UK-based Zopa has launched targeted support for investment customers, using Invesco funds and Upvest's API infrastructure.
The service gives them a fund recommendation based on their answers to a short questionnaire completed during onboarding. Targeted support sits between generic guidance and regulated financial advice. When onboarding to Zopa's investment product, customers can choose to receive help selecting a fund by answering nine questions.
These cover investor type, attitude to risk, confidence in decision-making, and response to uncertainty. Zopa then recommends a fund based on the customer's answers and on how customers with similar profiles have invested.
The recommendation is drawn from two ready-made funds managed by Invesco: Balanced and Bold. According to Zopa, the funds have recorded average annual returns of 5.86% and 10.47%, respectively. Invesco manages more than USD 2 trillion in assets. Its funds are connected to Zopa's platform through Upvest's API infrastructure. Customers can start investing within minutes, with a minimum of around GBP 1.
This setup shows how Zopa has built its investment offering through partnerships. Invesco supplies the fund products, and Upvest provides the API layer that links them to the bank's customer interface.
Addressing the gap between saving and investing
Zopa entered the investments market with the stated aim of reaching the 15 million UK consumers it estimates hold excess cash. It describes its approach as education-first. Merve Ferrero, Chief Strategy Officer at Zopa Bank, said the bank had observed a persistent gap between consumers' intention to invest and their confidence to take the first step, even among those with substantial cash savings.
According to the official, many consumers are unsure about three things: whether investing is suitable for them, whether they can make sound decisions, and how much risk to take. The targeted support service is intended to address these barriers for first-time investors.
The recommendation is placed at the onboarding stage, and the minimum entry point is low. Together, these features indicate that Zopa is seeking to move customers who already hold savings towards investment products. The bank is doing so without requiring them to go through a full advice process.
