Everyone has long been recommending to put most of your 'foundational ETF' money in some sort of All World ETF . For years this has been a great approach, and for good reason. It's easy, low cost, low maintenance. But times have changed and I've been noticing a decoupling between the US and the rest of the world. The US is overpriced and slowing down and the USD/EUR valuation sucks. So late last year I changed my strategy and decided that I wanted to build my own All World ex-US ETF, because I've always learned to trade the market you have, not the market you want.

So I sold my $VWCE (-1,79 %) position and compiled my own ETF pack. Europe to start with, $SMEA (-1,34 %) and $ESIN (-1,99 %) , then Emerging Markets, Asia and the Pacific ex-Japan consisting of $IEMA (-1,38 %) and $VAPU (+0,83 %) , and Japan $VJPB (-1,49 %) . I've been distributing these more or less equally to what the FTSE All World would have looked like without the US. It needs some restructuring every now and then but to me it's more than worth it when you look at the rewards:

I currently made a YTD performance of about 16% with my "custom ex-US ETF", compared to only 4.3% if I kept the $VWCE (-1,79 %) or $ACWI as my foundation.

”Never bet against the US” is valid, until it isn’t! That’s my opinion. Trade the market you have, not the market you want. And when times change again, I will act accordingly. But for now, I'm happy I made this decision 😁

For the record: this is a post about my ETFs and their performance, NOT about my portfolio as a whole as 47% consists of individual stocks that aren’t doing so well at the moment.

I'm keen to hear what your thoughts on this are!

Hello! I'm a software developer new in the investing world. Did my own little research and decided I wanted to start investing.

Since I don't want to spend too much time I'm going all with ETFs (no stock picking). I finally started my portfolio with 6 funds.

Let's see how it goes! Will appreciate any feedback or suggestions 😁😁

P.D. The weights are not correct yet. Is supposed to be:

• $VUAG (-1,7 %) : 50%

• $IS3Q (-1,34 %) : 20%

• $EXI2 (-2,14 %) : 20%

• $EXW1 (-1,61 %) : 5%

• $IEMA (-1,38 %) : 5%

• $ZPRG (-0,5 %) : 10% (as an extra)

Hey everyone! After seeing so many portfolio presentations, I decided to share mine today, following the advice of @DonkeyInvestor (link here)! 🚀

1.     Investment horizon and goals

I am Belgian guy of 30 years old, already own an apartment, and have a mortgage to repay. I have been investing sporadically since I was 18, but I really started actively managing my investments in March 2024.

My main goal is to maximize my savings, with the flexibility to either buy a house in the future or allocate funds to another project. Because of this, my investment horizon is flexible but at least 5 years.

I then plan to keep investing long-term and see if this could help me achieve a certain level of financial independence. To be honest, in a rational (but admittedly a bit morbid) way, the inheritance I will receive one day could contribute to that goal—although I am not at all counting on it as a part of my strategy.

2.     My strategy and how I intend to achieve my goals

 A.     Introduction

I already have an emergency fund covering six months of expenses, which gives me peace of mind and allows me to invest without short-term financial stress.

My job enables me to invest at save (for investment) €1,500 per month. Any bonus or additional income is either added to my investments, used to replenish my emergency fund, or allocated to vacations and other expenses.

Additionally, I have around €25,000 from selling mutual funds I purchased in my younger years. This gives me flexibility to pick individual stocks or invest in crypto when I see an opportunity.

B.    Investment Strategy & Asset Allocation 🎯

I invest around €2,300 per month in a DCA approach in various ETFs. Then I invest in stock or crypto when I see an opportunity.

My goal is to build by end 2025 a portfolio with the following allocation:

• ~40% Individual Stocks (mainly large-cap growth & tech)
• ~7.5-10% Crypto (mainly Bitcoin, possibly some altcoins)
• The remaining ~50% in ETFs, diversified across different regions and themes

C.   Diversification & Experimentation 🎢

Within my ETF allocation, I allow myself to include thematic or higher-risk ETFs instead of only focusing on broad market indices.

I fully understand that this approach is not the most straightforward or simplest way to invest (see point 3). However, at this stage, I want to "have fun" with investing, testing stock picking and specific ETFs. Over time, I will assess whether this was a good decision and adjust if necessary (see point 4).

D.   Risk-Taking & Adaptability 🔄

Since I am still young, I am willing to take on more risk, fully aware that I could also lose money. As I gain experience and see the performance of my portfolio, I will adapt my strategy if needed (again point 4).

3.     My choice for the stocks in my portfolio

 A.    ETFs

After experimenting with different allocations, I’ve decided to aim for the following ETF distribution by the end of 2025 (as a percentage of my total portfolio, so including stock and crypto):

• 25%$IWDA (-1,73 %) → Broad exposure to developed markets.
• 5%$IEMA (-1,38 %) → Exposure to emerging markets
• 5%$XDEM (-2,07 %) → Performance
• 2-2.5% in $MEUD (-1,34 %) & $XNAS (-2,38 %) → European and Nasdaq exposure to complement my stock picks.
• 10% in Thematic ETFs → I enjoy sector-specific plays and have selec $RBOT (-2,68 %) , $W1TB (-0,98 %) , $LCOC (-3,56 %) , $SMH (-2,7 %), $DFEN (-0,67 %) to get exposure to robotics, Cocoa (because why not), semiconductors, and aerospace/defense.

B.     Stocks

Like most of you, I love tech 😄, so a significant part of my individual stock portfolio is centered around it. I generally invest €2,000 per stock, sometimes in one go, sometimes split across multiple entries.

• ✅ Tech Giants & AI
• $NVDA (-3,51 %) (exception to my €2,000 rule)
• $AMZN (-2,61 %), $GOOGL (-2,23 %), $MSFT (-1,54 %) – Their global impact is massive and they are solid, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.
• $VST (-5,03 %) – AI-driven energy demand is booming, and I chose Vistra Energy over other AI-linked power plays.
• ✅ European Exposure 🌍
• $ENR (-8,37 %)
  (Siemens Energy) – A standout performer this year in Europe, and AI is a key factor in its growth.
• $NOVO B (+1,06 %)
  (Novo Nordisk) – The obesity epidemic is a growing concern (also in Europe), and Novo Nordisk is a leader in the space.
• ✅ More Speculative Plays :
  Palantir & Soundhound AI – Both are AI-related but carry higher risk. $PLTR (-2,5 %) because of its massive presence in States' affairs. $SOUN is an even more speculative AI bet, but I believe in it for the voice aspects.
• ✅ Employee Shares : $ENGI (+0,15 %)

C.   Crypto

I chose Bitcoin mainly due to its volatility and the potential for "easy profits". I initially invested in July and, seeing Trump getting closer to the White House, I decided to increase my position, anticipating potential market movements linked to his policies and the broader macroeconomic environment. For now, I’m sticking to Bitcoin but might explore XRP and other assets in the future.

4.      Insight into how I plan to further expand your portfolio

Based on my calculations, I should reach €100,000 invested by late 2025 or early 2026. My plan is to keep investing consistently to get closer to the allocation I outlined earlier.

A.    Expanding My Stock Portfolio 📈

I plan to maybe reinforce some existing positions but overall exploring new opportunities. Some stocks I’m considering include:

• Belgium: Syensqo, D’Ieteren
• France: Schneider Electric
• Banking sector: JP Morgan
• E-commerce & emerging markets: MercadoLibre
• Quantum computing: While highly speculative, I’m keeping an eye on this sector for the future. Since I already have exposure through Alphabet, I might consider IBM later on.
• Biotech & Medical Startups 🧬: I’ve been tempted by some early-stage medical stocks, but the extreme volatility and risk keep me hesitant. A single failed clinical trial can wipe out a stock forever, making this sector too unpredictable for me at the moment.
• I might also allow myself the occasional “easy trade”, but nothing certain yet.
• Finally, I could include new thematic ETF's.

B.    Crypto

For Bitcoin, I keep things simple: I invest €100 whenever I see a dip (sometimes multiple times per day or week), staying patient and accumulating over time. I’m curious to hear your views on where Bitcoin is headed.

C.   Reviewing My Strategy in Late 2025 🔍

• At the end of 2025, I’ll assess my portfolio, especially my thematic ETFs, by comparing them to the MSCI World. This will help me decide whether to stick with them or simplify my ETF strategy.
• I’ll also review my stock picks to see if any adjustments are needed.
• Given my horizon, I won’t make any rushed decisions.

D.   Managing My Biggest Concern – US Exposure 🇺🇸

One of my main concerns is my heavy exposure to the US market, both through ETFs and stocks. However, given the current global economic landscape, it seems difficult to do otherwise while aiming for maximum returns.

For now, I’ll keep an eye on opportunities to diversify while ensuring that my investments remain aligned with my long-term strategy.

5.     What I don’t want in my portfolio

I believe that investing inherently carries a level of amorality, especially when investing in broad-market ETFs that include a wide range of companies (but everyone has their own ethical perspective—let’s not start a debate on that! 😄).

That being said, I personally choose not to invest directly in companies involved in alcohol or tobacco. It’s a personal preference.

6.     Conclusion 🎯

That’s it for this deep dive into my portfolio and a summary of my thoughts since May 2024, as well as since I started reading your posts in August.

Thanks for all the insightful discussions and shared knowledge—this is an amazing community, and I really appreciate the posts I read since August!

Have a great weekend and thanks you so much for reading so far!

Regards,

A Belgian investor