Chicago, IL – December 24, 2024 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: First Trust SkyBridge Crypto Industry and Digital Economy ETF CRPT, NVIDIA Corp. NVDA, Interactive Brokers Group Inc. IBKR, Mastercard Inc. MA and Iris Energy IREN.
Here are highlights from Monday’s Analyst Blog:
4 Best-Performing Stocks from the Top ETF of 2024
First Trust SkyBridge Crypto Industry and Digital Economy ETF, which provides exposure to the crypto industry and digital economy companies, has soared 96.1%, becoming the best-performing ETF of 2024.
Although most of the stocks in CRPT's portfolio delivered strong returns this year, a few have gained more than 60%. NVIDIA Corp., Interactive Brokers Group Inc., Mastercard Inc. and Iris Energy.
Bitcoin, the world's largest cryptocurrency, skyrocketed from around $42,000-$43,000 to a record $1,08,000 early in December. The digital currency soared 140% this year, outperforming traditional investments like stocks, bonds and gold. This resulted from strong investor and institutional demand, Fed rate cuts, and optimism for a cryptocurrency-friendly regulatory environment under President-elect Donald Trump (read: Bitcoin ETFs See $10B Inflows Following Trump Win).
The cryptocurrency market is witnessing a surge in optimism as governments and institutions worldwide increasingly embrace blockchain technology. This shift is paving the way for broader adoption and investment in digital assets, fueling expectations of sustained growth in the years ahead.
The approval of the U.S.-listed Bitcoin ETFs this January played a significant role in Bitcoin's rise. These funds, previously blocked by the SEC due to investor protection concerns, have allowed a wide range of investors to gain exposure to Bitcoin without directly owning the asset, thereby underscoring the growth potential of cryptocurrency in mainstream investment platforms. Investors are pouring record capital into Bitcoin ETFs. The first options trading for spot bitcoin ETFs also went live on Nov. 19, reflecting growing confidence in Bitcoin ETFs as mainstream adoption increases.
One big factor is the Fed rate-cutting cycle era. The central bank initiated an easy policy by cutting rates by 50 bps in September. Then, it slashed interest rates by 25 bps each in November and December. Lowered interest rates drive investors to redirect capital to riskier assets like bitcoin.
President-elect Donald Trump has ushered in a new era of friendlier U.S. regulation for cryptocurrency. Trump vowed to make the United States "the crypto capital of the planet." He also plans to build a national Bitcoin reserve, signaling a strong personal and policy interest in digital assets.
With the United States adopting pro-crypto policies, other countries are shifting toward a more favorable stance. Notably, China has lifted restrictions on personal crypto ownership, marking a significant policy change. Meanwhile, Brazil and Russia are exploring using Bitcoin as part of their reserves, highlighting its expanding role in the global economy. Drawing from historical post-halving performance, analysts anticipate Bitcoin to reach a peak of $150,000 by 2025 (read: 2025 Looks Bright for Bitcoin: ETFs Ready to Gain Big).
Let us take a closer look at the fundamentals of CRPT.
CRPT in Focus
First Trust SkyBridge Crypto Industry and Digital Economy ETF is designed to provide exposure to companies that SkyBridge believes are driving cryptocurrency, crypto assets and digital economy-related innovation. SkyBridge identifies securities primarily via "bottom up" research focused on finding companies leading in the crypto industry ecosystem. First Trust SkyBridge Crypto Industry holds 31 stocks in its basket with a double-digit concentration on the top four firms.
First Trust SkyBridge Crypto Industry and Digital Economy ETF charges 85 bps in fees per year from investors. It has amassed $103 million in its asset base and trades in an average daily volume of 92,000 shares.
Best-Performing Stocks of CRPT
NVIDIA is the worldwide leader in visual computing technologies and the inventor of graphic processing units. The stock has jumped 172% this year. NVIDIA makes up 0.1% of the assets in CRPT and currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 (Strong Buy) Rank stocks here.
Interactive Brokers operates as an automated global electronic market maker and broker. The company specializes in routing orders, beside executing and processing trades in securities, futures, foreign exchange instruments, bonds, and mutual funds on more than 150 electronic exchanges and market centers worldwide. The stock has soared 112% and accounts for a 0.1% share in the ETF. IBKR presently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
Mastercard is a leading global payment solutions company that provides an array of services in support of credit, debit, mobile, web-based and contactless payments, and other related electronic payment programs to financial institutions and other entities. The stock has surged 65% this year and accounts for a 0.1% share in the ETF. It currently has a Zacks Rank #3.
Iris Energy is a Bitcoin mining company that builds, owns and operates data center infrastructure with a focus on entry into regions where it can access abundant and/or under-utilized renewable energy to power its operations. The stock has soared 65% this year and accounts for a 4.03% share in the CRPT basket. Iris Energy has a Zacks Rank #3 at present.
Want key ETF info delivered straight to your inbox?
Zacks' free Fund Newsletter will brief you on top news and analysis, as well as top-performing ETFs, each week.
Get it free >>
Media Contact
Zacks Investment Research
800-767-3771 ext. 9339
support@zacks.com
https://www.zacks.com
Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
