Invest in the S&P 500 from New Zealand.
Own your piece of America’s 500 largest companies, with no brokerage fees and the option to hedge against currency swings.
What is the S&P 500?
The S&P 500 tracks the 500 largest companies listed in the United States, spanning names like Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, and Nvidia. It's widely used as a benchmark for the US stock market and is one of the most followed indices in the world.
For New Zealand investors, it can be a foundational building block: a single investment that provides diversified exposure to the scale and innovation of the US market. Because the index is market-cap weighted, it naturally gives more weight to larger companies and changes with the market, so your money stays invested in the market leaders without you having to watch stocks.
How NZ Investors can get S&P 500 exposure
While you can access the S&P 500 through overseas brokers or NZ-listed ETFs, the tax, fee and currency structures vary significantly. Kernel’s S&P 500 Fund is designed to remove the friction and hidden costs of international investing.
- No brokerage fees or buy/sell spreads
- Management fee of just 0.25%p.a.
- A PIE structure that is generally more tax-efficient for most NZ investors than holding an overseas ETF directly. Tax is capped at your Prescribed Investor Rate (max 28%, even if your personal rate is higher), Kernel handles the FIF calculation for you, and there’s no $50,000 threshold to worry about.
- Available inside a KiwiSaver plan or as a direct investment
- Hedged or Unhedged options
Choose your S&P 500 Exposure with Kernel
S&P 500 Unhedged
Full exposure to both the US market and USD/NZD currency movements. A good fit if you're comfortable with extra currency-driven volatility in exchange for potential upside when the NZD weakens.
S&P 500 NZD Hedged
Removes most of the impact of the USD/NZD exchange rate, so your returns track closer to the published index. A good fit if you'd rather your returns reflect the index itself, without extra currency swings.
One dashboard. Total oversight.
Your S&P 500 investment is just one part of the bigger picture. With Kernel, you can also access 27+ global and local funds, manage your KiwiSaver and savings, and invest in direct Shares & ETFs—all in one easy-to-use platform.
See your investments together and build a long-term strategy that fits your goals.
Investing involves risks. Kernel Wealth Limited is the manager and issuer of the Kernel KiwiSaver Plan and Kernel Funds scheme. The Product Disclosure Statements are available at kernelwealth.co.nz
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