Young UK investors are the keenest on robo-advice in the world, a study has indicated.

Legg Mason Global Asset Management surveyed more than 1,000 investors aged between 18 and 39.

In total, 85% of UK-based millennials in the survey said they were comfortable with robo-advice.

Some 80% said they would trust their advice, which was ahead of all other investors around the world except the US – with 82%.

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On average, 59% of millennials globally expressed comfort with robo-advice, with 63% trusting it; within Europe, 70% said they were comfortable with robo-advice, with 65% trusting it.

Overall, professional financial advisers scored more highly among UK millennials (with 91% feeling comfortable with their financial adviser, and 88% having trust in them), although the narrow gap between the different channels shows the extent to which robo-advice is taking off among the younger generation.

Adam Gent, Legg Mason’s head of UK sales, said: “Robo-advice remains a relatively new concept in the UK compared to the US, where it is more established, but the levels of support for this new advice channel suggests it is far more than a passing fad.

“Indeed, with such trust being placed in online advice by younger investors, many of whom will have grown up with the internet, it would appear the future looks bright for robo-advisers as they seek to establish footholds in the UK advice market.”

The research was conducted by Northstar Research Partners, an independent global marketing research firm.

Respondents had to be the sole or joint decision-maker for household investment decision and have $200,000+ investable assets - including investment real estate but not primary residence/vacation property.