Based on 171 hedge funds · latest filing: 2026 Q1 · updated quarterly
📈
Buying streak — 3 quarters in a row
For 3 consecutive quarters, more hedge funds added IGE 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
171 hedge funds hold IGE 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.
📶
Steady growth — +17% more funds vs a year ago
fund count last 6Q
+25 new funds entered over the past year (+17% YoY). Gradual, steady growth in institutional ownership is generally a healthy signal — not a speculative rush, but consistent conviction.
🟡
Slight buying edge — 57% buying
93 buying71 selling
Last quarter: 93 funds bought or added vs 71 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.
📈
More new buyers each quarter (+20 vs last Q)
new funds entering per quarter
Funds opening a new IGE position: 11 → 23 → 20 → 40. A growing influx of new institutional buyers means the asset is still gathering momentum — the consensus hasn't fully saturated yet.
🔒
56% of holders stayed for 2+ years
■ 56% conviction (2yr+)
■ 20% medium
■ 24% new
95 out of 171 hedge funds have held IGE 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.
🚀
Acceleration phase — new buyers rushing in
17 → 11 → 23 → 20 → 40 new funds/Q
New funds entering each quarter: 11 → 23 → 20 → 40. The pace of institutional discovery is accelerating sharply. This is the 'hot idea' phase — the thesis is being passed from fund to fund. You are not late — the accumulation wave is still building.
🏛️
Veteran-anchored — 63% veterans vs 25% newcomers
■ 63% veterans
■ 13% 1-2yr
■ 25% new
Entry-cohort mix of 171 holders: 107 (63%) are 2+ year veterans, 22 entered 1–2 years ago, and 42 (25%) joined within the past year. A veteran-weighted cap table skews toward institutional memory over fresh momentum.
🏆
Elite ownership — 49% AUM from top-100 funds
49% from top-100 AUM funds
22 of 171 holders are among the 100 largest funds by AUM, controlling 49% of total institutional value in IGE. When the biggest players dominate the cap table, it signifies deep institutional support — since mega-funds deploy the most rigorous due diligence and capital.
Exit risk score 3.9/10 — low institutional crowding. Ownership is below peak levels, holder base is relatively sticky, and buying momentum is positive.