Cryptocurrency miners are a fickle group, flipping from one currency to the next depending on their ability to mine it cost effectively. Mining has been proving lucrative for them, but as a consequence prices of tools used in mining cryptocurrencies are soaring, similar to the gold rush seen in the 19th century. Cryptocurrencies are the new Gold rush.
During the California Gold Rush the tools used to mine rocketed in price. The gold pans needed typically cost US$0.20 prior to the rush in 1848 but then rose sharply within a few years to US$8.00. Given that an unskilled labourer’s salary was typically US$0.90 per day during that period this was a substantial investment.
News of the stratospheric rise in prices of popular cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoinand Ethereumhas prompted some large investors to develop mining server farms with significant processing power. It is a simple investment; once the mining infrastructure (a powerful processor to solve the algorithmic mining process) is setup and is autonomous, there is very little else to do other than worry about the fluctuating price and your breakeven point.
Cryptocurrency mining can be loosely divided into two main costs, the upfront costs of the hardware and the ongoing cost of power consumption. At current Ethereum prices, when taking into account volatility, it is possible for an investor to breakeven in less than 6 months depending on power costs. Consequently, these server farms are often in locations where power costs are low, improving the breakeven point.
The total mining infrstructure available for Ethereum is quantified by the hashrate (H/s) per second, defined as the speed at which a process is completed in the currencies’ code. In July 2015, this hashrate was 24GH/s, this July it has risen to an astonishing 65,577GH/s according to Etherscan.io. Clearly, there has been considerable growth in the Ethereum mining infrastructure.
Ethereum mining infrastructure capacity
This rise in popularity of Ethereum has also led to hobbyists building mining infrstructure using gaming graphics cards (GPUs). Hobbyist miners are building rigs often with up to 6 GPUs (much more than the single GPU needed for gaming) and consequently certain GPUs are rising rapidly in price and becoming scarce. The miners favour those graphic cards that have a high hashrate while being economic on electricity, this has led to a few very specific cards beings used.
It is normal for computer hardware prices to decline overtime as new models make them obsolete. This has not been the case for the Radeon RX480 GPU, which has risen 82% in recent months, and now superseded by the newer RX570 model, which has since risen 182% over the last month. In stark contrast to the GeForce GTX 1050 GPU prices, which is not popular amongst miners and subsequently barely risen over the same time period.
Prices for mining suitable & Non- suitable GPUs
Both these GPUs are extremely popular due to their high hashrate and power efficiency versus price and are currently very difficult to source on the open market.
It has become increasingly difficult to mine bitcoin due to the demanding processor power required, particularly for the hobbyist. This pushed many miners to switch to Ethereum creating significant volatility in both currencies, but it is now becoming increasingly difficult to mine Ethereum too.
We may find these hobbyists switching to a new cryptocurrency that requires less processor power to mine. This fickleness from miners is likely to exacerbate cryptocurrency volatility. Furthermore, it is becoming evident that GPUs are the gold pans of today, a boon for chipmakers.
James Butterfill, Head of Research & Investment Strategy at ETF Securities
James Butterfill joined ETF Securities as Head of Research & Investment Strategy in 2015. James is responsible for leading the strategic direction of the global research team, ensuring that clients receive up-to-date, expert insight into global macroeconomic and asset class specific developments.
James has a wealth of experience in strategy, economics and asset allocation gained at HSBC and most recently in his role as Multi- Asset Fund Manager and Global Equity Strategist at Coutts. James holds a Bachelor of Engineering from the University of Exeter and an MSc in Geophysics from Keele University.
SPDR MSCI World Technology UCITSETF (SPFT ETF) med ISIN IE00BYTRRD19, strävar efter att spåra MSCI World Information Technology-index. MSCI World Information Technology-index spårar informationsteknologisektorn på de utvecklade marknaderna över hela världen (GICS-sektorklassificering).
ETFENs TER (total cost ratio) uppgår till 0,30 % p.a. SPDR MSCI World Technology UCITSETF är den billigaste ETF som följer MSCI World Information Technology index. ETF:n replikerar det underliggande indexets prestanda genom fullständig replikering (köper alla indexbeståndsdelar). Utdelningarna i ETFEn ackumuleras och återinvesteras i ETFEn.
SPDR MSCI World Technology UCITSETFär en stor ETF med tillgångar på 709 miljoner euro under förvaltning. Denna ETF lanserades den 29 april 2016 och har sin hemvist i Irland.
Fondens mål
Fondens investeringsmål är att följa resultatet för företag inom tekniksektorn, över utvecklade marknader globalt.
Indexbeskrivning
MSCI World Information Technology 35/20 Capped Index mäter utvecklingen för globala aktier som klassificeras som fallande inom tekniksektorn, enligt Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS).
Det betyder att det går att handla andelar i denna ETF genom de flesta svenska banker och Internetmäklare, till exempel DEGIRO, Nordnet, Aktieinvest och Avanza.
Dogecoin has outperformed other major cryptoassets over the past decade, while also exhibiting a low correlation to crypto and traditional assets. This creates a compelling argument for a portfolio allocation. We tested a Bitcoin-enhanced growth portfolio, which is a traditional 60/40 infused with 3% Bitcoin, and we introduced a modest 1% DOGE allocation. Since most prospective investors likely already hold Bitcoin, this offers a lens into how the two assets can complement each other.
Despite the small portfolio allocation, every approach delivered stronger returns. The benchmark returned 7.25% annually, while DOGE-enhanced portfolios reached as high as 8.95%. Sharpe ratios improved in almost all tests, indicating better risk-adjusted returns. Volatility did slightly tick up, but drawdowns remained largely contained. Even with no rebalancing, the max drawdown only deepened by a few percentage points, underscoring that even a 1% DOGE allocation adds meaningful punch without destabilizing the broader portfolio.
Rebalancing remains essential to capturing upside effectively. Without it, returns can plateau while risk quietly compounds. Monthly or weekly rebalancing offered the best balance, maximizing returns while keeping volatility and drawdowns in check, especially during periods of broader market stress, as we’ve recently seen. Given Dogecoin’s momentum-driven nature, a more strategic approach linked to broader crypto market cycles may offer even greater optimization beyond routine rebalancing.
With the right structure, a 1% allocation to Dogecoin isn’t reckless—it’s rewarding.
Bear Case
Despite strong fundamentals and a rich cultural legacy, Dogecoin’s recent rally, fueled by post-election memecoin mania, may have front-run its true cycle potential. As attention shifts to newer narratives, DOGE risks being seen as ’yesterday’s play,’ potentially underperforming even in a rising market. Still, that wouldn’t signal a flaw in its model, just a pause in a fast-rotating cycle.
Assuming a continued 10% compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) from its 2021 peak of $0.73, DOGE would be projected to land around $0.38 by 2025—still more than 2x from today’s levels but modest relative to past cycles. More notably, this would mark the first time Dogecoin fails to reach a new all-time high in a full market cycle.
Neutral Case
Dogecoin may not dominate headlines like it did at its peak, but it still holds cultural relevance and widespread recognition. In a scenario where the total crypto market cap peaks at $5 trillion this cycle and DOGE maintains a solid, albeit slightly reduced, market share of 3% instead of its previous 4%, this would result in a market capitalization of approximately $150 billion for DOGE.
At that valuation, DOGE would trade near $1 per coin, a ~5.5x gain from current levels around $0.185. This neutral case assumes Dogecoin retains its stature as the leading memecoin, despite increased competition, with stable adoption and renewed retail interest, but without the same euphoria of the last cycle.
Bull Case
If we take DOGE’s bottom price of $0.007 just before the last bull run began and fast-forward two years to the bottom of the current cycle at $0.0585, that move reflects a CAGR of 189%. If DOGE were to mirror this explosive growth, DOGE would reach approximately $1.42.
In this scenario, Dogecoin benefits from renewed memecoin mania, increasing real-world adoption, and stronger interest fueled by regulatory clarity and potential integration with major platforms like Elon Musk’s X. A full return of retail enthusiasm and broad cultural momentum could reestablish DOGE as the breakout asset of the cycle, potentially even doubling its all-time high.
Research Newsletter
Each week the 21Shares Research team will publish our data-driven insights into the crypto asset world through this newsletter. Please direct any comments, questions, and words of feedback to research@21shares.com
Disclaimer
The information provided does not constitute a prospectus or other offering material and does not contain or constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of any offer to buy securities in any jurisdiction. Some of the information published herein may contain forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties and that actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. The information contained herein may not be considered as economic, legal, tax or other advice and users are cautioned to base investment decisions or other decisions solely on the content hereof.
VanEck Bitcoin ETN (VBTC ETN) med ISIN DE000A28M8D0, spårar värdet på kryptovalutan Bitcoin. Den börshandlade produktens TER (total cost ratio) uppgår till 1,00 % p.a. Denna ETN replikerar resultatet av det underliggande indexet med en skuldförbindelse med säkerheter som backas upp av fysiska innehav av kryptovalutan.
VanEck Bitcoin ETN är en stor ETN med 568 miljoner euro tillgångar under förvaltning. Denna ETN lanserades den 19 november 2020 och har sin hemvist i Liechtenstein.
Produktbeskrivning
Kombinera spänningen med bitcoin med enkelheten och säkerheten hos traditionell finans. Bitcoin är den äldsta kryptovalutan, med det största börsvärdet. Det ses ofta som digitalt guld, ett digitalt värdelager i en tid av osäkerhet. VanEck Bitcoin ETN är en fullständigt säkerställd börshandlad sedel som investerar i bitcoin.
100 % uppbackad av bitcoin (BTC)
Förvaras hos en reglerad kryptodepå, med kryptoförsäkring (upp till ett begränsat belopp)
Kan handlas som en ETF på reglerade börser (om än inom ett annat segment)
Huvudriskfaktorer
Volatilitetsrisk: Handelspriserna för många digitala tillgångar har upplevt extrem volatilitet under de senaste perioderna och kan mycket väl fortsätta att göra det. Digitala tillgångar har bara introducerats under det senaste decenniet och klarhet i regelverket är fortfarande svårfångad i många jurisdiktioner.
Valutarisk, teknikrisk, juridiska och regulatoriska risker. Du kan förlora pengar genom att investera i fonderna. Värdet på investeringarna kan gå upp eller ner och investeraren kanske inte får tillbaka det investerade beloppet.
Underliggande index
MarketVector Bitcoin VWAP Close Index (MVBTCV Index).
Handla VBTC ETN
VanEck Bitcoin ETN (VBTC ETN) är en europeisk börshandlad kryptovaluta. Denna fond handlas på flera olika börser, till exempel Deutsche Boerse Xetra och Euronext Amsterdam.
Det betyder att det går att handla andelar i denna ETP genom de flesta svenska banker och Internetmäklare, till exempel Nordnet, SAVR, DEGIRO och Avanza.