5 Worst Performing ETFs of 2025 So Far

Leveraged ETFs that have shorted some of the year's winningest sectors have lost more than 80% of their value. Strategy (MSTR), formerly MicroStrategy, has seen its bubble burst in 2025.

The Motley Fool • Dec 10, 2025

Strategy's leveraged ETFs hit hard by crypto slump

Leveraged exchange‑traded funds (ETFs) linked to bitcoin hoarder Strategy are among the biggest casualties of this year's crypto slump, as falling bitcoin price battered shares of the largest corporate holder of the token.

Reuters • Dec 2, 2025

Strategy ETFs crash 80% amid Bitcoin turmoil; MSTR gains 6% in surprising divergence

While Bitcoin's December descent triggered an 80% collapse in Strategy Inc.'s (previously known as Microstrategy) leveraged ETFs, erasing $1.5 billion in retail savings from MSTX and MSTU. Yet MSTR stock surged 6.05% on Tuesday, highlighting a stark divergence fueled by the unforgiving math of leverage and compounding decay.

Invezz • Dec 2, 2025

MSTU: Don't Play With Fire

The T-Rex 2X Long MSTR Daily Target ETF (MSTU) aims to deliver 2x daily returns of MicroStrategy (MSTR), but carries significant risk. Technical signals for MSTR are bearish: declining retail interest, a recent 'death cross,' and a break below the 12-month moving average. MSTU and its peer MSTX have both underperformed MSTR significantly year-to-date due to leveraged ETF decay and market volatility.

Seeking Alpha • Oct 8, 2025

MSTU Adds An Extra Layer Of Risk On Top Of A Leveraged Bitcoin Strategy

MSTU offers 2x daily the daily performance of MSTR via options, introducing an additional layer of risk on top of a leveraged bitcoin strategy. The ETF's performance is highly sensitive to volatility and bitcoin price swings, amplifying both upside and downside moves. Holding MSTU beyond a single day can lead to substantial gains or losses due to compounding effects and value decay, especially in flat or choppy markets.

Seeking Alpha • Jul 1, 2025

Best Leveraged ETFs of Last Week

Wall Street delivered mixed-to-downbeat performance last week thanks to Powell's warning of stagflation, rise of auto stocks on policy hopes, NVIDIA's $5.5B hit on export curb and upbeat retail sales.

Zacks Investment Research • Apr 22, 2025

ETFs Went Bananas in 2024

U.S. ETFs broke everything in 2024. We saw record-high flows and new launches.

ETF Trends • Jan 28, 2025

MSTU: A Great Fund If You Like Bitcoin To Go Higher

MSTU is a 2X leveraged ETF on MSTR, which itself is a leveraged play on Bitcoin, offering high potential returns and risks. MSTU's extreme volatility, with an implied volatility of 180% and an ATR of 19%, makes it suitable only for short-term trading. MSTU has outperformed during Bitcoin bull runs but underperformed during bearish phases, emphasizing the importance of timing in leveraged funds.

Seeking Alpha • Jan 27, 2025

ETF Prime: Mercer Mulls Magnificent Seven in 2025

On this week's episode of ETF Prime, VettaFi Senior Research Analyst Zeno Mercer joined host Nate Geraci. They discussed the outlook for the “Magnificent Seven” this year and an overview of AI ETFs.

ETF Trends • Jan 23, 2025

5 ETFs Betting Big on Michael Saylor's Bold Bitcoin Strategy

Michael Saylor's Bitcoin strategy has attracted plenty of fanfare. Basically, MicroStrategy ( NASDAAQ:MSTR ) borrows money to buy more Bitcoin.

24/7 Wall Street • Jan 22, 2025