Comparison

Vault vsWio.

Wio is a UAE digital bank with an investing arm: low-commission US and UAE stock trading, fractional shares, crypto and savings spaces, all inside one app. Vault is a fee-only fiduciary advisor. Different products entirely. Here's how they compare for someone deciding where their wealth should sit.

Wio Invest is a self-directed brokerage embedded in a digital bank. There is no fiduciary advice, no financial plan, and no dedicated advisor; pricing is a per-order commission plus FX conversion on AED funding. Vault charges a single tiered management fee and acts as the advisor of record across the relationship.

Side-by-side

How we compare on the things that matter.

Minimum to qualify

Vault

USD 100,000 in liquid net wealth.

Wio

No stated minimum to open. Investing accounts are funded directly from the Wio Personal current account.

Fee model

Vault

One management fee, tiered so the rate falls as the portfolio grows. No transaction fees on the core, no custody fees, no commissions, no retrocessions.

Wio

Per-order commissions: US stocks 0.20% (USD 0.50 minimum, USD 4.95 maximum); ADX 0.15%; DFM 0.275% plus AED 10; crypto 0.5%, charged by Fuze. AED-to-USD conversion carries an FX cost that is not published as a separate bps figure.

Asset custody

Vault

Assets custodied with Interactive Brokers in your own name — fully segregated, SIPC + FDIC insured. Vault never takes possession of client funds.

Wio

Assets held inside Wio Securities' SCA-regulated environment. The UAE has no statutory investor compensation scheme equivalent to SIPC.

Regulation

Vault

FSRA-regulated in ADGM (UAE) and CMA-licensed in Saudi Arabia (licence 25313-20).

Wio

Wio Securities LLC (a wholly owned subsidiary of ADQ Financial Services) is licensed by the UAE Securities & Commodities Authority (SCA), which Wio's site now refers to as the UAE Capital Market Authority, under trading-broker licence 20200000072.

Advisor incentives

Vault

Advisors are salaried, with bonuses tied to client outcomes and retention — never to product sales, transaction volume, or in-house fund flows.

Wio

Execution venue. No human advisor; "automated portfolios" inside the app are off-the-shelf model portfolios, not personalised fiduciary advice.

Investment access

Vault

Globally diversified core via low-cost ETFs and bonds, plus a satellite with curated private-market opportunities, thematic strategies, and direct equity convictions.

Wio

UAE and US stocks and ETFs, fractional shares, and crypto (BTC, ETH, XRP and others) via Fuze (VARA-regulated). 2,500+ US stocks and ETFs. No bonds, no options, no global multi-market access beyond US and UAE.

Cash yield

Vault

SmartCash earns daily interest in USD, EUR, and GBP — no lock-ins, no teaser rates, no minimum balance to earn the headline rate.

Wio

Multi-currency Fixed Saving Spaces in AED and USD at promotional tiered rates inside the Wio Personal bank — sat alongside the brokerage, not inside it.

Planning model

Vault

Structured financial planning around your goals, cash flow, and family — delivered by a dedicated CFA- or CFP-qualified advisor, complimentary as part of the relationship.

Wio

Self-directed. No financial plan, no dedicated advisor, no fiduciary duty.

Competitor details last updated . Sources are listed at the foot of the page.

Why Vault

A wealth manager built around your interests, not the bank's.

Custody

Held in your name at Interactive Brokers.

Vault never takes possession of client funds. Assets sit in your own account at IBKR — segregated, with SIPC and FDIC protection on the underlying.

Incentives

Advisor incentives aligned with portfolio growth.

Vault advisors are salaried with bonuses tied to client outcomes and retention. No commissions, no kickbacks, no in-house product flows.

Regulation

Regulated in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

Vault Wealth Limited is regulated by the FSRA in ADGM. Vault Saudi Limited Company is licensed by the CMA (licence 25313-20).

Entry point

Starts at USD 100,000 in liquid net wealth.

A genuine private-wealth relationship without the seven-figure threshold that defines traditional private banking.

Investment access

Private markets in the satellite.

Beyond the diversified core, Vault clients access curated private-market opportunities, thematic strategies, and direct convictions — the same shelf as larger institutions.

Planning

Structured financial planning by a dedicated advisor.

Goals, cash flow, risk, and family wealth — modelled end-to-end and reviewed continuously with a CFA- or CFP-qualified advisor who knows your name.

Cash

Daily-yielding SmartCash, no lock-ins.

Multi-currency cash earning daily interest in USD, EUR, and GBP. Withdraw anytime — no teaser rates, no minimums, no surprises.

FAQ

Vault vs Wio: common questions

  • Vault: USD 100,000 in liquid net wealth. Wio: No stated minimum to open. Investing accounts are funded directly from the Wio Personal current account.

  • Vault: Assets custodied with Interactive Brokers in your own name — fully segregated, SIPC + FDIC insured. Vault never takes possession of client funds. Wio: Assets held inside Wio Securities' SCA-regulated environment. The UAE has no statutory investor compensation scheme equivalent to SIPC.

  • Vault: Advisors are salaried, with bonuses tied to client outcomes and retention — never to product sales, transaction volume, or in-house fund flows. Wio: Execution venue. No human advisor; "automated portfolios" inside the app are off-the-shelf model portfolios, not personalised fiduciary advice.

  • Vault: FSRA-regulated in ADGM (UAE) and CMA-licensed in Saudi Arabia (licence 25313-20). Wio: Wio Securities LLC (a wholly owned subsidiary of ADQ Financial Services) is licensed by the UAE Securities & Commodities Authority (SCA), which Wio's site now refers to as the UAE Capital Market Authority, under trading-broker licence 20200000072.

  • Vault: Structured financial planning around your goals, cash flow, and family — delivered by a dedicated CFA- or CFP-qualified advisor, complimentary as part of the relationship. Wio: Self-directed. No financial plan, no dedicated advisor, no fiduciary duty.

Curious how a fee-only relationship looksnext to Wio?

Book a complimentary discovery session with a Vault advisor. We'll walk through your current setup, model the all-in cost, and show you exactly what a Vault relationship would look like — no obligation.

Sources & disclaimers

Comparison data is taken from each provider's publicly disclosed materials as of May 2026. Bank fee schedules, minimums, and product shelves change frequently — always verify current figures with each institution before deciding. Nothing on this page is a solicitation to switch providers or a representation that Vault is better suited to a particular individual's circumstances. For independent advice tailored to your situation, speak with a regulated wealth advisor.

Reviewed by Bilal Abou-Diab, CFA