Insight is Capital™ Podcast ETF Views: Factors, Alts, Derivative Onions & Bugs with Tony Dong
In this episode of Insight is Capital, Pierre Daillie sits down with Tony Dong, founder of ETF Portfolio Blueprint and lead ETF analyst at ETF Central, for a comprehensive dive into the fast-evolving world of exchange-traded funds. Tony brings sharp insights and a dose of healthy skepticism to today’s ETF landscape—from flashy private credit products and speculative options-based funds to underappreciated core portfolio strategies like the "cockroach portfolio."
Tony pulls back the curtain on everything from buffer ETFs and zero-day options to smart beta, tax efficiency, and how to write an investment policy statement that keeps you grounded when FOMO strikes.
You’ll learn:
- What to watch out for in private market ETFs like PRIV and XOVR
- The performance gap between growth and value ETFs—and what to do about it
- Why simplicity beats complexity in volatile markets
- How the “cockroach portfolio” can deliver long-term resilience
- The importance of resisting shiny object syndrome with new ETF launches
Chapters & Timestamps: 00:00 – Risk in Private Credit ETFs: A Sanity Check 01:45 – Tony Dong’s Background: From Risk Manager to ETF Expert 03:50 – Market Outlook: Why Allocators Are Skittish in 2024 05:00 – Growth vs. Value ETFs: Are Investors Missing the Point? 08:00 – The Better Way to Access Factor Investing 10:30 – Risks and Red Flags in Private Market ETFs (PRIV, XOVR) 14:30 – Authority Bias and Fund Due Diligence 16:45 – Best New ETF Launches: Canada vs. US 18:50 – Derivative-Based and Zero-DTE ETFs: Caution Required 20:15 – Liquid Alternatives and Bridgewater’s All Weather ETF 22:25 – Return Stacking and Trend Following Strategies 23:45 – The Problem with “1+1” S&P 500 + Bitcoin ETFs 25:00 – Buffer ETFs Explained: Training Wheels for Risk-Averse Clients 27:00 – Why You Need an Investment Policy Statement 29:00 – Building the Cockroach Portfolio: Resilience First 32:00 – The Psychology of Staying Invested 34:00 – Where to Find Tony Dong and His Research
Featured Guest: Tony Dong – Founder, ETF Portfolio Blueprint Lead ETF Analyst, ETF Central Website: https://etfportfolioblueprint.com LinkedIn: Tony Dong on LinkedIn