Exchange Traded Fridays by etf.com

This week, President Donald Trump floated [https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-order-help-open-up-retirement-plans-private-markets-wsj-reports-2025-07-15/] the idea of allowing private assets to U.S. retirement accounts and once again threatened to fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. Meanwhile, cryptocurrencies are on a roll, as large Ether ETF inflows coincide with "Crypto Week."  The etf.com editorial team parses what all this means for ETF investors and plays a round of "Flirt, Marry or Kill" in the latest edition of Exchange Traded Fridays. Stories Referenced * ETFs to Play Big Role as Private Equity Arrives in 401(k)s [https://www.etf.com/sections/features/etfs-play-big-role-private-equity-arrives-401ks] by Ron Day * Nvidia Breaks Out, but Leveraged ETF NVDL Lags Behind [https://www.etf.com/sections/news/nvidia-breaks-out-leveraged-etf-nvdl-lags-behind] by Sumit Roy

The editorial team takes a closer look at this week's top stories, starting with the continued rise of Nvidia Corp. (NVDA) [https://www.etf.com/stock/nvda] and related ETFs, and a surprising analysis of the Roundhill Magnificent Seven ETF (MAGS) [https://www.etf.com/mags]. We also delve into which ETFs to avoid during the second half of 2025 and why you won't see a Vanguard crypto ETF anytime soon. Plus, don't miss a great interview with Alex Morris, CEO of F/m Investments [https://www.etf.com/topics/fm-investments]. Stories Referenced * MAGS: Mag 7 ETF Lags as Market Hits New Record Highs [https://www.etf.com/sections/features/mags-mag-7-etf-lags-market-hits-new-record-highs] by Sumit Roy * 5 Sector ETFs to Avoid for H2 2025 [https://www.etf.com/sections/data-dive/5-sector-etfs-avoid-h2-2025] by Kent Thune, CFP * Vanguard CEO Throws Cold Water on Crypto ETF Speculation [https://www.etf.com/sections/features/vanguard-ceo-throws-cold-water-crypto-etf-speculation] By Ron Day * Nvidia ETFs Rally as Chip Giant Hits Record Valuation [https://www.etf.com/sections/data-dive/nvidia-etfs-rally-chip-giant-hits-record-valuation] by DJ Shaw

This week, the editorial team examines oil's surprising resilience to higher prices amid the conflict in the Middle East, and we look at the growing risks associated with certain types of new ETFs. Plus, stick around for an interview with Scott Davis, head of ETFs at Capital Group. We're off Friday, July 4th, but we'll return the following Friday with a fresh episode.  Stories Referenced * Oil ETFs Down Despite Surging Middle East Tensions [https://www.etf.com/sections/news/oil-etfs-down-despite-surging-middle-east-tensions] by Sumit Roy * Crude Oil Price Volatility Offers a Lesson for ETF Investors [https://www.etf.com/sections/news/crude-oil-price-volatility-offers-lesson-etf-investors] by Kent Thune, CFP * New ETFs Arrive With Fewer Stocks, More Risk [https://www.etf.com/sections/features/new-etfs-arrive-fewer-stocks-more-risk] By Ron Day

This week, the etf.com team published a special series of articles focused on fixed income—specifically, fixed-income ETFs. And in today's podcast, each member of the team discusses what they learned while writing their story. Every story examines a different area of the bond market, such as international bond ETFs or active bond ETFs, and we talk about the most interesting findings from each. Plus, stick around for an interview with Matt Brill, senior portfolio manager and head of North American investment grade credit at Invesco [https://www.etf.com/topics/invesco].  Stories Referenced * Active Bond ETF Assets Surge Amid Market Volatility [https://www.etf.com/sections/features/active-bond-etf-assets-surge-amid-market-volatility] by DJ Shaw * Seeking Safety: Ultra-Short-Term Bond ETFs Quietly Surge [https://www.etf.com/sections/features/seeking-safety-ultra-short-term-bond-etfs-quietly-surge] by Sumit Roy * 5 Best International Bond ETFs for 2025  [https://www.etf.com/sections/features/5-best-international-bond-etfs-2025] by Kent Thune, CFP * How Are the 5 Biggest Fixed-Income ETFs Performing in 2025? [https://www.etf.com/sections/features/how-are-5-biggest-fixed-income-etfs-performing-2025] By Ron Day

This week, the etf.com editorial team has an open discussion about the future of exchange-traded funds. To put it in perspective, there are more than 4,000 ETFs already in existence, with more being launched weekly at a record pace.  In the United States, ETF assets recently topped [https://etfgi.com/news/stories/2025/06/etfgi-reports-assets-invested-etfs-industry-united-states-reached-new-record] $11 trillion, but we've noticed a trend. Many new issues are single-stock [https://www.etf.com/sections/news/investors-guide-single-stock-etfs], leveraged [https://www.etf.com/topics/leveraged] or inverse [https://www.etf.com/topics/inverse] ETFs. Meanwhile, many other thematic ETF feel very close to what's already out there. With that in mind, we discuss whether the ETF industry is at an inflection point and where it might go from here. Plus, stick around for an interview with Troy Cates, co-founder and managing partner at NEOS Investments [https://www.etf.com/topics/neos-investments-llc].