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Corporate bonds - via Wisealpha platform

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  1. #1

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    Corporate bonds - via Wisealpha platform

    I recently came across the WiseAlpha platform, which appears to be a way to access high-yielding corporate bonds without having to comply with insanely high minimum investment amounts which normally apply: https://www.wisealpha.com/

    Has anyone had any experience with this platform, and what do they think of it? A lot of very prominent companies are on there by the look of it.


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    I have had a portfolio on this platform for a little over a year, split about equally between GBP and EUR bonds, about USD15k in total.

    I really like their website, slick and easy to use, and the fractional coupon payments and capital repayments are very easy to understand. It's also fun watching the various issuances go up and down with rates, and when the names are in the news (Travelex!!!).

    Worth mentioning that most of these bonds are BB and below which is how they achieve the eye-catching rates, and they do go south from time-to-time ... I have a couple of hundred quid in Debenhams that probably isn't coming back (coupon due tomorrow, come on!) ... so diversifying is important!

    Worth splashing a few hundred pounds into to experiment with, and please use my referral link to earn me some extra $$$: https://www.wisealpha.com/?ref=JqYLg0mx6bKREyV


  4. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by Paxbritannia:
    I recently came across the WiseAlpha platform, which appears to be a way to access high-yielding corporate bonds without having to comply with insanely high minimum investment amounts which normally apply: https://www.wisealpha.com/

    Has anyone had any experience with this platform, and what do they think of it? A lot of very prominent companies are on there by the look of it.
    I am curious. Why do you keep pushing it? You were advising people use this platform in the thread Shri linked to. And now you start a new thread just for this. Are you paid by this company?

  5. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by john_1122:
    I am curious. Why do you keep pushing it? You were advising people use this platform in the thread Shri linked to. And now you start a new thread just for this. Are you paid by this company?
    My my, you're rather highly strung. Settle down.

    Mentioning it in one thread as an option is not tantamount to pushing it. I was merely making the point that there were alternatives to bond funds run by HSBC etc that seemed to take high management fees. The purpose of this thread is to have a more detailed discussion about the pros/cons and to see if anyone else has tried them out. I've been debating putting some cash in myself but haven't pulled the trigger yet. I have no association with the website.

    On a more positive note, thanks to GentleGeorge for sharing his experience.

  6. #6

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    I Have been using this platform since they pretty much set up. I have found them extremely professional with excellent customer services.

    The range of bonds is increasing all the time and the website has some neat features, for example showing what your returns will be in the upcoming months. It is really useful if you want a steady income stream as oppose to meagre interest returns from the bank. There are bond funds out there but this is a nice way to self select in companies. As already said these bonds are impossible to purchase otherwise because they would have min. unit purchase size of 1million HKD.


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    Other than picking specific issues for high yields (i.e. taking on risk) does this platform offer any benefits over a diversified bond ETF portfolio - say investment grade, short term high yield, EM corp, EM gov etc?


  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by shri:
    Other than picking specific issues for high yields (i.e. taking on risk) does this platform offer any benefits over a diversified bond ETF portfolio - say investment grade, short term high yield, EM corp, EM gov etc?
    Well I guess it allows you to choose your own bonds, rather than buying a bond ETF. Bit like buying your own shares. Typically the minimum amount you can buy for a bond is in the hundreds of thousands of USD, seems this platform allows you to buy bonds at a much smaller amount.

  9. #9

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    I think one key for non-IG (investment grade, which is BBB or better) is the research backing each bond..

    Particularly the Junk bonds that give really high coupons, buying them are tantamount to buying penny stocks, either you have some really really backdoor news or you are a major speculator..

    shri likes this.

  10. #10

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    I don't think it "allows you to buy bonds" - it allows you to buy a fractional share of a bond - just like an ETF does I guess.

    Will research this just out of morbid curiosity.

    PetravanderVegt likes this.

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