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Battery Technology – don’t bet on lithium alone..

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powered electric vehicles. But what is the risk of lithium being usurped by an alternative material? Battery Technology – don’t bet on lithium alone..

Lithium is currently the material of choice to produce batteries in a whole range of devices where mobile energy is required, the most prolific of which being energy storage, mobile phones and battery-powered electric vehicles. But what is the risk of lithium being usurped by an alternative material? Battery Technology – don’t bet on lithium alone..

The realities of lithium as an investment

There is huge investor interest in lithium and more broadly in battery/mobile energy technology at the moment, the question is raised in almost all meetings I have with clients who are looking for ways to invest in the industry. Investors are looking to future-proof their portfolios. Lithium is a growing technology with great potential future prospects while theoretically providing a form of hedge against the expected secular decline in the oil industry, which is facing the risk of cannibalisation from the rise of electric vehicles.

The caveat to this success of lithium

The caveat to this success of lithium is that it won’t be a direct path to success for varied reasons:

  • Electrical grid infrastructure – Currently the electricity grid does not have the required capacity to accommodate this change. According to the Green Alliance most residential streets do not have capacity for more than 6 cars to be charged at any time and as such would require significant infrastructure upgrades.
  • Affordability – The average cost of a car is US$24,000, with the cheapest electric car being $33,000, therefore despite the falling costs it still has a long way to go before it can properly compete with internal combustion cars.
  • The internal combustion engine –Electric vehicles are not only being challenged on price, significant improvements are being made with the internal combustion engine. The “thermal efficiency” of most petrol engines currently peaks at 25%, with a theoretical maximum of 50%, giving significant scope for efficiency gains. The latest battery packs are priced at US$350/kWh, while internal combustions engines are priced at around US$100/kWh. Costs have been falling rapidly for batteries but there is still a fair way for them to go for them to compete.
  • Despite all the news of battery supply problems at Tesla, lithium prices are 10% above the 90th percentile of the cost curve suggesting in the short term there is potential for a price correction.
  • Rare earth metals are commonly used in lithium battery production, and supply squeezes are common due to supply being highly concentrated in politically volatile countries. Additionally, child labour has been used in the past and raises questions about their suitability in today’s more ethical portfolios.
  • There is no futures market and no exchange for lithium; most deals are done between producers and manufacturers directly.
  • Lithium equities also do not have a particularly good correlation to the lithium carbonate price, and in fact have a much closer correlation to the oil price.
  • There are other competing battery technologies that could quickly unseat lithium as the material of choice. We have summarised the key battery technologies currently being researched or developed that pose a potential threat to lithium.

Hydrogen fuel cells

Hydrogen fuel cells have been in use for some time in varied forms, led by Japan where their use in vehicles has been met with mixed success. It is a very common element and on a per joule of energy basis, a hydrogen car will go further than a lithium car.

The biggest challenge so far has been capturing and storing hydrogen. In the US there are currently only 35 commercial hydrogen refuelling stations.

Due to these infrastructure constraints they are typically confined to public vehicle use, rolling out infrastructure for personal vehicles would be time consuming and expensive. Hydrogen powered vehicles are in development by some of the leading car manufacturers but there are unlikely to be popular until the infrastructure is in place.

Magnesium solid-state

Magnesium batteries have been commercialised as primary batteries, and are an active topic of research for secondary (rechargeable) batteries. Magnesium batteries offer inflammable batteries with a higher energy density than lithium ideal for cars where safety and mileage are paramount. Magnesium is also a widely traded, abundant material but so far it hasn’t found success as a rechargeable battery. The biggest challenge for magnesium has been making a solid-state rechargeable battery, but the Berkeley Lab Joint Centre for Energy Storage Research has recently discovered the fastest magnesium-ion solid-state conductor – a major step towards making rechargeable batteries a reality. However, it has a long way to go before a battery is likely to be produced.

Lithium Sulphur

Lithium Sulphur batteries could have 40% higher energy density than the lithium-manganese and the lithium-cobalt batteries we use today. Their wider use would also help the problem of producers having to source rare earth metals such as cobalt and manganese from politically unstable countries and likely reduce costs for consumers. The key issue for lithium-sulphide batteries is the extra mass required for a conducting agent and the risk of an irregular discharge leading to safety concerns.

Battery technology opportunities come in various forms

While lithium the metal is difficult to invest in and lithium equities do not accurately track the lithium price, there may be some indirect opportunities. Currently normal internal combustion engine cars use 20kg of copper, hybrids use 40kg and electric vehicles use 80kg, primarily in the wiring harnesses that transmit power to the drivetrains, the drivetrain themselves and the battery.

We believe that lithium technology, despite its potential for success is risky due to the potential for it being usurped by one of the aforementioned battery technologies. We remain convinced that mobile energy storage is likely to be a booming industry in the coming decades but the best approach may be to consider a wide range of technologies that can deliver mobile energy storage.

If the electric vehicle market rises to 140m cars by 2035, then this equates to around one third of total copper demand According to BHP Billiton (www.bhp.com 31st October 2017). The upgrading of the electricity grid infrastructure will require much more infrastructure spend, likely to further increase copper demand.

James Butterfill, Head of Research & Investment Strategy at ETF Securities

James Butterfill joined ETF Securities as Head of Research & Investment Strategy in 2015. James is responsible for leading the strategic direction of the global research team, ensuring that clients receive up-to-date, expert insight into global macroeconomic and asset class specific developments.

James has a wealth of experience in strategy, economics and asset allocation gained at HSBC and most recently in his role as Multi- Asset Fund Manager and Global Equity Strategist at Coutts. James holds a Bachelor of Engineering from the University of Exeter and an MSc in Geophysics from Keele University.

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BNQC ETC spårar terminskontrakt på Brent Crude Oil

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BNPP RICI Enhanced Brent Öl (TR) ETC (BNQC ETC) med ISIN DE000PB6R1B1, försöker följa RICI Enhanced Brent Crude Oil-index. RICI Enhanced Brent Crude Oil-index spårar priset på terminskontrakt på Brent Crude Oil.

BNPP RICI Enhanced Brent Öl (TR) ETC (BNQC ETC) med ISIN DE000PB6R1B1, försöker följa RICI Enhanced Brent Crude Oil-index. RICI Enhanced Brent Crude Oil-index spårar priset på terminskontraktBrent Crude Oil.

Denna ETCs TER (total cost ratio) uppgår till 1,00 % p.a. BNPP RICI Enhanced Brent Öl (TR) ETC är den största ETC som följer RICI Enhanced Brent Crude Oil-index. Denna ETC replikerar det underliggande indexets prestanda syntetiskt med en swap.

BNPP RICI Enhanced Brent Öl (TR) ETC är en mycket liten ETC med 5 miljoner euro förvaltade tillgångar. Denna ETC lanserades den 2 september 2016 och har sin hemvist i Nederländerna.

Information

ISINDE000PB6R1B1
Securities identification number (German WKN)PB6R1B
BloombergBNQC GY
ReutersBNQC.DE
TypeETC
Entitlement0.00925068
CurrencyEUR
Currency hedgedNo
Roll optimizedYes
LeveragedNo
Physical deliveryNo
Total Return Yes
ExchangeFrankfurt Stock Exchange (Regulated Market – Xetra®), Stuttgart Stock Exchange
Trading periods08:15 am – 20:00 pm
Maturityopen end

Handla BNQC ETC

BNPP RICI Enhanced Brent Öl (TR) ETC (BNQC ETC) är en europeisk börshandlad produkt. Denna ETC handlas på Deutsche Boerse Xetra.

Det betyder att det går att handla andelar i denna ETC genom de flesta svenska banker och Internetmäklare, till exempel DEGIRONordnet, Aktieinvest och Avanza.

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BörsValutaKortnamn
XETRAEURBNQC

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VALOUR RNDR SEK, en börshandlad produkt som spårar Render

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Valour Render (RENDER) SEK (VALOUR RNDR SEK) with ISIN CH1108679288, är en börshandlad produkt (ETP) som spårar RENDER, den ursprungliga kryptovalutan i Render Network. Render utnyttjar blockchain-teknik för att decentralisera GPU-baserad rendering, vilket ger skapare kostnadseffektiv och skalbar tillgång till beräkningskraft för visuella effekter, spel och design.

Valour Render (RENDER) SEK (VALOUR RNDR SEK) with ISIN CH1108679288, är en börshandlad produkt (ETP) som spårar RENDER, den ursprungliga kryptovalutan i Render Network. Render utnyttjar blockchain-teknik för att decentralisera GPU-baserad rendering, vilket ger skapare kostnadseffektiv och skalbar tillgång till beräkningskraft för visuella effekter, spel och design.

Render-nätverket är designat för att stärka digital kreativitet och kopplar samman användare som söker renderingstjänster med GPU-ägare, vilket optimerar resurser och minskar kostnaderna. RENDER-tokens används för betalning och incitament för deltagare i nätverket, vilket möjliggör sömlöst samarbete över det kreativa ekosystemet. RENDER-innehavare stödjer en vision om decentraliserad datoranvändning, som främjar innovation och tillgänglighet inom den digitala konst- och underhållningsindustrin.

Beskrivning

Valour’s Certificate-produktlinje erbjuder börshandlade produkter som uppfyller kraven, var och en helt säkrad av sina respektive digitala tillgångar. För att säkerställa säker kylförvaring samarbetar Valour med nivå 1-licensierade förvaringsinstitut som Copper. Handlade på reglerade börser och MTFer ger dessa certifikat transparent prissättning och likviditet, vilket stärker investerarnas förtroende för säkra digitala tillgångsinvesteringar. Valours grundprospekt är godkända av Finansinspektionen och uppfyller EUs krav på fullständighet, tydlighet och konsekvens.

NamnValour Render SEK
EmittentValour Inc
BasvalutaSEK
Föraltningskostnad1,9%
ISINCH1108679288
Valoren110867928
WKNA4A55Q
FörfallodagOpen-ended

Handla VALOUR RNDR SEK

Valour Render (RENDER) SEK (VALOUR RNDR SEK) är en europeisk börshandlad produkt som handlas på bland annat Spotlight Stock Market.

Det betyder att det går att handla andelar i denna ETP genom de flesta svenska banker och Internetmäklare, till exempel DEGIRONordnet, Aktieinvest, Levler och Avanza.

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BörsValutaKortnamn
Spotlight Stock MarketSEKVALOUR RNDR SEK

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Which crypto assets will outperform Bitcoin in 2025?

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The outcome of the US election last month continues to reverberate through the crypto markets. The Nasdaq Crypto IndexTM (NCITM) has risen over 57% since November 5, fueled by widespread optimism over the direction of digital asset policy in the US.

The outcome of the US election last month continues to reverberate through the crypto markets. The Nasdaq Crypto IndexTM (NCITM) has risen over 57% since November 5, fueled by widespread optimism over the direction of digital asset policy in the US.

As I wrote in a previous note, crypto assets tend to follow a four-year cycle that includes a bull phase of roughly 12 months, followed by a year-long bear market, and then a two-year recovery period. In the previous two bull markets, altcoins (i.e., everything outside of BTC) have significantly outperformed the largest crypto asset.

I believe we’ve entered a bull market, reinforced by the macro environment and US election outcomes. But there’s another data point signaling a bull market—the outperformance of the NCITM relative to BTC.¹ In the last three months, the NCITM has had a higher return than BTC (78.0% vs. 76.5%) and since the election, the NCITM has outperformed BTC by 6.8%.

Crypto Asset Performance

So, which specific aspects of crypto are poised for outperformance this time around?

One key area to watch is smart contract projects, platforms that will allow users to transact not only information but value and property as well. We believe these platforms and applications will outperform BTC in the next 12-18 months as they compete for users and lay the groundwork for decentralized applications. On the back of the infrastructure developments we have seen in this area in the last few years, new applications are emerging across AI, gaming, and many other areas as tokenization continues to expand.

We also believe that new regulatory progress in 2025 will be more beneficial to these applications than to Bitcoin specifically, because Bitcoin already has regulatory clarity and a well-developed capital markets structure, with the growth of ETFs, options, and futures. In the US and Europe, this legislative and regulatory clarity that will benefit altcoins may include:

• Market structure legislation: Proposals like FIT21 will remove ambiguities regarding the commodity vs. security status of crypto assets, as well as create paths to registration that could boost adoption in the US.

Stablecoin legislation / MiCA implementation: Both will drive the adoption of stablecoins in the US and Europe, expanding the stablecoin phenomenon beyond just emerging markets.

• Repeal of SAB121: When this obstacle is removed and US banks can hold crypto for their clients, banks and brokerages will increase their crypto trading and custody offerings, which will benefit altcoins the most.

• New ETF launches: With the new SEC chair, there are renewed hopes for additional ETF approvals, including indices and single assets like Solana and XRP. There’s still much uncertainty here, but new assets having ETFs as on-ramps is highly positive.

In addition to Bitcoin developing as an emerging digital store of wealth and smart contract platforms becoming a new way to exchange information, value, and property, there are three other altcoin use cases we believe will benefit in the coming year:

  1. DeFi: Projects aimed at creating an internet-based financial system, running on smart contract platforms, will create a new global capital markets infrastructure for payments, with stablecoins and tokenized money market funds being the first important use cases.
  2. Web3: A new iteration of the internet that will let us own our data and make the internet decentralized and more usable for things like AI agents and other innovations.
  3. Digital Culture: An emerging digital-native generation will have more demand to own digital assets and collectibles, with gaming being a natural first application.

If we compare crypto to the internet, this industry is like the internet in the 1990s and Bitcoin could be compared to email—the only application most people hear about. But fast forward 20 years and while email is still very useful, it has not been the internet’s application that created the most societal value. We believe this could be true for how Bitcoin is currently viewed relative to crypto.

Benefits of diversification

Our team at Hashdex are firm believers that getting broad exposure to this market is necessary to capture the growth we believe we will experience in these other areas. Indices like the Nasdaq Crypto IndexTM (NCITM) can provide broader market exposure and, as crypto matures as an asset class, better risk-adjusted returns. Additionally, indices provide more significant optionality as investors don’t need to rely on an active manager to do this for them. The complexity and fast-evolving nature of crypto make it hard to pick individual winners and an index simplifies investing by offering a balanced, data-driven selection of assets that can align with modern portfolio theory principles.

This is why index ETFs have been at the core of our mission. Accessing crypto through these familiar structures allows investors to benefit from the growth of this asset class with minimal friction. For most investors, we most often recommend a very small allocation to crypto, from 1% to 5%. We strongly believe that a benchmark like the NCITM is an excellent way to “buy the market” and benefit from a strategic allocation into this promising asset class.

[1] The Nasdaq Crypto Index includes Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, Ripple, Cardano, Chainlink, Avalanche, Litecoin, Polygon, and Uniswap as of 9/30/24


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