How to Trade What Congress Trades on the Cheap
If you’ve ever tried to “trade what Congress trades,” you already know the biggest challenge:
By the time you see a headline about a lawmaker’s transaction, it’s usually old news.
That lag is built into the system. Under the STOCK Act’s periodic transaction reporting requirement, covered officials must file a report within 30 days of receiving notice of a transaction, but no later than 45 days after the transaction occurs. In plain English: even if you’re watching disclosures closely, you’re often reacting to something that happened weeks ago.
The headline example everyone follows
A fresh example illustrates why congressional disclosures draw so much attention—and why trying to “mirror” them trade-by-trade is difficult.
In a Periodic Transaction Report signed January 23, 2026, Rep. Nancy Pelosi disclosed a cluster of activity across major large-cap names and an asset manager. The filing includes, among other line items:
-
Alphabet (GOOGL): exercised 50 call options purchased on 1/14/25 (5,000 shares) at a $150 strike, expiring 1/16/26
-
Alphabet (GOOGL): purchased 20 call options (12/30/25) at a $150 strike, expiring 1/15/27
-
Amazon (AMZN): purchased 20 call options (12/30/25) at a $120 strike, expiring 1/15/27
-
Amazon (AMZN): sold 20,000 shares (12/24/25)
-
Apple (AAPL): sold 45,000 shares (12/24/25) and purchased 20 call options (12/30/25) with a $100 strike, expiring 1/15/27
-
AllianceBernstein (AB): initiated a position, purchasing 25,000 shares (1/16/26)
-
PayPal (PYPL): sold 5,000 shares (12/30/25)
That is an attention-grabbing set of trades, and it helps explain why retail investors try to follow congressional activity.
But here’s the operational reality: most investors can’t track dozens of lawmakers, interpret options activity, and act confidently on disclosures that arrive weeks late. Which is where the “cheap” solution comes in.
Small Caps Daily
This Gold Rally Is About Proof and SMX Is Built for It!
As gold breaks above $5,500 and silver trades near historic highs, attention is shifting from price to provenance.
Governments, refiners, manufacturers, and investors are demanding verifiable proof of origin, custody, and recycled content — and legacy systems are struggling to keep up. In precious metals, gaps in verification are no longer theoretical; they represent financial, regulatory, and reputational risk.
Discover how SMX is turning verification into infrastructure as gold and silver enter a new era of scrutiny.
The practical solution: two ETFs that systematize congressional disclosures
Instead of trying to mirror individual lawmakers trade-by-trade, you can outsource the tracking into diversified vehicles built around reported disclosures.
ETF: Unusual Whales Subversive Democratic Trading ETF (SYM: NANC)
NANC is designed to provide exposure to equity securities associated with trading disclosures from Democratic members of Congress and their spouses. The fund’s fact sheet states it partnered with Unusual Whales to provide access to “near-real-time trading disclosures,” and that the fund engages in “active and frequent trading,” explicitly stating it “only buy[s] or sell[s] what members of Congress hold.”
Key details from the fund’s fact sheet:
Top holdings snapshot (as of 09/30/2025): Nvidia, Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, American Express, Salesforce, Philip Morris, Netflix (weights listed on the fact sheet).
Translation: NANC has tended to reflect a more large-cap, growth/tech-tilted footprint—at least based on that holdings snapshot—because that’s what the underlying disclosures have implied.
ETF: Unusual Whales Subversive Republican Trading ETF (SYM: GOP)
GOP applies the same concept, but focuses on trading disclosures tied to Republican members of Congress and their spouses. Like NANC, it states it will engage in “active and frequent trading” and is intended to reflect what those members “hold.”
Key details from the fund’s fact sheet:
Top holdings snapshot (as of 09/30/2025): Comfort Systems USA (FIX), JPMorgan (JPM), iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT), Nvidia (NVDA), Intel (INTC), Arista Networks (ANET), AT&T (T), Allstate (ALL), National Fuel Gas (NFG), Chevron (CVX).
Translation: GOP has recently reflected a more industrial/financial/energy/crypto-adjacent mix—again, based on that disclosed-holdings snapshot.
American Alternative Assets
Your Signature Is Missing - Act Before It’s Too Late
Have you confirmed your name to be added to the official message going out to 45,47?
We're assembling a bold statement—backed by Americans who believe in real retirement protection using gold and silver.
Your name wasn't on the list when we looked. That means this critical letter may be sent without your support.
This isn't just a message—it's a powerful symbol. It tells Washington and Wall Street that Americans are fed up with inflation, games, and erosion of their savings.
President Trump took a stand. Now it's your moment to step up.
Add your name & claim your FREE Gold IRA Guide today.
The message is going out soon. Don't let your voice be left out.
A simple way to use these ETFs without overthinking them
If your objective is “exposure to what Congress trades” while staying disciplined, consider these implementation ideas:
Option A: Split exposure (party-neutral approach).
Allocate across both NANC and GOP (for example, 50/50). This reduces the risk that your results are driven purely by one side’s sector tilts in a given year. It also makes your thesis about disclosure-following mechanics, not politics.
Option B: Use one ETF as a “satellite” position.
Keep a core portfolio (broad index funds, dividend ETFs, etc.), then add a small position in NANC or GOP as an “overlay” that reflects congressional portfolio drift.
Option C: Treat them as tactical, not permanent.
Because the underlying data arrives with a lag, these funds may best be viewed as trend-following exposures to what disclosures have been showing—not as vehicles for short-term event trading.
The most important caveats (read these)
-
Disclosure lag is real. Even with an ETF wrapper, the inputs still come from filings subject to the STOCK Act’s 30–45 day window.
-
Holdings can be concentrated. Both funds’ top holdings lists show meaningful weights in a handful of names at times.
-
They trade frequently. “Active and frequent trading” can translate to higher turnover and potentially less tax efficiency than broad index ETFs.
-
Regime/sector risk matters. A fund can “outperform” simply because its disclosed holdings happened to be in the right sectors. This is not the same as guaranteed “edge.”
The Wealthiest Investor
A 2026 AI Shift Investors Should Understand
In 2026, artificial intelligence is no longer a future concept in finance—it’s already shaping how decisions are made.
AI systems are now being used to evaluate risk, monitor transactions, and influence access to credit and financial services, often behind the scenes.
To help investors better understand this shift, we’ve prepared a concise report:
AI Financial Threat Assessment
It outlines how AI is being applied across financial systems today, what risks investors should be aware of, and why staying informed matters in 2026.
Click here to receive your copy of the report
The landscape is changing in real time. A brief review now can help you stay informed as the year unfolds.
By following the links above, you're choosing to opt in to receive insightful updates from The Wealthiest Investor plus 2 free bonus subscriptions! Your privacy is important to us. You can unsubscribe anytime. See our privacy policy for details.
Have you ever had luck trying to trade alongside congress? What other specific sectors of the market are you currently interested in? Hit "reply" to this email and let us know your thoughts!
