How to Build a Smart Investment Portfolio in Uncertain Times; The Strategy of a Top eToro Investor

Reporter: What were your first steps to becoming an Elite Pro investor?

Zechariah Zheng: For me, the turning point came when my father passed away. I wanted help managing my money-but having worked in the industry, I realised how different things are for everyday people compared to the wealthy. The advice, access, and tools just weren't the same. On social media, I kept seeing people make bold claims with no way to prove their results.

That's what drew me to eToro. It was a new and better way to close that gap-giving regular people the chance to follow real investors with real, transparent performance. You can't fake results on eToro. It's public, verified, and levels the playing field.

I joined eToro over 9 years ago after discovering it in a PwC fintech report. Having worked in finance, studied it deeply, and loved trading since before I turned 21-I opened my first trading account on my 21st birthday-I felt eToro could be the platform that truly bridged the gap. And I wanted to be part of that movement.

In my second year, I quickly rose to Elite status but soon dropped back to Cadet. I spent years working quietly, refining my process and thesis. Over time, the results followed, and I returned to Elite Pro-this time with more resilience and clarity. It's been a journey of learning, adapting, and staying committed to long-term improvement.

Reporter: What has been your evolution as an eToro Investor?

Zechariah Zheng: My core investment thesis has always remained the same-looking for mispriced opportunities with strong risk-reward. That hasn't changed since day one.

What has evolved is the way I execute. As eToro introduced more asset classes, I expanded into them-adding stocks and crypto to my original focus on global macro. But the underlying process stayed the same.

Over time, I've refined my methods, built more structured models, and recently introduced AI tools to improve efficiency and scale. The goal has always been the same: take logical, asymmetric bets and avoid permanent capital loss.

Reporter: What are your investment goals for the future?

Zechariah Zheng: I want to be the top investor on eToro-not necessarily the highest return in any given year, but the most consistent over 20 years.

My focus is on taking logical risks-minimizing downside, maximizing upside, and compounding returns over time. I want to help more people grow their wealth and build trust through transparency and results.

Reporter: To what extent has the experience you had in your field before you started investing contributed to the evolution of your investments?

I've always worked in finance-across investment banking, trading, product structuring, and now on the buy side at a fund. That range of experience gave me a well-rounded view of how markets really work from different angles.

It taught me how to assess risk, spot what truly drives returns, and avoid being distracted by noise. Once you understand the fundamentals and how an industry operates, it gives you the confidence to challenge conventional thinking-and build a portfolio in smarter, more efficient ways. That's been a key edge in how I invest today.

Reporter: What is your investment strategy?

Zechariah Zheng: My strategy focuses on three goals: maximize returns, minimize risk, and maintain consistency.

I look for asymmetric opportunities-where the upside is much larger than the downside. I blend global macro, event-driven, and value investing, while diversifying across uncorrelated ideas.

I avoid hype and crowd favorites and instead focus on trades that others are ignoring.

Reporter: What advice do you have for first-time investors? Is there anything investors should pay particular attention to right now?

Zechariah Zheng: Start small, stay curious, and focus on learning rather than chasing returns. Understand what you're buying and why.

Right now, markets are uncertain-high inflation, policy shifts, and geopolitical risks. So it's more important than ever to manage your risk, stay diversified, and avoid the trap of thinking the past will repeat exactly the same way.

Reporter: How do you approach the risks associated with investing?

Zechariah Zheng: Risk is central to how I invest. I size positions based on risk-not just how confident I feel. If an asset is risky, I simply size it smaller.

Before entering a trade, I ask: "What could go wrong?" I also use stop losses and avoid over-concentration. Managing risk is how you stay in the game.

Reporter: What do you think about crypto investments compared to other assets in the market?

Zechariah Zheng: I love crypto. I code in it, build in it, monitor on-chain metrics, and stay active in the community. I believe in decentralization and what it stands for-giving people more control and access.

But I'm also honest: crypto is volatile. It's not the whole portfolio-it's a part of it. So I size it carefully and manage it just like any other high-risk asset.

Reporter: In which segment do you think somebody should invest, in the current macroeconomic and geopolitical conditions (high inflation, tariffs crisis, war, etc)?

Zechariah Zheng: I look for sectors with strong fundamentals, balance sheets, and cash flows. Right now, energy and shipping stand out.

I'm also finding value in certain mispriced assets-recently in biotech. And I always keep some cash on hand. Not because I'm scared, but because cash gives me optionality when opportunities arise.

Reporter: Is there a perfect time to invest?

Zechariah Zheng: The perfect time is usually in the past. The second-best time is now. But how you invest matters more than when.

I suggest copying or investing gradually, in equal weights over time. Worst case? You make a little less. But that's better than investing a lump sum and immediately suffering a drawdown-which is what causes many people to give up too early.

Reporter: What should investors consider when choosing an online investment platform?

Zechariah Zheng: Safety, low fees, ease of use, asset variety, and education tools. But also-look for platforms that support your growth.

For me, eToro stood out because of its copy trading feature and strong community. The insurance coverage also matters. I've seen a broker go under, and if not for insurance, I would've lost everything.

Reporter: Is there an investor's decalogue? What are the top three rules?

1.Protect your downside - If you don't lose big, you'll always have a chance to recover.

2.Think long term - Great results take time and patience.

3.Stay humble and curious - Markets change fast. The best investors adapt.