Lightyear Launches Automated DIY Investing to Empower UK Savers
Lightyear, the investment platform transforming how people grow their wealth, has unveiled “Plans” — a new feature that enables users to personalise and automate long-term investing to achieve their financial objectives with ease. Designed for accessibility and simplicity, Plans allows investors to create customised portfolios of stocks and ETFs aligned with personal goals, automate contributions, and make regular investments without the need for constant oversight.
Through Plans, users can name each portfolio later than a specific goal or life milestone and set automated contributions on a weekly, fortnightly, or monthly basis. This hands-free approach empowers individuals to build consistent investing habits and reduce the complexity often associated with managing personal . UK investors can access thousands of global instruments, including fractionalised ETFs tracking local benchmarks such as the FTSE 100 (Vanguard & iShares), FTSE 250 (Vanguard), and UK Property indices, giving them flexibility to diversify both locally and globally.
“At Lightyear, we want to make investing as simple, affordable, and accessible as possible,” said Wander Rutgers, UK CEO of Lightyear. “Far too many people feel their finances don’t allow them to live life to the fullest. Our new Plans can assist change that by turning investing into a healthy, regular habit that aligns with each person’s budget and goals.”
Takeaway
Expanding Access with Fractional Shares and Smarter Investing Tools
The introduction of Plans comes as Lightyear prepares to expand fractional investing to UK-listed equities, enabling automatic contributions into smaller, affordable slices of individual shares. According to Lightyear research, the average UK stock price of £331.50 is over 230% higher than that of a US stock, making fractional investing a critical step toward democratising access for retail investors.
Once rolled out, users will be able to automate investments into fractional UK shares, allowing for steady contributions and diversification at any investment size. This development aligns with broader efforts to encourage retail participation in the , echoing Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ push for greater retail investment amid ongoing debates about the future of Cash ISAs.
Paul Murphy, Partners, commented: “Financial wellbeing has long been hindered by expensive platforms that make investing feel out of reach. Lightyear is changing that with Plans — making long-term investing simple, intuitive, and low-cost.”
Takeaway
Combining Automation with AI-Powered Market Insights
The launch of Plans follows Lightyear’s earlier rollout of AI-driven market intelligence tools, designed to make data-driven investing accessible to everyone. These include “Why Did It Move”, which explains in real time, and “Bulls Say, Bears Say”, an analytical feature that aggregates expert insights both for and against specific instruments, assisting users make informed decisions.
These tools eliminate barriers traditionally imposed by paywalls and subscription models, giving to professional-grade financial intelligence. Combined with Plans, they offer a seamless investing ecosystem that unites automation, accessibility, and education — key to improving financial literacy and confidence across the UK investing population.
As Lightyear continues to expand its offerings, its mission remains clear: to make investing a routine, empowering part of everyday life. Through automation, fractionalisation, and AI-powered insights, Lightyear is equipping investors with the tools to take control of their financial futures — one Plan at a time.
Takeaway
