Public companies’ Bitcoin holdings jumped nearly 40% in Q3 2025, even as the cryptocurrency’s price stayed below $115,000. According to Bitwise, 172 firms now collectively hold about 1.02 million BTC—roughly 4.8% of total supply—driven by large additions from players like Strategy and Japan’s Metaplanet. 

Despite this record accumulation, enthusiasm across crypto equities has cooled, with companies such as Metaplanet seeing share prices tumble more than 70% from their peaks. 

Analysts suggest Bitcoin’s muted response reflects low market liquidity and the nature of institutional buying, which mostly occurs off exchanges and doesn’t immediately move prices. Broader macroeconomic uncertainty, from renewed trade tensions to shifting Fed policy expectations, has also dampened risk appetite. 

Finsum: Many market observers remain optimistic, expecting Bitcoin to regain upward momentum once retail demand and liquidity return later in the year.

Cybersecurity stocks have surged in 2025, fueled by rising global hacking incidents and enthusiasm for AI-driven protection tools. Firms like Zscaler, Cloudflare, and CrowdStrike have gained between 50% and 77% this year, far outpacing broader software benchmarks such as the iShares Expanded Tech-Software ETF. 

The sector’s strength is being reinforced by record corporate spending, highlighted by Alphabet’s $32 billion acquisition of Wiz and growing demand for cloud-based security solutions. 

Despite heightened competition from tech giants like Microsoft and Google, cybersecurity remains a top enterprise priority, with identity and cloud security expected to drive double-digit growth for years. Investors see continued consolidation and platform integration as key to sustaining momentum across the sector.

Finsum: Both attackers and defenders are increasingly using generative AI, creating new markets for firms specializing in identity and AI security like CyberArk and Okta.

Although the term “ESG” has become controversial and sometimes viewed as a marketing label, about 69% of institutional asset owners still report using it—primarily for consistency. Many prefer alternative labels: 57% use “sustainable investment,” 53% “sustainability,” and 52% “responsible investment.” 

ESG considerations now apply to an average of 44% of asset owners’ AUM globally, up from 42% last year. In 2025, 20% of respondents said they apply ESG to more than 75% of their portfolios, and 10% said ESG applies to 100% of their assets. 

Asset owners increasingly see ESG as aligned with fiduciary duty: 61% agree ESG supports that role, up from 53% in 2024. 

Finsum: The biggest barrier to broader ESG adoption is concern over impacts on investment returns or a lack of standardized data and reporting. 

IsoEnergy’s merger with Toro Energy adds the fully owned Wiluna uranium project in Western Australia to its portfolio, expanding its global footprint and resource base. The combined company will hold an estimated 55.2 million pounds of measured and indicated uranium resources, along with 4.9 million pounds inferred.

IsoEnergy CEO Philip Williams said the acquisition enhances the company’s position with a large, permitted project in a top uranium-producing region amid surging global nuclear demand. Toro shareholders will own about 7.1% of the new entity and gain exposure to IsoEnergy’s assets in Canada and the U.S., including the high-grade Hurricane deposit and Utah-based mines. 

The merger arrives as uranium markets strengthen, with global demand projected to rise roughly 30% by 2030 and double by 2040. 

Finsum: This merger could be a good opportunity for those looking to invest in nuclear energy or uranium. 

At large brokerage firms, many financial advisors are realizing they don’t truly own their client relationships, limiting their autonomy and ability to serve clients freely. Over time, firms have tightened control through reduced payouts, restrictive policies, and the withdrawal of major players which once made advisor transitions easier. 

The traditional model has grown more corporate and centralized, leaving advisors to shoulder rising complexity while firms capture more of the value their clients generate. 

Meanwhile, the independent RIA space now offers the infrastructure, technology, and compliance support that used to be available only at large firms — but with far greater flexibility and ownership. Modern platforms and advanced tech stacks empower independent advisors to scale efficiently and serve clients on their own terms. 

Finsum: With clients increasingly loyal to their advisors rather than the firms themselves, independence no longer seems as risky. 

As investors prepare for year-end taxes after a volatile 2025, many are exploring ways to reduce their tax burden through strategies like tax loss harvesting and structural portfolio adjustments. Active ETFs, according to T. Rowe Price’s Kevin Signorelli and Chris Murphy, can play a key role in minimizing tax impacts. 

ETFs inherently generate fewer taxable events than mutual funds due to their creation and redemption mechanism, which limits capital gains distributions. Active ETFs add further efficiency, often operating at lower costs while maintaining flexibility to manage holdings strategically. 

They also offer effective vehicles for tax loss harvesting, allowing investors to shift from underperforming funds into more promising active strategies, such as international or tech-focused ETFs. 

Finsum: As active ETFs continue to expand, they provide investors with more tools to optimize portfolios for both performance and tax efficiency.

Demand for derivative income ETFs is unlikely to slow anytime soon, as these funds continue to provide consistent income and equity exposure amid a cloudy economic backdrop. 

The Federal Reserve’s evolving rate-cut path has also complicated duration positioning in fixed income portfolios, making alternative income strategies more attractive. The Calamos Autocallable Income ETF (CAIE) stands out for its innovative structure, which ladders autocallable yield notes linked to the MerQube US Large-Cap Vol. Advantage Index. 

As long as the reference index stays above the -40% barrier, CAIE generates monthly income, offering resilience even in uneven markets. With a 14.36% distribution rate as of September 30, 2025, CAIE might be a derivative income strategies that could deliver strong yields while maintaining disciplined risk management.

Finsum: With uncertainty surrounding the U.S. outlook, from potential recession to stagflation, the downside protection these ETFs offer remains highly valuable.

Investor interest in international bonds has been accelerating, as July fund flows showed a marked uptick in overseas bond allocations, according to Morningstar data. This trend reflects a growing desire to diversify away from U.S. bond exposure, with Vanguard offering three compelling options for investors seeking global fixed income opportunities. 

A weaker dollar, pressured by expectations of falling rates, has further boosted the appeal of international assets, drawing more flows into global and emerging market bond funds. For those balancing domestic and global exposure, the Vanguard Total World Bond ETF (BNDW) offers nearly equal allocations between U.S. and international bonds at a minimal 0.05% expense ratio. 

Investors who prefer a pure international approach may turn to the Vanguard Total International Bond ETF (BNDX), which focuses on developed markets, or the Vanguard Emerging Markets Government Bond ETF (VWOB), which provides higher yields through EM sovereign debt. 

Finsum: Total bond funds present flexible avenues for enhancing portfolio diversification and capturing income beyond U.S. borders.

The most successful macro investors don’t rely on predictions, they rely on true diversification. Rather than attempting to forecast markets, they construct portfolios of uncorrelated or negatively correlated assets that improve returns without adding risk. 

When multiple asset classes move independently, investors can use modest leverage to amplify gains while maintaining controlled volatility. This approach allows a portfolio with the same 5% volatility to generate higher expected returns simply by expanding exposure across uncorrelated assets. 

However, the strategy requires vigilance, as correlations can shift suddenly, undermining diversification’s benefits. 

Finsum: The foundation of long-term macro success lies in true diversification, careful leverage, and disciplined risk management.

Global investors are increasingly reallocating away from U.S. equities, even as Wall Street continues to notch record highs. Fund-flow data from Société Générale and EPFR show record inflows into global equity funds that exclude U.S. stocks, signaling a push for broader diversification. 

Europe and emerging markets have benefited most from this trend, with European equity products seeing record inflows this year. Currency effects and heightened U.S. policy risks under the Trump administration have also encouraged investors to look abroad. 

While many acknowledge the U.S. remains the world’s deepest and most dynamic market, its high valuations and narrow leadership have amplified concentration risks. 

Finsum: Portfolio managers showed a more globally balanced approach, blending exposure to the U.S. with selectively priced opportunities overseas.