Latest news with #institutional investors
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Which Cryptocurrency Will Double Faster? XRP (Ripple) vs. Ethereum
Key Points Both XRP and Ethereum are in strong bull trends right now. Ethereum is cheaper to use than ever before, and it's seeing huge capital inflows. XRP is gaining traction with its target users, and Ripple will soon push it even further. 10 stocks we like better than Ethereum › Crypto bull markets are often much like rush hour traffic, where everyone wants to get somewhere, but the cars in one lane often pull ahead in a given stretch of road. Right now, two of the faster lanes belong to Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) and XRP (CRYPTO: XRP). One question that's bugging investors is which of the pair is more likely to double in value the soonest. Both coins enjoy swelling liquidity and real world adoption, yet bull markets rarely rewards every contestant equally. Let's examine their prospects. Ethereum's turnaround could ignite a quicker surge Ethereum is priced at more than $3,700 right now, so a doubling lands at about $7,400 , which is territory it last visited in early 2022. New exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that enable institutional investors to pour their capital into the coin are already paving the road to new highs. U.S.-based funds had inflows of more than $2 billion during the week ended July 19, including a dramatic single-day haul of $727 million on July 16. Those flows constrain the coin's float available for public trading, so they support demand, and higher prices too. Another key factor is that at least one of the chain's most annoying bugbears, namely its unreasonably high gas (user) fees, is (finally) resolving. Since the Dencun upgrade to the chain 16 months ago, and the Pectra upgrade this year, average gas costs cratered by roughly 95%, dropping a typical swap to $0.39 from tens of dollars during high-traffic periods. That reduction has lured liquidity back to the decentralized finance (DeFi) segment, both via decentralized exchanges (DEXes) and Layer-2 (L2) rollups, helping to revive the chain's application revenue, and, more importantly, its narrative. Meanwhile, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) could give the OK to staking rewards for spot Ethereum ETFs before the end of the year. That would give institutional buyers a 4% to 6% staking "dividend" on top of price exposure, which would likely attract a lot more capital and pump the coin's price. Importantly, momentum is already scorching with this coin. Ethereum has more than doubled since its late-April trough, rallying roughly 105% in just three months (as of July 25). That head start makes it the odds-on favorite in any doubling contest. Overall, the route to a quick two-bagger looks fairly clear here. XRP's playbook is different, and slower As of July 25, XRP sells for about $3.20, so doubling means reaching $6.40, a level it has never reached before. While a spot XRP ETF could indeed trigger a torrent of buying, the SEC delayed a filing seeking to issue such an asset again this week, leaving timing uncertain. Therefore, it can't count on the same scale of inflows in the near term as Ethereum. But, over the longer term, its position is quite bullish. Where XRP shines is acting as financial plumbing with the help of Ripple, the company that issues it. Ripple's Payments suite now has access to more than 90 markets. It has cleared more than $70 billion in volume since its inception, all settled using XRP in the backend, and stablecoins hosted on the XRP Ledger (XRPL). Ripple's $1.25 billion purchase of the prime broker Hidden Road deepens XRP's claim to being a financial tool, as it gave 300 institutional clients a regulatory-compliant on-ramp that settles with XRP. As those clients tap the lending services that Ripple provides using XRP, and as they park more of their real-world assets (RWAs) on the chain to gain speed and efficiency, there will be an escalating demand for the coin, and the price is very likely to continue trending higher over time. However, institutions lay track slowly. Compliance checks and integrating back-end technology unfold over quarters, not weeks. Without an ETF to turn on a firehose of capital inflows, XRP's catalyst calendar isn't very precise. Which will double first? Assuming current macroeconomic and liquidity conditions persist, Ethereum looks to be more likely to reach the finish line first, though XRP could still beat it. Record ETF inflows, a fresh staking-yield narrative, and a hot three-month streak all considerably shorten Ethereum's path to a 100% gain. XRP's institutional strategy is compelling, and a future ETF approval could unleash a similar wave of buying power. But until that catalyst is realized, its timetable is hazier, and gains derived from institutional onboarding will be piecemeal rather than all at once. With all that said, both coins can be rewarding long-term holdings, so it could be a decent idea to buy and hold both. Do the experts think Ethereum is a buy right now? The Motley Fool's expert analyst team, drawing on years of investing experience and deep analysis of thousands of stocks, leverages our proprietary Moneyball AI investing database to uncover top opportunities. They've just revealed their to buy now — did Ethereum make the list? When our Stock Advisor analyst team has a stock recommendation, it can pay to listen. After all, Stock Advisor's total average return is up 1,041% vs. just 183% for the S&P — that is beating the market by 858.71%!* Imagine if you were a Stock Advisor member when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $636,628!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,063,471!* The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of July 21, 2025 Alex Carchidi has positions in Ethereum. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Ethereum and XRP. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Which Cryptocurrency Will Double Faster? XRP (Ripple) vs. Ethereum was originally published by The Motley Fool Sign in to access your portfolio
Khaleej Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Can gold be classified as an 'alternative asset' within an investor's portfolio?
In recent years, institutional investors have increasingly turned to alternative assets in pursuit of higher returns, broader diversification, and insulation from traditional market cycles. Yet, these benefits often come with trade-offs — namely, limited liquidity, delayed valuations, and vulnerability to economic shocks that may not be immediately priced in. Against this backdrop, a recent World Gold Council report suggests a rethinking of gold's role—not just as a traditional safe haven, but as a strategic component within the evolving landscape of alternative investing. While gold is not always classified as an 'alternative asset,' it possesses characteristics that make it uniquely suited to complement such portfolios. It is highly liquid, exhibits low correlation with most asset classes, and has a proven track record of resilience during periods of systemic stress. These attributes position gold as a natural counterbalance to the illiquidity and opacity that often characterise private market investments. To quantify gold's value in a diversified portfolio, the report employs a robust Monte Carlo simulation using 20 years of historical data. The findings are clear: portfolios that include a 5–8 per cent allocation to gold consistently outperform those without it in terms of risk-adjusted returns. Gold reduces volatility, cushions drawdowns, and enhances overall portfolio efficiency. For example, in a 20-year simulation, portfolios with gold experienced a maximum drawdown of –38.8 per cent, compared to –43.2 per cent without it. Even in shorter timeframes, gold's inclusion improved Sharpe ratios and reduced downside risk. 'To investors, public and private markets exist along a continuum of liquidity, returns, and volatility. The difference is one of timing and access. Gold exists in this continuum, not because it mimics public or private assets, but because its attributes bridge across both,' said Marissa Salim, Senior Research Lead, APAC at the World Gold Council. The analysis goes further by stress-testing portfolios under four macroeconomic shock scenarios: rate hikes, inflation spikes, equity crashes, and credit spread widening. In every case, gold helped reduce portfolio losses by 50 to 90 basis points. These results underscore gold's role as a reliable shock absorber—especially when both traditional and alternative assets come under simultaneous pressure. But gold's value extends beyond numbers. The report introduces the concept of a 'portfolio continuum,' where public and private markets are not seen as binary choices but as points along a spectrum of liquidity, returns, and volatility. In this continuum, gold serves as a bridge. It trades with the immediacy of public markets yet offers the defensive stability often sought in private strategies. This duality makes gold particularly valuable in today's environment, where private market liquidity is tightening and exit timelines are lengthening. Indeed, the report highlights a notable slowdown in private market deal activity and IPOs, which has created a bottleneck in capital redistribution. Innovations like GP-led secondaries and continuation funds are emerging to address these challenges, but they do not eliminate the underlying issue: capital remains locked for longer, and access to cash is less predictable. Gold, by contrast, provides immediate liquidity and flexibility—qualities that are increasingly scarce in private markets. In essence, gold is not a replacement for private credit or equity, but a strategic complement. It addresses the blind spots of alternative investments—liquidity constraints, valuation lags, and delayed responses to market stress. As portfolios become more complex and span a wider range of asset classes, gold offers a quiet but powerful form of stability. It is the connective tissue in a portfolio that must perform across cycles, across asset types, and across market regimes.
Globe and Mail
2 days ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
The Second-Largest Crypto in the World Is Up 65% Over the Past Month. Here Are 5 Catalysts Behind the Surge.
Key Points Ethereum ETFs had inflows of $3.5 billion over a 12-day period, a sign of more institutional investment. 10 publicly traded companies now hold Ethereum in their company treasuries. Ethereum has the most activity on its blockchain and is a hub for stablecoins. 10 stocks we like better than Ethereum › Fortunes change quickly in the crypto market. Case in point: Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) has gone from a down year to one of the hottest cryptocurrencies in a matter of weeks. It's up 65% over the last month at the time of this writing (July 22), far outpacing market leader Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC). Here's a look at the catalysts that have led to massive gains for Ethereum -- and why it could continue to go even higher. 1. Ethereum ETFs are seeing record inflows The SEC approved the first spot Ethereum ETFs last year, and while they've been successful so far, they really started to take off in the last few weeks. Ethereum ETFs passed their 12th consecutive day of positive inflows on July 21, accumulating $3.5 billion in total net inflows over that period. Bitcoin ETFs, on the other hand, ended a 12-day streak of positive inflows on July 21. And during that time, there were several days when Ethereum ETFs had higher daily inflows than Bitcoin ETFs. These ETF inflows are an indicator of growing interest in Ethereum from institutional investors. Institutional capital has been a key factor in Bitcoin's bull run, and it could do the same for Ethereum. 2. Companies are adding Ethereum to their treasuries Businesses are now buying cryptocurrencies for their corporate treasuries. Bitcoin is the cryptocurrency of choice, as there are currently 40 publicly traded companies holding it, according to CoinGecko. Combined, they hold 4% of the total Bitcoin supply, with a value of $100 billion. But Ethereum is gaining ground among companies that want to have cryptocurrency on their balance sheets. Ten companies are holding a combined $3 billion in Ethereum, including Coinbase, which has about $430 million. Even Bitmine Immersion Technologies, a Bitcoin mining company, has $1.1 billion in Ethereum. The amount of Ethereum held by public companies is still fairly small at less than 1%, so there's plenty of potential growth. 3. It's the most popular blockchain ecosystem Ethereum was the first major blockchain platform with smart contract functionality, giving developers a place to build decentralized apps (dApps) and create new crypto tokens. While many other blockchains have since emerged as competitors to Ethereum, its first-mover advantage has been tremendous. One way to evaluate the success of a blockchain is the total value locked (TVL) into its smart contracts and protocols. Ethereum's TVL is $82 billion, which is 59% of the TVL in the entire crypto market. What's most impressive is how Ethereum has largely been able to maintain its position even with increasing competition. It has generally been responsible for about 50% to 60% of the crypto market's TVL for over three years. 4. Ethereum is also the top blockchain for stablecoins Stablecoins, which are cryptocurrencies tied to a fiat currency, have been a hot topic lately. The U.S. passed its first major piece of cryptocurrency legislation, the Genius Act, earlier this month, and it specifically deals with stablecoin regulations. The total combined market cap of stablecoins is on the rise and is now over $250 billion. Stablecoins are issued on blockchain networks, and Ethereum is the most common choice. It's responsible for about half the total stablecoin supply -- some $130 billion. The largest stablecoins operate on Ethereum, including Tether, USDC, and Dai. Since they maintain a consistent value, stablecoins are widely used and have high trading volumes. They also generate substantial transaction fees, and no blockchain benefits more than Ethereum. Over the last year, it has made over $6 billion in fees from Tether alone. 5. It's seen as a more affordable alternative to Bitcoin Bitcoin and Ethereum aren't direct competitors. Bitcoin is a store of value, while Ethereum is a smart contract blockchain, so they serve two very different roles. But some crypto investors look at Ethereum as an alternative to Bitcoin, particularly when they worry that the latter has gotten overvalued. That could be driving investments in Ethereum, along with the reasons above. Bitcoin costs about $120,000 and has a market cap of $2.4 trillion. A common question on crypto forums nowadays is whether it's too late to invest in Bitcoin. Ethereum costs about $3,700 and has a market cap of $450 billion. It also hasn't grown nearly as much as Bitcoin until recently. While both have their merits as crypto investments, there's an argument to be made that Ethereum could have more room to grow at its current value. Should you invest $1,000 in Ethereum right now? Before you buy stock in Ethereum, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Ethereum wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $636,774!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,064,942!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,040% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 182% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of July 21, 2025
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
AFC Energy plc (LON:AFC) is favoured by institutional owners who hold 66% of the company
Key Insights Significantly high institutional ownership implies AFC Energy's stock price is sensitive to their trading actions A total of 12 investors have a majority stake in the company with 50% ownership Recent purchases by insiders We've found 21 US stocks that are forecast to pay a dividend yield of over 6% next year. See the full list for free. To get a sense of who is truly in control of AFC Energy plc (LON:AFC), it is important to understand the ownership structure of the business. We can see that institutions own the lion's share in the company with 66% ownership. That is, the group stands to benefit the most if the stock rises (or lose the most if there is a downturn). Because institutional owners have a huge pool of resources and liquidity, their investing decisions tend to carry a great deal of weight, especially with individual investors. Therefore, a good portion of institutional money invested in the company is usually a huge vote of confidence on its future. In the chart below, we zoom in on the different ownership groups of AFC Energy. See our latest analysis for AFC Energy What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About AFC Energy? Institutional investors commonly compare their own returns to the returns of a commonly followed index. So they generally do consider buying larger companies that are included in the relevant benchmark index. We can see that AFC Energy does have institutional investors; and they hold a good portion of the company's stock. This implies the analysts working for those institutions have looked at the stock and they like it. But just like anyone else, they could be wrong. If multiple institutions change their view on a stock at the same time, you could see the share price drop fast. It's therefore worth looking at AFC Energy's earnings history below. Of course, the future is what really matters. Investors should note that institutions actually own more than half the company, so they can collectively wield significant power. AFC Energy is not owned by hedge funds. Hargreaves Lansdown Asset Management Ltd. is currently the largest shareholder, with 12% of shares outstanding. With 10.0% and 5.2% of the shares outstanding respectively, Aberdeen Group Plc and HBOS Investment Fund Managers Limited are the second and third largest shareholders. A closer look at our ownership figures suggests that the top 12 shareholders have a combined ownership of 50% implying that no single shareholder has a majority. Researching institutional ownership is a good way to gauge and filter a stock's expected performance. The same can be achieved by studying analyst sentiments. While there is some analyst coverage, the company is probably not widely covered. So it could gain more attention, down the track. Insider Ownership Of AFC Energy The definition of company insiders can be subjective and does vary between jurisdictions. Our data reflects individual insiders, capturing board members at the very least. Management ultimately answers to the board. However, it is not uncommon for managers to be executive board members, especially if they are a founder or the CEO. Insider ownership is positive when it signals leadership are thinking like the true owners of the company. However, high insider ownership can also give immense power to a small group within the company. This can be negative in some circumstances. Our most recent data indicates that insiders own less than 1% of AFC Energy plc. It appears that the board holds about UK£806k worth of stock. This compares to a market capitalization of UK£108m. Many investors in smaller companies prefer to see the board more heavily invested. You can click here to see if those insiders have been buying or selling. General Public Ownership The general public-- including retail investors -- own 30% stake in the company, and hence can't easily be ignored. While this group can't necessarily call the shots, it can certainly have a real influence on how the company is run. Next Steps: While it is well worth considering the different groups that own a company, there are other factors that are even more important. Be aware that AFC Energy is showing 4 warning signs in our investment analysis , and 2 of those are potentially serious... Ultimately the future is most important. You can access this free report on analyst forecasts for the company. NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the last twelve months, which refer to the 12-month period ending on the last date of the month the financial statement is dated. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Robert Walters plc (LON:RWA) is favoured by institutional owners who hold 77% of the company
Key Insights Institutions' substantial holdings in Robert Walters implies that they have significant influence over the company's share price A total of 6 investors have a majority stake in the company with 51% ownership Ownership research, combined with past performance data can help provide a good understanding of opportunities in a stock This technology could replace computers: discover the 20 stocks are working to make quantum computing a reality. To get a sense of who is truly in control of Robert Walters plc (LON:RWA), it is important to understand the ownership structure of the business. With 77% stake, institutions possess the maximum shares in the company. In other words, the group stands to gain the most (or lose the most) from their investment into the company. Given the vast amount of money and research capacities at their disposal, institutional ownership tends to carry a lot of weight, especially with individual investors. As a result, a sizeable amount of institutional money invested in a firm is generally viewed as a positive attribute. Let's delve deeper into each type of owner of Robert Walters, beginning with the chart below. See our latest analysis for Robert Walters What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Robert Walters? Many institutions measure their performance against an index that approximates the local market. So they usually pay more attention to companies that are included in major indices. As you can see, institutional investors have a fair amount of stake in Robert Walters. This can indicate that the company has a certain degree of credibility in the investment community. However, it is best to be wary of relying on the supposed validation that comes with institutional investors. They too, get it wrong sometimes. If multiple institutions change their view on a stock at the same time, you could see the share price drop fast. It's therefore worth looking at Robert Walters' earnings history below. Of course, the future is what really matters. Institutional investors own over 50% of the company, so together than can probably strongly influence board decisions. Robert Walters is not owned by hedge funds. Our data shows that Liontrust Asset Management PLC is the largest shareholder with 18% of shares outstanding. With 9.3% and 7.3% of the shares outstanding respectively, BlackRock, Inc. and Schroder Investment Management Limited are the second and third largest shareholders. We also observed that the top 6 shareholders account for more than half of the share register, with a few smaller shareholders to balance the interests of the larger ones to a certain extent. While it makes sense to study institutional ownership data for a company, it also makes sense to study analyst sentiments to know which way the wind is blowing. While there is some analyst coverage, the company is probably not widely covered. So it could gain more attention, down the track. Insider Ownership Of Robert Walters The definition of an insider can differ slightly between different countries, but members of the board of directors always count. The company management answer to the board and the latter should represent the interests of shareholders. Notably, sometimes top-level managers are on the board themselves. Most consider insider ownership a positive because it can indicate the board is well aligned with other shareholders. However, on some occasions too much power is concentrated within this group. Our most recent data indicates that insiders own less than 1% of Robert Walters plc. It appears that the board holds about UK£220k worth of stock. This compares to a market capitalization of UK£111m. Many tend to prefer to see a board with bigger shareholdings. A good next step might be to take a look at this free summary of insider buying and selling. General Public Ownership The general public-- including retail investors -- own 15% stake in the company, and hence can't easily be ignored. While this group can't necessarily call the shots, it can certainly have a real influence on how the company is run. Private Equity Ownership With an ownership of 6.9%, private equity firms are in a position to play a role in shaping corporate strategy with a focus on value creation. Some might like this, because private equity are sometimes activists who hold management accountable. But other times, private equity is selling out, having taking the company public. Next Steps: I find it very interesting to look at who exactly owns a company. But to truly gain insight, we need to consider other information, too. Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 1 warning sign with Robert Walters , and understanding them should be part of your investment process. If you are like me, you may want to think about whether this company will grow or shrink. Luckily, you can check this free report showing analyst forecasts for its future. NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the last twelve months, which refer to the 12-month period ending on the last date of the month the financial statement is dated. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
