Ndovu FAQs
Ndovu makes it easy and gives you access to invest in local and global financial markets. Buy a slice of your favourite international companies, right from the comfort of your home.
We recognise investing can be daunting so if you don’t know how to get started, we guide you!
Ndovu helps you manage your money through guided investing and by providing financial education. We are fiduciary, which means we act in your best interest.
We’ll ask a bit about you when you sign up. Then, we’ll help you set financial goals and set you up with investment portfolios for each goal.
For your short to long-term financial needs (ranging from emergencies, retirement, holidays, kids’ education, or down payment), our investment strategy is built on low-cost ETFs (exchange-traded funds) and a risk profile based on how long you plan to invest.
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) are popular with investors because they offer access to a ready-made investment portfolio run by experts. You can normally invest from $1000 as a lump sum or $10 per trade and get instant access to a diversified portfolio for a much lower cost than purchasing the individual investments yourself.
You can buy funds online through the Ndovu website. Please ensure you have read the fund’s Key Features first which are available from the individual fund factsheets on the website.
Once you’re registered for online access, simply log in and select a new investment. Then choose your investing approach, goal-based investing or general investing. Follow the instructions and click the ‘Invest Now’ button. Search for your chosen fund investment and continue to the confirmation page.
All trades will be placed on a best execution basis.
Simply log in and select my portfolio. Then choose from goal-based investing or general investing. Then select the fund you wish to sell and click withdraw. Please note once you click withdraw, the full investment amount held in that particular fund will be sold. You can’t sell part of your investment.
All trade instructions & payments received by 12noon (EAT) are placed on the same day.*
All trade instructions & payments received after 12noon (EAT) will be placed on the following day.*
*Where the following day is not a weekend or public holiday in the US or Kenya. Please note that all trade instructions are placed on a best execution basis.
Yes. You can withdraw cash to your nominated bank account at a $2 charge.
All trade instructions & payments received by 12noon (EAT) are placed on the same day.*
All trade instructions & payments received after 12noon (EAT) will be placed on the following day.*
*Where the following day is not a weekend or public holiday in the US or Kenya. Please note that all trade instructions are placed on a best execution basis.
Pending
Your trade has been received by Ndovu. Your purchase will remain pending until your sale has been confirmed by the fund manager.
Dealt, awaiting confirmation
Your order has been dealt with. The fund manager can take up to five days to confirm the details of your completed deal, although in most cases it takes less than 24 hours.
Completed
When we receive confirmation of your deal your account summary and transaction history will be updated and we will send an email confirmation.
The vast majority of funds price each working day at noon. When you place a deal it will be traded at the next available valuation point, typically noon the next working day. This means that you will not know the exact price that you will buy or sell at when you place the deal.
You can however view the latest fund price on the portal. The price will always have a ‘prices as at’ date stamp to show when the price is from. Fund prices are updated overnight and will display the last available price.
Timing fund deals to intraday movements in the markets are notoriously difficult due to their forward pricing nature. One way to smooth entry points and benefit from dollar-cost averaging is to set up a regular investing instruction, whereby we automatically buy a set amount of a particular fund (or funds) each month.
Please remember that your long-term investment objectives should always take priority over any short-term fluctuations in price.
Once your order has been submitted for dealing the order will be dealt with by the fund manager at the next available valuation point. Most funds will value daily at noon, but please note this can vary from fund to fund. Please see the fund factsheet for more information. Once dealt your order status will update to ‘Dealt, awaiting confirmation. At this point, the order has been dealt with and the price fixed, although the fund manager may take up to five days to confirm the details of your completed deal. Your account will only be updated once confirmation has been received. When we receive confirmation of your deal your account summary and transaction history will be updated and we will generate a contract note.
Our team of investing experts make decisions about our portfolio strategies and fund selection with the help of industry experts. Our team has a breadth of financial and management experience, having worked at companies such as BlackRock, Deloitte, HSBC, Nairobi Securities Exchange, Old Mutual, APA Life Insurance, and many more.
We are here to empower people to create wealth so they can live secure and rewarding lives. Ndovu is built on 4 pillars.
- Do what is right for the customer – simply put, your goals are our goals. Every decision is centered around our customers’ needs & convenience
- Keep it simple – we strive to keep our solution simple. Life is complicated as it is so why should finance be…
- Trust through transparency – transparency is empowering. It’s empowering to know how we manage your investments & what fees you’re being charged.
- We are creative – we challenge the status quo to bring better, smarter solutions to you.
Ndovu partners with regulated custodians in Kenya (licensed by both the Central Bank of Kenya and the Capital Markets Authority) and the United States (licensed by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC)). We execute our trades via a major broker-dealer licensed by the US Securities and Exchange Commission.
Your money is held in custodial accounts (a financial account where your money is kept safely in a trusted bank, separate from our company’s finances).
Should anything happen to us, your money is safely kept in the custodial account and the bank remits the money to you.
- Your Bank/Mobile money account – You can easily transfer from your bank/mobile money account to your Ndovu account.
- Custodian Bank – Your investable cash and securities are held in a custodian bank, for example, KCB, and sit ultimately with them. Ndovu optimises your portfolio by instructing our broker to buy and sell securities on your behalf. We follow a custodian structure, keeping your assets in a separate account.
- Your Assets – The securities in your portfolios are kept entirely separate from the bank’s assets.
- Your Money – Your money is kept entirely separate from Ndovu’s finances and is held in a regulated custodian bank.
Ndovu’s offers personalised financial advice, access to low-cost, globally diversified portfolios, dividend reinvestment, and financial education. We have two subscription plans. The basic plan charges 0.95% per year (the lowest in the industry) with a 1,000 Ksh ($10) minimum investment amount. The Premium Plan charges 0.75% per year and it provides access to a human expert financial advisor and bespoke insights. Minimum investment $1000 monthly.
This subscription fee covers the advice you receive, the transactions, trades, and all other account administration.
For further information, please click here.
Ndovu fee is deducted prior to your money being invested into ETFs. Our fees are clearly stated here.
The minimum amount of money needed to gain access to a portfolio on the Ndovu platform is Ksh1,000 ($10), that’s it.
There are NO monthly or quarterly contribution requirements. We, however, encourage you to invest regularly to build up significant value in your portfolio.
Ndovu clients enjoy complete liquidity. This means clients can remove their funds whenever they would like. There is no lock-up period.
*processing time is about 3 days in line with industry standards.
Here at Ndovu, we help make the most of your money, and our experts have put together tailor-made portfolios so that you don’t have to.
If you are an amateur investor, and you need some help, we select the investments on your behalf through these tailor-made portfolios. If you are an expert investor, you will be able to buy stocks in specific companies or industries through Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs).
Securities available on Ndovu in Kenya and globally are as follows:
- Government Bonds
- Unit Trusts
- Equity ETFs
- Bond ETFs
- Commodity ETFs
An exchange-traded fund (ETF) is a collection of shares that make it easier to invest in a large number of companies with little risk and maximum reward.
An exchange-traded fund (ETF) is a security that tracks an index, a commodity, or a basket of assets—just like an index fund—but trades like a stock on an exchange. We chose each ETF we invest your money in because of liquidity, diversification, and low management fees.
Ndovu currently operates in Kenya and for regulatory reasons cannot accept U.S. citizens. We, however, welcome other nationalities, subject to the provision of acceptable Know Your Customer (KYC) documentation. Here is a breakdown of the nationalities we accept.
We do not offer accounts for minors at the moment. All customers must be at least 18 years of age to consent to all our agreements.
Open an account and get $5 of free stock
How does it work?
We’ll add $5 into an exchange-traded fund (ETF) when you fund your account with $10 or link your bank account. In addition, fulfill the conditions in your promotion. You are required to hold the $5 in your investment portfolio for 12 months and can withdraw it afterward.
How does Ndovu choose which ETF I get?
The exchange-traded fund (ETF) is chosen randomly by our investment management team. Because the fund is chosen randomly, you may not receive the same stock as others.
Can I open a second Ndovu account to get $5 of stock?
No, each person is only allowed one Ndovu account.
Waitlist Promotion
This Offer is only valid for selected individuals who have not started / completed their Ndovu application, signed up on the waitlist, individuals who have an approved account with zero activity (no trades places, deposited funds etc), and individuals who do not have a Ndovu account, who fulfill the conditions in our promotion. Individuals must sign up through our waitlist promotional page to be eligible.
Ndovu reserves the right to change the offer terms or terminate the offer at any time without notice. The offer is limited to one per account, with no more than one account enrolled per customer. The $5 bonus, when combined with the value received from all other offers in the current calendar year, may not exceed $100 per person unless expressly stated in writing from hi@ndovu.co.
The offer is not transferable, saleable, or valid in conjunction with certain other Ndovu offers. Employees, contractors, or persons similarly associated with Ndovu or a Ndovu affiliate; members of their household; and employees of any securities regulatory organization or exchange are not eligible.
Ndovu may decline requests to enroll in the offer at its discretion. Other restrictions may apply. The $5 bonus exchange-traded fund (ETF) is selected randomly, when the bonus criteria are met, by our investment management team. We’ll add $5 into an ETF when you link your bank account or deposit your Ndovu account with $5 and fulfill the conditions in your promotion. You are required to hold the $5 or more in your investment portfolio for a minimum of 12 months (365 calendar days) and can withdraw it thereafter if you have funded your account with a minimum of an additional $100. For any inactive account for the first 4 months (120 calendar days) since joining the platform, the company has the right to recall the rewards unless stated otherwise in writing from hi@ndovu.co. Each referral made under your account must invest a minimum of $100 in the first 12 months for you to get your $5 investment.
We do not have any account minimums. We offer access to investment tools and education to help you make investment decisions, but this information is for informational and educational purposes only.
Consult with your tax advisor about the appropriate tax treatment for this offer and any tax implications associated with receipt of a $5 fund bonus before enrolling. Ndovu does not take responsibility for any tax-related to this $5 fund bonus.
Your peace of mind is our highest priority. We’re committed to protecting your account with the highest standards of security available.
- REGULATED BY THE CMA and ICIFA – Ndovu adheres to high standards of compliance and regular audits by top regulators: Capital Markets Authority and The Institute of Certified Investment and Financial Advisors.
- Blockchain Encryption – Ndovu’s core is built on blockchain which allows you to stay in control of your money. Blockchain is immutability allowing us to accurately record and secure your money. In short, we can’t misplace your invested money.
- BANK-LEVEL SECURITY – We use secure servers and privacy verified by physical security. We adhere to industry standards and have strict internal policies to ensure the highest level of safety.
- Everything is encrypted – We use state-of-the-art data encryption when handling your financial information and two-factor authentication (2FA) protection