XTB upgrades investment plans with ready-made portfolios

XTB has upgraded the Investment Plans feature in its investing app, adding ready-made portfolios and broader portfolio-building options for retail investors.

The update gives users three main routes: ready-made plans with risk-based allocations, sector-focused plans targeting specific industries, and a do-it-yourself option that lets investors build plans from scratch. Users can now combine individual stocks and exchange-traded funds within the same plan.

The changes expand a product XTB has positioned as a long-term investing tool for customers seeking a more structured approach to portfolio building. They also reflect a broader push by retail investment platforms to simplify fund selection and automate routine portfolio management for users who do not want to make frequent trading decisions.

Investors can still use auto-investing and on-demand rebalancing, two features already available in the service. XTB has also updated the interface to show plan composition and investment results more clearly.

The changes are aimed at people who find the range of available investment products difficult to navigate. The addition of ready-made and sector-based options suggests XTB is targeting both newer investors seeking guidance and more confident users who want a thematic or customised portfolio.

Joshua Raymond, Managing Director UK at XTB, said many first-time customers on the platform begin with cash equities, ETFs or structured plans rather than more complex trading products.

"Over 80% of our new clients in Europe start investing by buying stocks, ETFs, or setting up their individual investment plans. To make this first step even easier, we now offer them ready-made solutions that ensure sector diversification and match their risk tolerance. Whether they are investing for a dream trip or a long-term milestone, it all starts with a plan. We are making it simpler to take control of making that plan a reality," said Joshua Raymond, Managing Director UK at XTB.

The latest revision broadens what can sit inside an investment plan. Similar tools on retail platforms have often centred on funds alone, particularly ETFs, because they offer instant diversification and are simpler to administer within automated products. By allowing individual shares alongside ETFs, XTB is giving users more freedom to tilt a long-term plan towards specific companies while keeping part of a portfolio in pooled assets.

Retail focus

The change comes as investment apps try to retain customers beyond their first trades by offering products that support regular saving and portfolio management. For many platforms, recurring investments, pre-set allocations and automatic rebalancing can encourage longer holding periods and steadier customer engagement than occasional stock picking alone.

XTB said the upgraded plans were designed to make long-term investing easier to organise and monitor. The revised interface presents allocations and performance in a more straightforward format, which may matter for users treating the product as a goal-based savings tool rather than a trading account.

XTB has built a presence across multiple retail investment categories, including stocks, ETFs and contracts for difference, while also offering tax wrappers in some markets. That leaves it competing in a crowded European market where platforms are trying to serve both active traders and customers seeking simpler, lower-maintenance investment journeys.

Raymond said the volume of financial instruments available to retail investors could itself become a barrier to participation.

"Many investors can feel overwhelmed by the thousands of financial instruments available, or simply lack the time to oversee their portfolio daily. That's why we improved Investment Plans, allowing anyone to start their journey with ready-made, predefined solutions," said Raymond.

XTB says it has close to 3 million users, operates from 17 offices worldwide, and is listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange.