In this article, we will review Ethex, a UK-based online investment platform.
If you have been proposed this option and want a second opinion, you can email me (advice@adamfayed.com) or contact me here.
Ethex is a not-for-profit organization that provides investment opportunities with a positive social impact. It operates as a company limited by guarantee, and it’s not obligated to obtain authorization from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) for providing investment information or arranging deals. This is due to Ethex being classified as an Enterprise Scheme, exempting it from regulatory requirements related to arranging certain financial transactions.
Ethex presents investment options from ethical for-profit organizations with a social mission. Ethex then puts them in touch with investors, giving them the resources they need to combat climate change, alleviate poverty, and strengthen their communities.
When you invest with Ethex, you’ll have access to professional guidance, user-friendly products, and a curated selection of promising prospects.
Below is a snapshot of the history of Ethex:
Learn about ethical investment options with the Ethex platform alongside the detailed review of Investors Trust S&P 500.
Ethex offers a range of investment opportunities, including investments in renewable energy projects, organic farms, fair trade businesses, and social housing initiatives.
As of the time of writing, there are five projects that are open for investments on the platform, with projected returns of up to 5%.
Among the closed offers, 23 were able to hit or exceed their investment targets, while seven missed their funding goals.
The most over-subscribed project, Low Carbon Hub (withdrawable shares), received more funding than it originally intended to raise. Specifically, it raised 201% of the intended investments, which is more than twice the original mark worth 1.5 million pounds. There were 774 investors who funded the project, which offered a projected return of 5%.
On the other hand, the most under-subscribed project, Wenea South West (Fixed Rate Unsecured Ten Year Bonds), only raised 31% of its goal of 2.1 million pounds. The IFISA-eligible offering closed with 193 investors participating.
High net worth individuals, sophisticated investors and restricted investors can invest with Ethex. During the registration process, you will need to classify yourself as one of those.
If you are residing outside the UK, you might have the opportunity to invest in certain offers on Ethex, subject to the policies and preferences of each organization regarding overseas investors.
Organizations may refuse investors due to the extra administrative expenses involved in making interest payments into foreign bank accounts. To determine whether your investment will be accepted, please contact help@ethex.org.uk before proceeding with the investment.
If the organization is willing to accept your investment from outside the UK, please be aware that certain countries may have restrictions on their citizens investing abroad, and you may need to obtain consent or pay taxes in your home country. When deciding to invest from outside the UK, it is your responsibility to be aware of any restrictions imposed by your country of residence, and Ethex cannot be held liable for any such restrictions.
As part of the registration process, Ethex will also ask for a scanned copy of the primary page of your passport and proof of your address, which can be a bank or investment account statement, or an insurance company statement issued within the last three months.
Additionally, the FCA mandates that potential investors must exhibit a sufficient level of understanding of the offered investment types. To fulfill this requirement, the Appropriateness Test has been designed to aid in comprehending the risks involved in making such investments.
A fee of 0.9082% of the investment amount plus a fixed cost of 0.05 pound will be imposed on all debit card investments. The fees will be charged to you and tallied on top of the amount you invested, rounded up to the nearest pound. Please note that this fee is separate from your investment amount and will not affect it.
Bank transfers are free of charge.
Ethex investments may be eligible for a variety of tax breaks. The Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS), the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS), the Social Investment Tax Relief (SITR), and the Ethex Innovative Finance Individual Savings Account (IFISA) are some of the options available to investors.
You should always double-check your individual tax situation to see if you qualify for any such relief or advantages before making any investments. You are not shielded from the possibility of experiencing a loss of capital if you invest via an IFISA.
Yes, you can. Only those companies whose shares are up for sale will be shown on the secondary market site.
To buy, just select a company. After that, you will be required to study the Offer Document, which will include specifics on the terms as well as the dangers associated with this investment. When the download is complete, select Buy or Buy IFISA, and you will be brought to a selection of bonds that are for sale.
Meanwhile, you can sell your interests in qualified offers directly from Your Portfolio. You’ll be prompted to enter the quantity and selling price. In case you change your mind and no longer wish to sell, you can just delete the ones you put up for sale in the secondary market.
Bear in mind that if no bid is made within 90 days, the selling offer will be deleted automatically.
Yes. A 20 pound transaction charge will be applied to secondary market sales and acquisitions.
Stamp duty may be required on investors buying shares in Ethical Property Company or Cafedirect if the transfer price is more than 1,000 pounds.
Investors will be informed that the project is cancelled and their money will be refunded to their bank account or Ethex ewallet if the minimum fundraising objective is not met before the closure date of the offer.
To establish an ISA with Ethex, you must first register and finalize your account setup. After completing the setup, you will notice an IFISA section with the option to “Open a new ISA.” Then, consent to the terms and conditions of Ethex’s IFISA and provide your National Insurance number.
Investment product profiles on Ethex that qualify for an IFISA are marked with an IFISA tag.
When you start an Ethex IFISA, make investments, send money out, or withdraw money, you won’t be charged any fees.
Ethex allows social enterprises and purpose-driven businesses in various industries, such as renewable energy, affordable and assisted living, sustainable transport, biodynamic agriculture, and community development finance, to raise capital using the platform.
Eligible businesses can issue equity, debt, or a combination of both to raise funds. For equity, you can issue either transferable shares or withdrawable shares.
Transferable shares are the traditional form of equity, which can be bought and sold on the open market. When someone buys transferable shares, they become a part-owner of the company and may have the right to vote on company matters, as well as the potential to receive dividends or other payouts if the company is successful.
Withdrawable shares, on the other hand, are a type of share that can be offered by Community Benefit Societies or Co-operatives. These shares are not transferable and cannot be sold on the open market, but they can be withdrawn by the shareholder upon request.
Withdrawable shares are sometimes referred to as “community shares” because they are often offered to members of the local community who want to support a specific project or initiative.
In addition to equity, it is also possible to offer debt-based crowdfunding options, such as bonds or loan stock. When someone invests in debt-based crowdfunding, they are effectively lending money to the company or project in exchange for interest payments and the eventual repayment of the loan.
Your organization must meet the following criteria:
Ethex sets a minimum investment raise of 120,000 pounds, with an average raise of roughly 400,000 pounds. Although the firm can accommodate discussions on investment raises of any size, it should be noted that the associated work of onboarding, due diligence, and offer material creation may result in fees that are not financially viable for raises under the minimum amount.
Ethex’s largest investment raise to date was 5 million pounds.
There is a flat cost of 10,000 pounds plus 4.5% of funds raised. However, charities, community interest companies, community benefit societies and cooperatives get a discounted fixed charge of 5,000 pounds plus 3% of the amount raised.
Investing in any type of investment, including those offered on Ethex, carries some degree of risk. Before investing in any investment opportunity, it is crucial for investors to conduct a thorough risk assessment and weigh the potential rewards.
Additionally, it is advisable for investors to avoid investing an amount that exceeds their risk tolerance level and their financial capacity to sustain any potential losses. To further minimize risk, diversifying investments across various types of assets and sectors is recommended. This can lower the dependence on any one investment to succeed and decrease the likelihood of losing all of your invested capital in a single investment.