage (with many banks, insurance companies, and SACCOs offering this service), investments in equities is key to achieving financial independence and building long-term wealth.
“Wealth creation is one of the most powerful ways of driving economic and social development in any country. For too long, many tools that offer the ability to generate and store wealth have remained inaccessible for too many, for too long. This product, the Chipper fractional stocks product, fixes precisely that problem,” says Ham.
Through its partnership with DriveWealth LLC, a pioneer in fractional investing and embedded finance, Chipper Cash empowers the average Ugandan to build long-term wealth with safe and affordable access to the U.S stock markets.
What exactly does this mean?
Previously, investing in U.S equities required high minimums and was only accessible by high net-worth individuals. This effectively priced out first-time investors.
With Chipper Cash, users can invest on a dollar equivalent basis (i.e., fractional shares) in over 6,000 U.S. securities and ETFs, with little or no minimum requirements.
Yes, you heard that right; anyone can invest. The entry point is $1. And with over 1,000 global companies listed on the Chipper Stocks, you can invest in U.S./international equities and build a global portfolio that lasts through time.
The best part, watching your money grow as these businesses grow!
Chipper Cash is blazing the trail in using technology to drive financial inclusion in Uganda and the continent through its overall value proposition of local and international transfers, crypto offerings, airtime, data, and bill payments. Now, users can also take advantage of its easy-to-use and affordable investment product.
Wondering where to start?
The trick to building wealth through investing is knowing what investment products to plonk cash on. This rule holds for every investor, most especially first-time investors. Here are some investment options you can start with as a beginner investor:
Stocks
Stocks, also called shares, are the most popular and most accessible investment vehicles. They represent a fraction of the value of a public company. Owning a percentage of a company’s shares means you partake in their profits and losses, depending on the size of your pie.
Finally, stocks are an excellent route for long-term passive income. Plus, stocks hold up better with inflation than most other investment options.
Mutual funds
Mutual funds are investment products where several investors pool funds together into one large pot. Professional money managers then operate this pot and invest the funds in stocks, debt bonds, and various investment products. Think of mutual funds as you giving Warren Buffet (well, not precisely) money to invest for you. Magic, right?
Returns are annually or dependent on the investment products the mutual fund manager operates. And your profit is based on how many shares you hold.
Mutual funds are a great way to de-risk your investment strategy as your investment capital is spread across a diversified portfolio.
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs)
ETFs give you the best of both worlds (stocks and mutual funds). You get the diversification benefits of mutual funds. And you can buy or sell yours throughout the day on the stock exchange.
Plus, it’s operated and managed by experienced money managers and comes with lower fees. Here’s how an ETF works:
- A money manager creates a basket of assets (stocks, currencies, or commodities) with a unique ticker.
- You buy a share of the basket. Similar to purchasing shares of a Microsoft or Amazon.
- Buyers and sellers trade the basket all day on an exchange.
As Bob Cortright, founder, and CEO of DriveWealth, puts it:
“Equipping underserved investors with the tools they need to break down the barriers to investing is a critical step towards democratizing investing worldwide. What Chipper Cash has been able to accomplish in its few short years is helping Africans to access a range of financial services inexpensively from their phones.”
Ready to begin your investing journey? Sign up for your Chipper account today and start trading!