Ways to invest

There are many ways you can invest your money. What’s right for you will depend on your investment goals and your investment experience.

Our investment planning section gives tips on what to consider when choosing your investments. If you think you might need some help researching what’s best for you, you may want to speak to a financial adviser.

Ways to invest, at a glance

Ways to invest	What you need to know
Cash investments	Cash investments are relatively safe and great for short-to medium-term goals. However, interest rates tend to be fairly low, so there’s a risk the value of your savings won’t increase by as much as the cost of living over the longer term. For longer-term savings, you should consider other investments such as KiwiSaver or managed funds.
Property investment	Property investment is one of the most popular types of investments in New Zealand but it can take a lot of work, and your money can’t be withdrawn quickly. There can also be lots of unexpected costs involved in managing property. If you’d like to invest in property but want more certainty about your costs, and you’d like to be able to access your money when you need it, a managed fund that invests in property may be more suitable.
KiwiSaver	KiwiSaver is a great way to save for retirement as the government contributes, and your employer may contribute too. If you’re in a KiwiSaver scheme, your money will be invested in managed funds. The fees tend to be lower than other managed investments. Your money is locked in until you retire, buy your first home, or face significant financial hardship. Take our KiwiSaver health check once a year to stay on track with your savings.
Managed funds	Managed funds enable you to spread your money across a wide variety of investments, even if you don’t know much about investing. You can buy and sell managed funds more easily than many individual investments. Because your fund is managed for you, you will pay a fee, which can vary widely. Make sure you do your homework and read the product disclosure information before you invest. The FMA carefully monitors managed fund providers.
Individual investments Bonds Binary options Capital notes Crowdfunding Foreign exchange trading Gold and other commodities Peer-to-peer lending Property syndicates Shares Software packages and seminars	You can choose to invest in many products directly if you have a good knowledge of investments, and you have time to fully research your options. The risks and level of returns you can expect for each investment can be quite different. Our ways to invest pages explain the main risks that apply, and what to consider when deciding whether an investment is suitable for you. Some investments aren’t suitable for most investors. If this is the case, we advise you to speak to a financial adviser before you invest.