Based on 1082 hedge funds · latest filing: 2025 Q4 · updated quarterly
📈
Buying streak — 4 quarters in a row
For 4 consecutive quarters, more hedge funds added GDX than sold it. That's a consistent pattern of professional buying — not a one-time trade. When institutions keep buying quarter after quarter, it usually means they see a multi-year opportunity, not just a short-term momentum flip.
🏔️
At the ownership peak (100% of max)
100% of all-time peak
1,082 hedge funds hold GDX right now — the highest count in 3.0 years. When ownership is this concentrated, any bad news can trigger a chain reaction: one big fund sells, others follow. This is a classic 'crowded trade' — high popularity doesn't equal safety.
🚀
Fast accumulation — +39% more funds vs a year ago
fund count last 6Q
+302 new funds entered over the past year (+39% YoY). That's a rapid rush of institutional money. Fast accumulation often signals a major thesis — but it also means the stock could fall quickly if that thesis breaks.
🟡
Slight buying edge — 50% buying
542 buying533 selling
Last quarter: 542 funds bought or added vs 533 that reduced or exited. It's nearly a 50/50 split — some institutions are convinced, others are taking profits. This mixed picture is normal near price highs.
⚠️
Fewer new buyers each quarter (-22 vs last Q)
new funds entering per quarter
Funds opening this position for the first time: 155 → 137 → 200 → 178. Each quarter fewer new institutions are entering. This usually means most funds that wanted in are already in — the stock is well-known but the pool of potential new buyers is shrinking.
🔒
57% of holders stayed for 2+ years
■ 57% conviction (2yr+)
■ 20% medium
■ 23% new
615 out of 1,082 hedge funds have held GDX for over 2 years without selling. Long-term investors are generally harder to shake out during market stress, creating a stable ownership base that limits the risk of sudden capitulation.
📈
Growing discovery — still being found
104 → 155 → 137 → 200 → 178 new funds/Q
New funds entering each quarter: 155 → 137 → 200 → 178. A growing number of institutions are discovering GDX each quarter. The narrative is still spreading — leaving room for ongoing capital accumulation.
🏛️
Deep conviction — 63% of holders stayed 2+ years
■ 63% veterans
■ 10% 1-2yr
■ 27% new
Of 1,170 current holders: 735 (63%) have held for over 2 years without selling. These are not momentum buyers — they have lived through drawdowns and stayed. A large veteran base acts as a stabilizing force during selloffs.
✅
Strong quality — 26% AUM from major funds
26% from top-100 AUM funds
29 of 1082 holders rank in the top 100 by AUM, accounting for 26% of total institutional value held. A meaningful share of the ownership value comes from the most well-resourced institutions.
4.1
out of 10
Moderate Exit Risk
Exit risk score 4.1/10 — some crowding factors present, but no critical concentration. Watch ownership trend over the next 1–2 quarters for direction.