What is the “Add Benchmark” Feature?

On Q.ai, you’ll notice several features to help you make the most of your investing experience. One of these features is the “Add Benchmark” feature. Here’s what you need to know about it.

What (and where) is the Add Benchmark feature?

The Add Benchmark feature is located on your account page.

When you log in to your Q.ai account, you’ll see Your Account in big white letters at the top of the screen. Just below that is an amount—your account value, including net deposits and profits. Below that number, you’ll find several metrics, including your time-weighted return, personal rate of return and profit & losses. With these metrics, you can see how your overall portfolio is performing.

However, the Add Benchmark feature takes it a step further. When you tap on the Explore button in the center bottom of your dashboard, you’ll find all of the Investment Kits Q.ai has to offer. When you click into an Investment Kit, you’ll be able to see your own investments in that Kit, if there are any (if you’re not invested in that particular Kit, it’ll just say $0.00). Just below that dollar amount is the “Add Benchmark” button. 

When you tap it, you can select a benchmark to which to compare your investments. We use various benchmarks depending on the Kit since some are more relevant to some Kits but not others. For example, for the Emerging Tech Kit, you can choose from the following benchmarks:

• ARK Innovation ETF
• ARK Next Generation Internet ETF
• Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund
• Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund
• Vanguard Information Technology Index Fund

Meanwhile, for the Global Trends Kit, you can choose from the following benchmarks:

• SPDR S&P 500 ETF
• iShared Core Aggressive Allocation ETF
• iShares Core Growth Allocation ETF
• iShares Core Moderate Allocation ETF
• iShares Russell 1000 ETF

 You can also choose to hide the benchmark by tapping Hide benchmark and selecting Save.

Why is the Add Benchmark feature important?

A benchmark is a point of reference or a yardstick for measuring and analyzing how your investment strategies—or Investment Kits, in the case of your Q.ai account—perform. Investing benchmarks allow you to assess your volatility and return against a common standard.

Benchmarks typically refer to indexes, which include dozens or hundreds of assets within a specific asset class (stocks vs. bonds), market sector or industry, market cap, geographic location or some combination of them all. 

When you look at your account, you can see a graph that shows how your strategies are performing against the benchmarks you select.

Want to learn more about how Q.ai works? Head over to our Help Center for answers to our most commonly asked questions.