IIAwards - Review of You Invest, J.P. Morgan

As part of the recently announced IIAwards, in which we celebrate innovations in the fintech and crypto industry, today we will review You Invest (J.P. Morgan).

You Invest is the brokerage arm of J.P. Morgan. The broker was established in 2018 and is based in the US. The parent company J.P. Morgan is a celebrated US investment bank listed on the New York Stock Exchange. J.P. Morgan is regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). You Invest primarily targets novice traders.

You Invest markets itself as a commission-free service. Trading with mutual funds is completely free and US-based stocks and ETFs are also commission-free for up to 100 trades in the first year. Bonds entail fees, but they are comparatively low. After one year or 100 trades, a commission equal to 2.95 USD per trade will be applied. Customers of Chase Sapphire Banking, Chase Private Client, J.P. Morgan Securities line of business and J.P. Morgan Private Bank are exempt from commissions for all online trades. Also, there is no set minimum deposit level.

You Invest offers a well-rounded portfolio of stocks, ETFs, funds and bonds. Unfortunately, the product portfolio covers only asset classes from the US market. What is more, it is not possible to trade with forex, options, futures or cryptocurrencies. The broker provides you with access to around 5,000 stocks and 2,000 ETFs that represent a bundle of the major US stock exchanges, as well as 3,300 mutual funds from 60 different fund providers. You Invest offers the "Portfolio Builder" service that uses information containing the client's risk tolerance, time horizon and investment preferences in order to construct and manage a tailor-made portfolio.

You Invest is the most suitable choice for investors making their first steps into the markets. The broker does not provide any downloadable platforms for desktop and it can be accessed only through the web. The web-based solution allows users to maintain a simple watchlist and place trades. Once your account value reaches 500 USD, it is possible to access the "Portfolio Builder" tool. The platform provides everything required to conduct basic chart analysis, including customizations of time frame, bar type, event markers (e.g., earnings or dividends), and 20 optional indicators (moving averages, volume, Bollinger bands and more).

Stock and index comparisons can also be conducted. With respect to mobile, all of You Invest Trade’s offerings are available on the Chase mobile app, where users can research, trade and manage investments in addition to accessing any other Chase accounts, such as credit cards or bank accounts.

The onboarding process is completely digital and fast-paced. The average time required to open an account rarely exceeds one day if the client has a present Chase checking account. This simplicity and speed provided by You Invest is one of the most competitive among the major US brokers. What is more, there is no commission or minimum deposit level required to start trading. At first, the user has to complete a 6-step registration process. During this registration, some of the questions are related to one's personal information and data, while others will test prior trading knowledge. Users are required to verify their identity and place of residency. During the entire process, the support is at an arm's length, ready to assist in case any questions arise.

It is possible to contact Chase / You Invest via phone, or by visiting a branch and inquiring for a J.P. Morgan adviser, or ask your Chase representative/private banker. The average connection time for phone inquiries is less than 1 minute and the customer support provides information in English and Spanish. The Customer Support is available from Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 9 PM, and Saturday, 9 AM to 5 PM EST. Unfortunately, none of Chase's 4,900 branches offers in-person assistance for brokerage accounts.

You Invest offers a positive educational experience for the topics of general investment and retirement. In the "Learning & Insights" module of the site, market reports are accompanied by comprehensive and helpful educational articles and videos. The videos cover the basic concepts relevant for novice traders, such as the "stock market" or "diversification". In addition, well-developed educational articles are dedicated to a variety of topics, covering everything from investment jargon to investment strategies and planning. Each page contains a FAQ, Glossary and Summary to facilitate site usage and navigation.

It is possible to monitor the performance of one's portfolio also through the mobile app. The mobile trading platform of Chase/You Invest is available both on iOS or Android devices. Existing Chase customers are not required to obtain an additional app in order to access You Invest Trade accounts. The platform offers price alerts and biometric login (through fingerprints or voice ID) and in functionalities and design it closely mimics the web-based platform. It is possible to research, trade and manage investments in addition to accessing any other Chase accounts, such as credit cards or bank accounts. The key drawback compared to the web trading platform is that it is not possible to trade bonds through the mobile trading platform.

You Invest offers research tools that are intuitive and user-friendly with respect to fundamental data analysis and screening. The broker provides a high-quality screener tool - its numerous filters embedded into the screener allow the user to filter assets based on their sector, market capitalization, performance, etc. What is more, it is a useful tool for beginners in trading as the interface assists you through the entire process, asking you to set a goal, establish a timeline for reaching that goal, and specify how much you intend to invest each month. As you begin to enter information, it will become possible to see how much you can expect to earn from your chosen investment strategy.

The web platform provides only a one-step login authentication. The latest security feature added to the You Invest mobile platform is the voice verification tool that is activated once a client approaches the customer service center, allowing fast and secure access to your account. This feature lags in safety in contrast to instruments such as a two-step login, yet it has proved to be more convenient from a user point of view. What is more, the broker is regulated by US regulators.

You Invest has developed a new voice in client portfolio development and management. The instrument You Invest Portfolio can be accessed by all accounts with at least 500 USD. It allows clients to save time by developing a portfolio for them. Upon the creation of a You Invest Portfolios account, the client instantaneously obtains a portfolio designed and managed by J.P. Morgan. In order to do that, clients need to answer only a few questions related to their goals, time horizon and risk tolerance, and they will be matched to a portfolio based on those assumptions.