Country _ Name
Colombia
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Financial advisory and broking services including robo advisory and auto-trading
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FinTechs belonging to this category offer advisory and broking services for investments usually via an internet platform.

Robo advisory services usually offer an investment proposition following a series of questions concerning the personal financial background and the risk-bearing capacity of the user. Sometimes the respective platform also enables the user to directly execute the proposed investment. 

Auto-trading concerns all services which automatically trade on behalf of the customer according to his or her specifications.

Apart from that some FinTechs collect and offer merely or as an ancillary service market information or operate comparison portals to increase the transparency of the capital markets and to help the investor with his decision-making.

There are also FinTech-advertising-services which advertise various financial services or products.

Introduction

Attitude of the country towards modern financial advisory and broking services

Robo-advisory is a fast-growing industry in Colombia. Due to their user-friendly, automated processes and low-cost portfolio management, robo-advisors are posing a challenge to traditional financial institutions and financial advisory services.

In Colombia, the use of new technologies has made the provision of services by financial institutions more efficient, appropriate, and effective. Thus, financial entities are not oblivious to the use of algorithms and models that can help them to provide advice with better results.

In 2024, local neobrokers reported around US $16.9 million in revenue and managed total assets worth approximately US $1.79 billion. At the same time, the robo-advisory segment is projected to reach about US $3.8 billion in assets under management by 2025, with an expected compound annual growth rate of 9.2% through 2029. These figures reflect rising demand for digital trading platforms, automated investment tools, and affordable wealth-building solutions among Colombian retail investors.


Legal affairs

Obligations and requirements to provide financial advisory and broking services, or ancillary services described above

Through Decree 661 of 2018, the National Government incorporated the express authorization for financial institutions to use technological tools in the provision of professional recommendations to their clients. This must adhere to the same rules as conventional advisory services, along with specific requirements set by the Colombian Superintendency of Finance regarding the use of new technologies.

The Colombian Superintendency of Finance expressed that technological innovation should enhance the value proposition for investors participating in the securities market. This involves developing new products and more agile access mechanisms to broaden the investor base, which require more informed, thorough, and precise client risk profiling and asset selection.

Moreover, it requires higher-quality information provision and greater transparency regarding associated costs. The Superintendency also noted that implementing robo-advisors has the potential to increase competitiveness, deepen and make investment processes more efficient, reduce costs for agents and investors, and enhance the client experience.

In turn, External Circular 19 of 2021 of the Superintendency of Finance issues instructions on classifying products as simple or complex to determine their target investors based on their needs and investment goals. It also provides guidelines for supervised entities using technological tools to offer professional recommendations.

Additional comments regarding the legal situation for financial advisory and broking services, or adjacent services or what FinTech’s must be aware of in this business area

Colombian financial services market is highly regulated and governed by several laws and decrees, such as Law 964 of 2005 and Decree 2555 of 2010.

Colombian law states the possibility of providing professional advice through technology tools. These services are subject to the same rules applicable to conventional advice. In addition, there are some special requirements in relation to the use of new technologies established by the Colombian Financial Superintendence.

Decree 2555 states that entities may not be exempted from their responsibility for the provision of a professional recommendation due to failures of any nature affecting the technological tools used for such purpose. Therefore, the broker-dealer that was initially contracted must have direct responsibility in order to protect investors.


Economic conditions

Market size for financial advisory and broking services as well as adjacent services and biggest companies in this business area

The online financial advisory services market is small. Colombia's first online consulting platform for small and medium-sized enterprises MasterBiz (an alliance Global Network of Exportation) reached the country in 2016. The MasterCard Biz portal seeks to foster business growth in Colombia and Latin America, as well as promote business competitiveness through tools and solutions. This launch responded to one of MasterCard's priorities to promote and energize the region's economy through small and medium-sized entrepreneurs .

According to the 2019 digital economy report by German statistics firm Statista, about 23% of respondents in Colombia said they would be willing to consult Robo-Advisors. This figure contrasts with 18% of respondents in Mexico, and 17% in the US . This demonstrates a positive growth in the Colombian market. Colombian financial group Grupo Bancolombia joined the robo-advisory industry with the launch of an automated advisor for the clients of its brokerage firm, Valores Bancolombia. This has been followed by private retirement funds firms like Protección.

Additional comments regarding the economic situation for financial advisory and broking services as well as adjacent services or what FinTech’s must be aware of in this business area

This market continues to grow with the good economic moment, the interest of foreign companies to enter the Colombian market, as well as local companies to expand their borders. In all cases, large consulting firms are indispensable.



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