What’s the difference between a settled and an unsettled investment?

A settled investment is an investment that’s fully transferred between providers. That means you can now choose to sell it.

An unsettled investment means the transfer is still in progress. During this time, the investment shown will be a forecast of the eventual amount. If you want to sell it, you’ll have to wait until that particular investment shows as settled (although you don’t need to wait until the entire transfer has completed).

Different investments can complete at different times. This is influenced by various factors, including what type of investment it is. Most shares, investment trusts and ETFs settle within just a few days of appearing on your account. For funds (such as Unit Trusts and OEICs), it can take between two to four weeks.