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