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A non-fungible token (NFT) is a cryptographic asset hosted on the blockchain that includes artwork, music, event tickets and other collectibles. The NFT market is estimated to be worth more than $200 billion by 2030, making NFTs the ideal digital asset for many investors to diversify their portfolios. Smart investors know the best NFT-related stocks.

Investing in NFTs directly isn’t the only way to benefit from this rapidly increasing market. Investors have the option of owning stocks in companies offering NFTs. Benzinga discovered five NFTs that could prove to be worthwhile investments. 

Quick Look at the Best NFT-Related Stocks:

eBay Inc. (NASDAQ: EBAY) is one of the biggest e-commerce companies in the world. Consumers can buy just about any household item on eBay, such as electronics, clothing, sneakers and books. eBay has added NFTs to its trading platform. It partnered with the Web3 NFT platform OneOf and launched 13 limited edition collectibles. eBay specializes in art NFTs, and its first collection featured ice hockey legend Wayne Gretzky. The collection has expanded drastically, with hundreds of pieces of artwork featured on eBay. Not only can creators use eBay to sell their NFTs, but the e-commerce giant recently bought KnownOrigin, a leading NFT marketplace.  

Known for being one of the biggest fast-food chains globally, McDonald’s Corp. (NYSE: MCD) isn’t a company you would associate with digital assets. McDonald’s created its first NFT in honor of McRib’s 40th anniversary and distributed it to fans on Twitter. But its digital transformation doesn’t end there, as McDonald’s looks to establish a presence in the metaverse. McDonald’s wants to develop a virtual restaurant but will continue to deliver physically. It has applied for 10 metaverse-related patents that enable it to provide entertainment services, NFT trading and online food delivery. The restaurant plans to offer online retail services and virtual goods and concerts.

NVIDIA Corp. (NASDAQ: NVDA) is a technology company specializing in the design and manufacturing of graphics processing units (GPUs). Founded in 1933, NVIDIA has come a long way since it built its company by developing integrated circuits. This tech giant seeks to incorporate the metaverse into its operations by offering a cloud engine for avatars, neural graphics and an Omniverse Cloud — a cloud service for developers and artists to design, publish and operate metaverse applications. NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang said that Omniverse Cloud enables the company to offer a service that connects teams worldwide to design, build and operate virtual teams. Some of the Omniverse Cloud services include Nucleus Cloud, App Streaming, Replicator and Farm — based on 3D designs and works.

Shopify Inc. (NYSE: SHOP) is a multinational e-commerce corporation founded in 2006. It allows users to sell digital and physical products, as well as offer virtual and in-person services. Wanting its share of the NFT expanding market, Shopify enables you to sell NFTs via your Shopify store, offer them as rewards to customers and collaborate with other brands. You can sell NFTs through Shopify Payments and add a cryptocurrency payment processor. Shopify’s stock was on an upward trajectory since the beginning of 2019 when it was valued at $14. Investors who bought the stock during that period enjoyed returns of over 1,000% as it reached its ATH of $176 in November 2021. The company mistakenly assumed that the revenue boost during lockdowns was a permanent leap.

Cloudflare Inc. (NYSE: NET) is a content delivery network company. Part of its offering is Cloudflare Stream, a platform enabling video creators to store their content and create NFTs for their work on a market such as OpenSea. Videos creators will be able to streamline the service by connecting the token IDs and contact addresses to their videos. Cloudflare’s stock may appeal to risk-seeking investors.

Where to Buy

Some of these stocks aren’t well-known issues, so you’ll need to confirm ahead of time that your broker has shares available. If you aren’t sure, contact customer support and let them know which stocks you’re looking for.

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Interactive Brokers is a comprehensive trading platform that gives you access to a massive range of securities at affordable prices. You can buy assets from all around the world from the comfort of your home or office with access to over 150 global markets. Options, futures, forex and fund trading are also available, and most traders won’t pay a commission on any purchase or sale.  

IBKR is geared primarily toward experienced traders and investors but now with the availability of free trades with IBKR Lite, casual traders can also acclimate to IBKR’s offerings.

Best For

• Access to international markets
• Active traders
• Detailed mobile app that makes trading simple
• Wide range of available account types and tradeable assets

Pros

• IB SmartRouting provides significant price improvement vs. industry
• Fractional trading allows investing regardless of share price
• Industry’s lowest margin rates
• Earn more by lending your fuly-paid shares

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• Beginner investors might prefer a broker that offers a bit more hand-holding and educational resources

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81% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Plus500 is an online CFD broker focusing on contracts for difference (CFDs). CFDs are similar to binary options in the U.S. where traders take all-or-nothing speculation on the prices of certain securities like indices, commodities or currencies. While not legal to trade in the U.S., CFDs are legal in many jurisdictions across the globe and Plus500 offers a wide array of tradable markets using these instruments. 

Plus500 doesn’t charge commission and only profits off the spread, which is the difference between the buy and sell price of a specific security. But Plus500 is not a broker for beginners — the education materials are sparse and CFDs are risky derivatives capable of sapping out all of an investor’s capital. Only trade these instruments if you understand how they operate and the risks involved with buying them.

The Plus500 CFD platform is for CFDs. The Plus500 Futures platform offers futures for U.S. customers, and Plus500 Invest offers stock trading.

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• Traders looking for a smooth mobile experience

Pros

• Great mobile app
• Low spreads and commissions
• Unlimited demo account
• Plus500 offers three platforms: Plus500 Futures, Plus500 Invest and Plus500 CFD.

Cons

• Only derivatives are available
• Futures are available to U.S. residents while CFDs are not available for U.S. residents.

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Public is the only investing platform that lets you trade stocks, ETFs, crypto, bonds, options and alternative assets—like fine art and collectibles—all in one place. Public also provides access to custom company metrics, live shows about the markets, and insights from a community of millions of investors, creators, and analysts.

Today, Public provides more ways to create a diversified portfolio than nearly any other online broker. Members can engage in sophisticated investing strategies and access a wealth of investing insights—from company-specific analysis to live audio shows and town hall-style Q&As. In addition, Public offers a premium membership tier with unique company KPIs, detailed performance metrics, and institutional-grade research. 

 

Best For

• Stock and ETF investors
• Crypto investors
• Investors looking to diversify with alternative assets or bonds and options

Pros

• Commission-free stock and ETF trading
• Fractional share investing
• Advanced data, tools, and insights with Public Premium

Cons

• You can’t transfer crypto to another wallet
• No mutual funds or precious metals
• At this time, only offers individual brokerage accounts and not IRAs

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Robinhood is a popular trading platform known for its commission-free trades and user-friendly mobile app. Ideal for novice investors, Robinhood makes it easy to buy and sell stocks, ETFs and cryptocurrencies. The platform offers a straightforward, no-frills experience, making it accessible for users new to investing. With features like fractional shares and a sleek interface, Robinhood lowers the barriers to entry for investing, allowing users to start with just a few dollars. It lacks the advanced tools and research options that more experienced investors might seek. Overall, Robinhood is a great choice for beginners seeking a simple way to invest.

Best For

• Beginners looking for simplicity
• Mobile-first investors
• Commission-free trades

Pros

• User-friendly mobile app
• Instant double
• Cash management
• Access to cryptocurrencies

Cons

• Limited research tools
• No mutual funds available
• Basic customer support options

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TradeZero is an online broker and free stock trading platform that provides everything you need to successfully share and trade, including round-the-clock customer support. TradeZero provides four different trading state-of-the-art software programs with its services, a locator for sourcing shares for shorting, commission-free trades, and real-time streaming, to name a few of the features promoted on their website. The software is a unique and (potentially) affordable option for anyone interested in stock trading.

Best For

• Traders seeking high transparency and mobility in a stock trading program
• Those attracted to commission-free trades
• Those seeking a free version of a high-quality trading program

Pros

• 24/7 live customer support
• Uses ZeroWeb technology, a powerful level 2 online platform with direct market access
• Mobile app allows users to access stocks and trade in real-time while on the go

Cons

• Enforces Pattern Day Trading restrictions (accounts need to maintain a daily equity balance of at least $25k)
• Mobile app could offer more features

Pros

Holding shares in companies offering NFTs provides investors with several benefits.

Returns: Some NFT stocks have proven to be tied to cryptocurrency markets, displaying similar price movements. That’s one of the reasons some NFT stocks managed to climb more than 1,000% during the 2021 bull run — mimicking the returns of the best cryptocurrencies.

Diversification: The NFT market is expanding rapidly, giving investors an opportunity to diversify their portfolios while potentially earning significant returns.

Opportunity to learn about blockchain: Blockchain hosts NFTs and several other digital assets. NFT stock investors can learn how blockchain can benefit them. 

Cons

Before getting involved in NFT investing, you should consider several key aspects of such stocks.

Volatility: Although some NFT stocks have provided massive returns, a crash usually followed their bull runs. 

Hosted on blockchain: An anonymous person or entity developed the blockchain where NFTs are hosted. Blockchain’s malfunction or abrupt shutdown could make NFTs obsolete and potentially sink NFT stocks.

New asset class: NFT sales have grown tremendously in the last few years. But NFTs are a new asset class with a limited history and an uncertain future.

Frequently Asked Questions

The post Top Performing NFT Related Stocks by Goran Radanovic appeared first on Benzinga. Visit Benzinga to get more great content like this.

Stay up to date on all short interest stocks with Benzinga Pro, your go-to stock market research platform with real-time news and actionable insights.

The great thing about the market is that you can make money whether stocks are bullish or bearish. Some stocks have surged, and it may be too late for a long position. The good news is that some stocks have already topped, and shorting them may be profitable. Instead of looking only for stocks that have upside potential, you can diversify your portfolio by entering short positions. Several big stocks have dropped by 50% and may offer more downside. High short-interest stocks help traders gauge short stocks.

Quick Look at the Top Performing Short-Interest Stocks:

Deep Dive

Several stocks have proven to be volatile and in a downtrend for some time. A trend reversal is also possible. Whether you’re positioning to ride the downtrend or go long, a few high-short-interest stocks are worth exploring.

Heron Therapeutics Inc. specializes in developing treatments for acute care and oncology care, focusing on improving clinical outcomes for patients. The company offers innovative solutions, including advanced therapies designed to address unmet medical needs related to postoperative pain and chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. Heron Therapeutics stands out for its robust product pipeline and successful integration of novel delivery systems, enhancing the efficacy of already-approved pharmacological agents, making it a compelling option for investors seeking growth in the biopharmaceutical sector.

Blink Charging Co. (NASDAQ: BLNK) is a prominent player in the electric vehicle (EV) charging industry, providing a comprehensive range of EV charging equipment and networked services. The company is unique for its extensive network of charging stations, which supports the growing demand for EV infrastructure as the world shifts towards sustainable transportation. Blink Charging distinguishes itself through innovative solutions and strategic partnerships that enhance the accessibility and efficiency of EV charging. This forward-looking approach positions Blink as a key contributor to the EV ecosystem, making it an attractive option for investors interested in the green energy sector

Beyond Meat Inc. (NASDAQ: BYND) is a leading innovator in the food industry, specializing in plant-based meat substitutes that replicate the taste and texture of animal-based products. The company’s mission is to offer consumers nutritious alternatives to meat that are environmentally sustainable and free from genetically modified organisms (GMOs), soy, and gluten, while also being low in cholesterol. Beyond Meat stands out due to its focus on sustainability, leveraging cutting-edge technology to create products that have a significantly lower environmental impact compared to traditional meat production. This commitment to health and sustainability, combined with a growing consumer trend towards plant-based diets, makes Beyond Meat a compelling choice for investors looking to support innovative and socially responsible companies.

Beam Global (NASDAQ: BEEM) is a company dedicated to leading the world toward clean mobility through the production of innovative, Made-in-America products. Based in San Diego and Chicago, Beam specializes in sustainable energy solutions, including solar-powered electric vehicle (EV) charging stations that do not require any grid connection, making them highly versatile and eco-friendly. What sets Beam apart is its focus on sustainability and independence from traditional power infrastructures, which aligns with the growing global emphasis on reducing carbon footprints and promoting renewable energy sources. This unique approach to clean energy and mobility presents Beam as an attractive option for investors interested in forward-thinking, environmentally responsible companies.

Arch Resources Inc. (NYSE: ARCH) is a leading producer and distributor of thermal and metallurgical coal, operating through segments such as the Powder River Basin and Metallurgical. The company’s focus on high-quality coal for steel production and energy generation distinguishes it in the market. Arch Resources is recognized for its commitment to safety, environmental stewardship, and sustainable mining practices, aiming to deliver reliable energy solutions while minimizing environmental impact. This commitment to sustainability and innovation makes Arch Resources an attractive option for investors looking for a company that balances operational efficiency with environmental responsibility.

Pros

You don’t have to wait only for buy signals, as shorting a stock is also an opportunity to profit. High short-interest stocks provide several benefits to bullish and bearish traders.

Indicates market sentiment: Traders use market sentiment to gauge the potential stock direction. A significant increase or decrease in a stock’s short interest serves as an indicator of market sentiment to investors. 

A rise in a stock’s short interest from 20% to 30% usually means that the market has become more bearish on the stock. In cases like that, 50% more investors believe that the stock’s value will weaken.

Let’s imagine that you bet against the market: When market sentiment is bearish, some traders believe that’s a buy signal. Their sentiment is that extreme short interest is a contrarian indicator. Stocks with extremely short interests are prone to short squeezes — triggering rapidly rising prices because lots of short-sellers are holding positions.

When a short squeeze occurs, many short traders buy back the stock to cover their positions and avoid losses. That action can surge the price even higher.

In and out quickly: You can convert short interest into a days-to-cover ratio — the number of short shares divided by the average daily trading volume. That calculation gives you the average number of days for the shorts to cover their position.

The higher the days-to-cover, the greater the bearish sentiment is. Low days-to-cover means that bearish traders have a short period to cover their positions. Short interest guides traders about how long to hold their positions and enables them to spot trades that they can get in and out of quickly.

Drawbacks of a High Short-Interest Investment

Getting into high short-interest investments doesn’t guarantee profits because market sentiment is bearish and a stock’s short interest is high. These stocks can rise in value. 

No opportunities to go long: Traders who successfully use short interests to take bearish profitable trades tend to stick with short positions. They’re enticed by the profits earned from shorting stocks and tend to seek mostly short trades.

That potentially results in losing profits from long trades they could have entered. Traders should seek buying and selling opportunities.    

Stocks are volatile: Stocks that have been in a downtrend for some time could reverse quickly. They’re prone to short squeezes and could shoot up. Some traders use the short interest that exchanges publish monthly, so the information is slightly outdated. The real-time short interest could differ vastly from the reports. 

How to Choose

It’s not uncommon for stocks with high short interest to be in a short squeeze — triggering rapidly rising prices because lots of short-sellers are holding positions. Traders use short interest to gauge market sentiment. And some traders see high short interest as a potential buy signal.

Traders in short positions could be forced to liquidate and cover their positions by buying the stock. If many short sellers buy back the stock, the price could surge. The difficulty lies in forecasting such a position. When the short interest of certain stocks reaches extreme highs, some traders believe that is a strong buy signal.

Stocks That are Shorted the Most

Whether a stock has high volatility or has been in a downtrend for some time, certain stocks tend to be shorted the most. 

Some of the most shorted stocks:

A comprehensive list of most shorted stocks is available on Benzinga.

The post Top Performing High Short Interest Stocks by Goran Radanovic appeared first on Benzinga. Visit Benzinga to get more great content like this.

The rising popularity of monthly dividend ETFs has prompted major hedge fund firms to offer a large selection. Investors have numerous options, but knowing the factors to analyze in monthly dividend ETFs is key to making the right investment. We have explored the best assets, detailing their features and benefits as you search every stock exchange and brokerage account for ETF shares and an asset class that’s appropriate for you.

Best Monthly Dividend ETFs

Investing in the best monthly dividend ETFs may enable investors to increase returns by reinvesting more frequently. It’s a predictable income stream assisting with budgeting and providing a balance for risky investments in a diversified investment portfolio. 

Dividend income allows you to plan for the future or generate predictable cash flow during retirement. Remember, your investment fund can pay for several items, but you must weigh the market price of what you’ve found against the investment return you plan to see.

Benzinga found six-monthly dividend ETFs offering high yields, low expense ratios and several other benefits.

1. Global X SuperDividend ETF

The Global X SuperDividend ETF (NYSEARCA: SDIV) has provided monthly distributions for 11 years because the fund invests in 100 of the highest-paying dividend equities globally. Its global investment strategy has enabled investors to reap high yields and achieve geographical portfolio diversity.

The dividend fund is largely made up of financial and real estate sectors in the United States and Brazil. Some of its biggest holdings are common stocks and real estate investment trusts (REITs) in companies such as Yuexiu Property CO LTD, CPFL Energia SA and Omega Healthcare.

Since its inception in June 2011, SDIV has built up a net AUM of $765 million. Its net asset value (NAV) in mid-September 2022 was just over 21.67. SDIV’s price peaked in August 2014, reaching an all-time high (ATH) of $26.19 before entering a downtrend. During the global lockdown in March 2020, the price dropped to a low of $8.08 and looks to be retesting that level.

The fund has a 0.58% total expense ratio — total annual expenses to own the fund. SDIV has a 30-day SEC yield of 5.2% and a 12-month trailing yield of 5.88%. The index review occurs quarterly and is based on dividend cuts or a company’s dividend policy outlook.

2. Global X SuperDividend U.S. ETF

The Global X SuperDividend U.S. ETF (NYSEARCA: DIV) is a blue chip ETF that started trading in March 2013 and has amassed net assets of over $723 million. The fund targets low-volatility, high-yielding assets in 50 of the highest dividend-paying equities in the U.S.

The fund is primarily made of up companies in the financial, utilities, consumer staples and energy sectors. Its major holdings are in Sabine Royalty Trust, Iron Mountain and Consolidated Edison. DIV investors have earned a 30-day SEC yield of 7.22% and a 12-month trailing yield of 7%. It offers an annual expense ratio of 0.45%.

The fund is trading at just over $16.50 in mid-May 2023 and reached an ATH of $29.94 in November 2014. The price plummeted to an all-time low of $10.58 in March 2020 and has nearly doubled its value since then. DIV’s price chart indicates a possible V-bottom formation, usually signaling an uptrend.

3. Invesco Preferred ETF

Invesco Preferred ETF (NYSEARCA: PGX) tracks the ICE BofAML Core Plus Fixed Rate Preferred Securities Index. PGX doesn’t buy all the securities in the index but rather uses a sampling methodology to achieve its investment objective by rebalancing the fund and the index monthly.

The fund’s holdings consist of almost 300 assets, with the majority in the financial sector in companies such as Citigroup and Wells Fargo. PGX began trading in January 2008 and has assets of $4.58 billion. Its 30-day SEC yield is 6.16% and 6.05% for the 12-month distribution rate. Investors pay 0.51% annually to own the fund.

The fund traded at $11.15 in mid-May 2023. Its high, $22.65, was reached when it started trading. The price reached its low of $6.14 in February 2009, then formed a V-bottom and spiked to the upside by 2013. Since then, PGX’s price has ranged, with its current value at the bottom of the range.

4. Invesco KBW High Dividend Yield Financial ETF

The Invesco KBW High Dividend Yield Financial ETF (NASDAQ: KBWD) invests at least 90% of total assets in securities of publicly listed financial companies offering competitive dividend yields. It tracks the KBW Nasdaq Financial Sector Dividend Yield Index and rebalances and reconstitutes quarterly.

Some of the companies the fund invests in are Chimera Investment, Orchid Island Capital and ARMOUR Residential REIT.

KBW started trading in December 2010 and invests in around 40 securities, providing investors with a 30-day SEC high yield of 11.69%. The dividend stock’s 12-month distribution rate is 11.40%, and investors incur a high expense ratio of 2.59%. The fund’s net assets are $427 million.

In mid-May 2023, KBWD’s price is $14.32. The fund’s price peaked in May 2013 when it reached $26.66. The price ranged until the beginning of 2020 before plummeting to $9 in April. The price recovered to $14 but has pulled back slightly.

5. iShares Preferred and Income Securities ETF

iShares Preferred and Income Securities ETF (NASDAQ: PFF) is managed by BlackRock and began trading in 2007, accumulating $12.5 billion in net assets. The fund tracks the ICE Exchange-Listed Preferred & Hybrid Securities Index.

PFF provides exposure to around 500 U.S. preferred stocks offering a 30-day SEC yield of 6.46% and a 12-month trailing yield of 5.9%. The largest portion of its securities is invested in the industrial sector in Broadcom. Other investments are in Wells Fargo, Nextera Energy and Bank of America. The fund charges investors annually 0.45%.

The fund’s highest price was at inception, reaching $50.40. The price tumbled until March 2009, reaching an all-time low of $14.30. PFF’s price formed a V-bottom and climbed to $40 by September 2010 and has consolidated since then. 

The iShares Preferred and Income Securities ETF offers several highlights and benefits for investors. It is a straightforward and low-cost fund that provides potential tax efficiency. This fund can be a valuable component of a diversified portfolio, serving as part of its core. Investors can easily access corporate fixed-income securities with remaining maturities between 1 and 5 years through this ETF. It is also designed to generate income from the short end of the corporate bond yield curve, making it an attractive option for investors seeking income opportunities.

6. Schwab 1-5 Year Corporate Bond ETF

The goal of the Schwab 1-5 Year Corporate Bond ETF (NYSEARCA: SCHJ) is to track as closely as possible the total return of the short-term U.S. corporate bond market. This ETF makes it possible for you to buy into the bond market without purchasing individual bonds on your own.

Benefits of Monthly Dividend ETFs

Provides a Steady Income

Owning monthly dividend ETFs enables income investors to budget because they receive monthly, passive income. Monthly dividend amounts tend to be more consistent than quarterly stock dividends, so it enables investors to achieve better cash flow forecasting.

More Frequent Reinvestment

Investors wanting to optimize their returns prefer frequent stock dividends to reinvest so that their interest compounds at a higher rate.

Highly Diversified

To provide investors with high yields, fund managers seek the best securities. That usually requires investments in global equities, reducing the risk of stock market crashes. Even if invested in a domestic monthly dividend ETF, investors can choose from a broad range of sectors.

Planning for the Future

When you invest, you want to ensure some sort of income for the future. As you invest, you will discover that it’s much easier to manage your family, create cash flow and retire when you have some recurring income sources. You can even use a dividend reinvestment plan to make the most of these payments.

What to Look For

Net Assets

The net assets figure of an ETF is usually indicative of a fund’s popularity. Investors prefer investing in funds providing high returns, so those ETFs have accumulated large assets. Funds with small assets depict limited investor interest and can be risky investments because of their uncertain nature. High-asset funds are more likely to provide long-term dividend growth and stability.

Trading Volume

Shares are traded among buyers and sellers. To profit from capital appreciation, sellers need to sell their shares to buyers. That’s the reason a fund must have a high trading volume, enabling traders to sell or buy at any time to lock in the best prices.

Underlying Index

The best ETFs track popular indexes, striving to replicate their results or ideally achieve better returns. Investors need to gauge the performance of those indexes to determine if they match their investing goals.

Expense Ratio

High expense ratios make low returns even worse, and they can significantly reduce profits. ETFs shouldn’t have high expense ratios because they are passive investments.

Reliable Brokers

Investing in a high-yield ETF is futile if investors cannot withdraw their funds. Investors need to choose a regulated broker with a proven history of managing client funds and providing returns.

Investment Strategy

Make certain that the ETFs you choose fit into your investment strategy. Yes, you might get recommendations, but that doesn’t mean all those ETFs are right for you. Create a plan, stick to your plan, research with Benzinga and speak with a financial professional.

Management Fees

When you invest in dividend-paying assets, you are getting more than a cash payout that’s tied to the asset’s market value. You must subtract fees from the dividend payout you get. So, what is the payout ratio of this asset and how does it compare to other funds?

Do Proper Research Before Investing

Investing in a monthly dividend ETF can be an excellent way for income investors to budget and plan for the future. By properly researching the net assets, trading volume, underlying index, expense ratio, reliable brokers, investment strategy and management fees associated with the ETF they are considering, investors can maximize their returns while minimizing risk.

So, don’t let the anxiety of investing keep you from making smart choices. Instead, do your research, examine the portfolio and seek out a financial expert if necessary. That way, you can make sure that the fund you choose is a perfect fit for your investing goals.

Compare ETF Brokers

Investors selecting the best monthly dividend ETF broker need to do extensive research, yet they aren’t guaranteed results. Benzinga has done the hard lifting on behalf of investors and provided some of the most popular brokers offering ETFs. Your investment decision should be based on the ETF strategy you’re using, the dividend amount you plan to see, the types of growth stocks you keep in your portfolio and the brokerage that you use.

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Interactive Brokers is a comprehensive trading platform that gives you access to a massive range of securities at affordable prices. You can buy assets from all around the world from the comfort of your home or office with access to over 150 global markets. Options, futures, forex and fund trading are also available, and most traders won’t pay a commission on any purchase or sale.  

IBKR is geared primarily toward experienced traders and investors but now with the availability of free trades with IBKR Lite, casual traders can also acclimate to IBKR’s offerings.

Best For

• Access to international markets
• Active traders
• Sophisticated investors
• Detailed mobile app that makes trading simple
• Wide range of available account types and tradeable assets

Pros

• IB SmartRouting provides significant price improvement vs. industry
• Fractional trading allows investing regardless of share price
• Industry’s lowest margin rates
• Earn more by lending your fuly-paid shares

Cons

• Beginner investors might prefer a broker that offers a bit more hand-holding and educational resources

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81% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Plus500 is an online CFD broker focusing on contracts for difference (CFDs). CFDs are similar to binary options in the U.S. where traders take all-or-nothing speculation on the prices of certain securities like indices, commodities or currencies. While not legal to trade in the U.S., CFDs are legal in many jurisdictions across the globe and Plus500 offers a wide array of tradable markets using these instruments. 

Plus500 doesn’t charge commission and only profits off the spread, which is the difference between the buy and sell price of a specific security. But Plus500 is not a broker for beginners — the education materials are sparse and CFDs are risky derivatives capable of sapping out all of an investor’s capital. Only trade these instruments if you understand how they operate and the risks involved with buying them.

The Plus500 CFD platform is for CFDs. The Plus500 Futures platform offers futures for U.S. customers, and Plus500 Invest offers stock trading.

Best For

• Traders looking for a smooth mobile experience

Pros

• Great mobile app
• Low spreads and commissions
• Unlimited demo account
• Plus500 offers three platforms: Plus500 Futures, Plus500 Invest and Plus500 CFD.

Cons

• Only derivatives are available
• Futures are available to U.S. residents while CFDs are not available for U.S. residents.

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Traders of all levels

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Investing is a long-term journey, and moomoo can help guide investors of all levels every step of the way. Utilized by over 21 million users worldwide – including in the US, Singapore, Australia, Japan, Malaysia and Canada – moomoo is an investment and trading platform that empowers investors with pro-grade, easy-to-use tools, data and insights.

moomoo provides advanced charting tools, technical analytics and Level 2 data for funded accounts, so investors have the resources to make more informed investment decisions. Users can access educational materials and interactive events, as well as share and learn through the inline community.

With a low-cost, competitive fee structure, moomoo can work for all investors.

Best For

• Novices
• Intermediate and advanced traders
• Active traders

Pros

• Equity and index options trading
• Commission free trading for US options, stocks and ETFs and 6.8% margin rate
• Wealth of free options tools and features, including customizable options chain, options calculator, unusual options activity, implied volatility analysis, 13 options strategies and 0 days to expiration (0DTE) options by volume
• Free Level 2 data for funded accounts
• Advanced charting tools with 100+ indicators, 37+ drawing tools and 20 candle patterns
• No minimum deposit to open an account
• 24/7 online chat support
• 5.1% APY in Cash Sweep program for new and qualified users

Cons

• Does not support crypto
• Does not support retirement accounts or mutual funds

Best For

Active Traders

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Active Traders

N/A

1 Minute Review

Webull is a commission-free trading platform designed with both beginner and advanced investors in mind. Offering an extensive range of assets like stocks, ETFs, and futures, Webull makes it easy for users to manage their investments through a highly intuitive interface. With educational resources, paper trading options, and no minimum account balance required, Webull caters to those looking to start investing without high upfront costs. The platform’s mobile app ensures that users can trade anytime, anywhere, making it a flexible choice for those with busy lifestyles. Webull’s customer service options are limited, and the platform may feel overwhelming to those completely new to investing.

Best For

• Commission-free trading
• Mobile and desktop trading
• Beginners and experienced traders alike

Pros

• No commissions on trades
• Extensive range of tradable assets
• Easy-to-use mobile app

Cons

• Limited customer service options
• Learning curve for complete beginners

Best For

Commission-Free Mobile Trading

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Best For

Commission-Free Mobile Trading

N/A

1 Minute Review

Robinhood is a popular trading platform known for its commission-free trades and user-friendly mobile app. Ideal for novice investors, Robinhood makes it easy to buy and sell stocks, ETFs and cryptocurrencies. The platform offers a straightforward, no-frills experience, making it accessible for users new to investing. With features like fractional shares and a sleek interface, Robinhood lowers the barriers to entry for investing, allowing users to start with just a few dollars. It lacks the advanced tools and research options that more experienced investors might seek. Overall, Robinhood is a great choice for beginners seeking a simple way to invest.

Best For

• Beginners looking for simplicity
• Mobile-first investors
• Commission-free trades

Pros

• User-friendly mobile app
• Instant double
• Cash management
• Access to cryptocurrencies

Cons

• Limited research tools
• No mutual funds available
• Basic customer support options

Frequently Asked Questions

The post Top Performing Monthly Dividend ETFs by Goran Radanovic appeared first on Benzinga. Visit Benzinga to get more great content like this.

Stay up to date on all green penny stocks with Benzinga Pro, your go-to stock market research platform with real-time news and actionable insights.

Investors concerned about greenhouse gas emissions may prefer investing in companies that follow environmentally friendly practices. Governments have imposed restrictions on carbon emissions, making some polluting companies less desirable investments. 

As a result, many companies specializing in green technology and manufacturing products that use renewable sources of energy have become alluring investments. Zero-emission companies may raise capital by offering their stocks to the public. Benzinga discovered five of the best green energy penny stocks and detailed the benefits of investing in these assets.

Quick Look at the Top Performing Green Penny Stocks:

Deep Dive

Benzinga searched the market for investments meeting its environmental criteria.

1. American Battery Technology Company (OTCMKTS: ABML)

The American Battery Technology Co. (OTCMKTS: ABML) recycles lithium-ion batteries and extracts metal batteries. It produces domestically sourced battery-grade metals that minimally impact the environment and cost less than conventionally sourced battery metals.

The company has developed a closed-loop battery recycling process that recovers vital materials from end-of-life batteries and purifies metals to the quality specifications required to sell them back to the manufacturing supply chain.

ABML uses novel extraction technologies to extract lithium for sedimentary claystone resources to manufacture battery cathode-grade lithium hydroxide. It has received government funding of $4.5 million to expand its production of battery materials.

Financially, ABML demonstrates positive indicators with cash reserves, reduced operating costs, increased investments in research and development and potential government grants. ABML’s dedication to innovation and sustainability in battery recycling and manufacturing processes positions it favorably in the market and aligns with the growing demand for domestic battery metals.

2. SPI Energy (NASDAQ: SPI)

SPI Energy Co. (NASDAQ: SPI) provides solar storage and electric vehicle (EV) solutions to governments, businesses, residents and utility customers. Its focus is on the photovoltaic (PV) markets, and it develops, finances and installs residential power projects in China, Japan, Europe and North America.

The company generates revenue from manufacturing EVs and EV charging solutions. Another income stream is its engineering and construction services to independent power developers.

SPI Energy’s strong foundation in the renewables sector positions it favorably for future opportunities and long-term success.

3. CBAK Energy Technology (NASDAQ: CBAT)

CBAK Energy Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: CBAT) is the first publicly listed Chinese lithium stock in the U.S. market energy sector. This Chinese high-tech corporation is involved in the development, manufacturing and sales of lithium batteries and raw materials used for manufacturing high-power lithium batteries.

CBAK Energy Technology, a leading lithium-ion battery manufacturer and electric energy solution provider in China, has reported impressive financial results. CBAK Energy’s collaboration with PowerOak, a globally recognized brand in the portable power supply market, further strengthens its growth prospects. 

4. Orbital Infrastructure Group Inc. (NASDAQ: OIG)

Orbital Infrastructure Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: OIG) provides engineering, design, construction and maintenance services to industries such as electric power, telecommunications and renewables.

It aims to support the growth and sustainability of these sectors by offering innovative solutions and reliable services. OIG is a leading player in the industry and strives to meet the evolving needs of its customers.

It is currently looking into strategic alternatives to improve growth prospects. While not guaranteed, this approach shows its commitment to expansion and value creation.

5. Aqua Metals Inc. (NASDAQ: AQMS)

Aqua Metals Inc. (NASDAQ: AQMS) provides clean and safe metal recycling services through technology innovations that deliver high-value raw materials back into the manufacturing supply chain.

The company has been awarded 68 patents for its AquaRefining technology, which recovers high-valued metals from recycled lithium-ion batteries. Its investments in metal recycling methodologies should help retain strategic metals within the U.S. and encourage lower reliance on toxic mining operations.

Besides offering one of the most cost-efficient recycling solutions for lithium-ion batteries, Aqua Metals will produce high-quality nickel and lithium hydroxide from lithium-ion batteries. This development is a key innovation step since present recycling processes cannot recover lithium.

Pros

Popular stocks such as Amazon and Google can cost several thousand dollars per share. That makes the barrier to entry for investment too high for investors with limited funds. Penny stocks are cheap, enabling investors with a few hundred dollars to own thousands of shares in certain companies.

Because of their high volatility, penny stocks offer significant growth potential. They can provide high returns in short periods, but they’re also highly risky.

In summary, penny stocks are:

• More affordable than high-priced stocks
• Offer significant growth potential because of high volatility
• Feature low prices to enable potential massive capital appreciation in short periods

Cons

Besides their inherent risk, penny stocks lack key components investors require to make a sound investment.

Limited Public Information

Penny stock companies are usually listed on pink sheets, so they’re not required to file financial statements to the SEC. That provides the public with limited financial information about these companies, which don’t follow the same regulations as SEC-regulated companies.

Low Liquidity

Selling your penny shares might be challenging because of low liquidity as a result of infrequent trading. Low liquidity also opens the door to price manipulation and could result in a pump-and-dump scheme.

No Minimum Standards

Companies listed on pink sheets don’t need to meet the minimum standard requirements to continue trading on over-the-counter (OTC) exchanges. That enables a penny stock company to move from a major exchange to a smaller OTC exchange if it cannot maintain its listing position.

Where to Buy

Reduce the risk of investing in penny stocks by choosing the right broker. Benzinga found the best penny stock brokers.

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Best For

Active and Global Traders

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get started securely through Interactive Brokers’s website

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Best For

Active and Global Traders

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1 Minute Review

Interactive Brokers is a comprehensive trading platform that gives you access to a massive range of securities at affordable prices. You can buy assets from all around the world from the comfort of your home or office with access to over 150 global markets. Options, futures, forex and fund trading are also available, and most traders won’t pay a commission on any purchase or sale.  

IBKR is geared primarily toward experienced traders and investors but now with the availability of free trades with IBKR Lite, casual traders can also acclimate to IBKR’s offerings.

Best For

• Access to international markets
• Active traders
• Detailed mobile app that makes trading simple
• Wide range of available account types and tradeable assets

Pros

• IB SmartRouting provides significant price improvement vs. industry
• Fractional trading allows investing regardless of share price
• Industry’s lowest margin rates
• Earn more by lending your fuly-paid shares

Cons

• Beginner investors might prefer a broker that offers a bit more hand-holding and educational resources

Best For

Leveraged Trading

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Disclosure: 81% of retail accounts lose money

Best For

Leveraged Trading

N/A

1 Minute Review

81% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Plus500 is an online CFD broker focusing on contracts for difference (CFDs). CFDs are similar to binary options in the U.S. where traders take all-or-nothing speculation on the prices of certain securities like indices, commodities or currencies. While not legal to trade in the U.S., CFDs are legal in many jurisdictions across the globe and Plus500 offers a wide array of tradable markets using these instruments. 

Plus500 doesn’t charge commission and only profits off the spread, which is the difference between the buy and sell price of a specific security. But Plus500 is not a broker for beginners — the education materials are sparse and CFDs are risky derivatives capable of sapping out all of an investor’s capital. Only trade these instruments if you understand how they operate and the risks involved with buying them.

The Plus500 CFD platform is for CFDs. The Plus500 Futures platform offers futures for U.S. customers, and Plus500 Invest offers stock trading.

Best For

• Traders looking for a smooth mobile experience

Pros

• Great mobile app
• Low spreads and commissions
• Unlimited demo account
• Plus500 offers three platforms: Plus500 Futures, Plus500 Invest and Plus500 CFD.

Cons

• Only derivatives are available
• Futures are available to U.S. residents while CFDs are not available for U.S. residents.

Best For

Trading Ideas

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get started securely through public.com’s website

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Best For

Trading Ideas

N/A

1 Minute Review

Public is the only investing platform that lets you trade stocks, ETFs, crypto, bonds, options and alternative assets—like fine art and collectibles—all in one place. Public also provides access to custom company metrics, live shows about the markets, and insights from a community of millions of investors, creators, and analysts.

Today, Public provides more ways to create a diversified portfolio than nearly any other online broker. Members can engage in sophisticated investing strategies and access a wealth of investing insights—from company-specific analysis to live audio shows and town hall-style Q&As. In addition, Public offers a premium membership tier with unique company KPIs, detailed performance metrics, and institutional-grade research. 

 

Best For

• Stock and ETF investors
• Crypto investors
• Investors looking to diversify with alternative assets or bonds and options

Pros

• Commission-free stock and ETF trading
• Fractional share investing
• Advanced data, tools, and insights with Public Premium

Cons

• You can’t transfer crypto to another wallet
• No mutual funds or precious metals
• At this time, only offers individual brokerage accounts and not IRAs

Best For

Commission-Free Mobile Trading

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Best For

Commission-Free Mobile Trading

N/A

1 Minute Review

Robinhood is a popular trading platform known for its commission-free trades and user-friendly mobile app. Ideal for novice investors, Robinhood makes it easy to buy and sell stocks, ETFs and cryptocurrencies. The platform offers a straightforward, no-frills experience, making it accessible for users new to investing. With features like fractional shares and a sleek interface, Robinhood lowers the barriers to entry for investing, allowing users to start with just a few dollars. It lacks the advanced tools and research options that more experienced investors might seek. Overall, Robinhood is a great choice for beginners seeking a simple way to invest.

Best For

• Beginners looking for simplicity
• Mobile-first investors
• Commission-free trades

Pros

• User-friendly mobile app
• Instant double
• Cash management
• Access to cryptocurrencies

Cons

• Limited research tools
• No mutual funds available
• Basic customer support options

Best For

Active Short Sellers

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Best For

Active Short Sellers

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1 Minute Review

TradeZero is an online broker and free stock trading platform that provides everything you need to successfully share and trade, including round-the-clock customer support. TradeZero provides four different trading state-of-the-art software programs with its services, a locator for sourcing shares for shorting, commission-free trades, and real-time streaming, to name a few of the features promoted on their website. The software is a unique and (potentially) affordable option for anyone interested in stock trading.

Best For

• Traders seeking high transparency and mobility in a stock trading program
• Those attracted to commission-free trades
• Those seeking a free version of a high-quality trading program

Pros

• 24/7 live customer support
• Uses ZeroWeb technology, a powerful level 2 online platform with direct market access
• Mobile app allows users to access stocks and trade in real-time while on the go

Cons

• Enforces Pattern Day Trading restrictions (accounts need to maintain a daily equity balance of at least $25k)
• Mobile app could offer more features

Frequently Asked Questions

The post Top Performing Green Penny Stocks by Goran Radanovic appeared first on Benzinga. Visit Benzinga to get more great content like this.

Stay up to date on all pet insurance stocks with Benzinga Pro, your go-to stock market research platform with real-time news and actionable insights.

Loving your pet means providing the best medical care for them. The last thing you want to experience is a dire situation of not being able to nurture them back to health. The good news for animal owners is that pet insurance provides medical coverage.

Several insurance companies have recognized the increasing demand for pet insurance and have offered it as a product.

Deep Dive

Let’s take a closer look at the insurance stocks that provide pet insurance coverage.

1. Lemonade Inc. (NYSE: LMND)

Lemonade Inc. specializes in renters, homeowners and car insurance. It also offers pet insurance for cats and dogs. Lemonade consulted veterinarians for drawing up its policy, and it provides coverage for blood tests, X-rays, labwork, CT scans and ultrasounds.

Coverage

Part of the medical coverage is hospitalization, surgery, emergency pet care and outpatient care. Lemonade has also covered injections and prescription medication. Its preventive package enables you to save money on annual physical checkups, parasite evaluation tests, detection of diseases and up to three vaccines.

For certain coverages to kick in, you have to wait up to six months. But the preventive package offers benefits the day after you buy the policy. Lemonade requests your pet’s medical information to pay out claims and doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions.

Price

You can use any licensed veterinary clinic, and payment is processed to your bank account efficiently thanks to its artificial intelligence (AI) claims system. A Lemonade dog or cat policy starts at $10 per month. Factors such as your pet’s age, location and breed determine the price. The price can rise to $60, but you can customize your premiums by adjusting the coverage.

Lemonade offers a 5% discount for annual payments or policies with two or more pets. A 10% discount applies when you bundle.

The deductibles are between $100 and $500, and the reimbursement options are 70%, 80% and 90%. One of the key highlights of this insurer is that it donates unused premiums to charities that clients support.

Renters’ policies start from $5 and cover damaged or stolen goods, water leaks, lawsuits and medical expenses. Home, car and life insurance are also available from Lemonade.

2. Trupanion Inc. (NASDAQ: TRUP)

The key difference between Trupanion Inc. (NASDAQ: TRUP) and most pet insurers is that it specializes in pet insurance. It provides coverage for dogs and cats for illnesses, injuries and breed-specific conditions. Procedures such as diagnostic tests, surgeries and hospital stays are also covered.

Coverage

Trupanion has no coverage caps and offers unlimited payouts. Instead of reimbursing you, Trupanion pays your vet. Additional coverage is available with the Recovery and Complementary Care package. It provides 90% coverage for acupuncture, behavioral modification, chiropractic treatment and other treatments that are beyond normal veterinary medicine.

Price

Numerous price options are available depending on the coverage selected. As a guide, the average monthly premium for dogs is $70 — a higher premium than most pet insurance providers. It differs from other pet health insurance by offering one simple plan that provides overall coverage, and the claims are based on the actual cost and not market-related.

Trupanion won’t increase your premium after a claim, and it offers 24/7 support. This insurer lets you pick a deductible ranging from $0 to $1,000. Another option is to avoid paying a deductible by selecting the $0 deductible option.

3. Allstate Corp. (NYSE: ALL)

Allstate Corp. (NYSE: ALL) provides vehicle, real estate, life, business and health insurance. It also offers pet insurance coverage for animals that are under 14 years old.

Coverage

Its policy covers costs for illnesses or injuries such as accidents, surgery, cancer and chemotherapy services, genetic conditions and lab work. An optional Wellness Rewards plan offers coverage for vaccinations, annual checkups, dental cleanings and routine care.

The coverage doesn’t reimburse cosmetic costs, pregnancy-related fees, behavioral problem treatments, pre-existing conditions and supplements. Allstate distinguishes itself from most pet insurance companies by offering coverage for all types of animals. Coverage for multiple pets is available and entitles you to a 10% discount for each additional pet insured.

Price

The average Allstate premium for pet insurance is between $30 and $50. Dogs, old pets and large pets can cost more. An accident-only plan is more suitable for pets that are older than 14 years and have shown symptoms of diabetes, Addison’s disease and Cushing’s disease.

4. Synchrony Financial (NYSE: SYF) (Offered Through Pets Best)

Synchrony Financial (NYSE: SYF) is a financial services company that expanded its CareCredit platform by buying Pets Best in 2019. Pets Best offers innovative technology and long-standing expertise in the pet market.

Pets Best operates under the CareCredit platform, offering personal care products, health and wellness, as well as veterinary care. Coverage is available for dogs and cats that need medical care for accidents, illnesses and routine care.

Coverage

Comprehensive pet insurance coverage is available with the BestBenefit plan. It includes cancer treatments, emergency care, prescription medication, diagnostics, behavioral conditions, dental coverage and euthanasia.

Exclusions from coverage are pre-existing conditions, preventive procedures, parasites, supplements and experimental therapies.

Price

You can opt for the accident-only coverage policy, which costs $7 for cats and $10 for dogs per month. For comprehensive coverage, you can expect to pay between $35 and $58 per month for a dog. The comprehensive coverage for a cat is between $22 and $46 per month.

Deductibles range from $50 to $1,000. The reimbursement options are 70%, 80% and 90% and annual limits are $5,000 or unlimited.

How Does Pet Insurance Work?

Pet insurance is akin to medical coverage an individual would receive. It’s a healthcare policy that pet owners pay monthly to insurance companies to receive a reimbursement for certain medical expenses for their pets.

The key difference between most pet insurance policies and regular insurance is that insurance companies reimburse you for your pet’s medical expenses, as opposed to the veterinarian. That means any clinic can treat your pet so you qualify for reimbursement. You don’t have to locate a clinic that’s in-network, as you would a hospital or doctor if you needed treatment.

Most pet insurance companies only cover cats and dogs, but some provide coverage for all pets. A regular policy covers unexpected injuries, surgeries, medication, tests and unexpected illnesses. To claim the reimbursement, you should have the pet’s medical history reviewed by the veterinarian, receipts and any other supporting documents.

How Much is the Pet Insurance Industry Growing?

The average pet owner spends $1,000 on pet medical care. That is a significant amount for the average American. To avoid high medical costs, many pet owners have sought alternative funding. The solution for most is pet insurance.

Allied Market Research reported that the pet insurance market was worth $4.5 billion in 2020. In 2021, the market was valued at $8.3 billion. Experts have forecasted the pet insurance industry to grow to $16.8 billion by 2030. That results in a 14.3% compound annual growth rate (CAGR).

The exponential growth of pet insurance will reflect favorably on the stock prices of companies offering the coverage. The companies will probably generate higher revenue, which could result in a higher dividend distribution to shareholders.

Are Insurance Stocks a Safe Investment?

Insurance is a necessity for most people, even in economic hardship. To protect assets and minimize replacement or repair costs, most Americans are insured. Approximately, 85% of American homeowners have insurance.

Forecasts for the global insurance industry are a growth from $5.3 trillion in 2021 to $5.9 trillion by the end of 2022. That’s a 10.4% CAGR. By 2026, the global industry is expected to grow to $8.3 trillion.

Some stock market analysts view insurance stocks as a defensive strategy against high inflation and geopolitical tensions; in other words — the current conditions people are experiencing. A significant portion of premiums insurance companies collect is used to buy U.S. Treasury bonds and corporate bonds.

The investment income insurance companies receive increases because the yields on the bonds they’ve invested in are rising while their risk remains stagnant. Most insurance companies are protected against inflation because premiums increase on new policies as replacement costs increase.Insurance companies directly benefit from the rising interest rates that the U.S. Federal Reserve has implemented. Some investors consider insurance stocks as an ideal hedge against inflation and economic turmoil because of their inherent low risk and the safety net they provide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Pet Insurance Stocks Methodology

Benzinga analyzed four publicly traded insurance companies offering pet insurance to determine the best pet insurance stocks. The evaluation focused on features, benefits, coverage options, pricing and additional offerings. The methodology used included a selection of companies, review of features and benefits, pricing evaluation, coverage comparison, examination of additional offerings, market outlook and investment considerations. The goal was to provide readers with valuable insights for making informed investment decisions.

The post Top Performing Pet Insurance Stocks by Goran Radanovic appeared first on Benzinga. Visit Benzinga to get more great content like this.

If you have watched savings account rates plummet over the past few years, you know how frustrating it feels to let cash sit idle in a checking account earning almost nothing.

I Bonds offer a straightforward way to keep pace with inflation while avoiding the complexity and risk of the stock market, and they are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury.

What Are I Bonds?

An I Bond is a Treasury bond that accrues interest based on a combination of a fixed rate and an inflation rate, adjusted every six months by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

You buy an I Bond directly from the Treasury for the face value, typically ranging from $25 to $10,000 per purchase, and hold it for at least one year before you can redeem it.

If you cash out before five years, you forfeit the last three months of interest as a penalty.

The appeal of I Bonds lies in their inflation protection: as the consumer price index rises, so does your earnings, a feature that makes them especially attractive when inflation is elevated.

How the Interest Rate Works

The I Bond interest rate consists of two components: a fixed rate set by the Treasury that never changes for the life of your bond, and a variable inflation rate that adjusts every May and November based on the Consumer Price Index.

The current fixed rate is 1.30%, and the inflation rate for bonds purchased from May 2024 through October 2024 was 2.34%, giving a composite rate of 3.64%.

This composite rate is what actually earns you money, paid twice yearly.

The fixed component is typically small, often near zero, because the real value you are buying is the inflation protection.

Your bond will earn whichever is higher: the composite rate or zero, meaning your principal can never decline.

The Tax Angle

I Bond interest is subject to federal income tax but not state or local income tax, making them efficient for people in high-tax states.

You do not owe taxes on the interest until you redeem the bond, which means you can defer the tax liability for up to 30 years if you hold the bond that long.

If you use the proceeds from an I Bond to pay for qualified education expenses, you may be able to exclude the interest from federal taxation entirely, though this comes with income limits and other eligibility requirements set by the IRS.

How to Buy I Bonds

You can purchase I Bonds only through Treasury Direct, the official government website, not through a broker or bank.

You will need to create an account, verify your identity, and link a bank account for purchases and redemptions.

The minimum purchase is $25, and you can buy up to $10,000 per person per calendar year in electronic form.

This annual limit resets on January 1st, so if you want to maximize your I Bond holdings, you will need to space purchases across multiple calendar years.

The buying process takes about 15 minutes once your account is set up.

When I Bonds Make Sense

I Bonds work best for cash you will not need for at least one year and ideally longer than five.

They are attractive for emergency funds that sit in a savings account earning next to nothing, or for earmarked money destined for a near-term goal like a down payment.

Because the interest rate adjusts every six months, your real returns will fluctuate as inflation changes.

If inflation drops sharply, your earnings will decline, though your principal remains protected.

They do not make sense as a replacement for a diversified portfolio, since bonds are intentionally boring and conservative.

For someone who is uncomfortable with market volatility but concerned that their cash is losing purchasing power to inflation, Treasury bonds and other fixed-income securities can balance safety with modest growth.

Practical Considerations

Once you purchase an I Bond, you cannot access your money penalty-free for one year, making liquidity a real constraint.

If you redeem before five years have passed, you lose three months of interest, which can eat into your gains if your holding period is short.

The $10,000-per-year limit also means you cannot dump a large lump sum into I Bonds, so they work best as part of a broader cash strategy alongside high-yield savings accounts or money market funds.

I Bonds issued after May 2003 can be held for up to 30 years, giving you a long window to benefit from inflation protection without forced decisions.

Your bond continues to earn interest for the full 30-year period, even if inflation eventually falls to near zero.

The Bigger Picture

I Bonds have emerged as a more appealing option in a higher-rate environment, especially for people tired of watching their savings erode to inflation.

They are not exciting, and they will not outpace a strong stock market, but they offer a guarantee that your purchasing power will not decay as long as inflation remains positive.

If you have money sitting in a low-yield savings account and a time horizon of several years, spending 15 minutes to set up a Treasury Direct account and purchase an I Bond is often worth the friction.

The post What Are I Bonds? by Goran Radanovic appeared first on Benzinga. Visit Benzinga to get more great content like this.

If you’re new to stock trading and investing or you’re a professional trying out new investment techniques for the first time, leveraging virtual mock portfolios is an excellent way to get started. Virtual mock portfolios simulate or mimic the real or live market, allowing you to go through all the motions of stock trading or investing without plunking down your hard-earned dollars. 

These tools provide you with the requisite exposure and confidence to excel when you finally start stock trading or investing. The best virtual mock portfolio trackers will help you track performance and minimize costly trade mistakes in your virtual portfolio.

Quick Look at the Best Virtual Mock Portfolio Trackers:

• Best Overall: Covey
• Best for Investment Portfolio Optimization: Ziggma
• Best for Beginners: Delta by eToro
• Best in Simplicity and User-privacy: AssetDash 
• Best for Professional Investors: Stock Rover
• Best for Diverse or Multi-assets Portfolio Tracking: Kubera

Best Virtual Mock Portfolio Tracker Options

The best virtual mock portfolio tracker makes managing an investment portfolio a breeze — allowing you to track your portfolio’s performance, projected future growth, asset allocation and fees. Here’s a look at some of the best trackers for virtual or mock trading.

1. Best Overall: Covey

Best For

Cryptocurrency traders and investors

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Cryptocurrency traders and investors

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Covey was launched in 2021 to find and reward the best investment analysts. Brooker Belcourt founded the company to recruit the best investment managers, enabling anyone to mimic the results of the top-performing portfolios.

As of March 13th, Covey.io has been closed. They’ve left the ledger of all trade data that went into building this strategy will here for future users.

Best For

• Cryptocurrency traders and investors
• Equities and ETF investors
• Beginners and traditional traders or investors
• Individual investors
• Those that need a risk-free community to hone their investing skills

Pros

• Easy onboarding
• Zero fee commitment
• Opportunity to earn a reward at each step
• Opportunity to learn, hone in on and master your investment strategy
• A competitive and risk-free environment
• Trades recorded on Polygon blockchain

Cons

• Relatively new in the market
• Rewards paid only monthly
• Rewards are in a token that may have large future value but uncertain current value
• Cannot manually backdate trades

Covey is the best pick overall for a virtual mock portfolio tracker. Unlike other portfolio trackers on this list, Covey is free and you can earn rewards for your virtual portfolio. By submitting a virtual portfolio of equities, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) or crypto you automatically compete with the best to discover how great an investor you are. Investors get the tools to help them learn, grow, turbo-charge or sharpen their trading or investing skills via its network of virtual investment communities. By leveraging the Covey platform, you can learn how to analyze trades adequately, even if you have zero knowledge about investing. 

The idea is to develop a winning strategy over time through learning and sharing ideas with other community members. Covey charges no fees for using its resources. Instead, you earn rewards and stand a chance to become an investment manager on Covey’s Copy Trading App if you develop a winning strategy and rise to the top of the leaderboard. 

This feature presents an opportunity to earn an unlimited return on investment (ROI) as independent investors invest alongside you — matching your portfolio and, ultimately, your performance. If you don’t rise to the top, you still learn from the best by seeing what they are invested in and can apply that to your real portfolio, generating more wealth for you. 

Special Features:

• Compete with other analysts on the platform 
• See where you rank on the leaderboard
• Hedge fund trading interface 
• Real-time market data
• 50 hedge fund level metrics tracked every 5 minutes 
• Sharable track record

Price: Free

Why We Picked It:  Convey supports a wide range of asset classes, from stocks and bonds to cryptocurrencies, making it an all-in-one solution for diverse investment portfolios. 

2. Best for Portfolio Optimization: Ziggma

Best For

User Experience

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User Experience

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Ziggma was founded in 2020 with the mission to take the complexity out of portfolio tracking and optimization. The platform fills a gap left by brokers when it comes to portfolio management tools and features. With over 20 years of experience at leading Wall Street firms, its founders have also built a cutting-edge stock research platform making Ziggma a great resource to invest better.

Best For

Pros

Cons

Ziggma is a comprehensive investment management, stock analysis and portfolio tracking platform that helps self-directed investors improve performance through algorithm-powered big data stock research and innovative portfolio management tools. 

Ziggma serves two core objectives — it helps investors understand their portfolio through its robust management tools and provides them with high-quality quantitative stock research at low cost. 

These features facilitate optimal decision-making during trades. Ziggma’s portfolio monitoring dashboard enhances holistic portfolio tracking for real and virtual portfolios. It summarizes vital portfolio parameters like risk, portfolio quality, performance, portfolio yield, ESG scores, aggregate profitability and growth in a single view. 

Ziggma also offers stock and ETF screening and stock profiling. Additionally, you can automate portfolio diversification by leveraging its advanced alert system. All you need to do is set your maximum exposure limit, and Ziggma will alert you once the limit is reached.

Special Features: 

• Innovative portfolio tracking tools
• Portfolio analytics and real-time update
• Portfolio simulator and builder
• Stock and ETF screener
• Stock comparison and watchlist
• Backtesting and advanced alerts (smart alerts)
• Proprietary quantitative stock research 

Price: 

• Freemium version that offers adequate feature assemblage to help an average investor perform optimally. 
• Premium version at a monthly price of  $7.49 (seven-day free trial)

Why We Picked It: Ziggma excels in providing educational resources and market insights that benefit users looking to enhance their investment knowledge. The platform often includes articles, videos and investment tips.

3. Best for Beginners: Delta by eToro

Best For

Multi-Asset Investors

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Delta by eToro is an iOS and Android app that keeps track of your cryptocurrency holdings and trades in real-time on your mobile device. Delta was started in October 2017 and sold to eToro in November 2019. 

The Delta by eToro app is highly rated as the best and most intuitive app of its kind, both for its functionality and its interface. The app monitors the latest values of Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ethereum and over 7,000 altcoins and charts cryptocurrencies and your positions in your local fiat currency. You can set alerts on the app and keep track of cryptocurrency news on the app’s news feed so you don’t miss out on any potential trading opportunities. 

The app has support from more than 300 cryptocurrency exchanges and includes a portfolio manager that keeps track of your cryptocurrency portfolio’s value with its profit/loss shown for the last hour, the previous 24-hour period, the last week or since you began trading. The portfolio manager also generates a personal portfolio graph where you can see the progress of your positions in BTC, ETH or any fiat or cryptocurrency. 

Delta also allows you to set up unlimited different portfolios that let you track portfolios from different owners or that use different strategies. The app gives you a detailed overview of asset splits, sources and locations, the most used exchanges and the status of your positions. 

Delta also lets you customize your own personalized watchlists and market overview, and the app automatically generates personalized notifications based on your behavior using it. If you use several devices for your trading, Delta lets free users keep 2 devices in sync, while PRO users can have as many as 5 devices synced.

Best For

• Cryptocurrency traders with multiple portfolios
• Frequent crypto traders
• Those who require detailed cryptocurrency market and portfolio analysis on-the-go

Pros

• Over 7,000 supported cryptocurrencies
• Multiple crypto portfolio tracking capability
• Simple setup for connecting wallets and exchanges
• Personalized notifications and watchlists
• Companion desktop version for Windows, Mac and Linux OS

Cons

• PRO upgrade somewhat costly
• Buy/sell prices not auto-populated when entering new trades

As a multi-asset portfolio tracker, Delta by eToro leverages its best-in-class algorithm to provide a crystal-clear overview of your total virtual portfolio balance and the profit or loss for each timeframe. Delta has a minimalist appearance and default dark mode.

With Delta, you can track live price movements of your virtual or mock asset classes — cryptocurrencies, stocks, ETFs, bonds, options and futures. Once a significant change occurs, you get notified immediately. Furthermore, you can track all Ethereum blockchain non-fungible tokens (NFTs) in your virtual portfolio by connecting manually or automatically to your wallet.

Regardless of your number of portfolios, you’ll see your investment in a single point. Delta’s minimalist features make it ideal for newbies, especially those still learning the ropes via virtual or mock portfolios. Nevertheless, it can still deliver value for professionals.

Special Features:

• Smart or personalized notifications 
• Deep asset details and analytics showing your current positions, market value, percent change and unrealized gains
• Advanced metrics 
• Unlimited connection to exchanges and wallets for Delta Pro users
• Ability to sync up to five devices for Delta Pro users

Price:

• Basic: Free
• Delta Pro: $6.99/mo
• Delta Pro+: $13.99/mo

Why We Picked It: Delta is also equipped with comprehensive news aggregation and alert features, keeping users informed about significant market movements and events that may affect their investments. 

4. Best for Professional Investors: AssetDash

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AssetDash was founded in 2021 by Matias Dorta and Jorge Perez. The pair have extensive experience in investments, marketing and technology, and their goal with AssetDash was to offer investors an all-in-one solution to portfolio tracking. 

AssetDash’s web-based and mobile platform includes a crypto portfolio tracker, a non-fungible token (NFT) portfolio tracker and an investment tracker in one operating system. Its features include real-time portfolio tracking, software updates and value change alerts for your largest asset holdings. 

Best For

• Crypto traders and investors
• NFT investors and speculators
• Multi-asset investors and traders
• New and experienced traders and investors
• Those with assets stored on different networks, blockchains or exchanges

Pros

• All-in-one multi-asset investment tracking platform
• Intuitive and very easy-to-use interface
• Quick start-up process
• Anonymous login by default
• Allows monitoring of digital and NFT asset values

Cons

• Limited educational resources

AssetDash primarily targets investors with holdings in multiple assets — NFTs and crypto traders who may require several tracking apps to keep tabs on their positions. You can also track your stocks, mutual funds and bank balances on the platform. Suppose you have crypto assets and NFTs stored on diverse networks and blockchains on your virtual portfolio. AssetDash can help you keep track of them.

It supports over 100 apps covering diverse financial markets, allowing you to seamlessly link your stock brokerage, crypto exchange addresses, bank account and much more. AssetDash supports the largest NFTs across multiple blockchains. You can track the NEAR protocol and Solana (SOL) NFTs. You can track crypto assets across over 100 top exchanges, including Binance and Coinbase. 

The platform is highly privacy-focused. Signup requires only your email and password. However, you must input your financial account information to link to the platform and import data to the portfolio tracker software. 

Special Features: 

• Breaking news updates and research based on your holdings 
• Excellent portfolio insights 
• Live floor prices for NEAR protocol and Solana NFTs
• Track real-time profit or loss for your NFTs 
• DeFi and NFTs market overview (top projects and volume) 

Price:

• Free

Why We Picked It: AssetDash fosters engagement among users through sharing investment insights and strategies. This social component allows investors to learn from one another and discover new ideas.

5. Best for Professional Investors: Stock Rover

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Professional Investors

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Stock Rover is a comprehensive stock analysis and screening tool that gives investors access to high-quality research tools, educational content, expert analysis and more. Stock Rover goes well beyond standard analysis tools, offering account holders 1 of the most comprehensive sets of screening criteria and research qualifications that we’ve seen. For example, users can filter investment opportunities using over 650 metrics with Premium Plus access.

Stock Rover offers 4 different plan tiers, which can become confusing for new investors who aren’t exactly sure which tools they’ll use. However, free accounts offer a wide range of functionality that gives users a better feel for Stock Rover’s setup, along with a free trial of Premium Plus functionality. Getting started with a Stock Rover account is also exceptionally easy — we were able to open our free account in under 60 seconds.  

Best For

• Professional investors who need high-quality analysis and research tools
• Visual learners who benefit from seeing data laid out using charts and graphs
• Anyone searching for the widest array of screening metrics

Pros

• Incredibly comprehensive range of investment analysis tools
• Over 650 screening criteria included on Premium Plus plans
• Simple account opening and brokerage account linking
• Free accounts available

Cons

• Wide variety of plan options that can be more confusing for new investors

Stock Rover allows you to learn quite a bit about your portfolio like:

• Overall portfolio performance
• Holdings performance
• Value over time
• Dividend-adjusted returns
• Risk and reward of investments and more

When you use Stock Rover, you can see the size of your holdings, review trends in those holdings and bring together all the investments you hold, no matter how scattered they may be.

Special Features:

• Price change analytics
• You can choose the portfolios or assets you want to show
• Analyze by time period
• Organize collections of assets
• Heat maps with asset holdings to scale
• Easy-to-read charts that help compare assets

Price: Starts at $7.99/month

Why We Picked It: Investors can utilize various filters and metrics to create customized screens that match their investment criteria. This allows users to easily identify potential investment opportunities based on valuation measures, growth potential and risk factors.

6. Best for Diverse or Multi-assets Portfolio Tracking: Kubera

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Portfolio tracking

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Portfolio tracking

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If you’ve tried to keep track of all your financial assets, investments, cryptocurrencies, credit card debt, mortgages, auto loans, real estate etc. and their values in order to get an accurate net worth, then you know how difficult it can be to keep current.  Kubera is a revolutionary online service that lets you track all of your assets in one place.

Best For

• Those who want an online only service
• Investors to track assets

Pros

• Tracks cryptocurrencies, as well as traditional investments.
• Connects to over 20,000 different banks worldwide.
• Values assets like your home, car and Internet domains.
• “Dead man’s switch” feature lets you leave access to your beneficiary.

Cons

• No mobile app currently available.

Kubera is a modern one-stop-shop financial tracker, helping its users track net worth and investment returns for all key asset classes. With Kubera, you can potentially track cryptocurrencies, stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, global currencies, precious metals, private equity, REITs and assets like URL value and vehicles. It helps you understand your investment by showing a comprehensive picture of your total finances in a single point. 

Kubera stands out among other portfolio trackers thanks to its connection to all primary crypto exchanges and wallets and more than 20,000 financial institutions (banks and brokers) globally. Kubera’s spreadsheet-like interface makes for highly intuitive manual data entry, which can be helpful when updating manually in your virtual or mock portfolio. So you can easily add individual assets to track their value in real-time.

The platform offers real-time, easy-to-understand charts and cool graphs on its highly customizable user dashboard. This feature helps you to view and analyze your portfolio at a glance. Accurate reports showing data for daily, weekly, monthly and annual timeframes are also available for a deep dive. Kubera leverages Excel and Google Sheets simplicity but is much better since you won’t need to learn confusing formulas.

Special Features:

• Tracks global traditional assets (global stocks, ETFs, mutual funds and bonds)
• Tracks alternative assets ( Cryptocurrencies including DeFi and NFTs)
• Supports global banks, exchanges, currencies and brokerages
• Real-time charts and reports
• Secured sharing capabilities
• Complete financial overview and personal balance sheet.

Price:

• $15 monthly subscription
• Save $30 by paying $150 annually 
• $1 14-day trial 

Why We Picked It: Privacy and security are paramount at Kubera, further elevating its status among virtual mock portfolio trackers. The platform employs advanced security protocols to ensure that users’ financial information remains safe and private. 

What is a Virtual Mock Portfolio?

A virtual or mock portfolio is a simulated collection of assets or financial instruments like stocks, mutual funds, bonds, ETFs, commodities and cash you can trade over time without committing real money. The idea is to mimic real stock market situations and grant you indirect and simulated exposure to the market. This process can help build your confidence before committing money to the real stock market. 

How Do They Work?

Typically, mock portfolios use real-time market data to enable you to observe your strategy’s impacts. However, there’s no monetary deposit when creating such a portfolio. And since there are no financial deposits, it is not a real trade — you need real money to trade. By repeatedly trading mock portfolios, you get used to the trading environment and its jargon. Additionally, you gain deeper insight into potential companies you consider worth investing in and those you need to avoid. 

Via real-time market data, you can analyze how your virtual portfolio gets impacted by real-time events like rate hikes, political situations and environmental issues. Over time you’ll develop a winning strategy that works in most market situations, which you can then replicate in a real or live trade.

What to Consider

Excellent virtual portfolio trackers offer a large pool of investment tickers to choose from and have robust features to help you perform better. When selecting a mock portfolio tracker, you must consider the following.

Transparency 

Trade conducted in the portfolio must be highly transparent to allow analysts to create an immutable track record they can share with anyone. When trades are posted for anyone to see, it fosters learning, enabling overall performance improvement.

Amount of Trackable Assets

There must be an abundance of tradable instruments to choose from. These include traditional (stocks, bonds and ETFs) and alternative investment assets like cryptocurrencies. This feature allows you to follow or try your hand in diverse asset classes and see how you perform compared to others.

Speed

Regardless of the device type — phone, tablet or desktop, the tracker must be able to load quickly without delay. Speed is central to accuracy and decision-making. A virtual portfolio tracker must post real-time stock quotes and updated prices without delay. A price quote that comes 10 minutes late can’t be used to conduct trading.

Ease of Use

A mock portfolio tracker shouldn’t be clunky or bogged down with complicated features. It should be robust and highly intuitive with an excellent interface, as these make for ease of usage.

Additional Resources

While mock trackers are a great tool, there’s also the need for additional resources and research tools on the company’s part to fast-track your development or mastery of a winning strategy and make you a better trader. Such resources may include videos, research materials from Wall Street analysts and weekly newsletters on trading. 

Minimize Trade Mistakes and Boost Performance

The best virtual mock portfolio trackers function seamlessly in diverse device types and are either free or low-cost. While individuals’ preferences may differ, the fundamental objective of using a virtual mock portfolio tracker remains the same — to help you track your virtual or mock investments without hassles. 

Tracking your simulated portfolio can help you develop a winning strategy over time, which you can try to replicate in your real portfolio. It allows you to strategically allocate your assets to align with your long-term investment goals while minimizing potential costly trading mistakes.

Frequently Asked Questions

The post Best Virtual Mock Portfolio Trackers by Goran Radanovic appeared first on Benzinga. Visit Benzinga to get more great content like this.

Investing in gold through an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) is a strategic way to diversify your retirement portfolio with a tangible, historically resilient asset. However, not all gold products qualify for inclusion in a self-directed IRA. IRA-eligible gold must meet specific purity and production standards set by the IRS to ensure its value and authenticity.

Typically, this includes certain bullion coins and bars produced by approved mints and refineries. Understanding what qualifies as IRA-eligible gold helps investors make informed decisions, preserve wealth, and protect against market volatility and inflation over the long term.

What Does IRA-Eligible Gold Mean?

The IRS (Internal Revenue Service) has approved only certain gold coins, bullions, bars, and rounds that meet specific requirements. Eligible coins are 99.5% pure. The proof coins must be in mint condition, encapsulated, and include an authenticity certificate.

Non-proof coins have to be in brilliant, uncirculated condition. The American Eagle gold coin is only 91.67% pure, but the IRS’s exemption made it eligible for a gold IRA. Some of the eligible coins are the Australian Kangaroo, Austrian Philharmonic, and Canadian Maple Leaf gold coins.

Bars and rounds also need to be 99.5% pure. They have to be produced by an accredited institution or a national government mint and meet specified requirements. Small bullion bars have to meet certain weight specifications.

Benefits of Investing in IRA-Eligible Gold

Investing in gold can make your retirement more comfortable in several ways.

• Tax Benefits: Having gold in your IRA enables you to take advantage of tax treatments offered to standard IRA investors. A gold IRA enables you to make tax-deductible contributions. Or you can enjoy tax-free withdrawals in retirement, as Roth account holders do.
• Inflation Hedge: Gold has an inverse relationship with the dollar. When the dollar’s value decreases, gold’s price usually increases. During economic hardships, many investors buy gold as they believe it to be a safe haven from inflation.
• Diversification: Portfolios that perform the best are well-diversified. Adding gold to your retirement savings reduces risk because gold’s profits may offset losses of other assets. When equities fall, many investors exit the stock market and buy gold.
• Control: Investing in a gold IRA is administered through a custodian. However, since this investment is a self-directed account, you instruct the custodian when to buy specific assets and when to sell.

Risks of Investing in IRA-Eligible Gold

While investing in gold IRAs offers benefits, there are also risks to consider:

• High Fees: Gold IRAs often have higher setup, storage, and maintenance fees compared to traditional IRAs. There are also custodian charges for secure storage in approved depositories, which adds to the costs.
• Limited Liquidity: Physical gold is less liquid than stocks or bonds, making it harder to quickly sell in emergencies. Additionally, market demand and custodian processes can delay liquidation.
• No Income Generation: Unlike stocks or bonds, gold does not pay dividends or interest, and returns rely entirely on price appreciation, which can fluctuate.
• Price Volatility: Gold prices can be highly volatile, influenced by global events, currency fluctuations, and market sentiment. Moreover, short-term price swings could lead to losses if you need to sell during a downturn.

Best Gold IRA Companies

Benzinga found companies that make investing in a gold IRA convenient and affordable.

Best For

Gold IRAs with On Going Promotions

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get started securely through American Hartford Gold Group’s website

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Gold IRAs with On Going Promotions

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American Hartford Gold is a family-owned business based in Los Angeles, California. The organization is a market leader in precious metal investing. American Hartford Gold specializes in selling gold, silver, platinum, and palladium coins and bars and in helping its clients to set up Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) invested in precious metals.

Precious metals are popular investments during times of high inflation as investors look for a hedge against inflation. Gold and silver investments may not follow the same trends as stocks, making precious metal investing a potential safe haven.

American Hartford Gold offers investors the following services:

• Gold, platinum, palladium and silver investments
• Gold IRAs

Investors need an amount of $10,000 or more to start their retirement investment journey with American Hartford Gold. The company also assists investors looking to roll their current IRAs into gold IRAs. There are no taxes or penalties on either the trustee-to-trustee or 60-day rollover IRA options it offers. American Hartford Gold will buy back the precious metals when investors want to cash out.

Best For

• Investors looking for a hedge against inflation
• Retirement savers looking for tax benefits

Pros

• Quick & easy 3-step tax-free, penalty-free Gold IRA setup
• Same day IRA – fastest in the industry
• Ranked #1 Gold Company on the Inc 5000 List and A+ Rated on BBB
• Up to $15,000 in FREE silver on qualified accounts
• Lowest price guarantee, best ongoing promotions, no buy-back fees
• Wide range of investment-grade gold and silver products, including popular coins like American Gold Eagles and Canadian Silver Maple Leafs
• The company provides a wealth of information on investing in precious metals, including guides on the benefits of gold and silver investments

Cons

• Online catalog doesn’t show pricing
• No international shipping available outside of the U.S.

Best For

Experienced Precious Metals Investors

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Experienced Precious Metals Investors

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Preserve Gold is a precious metals investment company that specializes in helping individuals diversify their portfolios with gold, silver, and other precious metals. With economic uncertainty and inflation concerns driving increased interest in tangible assets, Preserve Gold positions itself as a trusted partner for those looking to safeguard their wealth. In this review, we’ll take a closer look at the company’s offerings, reputation, pricing, and customer service to help you determine whether Preserve Gold is the right choice for your investment needs.

Best For

• Retirement investors seeking reputable and knowledgeable dealers for setting up Gold IRAs to safeguard their retirement savings
• Individual investors looking for a trusted and reliable precious metals source to diversify their portfolios and protect from inflationary pressures
• Experienced precious metal investors interested in expanding their catalogs and turbocharging their portfolio with a wide range of precious metals, including gold, silver, platinum, and palladium
• Novice investors seeking transparent and integrity-driven precious metal dealers to provide them with the guidance and support needed to understand the world of precious metals investing
• Those interested in acquiring precious metals for collections or decorative purposes may also benefit from the price appreciation

Pros

• Zero-pressure sales tactics, excellent Trustpilot reviews and no BBB complaints
• 24-hour satisfaction guarantee — cancel your purchase within 24 hours of completing the transaction and receive your money without penalty, regardless of the reason
• Competitive pricing — they can price-match or beat the price of their competitors
• Excellent buyback policy — zero liquidation fees for existing clients
• Lifetime account support from a dedicated precious metals specialist
• Extensive catalog of major precious metals, including gold, silver, platinum, and palladium
• Excellent educational resources, including ebooks, informational kits, and market outlook
• Reputable company whose executive team has 30+ years of combined experience streamlining precious metal investment
• Free, insured, and fast shipping within one week of payment clearance

Cons

• Limited fee information online — investors must call or fill out a form to get metal pricing
• US customers only

Best For

Precious Metals and Coins

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Precious Metals and Coins

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Priority Gold is a precious metals investment company specializing in gold, silver, platinum, and palladium. It offers investors a way to diversify their portfolios through physical bullion purchases and self-directed precious metals IRAs. Known for its customer service and educational resources, Priority Gold aims to help both novice and experienced investors navigate the complexities of precious metals investing.

In this review, we’ll examine Priority Gold’s services, pricing, security, and overall customer experience. Whether you’re looking to hedge against inflation or secure long-term wealth, understanding the pros and cons of investing with Priority Gold can help you make an informed decision.

Best For

• Anyone seeking to set-up a Gold or Silver IRA or rollover
• Beginner gold and silver buyers looking for a transparent and integrity-driven precious metals company

Pros

• Reasonable and fair pricing
• Buy Back and Price Protection plans
• Insured and robust IRS-approved vaults/depositories for IRA gold and silver storage (3 years free storage for eligible accounts)
• An impressive selection of rare and widely held precious metals products, including IRS-eligible gold and silver coins
• Unconditional and zero-fee precious metals buyback or a repurchase program guarantee
• Accessible and responsive customer service personnel available across multiple channels including phone and email
• A+ Rated on BBB and 5 star rating on TrustLink
• Expert gold and silver consultancy services offered by certified precious metals specialists who provide comprehensive guidance and support
• An insured and expedited shipping process
• Excellent research and educational resources, including a free precious metals and IRA kit

Cons

• Gold and silver coins dominate the precious metals product selection; customers who prefer larger bullion bars, rounds, and other forms of gold and silver might consider looking elsewhere
• No live chat
• No platinum and palladium, unlike some of its competitors

How to Store IRA-Eligible Gold

A self-directed IRA (SDIRA) account enables you to choose the gold to include in your retirement savings. Your custodian administers the purchase and then ships your physical precious metals to a depository.

An insurance liability accompanies the in-transit gold to ensure its safety. The depository stores your gold in a vault and covers it with a policy against all risks. You can access your gold in person or track it via an online account.

Should You Invest in IRA-Eligible Gold?

Investing in IRA-eligible gold can be a smart addition to your retirement strategy, offering diversification, protection against inflation, and a hedge against market volatility. However, it’s not without its challenges, such as higher fees, limited liquidity, and price fluctuations.

Before committing, consider your financial goals, risk tolerance, and overall portfolio strategy. Gold should complement, not replace, other investments to ensure a balanced and well-rounded retirement plan. By weighing the benefits and risks, you can determine if a gold IRA aligns with your long-term financial objectives.

Frequently Asked Questions

The post What is IRA Eligible Gold? by Goran Radanovic appeared first on Benzinga. Visit Benzinga to get more great content like this.

Card collecting has evolved from a nostalgic hobby into a lucrative investment opportunity, with the potential to yield impressive returns. Whether you’re drawn to sports trading cards, Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering, or even modern digital collectibles, the market is booming. Rare and sought-after cards can fetch staggering prices, making them a compelling option for collectors who aim to combine passion with profit.

But profiting in this space requires more than luck—it demands a keen understanding of market trends, card grading, rarity, and timing. In this guide, we’ll explore the types of cards that are most profitable, give tips for identifying undervalued gems, and explain how and from where to buy these cards. Whether you’re a seasoned collector or just starting out, this insight will help you navigate the ever-changing card market with confidence.

Quick Look: Best Cards to Collect for Profit

• Best Overall: Mickey Mantle 1952 Topps Rookie Card
• Best Rookie Card: Luka Doncic 
• Best NFL Card: Tom Brady Optic Base
• Best NFL Card Pack: 2022 Panini Absolute Football Card Pack
• Best Hockey Card: 2015 Upper Deck Connor McDavid Rookie
• Best Classic Movie Cards: Star Wars
• Best Animated Cards: Pokemon

Best Cards to Collect for Profit

Here are top picks for the best cards to invest in this year.

1. Best Overall: Mickey Mantle 1952 Topps Rookie Card

Mickey Mantle is a legendary baseball player for the New York Yankees with a whopping 536 home runs. Considering Mantle cemented his name as one of the greatest baseball players of all time, his rookie card became a highly coveted collector’s item.

It was his PSA 9 version 1952 Topps Rookie card that caught the eye of collectors, eventually selling for $5.2 million in January 2021. The sale set a record for the most expensive trading card sold, until the Honus Wagner T206 card broke the record in August 2021, selling for $6.6 million.

Not only is this baseball card extremely expensive, but it seems that only six exist. Investors wanting to profit from Mantle’s cards won’t have to look far, as the PSA 8 version is significantly cheaper.

Other Baseball Cards to Invest in

Other baseball cards you can be on the lookout for include:

• 1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle Rookie (Mantle’s actual rookie card)
• 1954 Topps Henry Aaron Rookie
• 1914 Baltimore News Babe Ruth Rookie
• 2009 Bowman Mike Trout Rookie

Image source: eBay

2. Best Rookie Card: Luka Doncic

Most of the best-selling cards were from the players’ rookie days. Predicting a young player’s rise to fame can be a lucrative hobby. That was the case with Luka Doncic, whose rookie cards broke records as the young prospect became one of NBA’s biggest players.

When sold in February 2021, Luka Doncic’s rookie card became the most expensive basketball sold, at $4.6 million. LeBron James’ BGS MT 9 broke that record in April 2021, selling for $5.2 million, and Stephen Curry’s Logoman autographed rookie sold for $5.9 million not long after. Doncic’s card features the NBA logoman catch, from a Maverick’s jersey he wore and a signature in blue ink. 

The trading card was originally from a 2018-2019 Panini National Treasure Basketball box and the only one made of that specific variety. However, you may be surprised to find that you can also look out for related cards that are a bit less rare.

Other Basketball Cards to Invest in

• 2021-22 Panini Prizm Hobby Box
• 2022-23 Chronicles Draft Pack
• 2022 Panini Instant Draft Night Jaden Ivey Rookie Card
• 1970-71 Topps #123 Pete Maravich Rookie Card
• 2018-19 Panini Prizm #184 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Rookie Card

Image source: Etsy

3. Best NFL Card: Tom Brady Optic Base

Collectors looking for an affordable investment that may return high yields can look at the Tom Brady 2020 Optic Base card. Brady is one of the best NFL players of all time, and his induction into the Hall of Fame is a foregone conclusion.

The card’s value has ranged from $2 to $229, making it affordable. It’s available in eight grades and variations such as Mythical, Premium Box Set Wave, Blue, and Downtown – Super Bowl. Brady’s card is available at major retailers, and investors may need to wait several years to profit from a trading card printed in 2020.

Image source: eBay

4. Best NFL Card Pack: 2022 Panini Absolute Football Card Pack

Because Panini is still active, you can uncover quite a bit of variety in their large packs. Remember, though, you must hold every card in the pack because you never know which cards will grow in value.

There could easily be something in that pack that will one day be extremely valuable, but you would never know based on their current profile.

Image source: eBay

5. Best Hockey Card: 2015 Upper Deck Connor McDavid Rookie Card

Connor McDavid is a superstar and the Edmonton Oilers’ first-overall draft pick. Like Wayne Gretzky, McDavid scores in droves, and fans love him. However, the Oilers have not yet won the Stanley Cup (as of 2023), and a Stanley Cup win would enhance his lore and likely increase the value of his cards.

Image source: eBay

6. Best Classic Movie Cards: Star Wars

After the first Star Wars movie, the cards were released in 1977. The original release contained five sets distinguished by different border colors. The cards contained the most famous characters Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, and Princess Leia.

Each series consisted of 66 cards, and it was the ‘70s edition that garnered the most attention. Other editions that followed weren’t as successful, but the 1980 The Empire Strikes Back Series 1-3 and 1993 Galaxy Series 1-3 made an impression on collectors. 

In the present day, you could look out for Star Wars cards and packs like:

• 2022 Topps Star Wars Galaxy Chrome Pack Hobby Box
• 2022 Topps Star Wars Boba Fett Hobby Box
• 2022 Chrome Black Star Wars Hobby Box

Image source: Amazon

7. Best Animated Cards: Pokémon

Pokémon is one of the most popular Japanese cartoons. The franchise’s global popularity made its ‘90s cards extremely desirable to collectors. Pokémon has released numerous cards with characters like Charizard, Mewtwo, and Pikachu, with prices ranging from basically worthless to over $400,000 for the rarest card. The issue here is that you need to uncover a mountain of cards before finding one with some value. Plus, the cards that are most valuable shift over time, and you’re wise to continue researching, especially if you find a card for which you have very little information.

The Pikachu Illustrator, only one PSA 10 card, was sold for just over $5.2 million. Japanese cards of certain sets are usually valued more than the ones from the U.S. or Canada because of their earlier release date and scarce availability. The recent explosion of the Pokémon card market may not be over. It was driven by nostalgia and celebrities buying packs of these cards and opening them on popular video streaming sites like YouTube and Twitch.tv.

Image source: Amazon

Features to Look for in Collectable Cards

It’s certain aspects of an asset that make it valuable. And the same is true for collectible cards. A picture on a card may be worth a thousand words, but it’s not worth a thousand dollars if it doesn’t meet a certain condition, has no unique characteristics, and isn’t scarce.

The Card’s Condition

A dented 1965 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray isn’t a classic just because of its age. It has to be in excellent condition to be worth a lot of money. A card’s condition has a tremendous impact on its worth. Although you may have come across a scarce card that nobody may have, its value is undermined by creases, bent corners, and scratches.

In rare cases, a card’s condition may be of a lower standard than the norm because of sentimental value or a unique event intrinsic to the card’s condition. But most cards have to be in great condition for collectors to deem valuable. The card’s corners should be sharp. A baseball player’s centering on the card is important and determined by measurements of the border. Surfaces should be glossy or metallic to detect damage easily.

The Year Printed and Scarcity

Most cards are like wines — their value increases with time. The year a card was printed also determines its scarcity. Cards printed in the last few years are easier to find than the ones printed 50 years ago. Usually, the older the card, the more it’s worth.

Card manufacturers have printed many cards from the ‘80s and ‘90s. So finding them is easier than the ‘70s cards. That era has produced numerous vintage cards that collectors are prepared to pay handsomely to own. The print year should be stipulated on the card. 

Short prints are cards in lesser quantity, making them less accessible than regular prints. Also, cards printed toward the end of a baseball season are usually rare. 

Grading

Grading ensures a card is authentic. The process involves an independent audit company grading the card based on its condition and authenticity. A graded card usually is worth more than one not graded because collectors feel more secure about buying it.

When buying collectible cards from retailers such as Amazon and eBay, collectors may hold different opinions about the card’s value than the seller, based on its condition if it’s not graded. Hence, a third party’s grading is impartial, and the card receives a rating from one to 10. A card receives one rating if it’s in poor condition and 10 if it’s in mint condition.

Once auditors have graded the cards, they encase them in plastic holders and stick a label on them to show the grade and a serial number — generated from the grader’s database.

Popularity

A card’s popularity is most commonly linked to the athlete featured on the card. Athletes who have accomplished more than their peers are more popular, so the demand for their cards is higher. Collectors favor rookie cards of the most valuable players, but attractively designed cards are also popular.

Some beautifully designed cards fetch higher prices than rookie cards because collectors enjoy seeing an athlete’s face up close and appreciate vibrant colors. Cards with the athlete’s signature tend to be more valuable than the ones without, but determining signature authenticity has become more challenging.

How to Buy Trading Cards

You need to consider several factors in the buying process to make card collecting convenient and affordable. Benzinga has compiled key pointers to help you find the most valuable cards at the best prices.

Places to Buy Cards

Collectible cards have become so valuable that even social media and e-commerce platforms stock them. Such platforms enable collectors to contact the seller directly and negotiate. The advantage of these avenues is that it’s easier to find rare cards on the internet than at your local store. Your selection is broader, and you don’t need to travel to several places.

If you want to invest in one of the rarest collectible cards for the extra profit potential, you can easily invest in a fraction of cards like a 1st Edition Charizard, a Tom Brady Rookie card, a Luka Doncic Mojo Prizm card, and more with Public.com. This rare feature lets you gain exposure to these rare cards without breaking the bank.

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Collectibles

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Art Investing

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Art Investing

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Masterworks provides an opportunity for investors to invest in blue-chip artworks by renowned artists, such as Basquiat, Warhol, and Koons, without having to buy the entire artwork themselves. Instead, investors can purchase shares in a specific artwork, allowing them to own a fractional interest in that piece.

By investing in art through Masterworks, individuals can access an asset class that has historically demonstrated strong long-term returns and low correlation to traditional financial markets. This can help investors spread their risk and potentially achieve higher returns over time. Moreover, Masterworks leverages its expertise in the art market to carefully select and acquire artworks that have the potential for significant value appreciation, offering investors the chance to profit from the art market without the hassle of managing an art collection.

In this article, we review Masterworks’ offerings, usability, customer support, returns, fees and educational support to help you decide whether you should use this art investing platform.

Best For

• You want to diversify your portfolio with alternative investments
• Those interested in investing in art

Pros

• A dedicated representative from RIA-affiliate Masterworks Advisers available upon request who will determine if art investing is a fit for you, help you invest, and answer questions
• Clean, attractive, easy to use platform design for desktop and mobile
• Track record: 9 – 39% net annualized returns
• Masterworks manages the entire process of sourcing, purchasing, and storing artwork

Cons

• Requires a phone call before you can invest
• Hedge fund like fees can be confusing for new investors
• Offerings sell out quickly due to demand

Buyers need to be careful of illegitimate cards, so online sellers with graded cards should receive preference. Another place where buyers can negotiate prices is at auctions. An auction guarantees a card’s validity and may even offer a guarantee. Most card stores have also ensured a card’s authenticity, but they’re usually not willing to negotiate prices.  

Verifying the Card

After selecting a card, you need to ensure that it’s legit. Even if a card has been graded, it’s best to check the database of the auditor to ensure validity. It’s possible that the verification label on the card is fraudulent. 

Buying cards online is best accomplished via a platform that offers a verification and grading service. That should give you a certain level of security, and it provides a guarantee because you can hold the platform accountable.

The Buying Process

If you buy cards from an online seller, it’s safer to do it through an e-commerce platform that stores your funds and can reverse illegitimate transactions. After payment and delivery, you can contact the platform about discrepancies and request a refund if the seller hasn’t delivered the expected products.

You can also take precautions when buying from an independent online seller. The best way is to make payment via an online platform that serves as a third-party depositor. Funds are released to the seller only after the buyer is satisfied with the delivered product. If you opt for cash purchases, ensure you receive a receipt and preferably have a witness.

Trading with Collectors

Instead of spending money on cards, you may opt for swapping them with sellers. This method enables you to dispose of the cards you no longer need and receive ones you deem more valuable. An issue that may arise when you trade cards is the opposing opinions between the buyers and sellers about card values. Although grading may determine the conditions of the cards, it doesn’t necessarily attach a value.

In such cases, both parties may agree on a third party to value their cards. A benefit of swapping cards is that one party may feel they’ve received higher valued cards than the ones traded. Ensure that you document the trading process, stipulating the cards you have traded and what you’ve received. The documents serve as a receipt.

Popular Card Trading Platforms

Benzinga has identified several platforms enabling you to find various cards for alternative investments.

eBay

Buying and selling cards are the most convenient on eBay. This e-commerce platform is the market leader for card collectibles as it offers one of the largest collections. Card collectors around the world advertise their collections, so finding rare cards on eBay is the norm.

The aspect that makes eBay different from competitors is that its authenticity guarantee includes grading. It uses third-party authenticator PSA for grading cards over $2,000. Since eBay offers such a large card trading volume, it’s possible to sell your cards in a short period of time. eBay is considered to be one of the best alternative investment platforms.

Facebook

Facebook has more than 3 billion users, and it offers niche groups and a marketplace. By joining a Facebook card group, you get alerts about the latest offerings and events. You can also use the marketplace to browse cards for sale.

The advantage of joining a Facebook group or the marketplace is that you can filter them by cities or niches.

Exhibitions

You can find numerous trading card exhibitions held around the U.S. and globally. One of the most popular exhibitions is the National Sports Collectors Convention, hosted every year in the month of July. Such exhibitions enable collectors to find the rarest cards and meet like-minded people who sell cards privately.

Auctions

Collectors searching for the most sought-after cards can find them at popular auctions such as PWCC. Events are held monthly and feature museum-caliber offerings and collectors can partake in weekly Sunday auctions. The advantage of using such auctions is that some are hosted online.

Build Your Card Collection Today 

You can build a card collection that will turn a profit or become profitable in the future at any time—it’s never too late. Using these tools, you can start looking into more than baseball cards, understanding that many collectibles are out there and can help you diversify your overall portfolio. Return to Benzinga whenever you like to learn more about collecting cards and alternative investing.

Frequently Asked Questions 

The post Best Cards to Collect for Profit by Goran Radanovic appeared first on Benzinga. Visit Benzinga to get more great content like this.

Teaching children money management when they’re young conditions them to be responsible with money as adults and the stock market can be a great way to show them the power of sensible investing. That’s where our list of the best stocks for kids come into play.

These are stocks from companies that most children would have heard of, so you can teach them the core principles of investing — like following Warren Buffet’s lead, who purchased his first stock aged eleven, of knowing and even using products from the the brands you’re investing in.

Quick Look at the Best Stocks for Kids:

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The Best Stocks for Kids

Getting kids to wrap their minds around investing and its long-term benefits can be tricky. Telling them that they will be owners in cool companies by buying shares will make investing more appealing to them. To help, we’ve compiled a list of kid-friendly stocks that could prove to be great investments.

1. The Walt Disney Company

Kids love entertainment and Walt Disney Co. (NYSE: DIS) provides it globally. The company offers media networks, parks and products. It produces movies and offers streaming services through Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu.

The company operates parks and resorts such as the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, Disneyland Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland. The entire family can experience the magic of Disney on the sea as the company offers Disney Cruises — a luxury ocean liner that incorporates entertainment found at its parks.  

The Walt Disney Company also sells merchandise of all the favorite Disney characters such as Mickey Mouse, Cinderella and Buzz Lightyear. It publishes comics, books and magazines. 

2. Amazon

Besides being one of the biggest global companies, Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) makes online shopping convenient. You can buy almost any product on Amazon — computers, books, phones and t-shirts.

The company also provides entertainment — Amazon Kids+ features kid-friendly content. It lets them access apps, games and music. Kids can stream TV programs and download movies. Amazon owns Audible, which kids use to listen to audio of their favorite books.

Besides a wide range of toys and electronics, Amazon offers fast delivery. Kids don’t have to wait long to receive their orders.  

3. Apple

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) is the biggest company in the world by market capitalization — $3.45 trillion. The company designs and manufacturers smartphones, computers, tablets and wearables.

It’s responsible for producing some of the world’s most successful electronics such as the iPhone, Mac, iPad, iPod and AirPods. The company also produced the Apple Watch. Parents can set it through the iPhone, enabling kids to connect with family and friends through phone calls.

Apple’s App Store lets kids download all the major apps and FaceTime enables them to see their contacts. The company also provides entertainment. Apple TV+ is a subscription streaming service that offers original films and television series. Its most popular kids programs are Doug Unplugs, Fraggle Rock and The Snoopy Show. 

4. Alphabet

Video platforms have become popular, and Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOGL) owns the biggest one in the world — YouTube. Alphabet is the fourth largest global company by market capitalization and also owns Google, the world’s biggest search engine.

Google Play Family Library lets kids access family-friendly content such as games, apps, movies, books and TV shows. Kids Space lets kids enjoy content based on their interests, whether it’s animals or art projects.

YouTube Kids is a contained environment, ensuring parents that the videos kids watch are appropriate.  

5. McDonald’s

McDonald’s Corp. (NYSE: MCD) is the largest burger chain in the U.S. Kids love the Happy Meal but they’re even more excited about playing in McDonald’s play spaces.

The reason most kids love the Happy Meal is that it contains a toy or a book. Some of the most popular toys McDonald’s offers are Mario, Fraggle Rock, Inspector Gadget and Teenie Beanie Boos. McDonald’s announced that the Sing 2 cast is starring on the Happy Meal.

The company also offers Creative Play — kids use sheets, coloring and puzzles such as Ugly Dolls challenges and Dancing Dot to Dot to entertain themselves. 

Source: Meghan Hessler on Unsplash

6. Hasbro

Hasbro Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) is a global entertainment and play company that offers toys, board games, television and gaming. Its independent studio, eOne, publishes programs such as Power Rangers, Transformers, Peppa Pig and My Little Pony.

Hasbro offers tabletop and digital games through Wizards of the Coast. Some of its most famous products are Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: The Gathering. Wizards of the Coast makes gaming possible on PC, mobile and consoles.

Besides apparel, Hasbro also offers toys and action figures such as Nerf, My Little Pony and Transformers. 

7. Netflix

Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX) is the most popular subscription streaming service in the world. The company has more than 222 million subscribers and reported a $33.7 billion revenue in 2023.

The company offers various programs, animated films and cartoons. Some of the shows that kids love on Netflix are The Garfield Show, Lego, Last Kids on Earth and Avatar. Netflix enables kids to watch their favorite programs on TV, mobile devices and PC.

Netflix partnered with Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT) to create the Netflix Hub. It’s a digital storefront that offers dolls, playsets and merchandise inspired by shows such as Waffles and Mochi, Adat Twist and Scientist.

8. Nike

Nike Inc. (NYSE: NKE) is the biggest sneaker company in the world. One of the reasons for Nike’s dominance is its massive budget for endorsing the most popular athletes. Some of the athletes signed with Nike are Cristiano Ronaldo, LeBron James, Rafael Nadal and Michael Jordan.

Besides sneakers, Nike sells hoodies, t-shirts, caps and tracksuits. Nike’s kids apparel features popular shoes and gear. Nike KIDS Camps focus on developing foundational athletic skills for 5- to 8-year-old kids, practicing sport and athletic fundamentals like running, jumping, catching, throwing, kicking, dodging and balancing through fun drills and games.

Because Jordans are Nike’s most popular sneaker range, the company designed a Jordan kids’ collection.

9. Tesla

Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA) is the world’s biggest car company by market capitalization — just over $975.07 billion. The company’s mission is to provide the safest and most environmentally friendly cars. Tesla’s entertainment features lets kids access and video stream YouTube, Netflix, Twitch and Hulu.

Although Tesla focuses on manufacturing cars, it made a product specifically for kids — Cyberquad for Kids. For $1,650 the Cyberquad lets kids enjoy offroad fun on a four-wheel ATV with a full-steel frame, cushioned seat and LED light bars. A lithium-ion battery powers the ATV up to a 15-mile range and reaches a top speed of 10 miles per hour. 

Source: Tesla Fans Schweiz on Unsplash

10. Spotify

Spotify (NYSE: SPOT) is a leading music streaming service that offers users access to a vast library of songs, albums and playlists from various genres and artists. By providing both free and premium subscription options, Spotify allows users to enjoy music with ads or ad-free listening.

In addition to standard music streaming, Spotify offers features such as podcasts, which cater to a wide range of interests, from storytelling to informative discussions — perfect for kids and adults. You can follow your favorite artists, receive updates on new releases and even enjoy exclusive content.

Spotify is accessible across multiple devices, including smartphones, tablets and desktops, making it convenient for you to listen to your favorite tracks anytime, anywhere.

Can Kids Invest on Their Own?

Kids cannot invest by themselves. They need to be 18 years or older to open a brokerage account. Kids need a custodial account, which parents or guardians open on their behalf. 

An alternative to a custodial account is for parents to invest a portion of their portfolio in kids stocks. Saving for kids by opening a separate account for them in the parent’s name is an option. 

Parents can teach their kids portfolio management and monitor their rebalancing (adjusting a portfolio to restore allocations and risk levels). The parents’ guidance will train kids to manage their portfolios themselves at the legal age.  

Benefits of Investing for Kids

Besides wealth building, teaching your children to invest benefits them several ways.

Learning good habits: Kids develop habits at a young age and some stick with them for life. Teaching them responsible financial habits may spill over into other areas of their lives and help them understand responsibility and the consequences of poor decisions.

Understanding finances: Most schools don’t teach financial management; it’s the parents’ responsibility to do it. If children don’t receive financial education when they’re young, they may learn it when it’s too late. That puts them at a disadvantage over other children. 

Saving for the future: By teaching your kids to save for the future, they’ll be financially independent sooner. The savings will help them fund unforeseen expenses and they’ll be prepared for changes such as losing their jobs. Their savings will ensure they have a comfortable retirement.

Exploring potential career paths: Investments serve as a financial backup net. They allow kids to explore different career choices and not get stuck in a job they hate because of fearing a loss of income to pay bills. Your kids may find investing appealing, resulting in their pursuing a career as a trader or a financial advisor.

Compare the Best Custodial Accounts for Kids

Finding the best broker for your kids to invest with puts them on the right track. Benzinga compiled a list of the best brokers that’ll help your kids get a head start.

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Kids with siblings

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Kids with siblings

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Greenlight, a company on a mission to illuminate the world of money for kids and parents, offers a debit card for kids of all ages. The Greenlight card and its app were designed for families. Kids apply real-life lessons in earning, spending, saving, giving and investing; parents get the tools they need to manage their children’s money. 

Schools don’t always teach finance, so kids can grow up without the knowledge they need to make the kinds of financial decisions that impact their well-being as adults. The Greenlight debit card lets kids learn by doing so that they develop crucial financial literacy skills.

Best For

• Parents who value family financial literacy
• Kids with siblings
• Families on the go

Pros

• Fun and practical money management
• Sustainable lessons in financial literacy
• Parental control merged with child autonomy
• Access for kids without personal mobile devices

Cons

• No free option
• Monthly charge of $4.99

Best For

Prepping for future investing

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Prepping for future investing

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Acorns can help you roll your pennies into crisp hundreds with automatic savings, rounding up on purchases and inexpensive set-it-and-forget-it portfolio management. Integrate your checking, savings, investment and retirement accounts into 1 financial hub on your smartphone.

Best For

• Newer investors looking to leave the heavy pulling to a robo-advisor
• Regular debit card users who want to save change automatically
• Families building wealth
• Prepping for future investing

Pros

• Inexpensive subscription cost at each tier
• Smart, intuitive automatic investing strategies that utilize your spare change without leaving you cash broke
• Retirement accounts like IRAs and 401(k)s available for investment and management, which isn’t always the case with robo-advisors
• Heavy metal debit card (maybe not the most important factor but still pretty cool)
• ESG portfolios are available with Invest accounts

Cons

• No direct relationship with a financial advisor or certified financial planner

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Fund Investing

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Fund Investing

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Charles Schwab is a solid choice for traders of all skill levels. It offers full access to the U.S. equity and options markets as well as 30 international markets. Traders can create a diverse portfolio with $0 commissions and no account minimums. Schwab’s margin trading is expensive but Schwab makes up for it with affordable futures and options trades, along with a comprehensive mobile offering.

Best For

• 3 trading platforms perfectly in sync makes matching your platform to your skill level a snap
• Excellent futures trading education for new traders
• $0 account minimum means anyone can start trading

Pros

• Wide range of available assets to trade, including futures and 30 global markets
• SmartStreet Edge platform is powerful enough for advanced traders, yet easy enough for new traders to utilize
• Unique educational resources (like infographics and podcasts) make learning fun

Cons

• Margin rates are more expensive than competitors
• More limitations on available margin than competitors
• Expensive mutual funds

Best For

Teens

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Socially Responsible Investing

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Socially Responsible Investing

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Ally Invest is a comprehensive broker offering easy access to domestic markets. Combining a wide range of charting tools with an easy-to-master platform, Ally is a solid choice for both new and experienced investors. Ally’s mobile app is particularly impressive for investors who already bank with Ally, offering seamless compatibility between accounts. While more experienced investors might be disappointed with Ally’s beginner-oriented educational center, they’re bound to love Ally’s wide range of technical tools and rock-bottom pricing.

Best For

• Investors who already bank with Ally and want to streamline between accounts
• Beginners looking for easy-to-follow educational tools
• Stock investors looking for affordable access to low-priced options and commission-free stock trading

Pros

• Streamlined interface that’s easy to use and quick to master — even for beginners
• Wide range of unique tools that makes analyzing securities simple
• Seamless integration between mobile and desktop offerings, especially for Ally Bank account holders
• Diversified managed investment portfolios with a low minimum and no advisory fees
• Impressive ETF screening tools that make it easy to find your next fund

Cons

• No fee-free mutual funds
• No access to futures trading

Best For

Saving Over Time

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Saving Over Time

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UNest was founded to help parents build a better future for their kids with unique savings options that are both tax-advantaged and simple to use. As a registered investment advisor (RIA) with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), UNest makes it easy to save and invest for a child’s future. Family and friends can bestow unlimited gifts into a child’s account. Savings can be put toward several different financial goals when the child is of age — including a college savings plan, first car, down payment for house, wedding or even towards financial security.

Best For

• Parents who cannot save thousands at a time
• Someone who needs passive savings assistance
• Parents who do not understand unique savings plans
• Parents who do not understand unique savings plans

Pros

• Sharable accounts — anyone can give
• Premium accounts can handle 5 kids at a time
• Automatic deposits
• Quality mobile app

Cons

• Basic accounts that only help with one child
• Mobile-only; the website only offers information

Choosing the Best Stocks for Kids

Investing in stocks for kids can be a valuable opportunity to teach them financial literacy and instill good money habits from a young age. By carefully choosing the right stocks based on their interests and long-term growth potential, parents can set their children up for financial success in the future. Whether it’s through individual stocks, index funds or custodial accounts, investing in the stock market can be a rewarding way to help kids build wealth and secure their financial future.

Frequently Asked Questions

The post Best Stocks for Kids by Goran Radanovic appeared first on Benzinga. Visit Benzinga to get more great content like this.