Crypto at Selma: Now available as an investment preference

Crypto has become part of the investing landscape

Bitcoin and Ethereum have been around for over a decade. What started as a niche experiment has grown into a market worth trillions. And increasingly, it is part of the conversation when people talk about building a widely diversified investment portfolio.

At the same time, cryptocurrencies remain a high-risk asset class. Prices can swing dramatically in a short period of time. In extreme scenarios, the value of a crypto investment can fall to zero. This has not changed.

So why does Selma now offer it? Because ignoring it entirely would mean ignoring something that is genuinely relevant to many investors. The goal is to give you a structured, considered way to include it if it fits your situation.

The feature tackles the returning client question that reached us in various forms:

For Selma clients: yes.

How the Crypto preference works

When you activate the Crypto investment preference, Selma targets to allocate around 5% of your portfolio to cryptocurrencies via two US-regulated ETFs:

• Two-thirds go into the iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT)
• One-third goes into the iShares Ethereum Trust ETF (ETHA)

The remaining 95% of your portfolio continues to follow your personalised investment strategy, taking into account your additional risky holdings in crypto.

Why ETFs? Because they give you exposure to Bitcoin and Ethereum through a regulated fund structure. There are no wallets, no private keys, no exchange accounts to manage. The crypto allocation sits inside your existing Selma portfolio, just like any other part of your portfolio.

Who is this for?

The Crypto preference is not for everyone, and that is intentional. To activate it, two requirements must be met:

• A minimum of 7'500 CHF invested in your Selma investment account
• A strong risk ability and willingness – both, not just one

If your circumstances change and you no longer meet these requirements, the preference is automatically disabled.

You can turn it on or off at any time in the app: Portfolio → Strategy → Manage portfolio.

If you already invest in cryptocurrencies, this article might help you understand whether you should also activate the Crypto preference and what to consider.

A few things worth keeping in mind

As with any portfolio adjustment, enabling this preference may involve indirect costs like spread costs when buying or selling, and potential currency exchange fees. 

The above funds were selected in particular due to their competitive expense ratio of 0.25%, yet they are still more expensive than your average ETF in a Selma portfolio. Selma does not charge any additional fees for the feature itself.

It is also worth being clear about what this preference is and what it is not:

It is a small, defined allocation within a broadly diversified portfolio. It is not a way to speculate heavily on crypto, and it is not customisable beyond the predefined Bitcoin/Ethereum split.

If you are curious about crypto and have the risk profile to match, this is a straightforward way to include it. If you are not sure, you are always welcome to reach out to Selma's team of financial experts.

Curious whether it fits your portfolio?

Log in to the Selma app to check whether the Crypto preference is available for your account.

Download the Selma app to get started ->