Best Robo-Advisors in Malaysia: StashAway vs Wahed vs Versa vs KDI

Robo-advisors in Malaysia are SC-licensed platforms that invest your money automatically into diversified portfolios, at a fraction of the cost of a human fund manager. Four platforms dominate the market: StashAway, Wahed Invest, Versa, and KDI (Kenanga Digital Investing). Each has different fee structures, minimum amounts, Shariah compliance options, and target audiences, so the “best” one depends on your priorities.

What is a robo-advisor and is it safe?

A robo-advisor, formally called a Digital Investment Manager (DIM), builds and rebalances a portfolio for you based on your risk tolerance. In Malaysia, all legitimate platforms must be licensed by the Securities Commission Malaysia, which sets rules on capital requirements, client asset segregation, and cybersecurity.

StashAway, Wahed, Versa (investment portfolios), and KDI are all SC-licensed DIMs. Your invested funds are held in unit trust funds or fund-of-funds structures separate from the platform’s own balance sheet, meaning the money is protected even if the platform company faces financial difficulty.

Note: robo-advisor platforms are not covered by PIDM deposit insurance, because your funds are in unit trusts, not bank deposits. See how savings accounts and fixed deposits work in Malaysia for more on the difference between saving and investing.

Side-by-side comparison

Platform	Annual fee	Minimum	Shariah option	Underlying assets
StashAway	0.20% to 0.80% p.a.	RM 0 (RM 1 per DCA)	Yes (Shariah portfolios added Aug 2025)	Global ETFs, sukuk ETFs
Wahed Invest	0.79% p.a. (below RM 500k); 0.39% above	RM 1	Yes (entire platform is halal)	Sukuk, Islamic equities, gold
Versa	0% for cash products; market rate for invest portfolios	RM 1 (Versa Cash); RM 10 (Versa Save); RM 100 (Versa Invest)	Yes (Cash-i, Growth-i, Moderate-i, PRS-i range)	Money market funds, unit trusts, global equities
KDI Invest	0% up to RM 3,000; 0.30% to 0.70% above	RM 1	No dedicated Shariah portfolio	Global ETFs via Kenanga funds

Fees quoted are management fees charged by the platform. Underlying fund expense ratios (typically 0.10% to 0.30% for passive ETFs) are additional and embedded in fund NAV.

StashAway: best for globally diversified long-term investing

StashAway was the first SC-licensed DIM in Malaysia. Its flagship product uses a proprietary framework called ERAA (Economic Regime-based Asset Allocation) that shifts portfolio weights based on macroeconomic signals, not just a static risk score.

Fee structure: tiered at 0.80% p.a. for the first RM 25,000, dropping through 0.70%, 0.60%, 0.50% at higher bands, reaching 0.20% above RM 1 million. For most retail investors with under RM 100,000, expect around 0.60% to 0.80%.

Returns: StashAway publishes annualised returns by portfolio risk index. Conservative portfolios (SRI 6 to 10%) have historically returned in the mid-single digits. Higher-risk portfolios (SRI 22 to 36%) have returned double digits in bull years, with corresponding drawdowns in bear years. Past performance is not a guarantee.

Shariah note: StashAway launched dedicated Shariah-compliant portfolios in August 2025, giving Muslim investors access to its ERAA methodology via sukuk ETFs and Shariah-screened equity ETFs.

Best for: investors who want systematic, globally diversified exposure, are comfortable with equity volatility, and prefer a well-established platform with transparent methodology.

Wahed Invest: best for Shariah-first investors

Wahed was built from the ground up as a halal investing platform. Every portfolio is screened by an independent Shariah supervisory board, covering equities, sukuk, and gold. There are no conventional bond or interest-bearing instruments in any portfolio.

Fee structure: flat 0.79% p.a. for balances under RM 500,000. Drops to 0.39% above that threshold. No sales charge. Note that holding two or more portfolios triggers a minimum monthly fee of RM 2.50 (RM 30 per year), which can matter for small balances.

Portfolio options: ranging from very conservative (sukuk-heavy) to aggressive (equity-heavy), all Shariah-compliant. Gold is available as a stand-alone allocation.

Best for: Muslim investors who want every ringgit in a certified halal portfolio, and who do not want to verify Shariah compliance product by product.

Versa: best for short-term savings with an Islamic option

Versa sits somewhere between a high-yield savings tool and a robo-advisor. Its most popular products are Versa Cash and Versa Cash-i (the Shariah version), which invest in money market funds and return between 3.24% to 3.69% p.a. net (as of 2025), better than most savings accounts without locking up your money.

Minimum amounts:

• Versa Cash / Cash-i: RM 1
• Versa Save (short-term goal savings): RM 10
• Versa Invest (growth portfolios including Versa Growth-i and Versa Moderate-i): RM 100

Fees: zero platform fee on Cash and Save products. The underlying money market funds carry their own management fees (embedded in the fund NAV and reflected in the net yield quoted).

Shariah options: Versa Cash-i (Islamic money market fund, Affin Hwang Aiiman Enhanced i-Profit Fund), Versa Growth-i, Versa Moderate-i, Versa Global-i, and three Islamic PRS (Private Retirement Scheme) portfolios.

Best for: investors who want a parking place for their emergency fund or short-term savings, particularly those who want an Islamic money market option with daily liquidity. For long-term growth, the Invest portfolios add equity exposure.

KDI (Kenanga Digital Investing): best for beginners with small amounts

KDI is backed by Kenanga Investment Bank, one of Malaysia’s largest independent investment banks. The platform focuses on low-cost passive investing through global ETFs.

Fee structure: zero management fee on the first RM 3,000 invested. Above that, fees range from 0.30% to 0.70% p.a. depending on portfolio. This makes KDI exceptionally cheap for investors starting out.

Minimums: RM 1.

KDI Save vs KDI Invest: KDI Save is a cash management product targeting returns around 3.0% to 3.4% p.a. via money market funds. KDI Invest is the investment arm, allocating into global equities and bonds via ETFs.

Shariah note: KDI does not currently offer a dedicated Shariah-screened portfolio. Muslim investors wanting both passive ETF exposure and Shariah compliance should consider StashAway’s Shariah range or Wahed.

Best for: first-time investors who want to start tiny, keep fees near zero, and learn portfolio investing with a regulated platform backed by an established institution.

Fees under the microscope

The fee gap between platforms is real but context-dependent.

On a RM 10,000 portfolio held for one year:

• StashAway (0.80%): RM 80
• Wahed (0.79%): RM 79 (plus minimum fee consideration if holding multiple portfolios)
• Versa Invest (platform fee 0%, but underlying fund fees apply): approximately RM 20 to RM 50 depending on the fund selected
• KDI Invest (0% below RM 3,000; 0.30% on the remaining RM 7,000): RM 21

For RM 50,000:

• StashAway (~0.70%): RM 350
• Wahed (0.79%): RM 395
• KDI (0.30% to 0.70%): RM 150 to RM 350

Fee comparisons assume no underlying fund expense. Always check a platform’s full fee disclosure (including fund-level charges) when comparing net returns.

Shariah compliance in practice

Shariah compliance in investing means avoiding interest (riba), excessive uncertainty (gharar), and prohibited sectors (gambling, alcohol, conventional banking, weapons). For robo-advisors:

• Wahed is the most comprehensive: its Shariah supervisory board covers the entire platform and publishes annual compliance certifications.
• StashAway Shariah (launched Aug 2025) uses sukuk ETFs and Shariah-screened equity ETFs with SC-approved fund structures.
• Versa Cash-i is SC and Shariah-compliant via an approved Islamic money market fund structure.
• KDI does not have a Shariah option.

If halal certification from an independent board matters to you, Wahed’s track record and governance is currently the most established.

Key takeaways

• All four platforms are SC-licensed Digital Investment Managers. Your money is held in ring-fenced unit trust structures.
• KDI has the lowest fees for balances under RM 3,000, making it the cheapest entry point.
• Wahed is the most comprehensive Shariah-first platform with independent board oversight.
• StashAway offers the broadest feature set and now has Shariah portfolios, but charges the highest fees at small balances.
• Versa is best for short-term savings or an Islamic money market alternative to fixed deposits, with daily liquidity.
• Fee differences are meaningful at larger balances. At RM 10,000 or below, the choice between platforms should be driven more by Shariah requirements, interface preference, and investment goals than by fee arithmetic.
• Robo-advisors invest in market-linked assets. Capital is not guaranteed. They are not a substitute for an emergency fund in a savings account or fixed deposit.

For context on building the base layer before you invest, see emergency fund basics in Malaysia and fixed deposit vs savings account Malaysia.

Frequently asked questions

Are Malaysian robo-advisors safe? All four platforms are licensed by the Securities Commission Malaysia as Digital Investment Managers. Client assets are held in unit trusts segregated from the platform’s own funds. However, unlike bank deposits, they are not covered by PIDM insurance, and investment values can go down.

What is the minimum to start with a robo-advisor in Malaysia? Most platforms accept RM 1 as a starting amount. Versa Invest requires RM 100 for its growth portfolios. There is no minimum balance requirement for ongoing holding on any of the four platforms discussed here.

Which robo-advisor in Malaysia is best for Muslims? Wahed Invest was built specifically for halal investing and has independent Shariah board supervision across all portfolios. StashAway added Shariah portfolios in August 2025 and Versa offers Cash-i and several Shariah invest portfolios. KDI does not have a Shariah option.

Do I pay tax on robo-advisor returns in Malaysia? Capital gains from unit trust investments in Malaysia are not subject to income tax for individual investors (as of 2025). Dividend distributions from unit trusts may carry a withholding tax that is deducted at the fund level before distribution. Confirm your position with LHDN (Lembaga Hasil Dalam Negeri) or a licensed tax adviser if you have large distributions, as tax rules can change. See the LHDN website for current guidance.

Can I withdraw from a robo-advisor anytime? Yes. All four platforms allow redemption on any business day. Cash and money market products (Versa Cash, KDI Save) typically settle within one to two business days. Investment portfolios may take three to five business days to settle, depending on the underlying fund.