Here are the top 10 most-traded stocks among retail investors this year, according to Nasdaq
- Nasdaq's Retail Trading Activity Tracker shows the top 10 stocks retail traders bought up this year.
- Tesla and Apple led the list, while exchange-traded funds made it as well.
It's been well-known since January when GameStop shares surged to eye-watering highs: Retail traders are making their mark on the stock markets.
A new asset class called "meme stocks" has emerged with names like GameStop, AMC and BlackBerry topping the list. But new data from Nasdaq's Retail Trading Activity Tracker, which launched Thursday, shows what stocks have really grabbed retail traders' attention.
Here's the list of the top 10 stocks, according to Nasdaq.
10. TQQQ
YTD performance: 84% as of the Thursday close, according to Google data.
ProShares TQQQ is one of the largest exchange-traded funds that tracks the Nasdaq index.
9. Moderna
YTD performance: 102%
Moderna became a highly sought after stock among retail traders this year after developing a COVID-19 vaccine in under a year.
8. Nvidia
YTD performance: 132%
The maker of graphics processing units, or GPUs, for gaming has been consistently hyped on Reddit this year, according to HypeEquity data.
7. Invesco QQQ
YTD performance: 26%
Invesco QQQ is the official exchange-traded fund of the NCAA, and it just launched a computer game to teach young investors about finance.
6. NIO
YTD performance: -21%
Retail traders have been bullish, to say the least, on electric-vehicle companies, and Shanghai-based NIO is no exception.
5. SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
YTD performance: 26%
Retail traders, believe it or not, aren't all-in on meme stocks. Much of their investing is in index and exchange-traded funds, like this one.
4. Advanced Micro Devices
The Santa Clara, California-based semiconductor maker has been on the rise as big tech companies like Meta (formerly Facebook), Microsoft, and Google buy up its chips, helping it compete with market leader Intel, CNBC reported previously.
3. AMC
YTD performance: 1,863%
Free popcorn anyone? AMC has capitalized on its meme-stock status by offering perks to its army of retail traders known as "AMC apes."
2. Apple
YTD performance: 14%
The iPhone maker has been a safe haven for retail traders fleeing more volatile meme stocks like AMC and GameStop.
1. Tesla
YTD performance: 48%
With Twitter's favorite CEO Elon Musk at the helm, it's no wonder Tesla is the top stock among retail traders.