Latest news with #AustralianInvestors
Finextra
03-07-2025
- Business
- Finextra
Australian crypto exchange Coinstash raises A$4.7 million
Coinstash has raised AU$4.7 million in its latest funding round, marking a key step toward scaling operations in Australia's digital finance sector. 0 This Coinstash funding supports infrastructure and platform development. The round, led by a Brisbane-based family office, will fund Coinstash's continued platform development, team expansion and user acquisition, with a target of onboarding 100,000 additional Australian investors. 'This raise comes at a time when investor confidence in digital assets is accelerating, as seen in the growing pipeline of crypto companies preparing for public listings globally,' said Coinstash CEO Ting Wang. 'Locally, we're seeing that same momentum as Australian investors increasingly seek secure, long-term access to digital assets as part of diversified portfolios. This funding allows us to scale the platform to meet that growing demand, while maintaining our core focus on security, compliance and innovation.' The capital injection allows Coinstash to strengthen its platform as institutional appetite and market structures around crypto continue to mature. Recent IPO interest in major global exchanges and companies such as Circle underscores the shift from early-stage speculation to full-scale financial infrastructure, a trend now playing out in Australia. The Coinstash funding round highlights investor confidence in the platform's regulatory approach and crypto services. 'We're building not just for the retail investor of today, but for the future of digital finance in Australia. Crypto is maturing as an asset class, and the future will demand local players have the same scale, governance and transparency expected of companies operating in public markets,' Wang added. Founded in 2017, Coinstash currently serves more than 48,000 users and offers access to Australia's largest range of digital assets, including Bitcoin, Ethereum and 1,000+ cryptocurrencies. The company has invested heavily in compliance and security (including 1:1 asset reserves) as the Australian crypto sector adapts to a tightening regulatory landscape. The company's total capital raised now exceeds AU$8 million, including AU$3.5 million from earlier rounds. The latest raise reflects growing investor appetite for platforms positioned to serve retail and institutional segments as digital assets continue to enter mainstream portfolios. With this momentum, the Coinstash funding positions the exchange to lead Australia's next wave of crypto adoption.
News.com.au
22-06-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
US share exodus: Aussies sell their US stocks on Trump fears
Australian retail investors are ditching the United States and moving their money to 'stable' economies on the back of US President Donald Trump's 'Liberation Day.' New retail data from investing platform eToro, who asked 10,000 retail investors across 14 countries, including 1,000 from Australia showed a sharp trend away from America. According to eToro's data the downturn in enthusiasm for US markets reflects broader economic uncertainty, with 37 per cent of Aussie investors citing the global economy as the biggest threat to their investments – the highest figure recorded since Q2 2022. Inflation follows as the second biggest concern at 17 per cent. Instead of investing abroad, local investors are increasing their exposure to Australian markets. eToro managing director Robert Francis told NewsWire a combination of US policies and high valuations have retail investors sceptical of investing in the world's largest market going forward. 'People are beginning to realise the US exceptionalism isn't what it was a year or two ago with the inauguration of Trump has meant a lot of uncertainty,' he said. Rayeiris Maduro Rondon, an investor based in Sydney after relocating from Venezuela told NewsWire it is her opinion that the days of the US exceptionalism has 'paused' as she shifts to Europe and China. 'I view this more as a period of recalibration rather than decline,' she said. 'Historically, when markets trade at elevated valuations for extended periods, investors begin to see high multiples as 'the normality' and price in unrealistic growth expectations. 'That's where the U.S. stands today.' While she still holds some US investments on a 'reasonable valuation,' she said there are better opportunities abroad. 'In Europe and Asia, I'm finding businesses with higher returns on capital and strong cash flows trading at deeply discounted valuations, making them far more attractive from a risk-adjusted perspective,' she said. Alert not alarmed Australian investors are split on what the current market volatility means for them. eToro's survey data showed 35 per cent of Aussies are more vigilant about their portfolio while a further 28 per cent are feeling anxious. On the flipside, 24 per cent are actually hopeful or excited about the large market swings. This optimism extends to investing strategies, with over a quarter of Aussie retail investors seeing a decline of 10 per cent or less as an opportunity to buy the dip. eToro's market analyst Josh Gilbert said investors are alert but not all of them are alarmed. 'Many see recent market dips as buying opportunities, which signals a level of confidence in long-term market resilience, he said. 'The risk of being out of the market altogether is something savvy investors are acutely aware of. 'The recent rebound in global equities since April has reinforced that view, even in uncertain times.' It has been a volatile ride for investors since Mr Trump took office for global markets initially rallying before hitting a bear market on April 2, with the announcement of Liberation Day. The wide-ranging tariffs were touted as Liberation Day for the US, with Mr Trump arguing it would level out the playing field. In a list of countries, Australia was 21st with a 10 per cent tariff on all goods imported into the US. The ASX slumped 11.4 per cent in the five days following 'Liberation Day', while the US S & P 500 fell around 12 per cent while the Dow Jones dropped 11 per cent. In both the Australia and the US shares quickly recovered after Mr Trump announced a temporary pause on his tariff policies. Mr Francis said this was a dramatic turnaround in investor confidence with the market initially rallying when Mr Trump returned to office. 'The whole market was buoyant with Trump's inauguration,' he said. 'I mean, we all thought investors, market commentators, all thought that we were going to see a continued bullish trend in the market. 'But given what we're seeing now around trade conflicts, tariffs that are being implemented, this is kind of, where is this going to go? 'All of this means that there's a level of uncertainty right now that doesn't bring confidence in investing in the US'. Some still move to safe assets Commodities have also been a favourite of Australian investors as they look to protect their positions. According to eToro's results, fears mount over a weaker US dollar and persistent inflation, Aussie retail investors are repositioning their portfolios, with nearly half of respondents having adjusted allocations or planning to. Mr Gilbert said 60 per cent of respondents said they expect gold prices to increase in the next 6–12 months, which reinforces its traditional role as an inflation hedge. 'Interestingly, we've seen Bitcoin's growing status among younger investors as a similar hedge. 'Out of local retail investors who are adjusting their portfolios based on a weaker USD, 27 per cent of Gen Z respondents said they will buy more crypto, the highest out of all generations. Indeed, 52 per cent of local Gen Z investors already hold crypto.'
ABC News
18-06-2025
- Business
- ABC News
'Golden parachutes' for Australia's top corporate leaders drop to lowest level in 15 years
So-called "golden parachutes", or big pay-outs when the leaders of Australia's largest listed companies leave, might be a thing of the past. The Australian Council of Superannuation Investors' annual review of how much chief executive officers at ASX 200 companies are paid found termination payouts have dropped to their lowest level in 15 years. Total termination payouts have dropped to $8.4 million in the financial year 2024, down from $33.5 million the previous year. Some of that is explained by a smaller number of departures; however, the average payout per CEO also fell, from $1.97 to $1.4 million. "The research indicates this is saving Australian investors about half a million dollars per termination," said ACSI's executive manager of stewardship, Ed John. Mr John noted that there has been a continual decline in the size of payouts since the Corporations Act changed in 2009 after the global financial crisis. "This was a really major issue in Australia, and we saw more than $80 million of shareholders' money paid out to terminated CEOs before the law was changed in 2009," he said. "What those laws did was give shareholders a vote on large termination payouts. At Australia's largest listed companies, in the ASX 100, leaders' salaries come in at 55 times the average earnings of an Australian worker, despite flattening over the past decade. That's up from 50 times the average earnings in the 2023 financial year, but down significantly from 2014, when CEO salaries were 71 times the average worker's. "Australia is actually doing well relative to other markets where there's been a significant breakout in CEO pay," said Mr John. "There's been recent studies that show CEO pay is a multiple of about 106 times median salaries in the UK and in the US, that's actually more than 300 times in the largest companies." This table shows the chief executives with the highest realised pay (which includes fixed pay and bonuses received): The top earner was US-based Robert Thomson, who runs News Corporation, and earns almost $42 million a year. The only woman on the list, Shemara Wikramanayaka, CEO of Macquarie Group, made just shy of $30 million last financial year. The median realised pay for ASX 100 leaders, which includes fixed pay and bonuses received, was $4.15 million, compared to $3.96 million in 2014. Corporate governance expert, Swinburne University's Helen Bird, said the two-strike rule against remuneration has had a dampening effect on pay rises. It is designed to hold directors accountable for executive salaries and bonuses. That is because if shareholders vote against a company's remuneration report two years in a row, the entire company board can face re-election. While salaries at the very top end of town have been (relatively) constrained in recent years, the bosses of smaller listed companies are enjoying increasingly generous paydays. The highest-paid Australian-based chief executive was Lovisa boss Victor Herrero. The jewellery chain has a market capitalisation of $3.6 billion. In comparison, the Commonwealth Bank's market value is around $302 billion. CEO pay at smaller listed companies has increased over time, with the median climbing from $1.74 million in 2014 to $2.2 million in 2024. "The trend in small companies is interesting, so we'll have to do further work on this," said Mr John. Most chief executives received a bonus in 2024, with just five of the 142 eligible leaders missing out altogether, with most tied to company performance. Those left without a bonus were Tony Lombardo from Lendlease, Credit Corp's Tom Beregi, Mark Allison from Elders, Jamie Pherous from Corporate Travel Management, and Julian Fowles from Karoon Energy. The median CEO bonus was paid at just under 66 per cent of the maximum, which is in line with the long-term trend. "There is a concern among investors that in some places these are becoming a given or an expectation," said Mr John. "What we see is that the fixed rate of pay, which is the very basic salary of a CEO, hasn't changed much, but they're still getting very significant bonuses, up to 60-70 per cent of their entitlement is being paid, so they're getting quite significant incentives to work harder," said Ms Bird.
ABC News
15-05-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Live updates: Wall Street rises as rate cuts forecast for both Australia and US
Wall Street is rallying again, pushed along by the US -China tariff pause and fresh data that points to the need to cut interest rates. Meanwhile, Australian investors are days away from a RBA meeting. Follow the day's financial news and insights from our specialist business reporters on our live blog. Disclaimer: this blog is not intended as investment advice.
