... but after all, I am also the Pope. Let's see if I'm still as euphoric this afternoon after the Americans enter the trading floor 😁

Also $WHCS (+0,01%) for 5.996 euros

and $WITS (+1,19%) for 12.336 euros

Very cool summary of why you don't actually have to try to regulate your own share.

The index does it for you all by itself.

The concentration in the MSCI World is a reflection of the current global market capitalization and not necessarily an indicator of an unhealthy concentration risk in the portfolio.

We simply need time to ride out the drawdown until the indices have adjusted to new conditions.

"Anyone who still says that the comparison is flawed: My main point is to show that MSCI World can digest cluster risk. There may be a few bad years, but then the adjustment mechanisms take effect. If you try to find the "right" US share for your portfolio on your own now, you also risk losing out on returns. After all, nobody knows whether US equities will really perform worse than the rest of the market in the next few years. Therefore: Don't let yourself be put under pressure to act! "

https://www.focus.de/finanzen/boerse/etf-wer-angst-vor-us-klumpen-im-msci-world-hat-vergisst-wichtige-lektion_cfbccf32-fcc0-409f-9ca9-4f6362789361.html

$HMWO (+0,47%)
$IWDA (+0,47%)
$IE000R4ZNTN3 (+0,41%) -so you don't necessarily need to

Disclaimer: This is not an investment recommendation, nor is this article intended to motivate you to consider Pokemon cards as an investment. Although graphs and historical growth of certain products are highlighted, future profit growth is by no means guaranteed. I am merely sharing personal research based on data sources, my own experience and insights from my personal Pokemon card collection.

Yes, I think we've all seen them before - whether at the newsstand, through relatives and acquaintances, on TV, through our own children or back then in the schoolyard: of course we're talking about Pokemon cards (formerly known as "Pocket Monsters"). These were first published in Japan in October 1996 as a classic trading card game. I would like to point out at this point that I will not go into the rules of the game or the process in this article, as this would go beyond the scope and would not fit the topic.

Parallel to the release of the cards, Nintendo games were also launched on the market, which gave Pokemon a huge boost in terms of awareness and popularity. The cards were officially released in the USA in December 1998. There was no end to the hype - the release in Europe finally followed in 1999.

The first major Pokemon set was the "First Edition Base Set", produced by "Wizards of the Coast". I will only go into this set to a limited extent, as 1st edition products always achieve a special value due to the collector's passion. However, many cards were played with at the time and not regarded as investment items. For comparison: A complete box (display) cost around 110 USD back then. Today, in 2025, such a display is traded at between USD 350,000 and USD 500,000.

However, since hardly anyone owns a time machine and only very few have kept such a display, the comparison with an ETF such as the MSCI World would not really be fair or realistic. So on with the story:

Pokemon hit like a rocket. In the first year alone, sales in the USA - and mind you, only with trading cards - amounted to over USD 300 million. The franchise even overtook the established "Magic: The Gathering" and became the leading trading card game. This was followed by numerous new sets such as Jungle, Fossil, Base Set 2, Team Rocket and many more.

I was there myself as a child - and like many in the school playground, I was completely fascinated: Cards were idolized, stuffed into jeans, traded and discussed. I wanted to become a Pokemon trainer - it didn't quite work out. Or did it?

Pokemon developed into an absolute giant over the years. Not only on the trading card market, but also through video games, merchandise, licenses, etc. Today, the Pokemon Company is the most successful media franchise in the world with estimated lifetime revenues of around USD 150 billion - just crazy.

Back to the topic: Pokemon as an investment?

About five years ago, at the beginning of the Covid crisis, the hype surrounding Pokemon cards had died down considerably. The children had grown up and many collectors had other priorities. Cards had become more of a nerd hobby - not for the mainstream. Many believed that the hype was finally over.

But then Logan Paul (quite a clown in my opinion) came along and opened a First Edition Base Set display live in front of an audience of millions. The packs sold for 30,000 to 40,000 USD - a single pack of 11 cards! This was the turning point: Pokemon was back, and with a vengeance.

Every influencer jumped on the bandwagon, booster packs were opened worldwide, videos were produced, prices were compared - the market was on fire. The pandemic gave many people time, money and nostalgia - and they saw old cards turn into small fortunes. That aroused desire. I myself was also back in the game.

The secondary market was extremely fueled. Cards that were available for a few dollars before the pandemic were suddenly going for three or four-figure sums over the counter. And there was no end in sight.

My ETB theory - Why an elite trainer box outperforms the MSCI World

ETB stands for "Elite Trainer Box". These are released with every new set and contain 8-10 booster packs, dice, sleeves, instructions, energy cards and sometimes a special card. Originally intended for gaming, they have become a coveted collector's item.

My theory: If you buy an ETB on release and leave it unopened, it will beat any World ETF in the long term - statistically speaking.

Example: The first ETB came out in 2013 in the "Plasma Storm" set - price: 34.99 USD. Today it is worth around USD 5,000. This corresponds to an annual gain of over 51% - and rising.

Of course, this is an extreme case. But newer sets are also performing strongly. The "151" set, for example, which I bought around 1.5 years ago for USD 60, is now at USD 170 - an increase in value of 183 % or around 86 % per year.

Or the brand new set "Destined Rivals", released on May 29, 2025 for USD 50 - now, a few weeks later, already at USD 90-95. That's around 80% growth in a very short space of time.

I have compiled a list of all ETBs - around 38 boxes so far - with issue price and current market value. On average, the profit per box is around USD 526 or around 38.65 % return per year.

Of course there are outliers. Not every box brings fat profits, some "only" 10%. But the trend is clear - those who regularly buy on release generally make a profit.

And yes - it is also a game of chance somewhere

You have to be honest: opening packs is pure luck. The chance of drawing a 1,000-dollar card from a set like "Prismatic Evolution" is perhaps 1:1000. Sure, it's like the lottery. But it's not just about individual cards, but about the products as a whole.

And yet: the hype continues. The Pokemon Company brings out nostalgic sets, new artwork, rare cards - they keep the market hot. Unfortunately, children often fall by the wayside because many adults, investors or scalpers buy everything and then sell it on at an overpriced price.

A few critical thoughts

Of course there are risks:

• No intrinsic value
• Low liquidity
• Fees on eBay & Co
• Storage costs, effort, time
• If you want to sell, you need a buyer

And in an emergency - inflation, war, recession - Pokemon cards are no longer a priority.

Nevertheless: I love my collection. I look at them, exchange them, sell them from time to time - and sometimes I treat myself to a pack. Not because it pays off. But because it's fun.

Conclusion

Pokemon cards - especially ETBs - have generated returns in recent years that can hardly compete with traditional investments. But they are no substitute for retirement provision or financial strategy.

The real winner? The Pokemon Company. It produces cheaply, sells expensively, targets shortages, uses FOMO, decides on reprints - and earns billions with brutal margins. That's brilliant marketing - not my few displays in the cupboard.

I've made a YTD profit of around 70% this year. Of course, that's no guarantee - but it's a hell of a lot of fun.

What do you think of Pokemon cards? Are you a collector or an "investor"? Do your children perhaps even open the packs? Or do you think: What's the point of it all?

Please note: This is first and foremost about fun. I do not recommend viewing Pokemon cards as a serious investment or comparing them to traditional financial products that are supposed to generate solid returns over decades.

PS: Thought until now that I could insert an Excel spreadsheet... unfortunately no....

$IWDA (+0,47%)
$VWRL (+0,78%)
$VWCE (+0,59%)
$HMWO (+0,47%)
#etfs
#etf
#pokemon
#rendite

I am in my late 20s and my goal is

To achieve financial freedom and independence as early as possible. I want to do the things that make me happy, with whom I want, when and for how long I want and where I want.

To achieve this goal as quickly as possible, I now live a relatively minimalist lifestyle. I consciously scrutinize my spending, concentrate on the essentials and save where I can. For me, this doesn't feel like doing without - on the contrary: it gives me more freedom and I see it as an investment in my future self.

In the beginning, there was only the World ETF $HMWO (+0,47%) was there. Gradually, the shares were added. In the beginning, it was all kinds and grades, but today it's mostly quality companies, in my opinion.

In the last few months I have noticeably turned away from individual shares and am focusing more on the ETF basis again. Which since 2025 $VWRL (+0,78%) All World is to be built up. (in the spirit of: don't put all your eggs in one basket)

Of course, I regularly ask myself: Have I built up my portfolio sensibly? Shouldn't I have just stuck with my World?

These thoughts come up again and again, especially when Mr. Market goes crazy again. 🤪

Individual shares are fun and offer huge opportunities, but they also involve more complexity, time and risk. From today's perspective, I could well imagine that I will reallocate in the coming years. Away from individual stocks and towards more simplicity and global diversification.

But for the time being, I will simply hold on to my individual stocks, perhaps make the odd additional purchase and invest in the All World with all my might.

Meal time folks,

the title already asks the right question.

At the moment, 40% of my current portfolio consists of the $WLD (+0,45%) . I started in small steps about 4 years ago and honestly didn't do too much research. It was important to me to get started and I was looking for a world ETF at the time, I honestly don't know exactly how I came across this one 😬.

I'm thinking about how I should proceed and also reduce the TER of 0.3% a little.

• Sell piece by piece $WLD (+0,45%) sell (taking into account the saver's lump sum) and switch to $MWOE (+0,72%) and reallocate. Alternatively $HMWO (+0,47%) .
• Stop the savings plan at $WLD (+0,45%) stop, let the position continue and from next month simply save a new position with $MWOE (+0,72%) (TER 0.12%) / $HMWO (+0,47%) (TER 0.15%).

Amundi is actually a heavyweight where you don't have to worry too much, so I tend to go for variant 2.

What does the community say?

Greetings and have a nice holiday 😊

Maverick

My own milestone (tl:dr)

The starting point and the burning dream of the million

It wasn't just a number on a screen; it was a promise. The promise of freedom, of decisions that were not dictated by a paycheck, of the possibility of realizing dreams that went beyond everyday life. My goal? The 1 million euros in my deposit. A sum that seemed almost unattainable when I first immersed myself in the fascinating world of investing. But I couldn't let go of the thought. What if it was actually possible? What if, with discipline and the right strategy, I could achieve this seemingly utopian goal?

The fascination began to creep in. I heard about breathtaking returns and stories about people who became rich overnight by making smart decisions. The stock market, a place full of secrets and opportunities. My starting position was solid, an initial foundation stone had been laid, but I lacked a clear roadmap. I was at the beginning of a journey that would take me through highs and lows, from initial euphoria to sobering setbacks - and finally to a strategy that allows me to look to the future with confidence today.

The single stock era - lessons from the "wild west" of the stock market

Like so many, I started out with a desire for quick profits and a fascination for the possibility of getting rich quickly through individual shares. Why invest in the broad market when individual shares promised so much more? I plunged headlong into the world of individual shares. It was names that were in the news, sectors that were booming or personal convictions that guided me. Every share was a little adventure, every price movement an adrenaline rush.

But the reality was often different from the glossy prospectuses or the euphoric forum posts. The euphoria quickly gave way to disillusionment. I remember the year 2022. Like so many others, I experienced a market that suddenly no longer knew only one direction: up. In my personal heat map of monthly returns, deep red fields emerged that year and even before. Months with -1.3%, -1.7%, -2.0%, -2.4%, -2.8%, -3.0%, even -3.4% were not uncommon. That was painful. Every look at the portfolio was a sting.

However, the problem was not just the bear market itself, but also the way my portfolio was structured. Without broader diversification, my risk was unnecessarily high. If one share fell, a large part of my portfolio fell and @DonkeyInvestor said: I told you so :-) .

The turning point came gradually, but inexorably. Frustration at the lack of stability, the realization that my individual "strategic" decisions were often just a gut feeling, and the desire for a more calculable path to a million led me to a far-reaching decision. It was in November 2024 when I pulled the ripcord. The individual share "experiment" was over. It was time to realign my portfolio.

The realignment - from single stock turbulence to ETF stability

The decision was clear: a restructuring of my portfolio was necessary in order to invest stably and efficiently in the long term. The new anchor of my strategy was to be ETFs.

Why ETFs?

The answer was simple: diversification, lower costs and risk spreading. With ETFs, you can invest in hundreds or thousands of companies at the same time with a single investment. This means I am no longer dependent on the fate of a single company, but benefit from the growth of entire markets and the global economy.

The major restructuring started in November 2024 and was a phase of intensive analysis and consistent implementation. Individual shares were sold and the freed-up capital was immediately reinvested in broadly diversified ETFs. It was a liberating move, a departure from the emotional rollercoaster ride and a step towards a rational, long-term investment strategy.

Today, in May 2025, my portfolio has a market value of €210,000 and reflects this transformation. It is a carefully curated mix that aims to achieve my million-euro goal efficiently and with calculable risk:

• The Global Anchor - HSBC MSCI WORLD UCITS ETF ($HMWO (+0,47%)
  ):

This ETF forms the core of my portfolio. It invests in around 1,600 companies from 23 industrialized countries and is my most important building block for long-term global growth.

• The US giant - S&P 500 USD (Dist) ($VUSA (+0,5%)
  ): - My targeted bet on the innovative strength of the 500 largest US companies.
• The income powerhouses - JPM Global Equity Premium Income Active UCITS ETF ($JEGP (-0,21%)
  ) and JPM Nasdaq Equity Premium Income Active UCITS ETF ($JEPQ (+0,71%)
  ): My "cash cows" that provide me with continuous capital.
• The dividend champion - VanEck Mstr.Dm Dividend.UC.ETF ($TDIV (+0,58%)
  ): - another pillar of my dividend strategy.
• Quality and dividends - Fidelity Gl.Quality Income ETF ($FGEQ (+0,34%)
  ) and WisdomTree Gl.Qual.Div.Gr.U.E. Registered Sha ($GGRP (+0,83%)
  ): ETFs that invest in high quality companies with sustainable dividends.
• US Dividend Aristocrats - SPDR S&P US Divid.Aristocr.ETF D ($SPYD (+0,14%)
  ): Companies that have consistently increased their dividends for at least 25 years.
• The European focus - iSh.STOXX Europe 600 U.ETF ($EXSA (+0,68%) ): a newer position that strengthens my diversification in the European region.

This structure forms the foundation of my current strategy: a clear core of broad market ETFs (MSCI World, S&P 500, STOXX Europe 600) is complemented by targeted satellites for high dividends and specific quality characteristics.

The strategy, or rather my roadmap for the future - discipline, cash flow and steady reinvestment

My path to a million is not a sprint, but a marathon that depends on discipline and a clear strategy. A significant amount flows into my portfolio every month - a total of € 1,610. This amount is made up of my active deposit of € 1,500 and € 110 from the reinvested dividends of the ETFs eligible for savings plans.

The distribution of my monthly savings plans is deliberately chosen to continuously strengthen my growth core:

• HSBC MSCI WORLD UCITS ETF (HMWO): 1,000 €/month
• VANGUARD S&P 500U.ETF DLD: 350 €/month
• ISH.STOXX Europe 600 U.ETF: 300 €/month
• WISDOMTREE.HMS.Z12/UN.XAU: 60 €/month (small proportion of gold for diversification and inflation protection)

The dividends are much more than just a nice bonus - they are a key driver for the growth of my portfolio through the compound interest effect. I'm already expecting an impressive €6,900 in gross dividends for 2025.

The challenge of dividend reinvestment

One problem that many investors also face is the challenge of dividend reinvestment at my bank, ING: automatic reinvestment only works if the net distribution of an individual ETF is at least €75.

If I haven't miscalculated and the dividends remain stable, this hurdle should be overcome for the ETFs in question.

Otherwise, I accumulate on my clearing account and then make a manual one-off investment in the VUSA or EuroStoxx600 as soon as a larger sum (between €500 and €1,000) has been accumulated, or I increase the savings plans to the two mentioned in the following month. This allows me to make the most of the compound interest effect and reduce the costs of transaction fees at the same time.

This approach has helped me to focus not on short-term gains, but on long-term growth and a steady income through dividends. It is a path that has proven its worth over the years and has continuously brought me closer to the goal of

1 million euros closer.

Looking to the future - The million within reach and the passive dream

My goal is clear: €1,000,000 in my portfolio. This milestone is not just a number, but the foundation for future financial freedom and the realization of my dreams.

Based on my current portfolio value of € 210000 (May 2025), my monthly investment and reinvested dividends and a realistic assumption of an average annual return of 8.0% p.a. (which is achievable for broadly diversified equity ETFs in the long term), I have a clear timetable in mind:

I will reach my goal of 1 million euros in the portfolio probably in April 2040. That is still about 14 years and 11 months of disciplined investing. The reinvestment of all dividends is the absolute key here. Without it, the road to a million would take almost a decade longer! This awareness motivates me anew every day.

Let's see if that works and whether I'll find this post on Getquin to repost again.

Hi everyone,

My savings plans as of 01.06.25:

$NOVO B (+0,42%) - 400€

$NADQ (+0,9%) - 400€ + 15€ cashback

$HMWO (+0,47%) - 400€

$VHYL (+0,47%) - 200€

makes €1,415 for the month of June.

Where are you investing next month?

Looking forward to your ideas.

My focus is on dividend stocks and would like to bring the ETF - stock ratio to 60/40, therefore currently higher investment in ETF.

Hello everyone,

has anyone already received the dividend from DKB or other brokers?

Lg