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Our Pick Of The Best eToro Traders In 2024
We researched the performance of copy traders on eToro (June 2024) and have listed our findings below, together with a methodology explaining how we arrived at our rankings.
The traders have been ordered based on their number of copiers.
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Jeppe Kirk Bonde
Risk profile
4
Number of copiers
23,849,714
2023 return
23.92%
Risk profile
4
Number of copiers
23,849,714
2023 return
23.92%
Key points
- Jeppe Kirk Bonde, based in the UAE, has been a copy trader since 2013, and is a member of the Popular Investor Scheme at the ‘Elite’ level. Currently, has over $US80 million worth of funds copying his portfolio.
- On average, he makes 3.49 trades per week, and holds investments for 30 months.
- His portfolio is split as follows: shares (96.88%), ETFs (2.60%) and cryptocurrencies (0.52%).
- Overall, Bonde’s portfolio is a very popular option for copy traders, and contains a diverse range of shares. However, returns can be volatile over the short term—and in 2022, the portfolio made a loss of 19.21%.
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Blue Screen Media ApS
Risk profile
4
Number of copiers
15,500,484
2023 return
31.73%
Risk profile
4
Number of copiers
15,500,484
2023 return
31.73%
Key points
- Blue Screen Media (based in Denmark) has been a copy trader since 2017 and is enrolled in the Popular Investor Scheme at the ‘Elite’ level.
- In terms of performance, his highest and lowest returns were 43.94% in 2020 and -27.62% in 2022, respectively. The average proportion of profitable weeks is 62.96%.
- On average, he makes 11.71 trades a week and holds investments for 5.5 months. The portfolio is split as follows: shares (83.67%), ETFs (7.78%), cryptocurrencies (4.19%), indices (2.49%), currencies (1.56%), commodities (0.31%).
- Tech companies NVIDIA and Paysign Inc feature in this portfolio’s most frequently traded assets.
- Although it made a loss in 2022, the portfolio has otherwise delivered strong annual returns.
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Thomas Parry Jones
Risk profile
4
Number of copiers
2023 return
11.82%
Risk profile
4
Number of copiers
15,337
2023 return
11.82%
Key points
- Thomas Parry Jones (based in the UK) has been a copy trader since 2019 and is an Elite on the Popular Investor Scheme.
- In terms of performance, his highest and lowest returns were 56.53% in 2020 and 4.49% in 2019 respectively. The average proportion of profitable weeks is 59.26%.
- On average, he makes 9.8 trades a week and holds investments for 1.5 months. The portfolio is split as follows: shares (96.66%) and ETFs (3.34%).
- He focuses on taking positions on US technology companies and his most-traded shares include Meta, Microsoft and Nvidia.
- Overall, this portfolio has exposure to a wide range of primarily US equities with a shorter-term trading horizon.
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Jay Smith
Risk profile
5
Number of copiers
13,546
2023 return
11.82%
Risk profile
5
Number of copiers
13,546
2023 return
11.82%
Key points
- Jay Smith (based in the UK) has been a copy trader since 2014 and is an Elite on the Popular Investor Scheme.
- In terms of performance, his highest and lowest returns were 103.51% in 2020 and -53.84% in 2018 respectively. The average proportion of profitable weeks is 57.41%.
- On average, he makes 14.67 trades a week and holds investments for 9.5 months. The portfolio is split as follows: shares (97.54%), cryptocurrencies (1.47%), ETFs (0.99%).
- He focuses on taking positions on US technology companies and his most-traded shares include Microsoft and SolarEdge Technologies.
- Overall, this portfolio has exposure to a wide range of primarily US equities with a medium-term trading horizon.
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Zheng Bin
Risk profile
4
Number of copiers
9,639
2023 return
24.74%
Risk profile
4
Number of copiers
9,639
2023 return
24.74%
Key points
- Zheng (based in Australia) has been a copy trader since 2016 and is an Elite Pro on the Popular Investor Scheme.
- In terms of performance, his highest and lowest returns were 71.02% in 2020 and -11.89% in 2022 respectively. The average proportion of profitable weeks is 57.41%.
- On average, he makes 4.44 trades a week and holds investments for 7.5 months. The portfolio is split as follows: shares (79.95%), currencies (6.52%), cryptocurrencies (6.15%), ETFs (5.33%) and indices (2.05%).
- His portfolio invests in a range of globally diversified shares. His most-traded shares include China National Building Material, USDCHF (a currency pair) and the Greek shipping container company, Danaos.
- Overall, this portfolio has a shorter-term trading strategy. Its risk level is in line with other popular copy traders.
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Pietari Laurila
Risk profile
4
Number of copiers
9,068
2023 return
31.77
Risk profile
4
Number of copiers
9,068
2023 return
31.77
Key points
- Pietari Laurila (based in the UAE) has been a copy trader since December 2020 and is an Elite Pro on the Popular Investor Scheme.
- In terms of performance, his highest and lowest returns were 37.42% in 2021 and 1.57% in 2022 respectively. The average proportion of profitable trading weeks is 53.70%.
- On average, he makes 9.75 trades a week and holds investments for 2 months. The entire portfolio is invested in shares.
- He focuses on taking positions in financial services shares. His most-traded assets include KB Finance (a South Korean banking group), and Amundi (a French asset manager).
- Although it delivered strong returns in 2023 and 2021, its track record is relatively short, having only begun trading in 2020.
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Heloise Greeff
Risk profile
4
Number of copiers
9,052
2023 return
10.79%
Risk profile
4
Number of copiers
9,052
2023 return
10.79%
Key points
- Heloise Greeff (based in the UK) has been a copy trader since 2016 and is an Elite Pro member on the Popular Investor Scheme.
- In terms of performance, her highest and lowest returns were 45.25% in 2020 and -30.16% in 2022 respectively. The average proportion of profitable weeks is 53.70%.
- On average, she makes 6.56 trades a week and holds investments for 6.5 months. The portfolio is split as follows: shares (89.47%), ETFs (6.65%), cryptocurrencies (3.6%) and indices (0.28%).
- She focuses on taking positions in tech and finance companies, and her most-traded assets include Google, Amazon and Microsoft.
- Overall, this portfolio has exposure to a range of primarily US technology shares, and has maintained a low risk score that fluctuates from three to four.
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Amit Kupfer
Risk profile
4
Number of copiers
8,444
2023 return
79.52%
Risk profile
4
Number of copiers
8,444
2023 return
79.52%
Key points
- Amit Kupfer (based in the UK) has been a copy trader since 2019 and is an Elite Pro on the Popular Investor Scheme.
- In terms of performance, his highest and lowest returns were 79.52% in 2023 and -7.82% in 2020 respectively. The average proportion of profitable weeks is 62.96%.
- On average, he makes 3.49 trades a week and holds investments for 5 months. The portfolio is invested entirely in equities.
- It’s concentrated in just seven companies – primarily within the energy sector – with over 26% of holdings allocated to the Brazilian petrochemical company, Petrobras.
- Overall, this portfolio has delivered strong returns most years. However, the risk profile fluctuates between four and five – at the upper end of the scale for the 10 most compied profiles.
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Greenbull Investments Sarl
Risk profile
5
Number of copiers
6,745
2023 return
42.67%
Risk profile
5
Number of copiers
6,745
2023 return
42.67%
Key points
- Greenbull Investments Sarl (based in Switzerland) has been a copy trader since December 2019 and is an Elite Pro on the Popular Investor Scheme.
- In terms of performance, his highest and lowest returns were 42.67% in 2023 and -19.72% in 2022 respectively. The average proportion of profitable trading weeks is 55.56%.
- On average, this portfolio makes 2.29 trades a week and holds investments for 15 months. The portfolio is split as follows: shares (63.40%), cryptocurrencies (28.68%), ETFs (7.92%).
- This portfolio focuses on taking positions in energy and finance companies, as well as prominent alt coins such as Ethereum and Solana. Its three most-traded shares are Ethereum, Cardano and Alphabet, the company behind Google.
- Overall, this portfolio has delivered fairly volatile returns. It has a medium-term trading horizon and exposure to several cryptocurrencies.
- With a risk rating of five, this portfolio is the riskiest on our list – largely due to its relatively high exposure to cryptocurrencies.
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Jordan Boer
Risk profile
5
Number of copiers
6,673
2023 return
5.35%
Risk profile
5
Number of copiers
6,673
2023 return
5.35%
Key points
- Jordan Boer is a trader based in the Netherlands, with ‘Elite Pro’ status on eToro’s Popular Investors program. He’s been an eToro member since 2021.
- His highest and lowest returns were 38.36% in 2022, and 3.29% in 2021 respectively. His average proportion of profitable trading weeks is 44.44%.
- On average, he makes 3.71 trades per week, and holds investments for 6.5 months. The portfolio is entirely allocated to stocks.
- Boer focuses on large-cap North American equities, with Walt Disney and Amazon featuring in his top-traded shares.
- His portfolio has delivered fairly volatile returns—earning it a risk rating of five. With investments held for two years on average, this portfolio has a longer-term outlook than some others on our list.
Methodology
We reviewed which eToro traders had the most followers, as of 16 June 2024, and listed the top 10.
All traders are signed up to eToro’s Popular Investors program, and have been active on the platform for at least 25 weeks.
We used eToro’s risk rating, which assigns portfolios a score between one and 10– with one being the lowest risk and 10 being the highest.
‘Assets under copy’ refers to the total value of assets copying the trader’s portfolio. All the traders featured here have at least $US5 million worth of assets under copy.
All data was sourced from eToro’s site.
What Is Copy Trading?
Copy trading allows investors to replicate all of the currently open trades of a particular trader. Shares are bought in the same proportion as the open positions in the copied trader’s account and any stop loss (explained below) or other trading tools applied will also be replicated.
However, shares are bought at the prevailing market price at that time, not the price at which the copied trader originally purchased them. As a result, investors also have the option to only invest in new, rather than open, positions.
When the copied trader buys or sells shares, the same actions are automatically carried out in the copying investor’s account in real-time. Investors can also pause copying if they wish.
How Do Traders Qualify To Be Copied?
Anyone with a public profile on eToro can be copied by other investors on the platform.
However, only users who are accepted into the ‘Champion’ tier of the eToro Popular Investor program receive income for being copied.
To join the program at this tier, traders must meet the following criteria:
- have at least $50,000 worth of assets under copy, on average, each month
- hold at least $10,000 in their eToro trading account
- have a minimum of five copiers
- have been on the eToro platform for at least four months
- create at least one social post on eToro each month, of at least 100 words
- maintain a risk score of seven or lower.
When these criteria are met, traders receive an annual payment worth 1.5% of their assets under copy.
The Popular Investor program also has ‘Elite’ and ‘Elite Pro’ tiers, which require traders to hold investment management qualifications.
Benefits of Copy Trading
- It can be time-saving in terms of carrying out research on potential investments.
- Investors don’t have to monitor stock market movements in real-time.
- It can help inexperienced investors learn how to trade and investors can ask copy traders questions about their trades or views on the market.
- Investors can select the trader they want to copy based on a number of different criteria, such as track record, risk profile and type of assets.
- It may remove the emotion from trading decisions, avoiding knee-jerk reactions to losses.
- It can be a way of diversifying a portfolio, with access to different markets and trading styles.
- It can be a cheaper option than investing in a traditional fund which charges an annual management fee.
Risks of Copy Trading
- There is no guarantee that copied traders will make a profit, and past performance isn’t a reliable indicator of future performance.
- It can be a barrier to investors developing their own trading skills and knowledge without the visibility of why trades are being made.
- There may be a temptation for copied traders to ‘over trade’ to demonstrate active management of their portfolio.
- Some traders may charge investors for copying their trades (although this is not the case for eToro).
- There can be liquidity issues, where trades are not executed at the same price as the copied trade. This can be an issue for less liquid assets such as small-cap stocks or cryptocurrencies.
What Should Investors Look For When Choosing a Copy Trader?
Investors should consider which assets they would like to invest in. Some copy traders mainly trade one class of asset (such as equities, commodities, currencies or crypto) whereas others have a more diversified portfolio of different assets.
Be mindful, that relying on investment decisions from other traders is highly speculative and may lead to significant losses.
Dan Moczulski, UK managing director of eToro, comments: “It’s worth considering the assets that they’re invested in. Are they companies that you’re comfortable owning stock in? Does the balance between different asset classes suit your own beliefs and long term goals?”
It’s also worth considering risk and volatility. Although these terms are often used interchangeably, they refer to different things. Risk relates to the possibility of an asset not achieving its expected returns or falling in value, whereas volatility measures fluctuations or variations in returns.
How can investors look at risk and volatility for copy trading? Well, different assets have different levels of risk with cryptocurrency seen as a higher-risk asset (due to the higher risk of losing money).
Investors can also look at volatility by looking at the variations in returns. For example, two portfolios may both deliver a five-year return of 50%, but one might have more volatile returns, such as a gain of 80% in one year and a loss of 50% in another.
Pietari Laurila, a copy trader for eToro, comments: “I like the last two years’ performance as the first filter as it includes two very different years.
“In 2021 tech stocks did well while, in 2022, tech stocks did badly and value stocks did well. If a trader had good performance over both years, they were able to perform through the cycle.”
Moczulski adds: “It’s important that you do your due diligence and ensure that the Popular Investor (PI) you’re copying aligns with your own goals and risk appetite. It’s natural to focus purely on a PI’s past success, but you may also want to consider how long a PI recommends that you copy them for. This will vary and needs to align with your own timeframe.”
Another factor to consider is the amount personally invested by the copy trader and how many copied traders they have. Some copy traders are also more active in terms of posting updates and answering questions.
Moczulski advises: “Before you invest in a particular copy trader, you might like to follow them on the platform for an initial period and read their regular posts. This will give you a clearer picture of their strategy and the way in which they communicate.”
Overall, investors should be comfortable that the copy trader meets their individual objectives before deciding to invest.
Investors should ensure they fully understand and accept all the applicable risks before considering this type of investment style.
How Much Does it Cost To Copy Trade?
Investors aren’t typically charged a fee for copy-trading as the platform will make money from the buy-sell spread on trades. Copied traders receive a fee from the platform (explained in more detail below).
What Are the Different Types of Copy Trading?
There are three main categories of copy trading:
- Automated: any trades placed by the copied trader are automatically made in the copier’s portfolio. This is the easiest method of copy trading. Copy traders usually have the option to copy all trades (buying all the shares in the portfolio) or just new trades placed after the copy portfolio is started.
- Manual: investors monitor the copied trader’s portfolio and manually place the trades. This gives them more control over their portfolio but the transactions are likely to be executed at different prices.
- Coaching: copied traders provide one-to-one sessions for new investors alongside helping them invest their money.
How are copied traders rewarded?
This will depend on the platform but they will typically receive either a fixed monthly payment or percentage of the value of the assets invested by copying traders.
eToro has a Popular Investor Program for copy traders, with Cadets being the lowest level, followed by Champion, Elite and Elite Pro.
There are different qualification requirements for each level, for example:
- Champions: must have a minimum of $50,000 of assets under copy (total value of assets held by copying investors) and $5,000 equity (value of personal assets invested) on average per month. They must also have at least five copiers and a maximum daily risk score of seven or below. Champions receive a monthly payment of $500.
- Elite: must have a minimum of $500,000 of assets under copy and $25,000 equity on average per month. They must also have at least 10 copiers and a maximum daily risk score of seven or below. Champions receive a monthly payment of 1.5% of the value of the assets under copy.
How Much Money Is Needed For Copy Trading?
In the case of eToro, the minimum investment is $200 per copied trader and $1 per copied trade. Investors can copy up to 100 traders at one time (and a maximum of $500,000 per copied trader).
Important disclosure regarding some of the risks associated with Copy Trading: Copy Trading can be highly speculative, and may lead to significant losses, for several reasons including but not limited to relying on investment decisions and strategies being used by one or more other individual traders, who may be inexperienced and/or unqualified, or who may have intentions or a risk-tolerance that may differ substantially from yours, and who have no accountability or duty of care to act in your interests. In addition, there are several investment and trading related risks which could lead to trades or results, that may differ substantially from those of any trader copied. Information about any trader, may be limited, incomplete, inaccurate or unreliable, and any past performance figures are not a reliable indicator of future performance. You should always review the relevant risk warnings carefully before using any CopyTrading service to ensure that you fully understand and accept all the applicable risks. If in any doubt you should take professional financial advice.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What accounts can be used for copy trading?
This will depend on the trading platform. eToro does not currently offer its own Individual Savings Account (ISA) or Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) so copy trading is limited to general trading accounts.
What are some of the alternatives to copy trading?
Many investment platforms also offer ready-made portfolios, which can be held in a tax-efficient wrapper.
Another option is robo-advisers who construct a portfolio based on an investor’s risk and other preferences. Portfolios invested with robo-advisers are typically reviewed on a regular basis and the portfolio is rebalanced as required.
However, investors will typically pay an annual management fee for both of the above options.
What is the best copy trading platform?
There are several popular copy trading platforms, each with their own pros and cons. eToro is one of the most popular platforms in this space with an extensive global user base, a large selection of traders to potentially copy and an easy-to-use interface. However, the best platform for you will depend on your specific needs and preferences.
When evaluating copy trading platforms, be sure to only consider reputable providers and consider factors like the range of assets offered, fees, minimum investment amounts, regulatory oversight, risk management features and the track record and transparency of the top traders on each platform. It’s wise to research a few options and ensure you fully understand the platform before committing funds.
Who is the best investor to copy?
There is no single “best” investor to copy, as this depends on your individual investment goals, risk tolerance and the amount you plan to invest. On copy trading platforms, you can typically view data on each trader’s historical performance, risk score, asset allocation, average holding period and more.
Popular traders will often have a large number of copiers and assets under copy. However, past returns are not necessarily indicative of future results. Beyond the numbers, it’s worth taking time to understand a trader’s strategy and investing philosophy to ensure it aligns with your own. The most copied traders aren’t always the most suitable for you.
How do I find the best copy trader?
To find the best copy trader for you, start by clarifying your own investment objectives and risk appetite. Consider whether you want to focus on a particular asset class, like equities or cryptocurrencies, or prefer a more diversified approach.
On your chosen copy trading platform, you can then filter and compare the available traders based on key metrics like historical returns, risk scores, asset allocation, average trade size and frequency, and consistency of performance over time. Many platforms categorise traders by attributes like career, risk level or trading style, which can help guide your choice. However, thorough research into individual traders is still essential.
Is copy trading legal in Australia?
Copy trading is legal and available to residents in Australia, provided it is done through a licensed and regulated broker or platform. In Australia, copy trading services fall under the oversight of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).
However, not all global copy trading platforms accept Australian clients due to local regulatory requirements. It’s crucial to choose a platform that is properly registered and compliant with ASIC rules. As with any form of investing, there are risks involved, so it’s important to ensure you are fully aware of and comfortable with these before participating. Seeking professional financial advice tailored to your individual circ*mstances is recommended.
The information provided by Forbes Advisor is general in nature and for educational purposes only. Any information provided does not consider the personal financial circ*mstances of readers, such as individual objectives, financial situation or needs. Forbes Advisor does not provide financial product advice and the information we provide is not intended to replace or be relied upon as independent financial advice. Your financial situation is unique and the products and services we review may not be right for your circ*mstances. Forbes Advisor encourages readers to seek independent expert advice from an authorised financial adviser in relation to their own financial circ*mstances and investments before making any financial decisions.
We do not offer financial advice, advisory or brokerage services, nor do we recommend or advise individuals to buy or sell particular stocks or securities. Performance information may have changed since the time of publication. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Forbes Advisor provides an information service. It is not a product issuer or provider. In giving you information about financial or credit products, Forbes Advisor is not making any suggestion or recommendation to you about a particular product. It is important to check any product information directly with the provider. Consider the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS), Target Market Determination (TMD) and other applicable product documentation before making a decision to purchase, acquire, invest in or apply for a financial or credit product. Contact the product issuer directly for a copy of the PDS, TMD and other documentation. Forbes Advisor adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. To the best of our knowledge, all content is accurate as of the date posted, though offers contained herein may no longer be available. The opinions expressed are the author’s alone and have not been provided, approved or otherwise endorsed by our partners. For more information, read our Advice Disclaimer here.
Patrick McGimpseyContributor
Patrick McGimpsey is a freelance writer passionate about crypto and its impact on the financial world. Currently working as the content lead for Australian startup CryptoTaxCalculator, Patrick has also covered the crypto industry for Canstar and The Chainsaw. Patrick has over seven years of experience in the crypto space and has previously shared his knowledge with the AML and fraud departments of Australian financial Institutions.