That's because there are many out there that offer a simple, diversified way to tap into the next decade of disruption.

Three that stand out as explosive opportunities that could be worth buying and holding for years to come are named below. Here's what you need to know about them:

BetaShares Australian Technology ETF (ASX: ATEC)

The BetaShares Australian Technology ETF provides investors with exposure to homegrown innovators such as WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC), Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO), TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE), and NextDC Ltd (ASX: NXT).

One company that highlights the long-term potential of this ETF is WiseTech Global. Its CargoWise platform is used by the world's largest logistics companies and has become the industry standard for managing global supply chains. As freight operators continue digitising and automating their networks, WiseTech's pricing power, global reach, and sticky customer base give it a long runway for growth.

Betashares recently recommended this fund to investors.

BetaShares Crypto Innovators ETF (ASX: CRYP)

For investors willing to embrace higher volatility in exchange for higher potential returns, the BetaShares Crypto Innovators ETF could be worth a shout.

It provides exposure to the stocks that are building the global cryptocurrency and blockchain ecosystem. Its holdings include digital asset exchanges, mining companies, and blockchain development firms such as Coinbase Global (NASDAQ: COIN), Marathon Digital Holdings (NASDAQ: MARA), and Riot Platforms (NASDAQ: RIOT).

Coinbase is the leading U.S. crypto exchange, it benefits directly from increasing institutional adoption of digital assets, rising transaction volumes, and the broader growth of decentralised finance applications. As blockchain technology continues to expand beyond trading into payments, tokenisation, and real-world applications, companies like Coinbase could play a central role.

While BetaShares Crypto Innovators ETF is not for the faint-hearted, over a long investment horizon, the potential upside of the digital asset industry could be substantial.

BetaShares Video Games and Esports ETF (ASX: GAME)

Gaming has evolved from a hobby into one of the world's largest entertainment industries. So much so, it is now bigger than the movie and music sectors combined.

The BetaShares Video Games and Esports ETF gives investors exposure to the companies driving that growth, including Tencent Holdings (SEHK: 700), Nintendo, and Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA).

A standout holding is Nintendo. Its iconic franchises, such as Mario to Zelda, continue to generate billions in global sales, while its hybrid Switch console remains one of the best-selling gaming systems ever. With esports expanding, digital sales rising, and subscription-based gaming becoming mainstream, companies in this ASX ETF's portfolio are well placed to benefit from lasting consumer trends rather than short-lived fads.

The BetaShares Video Games and Esports ETF provides a simple way to invest in an industry with massive and enduring global demand. It was also recently recommended by analysts at Betashares.

The post 3 explosive ASX ETFs to buy and hold appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

By buying a single ETF, you can instantly access a diversified basket of stocks and industries, cutting out the need to pick individual winners.

With $2,000, you could spread your investment across a few high-potential options. Here are three ASX ETFs that could be among the best to buy next month.

Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ)

The first ASX ETF to consider in October is the Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF. It gives investors access to some of the world's most influential technology stocks. This includes Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA), and Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA). These businesses have been at the forefront of innovation in areas such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and electric vehicles.

The Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF has been one of the ASX's most popular ETFs for years, and for good reason. The US tech sector has delivered stellar long-term returns, and many of these stocks remain positioned for further growth as digital transformation accelerates globally. For Australian investors, it is one of the easiest ways to participate in Silicon Valley's success.

Betashares Cloud Computing ETF (ASX: CLDD)

Another ASX ETF to look at is the Betashares Cloud Computing ETF. It focuses on stocks leading the shift to cloud-based services. Holdings include names like Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN), Shopify (NASDAQ: SHOP), and Snowflake (NYSE: SNOW). These are businesses allowing organisations worldwide to move their infrastructure, data, and software into the cloud.

This isn't just a passing trend. Cloud adoption continues to rise as companies seek more efficient, scalable, and secure ways to operate. With artificial intelligence and data analytics increasingly powered by cloud platforms, this fund gives investors exposure to one of the most critical foundations of the digital economy. It was recently named as one to consider buying by Betashares.

Betashares Crypto Innovators ETF (ASX: CRYP)

Finally, for those who want a more adventurous slice of their portfolio, the Betashares Crypto Innovators ETF provides exposure to stocks shaping the cryptocurrency and blockchain sectors. It includes names like Coinbase (NASDAQ: COIN), Riot Platforms (NASDAQ: RIOT), and Galaxy Digital (NASDAQ: GLXY), which stand to benefit as digital assets gain broader acceptance.

While this ETF is more volatile than traditional market exposures, it offers investors a way to tap into the growth of blockchain technology without needing to buy individual cryptocurrencies directly. For those willing to stomach the ups and downs, the Betashares Crypto Innovators ETF could provide powerful long-term upside.

The post 3 of the best ASX ETFs to buy in October with $2,000 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Investment choices can provide insights into the mood of different investor demographics.

Data from broker Selfwealth Ltd (ASX: SWF) has revealed where investors have been putting their money in FY24 to date, from 1 July 2023 to 7 August 2023.

Most popular trades

Selfwealth has provided a list of ASX shares and investments that millionaire millennials have been trading in. It's sorted by the number of trades rather than the number of units or value of trades so that a few rich investors don't skew the results with large trades.

That said, here are the ASX investments with the most amount of trades:

BetaShares Geared Australian Equity (Hedge Fund) (ASX: GEAR) is an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that's betting on the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) to rise. It borrows money to amplify the gains (and losses) made by the portfolio. Current gearing is 57%, which to some people may not be a comfortable level of borrowing for their own portfolios.

Global X Ultra Long Nasdaq 100 Hedge Fund (ASX: LNAS) is invested in 100 of the largest businesses on the NASDAQ 100 stock exchange while utilising futures contracts.

BetaShares Australian Equities Strong Bear Hedge Fund (ASX: BBOZ) is an ETF that enables investors to bet that the ASX 200 is going to fall by using futures. It uses leverage, which amplifies the returns and losses. Since its inception in April 2015, the ASX ETF has delivered an average return per annum of negative 20.3% to June 2023.

Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS) is an ETF focused on 300 of the largest ASX shares.

BetaShares Crypto Innovators ETF (ASX: CRYP) is an ETF that's invested in global companies that provide exposure to the cryptocurrency economy. In this portfolio are names like Marathon Digital Holdings, Riot Platforms, and Coinbase Global.

Stanmore Resources Ltd (ASX: SMR) is an ASX coal share that has seen its share price rise to a much higher level than before Russia invaded Ukraine.

Other interesting data points

Looking at the wider millennial cohort, not just the rich ones, the largest number of trades involved ETFs. They were: the VAS ETF, Vanguard Diversified High Growth Index ETF (ASX: VDHG), Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (ASX: VGS), iShares S&P 500 ETF (ASX: IVV), and Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ).

Miners made up some of the most popular investments by the wider millennial cohort, including Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (ASX: FMG), Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO), and Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS).

Non-millionaire baby boomers and Gen Xers liked trading in Core Lithium as well. It seems Gen X hasn't been doing much ETF trading. Millionaire baby boomers have, unsurprisingly, been trading a lot in ASX blue chips, and predominately selling the cash ETF Betashares Australian High Interest Cash ETF (ASX: AAA).

Meantime, millionaire Gen X investors have been interested in technology businesses like Advanced Micro Devices, Intel, and Quantumscape.

The post Top ASX shares wealthy young investors are buying right now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

What happened 

The news couldn't have been much worse for Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) and cryptocurrencies today. inflation in the U.S. came in higher than expected at 0.1% last month, with core inflation up 0.6%. This was despite investors thinking that inflation may be slowing, which could have opened the door to the Federal Reserve slowing its pace of interest rate increases. 

Shares of Bitcoin-related stocks were trading near their daily lows at 3 p.m. ET. Riot Blockchain (NASDAQ: RIOT) was down as much as 9.8%, Bitfarms (NASDAQ: BITF) had fallen 10.6%, Marathon Digital (NASDAQ: MARA) dropped 10.9%, HIVE Blockchain Technologies (NASDAQ: HIVE) declined 11.3%, and Hut 8 Mining (NASDAQ: HUT) fell as much as 14.6%.

So what 

Bitcoin is down 9.9% as I'm writing to $20,245, which seems bad, but the cryptocurrency is still up 7.4% over the past week. But when Bitcoin drops rapidly, it can often cause Bitcoin mining and related stocks to drop dramatically as well. This happens for two reasons. 

First, Bitcoin miners are generating Bitcoin as revenue, so when the value of Bitcoin drops, their revenue effectively does as well. Second, these companies often hold significant Bitcoin reserves on their balance sheets, so a drop in Bitcoin actually means a loss in value on the balance sheet as well. 

As all of this is happening, Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) is moving quickly toward The Merge in the next day or so, which will give the cryptocurrency significant advantages over Bitcoin. The Ethereum blockchain won't be as energy intensive as Bitcoin's and has the smart contract capability that Bitcoin can't compete with. There are a lot of investors who think this will shift value from Bitcoin to Ethereum. 

We have already seen miners on Ethereum's proof-of-work blockchain suffer because they'll have no work to do after The Merge's move to proof of stake. That's the macro trend of all cryptocurrencies, and Bitcoin doesn't have an answer to lower energy usage right now. 

Now what 

Bitcoin, in particular, was supposed to be a hedge against inflation. But that hasn't been the case for at least a year now, and the cryptocurrency trades more like a speculative asset than an inflation hedge. 

What I would be worried about for Bitcoin miners is a continued decline in Bitcoin's price after The Merge. Ethereum is a compelling alternative with much more functionality as a form of payment and innovation than Bitcoin. And with the focus on energy usage and environmental impact across the technology industry, the more than 99% reduction in energy usage after The Merge will be compelling. 

I don't think Bitcoin miners have a great business model in today's market, and that's what keeping me out of these stocks. They're mainly playing arbitrage against the price of Bitcoin and the cost of mining a Bitcoin. If that arbitrage goes to zero, the entire business model falls apart quickly and once-solid balance sheets could become a liability. 

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

The post Why Bitcoin plunged on Tuesday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.