Author: DD Didi
Option: Unable to Open an Overseas Account
If you are in China, you can use platforms like Alipay, Tiantian Fund, banks, or broker apps to buy QDII funds issued by domestic fund companies, such as those tracking:
- S&P 500
- NASDAQ 100
- MSCI USA 50
- U.S. Tech Stock Index
- Global Allocation Funds
The essence of QDII is: Domestic fund companies take your RMB and invest in overseas markets through compliant quotas. The China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) defines QDII as domestic fund companies, securities firms, and other institutions that, upon approval, raise funds domestically and then invest in overseas securities markets.
The advantages of this path are: No need to exchange USD yourself, no overseas bank card required, no need to open a U.S. stock brokerage account, and no need to handle complex tax forms.
Option: Able to Open an Overseas Account (Recommended)
For example, directly buying:
VOO: S&P 500 ETF
IVV: S&P 500 ETF
SPY: S&P 500 ETF
QQQ: NASDAQ 100 ETF
VTI: U.S. Total Market ETF
This path is closer to actually buying U.S. stock ETFs
Here's a quick review of the four major indices + VIX for everyone
But for beginners, the difficulty lies in: You usually need an overseas brokerage account, an overseas bank card, a fund deposit and withdrawal path, tax forms, exchange rate costs, and you also need to pay attention to foreign exchange compliance issues.
Under the current environment, individuals in China using their personal foreign exchange purchase quota directly for overseas securities investment is not an ordinary current account purpose. The foreign exchange bureau's materials also clearly distinguish between current account and capital account items. The personal facilitation quota mainly applies to current account items and certain convertible capital account items, while QDII is one of the officially listed mechanisms for overseas securities investment.
Deciding on the Buying Method
Method 1: Dollar-Cost Averaging (DCA)
Best for beginners.
For example, buying a fixed amount every week, every two weeks, or every month.
The benefit is not having to predict highs and lows.
Suitable for:
Those with stable income, looking to allocate to U.S. stocks long-term, and not wanting to watch the market constantly.
Method 2: Buy in Batches
For example, if you plan to invest 10,000 yuan, don't buy it all today. Instead, split it into 5 portions:
Buy 2,000 today
Buy another 2,000 if it drops 5%
Buy another 2,000 if it drops 10%
Add a fixed amount each month
Keep some cash on hand
Suitable for:
Those with a lump sum of spare cash but afraid of buying at a high point.
Method 3: Core Holdings + Observation Holdings
For example:
70% in S&P 500
20% in NASDAQ 100
10% in cash or money market funds
Beginners should not go all-in on NASDAQ from the start because although NASDAQ rises sharply, it can also fall sharply (though considering the long-term trend of the U.S. as a tech powerhouse, the NASDAQ index may have long-term bullish advantages).
Special ETFs
Of course, not everyone wants to just DCA into indices when investing. Here are some ETFs focused on specific sectors, but since this article is intended for newcomers in the community, we won't go into too much detail.
DXYZ - Destiny Tech100 Inc. (Closed-End Fund, not a traditional ETF)
- Focuses on 100 high-growth Pre-IPO tech unicorns, currently holding 32 (targeting 100). SpaceX economic exposure is approximately 16.2% (largest holding), xAI 3.5%, OpenAI 2.1%, Databricks 4%, Shield AI 4.1%, etc., also includes Stripe, Revolut, Epic Games, etc. Management fee 2.5%, holds private shares through SPVs.
- Recently popular: SpaceX IPO rumors (expected mid-2026) drove the stock price up (up 21% on 5/8 to approximately 54.6 USD). It is the most direct Pre-IPO SpaceX + AI proxy tool in the public market, with surging discussion and trading volume.
NASA - Tema Space Innovators ETF (Active)
- Pure space economy ETF, directly holds approximately 10-12% of SpaceX Pre-IPO shares (via SPV), also includes Rocket Lab, AST SpaceMobile, etc.
- Recently popular: Continuous SpaceX news makes it the purest space Pre-IPO positioning tool.
XOVR - ERShares Private-Public Crossover ETF
- The first Pre-IPO crossover ETF, holds SpaceX (once over 10%) and other private growth companies, combining public venture stocks with private exposure.
- Recently popular: A groundbreaking product for Pre-IPO investing, attracting significant capital inflows.
RONB - Baron First Principles ETF (Active)
- Active growth type, directly holds about 9% of SpaceX Pre-IPO shares, focusing on innovative companies with long-term competitive advantages.
- Recently popular: Baron team stock selection + SpaceX exposure, suitable for capturing growth dividends.
ARKX - ARK Space Exploration & Innovation ETF (Active)
- ARK's space innovation ETF, actively selects stocks covering space exploration and related technologies, with high indirect Pre-IPO exposure.
- Recently popular: Cathie Wood's style + continuous development of the space theme.
