🪙 Ether makes its ETF debut

Alphabet's results are in, ether spot ETFs are launched, and the family that was shipwrecked for 38 days | [Finimize](   TOGETHER WITH     Hi {NAME}, here's what you need to know for July 24th in 3:14 minutes.   😮‍💨 Sometimes you've just got to... whisper it. So join us for [Secret Strategies Of A Long-Term Investor]( at 5pm and learn about the tools you need to be successful. [Grab your free ticket]( Today's big stories - Google-owner Alphabet delivered an expectation-beating, yet slightly ho-hum, quarterly report - The Ethereum spot ETFs had folks feeling a bit leery, and there could be an opportunity in that – [Read Now]( - The first ETFs tied to the price of ether began trading in the US, as crypto took another big step into the mainstream Alphabet Spells It Out [Alphabet Spells It Out] What’s going on here? Alphabet [announced]( better-than-expected results on Tuesday, enough to keep investors happy but shy of its “magnificent” moniker. What does this mean? More than half of Alphabet’s money comes from Google Search, so ever since AI stormed onto the scene, investors have been nervous about potential disruptions to the firm’s bread and butter. Now, the company is finally putting some of those fears to bed: revenue from search grew by a better-than-expected 14% last quarter compared to a year earlier, as the firm waved some AI magic over its favorite child. Meanwhile, Google Cloud – now the growth machine as search slows – saw sales rise by a better-than-expected 29%. What’s more, the segment, which was in the black for the first time in 2023, saw its profit margin jump to 11%. That’s not small potatoes – until you compare it to Amazon Web Services’ 38%. Why should I care? Zooming in: Wizn’t interested. Amazon and Microsoft have left Alphabet’s cloud business in the dust. And to catch up, the company has been looking to add more features. That’s why it was angling to buy cloud cybersecurity firm Wiz for a hefty $23 billion, in what would’ve been Alphabet’s biggest acquisition ever. But the startup rejected those overtures this week, giving the firm the cold shoulder and flirting with a public listing instead. For markets: David versus Goliath. Alphabet and other huge firms have seen their share prices shoot higher over the past few years, while small-fry stocks have underperformed. But that gap began to narrow slightly this month after investors started banking more heavily on interest rate cuts this year. It’s a game-changer: little firms tend to carry lots of short-term or variable-rate debt, so they’re set to benefit greatly from lower borrowing costs. On the flip side, chunky companies – especially tech giants – can expect to see the interest income they make on their enormous cash piles slip. You might also like: [Small-caps might soon snap their losing streak.]( Copy to share story: [( 🙋 [Ask a question](mailto:questions@finimize.com?body=Ask us a question: Where are you writing from? Let us know and we'll mention it when we reply.&noapp=true&subject=Alphabet Spells It Out&utm_campaign=daily-global-24-07-2024&utm_source=email) Analyst Take Ethereum Spot ETFs Are Live, But One Thing Has Investors Spooked [Ethereum Spot ETFs Are Live, But One Thing Has Investors Spooked]( By Jonathan Hobbs, CFA, Analyst US investors started buying ether through [Ethereum spot ETFs]( for the first time Tuesday. While that could be great for the [No. 2 crypto]( overall, one thing has investors concerned in the short term – that Grayscale’s high fees could spark a selloff in the market. So let me explain the situation first, and then I’ll tell you where the potential [opportunity]( is. That’s today’s Insight: [why investors are leery about the Ethereum spot ETFs](. [Read or listen to the Insight here]( Everything you need to know about ISAs: your free guide Not every savings account or investment opportunities become mainstream dinner conversation. But in the UK, you can’t meet anyone this time of year without ending up in a DMC about [Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs)](. Tantalizing, we say. It’s no wonder they get folk talking: they let you hold cash, shares, and certain other assets without paying tax on the interest, dividends, or capital gains they earn. So your decision isn’t so much whether to open one, it’s [which type of ISA to open]( – cash, stocks and shares, innovative finance, or lifetime – and which company to open it with. That’s why we put together a [free guide on the ISA do’s and don’ts]( with IG, so you can set up the right account for you before the April deadline. It’ll help you keep up with friends’ catch-ups, too. [Read The Guide]( Hot Spot [Hot Spot] What’s going on here? The first spot ether ETFs [began]( trading in the US on Tuesday, hot on the heels of a similar crop of bitcoin ones. What does this mean? Put simply, these funds give investors a regulated way to invest in a cryptocurrency – in this case, Ethereum’s digital coin, ether – through their brokerage accounts. That lets folk trade crypto like stocks, without the hassle of digital keys or wallets. So it’s now super easy for Americans and big-money investing houses alike to trade ether – the world’s second-biggest digital asset. It’s a sizable step, marking the coin’s stamp on US finance, not long after the January debut of spot bitcoin ETFs. And the fund issuers appear ready for some serious competition: they’re offering investors low fees – or even none initially – to try to grab some attention. Why should I care? Zooming out: Moths to a flame. Spot bitcoin funds became an investor magnet when they launched, drawing money faster than any ETF ever. And because of the nature of these funds – the financial institutions providing them buy the underlying crypto one-for-one to match the ETF shares – bitcoin shot up 58% in just two months. Analysts [don’t]( expect the same rocket launch for ether, though: they’re predicting a potential 24% rise, as the market is only about a quarter the size of bitcoin’s. Plus, ether didn’t get the trophy for moving first – and it doesn’t have bitcoin’s “store of value” reputation, either. The bigger picture: Wild rides. Crypto is notorious for its sweet highs and terrifying lows: that’s one of its downsides. What’s more, unlike stocks, bonds, or even real estate, most cryptocurrencies don’t produce cash flow – and because of that, they’re harder to value objectively. That’s why some pros recommend keeping your crypto allocation on the small side, so you can profit from a rise but not suffer too much from a fall. You might also like: [Ethereum spot ETFs start trading today, but one thing has investors spooked](. Copy to share story: [( 🙋 [Ask a question](mailto:questions@finimize.com?body=Ask us a question: Where are you writing from? Let us know and we'll mention it when we reply.&noapp=true&subject=Hot Spot&utm_campaign=daily-global-24-07-2024&utm_source=email) 💬 Quote of the day "Many a trip continues long after movement in time and space have ceased." – John Steinbeck (an American writer) [Tweet this]( Take a seat on the summit’s main stage Thousands of retail investors tuned into our [Modern Investor Summit]( sessions last year. Eager to discover the smartest tools and savviest tricks, they piled into fireside sessions, Q&A panels, and keynote speaker slots with the likes of Jamie Dimon. Now’s your chance to secure a spot at the next one. Our [Summit]( is slated for December this year, and we’re on the lookout for speakers with big ideas and serious know-how. [Take a look at last year’s recording of CFA Institute’s session]( to get a feel for it: the platform detailed sustainable investing techniques, as well as explaining its own climate finance courses. If you’re ready for your turn, [talk to the team to bag your spot before they fill up.]( [Drop Us A Line]( 🎯 On Our Radar 1. Deep down. A newly found cave could be the secret to [living on the moon](. 2. Bitcoiners and gold bugs both believe their favorite investment towers above the rest. Here's why [mixing the two could spell good news]( for your portfolio.** 3. A hairy situation. A study reveals the surprising motivation behind [why men grow facial hair](. 4. Crypto can be the Wild West of the finance world. Here's how to [spot the next big (legit) crypto project](.* 5. On the rocks. The story of a family that was [shipwrecked for 38 days](. **Stocks is a derivative product offered by Change Securities B.V. that replicates the performance of your favourite companies’ shares - full or fractional. When you support our sponsors, you support us. Thanks for that. 🌍 Finimize Live 🤩 Grab your tickets... All events in UK time.🤫 [Secret Strategies Of A Long-Term Investor:]( 5pm, July 24th 💰[How To Invest Like A Modern Warren Buffett:]( 5pm, Aug 14th 😎 [Make More Out Of Your Portfolio With US-listed Options:]( 5pm, Aug 15th 🔨 [Five Portfolio Hacks For Busy Investors:]( 5pm, Sept 12th 🚀 [2024 Modern Investor Summit](: 2pm, December 3rd ❤️ Share with a friend Thanks for reading {NAME}. If you liked today's brief, we'd love for you to share it with a friend. You stay classy, {NAME} 😉 We’d love to hear your thoughts. [Give feedback]( Want to advertise with us too? [Get in touch]( Image Credits: Image credits: Dall-e | Dall-e Preferences: [Update your email]( or [change preferences]( [View in browser]( [Unsubscribe]( from all Finimize Emails 😴 Crafted by Finimize Ltd. | 280 Bishopsgate, London, EC2M 4AG All content provided by Finimize Ltd. is for informational and educational purposes only and is not meant to represent trade or investment recommendations. You signed up to this mailing list at finimize.com or through one of our partners. © Finimize 2021 [View Online](