Hosted by Bloomberg Opinion senior executive editor Tim O'Brien, Crash Course will bring listeners directly into the arenas where epic business and social upheavals occur. Every week, Crash Course will explore the lessons to be learned when creativity and ambition collide with competition and power -- on Wall Street and Main Street, and in Hollywood and Washington.

Hosted by Bloomberg Opinion senior executive editor Tim O'Brien, Crash Course will bring listeners directly into the arenas where epic business and social upheavals occur. Every week, Crash Course will explore the lessons to be learned when creativity and ambition collide with competition and power -- on Wall Street and Main Street, and in Hollywood and Washington.

Money goes where it’s treated best. That simple truth is a big reason why more and more money (trillions, in fact) flows into a powerful, low-cost tool that’s quietly transformed investing. Exchange-traded funds let you invest in everything from the stock market to gold like never before. This biweekly podcast will demystify them—and hopefully delight you in the process.

Money goes where it&rsquo;s treated best. That simple truth is a big reason why more and more money (trillions, in fact) flows into a powerful, low-cost tool that&rsquo;s quietly transformed investing. Exchange-traded funds let you invest in everything from the stock market to gold like never before. This biweekly podcast will demystify them&mdash;and hopefully delight you in the process.

Joel Weber and Eric Balchunas demystify the world of exchange-traded funds, or ETFs.

Trillions

Introducing: Crash Course

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/9f2cf343-9917-4540-961a-af7f0157c443/transcript

The ETF industry had a record year in 2025. Somehow, 2026 is shaping up to be even bigger. More than $1 trillion has already poured into ETFs, launches continue at a breakneck pace and trading volume is on track for another record — putting the industry within reach of an unprecedented back-to-back “Triple Crown.” But the boom isn't just about more money and more funds. Some of the most interesting action is happening in places that looked settled not long ago.

On this episode of Trillions, Joel Weber is joined by Bloomberg Intelligence ETF analyst Athanasios Psarofagis to spotlight five themes defining the ETF market right now. They examine the industry's record-setting run, a bull market that's gone global, Goldman's sudden appetite for ETF acquisitions, and new battles over the marquee S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 indexes. Plus, they look at one of the year's more surprising comeback stories.

The ETF industry had a record year in 2025. Somehow, 2026 is shaping up to be even bigger. More than $1 trillion has already poured into ETFs, launches continue at a breakneck pace and trading volume is on track for another record &mdash; putting the industry within reach of an unprecedented back-to-back &ldquo;Triple Crown.&rdquo; But the boom isn't just about more money and more funds. Some of the most interesting action is happening in places that looked settled not long ago. On this episode of Trillions, Joel Weber is joined by Bloomberg Intelligence ETF analyst Athanasios Psarofagis to spotlight five themes defining the ETF market right now. They examine the industry's record-setting run, a bull market that's gone global, Goldman's sudden appetite for ETF acquisitions, and new battles over the marquee S&amp;P 500 and Nasdaq 100 indexes. Plus, they look at one of the year's more surprising comeback stories.

Another ETF Triple Crown? Plus a Global Bull Market and More

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/34051bae-e497-4a53-bbed-b4ab0124f21c/transcript

ETFs are already famous for their tax efficiency, but a growing corner of the market is pushing those benefits further than ever. What if you could sell a massive stock position without paying taxes on it - at least not yet?  Welcome the 351 conversions - custom built funds that allow investors to swap concentrated stock positions into diversified portfolios without paying gains taxes. 

On this episode of Trillions, Joel Weber and Eric Balchunas dig into the growing world of 351 conversion ETFs and how it actually works. Bloomberg News reporters Denitsa Tsekova and Zachary Mider, two of the journalists behind the story "The Latest Tax Dodge For the Ultra-Rich Is a Customized ETF,” join the conversation. Is this a smart tax alpha strategy or a cheat code in the tax  system? Where will the IRS draw the line? They break down how the 351 conversion actually works, why the Treasury officials are taking closer look and how billionaires like the family behind the Hot Pockets are using them.

ETFs are already famous for their tax efficiency, but a growing corner of the market is pushing those benefits further than ever. What if you could sell a massive stock position without paying taxes on it - at least not yet?&nbsp; Welcome the 351 conversions - custom built funds that allow investors to swap concentrated stock positions into diversified portfolios without paying gains taxes.&nbsp;
On this episode of Trillions, Joel Weber and Eric Balchunas dig into the growing world of 351 conversion ETFs and how it actually works. Bloomberg News reporters Denitsa Tsekova and Zachary Mider, two of the journalists behind the story "The Latest Tax Dodge For the Ultra-Rich Is a Customized ETF,&rdquo; join the conversation. Is this a smart tax alpha strategy or a cheat code in the tax&nbsp; system? Where will the IRS draw the line? They break down how the 351 conversion actually works, why the Treasury officials are taking closer look and how billionaires like the family behind the Hot Pockets are using them.

351 Conversions: Smart Tax Alpha Strategy or Loophole in the Code?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/36a751eb-7a89-47c2-a2be-b4a3014e07fa/transcript

The ETF market is on pace for a record  year - not just in the number of launches but also for the range of issuers entering the market. With competition intensifying, there’s no shortage of noteworthy funds to keep an eye on.

In this week’s ETFs to Watch episode, Eric Balchunas and Joel Weber are joined by Bloomberg news cross-asset reporter Isabelle Lee to break down the standout launches at the moment. They break down iShares’ and State Street’s long-awaited challenge to Invesco’s Nasdaq-100 dominance and the winner of the US-listed 2x leveraged SK Hynix ETFs smackdown. They also discuss the first actively managed multi-token ETF from T Rowe Price and whether Y’all Street Physical Gold ETF’s pitch for investors to store their gold in American soil is actually a good idea.

The ETF market is on pace for a record&nbsp; year - not just in the number of launches but also for the range of issuers entering the market. With competition intensifying, there&rsquo;s no shortage of noteworthy funds to keep an eye on.
In this week&rsquo;s ETFs to Watch episode, Eric Balchunas and Joel Weber are joined by Bloomberg news cross-asset reporter Isabelle Lee to break down the standout launches at the moment. They break down iShares&rsquo; and State Street&rsquo;s long-awaited challenge to Invesco&rsquo;s Nasdaq-100 dominance and the winner of the US-listed 2x leveraged SK Hynix ETFs smackdown. They also discuss the first actively managed multi-token ETF from T Rowe Price and whether Y&rsquo;all Street Physical Gold ETF&rsquo;s pitch for investors to store their gold in American soil is actually a good idea.

New ETFs to Watch: A Nasdaq 100 Challenger, the SK Hynix Smackdown and…a Multi-Token Wildcard?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/9563388c-c80f-464c-b4af-b49d0122a939/transcript

Introducing: Crash Course

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