Finance
Unveiling the 4-Factor Dividend Growth Portfolio: A Strategic Alternative to SCHD
2025-08-04

This report introduces an innovative dividend growth portfolio designed as a sophisticated alternative to conventional ETF investments. Despite a recent period of underperformance compared to broader market benchmarks, the portfolio has consistently delivered impressive long-term returns, significantly surpassing established dividend-focused funds. Its core philosophy centers on robust dividend income generation and consistent growth, showcasing substantial increases in both projected annual dividends and the overall dividend compound annual growth rate since its inception. This methodical investment framework is structured to yield enduring, favorable outcomes over an extended investment horizon.

Delving into the 4-Factor Dividend Growth Portfolio

Our meticulously crafted 4-Factor Dividend Growth Portfolio emerges as a compelling substitute for traditional investment vehicles like the widely recognized Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF. Imagine possessing a bespoke iteration of a popular fund, precisely calibrated to your unique investment objectives. This strategy, rooted in a systematic methodology, focuses on selecting dividend-paying equities with strong fundamentals and growth prospects. It integrates a set of four distinct factors, meticulously chosen to identify companies capable of not only distributing consistent dividends but also demonstrating a clear trajectory for future payout increases and capital appreciation. The disciplined application of these factors, combined with an annual rebalancing protocol, ensures the portfolio remains aligned with its long-term objective of achieving a superior compound annual growth rate. This approach diverges from passive index tracking, offering a more dynamic and potentially rewarding path for investors prioritizing both income and growth.

This innovative dividend investment strategy offers a compelling blueprint for investors seeking a more dynamic and potentially rewarding path than traditional index funds. By focusing on actively managed factors and consistent rebalancing, it provides a valuable lesson in how strategic customization can lead to superior long-term financial outcomes. It highlights the importance of adapting and refining investment approaches to current market conditions while maintaining a steadfast commitment to core investment principles.

Boeing Defense Workers Set to Strike After Rejecting Contract Offer
2025-08-04

A significant labor dispute is unfolding at Boeing's defense operations in Missouri and Illinois, as approximately 3,200 employees are preparing to initiate a strike. This decision comes after the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers union rejected the company's most recent four-year contract offer. The disagreement primarily centers on the proposed work schedules and benefits, highlighting a demand from the union for terms that adequately recognize the vital role these skilled workers play in the nation's defense sector. This industrial action is poised to impact the production of critical military aircraft and munitions, components crucial to national security. Despite being smaller in scale compared to previous Boeing strikes, its implications for the defense supply chain are considerable, particularly given the ongoing global demand for aerospace and defense products.

This current labor challenge underscores the complex relationship between major defense contractors and their workforce. For Boeing, maintaining operational continuity is paramount, especially as its defense, space, and security division has recently shown signs of recovery and increased demand. The rejection of the contract signals a strong collective voice from the workers, who seek better compensation and working conditions commensurate with their specialized skills and dedication. The strike could potentially disrupt the delivery of essential military hardware, posing challenges for both the company's financial performance and national defense readiness. As negotiations remain at an impasse, the focus shifts to how quickly both parties can bridge their differences to mitigate prolonged disruption and reach a mutually beneficial agreement.

Labor Unrest Hits Boeing's Defense Sector

Boeing's defense operations in Missouri and Illinois are bracing for a strike by thousands of workers. This industrial action follows the rejection of the aerospace giant's four-year contract proposal by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers union. The core of the dispute revolves around disagreements concerning work schedules and benefits, with the union asserting that the proposed terms do not adequately value the significant contributions of its members to national defense. This impending work stoppage, set to begin on Monday, underscores a growing tension between the company and its skilled labor force, despite a recent period of operation without a formal contract. The union's resolute stance reflects a broader push for equitable compensation and improved conditions that mirror the critical nature of their work.

The decision to strike highlights the workers' determination to secure a contract that genuinely reflects their expertise and the indispensable role they play in the country's defense infrastructure. Union representative Tom Boelling emphasized that the members' voice was clear: they seek terms that acknowledge their skill, dedication, and critical contribution. While this strike involves fewer workers than previous large-scale disputes, its impact on Boeing's military production, including fighter jets like the F-15 and F/A-18, and essential munitions supply chain components, is noteworthy. The company, which recently reported stable second-quarter performance in its defense segment amidst surging Pentagon demand for weaponry, now faces an internal challenge that could test its operational resilience and ability to meet pressing defense requirements.

Implications for Military Production and Company Outlook

The impending strike at Boeing's defense facilities carries significant implications for the production of military aircraft and crucial components for the munitions supply chain. Boeing's defense business, responsible for advanced fighter jets and other vital military assets, faces potential disruptions at a time when Pentagon demand for such equipment, particularly from allied nations, is on the rise. This labor dispute, though smaller in scale than the extensive 2024 Pacific Northwest strike that affected 737 MAX production lines, still poses a challenge to the company's ability to maintain a consistent output of defense products. The interruption in the supply chain could have ripple effects, impacting delivery schedules and potentially affecting military readiness and international commitments.

Despite this looming strike, Boeing's defense, space, and security division has shown signs of a rebound, overcoming previous program overruns and crises, such as issues with the Starliner spacecraft. The division's outlook has been bolstered by new contracts, including those for Pentagon satellites and agreements related to the Air Force's next-generation fighter program. This strike, however, introduces a new layer of complexity, testing the division's stability and recovery trajectory. While the company has not yet issued a public response to the union's decision, the situation calls for prompt and effective negotiation to prevent a prolonged halt in production. The resolution of this dispute will be critical for Boeing to sustain its upward momentum in the defense sector and ensure the continuous flow of essential military hardware to its clients.

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Easy and Low-Cost Cryptocurrency Trading in the U.S. & Switzerland
2025-08-04

1. Why Low Fees and Ease of Use Matter

Crypto trading costs and user experience heavily influence profitability and security. For smaller investments or frequent trades, even small fee differences—say 0.25% vs. 1%—can significantly affect returns. Choosing exchanges with low fees, transparent pricing, and regulatory compliance is especially important for U.S. and Swiss users, where regulations require careful adherence to anti-money-laundering, custody, and consumer protection standards.

2. U.S.-Based Exchanges With Competitive Fees

Kraken (U.S.)

Kraken’s U.S. platform charges 0.25% maker / 0.40% taker fees for users with 30-day volume under $10K; fees drop as volume increases to as low as 0.02% maker / 0.12% taker for institutional clients. Deposits are often free via ACH or SWIFT, and their advanced Kraken Pro interface unlocks tiered discounts.

Coinbase Advanced Trade (formerly Pro)

Offers maker fees as low as 0.4% for <$10K volume and 0.6% taker fees, with higher-volume tiers reducing costs to 0.00–0.05%. Rumors of A/B test changes suggest varying rates, but current published tiers remain valid. Fiat deposits often entail small fees.

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Binance.US

While Binance International offers 0.10% maker/taker fees and fee discounts for BNB holders, Binance.US restricts asset access but provides 0% fees on Tier‑0 trading pairs plus easy ACH deposit. Additional discounts with BNB and VIP levels apply.

Security & Regulation

These platforms are regulated in the U.S., hold licenses or collaborate with banks, and implement 2FA, cold storage, and insurance policies. Coinbase’s leadership has explicitly ruled out ultra-low pricing wars, prioritizing regulatory compliance and coverage.

3. Swiss Platforms for Low-Fee & Simple Trading

Kraken (CHF Support)

Swiss users benefit from Kraken’s BTC/CHF and EUR/CHF trading pairs, zero-fee CHF deposits (via Bank Frick), and tight spreads. Reddit communities endorse Kraken as the cheapest option for CHF crypto deposits and withdrawal.

SwissBorg (App-Based)

SwissBorg offers transparent exchange rates, low spreads (~1%), easy mobile-first interface, and allows users to earn passive yield on crypto holdings. Fiat withdrawals (even in CHF) incur a fixed0.10% execution fee, often capped at 5 CHF or 110 CHF.

Bity / Relai (Swiss-Native)

These apps focus solely on BTC (Relai) or include broader asset support (Bity Wallet). Fees are typically ≤1%; no KYC is required for trades under

Relatedsearches

4. Fee Comparison

PlatformMaker / Taker Fee (USD pairs)Fiat Deposit FeeAsset Support / Notes
Kraken (US)0.25 % / 0ACH/SWIFT: often freeExtensive asset list, regulated in U.S.
Coinbase Advanced0.40 % / 0.60 % (≤$10K), volume discountsUSD bank wires incur small chargesBeginner-friendly, but higher base fees
Binance.US0–ACH: free, Wire: small feesFewer coins than
Kraken (CH)Same fee tiers as U.S. teamCHF via Bank FrickSupports CHF pairs, widely endorsed in CHF community
SwissBorg~1%CHF withdrawal: 0.10 % feeMobile-first, staking/earn options
Bity / Relai~0.8–1.0%Minimal or none if small amountsSimple BTC/ETH access in CHF

5. Tips to Keep Trading Costs Low 💸

5.1 Use Maker Limit Orders Whenever Possible

  • Place limit orders instead of market orders to add liquidity to order books. This balance typically classifies your trades as maker rather than taker, which incurs notably lower fees—e.g. Kraken and Binance.US charge only ~0.1% maker fees versus 0.40–0.60% taker fees.
  • Enabling “post-only” flag ensures your order won’t execute instantly and become a taker trade, thus locking in maker rates.

5.2 Build 30‑Day Trading Volume & Use Native Token Discounts

-Kraken & Binance.US employ 30-day rolling volume tiers: as your volume increases, maker/taker rates decline (e.g. Kraken discounts some fees to 0.02% at high tiers).

  • Binance.US allows users who hold and pay fees in BNB tokens to receive an additional 25% discount on fees.

5.3 Opt for Low-Fee Deposit Channels

  • In the U.S., use ACH or FedWire bank transfers, which are generally fee-free, to avoid fee-laden credit/debit card purchases.
  • For Swiss traders, Kraken allows CZK–CHF transfers via Bank Frick without deposit fees.(Reddit users report occasional fringe fees, likely from intermediary banks—so checking the full wire path matters.)

5.4 Use Efficient Withdrawal Networks

  • On-chain withdrawals can vary in cost by token and network. On Kraken/Binance, USDC or USDT via Solana or Polygon often incurs ~1–2 US cents per transfer, versus $10–30 on Ethereum (ERC-20). If trading in Switzerland, consider Kraken’s BTC/CHF or ETH/CHF pairs to avoid inter-chain conversion fees and still use CHF rails.

5.5 Trade in Local Fiat Currencies

  • Swiss residents can trade BTC/CHF or ETH/CHF directly via Kraken or SwissBorg, eliminating volatile FX conversions and forex spread costs.
  • U.S. users are often better priced trading crypto/USD spot rather than building positions with stablecoins or cross-currency instruments on non‑U.S. platforms.

5.6 Offset Trading Costs Through Tax-Loss Harvesting

  • Given that U.S. crypto is treated as property, the IRS wash-sale rule does not apply, allowing immediate repurchase of the same asset after a loss–sale.
  • With active trades, you can nominate crypto losses to offset income or gains up to $3,000/year and carry forward excess, a process called tax-loss harvesting. But beware: each trade incurs fees, so net savings must exceed the costs (typical round-trip fee of ~0.7% may diminish benefit).
  • Use software tools (e.g. Taxbit, Koinly) to monitor unrealized losses and identify cost-effective positions to harvest.

5.7 Leverage Yield Programs to Offset Fees

  • In Switzerland, SwissBorg Earn allows holders to generate passive yield (~2–4% APR on stablecoins or BTC/ETH) to effectively subsidize spread-based trading costs.
  • Kraken Staking or Binance savings products can similarly generate returns that offset trading or withdrawal costs, though staking or lock-up terms and tax treatment vary by region.

5.8 Prefer Long-Term Hold / Dollar-Cost Averaging

  • Frequent day trading accumulates fees even with low percentage rate. For smaller positions, consider DCA strategies (e.g. weekly fixed purchases) to minimize transaction count and reduce per-trade expense.
  • Many platforms

5.9 Avoid Rapid Exchange-Switching

  • Transferring coins cross-exchange can incur withdrawal fees (~$5–25 depending on chain) plus on-chain miner fees. Instead, try to stay within one platform or use stablecoin rails to move between wallets efficiently.
  • In the U.S., fiduciary platforms like Kraken or Coinbase have networks offering cheaper internal transfers than on-chain.

6. Conclusion

Trading crypto easily and cost-effectively is fully achievable in the U.S. and Switzerland:

  • Kraken offers one of
  • For mobile users or smaller trades in Switzerland, SwissBorg or **Bity/RelBity/Relai provide frictionless access.
  • Coinbase Advanced Trade and Binance.US are viable U.S. options, with fairly low maker/t

Regardless of the platform, the keys to low-cost trading are choosing the right provider, using efficient order types, and maximizing

🔗 Original Sources & Links

  1. Kraken trading‑fee structure https://support.kraken.com/articles/201893638-how-trading-fees-work-on-kraken
  2. Kraken Pro vs Standard maker/taker fees (Reddit discussion) https://www.reddit.com/r/Kraken/comments/1ioxrii/kraken_pro_lower_fees/
  3. Binance.US BNB discount & VIP launch announce https://support.binance.us/en/articles/9843536-binance-us-launches-trading-fee-discount-and-vip-program-with-bnb
  4. Bank Frick vs SWIFT deposit fees (Kraken Support Reddit) https://www.reddit.com/r/KrakenSupport/comments/1d9mow8/kraken_deposit_fees_using_swift_bank_frick_are/
  5. Swiss Personal Finance thread: converting crypto to CHF/USD https://www.reddit.com/r/SwissPersonalFinance/comments/1kbe2qk/best_options_to_convert_crypto_to_fiat_usd_or_chf
  •  6. Koinly guide: crypto tax and wash‑sale status https://koinly.io/guides/crypto-taxes/
  •  7. Reddit “IRS says I owe 13k even at a loss” (crypto wash‑sale exemption) https://www.reddit.com/r/tax/comments/1d8hta3/irs_says_i_owe_13k_from_cryptotrading_at_a_loss/
  •  8. SwissBorg Earn yield compounding (official blog)  https://swissborg.com/blog/earn-crypto-compounding-yield
  •  9. Glassdoor: Information Security Analyst (Canada) salaries https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/information-security-analyst-salary-SRCH_IN3_KO0%2C28_IP3.htm
  • 10. Indeed Canada: Cybersecurity Analyst salary survey https://ca.indeed.com/career/cybersecurity-analyst/salaries
  • 11. Job Bank Canada (Statistics Canada): cybersecurity analyst wage data https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/marketreport/wages-occupation/296427
  • 12. Knowledgehut blog: Security Architect salary (~$128,000 in Canada) https://www.knowledgehut.com/blog/security/security-architect-salary
  • 13. SalaryExpert: Chief Information Security Officer (Canada) https://www.salaryexpert.com/salary/job/chief-information-security-officer/canada
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