Hello everyone,

My name is Antonio, I'm almost 27 years old and I'm from Bremen. I currently work as a train manager at Deutsche Bahn. Anyone who knows the job knows that chaos is almost guaranteed here. If a train is on time, everyone wonders what's going wrong. Delays, strikes, unforeseen events - you get used to the fact that nothing goes as expected. And that's exactly how I felt on the stock market: constantly chasing hypes, always on the lookout for quick profits, and in the end I never knew whether the train was still on the right track. I experienced just as much chaos on the markets as I did in my day-to-day work - but fortunately I've learned from it and am now looking for a fresh start where everything is a bit more orderly and predictable.

I've made a lot of mistakes on the stock market in the past. And not too few - unfortunately. Like many of you, I had the idea that the stock market would make me a quick buck. I let myself be led by hypes, trends and the desire for immediate results. I wasn't interested in investing for the long term or building a solid foundation for the future, I was only ever interested in making a quick profit. Leveraged products, knock-out certificates - it was all there. It felt like a casino where the loss was usually the only "win". And so it came as it had to: I not only lost money, but also confidence in my own decisions and the markets.

But today, in 2025, I have realized that it is time for a fresh start. I have learned from my mistakes. It's been a long road and I've thought a lot about why I was so quick to go for the quick buck instead of investing patiently and focusing on long-term success. I learned the lessons I needed to become a better investor. Patience, diversification and a long-term perspective are now my principles. I want to create something tangible, not just a portfolio full of numbers, but also a solid, long-term strategy that will help me to continuously build my wealth.

My portfolio: A solid foundation

The portfolio I have now built up is a mix of different asset classes and asset classes. My aim is to diversify broadly and not miss out on potential growth opportunities, while spreading risk across different sectors and regions. Here is an overview of what my investment strategy looks like:

ETFs (€1000/month)

I have deliberately opted for a broad diversification and invested in different geographical regions and markets. This diversification should ensure that my capital benefits from the markets that have the greatest potential in the coming decades.

- IE00BMTX1Y45 ( $I500) (-1,32%)

- LU0908500753 ( $MEUD (-1,23%) )

- IE00BYXVGY31 ( $FUSA (-1,09%) )

- IE00BD1F4M44 ( $IUVF (-2,13%) )

- IE00BKM4GZ66 ( $EIMI (-5,32%) )

- LU1681041973 ( $CD9 (+0,2%) )

- LU0486851024 ( $D5BL (-0,96%) )

- IE00BYQCZN58 ( $DXJZ (-3,38%) )

- IE00BF4RFH31 ( $WSML (-1,77%) )

- IE00BG0SKF03 ( $5MVL (-5,65%) )

- IE00B652H904 ( $SEDY (-2,12%) )

- LU2089238385 ( $PRAJ (-3,86%) )

- DE000A0H0744 ( $EXXW (-0,88%) )

- IE00BFXR5W90 ( $LGAG (-1,28%) )

- LU0779800910 ( $XCHA (-3,37%) )

- HANetf Future of Defense UCITS ETF ($ASWC (-0,32%) )

So many ETFs? Does he still have all his wits about him?

Some people will think exactly that when they look at my ETF list. And yes, I admit that the portfolio is pretty broadly based - perhaps too broad for some. But that's exactly my goal. I don't want to catch the one sector or the one region that is going through the roof. I want to have everything! If a market explodes somewhere in the world, then I want to be there. Be it through large caps, small caps, growth, value, technology or emerging markets, my approach is not to miss out on potential opportunities and at the same time not to put all my eggs in one basket. Some call it overdiversification, I call it my personal "all-world approach"

The idea behind the selection of these ETFs is that I want to focus on global markets and growth regions without missing out on important sectors such as technology, healthcare and energy. The USA (with over 55% of my portfolio) remains the central component due to its economic importance and innovative strength. At the same time, I am also focusing on Europe, Asia, China and emerging markets, which are increasingly among the growth markets of the future. Small caps also play a key role for me, as they often have the potential to grow faster and offer opportunities that are often overlooked by the large institutions.

Cryptocurrencies (€100/month in Bitcoin ( $BTC (-2,77%) ) €50/month in Ethereum ($ETH) (-4,66%)

I also invest in Bitcoin and Ethereum as I am convinced of the future of these digital currencies. Even if the volatility is high, I see the long-term potential of these technologies. For me, it is an opportunity to participate in the development of a new financial world.

Gold (50 €/month EUWAX Gold ($DE000EWG0LD1 (-1,78%) )

In uncertain times, I have realized how important it is to have conservative assets such as gold. The last few years of inflation and economic fluctuations have made me realize that gold can have a stabilizing effect, especially in times of crisis.

Individual stocks - My dividend strategy

I have also selected a few individual stocks that should not only offer me security, but also regular income through dividends. The reason for this is simple: I need something tangible, something visible. It's not just the pleasure of seeing the portfolio grow, but also the dividend that gives me the feeling of actively participating in the companies and benefiting from their success.

- 3M Co ($MMM (-0,51%) )

- Allianz ($ALV (-0,8%) )

- BioNTech ($BNTX (-0,48%) )

- Booking Holdings( $BKNG (+0,2%) )

- Coca-Cola ($KO (+1,2%) )

- LVMH ($MC (+0,14%) )

- MSCI Inc ($MSCI (-1,24%) )

- NextEra Energy($NEE (+0,19%) )

- Philip Morris ($PM (+0,75%) )

- Realty Income($O (+0,42%) )

BioNTech in particular, as a company that has promising potential not only during the pandemic but also beyond, is a long-term winner for me. Likewise NextEra Energy, which plays a key role in the renewable energy sector, and Booking Holdings, which should benefit from the global tourism trend. These companies not only pay dividends, but also show that you can benefit from a company's success with a long-term perspective.

Pension fund

I also invest in the DEVK pension fund (DE000A2PT1X3) through my employer $DE000A2PT1X3 . This fund is particularly important to me because of the generous contributions made by my employer and the solid returns. Even though the costs are somewhat higher, I see it as a long-term addition to my strategy.

Why this portfolio?

I built my portfolio this way because I believe in the potential of long-term global diversification. Rather than chasing short-term gains, I am looking for continuous value growth over many years. I want to support the right companies, benefit from promising markets and at the same time have a regular source of income through dividends.

I am no longer interested in making a quick buck. I have learned that true success in wealth accumulation lies in patience. And that's what it's all about: I want to create a solid foundation for the future - for myself, for my pension and perhaps for a house in a few years' time.

What do you think?

I'm really looking forward to hearing from you. What do you think of my strategy? Do you see any areas where I could diversify even more? Are there any asset classes or ETFs missing from my portfolio that would make sense for me? I am very keen to hear your opinions and advice.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story and strategy! I look forward to your feedback.

Best regards,

Antonio

Foreword:

An investment reserve can be a great thing, it smoothes out volatility and in extreme phases you have the opportunity to implement something meaningful in your portfolio, which has a very calming effect psychologically.

Unfortunately, the expected additional return from buy the dip often fails to materialize, as the opportunity costs eat everything up again.

Very nicely described here by Gerd Kommer:

https://gerd-kommer.de/buy-the-dip/

But what if we turn a few screws, don't hold our investment reserves in cash and buy leveraged?

I have thought too much about this topic and built a model for a war chest, which I am also implementing myself.

Building up the reserve:

Investment Reserve

-------------------------------------------

EURO

30.0% Money Market / 0-1y Bonds EUR $CSH2 (+0,01%)

30.0% German Gov. Bonds 7+Y $X03G (+0,2%)

-------------------------------------30%

Swiss Franc

20.0% Swiss Gov.Bonds 7-10Y $CH0440081393 (+0,06%)

-------------------------------------20%

Swiss Gold

20.0% Gold $EWG2 (-1,7%)

-------------------------------------20%

==========100%==========

The reserve must be structured in such a way that it is not torn apart in a crisis. In the best-case scenario, parts of the reserve should even rise during crises.

This is why part of it consists of government bonds; in economic crises, interest rates are generally lowered, which is why long-term bonds should rise.

As inflationary phases may well occur, I have decided to include gold, especially as gold has a low correlation with equities.

The total of 30% in money market funds exists in order to have a volatility-free position.

This reserve is not a standalone, it should be seen as part of a global portfolio and can make up between 10% and 30% of the total portfolio.

It is not intended to generate returns, but merely to compensate for inflation and to remain stable in value during crises.

The strategy:

As an anchor point we use the all-time high of the $ACWI (USD) from -10% we invest step by step. We try to buy the ACWI with increasing leverage. As there is no 2x ACWI, FTSE All-World, MSCI World or similar, we have to build our own as best we can. I only try to use ETFs and ETCs as long as this is practical, as they have no counterparty risk.

Mode 1 ACWI -10% - Lev. 1.28x - Correction

5.0% MSCI USA 2X Lev. $CL2 (-2,3%)

12.5% World ex USA $EXUS (-1,72%)

-------------------------------------17,5%

Mode 2 ACWI -20% - 1.55x Lev - Crisis

5.0% MSCI USA 2X Lev. $CL2 (-2,3%)

4.5% Euro Stoxx 50 2X Lev. $LVE (-2,96%)

1.5% FTSE 100 2X Lev. $LUK2

3.0% Japan $PRAJ (-3,86%)

6.0% Emerging markets $EIMI (-5,32%)

-------------------------------------20,0%

Mode 3 ACWI -30% - 1.68x Lev - Escalation I

12.5% MSCI USA 2X Lev. $CL2 (-2,3%)

6.0% Euro Stoxx 50 2X Lev. $LVE (-2,96%)

2.0% FTSE 100 2X Lev. $LUK2

4.0% Japan $PRAJ (-3,86%)

5.5% Emerging markets $EIMI (-5,32%)

-------------------------------------30,0%

Mode 4 ACWI- 40% - 3x Lev. - Escalation II

32.5% MSCI ACWI 2x Lev. $null (-2,51%)

-------------------------------------32,5%

==========100%==========

Rebalancing

After the crash is before the crash, the investment reserve must be replenished.

After the price has recovered a distance of approx. 60% from the low to the top (ACWI), I would recommend selling all MSCI ACWI 2X Lev. positions and thus filling the reserve.

You can then fill the rest of the reserve with your savings rates and partial sales of the 2x positions.

Since we do not put the return from this "trade" completely back into the bond, but keep a part of the "Do-It-Yourself-Leveraged-Getto-ACWI", we build up a small leverage over time, at favorable conditions.

Problems and risks:

Especially if it goes down further than 50%, things can get ugly.

In the 2019 financial crisis, for example, we would have made -58%. As a result, the recovery would have taken 1 year longer than if we had bought a normal ACWI. However, in all other corrections (including Corona), we would have come out of the crisis better with this strategy and would have generated an annual outperformance of 1-2% p.a. after tax (varies depending on the period).

In long bull markets, without significant corrections, this strategy underperforms. In sideways markets, we should outperform a 100% equity portfolio due to the interest income.

It is not entirely clear which part of the investment reserve will be sold first and which last. Depending on the nature of the crisis, some shares may rise and others may fall.

If it is a debt crisis, for example, it may not be wise to sell your gold right at the beginning. If it is an economic crisis, long-dated bonds are king, although inflation-linked bonds will probably suffer somewhat.

If you don't want to be caught on the wrong foot here, you can always sell 50% of the best-performing asset and 50% of the worst-performing asset at the same time.

Which wouldn't be a good thing if we had two cycles in quick succession before we had the opportunity to rebalance.

Colorful pictures:

I have recreated the period from 01.01.2018 to 01.01.2025 in ExtraETF.

Unfortunately, you can't currently share the portfolio there, which is why I've used a few screenshots here.

I chose this period because I am familiar with it and it had both negative and positive interest rates. In addition, there were a total of 3 drops of more than 10% and a bond crash.

Note during the negative interest rate phase, the portfolio held no bonds (except the inflation-indexed ones) and instead held negative interest cash.

Here you can see a

100% FTSE-All World $VWCE (-1,98%) vs

80% FTSE-All World + 20% investment reserve.

Maximum Drawdown VS FTSE-All World

Although we buy leveraged products, the maximum drawdown is lower, at least as long as it does not go lower than approx. 35%.

The meme for Sunday (even if it's not Sunday):

I have created an 80% FTSE All-World + 20% Reserve portfolio starting 01.01.2025 and will continue to maintain this, so everyone can see the real performance of this module. And of course I will update you when we are down 10%.

What do you think of the pyramized investment reserve and the Do-It-Yourself-Leveraged-Getto-ACWI?