Reference
Glossary
The terms that keep showing up in the reports, defined in plain language. Hover any acronym in a post for a quick reminder.
AUMAssets Under Management - the total market value of assets a fund or platform manages.
CDPCentral Depository - Singapore's central securities depository. Shares held there are registered in your own name.
CPFCentral Provident Fund - Singapore's compulsory national savings scheme.
CPFISCPF Investment Scheme - the program that lets CPF and SRS money be invested, only via approved instruments and local brokers.
EIMIiShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets IMI UCITS ETF - an Irish-domiciled accumulating ETF tracking broad emerging markets, traded on the London Stock Exchange.
EMEmerging Markets - economies classified as developing rather than developed; in index funds, a country bucket with higher growth expectations and higher volatility.
ETFExchange-Traded Fund - a fund that trades on a stock exchange like a single share.
FTSEFinancial Times Stock Exchange - the index provider behind the FTSE All-World and other global indices (owned by LSEG).
FXForeign Exchange - currency conversion, e.g. Singapore dollars to US dollars.
GSTGoods and Services Tax - Singapore's consumption tax, 9% as of 2026.
LSELondon Stock Exchange - where many Irish UCITS ETFs are listed.
MASMonetary Authority of Singapore - Singapore's central bank and financial regulator.
MSCIMorgan Stanley Capital International - an index provider; its MSCI Emerging Markets IMI underlies the EIMI emerging-markets ETF.
REITReal Estate Investment Trust - a company that owns income-generating property and distributes most of its profits as dividends.
SDICSingapore Deposit Insurance Corporation - insures bank deposits in Singapore up to S$100,000 per bank per depositor.
SGDSingapore Dollar - the currency of Singapore.
SGXSingapore Exchange - Singapore's securities exchange.
SIPCSecurities Investor Protection Corporation - US scheme protecting brokerage assets up to US$500,000 (US$250,000 cash).
SRSSupplementary Retirement Scheme - a voluntary retirement top-up scheme with tax relief and a lock-up period.
SSBSingapore Savings Bonds - government bonds that can be redeemed early at face value plus accrued interest.
TERTotal Expense Ratio - the fund's ongoing annual fee, charged as a percentage of assets.
UCITSUndertakings for Collective Investment in Transferable Securities - a European fund wrapper. Irish-domiciled UCITS ETFs (e.g. VWRA, CSPX) trade on the London Stock Exchange and are preferred by many Singapore investors for their 15% dividend withholding tax versus 30% in the US.
USDUS Dollar - the currency of the United States.
VWRAVanguard FTSE All-World UCITS ETF - an Irish-domiciled accumulating global equity ETF tracking the FTSE All-World index, traded in USD on the London Stock Exchange.
WHTWithholding Tax - tax deducted at source on dividends or interest before the money reaches you.