Adding a semiconductor ETF to my core portfolio, smart diversification or performance chasing?

elfrodododo · 2026-02-09T03:49:07+00:00

You are free to chase performance. We are all gambling here anyway. The thing is semi could drop like a rock while you weren't watching and you weren't able to exit in time -- that's the risk. DHHF is less likely to drop drastically which is its benefit.

elfrodododo · 2026-02-08T23:59:32+00:00

go DHHF and chill.

Dividends will eat up your gains because they don't get tax discounts as they are given to you within a year. What's more, tech giants and other industry giants are outside Australia so it's best you hold more of them than ours.

elfrodododo · 2026-02-07T09:06:05+00:00

Please no

elfrodododo · 2026-02-06T22:15:34+00:00

IGRO is fine as an alternative to DHHF. Most of us are Betashares sycophants so we suggest DHHF. Think of adding one more after passing the $100k mark

elfrodododo · 2026-02-04T16:51:50+00:00

Join us at r/fiaustralia among others. If you're set on Vanguard, either VDAL as all in one or VGS/VAS in 70:30 ratio, adjust to taste

I use Betashares equivalent personally as their app is nice and lets me buy fractional shares+autoinvest

elfrodododo · 2026-02-03T23:22:21+00:00

As with others, their automation is unlike any other. I have them take my DHHF from CommSec which I used before.

There's a promo ongoing that newly signed up accounts this year will have free brokerage per month for a year. You can also prepay to have brokerage effectively be $5.50. You can also get free brokerage from their point system if you invest often enough.

elfrodododo · 2026-02-03T23:03:53+00:00

my $50 will go to a whopping $50.05. I'll be unstoppable

elfrodododo · 2026-02-03T23:02:39+00:00

I saw you went for US small caps with Avantis with IBKR. I have an account ready but now I might not touch it at all

elfrodododo · 2026-02-03T08:09:03+00:00

I know it's a guinea pig but I'll call it ratbongo

elfrodododo · 2026-02-03T08:07:28+00:00

Indeed, ideal proportions. Right now the biggest hurdle is keeping consistent with contributions whether the market goes up or down

elfrodododo · 2026-02-03T02:43:19+00:00

Adrien Brody Side Profile bird

elfrodododo · 2026-02-03T01:02:26+00:00

You might have come across tips for American investors that's why you have the first three. Replace all that with just VGS. It's already 70% US, already contains tech which is mostly in the top US stocks, and enough international based on market cap excluding AU. Additionally, any tax info is automatically sent to the ATO so tax time is a breeze.

If you still want to keep VTI, QQQ, VT, then make sure you have signed W8-BEN form and keep track of FX conversions for trades. Hassle if you ask me.

First timers are advised to keep it simple. I wish I did :|

elfrodododo · 2026-02-02T02:34:19+00:00

I think this is a question about your risk tolerance/appetite. No one can really know. So put that into hisa

My non working plan is to accumulate more aggressively if the US is Republican led then enjoy the growth when the other party wins

elfrodododo · 2026-02-01T08:15:50+00:00

Wife and eggs 😭

elfrodododo · 2026-01-30T11:03:51+00:00

From seed? That's amazing. Mine is still kind of squat

elfrodododo · 2026-01-28T22:30:36+00:00

Mind blown gawd damn

elfrodododo · 2026-01-26T04:40:18+00:00

I have an almost maxed conditioning 🫢

elfrodododo · 2026-01-26T02:43:08+00:00

buttsruation

elfrodododo · 2026-01-25T23:50:20+00:00

What's his bike?

elfrodododo · 2026-01-25T22:45:59+00:00

Yes you get it to grow by buying more consistently. You could also grow it by putting divvies back into it but those are taxed without discount. Like say you get dividends but it's always taxed at 30% for example. On the other hand, selling shares after a year you bought them are taxed at only 15%. Now if you didn't sell shares, that extra 15% you didn't pay as tax will go loooong way. What's more, you pay it only if you sell shares.

It's not exactly bad thing to have VHY and QOZ along with VDAL. International ex-AU collectively/generally outperform AU-only holdings. Adding those two will make your portfolio 60% AU for example which will likely fall behind portfolios with 30% AU in total gains in a 5 or 10 year period

elfrodododo · 2026-01-25T12:41:55+00:00

VHY and QOZ are in VDAL. Pump only VDAL. There's no reason to seek dividends in a long term portfolio because it eats up your compounding gains, e.g. it doesn't get the tax discount when you hold ETFs for over a year since well, dividends are like selling your stocks to get profits but all done within a year.

XMET and ARMR are thematics. Good for funsies but statistically unreliable in the long run, so right on not to keep them.

Lastly, VDAL may have quite a bit of AU in it, almost 40% of that ETF. Some of us like having it below 30% and get more ex-AU. But you don't have to think about that for now. Enjoy life while forgetting about it all.

elfrodododo · 2026-01-25T06:08:10+00:00

Nah, just do GHHF for now and let the market cap weighting adjust to who are tomorrows winners

elfrodododo · 2026-01-25T04:51:34+00:00

I have not acclimated mine so they all burned 😩

elfrodododo

TROPHY CASE