Alternative Investments
The global alternative investment space now sits at more than $9 trillion in global assets, and we’re just getting started. Roughly 40% of RIAs are using alternative investments. With the RIA space expanding and alternative investment demand rising among investors – a surge in data, news, and opinion will continue. This channel cuts through the noise to give you the most important actionable insight.
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European digital asset manager Coinshares is launching a new ETP product, the physically backed CoinShares Physical Bitcoin (Ticker: BITC) on the SIX Swiss Exchange today. The ETP enables investors to gain exposure to the price of bitcoin on a regulated European stock exchange.
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More Stories on Alternative Investments
Alternative Investments/AI: AI Becomes NVIDIA’s Largest Business; ETFs Holding NVDA
Three very significant events took place in 2020. First, the aggregate market cap of the computer chip industry overtook that of the oil industry. The top 30 semi-conductor companies are together valued at $2.5 trillion, while the 30 biggest oil firms are $1.7 trillion. Second, NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA) knocked Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) off its pedestal as America’s biggest chipmaker. Third, AI vaulted to become the biggest business at NVIDIA.
Alternative Investments/ESG: Invesco Launches Five Global Fund-of-Funds As Its Summit Responsible Range
Invesco’s new Summit Responsible range of five global multi-asset funds aims to provide investors a cost-effective exposure to ESG considerations with specific risk levels. The funds’ assets will 100% be invested in line with certain ESG criteria.
Alternative Investments/Digital: The Highly Successful BTCetc Bitcoin ETP Lists On SIX Switzerland
The SIX Swiss Exchange announced Wednesday the listing of the BTCetc Bitcoin ETP (Primary Ticker: BTCE) by ETC Group. This is the ETP’s second listing in Europe after its launch on Deutsche Börse’s Xetra platform in June 2020.
Alternative Investments/Digital: AUM At Global ESG ETFs Surged To Record In 2020 (TrackInsight)
Data from the global ETF analysis platform TrackInsight shows that ESG ETF assets across the world grew 223% year-on-year to scale a new record of US$189 billion in 2020. Nearly 200 new ESG ETFs were launched during the year, and total inflows into ESG ETFs were US$97 billion.
Alternative Investments/Digital: Biden’s $3T Stimulus More Rocket Fuel For Bitcoin?
Crypto aficionados are eagerly looking forward to a new stimulus plan worth $3 trillion from U.S. President-elect Joe Biden. Though meant to be a rescue package for millions of Americans reeling from the economic damage inflicted by the virus, it may undercut the value of the dollar. However, that does not appear to be a concern for Biden, given his recent statement: “Economic research confirms that with conditions like the crisis today, especially with such low interest rates, taking immediate action – even with deficit financing – is going to help the economy.”
Alternative Investments/ESG: The SP Funds S&P Global REIT Sharia ETF For Exposure To Shariah-Compliant Real Estate
This is a new faith-based ETF from SP Funds, home of North America’s largest family of Shariah-compliant ETFs. SP Funds has a solution for investors looking for Shariah-compliant exposure to real estate using the ETF vehicle. The asset manager has launched North America’s first Shariah-compliant REIT ETF. The SP Funds S&P Global REIT Sharia ETF (NYSEARCA: SPRE) launched on the New York Stock Exchange on December 30.
Alternative Investments/Digital Assets: FiCAS’ Active Crypto ETP Greenlighted For All Investors Across The European Union
FiCAS AG announced today that it has received the regulatory go-ahead to offer its 15 FiCAS Active Crypto ETP throughout the European Union to all investors. FiCAS, a Swiss-based crypto investment boutique, had first launched the ETP in Switzerland in July 2020 on the SIX Swiss Exchange. The actively managed ETP does not track bitcoin or any other crypto. Instead, FiCAS actively manages its investments in 15 top cryptocurrencies to generate sustainable returns over a time horizon of 3 to 5 years.
Alternative Investments/Digital: “Bitcoin Could Be Rat Poison, But The Rat Could Be Cash,” Says Bill Miller
Bill Miller, the founder of major investment management firm Miller Value Partners and Co-Founder of Legg Mason Capital Management, made some very bullish observations on bitcoin in his Market Letter for Q4.
Alternative Investments: Simplify Asset Management Launches Four New Disruptive Technology ETFs
Four new ‘bleeding edge’ ETFs are on the anvil from Simplify Asset Management. Founded by Paul Kim and David M. Berns, Ph.D., the firm’s new thematic ETFs focus on firms that have important technological or cultural edges and provide meaningful concentration to their stock price.
Alternative Investments/Digital Assets: Fresh Bid By VanEck For A Bitcoin ETF
VanEck filed an application with the SEC last week for a VanEck Bitcoin Trust. The SEC has removed unmoved thus far and turned down all previous applications for launching a bitcoin ETF. VanEck itself retracted its previous ETF application in September 2019.
Alternative Investments/ESG: Ray Dalio’s Bridgewater And Lyxor Tie Up For All-Weather ESG UCITS Fund
Bridgewater Associates, the world’s largest hedge fund, which is led by billionaire Ray Dalio, will launch in Europe a sustainability/ESG fund using a UCITS structure. For this purpose, it is partnering with Lyxor Asset Management, a subsidiary of French bank Societe Generale (PAR: GLE).
Alternative Investments/ESG: Invesco Launches Four Active Non-Transparent ETFs
Investors get the opportunity to avail of Invesco’s investment expertise in their first suite of active, non-transparent ETFs. Other features of the ETFs that investors will find attractive are tax efficiency, intraday tradability and an arbitrage mechanism. Besides, the four ETFs also offer a very cost-effective structure.
Alternative Investments/Digital Assets: Bitcoin Funds By CI Financial And Skybridge
Canadian mutual fund manager CI Financial Corp has floated a US$72 million bitcoin fund. The IPO of the closed-ended fund issued units at US$12.88 ($10) each. These will list on the Toronto Stock Exchange in both USD and Canadian dollars. Meanwhile, an SEC filing reveals that Skybridge Capital, the wealth management firm run by Anthony Scaramucci, is launching Skybridge Bitcoin Fund L.P.
Alternative Investments/Digital Assets: Suspected Russian Hack Attack Ignites Cybersecurity ETFs
A nation-scale bad actor is said to be responsible for the security breaches last week that have compromised untold numbers of victims ranging from government agencies to corporates. The modus operandi was to infect thousands of systems through SolarWinds, a third-party software vendor. Investors may keep an eye on cybersecurity stocks and ETFs.
Alternative Investments/Digital Assets: “This Is The Most Interesting Macro Trade I’ve Seen In My Career” (Eric Peters Of One River)
Bloomberg revealed Wednesday that hedge fund One River Asset Management was the newest bitcoin whale on the block after it bought up more than $600 million in cryptos. One River chief executive Eric Peters conducted his trades in bitcoin and ether quietly through November at prices below $16,000.
Alternative Investments/ESG: Morgan Stanley UK Launches Sustainable Fixed Income Opportunities Fund
The Morgan Stanley UK Sustainable Fixed Income Opportunities fund will primarily invest in global fixed income securities issued by corporates and governments while integrating ESG considerations into the investing process.
Its portfolio will feature an assortment of investment grade, high yield, emerging market, convertible, securitized, and government bonds.
Alternative Investments/ESG: Inspire Adds Two New ETFs To Its Biblical Range
The Inspire Faithward Large Cap Momentum ETF (NYSE: FEVR) and the Inspire Faithward Mid Cap Momentum ETF (NYSE: GLRY) are two new, actively managed biblically responsible ETFs from the house of Inspire Investing.
Alternative Investments/Digital Assets: Swiss Firm Valour Launches Fee Free Bitcoin Exchange Traded Product (ETP)
Valour, a Swiss firm that creates innovative financial products, has launched Bitcoin Zero. This is an exchange-traded product (ETP) that charges no management fees. The ETP commenced trading last week on the Nordic MTF segment of the Nordic Growth Market stock exchange.
Alternative Investments/ESG: JPMorgan Launches Carbon Transition U.S. Equity ETF
The JPMorgan Carbon Transition U.S. Equity exchange-traded fund (JCTR) will track the JPMorgan Asset Management Carbon Transition U.S. Equity Index. The new fund will give investors exposure to U.S. equities represented by the Russell 1000 subject to their performance on the criteria of emissions, resource management, and risk management.
Alternative Investments/ESG: Amundi’s New DAX ESG ETF
The new Amundi DAX 50 ESG UCITS ETF (DECD) is a DAX 50 ETF with a preference for companies that have strong sustainable profiles. It tracks the DAX 50 ESG index which bars companies in activities such as weapons, tobacco and thermal coal, or do not meet international standards.
Alternative Investments/ESG: Fidelity Launches ETF Focused On Sustainable Emerging Market Companies
Joyce Chang, chair of global research at JPMorgan, told CNBC’s “Street Signs Asia” on Thursday that stocks in emerging markets “were very under-owned” considering the overall rally in the equity markets. She added that there was scope for “catch-up in 2021 for emerging markets,” and that they could rise as much as 20% in 2021.
Alternative Investments/ESG: Invest In Decarbonization Solutions Via The New iClima Earth ETF
iClima Earth is a London-based research firm that identifies which companies offer solutions that reduce greenhouse gases by avoiding emissions or by sequestering carbon dioxide already in the atmosphere. iClima has partnered with white-label ETF issuer HANetf to launch an ETF that would invest in such “enablers” of decarbonization.
Alternative Investments/ESG: TD Asset Management Launches Three New Equity ETFS With ESG Focus
TD Asset Management announced Tuesday the launch of three new ESG Equity ETFs to cater to investors looking for exposure to equity market indexes and companies with an ESG edge. The ETFs have a regional focus and track Canadian, U.S. and International equity indices respectively.
Alternative Investments/Digital Assets: Bitcoin Scales New All Time High; Draws New 5- and 6-Figure Targets
Bitcoin momentously broke its 2017 high on Monday, recording a new one at $19,864.15. This had all the crypto evangelists out in full force, insisting the bull market in the leading crypto was now well and truly in place.
As expected, more lofty targets were trotted out – one at $50,000, the other at $500,000.