Crypto. Copper. Silver. Gold. More Magnificent than the Magnificent 7*.

Crypto. Copper. Silver. Gold. More Magnificent than the Magnificent 7*.  
*Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia, Tesla
 
The headlines are full of Wall Street hitting new highs every day. Gold is also on fire, and Bitcoin remains near its all-time high. However, the headlines don’t really show what is happening behind the scenes, as silver, copper, crypto and gold are far more magnificent than the Magnificent 7 (in that order).
 
This year, silver has been the silent superstar, while copper and Ethereum have soared. Our Ethereum ETF doubled in 4 months (since the April low). Silver and Peru (copper) are the best performers year to date (even better than Bitcoin & Ethereum), with 50% and 45% gains, respectively. Meanwhile, some stocks and funds are worth less today than they were five years ago. So, if you don’t have the right kind of equities in your portfolio, your plan is not hitting record highs with Wall Street. (Target date retirement funds, annuities and bond funds are particularly vulnerable.)

With stocks and safe havens trading near all-time highs, should you buy high, hoping to sell higher? Is there a better strategy? What is the outlook for 2026? As importantly, how can we eliminate the capital gains exposure of crypto currencies? (I’ll be writing a blog about developments in the Magnificent 7 over the next few days.) 
 
The VIX (a measure of stock market volatility) is very low, indicating that investors are feeling quite secure about their investments. (Things can change quickly, however. In April, stocks dropped -20% and the VIX tripled almost overnight.) Even with stocks ringing in new highs daily, there is an undertone of uncertainty that is playing into the popularity of the perceived safe havens of crypto, gold and silver. Consumer confidence is very low, as you can see in the University of Michigan report below. (The next one will be released on Sept. 26, 2025.)
 

Source: University of Michigan.

As you can see in the chart, there is a high correlation between low consumer confidence and recessions. (The gray lines represent recessions.) While no economic pullback is forecasted for this year or next, economists are notoriously terrible at predicting recessions. As Liz Ann Sonders, the Managing Director and Chief Investment Strategist at Charles Schwab, said in her May 30, 2025 podcast, “I feel sometimes like we're in the midst of a late '90s kind of market, where you remember the tech bubble, and it just kept going and going and going, and nothing seemed to really do anything to it until it stopped.”

Natalie’s Note: Between the high of the Nasdaq Composite Index in March of 2000 and the low in October of 2002, the index lost -78% of its value. It took 15 years to crawl back to even.
 
So, let’s dive into the details of the superstars of 2025 (so far). Here are the things we will cover in this blog.
 
Bitcoin Was Our 2024 Investment of the Year
Avoiding Capital Gains Taxes
Our Ethereum ETF Tripled in 4 Months
Peru is a Superstar in 2025
Silver Majestic vs. Gold
Value Funds, Target Date Retirement Funds & Bond Funds (Dividends & Income)
No Paper Losses on our Fixed Income Strategies 
Dollar Cost Averaging
 
And here is more information on each point.
 
Bitcoin Was Our 2024 Investment of the Year
Bitcoin was our 2024 Investment of the Year. At the time of the publication, Bitcoin was worth $65,770/coin. Today, the coin is at $115,669. However, the performance in 2025 has been more in line with the Magnificent 7 (23.7%), while Ethereum, gold and silver have all posted higher gains.
 
There is a historic precedent that by the 2nd anniversary of a Bitcoin halving, there is a Crypto Winter. That casts a shadow over the outlook, particularly as we get closer to April 2026. I encourage you to read my Bitcoin blog to learn more about halving events and trends. Crypto Winters are long and brutal. A successful strategy captures gains at the high (now), keeping the wealth intact, while still holding a slice of crypto in an age-appropriate, diversified plan. This keeps our wealth growing, instead of having us vulnerable to losses of -50% or more. During Crypto Winters, when many people have lost half or more of their investment, we can buy low, increasing our performance. Better yet, a smart plan will protect our gains from taxes. (Keep reading.)

Avoiding Capital Gains Taxes
Over the past few years, the SEC has approved Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs, making these funds available to our IRAs (Individual Retirement Plans), where capital gains are not taxed. Before the ETFs were available, capital gains could be up to 37% (if they were short-term cap gains). It will be difficult to purchase these assets in most employer-sponsored retirement accounts, unless you have a self-directed option. So, it’s important to have your own IRA (TFSA in Canada), in addition to your 401k or RSP. It’s also wise to purchase funds from a large, creditworthy fund company.
 
Our Ethereum ETF Tripled in 4 Months
In our time-proven, age-appropriate, pie chart strategy wealth plan, we encourage Main Street investors to have four hot slices, in addition to six that are diversified by size and style. The iShares Ethereum Trust ETF (symbol: ETHA) is one option for our hot slices. ETHA is currently at $33.57/share. On April 8, 2025, the price was just $11/share. When one slice becomes three slices, it’s a great idea to consider capturing gains on 1-2 slices at the high and keeping that money, while still having a slice in the plan, if you believe the asset will continue to perform well. If you don’t have any hots in your plan, then learn more about dollar cost averaging (below).
 
Check out my Ethereum Videocon and podcast from September 4, 2025.

Peru is a Superstar in 2025
With 45% gains in 2025 so far, the iShares Peru ETF (symbol: EPU) is one of the best performers of the year. Only silver, at 50% gains, has done better. Additionally, the EPU ETF is offering a 4.1% yield – much higher than most U.S.-based dividend funds.
 
Peru’s economy is heavily impacted by copper prices. Currently, copper prices are near an all-time high. Strong demand and constrained supply have forecasts for copper going higher over the next few years, with some analysts predicting a price of $5.10 USD/lb by the end of 2027 and $7 USD/lb by 2030. However, copper’s nickname is Dr. Copper because when the economy slows down, copper prices can plunge. You can see the trend quite clearly in the chart below, when the price dropped by -64% in 2008.

The best protection against a stock downturn and market weakness is to always keep a percentage equal to our age safe, to diversify the at-risk portion into 10 funds and to rebalance 1-3 times a year, to capture gains. With so many of these funds at all-time highs, it’s a great time to do our rebalancing. Email [email protected] if you are interested in my unbiased 2nd opinion, which includes a personalized pie chart plan for you, or if you’d like information on our Oct. 11-13, 2025 Financial Freedom Retreat.
 
Silver Majestic vs. Gold
There were many reasons, including a favorable price, why we were leaning into silver more than gold at our Financial Freedom Retreats over the past few years. In 2025, silver has been the silent superstar, with gains of 50%. For most of us, it’s easiest to purchase a Silver Trust ETF, as coins have a markup value, and insuring/protecting coins can add expense, reducing our ROI*. Individual companies carry more risk than the passive investor should take on.
*Return on Investment
 
Having said that, in my June 23, 2025, blog on Silver, I mentioned a company that was experiencing revenue growth of 130% year over year, with 94% YOY revenue gains again in the most recent quarter. Silver Majestic (symbol: AG) is up 84% YTD and up 24% since our feature in June. By comparison, the S&P500 is up 12.76% YTD and 10% since June. Here’s what I wrote in that blog:
 
“For those of you who are interested in taking on more risk for a potentially higher reward (Vegas money), I was particularly interested in First Majestic Silver. The company saw revenue jump by 130% in the most recent quarter. They’ve also established First Mint, a 100% owned minting facility, and are selling coins directly to consumers. I’m expecting to buy a few shares after this blog is published.”
 
Value Funds, Target Date Retirement Funds & Bond Funds
Vanguard‘s target date retirement 2030 fund (symbol: VTHRX) is worth less today than it was in December 2021. This has a lot to do with the portion of bonds that are in that plan. Many Bonds and bond funds are also losing value, and the “paper losses” explanation that many investors are receiving from their broker/salesman is falsely placating them about something that is a serious problem. The PIMCO total return bond fund (symbol: PTTRX) has lost -20% over the 5-year period, and that is including the 4.55% yield. Many annuities have been offering less than 2% annualized return at a time when the S&P500 has doubled over the last five years. Annuities also lose up to -9% of your principal the minute you purchase them. (They call it a surrender fee.)
 
Value funds in the United States are higher risk than many investors are aware of. Over half of the S&P 500 is at or near junk status, with very elevated levels of debt and leverage. This is largely why the Dow Jones Industrial Average often performs at less than half the speed of the S&P500 and far below the NASDAQ Composite Index.
 
We have been using value replacement funds for years. Most of our selected funds are offering yields that are up to double what the U.S. value funds are offering. One of the funds has a higher credit rating. The countries we have selected have far lower debt to GDP than the U.S. has. I mentioned above that our Peru fund is one of the top performers of the year, in addition to offering a great yield. We’ve been using this fund as our mid cap value replacement fund.
 
No Paper Losses on our Fixed Income Strategies
One of the things my private coaching clients are most happy about is that they are earning a market yield without paper losses. It is tricky to achieve this, but not difficult. I’m offering a Fixed Income Without Paper Losses masterclass on Oct. 18, 2025. (Prerequisite: Oct. 11-13, 2025, Financial Freedom Retreat.) Since a 4% yield on $1,000,000 is $40,000, knowing how to earn this safely, without the loss of principal and without being vulnerable to credit or duration risk, is a great way to earn extra money while we sleep. Email [email protected] for pricing and information and to register now.
 
Dollar Cost Averaging
If you don’t already own some of these hot industries, and you’re interested in adding them to your portfolio, start with a personalized pie chart so that you know how much you should keep safe and how much should be at risk. Email [email protected] to receive links to our free web apps where you can personalize your pie charts and your Thrive Budget.
 
Then, rather than just buying a whole slice at an all-time high, consider dollar cost averaging into your slice. Having a plan to purchase at regular intervals (strategically designed), helps us to ease into the water rather than just buying high.
 
Those people who say they’re just going to wait for “a crash,” rarely act when the opportunity presents itself. How many of us bought low on April 8, 2025, when stocks had dropped -20% in less than three weeks? Market timing doesn’t work. It typically takes 18-24 months from the top to the bottom. This isn’t a “crash,” but rather a series of unfortunate events (most of which an analyst with a keen eye can see coming, and which we’ve been successful at forewarning our audience about since 1999).
 
The safe side of our plan is what keeps our wealth intact. If you’ve never adopted an age-appropriate, properly diversified wealth plan (or are having blind faith that someone else is doing this for you), then it’s a good idea to join us at our October 11-13, 2025 Financial Freedom Retreat, and learn the life math that we all should have received in high school.
 
Conversely, if you are a busy professional, consider getting an unbiased 2nd opinion from me through my private coaching (which is much less than you are paying for a managed wealth plan). You will receive a blueprint of what a time-proven, 21st Century plan looks like, along with step-by-step instructions of how to implement it. You will also be provided with a color-coded analysis of your current plan, highlighting assets that are vulnerable or losing money, as well as areas of your plan that are doing great. You’re still the boss of your money and you can choose to follow the superior strategy or not. However, it’s difficult to be in charge when we really don’t have a clue what we own or when and how to make changes. Financial wisdom will transform our lives and put us more on the right side of the trade – with less money and less time, and far less worry.
 
"We asked Natalie Pace for a second opinion on our investment portfolio. She researched and reviewed each stock and fund. She then explained to us in plain English how we were positioned in the market and how high our risk exposure was. Her knowledge was so profound that we decided to take her retreat in Arizona. My husband was still quite skeptical, but 20 minutes into the retreat he turned to me and said, "Thank you." Stocks and investing are no longer rocket science. We give thanks just about every day that we met Natalie. I feel like I live on a different planet. I'm so grateful. Thank you for changing our lives, our peace of mind, our future and our vision of what is possible. We made a tectonic shift with you."
AC & AM 
 
Bottom Line
We can get safe, protected, hot and diversified in one easy plan. (Click to read more details in my blog of the same name.) When stocks and safe havens are at an all-time high, it’s a great idea to capture gains and make sure that our wealth plan is age-appropriate and properly diversified (without paper losses). You can read about this time-proven strategy in my book, The ABCs of Money, 6th edition. You can learn and implement it at my Oct. 11-13, 2025, Financial Freedom Retreat. If you’re a busy professional, consider receiving an unbiased 2nd opinion from me in my private coaching program. Email [email protected] for pricing and information.
 
 
Register now to join us at our online Financial Freedom Retreat Oct. 11-13 2025 where you'll learn how to protect your wealth, save thousands annually in your budget and how to hedge in a volatile Debt World. If you'd like a life-changing adventure of a lifetime, be our guest at a royal manor house in Cornwall, England, March 12-19, 2027. (With just eight rooms available, this exclusive, private, bucket-list adventure sells out a year in advance!) Call 310-430-2397 or email [email protected] to learn more. The 2025 Restormel Retreat was a magical and royal experience. Click to learn more. 

Receive the best price when you register with friends and family for the online Financial Freedom Retreat Oct. 11-13 2025. Request testimonials at [email protected]. You can also view some on the flyer page of the retreat. 

Learn how to:

* Invest in hot industries, such as cryptocurrency, Nvidia, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing,
* Hedge against a weaker dollar,
* Invest and compound your gains,
* Green your retirement plan,
* Easy and efficacious nest egg strategies,
* Get hot and diversified (including in artificial intelligence, quantum computing and crypto),
* Evaluate stocks,
* Avoid capital gains and financial predators,
* Keep an age-appropriate amount safe, and,
* Know what's safe in a Debt World.

You'll even discover how to save thousands annually with smarter big-ticket choices. Yes, it's a complete money makeover. 
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Email [email protected] or call 310-430-2397 to learn more and register. Learn the 15+ things you'll master and read testimonials in the flyer on the home page at NataliePace.com. Register with friends and family to receive the best price. ​

"Ten minutes into the first day I was already much smarter about investing than I ever thought I would be in my life and I knew I was in exactly the right place at this retreat. I am amazed at how EASY and FUN it is to make my money work for me and those I love. I think this kind of information should be compulsory in schools. I wish I'd learned this sooner." CM

If you’d like an unbiased 2nd opinion on your current wealth plan, email [email protected] for pricing and information.
​

Receive the best price when you register with friends and family. Visit NataliePace.com to learn more. Call 310-430-2397 or email [email protected] for pricing, additional information and to register.

Join us for our Restormel Royal Immersive Adventure Retreat. March 2027. Email [email protected] to learn more. Click for testimonials, pricing, hours & details. Register now to receive the best price, the best room and eight private, prosperity coaching sessions. There are only 8 rooms available. This retreat includes an all-access pass to all of our online training for a full year for two. Considering the perks, you're receiving a 65% discount to learn the life math that we all should have received in high school, and the room is free! Email [email protected] to learn more. The best rooms at the 2025 retreat were sold out in 2024! Yes, it's a great idea to register and start transforming our lives now!

Natalie Wynne Pace is an Advocate for Sustainability, Financial Literacy & Women's Empowerment. Natalie is the bestselling author of The ABCs of Money (6th edition) and The Power of 8 Billion: It's Up to Us, and is the co-creator of the Earth Gratitude Project. She has been ranked as a No. 1 stock picker, above over 835 A-list pundits, by an independent tracking agency (TipsTraders). Her book The ABCs of Money remained at or near the #1 Investing Basics e-book on Amazon for over 3 years (in its vertical), with over 120,000 downloads and a mean 5-star ranking. The 6th edition of The ABCs of Money and the 2nd edition of Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is (2nd edition) are the most recent releases of these books. Follow her on Instagram. 
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Natalie Pace's easy as a pie chart nest egg strategies earned gains in the last two recessions and have outperformed the bull markets in between. That is why her Investor Educational Retreats, books and private coaching are enthusiastically recommended by Nobel Prize winning economist Gary S. Becker, TD AMERITRADE chairman Joe Moglia, Kay Koplovitz and many Main Street investors who have transformed their lives using her Thrive Budget and investing strategies. Click to view a video testimonial from Nilo Bolden.​​

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Check out Natalie Pace's Substack podcast on Apple and Spotify.
Watch videoconferences and webinars on Youtube.

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Important Disclaimers
Please note: Natalie Pace does not act or operate like a broker. She reports on financial news, and is one of the most trusted sources of financial literacy, education and forensic analysis in the world. Natalie Pace educates and informs individual investors to give investors a competitive edge in their personal decision-making. Any publicly-traded companies, funds or projects mentioned by Natalie Pace are not intended to be buy or sell recommendations.

ALWAYS do your research and consult an experienced, reputable financial professional before buying or selling any security, and consider your long-term goals and strategies. Investors should NOT be all in on any asset class or individual stocks. Your retirement plan should reflect an age-appropriate, diversified wealth plan, which has been designed strategically, with the assistance of financial professionals who are familiar with your goals, risk tolerance, tax needs and more. The "trading" portion of your portfolio should be a very small part of your investment strategy, and the amount of money you invest into individual companies should never be greater than your experience, wisdom, knowledge, patience and diversified strategy.  
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Information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. However, NataliePace.com does not warrant its completeness or accuracy. Opinions constitute our judgment as of the date of this publication and are subject to change without notice. This material is not intended as an offer or solicitation for the purchase or sale of any financial instrument.