AutoWealth Approved for CPFIS: Four Digital Portfolios Aim to Beat the OA’s 2.5%

If you’ve been dipping your toes into CPF investing or just keeping an eye on ways to make your CPF Ordinary Account do more than the steady-but-snoozy 2.5% interest, here’s something fresh: AutoWealth has become the second digital adviser approved for the CPF Investment Scheme (CPFIS), joining Endowus. They’ve rolled out four ready-made portfolios aimed at helping CPF members chase returns above that 2.5% benchmark — while keeping things simple and digital.

What AutoWealth is bringing to the table

AutoWealth isn’t exactly a newbie in the robo-advisor scene. Founded in 2015, it positions itself as an institutional-grade robo adviser — meaning its technology and investment engine are built to serve corporate retirement plans and bigger clients, not just casual retail traders. In fact, their platform has supported retirement plans for employees of large multinational companies like Google and Unilever for over six years.

The CPFIS offering includes four model portfolios that span a risk spectrum: one aggressive option that’s 100% in equities, and a conservative-ish option that’s roughly 40% stocks and 60% bonds, with a couple of middle-ground choices in between. The whole point is to help CPF members pick a profile that matches their appetite for measured risk, without forcing them to become portfolio construction experts overnight.

How access will work (phased rollout)

AutoWealth is opening access in phases. First up are their existing retail clients and corporate employee groups, then the wider public — expected around Q2. The phased approach is intended to keep service quality steady and avoid rough edges as they scale. If you’re already an AutoWealth user or part of a corporate plan, you may get earlier access.

Fees, rebates and cost advantages

One of the things AutoWealth highlights is that operating digitally lowers reliance on traditional intermediaries, which can cut costs. They’ll be rebating trail fees to investors — a move that reduces the effective annual management costs of the underlying funds compared with typical retail fund structures. On top of that, the portfolios carry an annual administration fee of 0.28%.

That might not sound wildly exciting on its own, but when you’re compounding returns over many years, fee differences matter. The lower the drag from fees, the better your net return — especially when you’re trying to beat the CPF OA’s 2.5% baseline.

What the team says — and why it matters

Noel Lee, AutoWealth’s chief operating officer, put it plainly: navigating CPFIS options can be daunting, even for people who can afford to take measured risks for higher returns. He framed CPF savings as more than numbers — they stand for your future time, freedom and retirement — and said AutoWealth wants to give Singaporeans an easy, additional way to invest CPF savings.

That messaging matters because CPF money is special: it’s meant for retirement, and withdrawals or transfers have rules. Any decision to move funds from the Ordinary Account into investments should reflect your goals, time horizon, and risk tolerance.

Backers and credibility

AutoWealth recently picked up funding from some notable backers, including the family office of Razer co-founder Tan Min Liang, plus SGInnovate and Acore Capital. That’s helpful to know — institutional investors don’t usually write big checks for startups unless they see legit product-market fit and execution capability. It’s also a signal the firm has runway to push its CPF capabilities forward.

Is this for you? Some quick thinking points

• Time horizon: CPF funds are long-term by nature. If you’re planning to use that money soon, keeping it in the OA’s guaranteed 2.5% might be the safer choice.
• Risk capacity: The portfolios range from aggressive to conservative. Don’t confuse “can tolerate volatility” with “should gamble.” Aggressive portfolios can swing a lot — but historically equities have offered higher returns over long timeframes.
• Fees and net returns: The advertised admin fee of 0.28% and the rebate of trail fees help keep costs down. Compare net-of-fee returns rather than headline numbers.
• Diversification: Even within CPFIS, diversification counts. AutoWealth’s model portfolios aim to offer efficient, diversified exposures rather than concentrated bets.
• Liquidity and rules: Remember CPF funds are subject to CPF rules (what you can transfer and when you can withdraw). Treat investments made through CPFIS as long-term retirement capital.

Practical next steps if you’re curious

If this sounds like something you’d want to explore, here’s a sensible checklist:

1. Check eligibility: Are you already a retail client of AutoWealth or part of a corporate group that gets early access? If not, expect the public window in Q2.
2. Review your CPF balances: How much sits in your OA vs. other accounts? Moving money out of OA reduces the guaranteed interest you get on that amount, so work out the trade-off.
3. Compare portfolios: Look at the mix, historical behaviour (volatility), fees, and where the funds are invested (index vs active, regions, sectors).
4. Ask questions: If anything isn’t clear — fees, rebalancing policy, tax treatment, or the exact mechanics of moving CPF funds — get the answers before you click confirm.
5. Remember it’s not all-or-nothing: You can move a portion of your OA funds while leaving the rest to keep guaranteed interest.

Bottom line: AutoWealth’s CPFIS entry creates another simple, digital option for Singaporeans who want to try for returns above the OA’s 2.5% with measured risk. It’s backed by institutional experience, has corporate clients and solid investors, and is built to be cost-competitive. That said, CPF money is for the long run, so take your time, understand the rules, and don’t be shy about asking the hard questions before committing funds.

Not financial advice — just a friendly heads-up that there’s a new, user-friendly choice on the CPF investing shelf. If you’re curious, sign up for updates and have a chat with a certified adviser to see if one of those four portfolios matches your retirement plan.