Robo-advisor or all-in-one ETF: which is best for new investors?

In my opinion, the best thing about the evolution of the investment industry is a (slight) increase in transparency. There is a long way to go, and consumers are still disadvantaged in a lot of ways, but we are making progress.

I am also of the opinion that not everyone should be a self-directed investor. Sure, it can be relatively easy, but having worked directly with thousands of clients during my career, I can also say that does not matter to some people who would never think of pressing the buy and sell button themselves. 

Investment professionals are better off working with clients who do not want to micromanage them. Conversely, investors who want to take control of their own portfolios have lots of tools at their disposal. I like to see everyone investing in the way most suited to their situation. Below, I explore two important innovations that have appeared over the past decade that can lower the cost of managing an investment portfolio for retail investors.

How ETFs changed the game

The first Canadian mutual fund was introduced in 1932, but it was not until the past 40 years that they became mainstream. The past 10 years have started to show a shift in demand from investors to exchange-traded funds (ETFs), but mutual fund assets still dwarf that of ETFs. In fact, though the ETF market is growing faster, the mutual fund market in Canada is still about five times bigger (about $2 trillion compared to about $400 billion).

An investor can build an ETF portfolio using individual components like a Canadian stock ETF, a U.S. stock ETF, a global stock ETF, and a bond ETF. They can buy ETFs that track stock market sectors and complement these ETFs with individual stocks.

There are over 1,100 ETFs in Canada with 40 fund sponsors and easy access to thousands of U.S.-listed ETFs as well.

The selection is enough to make your head spin and almost necessitates the use of an advisor to wade through the options. More and more advisors are using ETFs throughout their client portfolios, but a new class of ETFs may be better suited to self-directed investors. 

How to invest using all-in-one ETFs

Enter stage left the all-in-one exchange-traded fund, also known as asset-allocation or one-click ETF. The idea is simple: choose a single ETF that gives you access to all the asset classes an investor might need in a single product.