My Mintos ETFs.
I want to make money, but I have questions.

What I own, before discussing expectations

The statements record €400.00 in payments to the ETF portfolio since August 2026. The overview dated 2 November 2026 shows a value of €401.48 and a result of €1.48, labelled ‘Unrealized’. That result may change: it is neither money received in my bank account nor an annual return.

Payments in August and September were €50 each month; in October they were €300. Much of the balance’s growth therefore comes from money I put in. The movements are detailed on my ETF portfolio page.

What is inside my five ETFs

The breakdown I viewed on 23 October had a value of €320.47, with prices from the 22nd. It is an earlier snapshot than November’s overview; I do not apply its weights to the latest balance.

My reading is that this portfolio depends mainly on the stock market. Having five names does not mean splitting risk into five equal parts: almost 60% was in Amundi. Also, the two global equity funds may hold some of the same companies; without comparing their holdings on the same date, I cannot quantify that overlap.

Bonds add another asset class, but their prices can also fall when interest rates or issuers’ creditworthiness change. That 10% does not guarantee that the portfolio will retain its value.

These five ISINs identify accumulating share classes: the fund’s income is reinvested within it. They do not distribute that income periodically into my account as loan interest does. To access the money in the units, I would have to sell them.

The international portion also has currency risk. Buying an ETF in euros does not by itself remove the effect of the currencies of its underlying assets.

Will I make gains? Could I lose money?

I do not know whether I will make money or when. ETFs do not offer a guaranteed return. Diversification spreads exposure, but a broad market downturn can also drag down a diversified portfolio. Mintos explains this in its explanation of ETF risks.

To put my expectations into euros: on €400, a hypothetical rise of 10% would generate €40, leaving €440. A fall of 20% would subtract €80, leaving €320. These examples have no time horizon and exclude costs and taxes; they are neither forecasts nor my account results. A downturn can last years, and recovering the capital is not guaranteed.

Hoping for a huge rise does not give me a selling date. With a small amount, even a large percentage gain can mean only a few euros. Adding more money increases the amount exposed to both gains and losses.

Core or choosing ETFs myself

The word ‘personalised’ can be confusing: Core is already a portfolio tailored to the investor’s profile and time horizon. The difference is who chooses the funds and maintains the allocation. Mintos compares both options.

• Core ETFs: Mintos selects the portfolio according to the profile and rebalances it automatically.
• Individual ETFs: I choose the funds, amounts and when to buy or sell; I also have to monitor the whole portfolio and its overlaps.

Choosing for myself gives me more control, but does not guarantee higher gains. Adding another ETF is not enough if it ends up buying companies I already hold.

Under the terms published by Mintos, these options have no purchase, sale or custody charges. The funds do have internal costs, such as the TER, deducted from their assets and reflected in their value. I have not calculated my portfolio’s total weighted cost here.

How much to invest and which strategy to follow

I have not yet set an amount or an exit rule. To do that, I need to decide what I want this money for, when I might need it and how much I could keep invested during a downturn without neglecting expenses or emergencies. The platform’s minimum does not answer those questions.

Regular contributions can organise purchases and spread entry dates; they do not eliminate losses or guarantee a better price. The strategy needs to fit what I can afford to contribute and the risk I can take, rather than the hope of catching a big rise. My October allocation is not a template for other investors.

When to withdraw: the reason comes before the order

Seeing a green figure is not a selling rule on its own. A withdrawal might be for a planned expense, a change of goal or reducing exposure that no longer fits. To decide in my case, I still need to define the time horizon and what I will use the money for; I have not set a selling date.

Also, selling ETFs and receiving a bank transfer are separate steps. With Core, I can request a partial or full sale; execution and settlement must then take place before the cash is available. The bank transfer comes afterwards. The final price may differ from the one I see when requesting the sale. Mintos explains the Core ETFs selling process.

My previous cash withdrawals do not show how long this sale would take. Once I have a documented ETF exit, I will be able to compare the request, execution, settlement and arrival at the bank. For now, my published experience concerns an open position.