Cards to offer capital investments
- Gratio Capital, an investment and portfolio management company, proposes an innovative solution for customers wishing to invest their capital.
- They can subscribe for a prepaid gift card for a minimum of 25 dollars. The cardholder can then invest this amount in one of the three unit trusts or on one of the saving accounts proposed by the company. These cards are only available on Gratio's website, from some partner credit institutions and in Mango Capital's (a financial company having shares in Gratio's capital) main sales outlet. Current discussions aim to distribute these new kinds of gift cards at major department stores in order to raise the interest of the customers of large retail networks.
- The company intends to make investments possible for people who are not traditionally targeted by brokerage companies. They can for instance become a unique way to reward a customer's first year in university or any other personal achievement.
- With this prepaid card, Gratio Capital intends to attract the savings of those who do not use the services of brokerages and quickly develop a significant customer basis.
- This new product could facilitate access to investment and saving to part of the population, which is not used to investing its funds. In the United States, the average saving rate of households is typically rather low. In November 2010, it reached 5.3% of available revenue compared to more than 16% for French households.
- Gratio is taking advantage of the possibilities offered by the growing gift card market, though most gift cards are designed for purchasing goods and services.
- In terms of customer loyalty, further investments could be made using traditional means (transfers, payment card).