Sagefund FAQ
If any of your questions have not been answered below, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us via hello@sagefund.eu
How is Sagefund different from other investment services?
First off, Sagefund has stricter sustainability standards than other digital investment services in Europe. For example, we invest in Clean Energy, Green and Sustainable development Bonds and stocks with the top 20% ESG scoring. You can learn more about that in the Sustainability section on our website and in one of the FAQs below.
Secondly, we are entirely independent when choosing each investment and operate without any commissions and hidden fees. Our banking partners are here to support us and don’t set any requirements in terms of the selection. Thus we act entirely in the best interest of our customers (and the planet).
Thirdly, we are very affordable and are proud to say that we don’t pass on the increased fees of sustainable ETFs to the customers. We can achieve this through high automation, scalability and digitisation of our service.
Is there a minimum investment period?
No, you are free to deposit and withdraw your money whenever you like and are free to choose the investment period that works for you. However, as wealth advisors, we recommend you be willing to hold your investment for at least 3 years, in order to get the most of it. This is because of historic market behaviour. You are much more likely to make the promised investment returns if you are willing to wait longer time-periods, than if you sell the investment after just a few months.
Is there a minimum investment amount?
Yes, you must invest at least €1000 in order to open an account at Sagefund. Additional monthly deposits are optional, but if you want to set them up, you must at least deposit €25 each month. If after withdrawing your money, the account balance drops beneath €500, you will have 30 days to deposit more to bring it above €500, otherwise, we will be forced to shut the account.
How are you regulated?
As a contractually bound agent pursuant to Section 2 (10) of the German Banking Act (Kreditwesengesetz), we provide investment advice exclusively in the name of and for the account and under the liability of BfV Bank für Vermögen AG — Hohemarkstraße 22, 61440 Oberursel — pursuant to Section 1 (1a) sentence 2 no. 1 a of the German Banking Act (KWG). BfV Bank für Vermögen AG is licensed by the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) in accordance with § 32 KWG.
As a financial services institution (securities trading bank), they are authorised to provide financial portfolio management. Sagefund Digital Wealth Management GmbH is registered in the public register of contractually bound agents kept by BaFin under the number 80171413. The register can be viewed at www.bafin.de.
Are you monitoring the sustainability requirements of the selected ETFs?
Yes, we use data analytics from various providers (MSCI ESG, Sustainalytics, Conser and ISS) to identify the highest-rated ETFs in each major market. Unfortunately, we do not have the licensing to publish this data on our website, and so we are not (yet) allowed to showcase this deeper analytics to you.
We’ve also observed that recently newer sustainability-focused ETFs are using the increasingly enhanced methodology and we see it as our responsibility to ensure you have access to them. We can very seamlessly exchange ETFs at no extra cost to you, which is another reason to chose a digital wealth manager like ourselves.
What are your sustainability criteria?
Our sustainability standard has three key components. First, we strictly don’t invest in the following harmful industries:
Conventional and controversial weapons, civilian firearms, nuclear weapons, tobacco, alcohol, adult entertainment, gambling, GMOs, nuclear power and thermal coal and oil sands.
Second, we look for particularly sustainable companies and bonds whose mission is to create a low-carbon future. For this reason, we have included the “Clean Energy Fund”, “Solactive’s Green Bonds” and “Sustainable Development Bonds”. These Bonds adhere to standards set by ‘The Climate Bonds Initiative’ which promote the rapid transition to a low carbon and climate-resilient economy.
And third, for companies and bonds not engaged in harmful industries (such as technology, consumer staples, healthcare, etc) we take a “best in class approach”. This often means looking at the top 25% most sustainable companies and bonds in each industry, and only investing in those. This is not a ‘puritanical’ approach, given that pollutants may still remain. However, if they do, it’s because they are the least polluting in that industry. And we believe it’s important to support them as they become more sustainable.
Do you accept clients outside of Europe?
Not yet! We currently only accept clients who reside in the following countries:
Germany, Belgium, Great Britain, Estonia, Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Luxemburg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Czechia, Hungary, and Cyprus.
What if my money is not in Euros?
No problem at all. Through our banking partner, Baader Bank, we have access to extremely cheap currency conversions. This will ensure that investing from a foreign currency will not impact your profits noticeably.
For USD, CHF, GBP, SGD, CAD, AUD, NZD, & JPY: 0.003% (for <€50K deposits) & 0.002% (for <€500K deposits).
For HKD, SEK, NOK, DKK, PLN, & CZK: 0.02% (for <€50K deposits) & 0.01% (for <€500K deposits).
How much should I invest?
We recommend to only invest money that you can comfortably leave invested for 3 years and that you will not require for emergencies. Given that Sagefund Stability is a low volatility investment, we recommend keeping at least 2 months of living expenses aside, uninvested, in case of emergencies.
When is a good time to invest?
It’s always a good time to invest. In fact, you probably should have invested yesterday. This is because every day you invest your money, you’re more likely to earn money on your investments.
That’s because of two factors:
- The stock market has historically gone up which means that even if your portfolio has a bad year and you lose money, you’re likely to gain it back.
- The power of compounding. Every time you earn money on your investment, it contributes towards the amount of money that you earn interest on and so on and so on. Think of it this way. If you invest 100€ and you get a 10% return, you have 110€. If you leave that money in the stock market, you not only gained 10€, but you will also get a 10% return on that 110€, giving you 120€, and so on.
How long does it take for my investment to be bought or sold?
Each time you deposit or withdraw money via SEPA It can take between 2–4 working days for your money to arrive on the destination account. Sagefund is very flexible, but not instant. So bear that in mind when deciding to invest.
How long does it take for my account to be opened?
Once you completed the entire account opening process, including identity verification, your documents are immediately submitted to our partner Baader Bank. Once processed, they will open your account and buy the portfolio on your behalf. Once finished with our onboarding, this process on average takes 5–6 working days to be complete. Once your account has been opened and your money invested, we feel notify you via email.
What happens if my investment is negative in value?
The value of your investment will fluctuate daily, this is normal. Markets are in constant flux and the best way to handle this is to stay calm and wait. If anything a negative value is usually an opportunity to buy more shares cheaply (think of it as a sale!). When you cross the legally mandated critical threshold of -10%, you will be immediately informed. And also, in this case, it’s best to stay calm and do nothing. Bear in mind, that Sagefund Stability is very widely diversified and has shown consistent performance over the last 10 years, so there’s no reason to take action. And further the stock market since inception 150 years ago has consistently recovered and tends to go up in value, especially when evaluated long-term.
