From chip giants to pharmaceutical companies: the most traded stocks of 2025 provide a striking picture of what was on the minds of investors. In the Netherlands, ASML again tops the list, while Nvidia attracted all the attention worldwide. What does that say about the sentiment on the stock market?
Most traded shares in the Netherlands
There was one clear favorite among Dutch investors: ASML. The share of the Veldhoven chip machine manufacturer was number one of the most traded Dutch shares in 2025 by a wide margin. ASML also finished at the top in terms of invested assets, according to figures from Saxo.
BE Semiconductor (BESI) and Pharming Group follow behind. It is striking that Pharming took the bronze despite significant fluctuations. The classic major banks ING and ABN AMRO, as well as oil and gas giant Shell, remained prominent in the top 10. More surprising is the high rating of Fugro, which lost almost 50 percent of its value this year. According to analysts, there has been a lot of speculation about recovery here.
There are also newcomers: Theon, a Greek manufacturer of night vision goggles, impressed with eleventh place. This is due to increasing geopolitical tensions and investor interest in defense stocks.
Top 5 most traded Dutch shares
- ASML Holding
- BE Semiconductor Industries
- Pharming Group
- ING Group
- Shell
Invested capital: Shell and BAM notable risers
ASML also continues to lead the list based on total invested assets. Shell and ING complete the top three. The list also shows that investors put a lot of money into growth shares such as BAM and Heijmans. These are companies that have gained significant value over the course of 2025. The presence of insurer NN Group indicates a stable interest in dividend stocks in addition to tech and infrastructure.
Top 3 shares by invested capital in the Netherlands
- ASML
- Shell
- ING
Worldwide: Nvidia and Tesla top the list
If you zoom out to the global market, a familiar pattern emerges. Just like ASML in the Netherlands, Nvidia is the most popular stock worldwide in 2025. The American chip giant played a key role in the AI revolution and geopolitical chip battle between the US and China this year. Nvidia also finished number one based on invested assets. This is evident from Saxo’s international analysis, which also looks at trading volume and customer positions.
Tesla ranks third in terms of trading volume, partly thanks to the continued media attention surrounding Elon Musk. The German defense giant Rheinmetall surprisingly took second place, which has everything to do with the increased demand for weapon systems.
Notable names in the list are quantum companies D-Wave and Rigetti, despite their relatively low market value. CoreWeave, which focuses on AI data centers, also made an impression with a ranking in the top 15.
Top 5 most traded global stocks
- Nvidia
- Rheinmetall
- Tesla
- Air France-KLM
- Nebius Group
Invested assets worldwide: Big Tech dominates
The global top 10 based on invested assets consists almost entirely of American tech giants. Microsoft, Apple, Alphabet and Amazon remain the absolute core of many investment portfolios. The most notable name is Berkshire Hathaway, which is not in the top 15 in terms of trading volume, but is in this list. The explanation may lie with Warren Buffett’s retirement, which became world news at the end of 2025.
Top 3 shares worldwide by invested assets
- Nvidia
- Microsoft
- Tesla
Source: https://newsbit.nl/asml-en-nvidia-domineren-aandelenhandel-in-2025-dit-kochten-beleggers-massaal/
