Retirement Investment Account: Universal Investment Partners with Baader Bank and Smartbroker

Universal Investment Group (UI Group) supports fund initiators and asset managers in leveraging the opportunities offered by the government-subsidized retirement investment account for their funds and actively managed ETF solutions. To this end, Germany’s largest fund management company has entered into a partnership with Baader Bank and online broker Smartbroker. Together, the three partners are combining their expertise to create an integrated solution for Universal Investment’s clients.

The reform of state-subsidized private retirement investment will create new opportunities for capital market-based retirement solutions from 2027 onwards. Among other things, the retirement investment account will enable investments in mutual funds and actively managed ETFs. This will create a new market segment in which fund initiators and asset managers can offer their investment solutions.

Universal Investment will not offer retirement investment account contracts itself. As a leading fund services platform in Germany and Europe, the company supports fund initiators and asset managers in structuring suitable funds and actively managed ETF solutions for retirement investment accounts and connects them with the relevant distribution and platform partners.

As a provider of certified retirement investment contracts, Baader Bank assumes all core functions relating to the administration of accounts, custody accounts and contracts within the model. These include the maintenance of accounts and custody accounts, trade processing and settlement, as well as brokerage services. In addition, the bank is responsible for regulatory and legal compliance, administration of the government subsidy framework, and the required reporting and notification processes vis-à-vis government authorities. In addition to retirement investment accounts, Baader Bank will also offer standard brokerage accounts as part of the partnership.

Smartbroker provides digital access to retail investors. Fund initiators and asset managers can connect their offerings to the Smartbroker platform, making their funds and actively managed ETFs digitally accessible to retail investors. At the same time, the platform offers a simple and convenient way to open a retirement investment account.

Mathias Heiß, CEO of Universal Investment Germany, said:

“The retirement investment account opens up new opportunities for fund initiators and asset managers in private retirement provision. We support our clients in implementing suitable funds and actively managed ETF solutions and, together with Baader Bank and Smartbroker, bring together complementary areas of expertise for this purpose. This provides our clients with an end-to-end service offering. Building on this model, we will also collaborate with additional partners in the future to provide our clients with a broad range of relevant solutions in this area.”