The instrument catalog explains the individual building blocks. This page shows how those blocks combine into four model archetypes that are common in practice, from a capital-stable short-horizon mix up to an equity-heavy growth tilt for very long horizons.
These are illustrative model archetypes, not personalised portfolios and not a recommendation. Real allocations should be set against your own income, CPF balances, time horizon, and risk tolerance with a licensed adviser.
Capital Preservation
An illustrative low-risk mix focused on protecting capital and preserving purchasing power over short horizons.
Very low riskHorizon: 1-3 years
This archetype is built around guaranteed and government-backed instruments, with the primary aim of keeping principal intact rather than chasing growth. It leans on bank deposits, Singapore Savings Bonds, T-bills, and money-market funds as the foundation, with a small allocation to a high-quality SGS bond ETF for modest yield.
Returns are intentionally modest and may not always beat inflation, which is the trade-off for stability and predictable access. The structure illustrates how a conservative sleeve can be assembled from widely available, well-understood Singapore instruments rather than as a personalised recommendation.
High-yield / bonus-interest savings accounts
Band 20% to 30% (midpoint 25.0%)
Fixed deposits (time deposits)
Band 15% to 25% (midpoint 20.0%)
Singapore Savings Bonds (SSB)
Band 20% to 30% (midpoint 25.0%)
Treasury Bills (T-bills)
Band 10% to 20% (midpoint 15.0%)
Money-market funds
Band 5% to 15% (midpoint 10.0%)
SGS / Government Bond ETFs
Band 5% to 15% (midpoint 10.0%)
Weight bands are typical industry ranges, not exact targets. Historical vehicle returns are illustrative; past performance is not indicative of future results.
Typical use case
Illustrative example of how short-horizon savings earmarked for a near-term goal or emergency reserves can be structured around capital-stable instruments.
Income
An illustrative income-tilted mix combining government and corporate bonds with dividend-paying equities and REITs.
Medium riskHorizon: 3-7 years
This archetype is structured around instruments that generate regular cash flow: investment-grade bond ETFs, Singapore Savings Bonds, a diversified basket of Singapore REITs, and SGX-listed dividend equities. The intent is to illustrate how an income-oriented portfolio can be assembled from instruments accessible through standard SGX brokerage and fund platforms.
Distributions are not guaranteed and can be reduced or suspended, and the underlying unit prices still move with interest rates and economic conditions. This composition is an educational reference for how cash-flow-focused sleeves are commonly constructed, not a personalised plan.
Singapore Savings Bonds (SSB)
Band 10% to 20% (midpoint 15.0%)
Bond ETFs
Band 20% to 30% (midpoint 25.0%)
Bond Unit Trusts (Funds)
Band 10% to 20% (midpoint 15.0%)
Singapore REITs (S-REITs)
Band 15% to 25% (midpoint 20.0%)
REIT ETFs
Band 5% to 15% (midpoint 10.0%)
SGX Dividend (Income) Stocks
Band 10% to 20% (midpoint 15.0%)
Weight bands are typical industry ranges, not exact targets. Historical vehicle returns are illustrative; past performance is not indicative of future results.
Typical use case
Illustrative example of how a portfolio sleeve oriented toward regular distributions might be combined while keeping moderate market exposure.
Balanced Growth
A classic balanced mix of broad equity and bond exposure aimed at long-term growth with moderated volatility.
Medium to high riskHorizon: 7+ years
This archetype illustrates a classic 60/40-style structure, anchored on a diversified equity core through broad index ETFs and a managed fund alongside a SGX-listed local equity sleeve, paired with high-quality bond exposure via an SGS bond ETF and a corporate bond ETF. A modest REIT allocation adds an income tilt and asset-class diversification.
Over multi-year horizons this kind of mix tends to ride out individual market drawdowns better than an all-equity portfolio, while still participating in long-run market growth. The composition is an educational reference for how a balanced multi-asset sleeve can be assembled from common, low-cost building blocks.
Index ETFs
Band 25% to 35% (midpoint 30.0%)
Robo-Advisors
Band 15% to 25% (midpoint 20.0%)
SGX Blue-Chip Stocks
Band 5% to 15% (midpoint 10.0%)
SGS / Government Bond ETFs
Band 10% to 20% (midpoint 15.0%)
Bond ETFs
Band 10% to 20% (midpoint 15.0%)
REIT ETFs
Band 5% to 15% (midpoint 10.0%)
Weight bands are typical industry ranges, not exact targets. Historical vehicle returns are illustrative; past performance is not indicative of future results.
Typical use case
Illustrative example of how a long-horizon portfolio can balance growth and stability through a diversified mix of equities, bonds, and listed real estate.
High Growth
An equity-heavy long-horizon mix aiming for capital growth, accepting larger short-term drawdowns.
High riskHorizon: 10+ years
This archetype is built around broad equity exposure via index ETFs, a robo-managed core, foreign-listed equities for global diversification, and SGX-listed shares for local growth and dividends. A small allocation to a REIT ETF adds listed-real-estate diversification without taking the portfolio outside non-complex retail instruments.
Equity-dominant portfolios can fall sharply in the short term and require the discipline to stay invested through volatility. The composition is illustrative of how a long-horizon, growth-tilted portfolio can be assembled from broadly accessible Singapore-relevant instruments, not a personalised plan.
Index ETFs
Band 30% to 40% (midpoint 35.0%)
Foreign Equities via Brokers
Band 15% to 25% (midpoint 20.0%)
Robo-Advisors
Band 15% to 25% (midpoint 20.0%)
SGX Blue-Chip Stocks
Band 10% to 20% (midpoint 15.0%)
REIT ETFs
Band 5% to 15% (midpoint 10.0%)
Weight bands are typical industry ranges, not exact targets. Historical vehicle returns are illustrative; past performance is not indicative of future results.
Typical use case
Illustrative example of how a long-horizon portfolio can be tilted toward equities to seek higher expected returns over multi-decade timeframes.
Want to see which archetype actually fits your plan?
These four archetypes are educational reference compositions. A licensed adviser can map them against your income, CPF, SRS, goals, and risk tolerance, then help you decide which structure fits your situation.