Ugandans Can Now Invest in Global Companies Starting With Just $1, Here is How

As Africans, land and real estate are often our most popular investment options. And that’s okay. Followed closely by more formal options such as good ole stocks, which you can do on some of the best stock trading apps, treasury bonds, T-bills, and fixed deposits. Investing has become something of a staple in many people’s lives, they see it as supporting their financial future and it is easy to see why. This is where helpful sites such as Money Under 30, like others, can be of service to those who need some clarification on what they want to invest in and how it’ll impact them and their finances.

Now here’s the thing.

These investment options are often big-ticket investments and require a significant cash outlay from investors. This means first-time investors-usually the younger population- can’t build wealth this way as they are either still dependent on their caretakers or simply don’t have enough disposable income to spare.

But that’s about to change

Fractional shares, the new kid on the investing block, are crucial to making investing in stocks easier and more accessible, especially for African countries with lower valued currencies. This can be great for those who want to get in on the ground level, however, they will need to do their research properly first to make sure that they are going in the best direction for them, they may look to a financial advisor in these countries for assistance so they are prepared. Whilst this is a viable option they will need to be careful with who they pick as there is a chance that fraud can happen, if this was to occur then they may need to hire a securities lawyer within their country to plead their case in court. Hopefully, something like this doesn’t occur and they have a happy investing experience.

“Today, we’re launching a revolutionary product, U.S. fractional stocks,” says Ham Serunjogi, CO-founder and CEO of Chipper Cash. “This product is probably our most impactful product since the launch of the original Chipper app just three years ago.”

“For the first time ever, Ugandans of all economic backgrounds will be able to invest as little as $1 or 3,500 Uganda Shillings in the world’s largest public companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange – when we talk about unlocking global opportunities, this what we mean. As a proud Ugandan, it means so much to me that we get to launch a product that will empower my fellow countrymen and women,” he continues.

With the launch of Chipper’s Global Stocks Investing product, Ugandans (both old and young) can easily invest in publicly traded global companies such as Facebook, Amazon, Tesla, Netflix, etc.

Chipper Cash is the first company to offer fractional stock investing in Uganda. And the African fintech startup is licensed and regulated by the Capital Markets Authority.

There has been an uptick in the awareness and demand for safe investments by Ugandans in recent years. And while goal-based saving has taken center stage (with many banks, insurance companies, and SACCOs offering this service), investments in equities is key to achieving financial independence and building long-term wealth.

“Wealth creation is one of the most powerful ways of driving economic and social development in any country. For too long, many tools that offer the ability to generate and store wealth have remained inaccessible for too many, for too long. This product, the Chipper fractional stocks product, fixes precisely that problem,” says Ham.

Through its partnership with DriveWealth LLC, a pioneer in fractional investing and embedded finance, Chipper Cash empowers the average Ugandan to build long-term wealth with safe and affordable access to the U.S stock markets.

What exactly does this mean?

Previously, investing in U.S equities required high minimums and was only accessible by high net-worth individuals. This effectively priced out first-time investors.

However, it is critical for first-time investors to understand all investment and stock market concepts before they get started with the process. They may choose to read basic stock market-related books or big investors’ strategies as to how they got started in the first place. They could also read the blog posts on Sell.io to get a sense of how they can analyze the profit margins they might gain by investing in a specific company’s shares.

With Chipper Cash, users can invest on a dollar equivalent basis (i.e., fractional shares) in over 6,000 U.S. securities and ETFs, with little or no minimum requirements.

Yes, you heard that right; anyone can invest. The entry point is $1. And with over 1,000 global companies listed on the Chipper Stocks, you can invest in U.S./international equities and build a global portfolio that lasts through time.

The best part, watching your money grow as these businesses grow!

Chipper Cash is blazing the trail in using technology to drive financial inclusion in Uganda and the continent through its overall value proposition of local and international transfers, crypto offerings, airtime, data, and bill payments. Now, users can also take advantage of its easy-to-use and affordable investment product.

Sam Ochola Oryem