Robo Advisor Wealthfront Launches Line of Credit to Make Users More Liquid

By Julie Muhn for Finovate

Robo advisor pioneer Wealthfront must know that opposites attract: in this case, it’s saving and investing. Today, the company launched a securities-based lending option– a line of credit that allows its users borrow against their own savings accounts.

Through the new Portfolio Line of Credit program, the Redwood City, California-based company will enable users with taxable accounts of over $100,000 to access cash from their portfolio without disrupting their investment strategy. There is no application process or credit check to access the funds, which can amount to up to 30% of the user’s account total and can be accessed within one business day. Because the loan is backed by the borrower’s existing savings, the company is offering rates ranging from 3.25% to 4.50%– much lower than the industry standard.

Wealthfront offers a range of savings accounts, including trust accounts; joint accounts; traditional, SEP, and Roth IRAs; 401(k) rollovers; and a 529 college savings account. In addition to managing these account types, the company offers Selling Plan, a program to help employees diversify their concentrated holdings of company stock.

Founded in 2008 as kaChing, Wealthfront is managing $6 billion for 115,000 clients. The company debuted at FinovateSpring 2009. Earlier this year, Nerdwallet named Wealthfront a Top Pick, placing the company among the best robo advisors overall.