What 1nvest does

1nvest Fund Managers (Pty) Ltd is a South African specialist index fund manager founded in October 2019 and headquartered at 17 Melrose Boulevard, Melrose Arch, Johannesburg. It operates as the dedicated passive-investment vehicle inside the Standard Bank Group / STANLIB / Liberty ecosystem, with the Index Investments team housed within STANLIB, which handles unit-trust administration. The company offers a broad suite of 28+ index-tracking products split between Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) listed on the JSE, A2X markets, and the Namibian Stock Exchange, and Unit Trusts administered on the STANLIB platform. Coverage spans local equity (FTSE/JSE Top 40, Capped All Share), local fixed income (JSE ALBI, SA Sovereign Bond, Inflation-Linked Bond), local property (SAPY, Capped Property), offshore equity (MSCI World, S&P 500, S&P 500 Info Tech, MSCI EM Asia, MSCI World SRI), offshore fixed income (G7 Government Bond, ICE US Treasury Short Bond), global property (FTSE EPRA/NAREIT Global REIT), commodity ETFs backed by physical bullion (Gold, Platinum, Palladium, Rhodium), balanced multi-asset funds, and Tax-Free Investment Accounts.

Underlying technology is conventional index replication via exchange-traded portfolio management, augmented by smart beta and multi-factor strategy capabilities, quantitative research, and an in-progress AI/ML initiative focused on investment applications and operational use cases. Feeder-fund structures route global exposure through iShares UCITS ETFs (iShares Core MSCI World, iShares Core S&P 500, iShares S&P 500 Information Technology, iShares Global Government Bond, iShares MSCI EM Asia) rather than building proprietary global index models.

The business model is a classic asset-management fee model: revenue accrues as Total Expense Ratio (TER) deducted from fund assets, marketed as low-cost relative to active managers. Distribution is multi-channel and reaches both retail and institutional customers: STANLIB platform (mid-market), EasyEquities and ETFSA (retail via third-party platforms), Shyft and Standard Bank Online Share Trading (Standard Bank's captive retail channels), and direct JSE / A2X broker access. Customer segments are horizontal, with individual investors as primary, alongside financial advisors and institutional investors. Marketing relies on content (1nvest Insights blog, Inside Track newsletter), webinars with financial commentator Simon Brown of JustOneLap, and the annual Think Forum advisor event. The firm has accumulated a high density of South African Listed Tracker Awards (SALTAs) since 2018 across tracking efficiency, total return performance, capital raising, and People's Choice, plus a Morningstar Top 10 unit-trust listing in 2019.

Name

1nvest

Legal name

1nvest Fund Managers (Pty) Ltd

Website

https://1nvest.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

1nvest is a South African specialist index fund manager offering 28+ ETFs and unit trusts across local and global equity, fixed income, property, and commodities. Backed by Standard Bank Group and STANLIB, it serves individual investors, advisors, and institutions via multi-channel distribution including the JSE, Shyft, and EasyEquities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Passive Investment Management

NAICS

Open-End Investment Funds (525910), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles (525)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Fixed Income ETFs & Index/Portfolio Trading (FSACAEAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Fixed Income ETFs (Government, Corporate, Munis, TIPS) (FSAAAFAD)

Keywords

• Index fund management
• Exchange traded funds
• Passive investment products
• Unit trust funds
• Index tracking ETFs

Headquarters

HQ city

Johannesburg

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Management Fees / Total Expense Ratio (TER): 1nvest earns revenue through annual management fees charged on its index tracking funds. The company emphasizes low fees as a core differentiator, with costs significantly lower than active fund managers. Fees are deducted from fund assets as TER (Total Expense Ratio).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

1nvest is an award-winning specialist index fund manager that designs, issues, and manages a broad suite of index-tracking investment products for the South African market. Its offering comprises Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) listed on the JSE, A2X, and Namibian Stock Exchange, as well as Index Tracking Unit Trusts administered through STANLIB, covering local and global equities, fixed income, property, and physical precious metals (gold, platinum, palladium, rhodium), plus tax-free investment accounts.

Product overview

1nvest is an award-winning, specialist index fund manager offering a comprehensive suite of index-tracking investment products across local and international markets. The product range includes 28+ distinct funds spanning Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), Index Tracking Unit Trusts, and Tax-Free Investment Accounts (TFIA). Core products include: local equity funds tracking FTSE/JSE Top 40 and ALSI 40 indices; fixed income products tracking the JSE All Bond Index (ALBI) and South Africa Sovereign Bond indices; property funds tracking SA and global REIT indices; offshore feeder funds tracking MSCI World, S&P 500, and S&P 500 Info Tech indices; commodity ETFs backed by physical precious metals (Gold, Platinum, Palladium, Rhodium); balanced funds; and emerging market equity exposure via MSCI EM Asia. Products are available as both ETFs (traded on the JSE) and Unit Trusts, providing flexibility for different investor preferences. The company also offers a Portfolio Analysis Tool for performance visualization.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 1nvest Top 40 STANLIB ETF ETF tracking the FTSE/JSE Top 40 Index of the 40 largest companies by market capitalization listed on the JSE, rebalanced quarterly, for investors seeking core South African equity exposure.
• 1nvest ALSI 40 STANLIB Fund Unit trust that invests in constituents of the Top40 Index with the same weightings, rebalanced quarterly, for investors seeking core South African equity exposure via unit trusts.
• 1nvest Capped All Share STANLIB ETF ETF tracking the FTSE/JSE Capped All Share Index, which caps constituent weights by foreign shareholdings to represent South African investors, for diversified JSE exposure.
• 1nvest Index STANLIB Fund Unit trust investing in shares that form part of the FTSE/JSE Capped Shareholder Weighted All Share Index.
• 1nvest ALBI (NON TR) Index Tracker STANLIB Fund Fixed income unit trust tracking the JSE All Bond Index (ALBI) of the top 20 vanilla bonds across maturities, rebalanced monthly.
• 1nvest SA Bond STANLIB ETF Fixed income ETF tracking the S&P South Africa Sovereign Bond 1+ Year Index, investing in local currency denominated South African government debt.
• 1nvest Inflation Linked Bond Index Tracker STANLIB Fund Fixed income unit trust investing in bonds represented in the JSE CILI Government Bond Index (IGOV) for inflation-protected government bond exposure.
• 1nvest SA Property STANLIB ETF Property ETF tracking the SA Listed Property Index (SAPY) of the top 20 liquid JSE-listed property companies by market capitalization.
• 1nvest Capped Property Index Tracker STANLIB Fund Property unit trust tracking the FTSE/JSE Capped Property Index with a 15% cap on each constituent at quarterly review.
• 1nvest ICE US Treasury Short Bond Index STANLIB Feeder ETF Offshore fixed income feeder ETF providing exposure to dollar-denominated short-dated US Treasury debt instruments via iShares $ Treasury Bond 0-1yr UCITS ETF.
• 1nvest MSCI EM Asia Index STANLIB Feeder ETF Offshore equity feeder ETF providing exposure to large- and mid-cap stocks across 8 Asian emerging countries via iShares MSCI EM Asia UCITS ETF.
• 1nvest MSCI World Socially Responsible Investment STANLIB Feeder ETF Offshore equity ESG feeder ETF tracking the MSCI World SRI Select Reduced Fossil Fuel Index, excluding companies in controversial industries and fossil fuel-related sectors.
• 1nvest MSCI World Index STANLIB Feeder Fund Offshore equity unit trust providing exposure to 23 Developed Markets countries via iShares Core MSCI World UCITS ETF.
• 1nvest MSCI World Index STANLIB Feeder ETF Offshore equity ETF providing exposure to large and mid-cap representation across 23 Developed Markets countries via iShares Core MSCI World UCITS ETF.
• 1nvest S&P500 Index STANLIB Feeder ETF Offshore equity ETF tracking the S&P 500 Index of the top 500 US-listed companies, implemented via iShares Core S&P500 UCITS ETF.
• 1nvest S&P500 Index STANLIB Feeder Fund Offshore equity unit trust tracking the S&P 500 Index via iShares Core S&P500 UCITS ETF.
• 1nvest S&P 500 Info Tech Index STANLIB Feeder Fund Offshore equity unit trust tracking the S&P 500 Information Technology sector via iShares S&P500 Information Technology UCITS ETF.
• 1nvest S&P 500 Info Tech Index STANLIB Feeder ETF Offshore equity ETF tracking the S&P 500 Information Technology sector via iShares S&P500 Information Technology UCITS ETF.
• 1nvest Global Government Bond Index STANLIB Feeder Fund Offshore fixed income unit trust tracking the G7 Government Bond Index via iShares Global Govt Bond UCITS ETF, covering Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK and US.
• 1nvest Global Government Bond Index STANLIB Feeder ETF Offshore fixed income ETF tracking the G7 Government Bond Index via iShares Global Govt Bond UCITS ETF.
• 1nvest Global REIT Index STANLIB Feeder Fund Offshore property unit trust tracking the FTSE EPRA/NAREIT Global REIT Index of listed real estate companies and REITs worldwide.
• 1nvest Global REIT Index STANLIB Feeder ETF Offshore property ETF tracking the FTSE EPRA/NAREIT Global REIT Index of listed real estate companies and REITs worldwide.
• 1nvest High Equity Balanced STANLIB Fund Balanced unit trust that invests in underlying collective investment scheme portfolios tracking equity, bond, property or money market benchmark indices, rebalanced semi-annually.
• 1nvest Low Equity Balanced Fund Balanced unit trust with a lower equity allocation, investing in underlying portfolios tracking various benchmark indices.
• 1nvest Gold ETF Commodity ETF backed by physical gold stored in secured custodian vaults, with each unit entitling holders to gold bars and daily metal entitlement factor adjustments.
• 1nvest Palladium ETF Commodity ETF backed by physical palladium stored in secured custodian vaults, with each unit entitling holders to palladium bars and daily metal entitlement factor adjustments.
• 1nvest Platinum ETF Commodity ETF backed by physical platinum stored in secured custodian vaults, with each unit entitling holders to platinum bars and daily metal entitlement factor adjustments.
• 1nvest Rhodium ETF Commodity ETF backed by physical rhodium stored in secured custodian vaults, with each unit entitling holders to rhodium bars and daily metal entitlement factor adjustments.
• Tax-Free Investment Accounts (TFIA) Tax-advantaged investment accounts allowing investors to invest up to R46,000 per year (R500,000 lifetime) with zero tax on interest, dividends or capital gains, available as both ETFs and Unit Trusts.
• Portfolio Analysis Tool Online analytical tool that uses historical data from 1nvest funds to demonstrate cumulative returns for 1, 3 and 5 year periods and help investors analyse portfolio performance.

Quantifiable outcome

• JSE All Share Index up 34%+ for 2025 year-to-date, vs 16% for S&P 500 and 21% for Nasdaq
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• STANLIBcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2019STANLIB handles all unit trust administration for 1nvest. As part of Standard Bank Group, STANLIB provides operational infrastructure, fund management capabilities, and distribution platforms. The Index Investments team is based within STANLIB.
• EasyEquitiesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEasyEquities is a partner platform that provides access to 1nvest ETFs. Operated independently by Purple Group with its own terms, privacy policy, and security practices.
• ETFSAminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorETFSA is a partner platform providing access to 1nvest ETFs. Operated independently with its own terms, privacy policy, and security practices.
• ShyftcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorShyft is Standard Bank's global money app providing the cheapest forex for travel, shopping, paying and investing. Offers easy digital sign-up, access to local and international investments, competitive pricing, instant money movement, and 24/7 trading even when markets are closed.
• iShares (BlackRock)coreTechnology or Integration1nvest's global feeder funds invest in iShares ETFs (iShares Core MSCI World UCITS ETF, iShares S&P500 Information Technology UCITS ETF, iShares Global Govt Bond UCITS ETF, iShares Global REIT ETF, iShares MSCI EM Asia UCITS ETF). Provides underlying index tracking and global market access.
• Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor1nvest ETFs are listed and traded on the JSE, providing real-time liquidity, price visibility, and access to all JSE investors through brokers and trading platforms.
• A2X MarketsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor1nvest is listed on A2X markets, a licensed stock exchange providing additional trading venue for securities.
• Namibian Stock ExchangeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor1nvest Gold ETF and 1nvest Platinum ETF are listed on the Namibian Stock Exchange, expanding geographic reach to Namibian investors.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• STANLIB: Parent/sister entity within Standard Bank Group that administers 1nvest's unit trusts and operates its own broader active and passive unit trust range; comparable in product structure but acts as both infrastructure provider and adjacent competitor to 1nvest.

Direct peers

• Old Mutual Investment Group: Large South African asset manager with index-tracking and multi-asset unit trusts; comparable in institutional and retail distribution footprint competing for the same South African savings pool.
• Sygnia: South African investment management firm offering index-tracking unit trusts and ETFs; competes with 1nvest in low-cost passive products and digital distribution to retail investors.
• Coronation Fund Managers: Large South African asset manager with index and active offerings across unit trusts and ETFs; comparable institutional and retail reach to 1nvest, though more active-heavy in mix.
• Ashburton Investments: South African asset manager offering index-tracking funds and ETFs alongside active strategies; competes with 1nvest across multi-asset passive products on JSE.
• Satrix (Satrix by STANLIB / Sanlam): South African passive ETF specialist offering index-tracking ETFs across local and global exposures; directly competes with 1nvest in the same JSE-listed ETF category and shares a STANLIB lineage that creates direct overlap in fund range and distribution.
• Prescient Investment Management: South African investment manager offering index-tracking and quant strategies via unit trusts and ETFs; comparable in offering passive and factor-based products through JSE and advisor channels.
• CoreShares: South African ETF provider offering index-tracking and thematic ETFs listed on the JSE; competes head-to-head with 1nvest in equity, bond, and commodity ETFs targeted at retail and advisor channels.

Broad incumbents

• iShares (BlackRock): Global ETF leader from BlackRock; comparable as the underlying index provider for 1nvest's global feeder funds and the dominant passive benchmark 1nvest competes against for South African investor wallet share.
• Vanguard: Global low-cost index fund giant; comparable in pure passive philosophy and pricing discipline, and increasingly accessible to South African investors via global feeder structures that compete with 1nvest's offshore products.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=aEUgvazIZoQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/1nvestSA
• Xx.com/1nvest_sa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about 1nvest