In a Fox 5 broadcast segment, reporter Alison Morris introduces the newly launched investing app Stash, co‑founded by David Ronick, Ed Robinson, and Brandon Krieg. The hosts explain that Stash lets anyone begin investing with as little as $5 and a smartphone, aiming to solve the widespread fear and perceived cost barrier that keeps over half of Americans—especially those under 30 or with modest incomes—out of the market. The app curates about 30 exchange‑traded funds from major managers like Vanguard and BlackRock, organized into three thematic categories (“I want,” “I like,” “I believe”). Users can purchase fractional shares of companies such as Berkshire Hathaway, clean‑energy firms, or social‑media firms. A built‑in virtual advisor monitors diversification and offers guidance. Pricing is transparent: $1 per month for balances up to $5,000, then a 0.25 % annual fee above that, with no trading commissions. The platform includes a social component that lets users see friends’ investments and compete for performance. At launch, over 50,000 people were on the waiting list, though the app was initially iOS‑only. The segment is upbeat and promotional, emphasizing ease of entry, education, and community as ways to democratize investing.
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A new app out today makes it easier than ever to become an investor.
That's right, it's called Stash and you can get started with just $5. Fox 5's Alison Morris here to explain how it works.
We are very excited about this.
I know, we were just talking about this off camera and I was saying we cover a lot of New York City startups here and this is absolutely one of my favorites. The idea is just great and it's really something for everybody. You know, this is solving a huge problem. People are really afraid to invest. They think you need a lot of money to do it, and Stash is trying to change that. This app is built on the same concept as, say, dieting with Weight Watchers. You start small, you develop good habits over time, and you'll be set for life.
You can start in 2 minutes, you know, with $5 and a phone, and you can become an investor.
That's the premise behind Stash, a brand new app David Ronick, Ed Robinson, and Brandon Krieg created right here in New York City to get more people into the markets.
Over half of Americans don't invest, particularly people under 30 and people that don't earn a lot.
The trio came up with the idea last winter and interviewed over 100 people to understand why they weren't investing. The same problems kept coming up.
It's confusing and it's unrelatable to us and it's expensive, or at least we think it's expensive. So we set out to Stash
simplifies the options out there by offering about 30 different investments, mostly exchange-traded funds managed by big firms with strong track records like Vanguard or BlackRock. Stash users pick investments that matter to them from 3 different categories: I want, I like, or I believe.
You can buy a little bit of Berkshire Hathaway, you can buy a little bit of clean and green energy, you can buy a little bit of Internet companies, social media companies.
Once you've picked your funds, the virtual Stash advisor makes sure you're on the right track.
My favorite part of Stash is the virtual advisor. As I make choices and as I invest, the virtual advisor is going to guide me. So it might tell me that I'm not diversified enough or I'm choosing too many technology investments.
More than 50,000 people signed up for the Stash waiting list while the app was still in beta testing. Want to join them now that it's gone live? The fees start at just $1 a
month. It's $1 a month up to $5,000, and then once you get above $5,000, it goes down to 0.25% per year. And it's black and white. There's no trading fees, no commission fees. We want to be really transparent with our users.
All right, I'm really psyched about this app, and I am putting my money where my mouth is. I'm gonna invest this week and even compete with one of our producers here to see who can make more money. That's another cool thing that Stash will let you do if you want to, only if you want to. You can turn on a social There's also a social component so you can see what your friends are investing in and get a little competitive with them. The only downside right now, it's only available for Apple users, so sorry to the Android folks, but they say that's coming soon, so sit tight.
That's a great idea. That social element brings it up to the next level too, you know. It really does. Gets you so invested in investing smart.
Yeah, make it a little more fun.
You can learn a lot from, you know, your peers.
Absolutely. Trade Strategies. Good deal. All right, thank you, Allison.
