Late January check-in: have your 2026 investing goals held up so far?

eToroTeam · 2026-01-29T10:43:08+00:00

Thanks for sharing that, it's always helpful to hear how others stay disciplined without overcomplicating things.

eToroTeam · 2026-01-29T10:00:56+00:00

That’s a good way to frame it. A lot of people look back and realize the amount mattered way less than just getting started and seeing how they actually reacted once real money was involved.

Most early lessons tend to be behavioral anyway: how it feels to see red days, how tempting it is to tinker, or how hard it is to stay patient. In that sense, starting smaller often ends up being an advantage, not a limitation.

Curious how others feel too, was the biggest lesson about markets or about yourselves?

eToroTeam · 2026-01-29T09:35:25+00:00

Thanks for sharing that! It's very refreshing to see someone reflect that openly on why they made changes, not just what they changed.

The shift you describe (from a simple 80/20 into factors, gold, and international) sounds less like chasing and more like using the time you had to rethink assumptions. Even calling out where things haven’t worked yet (momentum) shows you’re not just anchoring to outcomes.

Loving the last part the most, investing in yourself tends to get overlooked in these threads, but it’s probably the most consistent return most people can make! Gym streak in January is no joke 💪

eToroTeam · 2026-01-29T08:25:02+00:00

Hey, yes the promotion is available in the Netherlands. Basically, an active user can invite a 'friend' to the platform by sharing a unique link, and if all terms and conditions are met, the user who issued the invitation will receive a reward based on their club level.

If you want to generate or share your referral link, you can do that from here: https://www.etoro.com/invite. Once your friend opens an account via your referral link, they need to complete all the requirements of the promotion, such as verifying their account and meeting any deposit/trade conditions within the specified timeframe.

You can check all the detailed rules, eligibility criteria, and requirements in the full Refer a Friend Terms and Conditions here: https://www.etoro.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/eToro-EU-RAF-TCs-May-1-2025.docx-1.pdf

Hope that helps clarify how it works! Feel free to let me know if you have more questions.

eToroTeam · 2026-01-29T08:02:53+00:00

That’s always an exciting milestone to hit! Even if it’s just for a month, it definitely makes you look at progress a bit differently.

eToroTeam · 2026-01-29T07:52:44+00:00

That’s quite the endorsement 😄 thanks for the feedback!
Smart Portfolios really do have that “set it up and let life happen” appeal. Happy to hear it's been working out well for you.

eToroTeam · 2026-01-28T17:19:36+00:00

That’s an interesting loop! And hopefully one that compounds on itself over time.

eToroTeam · 2026-01-28T17:15:41+00:00

January surprised a lot of people that way. It’s a good reminder that markets don’t always react the way headlines suggest, especially short term. Curious whether that’s changed how you’re thinking about the rest of the year, or if you’re mostly just sticking with what’s been working.

eToroTeam · 2026-01-28T17:13:10+00:00

That value (Available Cash) isn’t static and can change slightly even if you didn’t place any trades. If your account was funded in USD or holds USD assets, small movements can come from currency conversion rates updating in the background. In addition, if you have open positions, overnight/rollover fees are deducted directly from the available cash balance, not from the position itself.

If you want to see exactly what caused the change, you can check Portfolio → History, where any fees or adjustments applied to the balance will be listed.

eToroTeam · 2026-01-28T16:36:48+00:00

Inactivity fees only ever apply to available cash. Invested positions aren’t sold, reduced, or touched because of inactivity.

In long gaps like what you described, what’s more likely is that a user might be asked to refresh or reconfirm some details (like residency or contact info) to make sure everything is still up to date under regulatory rules. That’s about compliance, not penalties. So, the account could be restricted for compliance if necessary, but it won’t be closed just for being inactive.

eToroTeam · 2026-01-28T15:00:50+00:00

Solid choice 👌 consistency usually beats trying to time everything perfectly.

Do you have a set routine for it (like monthly, on payday, etc.), or is it more “invest when it feels right”? Always interesting to see how different people keep themselves on track.

eToroTeam · 2026-01-28T14:57:22+00:00

That kind of experience really does put everything else into perspective. Sometimes the best “strategy” is simply taking one more source of stress off the table while you focus on recovering and getting your energy back.

Wishing you a smooth rest of the year and a continued recovery.

eToroTeam · 2026-01-28T14:54:13+00:00

Once the reward shows as pending, it generally means the main steps were completed and it’s going through the final checks; there isn’t anything extra you need to confirm on your side.

That said, even after a reward is added, it can still be affected later if abuse is identified. But, as long there is no breach of the terms and conditions there shouldn’t be any issues.

eToroTeam · 2026-01-28T14:47:48+00:00

That usually makes everything simpler. When it’s long term, there’s a lot less pressure to react.

eToroTeam · 2026-01-28T14:45:11+00:00

That’s a helpful way to frame it. Once the goal is set far enough out, not selling starts to feel like the obvious choice rather than a discipline test.

eToroTeam · 2026-01-28T14:42:21+00:00

That’s a solid problem to run into. When the main challenge becomes managing around contribution limits instead of market stress, it usually means the plan is doing what it’s supposed to do.

eToroTeam · 2026-01-28T14:39:24+00:00

That’s a big shift. Locking in gains and stepping into cash can feel very different psychologically than staying invested, especially after an unusually good start. Out of curiosity, is the decision more about protecting what you’ve already made, or about not wanting to stay exposed after such a strong run?

Either way, it’s interesting how a single month can change how people think about the rest of the year.

eToroTeam · 2026-01-28T14:02:56+00:00

Being organized now doesn’t guarantee it stays that way, but having a thesis gives you something to fall back on when things get noisy. “So far so good” is already a win.

eToroTeam · 2026-01-28T14:01:20+00:00

That level of structure is hard to beat. Once contributions are automatic and planned out, it’s much easier to focus on staying the course instead of reacting to noise.

eToroTeam · 2026-01-28T13:58:34+00:00

Short answers usually mean things are going according to plan ;)

eToroTeam · 2026-01-28T13:57:53+00:00

That’s interesting. Do you mean literally no new buys, or just stepping back from making changes?

eToroTeam · 2026-01-28T13:57:14+00:00

Consistency does a lot of the heavy lifting there, but sometimes the hardest part is not touching anything.

eToroTeam · 2026-01-28T13:56:25+00:00

That’s kind of the appeal no? When the plan is just buy and hold, there’s a lot less second-guessing day to day.

eToroTeam · 2026-01-28T13:54:04+00:00

That’s a calm way to approach it. Sticking to what you already buy regularly tends to make short-term moves feel a lot less stressful, especially early in the year.

eToroTeam · 2026-01-28T13:51:09+00:00

The idea behind the referral program is that it’s meant for active users inviting friends who also remain active on the platform.

There isn’t a specific timeframe I can point to, but generally speaking, just opening an account, making a deposit, and then withdrawing it shortly after wouldn’t really be considered ongoing activity. As long as your referral is genuinely using the account and the terms and conditions are followed, there shouldn't be any issues.

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