ETF: A placement adapted to stock market crashes? Our advice to invest in 2025

Praised for their reduced costs and their simplicity, the ETFs attract more and more savers. But faced with market volatility in 2025, how to use them well? The guests of the “Great Savings Rendez-vous” (Capital / Radio Patrimoine) deliver their advice to invest serenely with these listed index funds.

Capital video: ETF: Do they have everything to please, even in the midst of a stock market storm?

• 
  

  To safeguard
  
  
  

  Saved
  

ETFs, or trackers, are experiencing a real boom in France. Long known by individuals, these listed index funds have seen their popularity explode in recent years, especially among young investors. Between 2019 and 2024, the share of French people holding ETFs quadrupled, according to the AMF. “We start to take the ETF train in Europe”notes Olivier Maltete, director of investments at Yomoni, even if these products still suffer from a lack of notoriety compared to cryptocurrencies, for example.

But after two years of stock market euphoria, carried by artificial intelligence and the nasdaq giants, many investors discovered at the beginning of 2025 the reality of the markets: volatility, corrections, geopolitical uncertainties. In this context, are ETFs always a good option?

Make on regularity to cross storms

“It should be remembered that listed markets go up, it goes down, and that is the normality of stock market cycles”recalls Guillaume Berthiaux, president of Sofidy Private Management. For our guest, ETFs remain an excellent tool, provided that it controls its subtleties: “You have to pay attention to the type of ETF chosen. Some are weighted by capitalization, others by the number of companies. An ETF MSCI World, for example, which apparently allows to invest in the largest global companies, is actually exposed to 70% in American shares. ” So beware of false diversification, but also to the risk of capital loss: “We remind our customers that when investing in the financial markets, we must have a horizon of at least 5 years”insists Guillaume Berthiaux.

A horizon to keep in mind, when, in periods of turbulence, the temptation is strong to get out of the market by selling its ETFs. Because, as Olivier Maltete points out, “It is more judicious to remain exposed. In the long term, index management beats active management, in particular thanks to its reduced costs». To avoid turmoil, our experts recommend adopting a progressive investment strategy: “The scheduled payments make it possible to invest automatically, even in periods of decline”explains Olivier Maltete. An effective method to smooth out the markets of the markets and avoid relying on your emotions.

Finally, in the event of temporary concern, it is possible to adjust your exhibition without completely leaving the Actions: “We can desensitize ourselves in going to monetary or bond ETF»»offers Olivier Maltete. Because the ETF today cover all the asset classes, allowing to build a complete savings strategy.

Your questions, our answers

In the section “Your questions, our answers”, our experts answer your questions: “Retirement, what life insurance to choose to transmit without taxation?” “Is a donation between spouses questioned in the event of divorce?” “How to send my apartment to my wife and then to my nephew after his death?” Send your questions to question@capital.fr so that they are dealt with during a future “major savings meeting”.

Invest on the stock market at the right time on the most efficient ETFs with Trackers, the capital investment letter dedicated to ETF, in partnership with Francebourse. By opting for an annual subscription, benefit from a sharp reduction on the price of the subscription. And take advantage of our launch offer.